Chapter 105

The other party's gaze was far too clear and sharp.

Mo Xiaozhi met it straight on, and all the unbearable pain buried deep in her heart was laid bare at this moment.

But why?

Wasn't this person a man? As someone who stood to benefit from the rules of this world, why would he rather offend the Du family than stand up for her...

Tu Shanjin held out a handkerchief to her. Mo Xiaozhi softly uttered a word of thanks, and the faint, pleasant scent on the handkerchief cleared her head for a moment.

Mo Xiaozhi wiped the tears from her face with the handkerchief.

Yun Yaoyao was also patient enough.

After all, matters like marriage, family, children, and how to make a living after breaking away from the Du family were all things she needed to consider carefully for herself.

Yun Yaoyao was stubborn about getting an answer to that question, because she knew very well that in a situation like Mo Xiaozhi's, no matter how much you said or did, it would be useless if the woman herself did not have the awakening and resolve to break free from the mire.

Time seemed to have dragged on for ages, but in reality, only a few breaths had passed.

No one else knew the fierce internal struggle Mo Xiaozhi was going through.

Third Madam Du, in particular, felt nothing but disdain in her heart. She thought this young man's words were far too idealistic.

Not to mention whether Mo Xiaozhi would be willing to leave her sickly little daughter without a father, even if she really did separate from the Du family, how could a mother and her orphaned daughter survive on their own?

After all, Mo Xiaozhi's family, the Mo clan, a prominent merchant household in the capital, had broken the law a year prior and been exiled to a remote, impoverished region in the south.

If she hadn't been afraid of being criticized for discarding her formal wife just because her natal family had fallen from grace, she would have kicked Mo Xiaozhi out long ago!

"Your Honor, this civilian woman Mo Xiaozhi wishes to negotiate a mutual separation from Fourth Young Master Du, Du Huanshu. I beg Your Honor to preside over this!"

Third ​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‍Madam Du said in astonishment, "You..."

"This civilian woman wishes to separate from Du Huanshu, I beg Your Honor to preside over this!" Mo Xiaozhi struggled to rise from the wooden stool, then knelt to the ground with a heavy thud.

"You must be possessed by a ghost!" Third Madam Du shouted angrily. "If anyone is getting divorced, it's you whose reputation is tarnished, being cast out by my son!"

The second time she spoke those words, she was no longer scared or trembling. Instead, a rush of exhilaration welled up in her, as all the years of pent-up pressure and pain poured out of her.

She realized then that the words "mutual separation" were not nearly as hard to say as she had thought, especially now that someone was backing her, someone was standing right behind her!

Mo Xiaozhi's gaze grew more resolute. Her dark, bright eyes locked straight onto Third Madam Du, and she said every word clearly, "I. Want. A. Mutual. Separation."

Tears glistened in Mo Xiaozhi's eyes, her voice shaking as she looked first at Yun Yaoyao, then at Yan Qinghong.

"Not long after I married into the Du household, all my trusted personal attendants were either beaten to death or sold off under all sorts of false pretexts. Stealing, seducing the master, breaking household rules! I never had the slightest idea that my long-serving, lifelong trusted people could have such flaws!"

"But every time, my mother-in-law would finish beating or selling them off before she even showed me any so-called evidence. It was nothing but high-handed, unreasonable tyranny!"

"You're slandering us!" Third Madam Du cut in furiously.

Du Guanliu, seeing the situation slipping further and further out of his control, stepped forward to try to turn things around, but Tu Shanjin blocked him, warning in a low, stern voice, "His Majesty does not appreciate being interrupted. Master Du, you would do well to stay quiet and listen."

That gaze, full of quiet menace and indifference, made Du Guanliu freeze for a moment in a trance, as if the emperor from half a year ago had suddenly appeared right in front of him.

For some reason, he closed his mouth and said no more.

Mo Xiaozhi's accusations continued. "My dowry, every single property that was under my name, was little by little seized and controlled by that mother and son!"

"After the Mo family fell, my mother-in-law constantly humiliated and abused me. And after that incident where I nearly drowned, she locked me inside the house even more, and her treatment of me got worse and worse!"

"I beg all of you lords to do justice for this civilian woman!"

Every word of her accusation was steeped in blood and tears. Even Yan Qinghong found it hard to bear.

How could it have come to this... If his own daughter had ever been treated like that... well, never mind, he didn't even want to think about that unruly girl.

