Thirty-Six Stratagems for Divorcing a Wife (GL) - Chapter 12
Nian Nianshi watched her gritting her teeth in pain, still refusing to let her help, and her heart ached unbearably. After pondering for a moment, she asked slowly:
“Do you really dislike me that much?”
Lu Jianshou saw her serious expression, as though she had spoken with true feeling. Her own heart softened, and her tone also became gentler:
“It’s not that I dislike you. It’s just that the two of us… are not suitable.”
“What you mean is, you and that Jin Qingqin are suitable, then?”
There was inevitably jealousy in Nian Nianshi’s words. How could she be so sure they were unsuitable without ever trying? However one looked at it, it felt like she already had someone in her heart.
“This has nothing to do with her…” Lu Jianshou pressed an ice pack to herself and replied, “It’s just fate that we have no share together. If I had feelings for you, three years ago we would’ve already been together. Why would we have waited until now?”
Nian Nianshi could only give a bitter smile.
Seeing she no longer insisted, Lu Jianshou once more stood up, found brush and ink in the room, and rewrote the divorce letter. Since there was no inkpad, she bit her finger again and solemnly pressed a bloody fingerprint onto it.
“Feelings cannot be forced. Nian Nianshi, you truly are a rare and wonderful girl. It’s Jian… Jianyi who isn’t worthy of you.”
Nian Nianshi’s expression was desolate. She picked up the letter but did not acknowledge it. Lu Jianshou hardened her heart and continued:
“If you won’t sign, then I’ll just keep writing. I’ll bite open all ten fingers, one after another, and press my fingerprints again and again until you finally agree to sign.”
“Do you really have to go this far?” Nian Nianshi looked at her in disbelief, shocked that she would be so resolute, to stake her own life on it.
But Lu Jianshou only bit her lip and whispered, “I’m sorry.”
Nian Nianshi carefully folded the divorce letter and tucked it into her pouch, finally replying softly:
“I will accept this letter.”
“It doesn’t count until you sign it…” Lu Jianshou hadn’t expected her to agree. Thinking her full of tricks, she feared she was plotting something again.
Nian Nianshi picked up the ointment and, ignoring Lu Jianshou’s attempts to evade, applied it on her wounds:
“We are only newly married two days. Have you thought about the consequences of acting so rashly?”
“What consequences?” Lu Jianshou, unable to resist, let her continue.
Nian Nianshi’s movements were gentle as she slowly reasoned:
“At the farewell gathering, Lu Jianyi publicly confessed to Nian Nianshi — everyone knows of it. Just now Old Master Lu was furious, and you should know how much this scandal could damage the Lu family’s century-old reputation. The Huibin Tower incident also caused quite a stir. Compared to the ruin of Lu Jianyi’s name as a gentleman, it’s worse that the whole Lu family could be disgraced and ridiculed. Moreover, if His Majesty chooses to punish with a charge of deceiving the emperor, how many innocent people will be dragged down with us? And then, my father has always doted on me. If he learns I was wronged and sent back, he will never spare the Lu family either. By then both sides will be offended — have you considered what the consequences would be?”
Hearing this analysis, Lu Jianshou too realized the seriousness and blurted out:
“What should we do then?”
As she carefully bandaged her wounds, Nian Nianshi suggested:
“Why don’t we set three years as the term? After three years, if you still dislike me this much, then I will sign the divorce letter myself and give it to you. By then, we can come up with a reason, put the blame on me, and people will not find too much fault.”
Lu Jianshou hadn’t expected this, and it matched the plan she and her mother had discussed. But she still felt uneasy:
“Can you guarantee that in three years you’ll keep this promise?”
“Lu Jianshou, don’t you think asking me this way is far too unfair?” For the first time in days, Nian Nianshi truly revealed her unwillingness.
