Thirty-Six Stratagems for Divorcing a Wife (GL) - Chapter 31
She was woken by the cold in the morning.
Lu Jianzhou kicked slightly and realized the blanket had fallen to the floor.
She couldn’t help but feel touched—her bad habit of kicking off the covers hadn’t changed; only the person who covered her had switched—from her mother to Nian Yanshi—and she hadn’t even noticed.
It was still early, and while waiting for the palace messenger, Lu Jianzhou went to the study again.
She picked up the novel she had only read halfway through, stretched lazily, and was about to put it back in the desk drawer when she noticed a pouch inside.
It was a gift from Liji.
Just as she picked it up, a low, dark voice sounded at the doorway: “Don’t touch it.”
Ever since returning from the palace, the “old lady” had been living at the General’s residence. Lu Jianzhou found her secretive and strange, though not evil.
She didn’t touch the pouch.
“There’s a spell inside,” the old woman said casually, tossing the pouch a few meters away. “Do you believe that whoever opens it will instantly fall madly in love with Liji?”
Seeing her treat a gift so roughly made Lu Jianzhou a bit unhappy. She picked it up, dusted it off, and said, “How can you elders believe in such nonsense? Liji is a good girl… she wouldn’t know anything about these dark arts!”
A certain scene flashed vividly in her mind, and Lu Jianzhou broke out in a cold sweat—she couldn’t remember clearly, but it felt like she had encountered such things before.
“If you don’t believe us, let’s try it,” the old woman said and snatched the pouch, walking ahead.
At the door, she ran into Nian Yanshi. Lu Jianzhou hurriedly called for help: “Nian Yanshi, stop your grandmother! She’s snatching things from people at her age!”
Seeing that it was a pouch, Nian Yanshi wasn’t in a good mood either. “Which girl gave this to you? Is it that precious? Afraid it would be stolen?”
“That’s…” Lu Jianzhou, having been caught multiple times, had learned to be cautious and corrected herself, “I just bought it for you when I returned from the palace last night.”
“Oh, really?” Nian Yanshi’s face clearly showed doubt.
“If you don’t believe me, I’ll take it back myself!” Lu Jianzhou said, pretending to snatch it again, but her grandmother intercepted it. Before Lu Jianzhou could react, Nian Yanshi smoothly hooked the pouch, twirling it in her hand.
“Since it’s a gift from my husband to me, I’ll accept it myself!” Nian Yanshi said, opening the pouch before Lu Jianzhou could say anything…
“No…!!!” It was too late. Lu Jianzhou looked fearfully at her grandmother. “What do we do now?”
The old woman laughed nonchalantly: “You said you didn’t believe in witchcraft. Why are you worried now that the lady might fall for Liji?”
“It’s not like that…” Lu Jianzhou didn’t know how to deny it, anxiously looking at Nian Yanshi. “Nian Yanshi, do you feel anything?”
“?” Nian Yanshi looked at her in confusion, not understanding why she was so nervous.
The old woman whispered a few words to Nian Yanshi, and her expression changed slightly. “Don’t worry, I have a body that resists magic, so… it shouldn’t affect me with such a low-level spell.”
“What if it does?!” Lu Jianzhou said anxiously.
“My husband should believe in our love…” Nian Yanshi smiled, holding Lu Jianzhou’s hand as they walked inside. “By the way, on my way back today, I saw many street snacks and bought some candied hawthorns. Want to try some with me?”
“You’re still young…” Lu Jianzhou saw she wasn’t fazed and finally relaxed. “You eat them yourself. I need to get ready to teach at the palace soon.”
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The Empress was still troubled by the same issue and sought Lu Jianzhou’s advice.
Lu Jianzhou remained neutral, while Fenxu and Nian Houzhao didn’t pay attention to the lecture, constantly questioning which concubine suspected which minister…
Lu Jianzhou thought: with such cunning, do your mother know? Oh, right, your mother is right there…
Indeed, the politics of the harem were treacherous—not suitable for simple minds like hers.
She planned to talk to Nian Yanshi later and avoid getting involved in such messy affairs.
With that in mind, Lu Jianzhou returned to the residence at noon, but Nian Yanshi wasn’t in her room. Jin Xiu said she had gone to the garden.
Lu Jianzhou took the small gift she bought and went to find her in the garden.
She found Nian Yanshi feeding Liji candied hawthorns!!!
Why did this scene create such a shocking contrast??
Nian Yanshi, what are you trying to do today? Haven’t you played with me enough? Now you’re messing with my concubine too!!
“Probably the spell is working,” the old woman said quietly, appearing from nowhere.