Yun Yaoyao said coldly, "Very well. Since you have already made up your mind, then I will see to it that you and Fourth Young Master Du are granted a mutual separation."

"As for all the wrongs you suffered in the past, that is not under my jurisdiction. Lord Yan of the Ministry of Justice will see that justice is done for you."

Yan Qinghong nodded in agreement.

Mo Xiaozhi's tears burst forth, and she knocked her head heavily on the ground. "Thank you, both of you lords! This civilian woman will surely repay your kindness for the rest of my life!"

Third Madam Du still tried to speak, but Du Guanliu walked over to her himself and snapped in a low, furious whisper, "Shut your mouth! Don't say another word!"

Yan Qinghong sent people to fetch Fourth Young Master Du, had the mutual separation document drawn up, and the two separating parties as well as their parents signed and pressed their fingerprints on it. Since Mo Xiaozhi's parents were not in the capital, Yan Qinghong signed as her guarantor.

Once the document was filed with the local government office, it would take full legal effect.

The Du family's mother and son had originally tried to cheat Mo Xiaozhi out of her dowry, but under Yun Yaoyao's pressure, and after Du Guanliu, who felt the whole affair was a humiliating disgrace, flew into a rage, the two of them finally gritted their teeth and returned everything.

As for the child Mo Xiaozhi and Du Huanshu shared, the Du family's mother and son, who disliked that the little girl was sickly, did not even hesitate to give full custody of the child back to Mo Xiaozhi. In exchange, they forced her to sign over full ownership of the Du Kang Pavilion property to them.

By the time the separation was fully finalized, the Du family's mother and son both looked as if they had just eaten a mouthful of shit.

Mo Xiaozhi held her child in her arms, feeling as if she had been reborn into a whole new life. She looked at Yun Yaoyao, tears brimming in her eyes. This person had woken her up, and this person had reached out to pull her out of the mire. She, Mo Xiaozhi, would never forget this kindness!

Mo Xiaozhi looked at Yun Yaoyao with a solemn, earnest expression, and made a promise clearly, "Your Honor, this civilian woman and my child owe our new life to you. No matter what you need from me in the future, I will do everything in my power to fulfill your wishes!"

Yun Yaoyao nodded, visibly moved, and then her old quirk flared up again. "In that case, why don't you give me a detailed self-introduction?"

"Your introduction should cover what you are good at, what experience you have, and in what areas you can put your skills to use. There are no limits, you can speak freely."

Mo Xiaozhi: ???

None of the people gathered had expected that they had come to the Du estate to arrest Xiongnu spies, only to end up witnessing this whole dramatic separation scene. Even less did they expect that His Majesty would not let even a woman who had just separated from her husband off the hook!

Right after helping her escape her cage, he immediately wanted to drag her off to some post to make the most of her abilities!

Du Guanliu stared at Yun Yaoyao's back, grinding his teeth so hard they were about to shatter. What kind of emperor bothers himself with a woman's marital separation?

Just then, something unexpected happened!

A deafening bang erupted from the courtyard wall, and roaring, searing flames burst out, sending waves of scorching heat surging out in all directions as bricks and stone shrapnel went flying.

The Shadow Guard of the Dragon immediately snapped into defensive positions.

Yun Yaoyao was startled, and quickly pulled Tu the Imperial Concubine into her arms. Her expression was serious, but her voice was smug as she leaned close to his ear and said, "I told you we'd run into some sort of accident on this trip out!"

"When I made you put on that copper coin armor back in the Qianqing Palace, you weren't happy about it. Now you see what a brilliant call that was!"

The beloved Tu Shanjin wriggled free of Yun Yaoyao's hold, shifting his body to stand in front of Yun Yaoyao to shield her. "I am a man. In a situation like this, it is my duty to protect you."

Yun Yaoyao looked at the little potato tyrant whose head only reached her chest, and laughed. "Those two lumpy things that make you a man are currently on my body, so who are you calling a tough guy?"

Yun Yaoyao's playful mood flared up, she feigned a helpless, fond smile, and tapped Tu Shanjin's nose gently. "Oh, you really are... such a mischievous one."

Tu Shanjin felt a wave of goosebumps rise all over his body, and he shivered. He closed his eyes in resignation, telling himself over and over in his head that his beloved Yun Yaoyao was still adorable even when she acted like this.

The Dragon Shadow Guards, who were standing by keeping watch while watching the emperor and empress flirt with each other, could not help but wonder: Your Majesties, are we just part of your little fun and games too?