CHAPTER 98: CHAPTER 98: THE FACE-SLAPPING TIME-TRAVELING FARMING GIRL 35

Qi Wenjuan’s appointment as a Princess caused quite an uproar.

First, there were courtiers who opposed it, and the Empress Dowager was also somewhat unwilling.

In their view, Qi Wenjuan was not an imperial family lady, nor did she have any notable merits. Making her a Princess just like that, was really inappropriate.

However, Xie Wenshao’s attitude was very firm, and he had an extremely unpleasant quarrel with the courtiers over this matter.

In the end, the courtiers couldn’t overrule him and had to agree.

Eunuch Bai personally went to Suzhou to deliver the decree. When the news that Anning had been appointed as Madam Fengsheng and Qi Wenjuan as a Princess reached Suzhou, who knows how many people envied the two of them.

Especially the Qi Family.

Upon hearing that Anning had been appointed as Madam Fengsheng, Qi Rui immediately went to the Manor, attempting to ingratiate himself with Anning in a servile manner.

But Anning felt disgusted upon seeing him, so how could she be willing to pay attention to him?

Seeing that he couldn’t curry favor with Anning, Qi Rui then tried to please Qi Wenjuan, but sadly, no matter how much he ingratiated himself, Qi Wenjuan paid him no mind.

Qi Rui was so angry he couldn’t stand it, but it was impossible for him to do anything to Anning and Qi Wenjuan.

Qi Wenwei and Zhao Sanya, having heard of this matter, also had their own thoughts.

Now, Qi Wenwei and Zhao Sanya were enemies.

The two rarely met each other, but when they did, they were like fighting roosters, neither willing to give in.

Zhao Sanya blamed Qi Wenwei for not cherishing their past relationship, while Qi Wenwei despised Zhao Sanya for dragging him down.

The two had long separated, but Zhao Sanya was unwilling to leave the Qi Family.

The Zhao Family was nothing more than low-status peasants, and she couldn’t stand the environment of the Zhao home; besides, she wasn’t even the Zhao Family’s biological daughter, so naturally, she didn’t want to go back.

Zhao Sanya and Qi Rui had several quarrels, and she could only claim that she was Qi Rui’s biological daughter, the Qi Family’s eldest lady, so why should she leave?

Qi Rui, troubled by Zhao Sanya’s disturbances and fearing that she would spread rumors, could only let her stay.

Because of Zhao Sanya’s matter, Qi Wenwei could no longer marry.

Feeling stifled, he began to fool around with the maids.

Zhao Sanya hated Qi Wenwei and secretly drugged him, ensuring that he would be childless for the rest of his life.

These two felt extreme envy upon learning that Anning and Qi Wenjuan had been bestowed honors by the new Emperor.

Especially Zhao Sanya, she thought that both she and Qi Wenjuan were daughters of the Qi Family, so why could Qi Wenjuan become a Princess, but she couldn’t?

Qi Wenwei was contemplating whether he could reap any benefits now that Anning had become Madam Fengsheng.

He hurriedly went to the Manor, but he was too late; Anning and Qi Wenjuan had already entered the capital.

Why was Anning entering the capital?

Naturally, it was to present a petition to the Emperor.

Now that Xie Wenshao had proclaimed himself Emperor, everything was settled. Anning would no longer lie low as she had in the previous years, nor would she continue to tolerate Qi Rui.

One morning during the court session, just as Xie Wenshao and the ministers were discussing plans to vigorously develop commerce, the sound of the Wendeng Drum was heard outside.

"Who is beating the drum outside, and what grievances do they have?"

Xie Wenshao asked with a frown.

Very quickly, a guard from in front of the palace ran in and knelt, saying, "Your Majesty, it is, it is, Madam Fengsheng who beat the Wendeng Drum."

Everyone, including Xie Wenshao, was taken aback.

No one understood why Madam Fengsheng was beating the Wendeng Drum.

Logically, being the one who had raised Your Majesty, who the Emperor regarded as a birth mother, with such a status, who in the entire Liang Dynasty would dare to disrespect her? Even the Empress Dowager would probably not offend her lightly, so why, then, did she have a complaint?

