Chapter 228: Madam Zhou, no, Mrs. Li

Chapter 228: Madam Zhou, no, Mrs. Li

As she was walking back and forth, she heard someone announce joyfully that Jiu Er had returned.

She was taken aback, so soon?

She glared at the maid who brought the news: "Jiu Er is coming back right after this, why didn't you give me a heads-up?"

"If I had known earlier, I wouldn't have been wandering around the room, I would have freshened up early to welcome her."

The maid was wronged: "Madam, I did inform you, didn't you say you weren't accustomed to being called 'Marquess'?"

Madam Zhou remembered, but what she thought was 'soon' meant in a couple of days, not in a moment.

Upon arriving home, Zhou Huanjiu was naturally pulled by her mother to be praised for a long time. Her mother's lavish praise made her, who wasn't thick-skinned, blush with embarrassment.

The joyful moment didn't last long, someone came to announce: "Madam, that person from the Zhou family is here."

"That person" refers to Zhou Yu, Jiu Er's biological father.

Every time he came, he was stopped outside Wanyuan.

After being stopped a few times initially, he made a big fuss at the gate of Wanyuan.

At that time, Jiu Er had not yet returned to the palace, and directly sent someone to tie him up and throw him back to the Zhou family's estate, so he didn't cause any more trouble.

But from time to time, he would come over to pester, trying to get in.

Madam Zhou originally turned a blind eye to avoid annoyance, but this time...

"Jiu Er, if Mother wants a divorce, will you help Mother?"

Zhou Huanjiu was too happy to nod heavily: "Yes!"

Wait, the nod was too heavy, a bit dizzy.

Zhou Yu swaggered in, still bragging: "Madam, have you finally come to your senses and want to reconcile with your husband?"

"Although I like men, we can be confidants, be sisters!"

He very naturally, and boldly sat down on the chair, spreading his hands to reason: "Look, you like men, I like men too."

"We like the same thing, ask any husband in the world who can understand his wife, but I can completely understand you."

Since discovering that Zhou Yu did not like women, Madam Zhou always felt that his sitting posture, walking, voice, etc., were somewhat feminine?

She couldn't bear to look away.

Zhou Yu's purpose this time was still the same, wanting to live in the spacious and comfortable Wanyuan, but his rhetoric seemed to have changed.

He seemed to stand from Zhou Huanjiu's perspective, like a loving father, earnestly advising: "Although Jiu Er is favored by the Empress Dowager, the most solid support in the future must still be brothers."

"His Majesty did not exterminate us, although I was stripped of my title, my children can still enter officialdom through the imperial examinations."

"Jiu Er, the teacher at the academy said your brother's talent is very good, not without the possibility of topping the golden list."

"No matter how much the Empress Dowager and His Majesty reward you, they are still outsiders."

"You are surnamed Zhou, not Bei."

"In the future, your closest ties will still be with your brothers from the same clan."

He scolded Zhou Huanjiu's mother: "Jiu Er, your mother is being unreasonable, and so are you!"

"This is about your future, your entire life ahead."

"And your heartless mother, only concerned with her own happiness, has conflicts with Father and separates, not caring about you, her daughter, at all."

"Father is the one who truly cares for you."

"Why don't you take advantage of your brothers being young and bring them over to build relationships?"

"Otherwise, when they grow up and become successful, they won't acknowledge you, and you'll regret it!"

"As it is now, Zhizhi and your brothers have a closer bond."

"If you don't act soon, they will favor Zhizhi in the future, and Jiu Er will truly have no brothers to support her."

If Bei Jingchu were here, she would surely remember the story of the true and false heiresses, where Zhou Huanzhi had built sibling bonds with the boys in the Duke's mansion, especially the second son, who was named the heir.

When the true heiress Zhou Huanjiu was found and brought back, she was completely out of place.

Everyone in the mansion with power and influence sided with Zhou Huanzhi, leaving her isolated and unsupported, with no one to care for her.

Everyone was hostile towards her, scheming to embarrass her at banquets, ruin her reputation, and more.

Then she poisoned the entire family to death.

This time, Zhou Huanjiu didn't realize her fate had already changed, but she knew she didn't need to rely on those so-called brothers.

Zhou Huanjiu waved her hand in disgust, her small arms crossed over her chest, and had someone bring the divorce agreement she had written while he was rambling, the ink still wet.

The maid handed the divorce agreement to Zhou Yu, and Zhou Huanjiu's mother sneered, "Zhou Yu, do you think your sons are so valuable?"

"Jiu Er doesn't care about these."

"Sign this divorce agreement and leave."

Zhou Yu was stunned holding the divorce agreement and demanded, "What do you mean, you madwoman?"

"Do you really dare to divorce me?"

"Have you thought this through? If you really divorce me, and something happens in the future, even if you and your daughter beg me, I will never forgive you!"

He made threats, but they were hollow.

Clearly, he saw that the mother and daughter were useful and clung to them.

Seeing him hesitate, Zhou Huanjiu's mother directly ordered people to hold him down.

"Can't write? Then press a handprint."

Zhou Yu was held down by several people, who grabbed his thumb and pressed it onto the divorce agreement.

Only then did he clearly read the words on the divorce agreement.

The person who wrote it was indeed from Wanyuan, and the reason for the divorce was that he was despicable, felt unworthy of his wife, and was ashamed, hence the divorce.

Zhou Yu's eyes widened in fury.

"How dare you, you lunatic!"

"You’ve ruined my honor!"

Zhou Huanjiu's mother was exhausted from saying: "Your reputation’s been trash for seven years—what honor are you even talking about?"

As soon as Zhou Yu was released, his headgear tumbled off, and his unwashed hair reeked, adding to his disheveled appearance. He looked like a homeless beggar, with no semblance of dignity left.

But he still held his head high, barking orders like he was in charge.

"Fine, let’s see how you two manage without me. What son-in-law would want to take care of his mother-in-law?"

"You crazy woman, don’t come crawling back to me later—I won’t forgive you, and I’ll be waiting for you to beg!"

As soon as he was free, he lunged forward, trying to rip up the divorce papers.

The servants from Wanyuan bolted away with the divorce papers.

Zhou Huanjiu's mother—no, Lady Li.

Lady Li gave a mysterious smile: "Do you really think I haven’t thought about all that?"

"Then why don’t you guess why I’m so set on divorcing you now?"

Zhou Huanjiu, silent the whole time, worried her lack of smarts might hold them back.

Her mother’s voice, brimming with pride, cut through the silence: "Because my daughter doesn’t need any brothers."

"She’s the most accomplished woman in Dayue—she can earn her own title and become a court official, starting at the fifth rank."