Thirty-Six Stratagems for Divorcing a Wife (GL) - Chapter 24

For dinner, Nian Yanshi excused herself due to feeling unwell and didn’t attend.

Lu Jianzhou ate, but the food tasted bland, completely lacking her usual ravenous appetite. Even when Lu Wang asked questions, she answered absentmindedly.

“The singer the Emperor gave you—how do you plan to handle her?”

“Oh…”

“Oh what? Can ‘oh’ solve the problem? I heard you personally asked the Emperor for her. The Lu family has some standing in the capital; if you truly like her, you owe the girl a proper status.”

“Mm…”

“So you really intended this from the start? Have you thought about how to explain it to Yanshi?”

“Uh…”

“Can’t you answer me in just two words?”

“Fine…”

“You really don’t listen, brat. Very well—tomorrow I’ll send a betrothal gift to the Flower Capital to fetch her. Let me be clear: Miss Li is from the pleasure quarters, so she’s not fully appropriate for a match like ours. Keep the ceremony modest, or Lord Yao will surely take offense…”

“Oh…”

“Then it’s settled. Tomorrow’s court session comes early, so I’ll go to bed. Don’t bother me unless it’s urgent.”

“Huh?”

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After eating and drinking, Lu Jianzhou returned to her room—but still faced a closed door.

“Nian Yanshi, if you don’t eat dinner tonight, are you trying to starve yourself?” she kicked the door and shouted, “You… you haven’t let me sleep in here for a while. The rattan chair in the study is hard and cold. My back hurts…”

“You’ve really gone too far! I never know what you’re thinking—hot and cold, one second you’re affectionate, the next you discard me like trash!” Lu Jianzhou kicked the door again, raising her voice, “Just because you’re a Princess doesn’t mean you can keep me out of my own house!”

The door didn’t move an inch.

Seeing that force wouldn’t work, she tried coaxing: “The Emperor gave me Miss Li—I never expected it. And Miss Li is truly pitiful: just dumped by that faithless Qian Yuan, then handed over to the Emperor by your brother… The Emperor is old, he surely can’t give her happiness. I’m not afraid to say this, but I really don’t want to marry Miss Li. I only accepted out of pity. Fine, I promise: even if I marry her, I won’t say a word. My lawful, married wife will always be you—only you!”

Even after saying all this, there was still no reaction.

Desperate, Lu Jianzhou banged the door frantically, shouting: “Nian Yanshi, open the door! Don’t hide in there! I know you’re home! Open the door! Open the door! If you dare, open the door!”

Still immovable…

Fine, you leave me no choice!

She stepped back two paces, gathering inner strength… and charged at the wooden door.

Unexpectedly, the door suddenly swung open from the inside. Lu Jianzhou’s momentum carried her straight into Nian Yanshi…

Nian Yanshi was surprised that Lu Jianzhou had stooped to colliding with the door. She lightly sidestepped, preventing any “tumble into my arms” scenario, and looked down at Lu Jianzhou, who had faceplanted onto the floor like a dog: “What are you making all this noise for in the middle of the night?”

Lu Jianzhou picked herself up, dusted off her clothes, and noticed the room was full of steam. Jin Yi and Jin Xiu were putting away a screen and bath tub: “Were you bathing?”

Nian Yanshi didn’t answer, tacitly confirming. Lu Jianzhou couldn’t help but sigh—if only she had barged straight in from the start!

“Jin Xiu, Jin Yi, stop fussing. I also want to bathe.” She unfolded the screen again.

“Why not go outside?” Nian Yanshi’s bath was already occupied by Lady Lu and Jin Qingqin. She had stayed in the room with a makeshift partition to avoid bothering them. But as soon as she started, Lu Jianzhou began shouting outside.

Busy with the water, she hadn’t fully listened—just some nonsense.

But as the noise escalated, Nian Yanshi could no longer ignore it. She hastily wrapped a towel and came to open the door.

“This is my room. I do as I please. Mind your own business!” Lu Jianzhou couldn’t say what she was scheming in her heart—afraid that if Yanshi left, the door would be shut again.