Lu Jianshou realized how base she sounded and grew embarrassed:
“Forgive me… we’ve been married this long already, yet you always call me ‘husband, husband,’ and you never noticed you’ve been calling the wrong name. I’m Lu Jianyi — my younger sister is Lu Jianshou. I didn’t mean harm in pointing it out, just… to guard against the unexpected. Who knows if when the time comes you might not…”
How could Nian Nianshi not know this was simply mistrust of her? In a flash, she raised her left hand and bit it open. Before Lu Jianshou could react, drops of bl00d were already falling onto the table.
“You…”
With her other hand she pulled out the divorce letter again and pressed her fresh bloody palmprint over the first one.
“Keep the letter. Our husband-and-wife bond is ended from today. But in name we’ll maintain three years. When that time is up, we’ll cut all ties. That way the world will have little to say. We don’t need to force this act anymore. Now do you believe me?”
When Nian Nianshi spoke these words, her heart was already shattered.
Lu Jianshou was moved by her resolute, self-wounding expression. After a long pause, she seized her bleeding hand, carefully bandaged it into a strange bundle, taped it tight, and stuffed the divorce letter back into her hand — ugly wrapping and all.
“You keep it… I’m not completely without conscience.”
Nian Nianshi said nothing.
Lu Jianshou noticed her wrist was still wrapped in gauze — an old injury, it seemed — and that she had been bandaging with her left hand all along. She asked:
“You’re left-handed?”
Nian Nianshi still did not reply.
Seeing the jade-like hand, old wounds now layered with new, Lu Jianshou felt guilty. She tried to unwrap the gauze to redo the bandage, but Nian Nianshi pulled back her hand:
“Tomorrow is the day of paying respects at my parents’ home. Rest early, lest you can’t get up. At least for such occasions, both of us should go together for form’s sake.”
Lu Jianshou could only answer sullenly:
“Mm. I’ll bathe. You should sleep first.”
When Lu Jianshou left, Nian Nianshi’s left hand was already in so much pain that sweat beaded her forehead.
With her unskilled right hand, she unwound the bandage layer by layer, only to find the wound from the broken teacup days earlier had reopened from overuse.
She only frowned slightly, disinfected with alcohol, pressed it with cotton, reapplied medicine, and rewrapped it.
—Compared to the pain in her heart, what was the pain in her body?
When Lu Jianshou returned from her bath, she saw Nian Nianshi already lying on her side with her back to her.
That lonely, desolate silhouette made one want to warm it, to hold it, to comfort it.
But in the end, she restrained the impulse. She blew out the lamp, lay down back-to-back with her, and closed her eyes.
Though they lay back to back with different dreams, the next morning Nian Nianshi woke feeling smothered.
Turning was difficult, and only then did she realize Lu Jianshou had embraced her tightly from behind, clinging like to a pillow.
Nian Nianshi sighed softly. She reached out to touch her sleeping face, murmuring sorrowfully:
“This must be retribution, isn’t it? Retribution for not cherishing when I should have. But I still can’t let go… what should I do?”
Knowing that Lu Jianshou, who slept like a log, could never hear, she still gently reached out to touch her forehead.
But as soon as her fingers brushed against it, the sleeping Lu Jianshou instinctively resisted, letting go of her waist and turning away.
Without the restraint, Nian Nianshi could breathe more easily, but her heart grew heavier.
It felt like punishment for her greed, for never being content, always wanting more.
Getting out of bed, she accidentally stepped on a sheet of paper.
Squatting down, she saw it was the divorce letter from last night, blown away by the night wind like trash.
She picked it up.
On it were two bloody handprints of nearly the same size. Her heart sank further.
Outside, Jinyi already waited, knowing her lady rose early.
When she opened the door softly and saw Lu Jianshou still asleep, Jinyi grew angry:
“Is the lord really going to make Miss go to the family visit alone on such an important day?!”
Nian Nianshi glanced back and indeed saw Lu Jianshou had forgotten all her instructions from last night, sleeping innocently like a child.
“Forget it. She tossed and turned and slept late. She’s tired.” Nian Nianshi accepted the comb from Jin Xiu and instructed, “I’ll do the rest myself. Go tell the servants to ready the horses. Better not to have family sending reminders here.”
