Yunchu’s Vengeance - Chapter 178
Chapter 178 - The Yun Family Demands a Divorce
The members of the Yun family marched in with an imposing momentum.
Lady Yuan hurried forward to greet them: "Why has Madam come..."
"If I had not come, would not our Chu'er have been chewed down to the very bones by your Xie family without a scrap left?!" Lady Lin's face was chillingly cold.
She raised her eyes to look toward the mourning hall; only a few sticks of incense burned inside the incense burner, and not a single soul had replenished them even after they had burned down, showing just how desolate the Xie family had become.
With a person dead, many grievances could be considered wiped clean.
Lady Lin walked forward and lit three sticks of incense.
Liu Qianqian and Yun Ze also stepped forward, igniting incense and placing it into the burner.
Once the mourning rituals concluded, the members of the Xie family knew that true business was about to begin, and each of them involuntarily tightened their expressions.
The onlookers outside also crammed eagerly into the doorway, stretching their necks to peer inside.
Capping her patience, Lady Lin cut straight to the point: "As everyone well knows, the Xie family's upper beams are crooked and the lower beams are askew—above, Xie Jingyu embezzled official silver; below, the Xie family's eldest son committed treason and matricide, while the second son killed the Old Lady of the Xie family. Every time I think of it, my blood runs cold. My Yun family's daughter married into the Xie family five years ago, and whether managing domestic affairs, showing filial piety to her mother-in-law, or raising the children, she has fulfilled her duties to the utmost without a single flaw to be found. Yet such sincerity was repaid with deceit and betrayal... Xie Jingyu's crimes are monstrous and he deserves to die, but the latter half of my Yun family daughter's life cannot be squandered within such a household. Therefore—"
Liu Qianqian stepped forward, placing a sheet of paper before the members of the Xie family: "This is the deed of divorce between Chu'er and Xie Jingyu. Since Xie Jingyu is already dead, his son shall press the thumbprint in his stead."
The moment these words fell, an uproar erupted across the room.
The onlookers outside surged into excitement.
"I guessed right! The Yun family really is demanding a divorce."
"If I were Lady Yun, I would demand a divorce for my own daughter too, wouldn't you? Are they supposed to stay and clean up this giant mess?"
"Unlike some families who would rather die than let their married-out daughters divorce, being a daughter of the Yun family with such a powerful background gives her true confidence in her husband's family."
"There is still a coffin resting inside the house! The body is not even cold yet, and they are already bringing up a divorce; isn't that a bit too cold-hearted?"
"The Xie family has the old and the young, all women and children. If they divorce, this group will have nothing left to survive on."
"The Yun family is still being far too hasty. Relying on their status as a first-rank General's Manor, they completely disregard the Xie family."
"..."
Yun Chu lowered her gaze.
Human nature being what it is, because the human heart is soft, people always subconsciously sympathize with the underdogs.
In the eyes of bystanders, the Xie family was already so wretched; if the Yun family demanded a divorce at this moment, the Yun family would inevitably become cast as the unforgivable villain.
She had never worried about her own reputation, but rather the reputation of the Yun family and the daughters married out of the Yun family.
Yet Lady Lin simply could not care about all of that.
Ever since disaster struck the Xie family, she had wanted to bring Chu'er home, but Yun Ze had advised her to wait—to wait just a little longer.
Yet she could wait no longer.
No matter how reluctant the Xie family was, and no matter what outsiders said, today, she had to bring Chu'er back.
Seeing the heartbroken look on her mother's face, Yun Chu exchanged a helpless, wry smile with her eldest brother, Yun Ze.
Her mother cherished her dearly and naturally could not bear to see her suffer.
Fortunately, her eldest brother was willing to cooperate with her in handling this matter; otherwise, the Yun family truly would have been roasted over an open fire by public opinion.
An elder of the Yun clan wore a gloomy expression as he spoke: "Xie Shiyun, you are currently the eldest surviving son of the Xie family. Step forward and press your thumbprint on the divorce paper in your father's place."
Xie Shiyun turned and buried himself in Tingyu's arms.
Tingyu wept as she cried out: "The Madam cannot leave the Xie family! Without the Madam, the Xie family is truly finished, and what will become of these children..."
Lady Yuan snapped back to her senses as if waking from a dream.
She finally believed Tingyu's words: Chu'er was genuinely going to leave the Xie family.
Chu'er could not leave. If she left, this entire household of the Xie family would have no path to survival, and even if they dropped dead by the roadside, not a soul would collect their corpses...
"Madam Yun, Jingyu's bones are not yet cold, she cannot leave us now!" Lady Yuan's voice was hoarse as she summoned every ounce of strength to cry out. "Jingyu committed a grave wrong, but he has already received his due retribution... These children are innocent. They have called Chu'er 'Mother' for so many years; Chu'er cannot simply up and walk away..."