“Be my guest…” Nian Yanshi ignored her, picked up a book from the shelf, and sat down to read.

Lu Jianzhou set up the water with Jin Yi and Jin Xiu, then couldn’t help glancing at Nian Yanshi’s profile.

Her features were perfectly formed, and in the soft candlelight, her beauty was breathtaking, irresistible.

“Marquis, hurry and undress.” On Jin Xiu’s urging, Nian Yanshi looked up, catching Lu Jianzhou staring at her with a captivated gaze.

Embarrassed at being caught, Lu Jianzhou started undressing to hide her feelings, but Nian Yanshi stopped her: “Are you going to wash like that?”

Lu Jianzhou noticed Jin Yi and Jin Xiu were blushing, watching to see what she would do next: “Why aren’t you leaving? What are you staring at?”

“Of course we’re here to serve the Marquis…” Their expressions clearly said: Do you want our young Princess to serve you personally?

“Oh, right, I don’t like being watched when I bathe.” Lu Jianzhou felt awkward. “You may leave—just stay with Yanshi here.”

Jin Xiu and Jin Yi exchanged glances, saw Nian Yanshi nod, and quietly withdrew.

Once the door closed, Lu Jianzhou tightened the screen, leaving only her head visible, and warned Yanshi: “Don’t peek either!”

Nian Yanshi glanced at her once and returned to her book.

Lu Jianzhou regretted not having more seductive effect on her. She undressed, slipped into the water, and let out a soft sigh.

Hearing the splash, Nian Yanshi lifted her head. Through the mist, she could vaguely make out Lu Jianzhou’s graceful figure, and couldn’t help but smile slightly: How much do you trust me to bathe like this in front of me? Don’t tell me you’re afraid I’ll dash in and join you?

Lu Jianzhou thought the person outside was still angry, and floated slightly in the warm water: “Yanshi, are you still there?”

“Yes.” Nian Yanshi replied softly, her gaze fixed on the steam-shrouded screen.

“Did you hear everything I said outside tonight?” Lu Jianzhou asked.

“Only part of it…” Nian Yanshi answered honestly. “I only heard that you truly don’t want to marry Miss Li…”

“It’s true!” Lu Jianzhou repeated firmly. “I only wanted to help Miss Li vent some frustration. With so many watching, and Qian Yuan there, I wouldn’t do anything to her. I’ll clarify everything with her, and when she finds someone she truly loves, I’ll naturally help match them…”

“You don’t need to explain so much,” Nian Yanshi suddenly interrupted.

Lu Jianzhou felt slightly disappointed: Are you still mad at me…?

“No, I trust you.” Nian Yanshi’s words rippled through the water. Lu Jianzhou knew she was truly forgiven. The reflection of her own face flushed slightly.

Suddenly, she seemed to remember something and asked nervously: “Last time at Qian Yuan’s residence, I drank too much. You sent me back and bathed me, right?”

Recalling that intimate scene, Nian Yanshi answered: “I had intended to, but Lady Lu was there when I returned, so I left it to her. Why? Did you actually want me to bathe you? I’ll prepare and come in…”

“No, no!” Lu Jianzhou nearly jumped. “I just asked. I’ll wash quickly. Don’t move outside!”

In moments, she got dressed, cheeks flushed red.

Jin Yi and Jin Xiu knocked, collecting items. Lu Jianzhou, unable to face how infatuated she had become again, insisted on helping to return things.

When she returned, Nian Yanshi was already resting in bed.

Lu Jianzhou approached, gently tapping the blushing little face of her sleeping wife. Seeing her still so adorable, without any reaction, she felt even fonder.

“I’m sorry.”

Lu Jianzhou spoke seriously, softly apologizing to her sleeping wife: “I’ve troubled you these past days.”

She blew out the candle, got into bed, pulled the other half of the blanket over them both.

In the darkness, the corners of Nian Yanshi’s mouth curled into a quiet, bittersweet smile.