Chapter 2

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Chapter 2: The Stumbling Block

Bao Si was Meng Zhan’s personal attendant, purchased from a slave trader shortly after Bai Wanqing entered the Meng household to take care of Meng Zhan’s daily needs. He usually accompanied Meng Zhan wherever he went, and being an upright and reliable person, if he discovered anything, he would surely report it to her.

“Miss, Bao Si is not here,” Rui Xin hurried back after a short while.

“Not here?” Bai Wanqing found it strange. Meng Zhan was staying at the Meng residence, yet Bao Si was not by his side. “Did you find out where he went?”

Rui Xin shook her head, “I just asked a few servants who are usually close to Bao Si. They only said they haven’t seen him since the master returned.”

“Now that you mention it, I recall that Bao Si didn’t return the last time my husband came back from Huaizhou. It seems he stayed there,” Bai Wanqing pondered with suspicion.

Huaizhou? Did something happen there? Otherwise, why would Meng Zhan leave his personal attendant behind?

“Rui Xin, send someone to Huaizhou to find out exactly where Bao Si is!”

“Yes!” Rui Xin answered as she went out to arrange the matter.

While Bai Wanqing was still trying to make sense of the situation, Rui Xin returned with Zhu Mei, a maid from the old lady’s side, to deliver a message, “Madam, the old lady wants to see you.”

Rui Xin looked worried, “Miss, do you think the old lady has been persuaded by the master?”

Bai Wanqing’s eyes sharpened, “Let’s go and find out.”

The sky was as dark as ink, and the cold wind was biting. Bai Wanqing, accompanied by Rui Xin, arrived at Fude Garden, where the old lady, Fang Shi, resided. It must be said that Fude Garden was a place she had put a lot of effort into creating.

When she first married into the Meng family, the Meng household only had two small brick houses. It was manageable when it was just the mother and son living there, but after she and Rui Xin joined, the already cramped space became even more crowded. To improve the family’s living conditions, she used her dowry to purchase the current courtyard.

When building Fude Garden, she felt heartache for the hardships her mother-in- law endured to support Meng Zhan’s education. To ensure her mother-in-law could live comfortably, she used the best materials and personally oversaw the design and layout.

This Fude Garden was considered one of the best residences on the entire Changsheng Street.

In contrast, her Qingzhu Pavilion only had a few bamboo plants for decoration, and the furniture inside was mostly flawed items bought from a carpenter’s shop.

Everyone who visited the Meng residence praised her filial piety and virtue, but at this moment, Bai Wanqing felt a deep sadness in her heart. The urgency with which her mother-in-law wanted to see her most likely meant that she was about to be persuaded to leave.

“Is that Wanqing? Zhu Mei, quickly let her in,” Fang Shi saw Bai Wanqing’s figure in the courtyard and instructed Zhu Mei to invite her in.

Hearing the voice, Bai Wanqing entered the room with Rui Xin and, as usual, paid her respects to Fang Shi with a slight bow, “Mother.”

“Come, come, sit here!” Fang Shi had her sit beside her, affectionately taking her hand and looking at Bai Wanqing with kindness, “Wanqing, you’ve really worked hard these past six months. Without you, our Meng Zhan would never have achieved what he has today. He has now obtained the position of Tongzhi in the Huaizhou prefecture and will be overseeing Huaian County. No matter what happens, he will surely take care of your Bai family.”

Bai Wanqing understood clearly now. Mrs. Fang had indeed been persuaded by Meng Zhan. Her current words were meant to admonish her, warning her that Meng Zhan’s status was no longer that of a poor scholar but an official in charge of Huaian County. Mrs. Fang was using the Bai family to threaten her.

Meng Zhan was right. Her mother-in-law had always been subservient to her son. How could she possibly turn against her precious son for the sake of her daughter- in-law? Bai Wanqing had been naive to think otherwise.

Bai Wanqing withdrew her hand and asked indifferently, “So, Mother, you agree with Meng Zhan divorcing me?”

Mrs. Fang’s expression shifted slightly. She hadn’t expected Bai Wanqing to confront her so directly. Seeing no point in hiding it anymore, she replied, “Yes, I agree! Your Bai family is nothing but lowly commoners. Now that my Zhan has passed the imperial exams and become the Assistant Prefect of Huaizhou, how could your family possibly be a match for him?”

“To be honest, it would be best if you stopped holding Zhan back. Be sensible and leave the Meng family quietly. Don’t become a stumbling block for Zhan’er. When he rises to a higher position in the future, your Bai family might still benefit from it. Consider it a way to honor the bond you once shared as husband and wife.”

