Chapter 124 Divorce: Separation.

Chapter 124: Peaceful Divorce

Yu Tianqin stared at him hollowly with her large, bright eyes, her face burning with a searing pain, as if she had been slapped, though no one had struck her.

Obviously, it was Xie Tanwei who had cured her blindness. Accepting a favor from her enemy so inexplicably made her feel as humiliated as if she had been slapped.

His drugging of her over the past few days now had the most sordid explanation—he had been anesthetizing her to spare her the agony of the treatment, reasonable, proper, and even benevolent.

Upon waking, she could not accuse him, and instead was indebted to him.

Now she understood why he had said, "No crying"—tears would fester the bloody, mangled wound.

Yu Tianqin was silent for a moment, her expression one of desolate loss, her tone brimming with cold, explosive bitterness. "I owe you again, don't I?"

"You owe me nothing."

Xie Tanwei denied it deeply, his voice like a mountain spring.

"But I do owe you," she said calmly, calculating. "A pair of eyes—something no amount of money can buy."

He said succinctly, "You can pretend this never happened."

Yu Tianqin realized she had fallen into a trap.

He had bestowed a favor upon her, and morally, it seemed she could no longer hate him legitimately.

But emotionally, she still hated him. Her eyes were not something she had asked him to treat; he had forced the gift upon her. She would rather be immoral than reconcile with him.

"Where is this?" After a long pause, Yu Tianqin let her gaze drift beyond the window to the high walls of the imperial garden.

"A residence purchased by Zhao Ning in the capital."

Yu Tianqin snorted coldly, sarcastically. "Lord Xie is afraid of his wife finding out, so he doesn't even dare use his own estate?"

Xie Tanwei smiled lightly, calm and composed. "A temporary lodging, to avoid any entanglement."

Despite his words, his actions defied both reason and propriety.

"Then will you let me go?"

After all, being far apart is the best way to avoid ties.

She tested him, a hint of hope in her cold, hard tone.

That hope inexplicably pierced Xie Tanwei's eyes. He shook his head decisively. "No."

An expected answer.

"What do you plan to do then?" Yu Tianqin's heart chilled, and she deliberately tried to wound him. "I'm just a lowly life, drifting wherever. But living in Zhao Ning's residence for long, people might mistake me for his concubine."

"Who cares about titles? The important thing is that you're only with me." A flicker of flame lit in Xie Tanwei's eyes, his gaze serene and composed, easily dismantling her little schemes.

His hand cupped her chin, his fingers stroking it repeatedly, his possessiveness plainly evident as he corrected her words: "Your life is not worthless—it's precious."

Yu Tianqin turned away in disdain.

No matter what she said, she could hardly stir his emotions.

"Then you'd better hide me well, since I'm very capable of ruining your marriage," she said, having learned to be tough when needed and soft when necessary. "When Sister sees me back, her mood will sour terribly."

Xie Tanwei was unusually cold, yet he smiled lightly. "Oh, so I should interpret that as you only like things stolen?"

Since their separation, his desires had long surged. His lips brushed lightly against her temples, leaving a sticky trace.

"You're the one who likes stolen goods," Yu Tianqin corrected, even colder.

"If I bring you back to the mansion, it means divorcing my wife and elevating you to her position. I would lose the virtue of a scholar-official and spend the rest of my life with you, who harbors resentment and might stab me in the back anytime. How should I choose? It's so hard. What do you think?"

He coaxed her into giving a specific answer, playing cat and mouse, treating it like a game, though his face showed no hint of real difficulty.

Yu Tianqin stopped him immediately. "Don't. I'm not honored to be elevated."

Xie Tanwei looked into her eyes, which were devoid of expression, searching for a trace of jealousy, pain, or hope, but found only arrogance. He let out a faint laugh, uncertain of whom he was mocking, as if bewitched. His insides chilled, and he even felt despair over his own feelings that he had never experienced in his years as an official.

She certainly didn't want to be elevated, yet he wished for her to be his wife.

When she wanted to marry that pastry seller, his murderous intent surged in him from the shadows, making him feel like someone shrouded in darkness.

In love, the one who falls first is the loser. Though hard to admit, he had already lost completely.

The matter of wifehood—he didn't want to hear a negative answer, so he would discuss it later.

For now, he stayed warm and proper, showing courtesy: "You indeed don't have the chance to be elevated, because I don't love you, just as you don't love me. Why I keep you… you can see it as torment or deliberate revenge. Either way, you will stay. In the days ahead, we will spend them together. Don't play the suicide game with me. You know I'm a physician."

Every time Yu Tianqin heard his words, she sank deeper into despair.

"Is there a time limit this time?"

At least last time there had been an "I'm bored" excuse.

"No."

He answered quickly, terrifyingly decisive.

Yu Tianqin rubbed her aching temples, deeply troubled. Xie Tanwei pulled her into his embrace, smoothing away her disheartening expression. As long as she was in his arms, he was content.

As for her prideful bones, he would have a special place to tame them.

…

Xie Mansion.

Xian Qiu paced anxiously in Qiutong Residence.

That lowly concubine had come back to life, personally saved by the Lord.

Xian Qiu was suddenly on high alert, her insides trembling, bracing for Yu Tianqin's return to the estate.

"Where is the Lord?" Xian Qiu asked, restless.

The maid, perhaps intimidated by her manner, whispered, "The Lord is at the palace tonight overseeing His Majesty's lessons. He'll return very late. Before leaving, he said you should sleep first."

