Translator – Xiao He Lian
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Chapter 53.1
Li Di said with a mournful expression: “Shen Shu, I will not divorce with you. You should give up this idea as soon as possible.”
Shen Shu raised her lips and said, “Does Lord Li’s mother know that you have this kind of thoughts? There is also the daughter of the He family who has been waiting for you, does she also know?”
“I know you hate me.” Li Di clenched his fists, “Shen Shu, while you hate me, think about these past four years and those thousands of days and nights that you and I have spent as husband and wife, how could it all be fake.”
Shen Shu’s eyes were full of mockery, “Save your breath.”
Li Di raised the corner of his mouth and threw the dagger in his hand on the ground with a “dang” sound.
Then he turned around and left.
Li Di walked to the pavilion, sat down, looked up at the white moonlight in the sky and sneered.
Everyone thought that when he made great achievements and was in a high position, he would divorce Shen Shu and marry He Wanru. Even he himself thought so at first.
He felt guilt, pity, and affection for He Wanru, but what was lacking was his uncontrollable passion when facing Shen Shu. As he just said, how could all these four years be fake?
Last year, the Shen family was confiscated, Yunyang Marquis was imprisoned, in fact, he did not want to tear his face with Shen Yu, but he was about to be promoted, with Shen Shu’s intelligence, it is impossible to hide it any further.
Rather than being questioned by her, it would be better for him to come clean.
It was a little sad that his beloved wife who had been in his arms for four years suddenly regarded him as his mortal enemy.
Li Di looked down at the calluses on his hands, he had never regretted taking this path.
Thinking back to the year when he married Shen Shu, many people in Chang’an were laughing at him for not knowing his place and for daring to mess with the eldest lady of the Shen family. For this reason, he even endured the beating of the dandies in the capital.
When he was beaten and bleeding, he swore at the time that when he was in a high position, none of these people, regardless of which family, could escape. And the eldest lady from the Shen family would eventually lie under him and give birth to a child from the Li family.
Since then, he has been guarding the Yunyang Marquis Mansion every day, becoming a rare infatuated man in the world.
Everyone said that since Li Di was able to have a father-in-law like Yunyang Marquis, green smoke would be rising from the Li family’s ancestral grave1(Green smoke rising from ancestral graves, The original intention is to achieve great things or become a high official. But they are also sarcastic and insulting words. For example, if someone becomes a group leader and someone belittles him, he would say that someone is smoking from his ancestral grave.). But what no one knew was that, when Marquis Yunyang saw him for the first time, his eyes were filled with clear and burning disgust!
The word “disgust” was the most pleasant word he could describe it as.
But he doesn’t care.
The officialdom in Chang’an was full of wolves and there was no way to survive in it. Only by enduring hardship can one become a master. So from the moment he entered the capital, he could no longer suppress his desire for power.
So far, he has long been unable to turn back.
He had already boarded the Sixth Prince’s ship and now he couldn’t get off it again…
Li Di pondered for a moment, stood up and asked someone to prepare his horse. He said in a deep voice: “Let’s go to Prince Wei’s Mansion.”
The sixth prince was born to Empress Xu. He grew up under the Emperor from a young age and lived in the deep palace for a long time and was loved by many. It was not until the beginning of this year that the Emperor gave him the title of Wei and a house.
Late at night, a carriage quietly stopped at the back door of Prince Wei’s Mansion. The two gatekeepers saw the carriage and stepped forward to stop it.
They asked in unison: “Who is it?”
Li Di was wearing a black robe. He took out a jade pendant from his sleeve and showed it to the guard.
The guard looked at each other, bowed and let him in.
Empress Xu was favored, and the six princes naturally so. How could the magnificence of Prince Wei’s palace be compared to that of ordinary princes’ palaces? The incense burner in the study room in front was made of pure gold.
A room shrouded with smoke incense.
The Sixth Prince glanced at him and asked in a deep voice: “What are you doing here late at night?”
Li Di bowed and said: “Your Highness, my wife wanted to divorce with me and was shameless enough to go report the matter regarding the daughter of the He family to the Jingzhao Prefecture.”