The maids exchanged a look, confused but obedient, and left.
Nian Nianshi walked to the window, picked up the quilt Lu Jianshou had kicked off, and muttered reproachfully to herself:
“How unruly… even in sleep you can’t be at peace.”
Lu Jianshou, feeling suddenly warm under the returned quilt, shifted comfortably.
She knew someone had covered her. But without Mother beside her, who else could it be?
Just as Nian Nianshi was preparing her hair before the mirror, Lu Jianshou suddenly woke with a start.
She sat up in panic. Seeing the slim white back not far away, she patted her chest and sighed in relief:
“Scared me half to death. I thought you had left!”
Nian Nianshi hadn’t expected her to suddenly speak. She had looked so sound asleep just moments ago.
“Did I wake you?” she asked.
“No.” Lu Jianshou lifted her quilt, slipped into her clothes and shoes, and walked over.
“Weren’t we leaving at dawn? It’s already the hour of Chen. Why didn’t you wake me?”
Nian Nianshi did not answer.
There was only one bronze mirror in the room. Vain as she was, Lu Jianshou wanted to fix her appearance, so she stood behind Nian Nianshi and looked at herself over her shoulder.
Through the mirror, Nian Nianshi saw her expression and suddenly found it cute, even smiling a little:
“You look best in green robes.”
“Wouldn’t that be too plain?” Lu Jianshou asked, already changing out of her gaudy embroidered carp robe and pulling out an older embroidered jacket.
“Such casual wear is fine for ordinary days, but won’t the elders find it lacking in formality?”
“My father likes simplicity, hates excess. If you’re worried it’s too plain, then wear white instead. Your tall, slender frame will look ethereal.” Nian Nianshi advised.
Lu Jianshou thought it reasonable but sighed:
“Too late to buy now. I don’t seem to own any white robes.”
In truth, Lu Jianyi had liked white and had taken most to the army, many burned as burial offerings. Pretending temporarily in her place, she hadn’t had much clothing made, only a few casual pieces from her mother’s embroidery house.
Nian Nianshi thought for a moment, then unlocked a lower compartment of her wardrobe and took out a hand-made piece.
It was finely crafted, clearly stitched with great care.
“This Su embroidery was something I practiced during idle hours at a cloth workshop. It isn’t finished — I meant to embroider a pair of mandarin ducks, but only one female bird is done.”
Lu Jianshou received it, admiring the lifelike bird on the fabric, its wings vivid and beautiful.
“It’s lovely. I’ll borrow this for today.”
“No…” Lu Jianshou had just started to express satisfaction at the mirror when Nian Nianshi suddenly refused.
“Why not?” Lu Jianshou asked, puzzled.
Her face flushing red, Nian Nianshi quickly took back the robe, folded it, and instead pulled out a red robe beneath it.
“Better wear this. This one looks good too.”
She hastily dressed her in it, pushing her out before more questions could be asked.
Thus, when the maids waiting outside saw the flustered, guilty-looking Nian Nianshi emerge with the disheveled Lu Jianshou, they were baffled:
“Wasn’t the lord still sleeping?”
“She woke up herself,” Nian Nianshi answered, quickly boarding the carriage with Jin Xiu’s help.
Meanwhile, Lu Jianshou tugged at the red robe she had been forced into, pointing at the gaudy chrysanthemum patterns embroidered on it, and asked the servants:
“Do I look good in this?”
Really, at least let her look in the mirror first…
Hearing this, Nian Nianshi lifted the curtain, her pretty face peeking out, feigning nonchalance:
“I already told you it looks good. Why don’t you believe me?”
Everyone exchanged looks. Lu Jianshou could only sigh again, and without another word, clambered into the sedan chair in a robe more festive than her wedding clothes.
Nian Nianshi turned her gaze out the window, seemingly truly angry, not speaking to her.
“Sigh!” Lu Jianshou sighed once more, sitting beside her at a careful distance.
The jolting road offered little scenery. Soon Lu Jianshou, bored, was fast asleep again.