"Discard the wife who shared my poverty? I think you should just discard her!"
Shen Yiru sneered at Li Wangzhou as she spoke. "I am a person of value, cherished and pampered by my parents and brothers since I was a child. Since marrying into the General's Estate, I have managed the household with all my heart and soul, waiting every day for your return. Yet, in your mouth, I have become nothing but a 'dross wife' to be discarded."
Li Wangzhou felt that Shen Yiru was being unreasonable and retorted with irritation, "You know that is not what I meant. You are being difficult on purpose just because I brought an outsider into the residence, aren't you?"
Shen Yiru remained silent.
Li Wangzhou began to plead earnestly, "Yiru, you don't understand. I want to take Sun Jingyou as a co-wife not because I dislike you, nor to humiliate you. Jingyou’s identity is special. If I can take her as a co-wife, it will be of great benefit to both you and the General's Estate."
Hearing this, Shen Yiru found it laughable. "Special identity? What kind of identity does she have?"
"The time is not yet right; I cannot tell you yet." Li Wangzhou stared steadily at Shen Yiru. "However, you must first recognize your position. Your father and eldest brother died on the battlefield a year ago. Now, the General's Estate no longer has a general. Your mother and second brother are merely merchants; you are now nothing but a merchant's daughter."
Li Wangzhou's blunt words pierced Shen Yiru's heart. She tilted her head back slightly, fighting to hold back the tears that threatened to fall. "My father and eldest brother gave their lives for the country. They are heroes, and you have no right to mention them."
"But they are gone, and that is a fact you must accept. You are now just a merchant's daughter; you have no one left to rely on. Therefore, you should not be throwing tantrums."
Li Wangzhou ignored Shen Yiru's emotions and continued to speak, trying to force her to face reality.
"I have no one to rely on, so you think you can bully and humiliate me at will?" Shen Yiru regained her composure, her voice growing hoarse.
Li Wangzhou stepped forward. "I am not trying to humiliate you. I only want harmony in the household. As long as you agree to let Jingyou enter as a co-wife and you two live together in peace, I can consummate our marriage tonight. That way, you can have a child sooner, and with a child, you will have something to rely on."
As he spoke, Li Wangzhou took another step forward, his eyes fixed on Shen Yiru. It had to be said that Shen Yiru was exceptionally beautiful—more glamorous and dignified than Sun Jingyou. Li Wangzhou couldn't help but want to taste her charms. Besides, once they consummated the marriage, she would likely become more obedient. Once she was truly his wife, it wouldn't be so easy for her to leave.
Thinking this, Li Wangzhou closed the distance and reached out to grab her clothes. "From now on, you can keep managing the General's Estate. Also, the Emperor rewarded me with a thousand taels of silver today. I will hand it all over to you for safekeeping."
He had originally intended to give the Emperor's reward to Sun Jingyou, but the Emperor's recent attitude forced him to make concessions to Shen Yiru. After careful consideration, he decided to give the silver to Shen Yiru and take the pair of jade ruyi back to appease Sun Jingyou.
*Slap!*
Seeing Li Wangzhou reach out, Shen Yiru felt a wave of nausea. Without hesitation, she raised her hand and struck him hard across the face.
"Who wants to consummate our marriage with you? Since you think I have no support and am of no help to your General's Estate, let us separate. As for the thousand taels of silver from the Emperor, you should take it back. I have no interest in it."
What Shen Yiru did not say was that the shops under her name earned more than a thousand taels every single day. Li Wangzhou’s attempt to bribe her with a thousand taels was truly overestimating himself.
Having been slapped, Li Wangzhou’s temper flared instantly. He reached out to strike her back. "Shen Yiru, you shrew!"
No sooner had the words left his mouth than his raised hand was seized by Shen Yiru.
"Though my father and eldest brother are gone, they taught me martial arts. They are still enough to protect me from your bullying."
With that, Shen Yiru shoved his arm away. Li Wangzhou stumbled back, barely managing to stand steady. His wrist throbbed with pain where she had gripped him. He moved his hands behind his back, quickly rubbing his wrist. He knew Shen Yiru had learned martial arts from her father and brother as a child, but he had no idea her strength was so great.
"Aren't you afraid that if you treat me like this, I will grow to despise you and never step foot in your room again?" Li Wangzhou threatened.
"Get out!" Shen Yiru’s voice was cold and laced with disgust.
"This is the General's Estate," Li Wangzhou said, trying to save face.
Shen Yiru shot him a sharp, icy glare, causing Li Wangzhou to shrink back a step. In the past, Shen Yiru had always been gentle before him. Before they were married, she always wore a shy, blushing expression when they met. She had never been this cold or distant.
Shen Yiru clenched her fists toward him again. Considering the situation, Li Wangzhou finally relented and issued a final threat: "By chasing me away like this, you will be the one begging me to consummate our marriage later."
"That day will never come. Though I am a woman, I believe in self-reliance. I will not depend on a husband's favor to survive, nor will I stoop to beg for affection from anyone. The favor one has to beg for is worthless to me; I would rather go without it."
Shen Yiru spoke with unwavering resolve, showing no sign of yielding.
Li Wangzhou was stunned. A hollow feeling opened up inside his heart—a feeling as if he had suddenly lost a precious treasure. However, he quickly recovered, flicked his sleeves with a cold snort, and turned to leave. "Hmph! You truly are hopeless."
Qingyao, who had been waiting outside, bowed as Li Wangzhou emerged. Li Wangzhou glanced at her and cursed her for a lowly slave, then ordered his servant to carry the silver and take the jade ruyi toward Mengyun Courtyard.
Qingyao pushed the door open, entered the room, and bowed to Shen Yiru. "Mistress, are you alright?"
Shen Yiru curled her lips into a faint smile and shook her head gently. "I am fine." She slowly sat back down on the chaise longue.
Qingyao stepped forward, looking worried. "Mistress, by driving the General away like this, I fear he will be even more partial to Sun Jingyou in the future."
Shen Yiru raised a hand, stopping Qingyao from continuing. "It does not matter. From the moment he brought that woman into the house, the bond between us was severed."
"But Mistress, if you truly provoke the General, it will be even harder to obtain the separation papers later," Qingyao said, gathering her courage to voice her concern.
Shen Yiru smiled. "As things stand, even if I were to grovel and flatter him, it wouldn't change anything. A changed heart is a changed heart. I have no desire to play the part of a virtuous and magnanimous wife before him. I will only act according to my own heart."
"Yes, Mistress, this servant understands." Qingyao bowed and replied.