I planned to culminate my confrontation with Antara at the banquet, where all the noble ladies of the empire would gather. Hence, no other commotion should exist.
Incidentally, I remembered some of Antara’s vulgar and lightweight remarks. My plan was to isolate her by causing discord at the banquet and then getting her expelled from the Duchess of Weekly’s group.
To do this, I needed to win the Duchess’s favor. Since I was seeking her favor anyway, why not also ask her to be a chaperone for Lirien?
In the cutthroat social circles, the fragile Lirien would struggle alone. When I was away from the mansion, I wished many would be there for her.
Like someone who would appreciate her half-up hairstyle, for instance.
Noticing Edmun’s thoughts leaning toward me, I grinned slyly.
“With the Duchess’s influence, Lirien securing a position in society would be greatly assisted. I’ll make sure she adapts well.”
This was an offer that the doting Edmun would find most tempting.
Unhappy either with my confident tone or the fact that he had to agree, Edmun raised his eyebrows in displeasure.
“You’re quite shrewd.”
“And you’re as handsome as ever today, Your Excellency.”
“Was there any part of our conversation where appearance was relevant?”
“Lip service is essential in negotiations.”
As I playfully crinkled my nose, Edmun leaned back with a baffled expression.
After a moment of contemplation, he finally spoke.
“I’m arranging the dukedom’s order with the pre-arrival of the investiture certificate.”
“Oh, really?”
…He’s in the process of evicting his relatives from the bloodline.
“I’ll arrange a meeting with the Duchess of Weekly. A carriage will be sent for you.”
“An excellent decision, Your Excellency.”
I beamed at the satisfactory trade. With a relaxed heart, I lifted my glass of water.
“May I ask a question?”
“Of course.”
“Why aren’t you pursuing a divorce lawsuit?”
His tone conveyed incomprehension.
Edmun, aware of all my circumstances through correspondence with the emperor and meetings with Rainburton, knew of my resolve for divorce and vengeance.
But why I was grinding my teeth to this extent might not be fully comprehensible to him. Even with background investigations, unraveling domestic affairs is not easy. The letters only vaguely accused of infidelity and bad behavior.
Sighing, I brought the glass to my lips and let out a sardonic laugh.
“Why? Do you think I’m engaging in pointless labor?”
“My point is, why do you choose to dirty your hands and solve things the hard way?”
I paused, mid-sip, taken aback by the unexpected nature of his question. There was a strong undertone of it being excessive.
I set down the glass and looked straight into Edmun’s calm, lake-like golden eyes. After a moment, I spoke.
“…Because it’s unfair.”
“…….”
“Have you ever been forced to plunge your face into hot soup in the middle of a meal because your head was pushed down?”
Edmun’s lips parted slightly. For the first time, he seemed at a loss for words, appearing a bit dazed and possibly shocked.
Just this much shocks you? I scoffed inwardly.
“Have you been grabbed by the hair in front of the servants?”
“…….”
“For the past four years, I’ve been known as Ettrisha of the vulgar nouveau riche family.”
As I spoke, a sense of nausea and trembling hands overcame me. This was a trauma acquired while living merged with the narrative of the original work.
Having to be constantly vigilant, begging with both hands and feet, weeping, or instinctively hunching my shoulders in anticipation of a blow – these were unpleasant memories I never wanted to revisit.
And those bitter memories brought back the raw emotions of that time.
Seeking revenge didn’t erase the wounds.
Sometimes, I felt a momentary satisfaction from my sharp retorts to Antara, but then the chain of abuses I had suffered from her would resurface, fueling my anger and leading me to retaliate with venomous words.
Much like how I was speaking now, somewhat aggressively.
“My husband ignored his mother’s wickedness and never respected me as his wife. As a result, my authority in the family was less than that of a servant. All I could do for the past four years was remain silent. Do you still think it’s too much?”
Male lead is a Divorced Husband
She said to him: “Tell me, what makes you like me? I’ll change it!”
Liu Changning transmigrated into a female cannon fodder character in a female-dominant novel.
After reading the first half of the novel’s plot, the first thing she did upon transmigration was to divorce the Pan Jinlian-style male protagonist she had just married.
She indulged herself, pretending to be ugly and poor.
But as time passed, the way that man looked at her became more and more unusual…
Liu Changning was dumbfounded: Tell me, what makes you like me? I’ll change!
――
This lifetime, Pei Yuanshao was rejected by the same woman twice!
The first time, she drove him away. Forced by the situation, he endured the waves of anger in his heart, yielding and humbling himself.
That person lay slanted on a rocking chair, her sallow face emotionless: “If you don’t want a divorce, go cook!”
Pei Yuanshao’s face was dark and gloomy: “You!”
The second time, after the crisis in Jinling City was resolved, the new emperor sent someone to pick him up. He turned around, stammering: “I… I have to go. If you keep me…”
That person lay on the kang bed, her back to him, as if she had long anticipated this day, crisp and clear: “Goodbye!”
Pei Yuanshao was so angry his fingers trembled: “You… you!”
The mission of family and country made him restrain himself, averting his eyes and turning to leave this broken household.
Two years later, they met again. Seeing her ethereal face, his body shook like a sieve.
“She was originally a ‘she’!”
At the Qionglin Banquet, the top scholar of the imperial examination, a talented person with exceptional speech and conduct, all the unmarried young gentlemen from aristocratic families looked at her with shy and timid eyes.
The peerless imperial official Pei Yuanshao felt the anger in his heart erupt. He pointed at the woman surrounded by the crowd at the Qionglin Banquet, his thin lips slightly curled: “Little sister, I wants that person to be the wife-master of my Mingde Prince Manor.”
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