Chapter 76 Divorce Wife
Lord Zheng witnessed his usually dignified and virtuous wife become so unbearable, and he felt mixed emotions. His original anger gradually turned into deep disgust and disappointment.
His eyes were as cold as ice, and his tone was cold as ice. He ordered the trembling Madam Zhou beside Guo: "Go! Prepare a basin of cold water for this unruly woman immediately!"
His eyes were sharp as he spoke.
"Yes... yes, sir."
Mother Zhou's legs trembled uncontrollably, and her voice was as thin as a mosquito. After responding hastily, she staggered back, fearing that any delay would bring disaster.
Guo lay there alone, exhausted both physically and mentally. The scars on her body were horrifying. Even the slightest movement would trigger a violent coughing fit, leaving bloodstains at the corners of her mouth.
Lord Zheng, on the other hand, was calm as if facing a catastrophe. However, his heart was turbulent and he suppressed the urge to take immediate action.
When the cold water was brought, he suddenly poured the whole basin of cold water on Guo's body. His action was so decisive that it made people shudder.
It seemed as if someone had secretly added salt into the water. The moment it touched the wound, Guo screamed in pain, and her voice was full of despair and helplessness.
"Ah! Master!"
Although this baptism of cold water temporarily dispelled the burning sensation on her body and her consciousness gradually became clearer, it was followed by deeper pain and despair.
Guo endured the heart-wrenching pain, stared down at her own body covered in scars and in a miserable state, then looked up at Doctor Jiang who was kneeling beside the bed. The last ray of light in her eyes gradually went out, her body stiffened, and she dared not move anymore, for fear that if she moved, she would be doomed.
"You finally woke up."
Lord Zheng's voice was still cold, and the warmth that once existed between husband and wife in his eyes was long gone, replaced by indifference and alienation.
Guo grabbed the quilt in panic, her voice trembling, full of confusion and fear: "What...what is going on? Why...why did I become like this?"
Lord Zheng finally couldn't hold back his anger anymore. He strode closer, grabbed her hair, and pulled it back fiercely, saying angrily, "You're asking me? Shouldn't I be asking you? Why are you entangled with a lowly servant at my birthday banquet in front of all the guests?"
"You keep calling him Chen Lang. Can't you forget him?"
"You...you..." Guo was completely confused, her mind went blank, and she was unable to comprehend what was happening before her eyes.
Lord Zheng suddenly pulled Doctor Jiang over and pushed him in front of her, with a fierce look in his eyes: "For that Chen Lang, you actually found someone to replace him, Guo Huayu, Guo Huayu, do you really think I don't exist?!"
"In the past, I turned a blind eye to what you did in the backyard, thinking that you were young and ignorant. But now, you have brought this scandal to the front hall, making it known to all officials above the fifth rank in the capital. The wife of our Marquis of Changping has become a laughing stock!"
Guo was struck by a bolt from the blue, she stood there in a daze, her chaotic thoughts gradually recalling all the ridiculous things she had done today, her face was as pale as paper, her eyes stared blankly ahead, her body was so stiff that she couldn't even utter a word of defence.
If she didn't die in today's farce, how would the Changping Marquis' Mansion maintain its reputation?
Lord Zheng slowly loosened his hand, his tone extremely cold: "White silk or poisoned wine, you choose one."
Guo's eyes were empty, as if her soul had been taken away: "You...you want me to die?"
Lord Zheng did not answer, but turned his back to her and said in a cold and hard voice: "After you die, I will announce to the public that you are possessed by an evil spirit, which is why you speak and behave abnormally."
"In this way, we can preserve your reputation and protect the reputation of our Zheng family."
Guo clenched his hands into fists, his teeth chattered, his heart filled with resentment and anger.
She couldn't die like this. Once she passed away, Xiao Guo would naturally take her place, and the baby in her belly would lose her status as the wife's son.
So, what should her Yan'er do?
"Master, Master, please forgive me this time."
Guo prostrated herself at the feet of Lord Zheng, tears streaming down her face, begging, "Someone wanted to harm me and drugged me! I really didn't do those things on purpose!"
Lord Zheng turned around, his eyes cold, "Guo Huayu, don't you understand? Regardless of whether someone has framed you or not, it is you, Madam Guo, who is making a fool of yourself today!"
Guo was still unwilling to give up. She only hoped for a glimmer of hope at this moment: "Master, please think about Yan'er and Yin'er. If I am gone, what will they do?"
Lord Zheng's voice became colder and colder: "Do they need a frivolous mother like you?!"
"No, sir, no!"
Guo shook her head in despair, changed her previous humble attitude, straightened her back, and shouted coldly: "You can't do this, my grandfather is the teacher of the late emperor, if you kill me, the entire Guo family will not let you go!"
"How dare you!" Marquis Zheng's eyes widened with anger. He slapped Guo hard with his hand. The slap was so loud that Guo fell to the ground sideways. Her face felt burning with pain and her eyes became dull.
Lord Zheng pointed at her and said sternly, "How dare you threaten me! Do you think you are still the high and mighty Miss Guo? Don't forget, Jing'er is also a daughter of the Guo family. It makes no difference to the Guo family who becomes the mistress of the Zheng family!"
Guo covered her swollen cheek, raised her chin slightly, and her eyes flashed with determination: "The Guo family may forgive you, but my brother will never let it go!"
Guo's elder brother had made many outstanding achievements on the battlefield in recent years and was highly regarded by the Regent. Once these words were spoken, they indeed caused a ripple in the heart of Lord Zheng.
However, Lord Zheng was not someone who could be easily threatened. He grabbed her hair again, lowered his head and smiled sinisterly, "Okay, then I won't kill you, but starting tomorrow, you must move to Fanghua Pavilion."
Fanghua Pavilion was the residence of Marquis Zheng's other concubines. When Guo heard this, she knew something was wrong.
Lord Zheng announced coldly: "Mrs. Guo, the eldest wife of the Marquis of Changping, is suffering from insanity and cannot bear the responsibility of being a mistress. From now on, she will move to Fanghua Pavilion. At the same time, little Mrs. Guo will be promoted to the official wife of the Marquis of Changping."
There is no room for two tigers in one mountain. Promoting a concubine to be the main wife means that the main wife must give up her position and make way for someone else.
Lord Zheng's move was obviously to go against the Emperor's will and do as he pleases.
The scheme carefully planned by Guo and Jiang Yingying was intended to trap Su Wanyu, but it unexpectedly backfired on them with even more tragic consequences.
"You... want to divorce me?" Guo's voice trembled. After more than ten years of love, the couple ended up with only a piece of divorce paper?
"Divorce you?"
Lord Zheng straightened his back, his disgust seemed to overflow from his eyes, "Yes, according to the law, your fault is indeed enough for me to divorce you, but where will the dignity and face of the Changping Marquisate be placed?"