Xie Wenshao was momentarily stunned but quickly said, "Quick, invite the Lady in."

At this moment, no one dared to mention the matter of rolling on nail mats.

After all, it was the person whom His Majesty regarded as a mother. Should anyone cause her harm, how could His Majesty easily forgive them?

Anning was invited in.

When she entered, she was dressed in plain clothes, her hair coiled behind her head, without any ornaments.

Still in such simplicity, Anning’s entrance was truly breathtaking.

She was no longer young, yet she looked like a girl of eighteen, added to her scholarly aura, which made her demeanor gentle yet commanding attention regardless of her facial features; her temperament alone was enough to make her stand out.

She walked slowly into the hall and immediately knelt to perform the ritual of three kneels and nine bows: "This humble wife pays respect to Your Majesty..."

Xie Wenshao could not bear to receive Anning’s salutation; he stepped down from the imperial steps early and personally helped Anning to stand: "My Lady need not be so formal, please rise quickly."

Following that, Xie Wenshao ordered a seat to be brought for Anning to sit, and then he asked with great intimacy: "Does my Lady have any grievances? Who has upset you?"

All the Ministers in the hall also looked towards Anning, with glints of gossip shimmering in their eyes.

Many of the courtiers harbored a guilty pleasure for gossip, eager for fresh tidbits.

Upon Xie Wenshao’s question, Anning’s eyes welled up with tears.

A beauty shedding tears truly evoked pity.

Many Ministers, remembering Anning’s identity as a daughter of the Ye family, felt compelled to stand up for her.

Anning shed a few more tears before speaking: "This humble wife has come to request His Majesty’s permission for a divorce."

The statement was earth-shattering.

Traditionally, it was men who would divorce their wives; never before had a woman been heard to divorce her husband.

Even if the husband was at fault, at most it would end in a separation, but Anning, on the contrary, wanted a divorce.

"Why is that?"

Xie Wenshao himself was quite shocked.

He had always expected Anning to separate from Qi Rui.

In fact, when he first acknowledged Prince Kang Le as his father, he thought Anning would separate from the Qi family.

However, Anning did not; she merely moved out with Qi Wenjuan, effectively separating from Qi Rui.

At that time, Xie Wenshao thought Anning did this for Wenjuan’s sake, thinking she would unlikely divorce Qi Rui for the sake of their legitimate son.

But unexpectedly, Anning really could endure, enduring until now, until he became the Emperor, then she finally struck the Wendeng Drum to ask for a divorce.

This was unprecedented in history.

Xie Wenshao wasn’t particularly troubled.

He felt that this was something Anning could do, and only Anning could do.

After all, a woman who for years clandestinely orchestrated to have a mere bastard ascend the throne, what was there she couldn’t do?

Anning stood up intending to kneel again.

Xie Wenshao hurriedly held her: "Mother, please sit."

One word, ’mother’, nearly brought tears to both of them.

Anning did not kneel again, nor did she sit down.

She stood in the center of the hall, gazed around, and said, "Initially, Qi Rui and Lady Zhou were in love but deceitfully persuaded my father; he committed marriage fraud. While I was pregnant for ten months, he brought back a bastard to replace the legitimate son, swapping the status of bastard and legitimate son without distinction. All these years, he has been deceiving me, raising a bastard as a legitimate son, while causing the death of my own child; it’s like killing one’s son, showing no kindness. Later, he even condoned the marriage between bastard and concubine, defying propriety; such an unkind and shameless person, I disdain to be associated with him, and even separation cannot quell the hatred in my heart."

Xie Wenshao was silent.

The courtiers in the great hall began whispering to each other.

Anning straightened her back and continued: "I have suffered the humiliation of a deceitful marriage with Qi Rui, the vengeance of murdering a child, and much humiliation. If I cannot divorce, my heart won’t find peace."

She kneels so erectly on the ground, not bowing her head but looking straight at Xie Wenshao: "I beg Your Majesty to decide for me, grant me my divorce, for without it, the hatred in my heart cannot be dissolved."