Chapter 126: The Yun Family Daughter's Divorce
Yun Chu's expression darkened.
This branch-family daughter of the Yun family was someone she had never met before, having only heard about this distant cousin named Yun Qin from her mother's accounts.
Therefore, she hadn't initially recalled Yun Qin's existence at all.
Yun Qin had one leg and one eye broken by her husband's family. Despite such severe abuse, with the clan elders' intervention, she still ultimately failed to obtain a divorce.
It was her father who transferred Yun Qin's husband to the western frontier, thus preventing the tragedy of Yun Qin being abused to death.
She knew how difficult divorce was, especially for a prominent family like the Yuns. For the sake of family reputation, divorce became even more challenging.
"Now that I've returned to the capital, the scoundrel will naturally restrain himself when you visit the Fang family. But when I go back to guard the frontier, the Fangs will surely revert to their old ways." Yun Silin spoke coldly, "Every daughter of the Yun family, whether legitimate or illegitimate, whether from the main branch or collateral lines, carries Yun blood. None shall suffer such tremendous injustice!"
Lin Shi asked, "Then what do you think should be done?"
"As Qin'er's mother said - divorce." Yun Silin declared, "If the Fang family refuses, then we'll list a dozen charges against them. If they dare not release her, we'll submit the charges to the Court of Judicial Review!"
In Chu'er's dream, he had managed to remove that scoundrel from the Fang family, but there were still many others in the household. Although Qin'er might escape her husband's physical abuse, she would likely still endure her mother-in-law's contempt, her brother-in-law's bullying, and her sisters-in-law's schemes. Rather than that, it would be better to simply get divorced...
His words immediately stirred up the hall.
"General, this must not be! Our Yun family still has many unmarried daughters. If one woman divorces, all unmarried women will face difficulties in future marriage arrangements."
"The Yun family is, after all, a first-rank household. With the General personally applying pressure, I believe the Fang family wouldn't dare commit further offenses!"
"There are clearly better solutions. Why choose the dead end of divorce?"
"Please reconsider, General!"
"..."
Yun Silin raised his hand, silencing the crowd.
He wasn't someone with a meticulous nature who considered all consequences. In the past, with so many people advising against it, he would have certainly followed the clan elders' suggestions.
"If the Yun family's divorce action causes many to abandon their marriage proposals, that only proves those people had ill intentions from the start!" He looked around the hall, "If someone is upright, responsible, accountable, and doesn't abuse their wife, they wouldn't need to worry about the Yun family potentially divorcing them in the future... Having one more divorced woman in the Yun family actually helps filter out those scoundrels and beasts for our unmarried daughters. Why wouldn't we want that?"
The crowd was astonished.
This was the first time they had heard such reasoning.
As everyone knew, divorce was considered a disgrace - among great families, no one had ever heard of a daughter getting divorced.
How could it become something fortunate in the family head's words?
This was fallacy!
Simply absurd!
Several clan elders exchanged glances, preparing to refute.
"If Qin'er doesn't divorce, she'll eventually lose her life to the Fang family!" Yun Silin spoke word by word, "Respected elders, let me ask you one question: which is more important - the life of a Yun daughter, or the face of the Yun family?"
This question gave the clan elders pause.
In truth, from their perspective, the Yun family's century-old reputation was naturally more important.
But if they voiced this opinion, who knew how many married daughters would be disheartened? Those Yun daughters who had married out would likely become estranged from the family.Moreover, most of them were women with daughters, granddaughters, and great-granddaughters. If such a thing were to happen to their direct descendants, what choice would they make?
Hearts are made of flesh—everyone can empathize.
The hall fell silent.
Yun Silin spoke up: "Since no one has any objections, this matter is settled. Yun Ze, you'll handle this personally."
Qin'er's mother wept with joy: "Thank you, General! Thank you, General..."
When she proposed the divorce, she knew the clan elders wouldn't agree. She only made this excessive demand to pressure them into helping find a solution.
She never expected the General would actually agree to such an outrageous request.
Yun Silin waved his hand: "We all bear the Yun name. If I can't even protect my own family, how could I be worthy of being the head of the Yun family!"
With matters having reached this point, the clan elders could only accept the situation.
The suffocating feeling in Yun Chu's chest slowly dissipated.
Whether she could get divorced herself, she truly didn't care. Her life was already set—wherever she was, it would be the same.
She was happy that another person in the Yun family had escaped the tragedy of their previous lives.
Her father must have believed her words. With her father at the helm, and her grandfather and eldest brother offering counsel, the Yun family would surely reverse the fate of execution for the entire clan.
After the meal, Yun Chu returned to the Xie residence.
She had been frequently visiting the Yun family recently, and the Xies had long grown accustomed to it.
"Madam, the Master went out for social engagements an hour ago," Ting Feng reported. "The Lady tried to persuade him to stay, but couldn't stop him."
Yun Chu smiled indifferently.
Of course he couldn't be stopped. Xie Jingyu had already been demoted, and she had requested seven days of sick leave for him. For someone who valued his official career so much, he must be extremely anxious.
When invited out, how could he care about his illness? Most social engagements involved drinking, and alcohol was excellent for accelerating the effects of poison.
Her smile gradually faded.
If Xie Jingyu died, she would become a widow of the Xie family. Would she really have to stay with the Xies for the rest of her life?
Though she didn't care where she lived, the Xie family was truly disgusting.
Today's events at the Yun family had given her some inspiration.
"Madam, Second Young Master has returned."
Yun Chu's lips curved: "Let's go welcome him back."
The carriage stopped at the entrance of the Xie residence. Xie Shiwei leaned on a servant's arm to disembark. When walking, his right leg couldn't exert any force at all, requiring the servant's support to climb the steps.
He looked up and saw only Yun Chu standing at the door to greet him.
He bowed his head in greeting: "Mother."
"You must be tired from the journey." Yun Chu wore a gentle smile. "Your father has gone out for social engagements, your eldest brother is still at school, Old Madam and the Lady are taking their afternoon rest—they'll visit you later... Are you hungry? I've had your favorite dishes prepared. Come, let's return to your courtyard to wash up before eating."
Her gentle smile gave Xie Shiwei a fleeting sense that he was still the Second Young Master of the Xie family.
But his powerless right leg reminded him that everything had changed.
He originally thought his leg had been permanently crippled from the beating, beyond cure... Only a few days ago did he learn that it was actually his eldest brother who had urged their father not to seek treatment for him. That was his own full brother! Yet he had turned him into a cripple! Just because he had offended Marquis Xuanwu, the Xie family had abandoned him!
He should be grateful, shouldn't he? At least he had kept his life!
But his mother—the mother who had always doted on him—had been personally fed poisoned wine by his eldest brother and eldest sister!He's crippled!
Mother is dead!
Why should his life be ruined like this!
Why should mother die so inexplicably!
Why can eldest brother enter the Imperial College!
Why can eldest sister marry into a royal mansion!
"Wei Ge'er, what's wrong?"
Yun Chu's gentle voice brought Xie Shiwei back to reality.
Suppressing his hatred, he replied: "Thank you, mother."
Having been away from the Xie family for so long, only mother had come to welcome him back. He vaguely overheard the coachman saying that the Xie family didn't want to take him back, but mother insisted that he visit his maternal grandfather, which gave him this opportunity to return to the Xie family.
Even a mother without blood ties cared for him so deeply.
Those so-called family members were nothing but a bunch of cold-blooded monsters!
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