Volume One, Chapter Seven: The Letter of Divorce

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Seeing that Luo Chen remained unresponsive and growing somewhat impatient, Yan Jiumu sighed helplessly.
“Xia He, go fetch some paper and a pen.”
Well, since they were now husband and wife, she might as well help him out. After all, being kept in the dark was an unpleasant feeling.
Even if the Marquis and his wife had good intentions, Luo Chen, as the person involved, deserved to know the truth.
Jiumu spread out the paper and handed the pen to Sang Lin. “You can write, right?”
“Your Highness, I can write a little.” Having been by the Young Lord’s side since childhood, he had picked up some skills by observation.
“Good. Hold your master’s hand and write down the whole story,” Jiumu instructed.
That way, Luo Chen could feel the movements through his hand and understand what was going on.
“Hold... hold the Young Lord’s hand to write?”
Sang Lin looked incredulous. The Young Lord was no child; how could he dare hold his hand? Moreover, he was too afraid to tell the Young Lord about the marriage.
Seeing his hesitation, Jiumu urged, “What are you dawdling for? Didn’t you say just now that you’d accept any punishment?”
Sang Lin’s freshly wiped tears welled up again. He was only saying, so why did the Young Lady take it seriously?
He suddenly knelt down with a thud, pleading, “Your Highness, please help me. I still need to live to serve the Young Lord.”
Luo Chen’s grip on Sang Lin’s hand tightened as he felt the kneeling motion and spoke coldly, “Sang Lin, did my mother come?”
“Mother, have you been stuffing people into my room again?”
He glanced toward Jiumu, as only the head of the Marquis’s household could make Sang Lin kneel like that.
“Who’s your mother?” Jiumu scoffed and sidestepped a little. She certainly wasn’t the one who bore such a grown son.
Jiumu shoved the pen into Sang Lin’s hand again, urging, “Write quickly. Don’t worry, if you lose your life, I’ll take care of your Young Lord.”
Luo Chen looked like a proper person, so how did he end up with such an incoherent servant?
Sang Lin felt caught between the couple, Jiumu’s intense gaze on one side and Luo Chen’s grip on his wrist on the other, feeling utterly pitiful.
At that moment, Luo Chen asked coldly, “What exactly are you planning to do?”
“Your Highness, I’m doing this all for you,” Sang Lin replied, steeling himself and breaking free from Luo Chen’s hand, handing the pen over.
Luo Chen suddenly felt his hand go empty, replaced by a slender object. He touched it and recognized it as a pen.
Before he could ask, his hand was grasped, and writing began on the table. He reflexively wanted to pull away, but then thought better of it and paused.

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Sang Lin trembled as he wrote on the paper: Your Highness, I am Sang Lin.
“I know it’s you,” Luo Chen replied.
“Cut the small talk and get to the point,” Jiumu said.
Two irritated voices spoke simultaneously.
Sang Lin continued writing: The Marquis and Madam worry about your health and have sought doctors and medicines far and wide. Madam weeps every day, and of course, I worry about you too.
“Ahem.” Seeing him about to add more nonsense, Jiumu cleared her throat softly.
Sang Lin wrote: Fortunately, a revered monk advised that if a woman whose birth chart complements yours is married to you, it will help reverse your misfortunes.
“You’re utterly ridiculous!” Luo Chen’s dark face grew even angrier.
“So, yesterday was my wedding?”
Luo Chen sneered. He had been foolish to think the outing was because of an honored guest.
Suddenly, it dawned on him: the person who was in his arms when he woke up...
“The woman I married is here too? Who is she?”
“Young Lady, the Young Lord is looking for you. You two talk; I’ll take my leave.” Sang Lin said this and dashed out before Jiumu could respond.
Looking for her? How did she not hear?
Jiumu was exasperated and decided to deal with him later. She turned to Xia He and instructed, “Prepare breakfast.”
She had some things to discuss with Luo Chen, so this was a good opportunity. Jiumu lightly grasped the large hand on the table and wrote: My name is Yan Jiumu, and I am now your wife.
“Yan family? Which Yan family?”
The soft and warm touch on the back of his hand made Luo Chen momentarily distracted.
Jiumu slowly wrote a few more words: Minister of Rites Yan Huaicheng.
It was no surprise Luo Chen had no impression of the Yan family; his original rank was lower than this, and he had only been promoted twice after the marriage was arranged.
“Quite the elaborate scheme,” Luo Chen muttered wryly. He had wondered why anyone would be willing to marry someone like him.
He was silent for a moment before speaking calmly, “I suppose marrying me was not your choice. I can give you a divorce letter and some silver to send you away.”
Hearing this, Jiumu raised an eyebrow, sensing that Luo Chen had some kindness beneath his exterior.
She wrote on the paper: Fine, thank you.

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“Lay the paper out; I will write it for you now,” Luo Chen said.
Watching Luo Chen write the divorce letter with neat, bold strokes, Jiumu couldn’t help but admire him.
“Keep this safely. I will arrange for someone to send you away soon,” Luo Chen finished, his tone seemingly less guarded.
Jiumu wrote back: I have some important matters to attend to and cannot leave for now.
If it weren’t for her desire to stay and avenge the original owner and Yan Liruo, she might actually have agreed.
“Are you playing me?” Luo Chen was angry.
She had taken the divorce letter but did not want to leave. He realized he had underestimated this woman.
Jiumu bluntly wrote: I can cure the poison inside you.
“How is that possible? You?”
Luo Chen was not doubting her out of arrogance but because he knew the poison well. If it could be cured, he wouldn’t be in his current condition.
No one outside knew about his poisoning, assuming he had been born weak and had grown ill over time. Likely, Sang Lin had let the secret slip to this woman.
Jiumu wrote: Why not try? If you miss this chance, no one else in this world may be able to save you.
She had already examined Luo Chen’s condition last night. The poison was vicious but had not yet claimed his life.
Most importantly, the poison was very similar to one she had encountered before crossing over. In other words, this poison was the reason she had come here.
Perhaps by curing Luo Chen, she could find a way back.
“Speak your terms,” Luo Chen said, knowing she would not offer help without a motive.
Jiumu: Until I leave, the Marquis’s household must respect and protect me, granting me the dignity and status befitting a Young Lady.
She was new here and needed a proper foundation to survive, let alone seek revenge.
“What do you want to do?” Luo Chen did not immediately agree but did not refuse either.
Jiumu: Rest assured, it is merely to settle some family matters and will not involve the Marquis’s household.
This time, Luo Chen responded quickly, “Fine, I agree.”