The Sixth Prince kept opening and closing the fan in his hand and said casually: “Oh? WHo did she report to, Governor Zheng? Or Magistrate Sun?”
Li Di shook his head and said, “It’s Magistrate Lu.”
As soon as he finished speaking, the fan in the sixth prince’s hand clicked shut and he raised his eyebrows and said, “Lu Yan?”
Li Di nodded and replied: “Yes.”
The sixth prince sat up straight, looked at him and said angrily: “You can’t even keep an eye on a woman! Li Di, is this king regarding you too highly?”
“I am sorry.”
The Sixth Prince was silent for a long time.
“Send the daughter of the He family away. When everything settles down in the future, you want to take her back. But for now, you still have to keep Shen Shu under control.” The sixth prince tapped the handle of the fan again and again, “The Lu family has no friendship with the Shen family, if you handle the household registration matter more cleanly, I think Lu Shiyan won’t make things difficult for you.”
“I will send the daughter of the He family away tomorrow! However…. I heard that the East Palace has been getting closer to Magistrate Lu recently.” Li Di pursed his lips and said.
The Sixth Prince sneered.
He threw the folding fan in his hand on the table and said word by word: “Li Di, just do whatever I tell you to do. Don’t mess with Lord Lu. Although he is a fourth grade official, he is different from you. If you provoke him, I cannot protect you.”
“I understand.” Li Di said while clenching his fists.
After Li Di left, the sixth prince frowned.
Originally, according to their plan, the Crown Prince should have reached the point where he was terminally ill and beyond hope, but now… Doctor Bai actually gave the dying East Place some ability to struggle again.
Is he actually trying to win over Zhenguo Duke?
His ambition is really big.
Heh
He wrote a letter, then said to his servant, “Send this letter to my mother.”
——
Early the next morning, inside the Imperial palace, Anhua Hall.
Empress Xu held the letter between her fingers and placed it on the candlestick. There was a trace of sadness on her stunningly beautiful face.
After it was burnt, she rubbed her temples and whispered: “Zhuang momo, will something happen to the thing that I’m desperately looking forward to?”
Zhuang momo bowed and said: “Your Majesty, you are worrying too much. The miracle doctor in the East Palace was sent there by the Emperor, not voluntarily offered by the Heir Apparent of the Lu family. You also know the temperament of the eldest princess. She has not participated in these matters for so many years so it makes no sense to support the Crown Prince at this time.”
Empress Xu rubbed her brows and sighed: “Only by winning over the Zhenguo Duke’s Mansion, can I feel at ease. Even if the eldest princess doesn’t participate in these matters, isn’t there the Heir Apparent of the Lu family?” The Zhenguo Duke has soldiers in his hands. The eldest princess has the Emperor’s favor, and the Heir Apparent of the Lu family will eventually hold significant power.
Zhuang momo said, “What Your Majesty means…”
Empress Xu nodded, “Tomorrow, send someone to summon that niece of mine to the palace, just say that I want to see her.”
Zhuang momo asked: “Is it the second young lady of the Xu family or the fourth young lady of the Xu family?”
Empress Xu said: “Call Xiao Qi2(Little Seven). Although she is only fifteen, she is the most lively and transparent person. I like her the most. If she doesn’t have any real ability, can Lu Shiyan like her? Unlike the one who is standing outside the door, making a joke out of herself.”
The person standing outside the door was Meng Cairen3(Cai Ren refers to a type of female court official in ancient China , who is also a concubine ; it is also the ninth level of the concubine level), who had just entered the palace. Her real name is Meng Suxi. She had only been in the palace for less than half a month and the news that she was rejected by the Zhenguo Duke’s Mansion had been spreading all over the palace, causing quite a stir.
Hearing this, Zhuang momo couldn’t help but laugh, “Speaking of which, this Meng Cairen is also very perseverant. Your Majesty has been ignoring her for so many days, but she still stands at the door waiting every day.”
Empress Xu said: “He wanted to marry Lu Shiyan but failed and then got the intention of entering the palace afterwards. The Emperor only gave her a position because her father was still useful. It’s still too early for her to be favored.”
“Just let her stand outside the door. I want to see how long she can keep standing!”
——