Bai Wanqing sneered inwardly. How could they talk about the bond between husband and wife when they had already handed her a divorce letter? However, she couldn’t agree with Mrs. Fang’s claim that she had hindered Meng Zhan’s career.

“Mother, you say that my Bai family and I have held Meng Zhan back? That’s simply not true. It was I who used my dowry to help him secure a good position, which is how he obtained his current official post.”

“Now that he has just settled into his new position, he wants to divorce me? Doesn’t he fear damaging his reputation? Doesn’t he worry about losing this newly acquired position?”

Bai Wanqing tested the waters by applying pressure on her mother-in-law. She felt there was something suspicious about Meng Zhan’s sudden decision to divorce her. Her mother-in-law was just a countrywoman who had lived in the county town for half her life but still hadn’t learned the intricacies of high society. She might let something slip.

Mrs. Fang noticed Bai Wanqing’s calm demeanor and her resolute attitude, which infuriated her. She switched to her usual tactic of throwing a tantrum. Pointing at Bai Wanqing’s nose, she completely shed her earlier maternal image and glared at her with malice. “You…! I thought you were a gentle and obedient woman, but I never expected you to be so vicious. Are you planning to cause a scene outside and ruin my Zhan’er?”

Bai Wanqing chuckled lightly. “Mother, it’s Meng Zhan who wants to divorce me. You should know that a divorced woman has no future in this world. Since I have no future left, why should I care about Meng Zhan’s prospects?”

Mrs. Fang was momentarily speechless, her body slumped down in defeat. But then she seemed to remember something and straightened her back. “Hmph, who do you think you are? Even if your Bai family causes a fuss, it won’t affect my son in the slightest. You can’t threaten us.”

“Oh?” Bai Wanqing feigned disbelief and looked at Mrs. Fang with mockery.

Apparently, the trick worked.

Mrs. Fang, in her anger, blurted out, “You don’t believe me? Just go and ask the Prefect of Huaizhou. My son and his daughter have already—”

“Mother!” Before Mrs. Fang could finish, Meng Zhan, who had rushed over, interrupted her.

As soon as Meng Zhan entered the room, he glared fiercely at Madam Fang, causing her to shrink back in fear and fall silent. His gaze then shifted to Bai Wanqing, his eyes filled with a bloodthirsty intensity, as if his deepest secret had been exposed.

Unfortunately for him, Bai Wanqing had already pieced it together. No wonder Meng Zhan was in such a hurry to divorce her… he had apparently caught the eye of the daughter of the Prefect of Huaizhou. Judging by Madam Fang’s earlier expression, the two of them must have already gotten involved physically. Otherwise, given the Prefect’s pride, he would never have considered someone of Meng Zhan’s modest background, even if he was a promising young man.

If this were true, the Prefect’s daughter would certainly not come to the Meng household as a concubine. Therefore, the only way for Meng Zhan to marry her was to divorce Bai Wanqing first.

Meng Zhan had already calculated that marrying the Prefect’s daughter would require a substantial dowry. The Meng family’s current assets were barely enough to marry a girl from an ordinary family, let alone the daughter of a Prefect. That was why he had schemed to keep Bai Wanqing’s dowry and given her a letter of divorce.

Bai Wanqing suddenly felt a chill run down her spine. She couldn’t help but marvel at how well Meng Zhan had played his hand. If Madam Fang hadn’t let slip the truth today, she might have never figured it out, no matter how much she racked her brain.

Bai Wanqing sighed. Originally, she had considered making a financial deal with Meng Zhan to allow her to stay in the Meng household, even if it meant living as a wife in name only. She didn’t mind that. But given the current situation, it seemed impossible for her to remain in the Meng family any longer.

Since that was the case, it would be better to leave the Meng household as soon as possible and escape this den of trouble. Otherwise, if Meng Zhan were pushed to the brink, it might even affect the Bai family.

Bai Wanqing’s ever-changing expression finally broke Meng Zhan’s composure. Unable to blame Madam Fang, he could only vent his anger at Bai Wanqing, shouting, “Don’t you dare speculate things like that! No one would believe the ramblings of an old woman!”

Bai Wanqing smiled disdainfully. If she had only been guessing earlier, Meng Zhan’s reaction just now confirmed that her suspicions were most likely true.

“Meng Zhan, didn’t you want me to leave the Meng household? Why don’t we settle this amicably?” Bai Wanqing calmly raised her eyes to meet Meng Zhan’s panicked gaze. She was determined to preserve her dignity in this final confrontation.