Xian Qiu's mind wandered, and with the maid's low voice, she only understood after hearing it three times. Her right ear, completely deaf, felt stuffed with thick cotton wool, while her left ear's hearing came and went intermittently, adding to her irritability. She ordered, "Get out!"

The maid hurried away.

Xian Qiu slumped dazedly onto the edge of the bed, an unprecedented emotion welling up inside her. Outsiders spread rumors of their perfect marriage as a loving couple, but in truth, Xie Tanwei had never been close to her, and had rarely set foot in Qiutong Residence.

He was like a completely cold, ascetic man, except for his burning desire for Yu Tianqin. Though Xian Qiu's stone disease had been cured, it was to no avail—Xie Tanwei wouldn't be moved an inch just because she could now conceive.

Let alone the legitimate eldest son.

His aphrodisiac was power and state affairs. Xian Qiu had always consoled herself with this.

Yu Tianqin appeared again.

As soon as Tian Qin appeared, all of Xie Tanwei's principles changed.

Xian Qiu would never have lifted a finger to save the woman who had caused her deafness, but Xie Tanwei saved her, disregarding past grievances, asking for no money, even concealing his name, and completely ignoring the opinion of his wife.

Why did Tian Qin have to disrupt her peaceful life?

There were so many men in the world; why did Tian Qin have to cling to her brother-in-law?

Xian Qiu waited for Xie Tanwei until the deepest part of the night.

The principled matter had to be cleared up.

As a wife, she could accept his taking a concubine, but she could not accept Tian Qin. She understood that if she said it directly, she hoped Xie Tanwei, as a model husband, would accommodate her feelings.

Xie Tanwei returned from the palace very late, still holding a stack of memorials that the Emperor had not approved. He usually had a habit of drinking tea and admiring the moon before sleep, but today he skipped it, a clear sign that tutoring the Little Majesty had exhausted him.

He didn't go anywhere to dally; as he laughed and chatted with Zhao Ning, he even remarked with a sigh, "His Majesty is very smart, just too young and not yet awakened."

If Xian Qiu had been tactful, she should not have disturbed his rest tonight, but the matter of Yu Tianqin was extremely urgent, forcing her to face her husband's skeptical gaze and walk straight into the bedroom named "Spring of Self and World" where he was resting.

"Husband, I have something to ask you."

Xie Tanwei was lying by the window, slowly draping his robe, holding a book, facing a red candle. Hearing her voice, he said, "Oh?"

Xian Qiu hated this feeling—he was clearly driving her insane, yet he remained so calm and nonchalant, quietly watching her go crazy, standing on a moral high ground as if everything was her imagination.

She clenched her teeth, her sleeves trembling slightly, her fists clenched so tightly they ached:

"Tian Qin's illness has healed, hasn't it?"

Xie Tanwei thought it was something major, but showed no displeasure. "Her eyes haven't fully healed yet."

As he spoke, he turned a page of his book, as if it were nothing unusual.

"Her eyes haven't fully healed yet." Xian Qiu chewed on these words. How could he remain expressionless, speaking as matter-of-factly as discussing dinner? He had no intention whatsoever of explaining to her!

"Husband, you cannot treat me this way."

Xian Qiu's heart filled with darkness and jealousy, threatening like a resentful wife: "If you do this, I will truly be disappointed."

Only then did Xie Tanwei show a bit of interest, but unfortunately, no one cared about her disappointment.

His heart was cold, his expression indifferent. Or perhaps, he had long prepared for his wife's full range of emotions and had written a letter in advance, which he now slid over to Xian Qiu:

"Then let us part amicably."

She opened the letter, and it was clearly a letter of divorce.

In an instant, the situation was pushed to the worst possible outcome.

"I don't want to use the disgraceful method of unilaterally divorcing you, since you have done no wrong over the years. Since you are disappointed in me, I will set you free. This divorce letter grants us both freedom. How about it?"

Panic showed in Xian Qiu's eyes and her heart trembled. The letter fell to the ground, as if burning her hand.

The belated divorce letter was destined the moment the Yu family fell.

Her emotional dam burst, tears flooding uncontrollably. She truly felt fear. She had come to confront him, but never expected his resolve to be harder than hers.

She pleaded bitterly: "No, that's not what I meant. Husband, you misunderstand. I beg you, do not divorce me. How much have I sacrificed for you..."

Xie Tanwei nodded and smiled, listening quietly, but he did not budge. For two people who tormented each other, separation might indeed be a better choice.

He didn't consider himself stubborn at all, never holding onto anyone tightly.

Xian Qiu had not expected her hostility toward Tian Qin to lead to such a terrible collapse. Xie Tanwei was gentle by nature, but once resolute, he was completely merciless.

To save the marriage, she would back down: "No... Tian Qin is my sister; the younger sister can't lose her older sister. Husband, please bring Tian Qin back. I will take care of her myself. Husband, do not divorce me!"

She was no longer a noble lady of the Yu family. If she divorced Xie Tanwei, the consequences would be disastrous.

For so many years, the Yu family had declined, seemingly only able to retain the position of Clan Matriarch thanks to Xie Tanwei's benevolence.

"Husband, don't be impulsive. Think of our good reputation as a couple. A sudden divorce will certainly damage your reputation. What will people say about us? You cannot abandon your wife for a concubine. You are a scholar-official of impeccable moral character!"

She hoped these words would bring Xie Tanwei back.

But the man only smiled gracefully, not caring at all, and sighed at her foolishness.

"What is so important about reputation? In officialdom, matters can be called black or white at will. A clean reputation lies only in the hands of powerful authority..."

"Let's part. Everything comes to an end."