Xie Zhizhou interrupted, and Old Madam Xie looked at him in disbelief: “Even now, you still want to protect this slut?”

Xue Ling felt a glimmer of hope in her heart, but Xie Zhizhou lowered his eyes: “No, Grandmother, your grandson just thinks that locking her in the woodshed is too light a punishment.”

Xue Ling felt as if she had fallen into an ice cave: “What… did you say?”

Xie Zhizhou did not dare to look at her, but Old Madam Xie was overjoyed: “Good, good, good, you finally see this slut for what she is! This is a good thing! Then, Grandmother will immediately give her a letter of divorce, and kick her out on the grounds of having no offspring. It just so happens that Hui’er has been settled outside for so long, it’s time to bring her into the family.”

Xue Ling instantly looked up, her voice trembling: “Liu Hui? What do you mean settled outside? Didn’t you send her away a long time ago?”

Xie Zhizhou also looked at his grandmother in surprise, but then thought of something and endured it: “I will do as Grandmother says. But there is no need to give a letter of divorce. She is still a member of the Cao family after all, and it would not sound good if it reached the ears of her father-in… the Chief Minister.”

Old Madam Xie smiled and agreed, but Xue Ling stood up.

“Do you have any manners? Who told you to stand up!”

The ​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‍old madam scolded, but Xue Ling ignored her, looking straight at Xie Zhizhou with tearful eyes: “I will ask you one last time, are you really going to welcome Liu Hui into the mansion?”

Xie Zhizhou looked away, and slowly but firmly nodded.

“Good, good…”

Xue Ling laughed miserably, her right hand resting on her lower abdomen. “Originally, I had some good news to tell you. Now it seems there is no need.”

She bent down sharply, picked up a piece of broken porcelain from the ground, and regardless of her hands being covered in blood, slashed off a section of her skirt ribbon with a sharp rip.

“Xie Zhizhou, although Xue Ling is a woman, she knows that a promise is worth a thousand pieces of gold. Today it is you who have betrayed me, not I who have betrayed you!”

The skirt ribbon flew up, stained with her blood, and slowly fluttered down.

Xie Zhizhou clenched his fists, but saw the woman’s face full of determination: “From now on, we have nothing to do with each other. Chan, let’s go!”

Xue Ling strode out of the Nanping Earl’s Mansion, and almost bumped into the Earl of Nanping who was hurrying over.

But she did not look back and walked straight out of the mansion. The Earl of Nanping was stunned for a moment, and hurriedly asked, “Have you discussed it? Why did she leave?”

“Discuss what?” Old Madam Xie was baffled, and Xie Zhizhou cupped his hands and said, “Father, please tell Prince Yu that Madam Xue has left the mansion and her whereabouts are unknown.”

“What? You actually let her go?” The Earl of Nanping widened his eyes and wanted to say something more, but seeing his eldest son’s cold and emotionless eyes, he held it back.

Outside the mansion gates, Chan’s tears were about to fall: “My Lady, the young master has gone too far! How could he treat you like this? You are newly pregnant!”

Xue Ling smiled self-deprecatingly: “So what if I am pregnant? This marriage was originally not liked by his relatives. Now that he can’t hold on anymore and wants to leave, I should also be sensible. It’s just…”

She choked back a sob, “It’s just a pity for the child in my womb, who won’t be able to come into this world to take a look.”

Chan was startled: “My Lady, are you going to…?”

“Yes, go to Huichun Hall and get a dose of abortion medicine.” Xue Ling’s face was deathly pale. “Also, let’s not go back to the Cao Mansion, lest Father and Mother worry. Let’s go to the West City. When I got married, Father gave me a house as part of my dowry. We’ll settle there first.”

Chan didn’t answer for a long time, then suddenly knelt down: “My Lady, why don’t we wait a bit longer? The young master has never been such a heartless person. His sudden change in temperament today might mean he has—”

Before the word “difficulties” could fall from her lips, a momo beside the old madam was seen supporting a woman back. It was Liu Hui.

She supported her lower back, her belly a size larger. Seeing Xue Ling, she smiled shyly: “Sister Xue, I didn’t expect that after all the twists and turns, I would still return. I will have to trouble you to take care of me in the future.”

Xue Ling stared blankly at her belly, her voice hoarse: “You, this is…”

The shy look on Liu Hui’s face deepened: “It’s Cousin’s… it’s been more than six months.”