“Next time, give a heads-up! You almost scared me to death!” Lu Jianzhou warned as she approached them.
Liji was terrified. Seeing her, she clung to Nian Yanshi: “Master, today the lady is acting really strange…”
“Don’t touch her!” Nian Yanshi seemed unable to tolerate the scene and rushed over, throwing Lu Jianzhou aside and holding Liji protectively. “Liji, how can you touch a man?!”
Liji was covered in goosebumps. “Lady Nian, I’ve told you many times… I don’t have that kind of hobby…”
She then hid behind Lu Jianzhou again, playing “Eagle catches the chicks.”
Lu Jianzhou grabbed Nian Yanshi into her arms, rubbing her head, displeased: “Stop playing!”
Nian Yanshi threw her off, acting as if she had never seen her: “Go away!”
Ignoring the stunned Lu Jianzhou, Nian Yanshi took the shrieking Liji and cheerfully walked away.
“She forgot me?” Lu Jianzhou looked at her hand, unable to believe such a melodramatic scene. What kind of boring author writes this!
“Now you see, it’s probably the spell acting,” the old woman said quietly, appearing from nowhere again.
“You said this morning it was nothing?” Lu Jianzhou asked humbly.
The old woman teased, “There are many kinds of magic, but not all can be easily broken. This one is simple, not difficult. Some things, once affected, can’t be undone for a lifetime.”
“This one can still be reversed, right? How can I save Nian Yanshi?” Lu Jianzhou was desperate.
“You only…” The old woman whispered something in her ear, making her body flush and her face turn red.
“So actually, you can’t act directly yourself. Given how much the lady is obsessed with Liji, she’ll probably recover by herself tomorrow…” The old woman finished teasing, thinking she had done the lady a favor.
But Lu Jianzhou didn’t rush to get Nian Yanshi back. Instead, she hesitated: “Is there… any other way?”
“The rest depends on willpower—whether the General trusts in his relationship with the lady,” the old woman said, then disappeared.
“I of course believe in our love!” Lu Jianzhou shouted to the sky, but her heart was turbulent and uneasy.
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“Milady… Milady…” Liji had been harassed all evening; Nian Yanshi hadn’t let her go, following her to the bedroom, gazing at her affectionately.
“Liji, what’s wrong?” Nian Yanshi looked at the frightened Liji.
“It’s so late… shouldn’t you go to sleep?” Liji politely tried to refuse.
But Nian Yanshi didn’t understand the hint, touching her chin and teasing, “Wherever Liji is, that’s where I call home~”
Liji, a veteran of the pleasure quarters, never expected to be teased to the point of being immobilized by another woman. She almost panicked: “Milady… why are you acting like this… didn’t you dislike me before?”
“Of course, that’s because…” Nian Yanshi leaned closer, their faces nearly touching. Liji was ready to submit, but a familiar pouch dangled between them. “Thanks to you~”
“This… is…” Liji was stunned. “How did it get here?”
“Yes, how did it end up with me?” Nian Yanshi smiled seductively, releasing Liji’s face. “Did you think your tricks from the brothel would work on me too?”
“I… dare not…” For the first time, Liji understood fear. The lady before her was in a completely different league. Originally, she had sought power and wealth from the Lu family, secretly placing a magical charm in the pouch, hoping Lu Jianyi would fall hopelessly in love with her.
She never expected the legitimate lady of the house to be no pushover…
“Daring not is one thing; doing it is another,” Nian Yanshi said, lifting her chin, her smile even more enchanting than usual. “Such a beautiful face… how could the scheming heart beneath be so vicious?”
Liji shivered, unsure what she feared most, but she could feel the aura of the woman before her wouldn’t leave her alive if she tried anything.
“Nian Yanshi!” At the critical moment, Lu Jianzhou kicked open the door, pulling Nian Yanshi into her chest protectively. “Stop this immediately!”
“Master…” Liji’s legs went weak, collapsing on the bed. If Lu Jianzhou had arrived a moment later, she felt she would have been in danger.
“What’s the matter? Milady is too flirtatious with the General’s concubine, and now he’s angry?” Nian Yanshi’s expression remained seductively playful, clearly performing for effect. Liji inwardly applauded her acting skills.
“That’s right! I’m angry! Nian Yanshi! How are you so skilled at making me this mad!” Lu Jianzhou said, pulling Nian Yanshi up forcefully and crossing the threshold into her room…
Leaving Liji on the bed, staring after them in disbelief. This isn’t a “hero saves the beauty” story? I even struck the heroic pose… and the hero took the villain away? Took her away? Gone? Gone??