The only strategy the Xie family had left was to weep—the old, the women, and the children crying together.
It made the Yun family appear utterly ruthless and overbearing.
At this moment, Yun Ze finally spoke: "Chu'er, Big Brother will ask you only one question: Do you wish to divorce?"
The room fell instantly silent.
Even the passersby gossiping endlessly at the major entrance shut their mouths, pricking up their ears to catch Yun Chu's answer.
"Chu'er, no matter what choice you make, everyone in the Yun family will support you unconditionally," Yun Ze said in a ringing voice. "Our Yun family has served in the military for generations—above, we answer to the Emperor and our ancestors; below, we answer to the millions of common folk. Countless brave generals of the Yun family have died upon the battlefield. If we cannot even protect a single woman, what meaning is there to bearing the title of a first-rank General's Manor?"
Once those words were spoken, both the passersby and the Xie family members knew that there was no longer any room for turning back regarding this divorce.
Yun Chu looked toward the members of the Xie family and spoke in a measured voice: "Five years ago, when I married into the Xie family, I regarded myself as a member of the Xie family from that day on. No matter what befell the Xie family, I remained steadfast through thick and thin; therefore, I will not divorce."
Lady Lin raised her head in astonishment: "Chu'er, what nonsense are you uttering!"
She knew Chu'er had decided to divorce and had been waiting for the opportune moment. Wasn't this the best moment of all?
Wait and wait—how much longer were they supposed to wait!
They could not simply keep suffering grievances and remain trapped in the Xie family just for the sake of reputation!
Compared to the military merits established by the Yun family, reputation meant truly nothing at all.
Yun Chu smiled slightly and repeated, "I will not divorce."
Xie Jingyu had written the divorce paper before his death, and that very paper was currently resting in her hands.
A divorce was already a settled certainty; she could leave whenever she pleased, so why rush it at this exact moment? Why do it before Xie Jingyu was even buried, and why allow the Yun family to become the fodder for idle capital gossip?
In her past life, she had brought endless misery upon the Yun family; in this life, she would never allow a single shred of trouble to befall the Yun family because of her.
Before Lady Lin could speak, Yun Ze stated: "Very well, Chu'er, I respect your choice. But please remember: the Yun family will always stand as a towering mountain at your back. Whenever you change your mind, simply tell Big Brother, and Big Brother, alongside Mother and the elders of the Yun clan, will personally step forward to secure your divorce and bring you home."
Lady Lin opened her mouth in frustration, intending to argue.
She was held back by Liu Qianqian, who whispered softly, "Since Chu'er has spoken thus, let us leave."
Yun Ze turned around, leading the dozens of retainers and family members of the Yun family as they marched out imposingly.
Once outside, Lady Lin asked in utter incomprehension: "Yun Ze, why? Why did we just walk away like that?"
Yun Ze lifted the carriage curtain: "Mother, listen to what the common folk are saying."
Outside, the crowd was engaged in heated discussions regarding the scene that had just transpired.
"I truly never expected Madam Xie to refuse the divorce. If I were in her shoes, I would have fled long ago."
"Why else would people say Madam Xie possesses great righteousness? The men taught by the Yun family slay enemies on the battlefield, and the women they raise are equally loyal and steadfast."
"Even with the Xie family reduced to this state, Madam Xie still refuses to abandon them. It can only be said that the Xie family is unworthy of such a wife."
"With the Yun family standing behind her, Madam Xie always has a safe retreat. Whenever she regrets her choice, she can simply leave then."
"The Yun family women came in full force to demand a divorce, even bringing out a pregnant young mistress. They always say sisters-in-law find it hard to live in harmony, but the Yun family is nothing like that."
"Even the elders of the Yun clan, at such an advanced age, came as well."
"..."
Yun Ze lowered the curtain and said, "If we had divorced just now, then at this very moment, every street and alley would be condemning the Yun family for bullying the weak with our power. Chu'er is a person of sensitive heart; if her actions brought negative fallout to the Yun family, she would spend the rest of her life consumed by regret. Why leave Chu'er with such an emotional burden?"
Lady Lin fell silent, offering no further rebuttal.
People throughout the streets were saying—
That the elders of the Yun family were willing to personally step forward for a divorce, showing the true demeanor of an illustrious, centuries-old noble clan.
That Lady Lin acted out of deep maternal protectiveness, reflecting the boundless love of parents everywhere.
That the young mistress of the Yun family, Lady Liu, braved her pregnant belly to seek justice for her sister-in-law, a sight deeply moving to behold.
That Young Master Yun Ze radiated upright righteousness, commanding universal admiration.
That the eldest legitimate daughter of the Yun family, Yun Chu, was fiercely loyal and affectionate—the epitome of an aristocratic lady.
Indeed, the Yun family proved itself to be a preeminent aristocratic household, a prestigious lineage of ministers and generals, and a clan adorned with ceremonial caps and ribbons!