More than six months…

That was right around the time she first entered the household.

Had they been fooling around together that early?

Xue Ling clutched her chest in pain, and the momo clicked her tongue: “Miss Liu, let’s not delay. The old madam and the eldest young master are waiting for you inside.”

Liu Hui covered her mouth and smiled, walking inside while supporting her belly. Chan supported Xue Ling worriedly: “My Lady, My Lady?”

Tears surged in Xue Ling’s eyes. She gripped Chan’s hand tightly and said, “Go to Huichun Hall, buy the medicine, go right now!”

Inside the Nanping Earl’s Mansion.

Xie Zhizhou was also shocked to see his pregnant cousin, but there was no time to ask, as the palace had already sent someone to summon him.

He hurriedly prepared to enter the palace. When he arrived in the hall, sure enough, a storm of thunderous fury descended.

Xie Zhizhou respectfully listened to the Emperor vent his anger before saying: “Your Majesty, you also know that my grandmother has always disliked my wife. I just didn’t expect her to take advantage of my absence to kick her out of the mansion…”

The Emperor snorted coldly, turning to look at Prince Yu who had just entered: “Well, is she at the Cao family’s?”

Prince Yu shook his head, and the Emperor frowned fiercely: “Forget it, the military situation is urgent, there is no time to look for her! Fifth Brother, you will be the main commander, and Xie Zhizhou will be your deputy, granted the title of General Pingyan. Lead an army of two hundred thousand and set out immediately!”

Xie Zhizhou breathed a sigh of relief in his heart and bowed to accept the order.

Three days later, beneath the walls of Taizhou City.

Yan Zheng personally led the army, and Prince Yu stood on the city tower, questioning loudly: “Yan Zheng! The Emperor has not treated you thinly. He successively made you Marquis of Anning and Chief Minister, but you disregard his sacred grace and raise troops in rebellion. Can you face the Emperor and the ancestors of the Yan family?”

Yan Zheng remained silent upon hearing this, glancing at Meng Yang.

The latter shouted loudly: “The title of Marquis of Anning was exchanged for the lives of six members of the Yan family! The position of Chief Minister was obtained by our Lord after narrowly escaping death to bring down Princess Ansheng and rescue His Majesty! After that, during Feng Ping’s rebellion, our Sixth Young Master rescued His Majesty! We would also like to ask, the Yan family has risked life and limb to rescue His Majesty several times. Why did the Emperor suspect our Lord of rebellion and harm his wife, children, and elders while he was out fighting?!”

This matter had long been known to everyone. Prince Yu was at a loss for words, but stubbornly argued: “Even so, you cannot rebel! Yan Zheng, you have no more than one hundred thousand soldiers under your command, but we have an army of two hundred thousand this time. You have no chance of winning! It is better to surrender early—Ah!!!”

Before he could finish his words, his helmet was shot off by a feathered arrow. Prince Yu was scared witless, but saw a young general in silver armor holding a bow and arrow under the city tower. Who else could it be but Mei Hexuan?

“The elite troops in the court were all taken by us to fight the southern barbarians. Where did you get two hundred thousand? Most likely you conscripted militia from nearby prefectures and counties. You know very well whether they can go into battle!”

Xie Zhizhou’s heart sank, knowing that Mei Hexuan was speaking the truth.

Of these two hundred thousand soldiers, fifty thousand were brought back from the northern border by Prince Qin, and the remaining one hundred and fifty thousand were temporarily conscripted. Many couldn’t even hold a spear steadily and were just grabbed to make up the numbers. If they really fought, they would definitely not be a match for the rebel army!

Fortunately, Taizhou City was easy to defend and hard to attack. As long as they refused to fight and waited for the enemy’s provisions to run out, it would be fine.

“Generals, heed my order. Hang high the truce board! Without my command, absolutely no one is to go into battle!”

“Yes!”

Inside the military tent.

Mei Hexuan walked in and spat: “This young brat of the Xie family really has patience. No matter how I curse and challenge, he just refuses to come out and fight!”

Mei Sheng was fraught with worry. “Commander, from the look of things, they intend to wear us out!”

Yan Zheng chuckled softly, his long, slender fingers tapping lightly against the desk. “Wear us out? We shall see if they even have what it takes.”

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep