Chapter Nine, The Calamity Diverted Eastward

The young servant could not help but roll his eyes and said: "Has Lord Yang gotten drunk! In fact, Lord Yang has indeed written the divorce letter, and Miss You has also run to the lotus pond, standing on the lotus bed, intending to jump into the pond to seek death"

You Wu could hardly believe her ears for a moment, only looking up in a daze at Wei Zheng

Cough, stop, stop, it has all begun, and one cannot retreat. One cannot just sit and wait for the family to fall apart, dragging the Yang family down, only to be taken by Yan San Shi as a concubine; would it not be better to struggle then? Although other men want to bully me and I cannot cope, turning to scheme against Feng Yan is somewhat inappropriate. However, on one hand, Feng Yan is unmarried, without a wife or concubines, so it will not harm other women. On the other hand, am I not just a dog forced to jump over the wall, with no other options left?

Feng Yan felt annoyed in her heart, yet did not show it on her face; her lips even curled into a smile as she walked straight to the edge of the lotus pond, looking at You Wudao, who seemed poised to jump into the pool, and said: "Do you want to jump into the pool? Today is my grandmother's birthday; you are here to celebrate, and it would be enough not to add joy, but to actually add worry and even jump into the pool at the Feng residence? How can this be reasonable?"

Feng Yan saw Yang Siming and Yang Siyi, and without further distinction, snorted and said: "Nonsense!"

"General, this is all the good work of that scoundrel Yan San Shi," the young servant exclaimed indignantly, cursing Yan San Shi a couple of times before continuing, "That Miss You is a pitiful person. She feared being taken as a concubine by Yan San Shi, so she had no choice but to break off her engagement with Shen Yu Nan and marry into the Yang family to avoid disaster. Unexpectedly, Yan San Shi still would not let her go. Today, he took the opportunity to spread rumors, forcing Lord Yang to believe that Miss You has feelings for the general. In a drunken stupor, Lord Yang wrote a divorce letter. Miss You's father has already been demoted to Chaozhou, and now being divorced, she will lose Lord Yang's protection and will surely fall into the hands of Yan San Shi."

Ah, it has been several years since any scandalous news has emerged in the capital. Today, at a rather dull birthday banquet, I unexpectedly witnessed such an event, providing me with ample conversation material for my return home. As everyone gazed at the graceful figure of Miss You, they began to ponder why General Feng has been so reluctant to marry. Suddenly, they found themselves somewhat believing the rumors. One might ask, how could a young and vigorous man like the general not wish to take a wife or a concubine, or not be enamored with beautiful women? It turns out he is infatuated with Miss You, but she had already been betrothed early on, then caught the attention of Master Yan San, and subsequently married Yang Shangbao as his secondary wife. Thus, the general finds himself with fate but no fortune! Now, it seems that Yang Shangbao, in order to fulfill the wishes of the lovers, has publicly written a divorce letter. This is the perfect opportunity for the general to intercept Miss You and express his feelings, potentially creating a beautiful story.

You Wu, however, felt a bit puzzled and stole a glance at Feng Yan through her fingers

You Wu learned from Madam Guo and Madam Song, among others, that there were too many women wanting to marry Feng Yan. However, it seemed that Feng Yan had an extreme aversion to women, being very picky and critical; he could point out flaws in any woman who came before him. Seeing that he was already twenty-five years old without a wife or concubines, Madam Feng was anxious and restless. Today, during the birthday celebration, she actually intended to select a granddaughter-in-law. As long as Feng Yan took a liking to her, she would not consider the woman's background or appearance.

With this shout, the people gathered around the lotus pond parted with a "whoosh," rushing towards Feng Yan and saying: "General, please persuade Miss You!"

Oh! Feng Yan nodded in appreciation, saying, "Old Master You is a man of integrity."

Upon seeing You Wu, Feng Yan's eyes flashed with an inexplicable meaning. He stepped onto the lotus flower platform, stood beside You Wu, and said to Madam Guo: "Madam, please step down; I will persuade her."

Feng Yan looked at You Wu and suddenly exclaimed, "Miss You wants to jump into the lotus pond? I won't stop you, go ahead and jump!"

Madam Guo was watching from a distance, and upon seeing Feng Yan's figure enter the garden, Yang Siming and Yang Siyi blocked his way, already shouting loudly: "The general has arrived!"

It is said that Feng Yan, in a fit of anger, rushed to the garden. From a distance, he saw a group of people gathered by the lotus pond, seemingly persuading one another. He paused for a moment, suddenly realizing that by rushing over like this, he might only make things worse and create a scandal, giving others a reason to talk. Just as he was about to turn back, he was unexpectedly stopped by two individuals. The two, filled with indignation, said: "Grandmother, no, Miss You is about to jump into the lotus pond for your sake, and you, General, are just standing by, how heartless can you be?" As he thought this, he was just about to turn back when he was unexpectedly stopped by two individuals. The two, filled with indignation, said: "Grandmother, no, Miss You is about to jump into the lotus pond for your sake, and you, General, are just standing by, how heartless can you be?"

You Wu rubbed her eyes, trying hard to make them red, and then looked towards the speaker. Seeing that it was the handsome top scholar Wei Zheng, she bowed slightly, waiting for him to speak.

Ah, four men vying for one woman! The crowd holds its breath in anticipation of the main event

How bold of Yan San to dare to spread rumors in the Feng residence, dragging me into this just to obtain a beauty?" Feng Yan found it somewhat hard to believe and exclaimed, "Where did you hear such rumors?"

Should one be a kind and helpless woman, driven to tears and rendered powerless by men, or should one be a fierce woman, slightly skewed in her values, who rises up to strategize and fight for her own space? You Wu briefly struggled between her conscience and morality and her own situation, but soon took a firm stance, deciding to become a fierce woman

The Eastern Song Dynasty was established for no more than fifty years, and in some regions, old customs still persisted. During the Peach Blossom Festival, men and women would express their affections for one another, reflecting a bold social atmosphere. Although the noble families in the capital adhered to the etiquette and customs of the previous dynasty, most marriages were arranged according to parental wishes and the words of matchmakers, there were occasionally daring individuals who emulated the old customs and pursued love on their own. Today, rumors have spread about Feng Yan's affection for You Wu, and not only did the public not feel repulsed, but they were also invigorated, as it seemed there was an exciting spectacle to behold

The onlookers below could hardly believe their ears, and for a moment, they fell silent.

Wei Zheng and Feng Yan had a good relationship. He knew that Feng Yan had never met You Wu before, and given Feng Yan's temperament, he would certainly not be one to cherish beauty. In a moment of urgency, he spoke out to stop her. Now, seeing You Wu looking at him, he was at a loss for what to say next

Feng Yan ignored Madam Guo and turned to You Wu, asking again: "Do you want to jump into the pool?"

Ah, did I hear that correctly? Everyone was astonished. Wasn't it said that Miss You and General Feng were in love? How did the top scholar get involved again?

The young servant, seeing that Feng Yan did not believe him, became anxious and argued: "General, others may not dare to be so bold, but Yan San Shi is different. Yan San Shi first caught a glimpse of Miss You in the temple, and upon returning home, he lost his appetite for food and was in a daze. It was his mother who sensed something was amiss, which prompted her to propose marriage to the You family. When the You family heard that they wanted Miss You to become a concubine, they naturally refused. For this reason, Yan San Shi sent 10,000 taels of silver to the prince's residence, colluding with the prince to fabricate a baseless charge against Master You, resulting in Master You being demoted to a seventh-rank county magistrate in Chaozhou. Master You was also resolute; before leaving, he sent Miss You off in a bridal sedan chair to marry Lord Yang as his legitimate wife, determined not to let Yan San Shi succeed.

Standing by the lotus pond, You Wuxin felt a myriad of emotions. She remembered when she used to read books and saw the female antagonist resorting to all means to win the male lead's affection; she would have wished to spit in the female antagonist's face and would have been the first to jump out and call for punishment, urging the author to mercilessly torment the female antagonist, insisting that she should not be spared, and so on. ... But now her own actions ...

A gentle breeze caressed the face, the fragrance of lotus flowers filled the pond, and the beauty exuded an enchanting grace. Wei Zheng suddenly felt a surge of chivalrous sentiment and spoke, "Miss You need not seek death; Wei Zheng is willing to propose to the You family and take Miss You as my wife."

Bold Yan San Shi! Feng Yanxian no longer wants to dwell on the doubts; this matter is certainly related to Yan San Shi, and afterwards, this young man must be dealt with properly.

Shen Yunan, having heard the rumors and learned that Yang Shangbao had written a letter of divorce, feared that You Wu would fall into the hands of Yan San Shi. He hurried over and, upon seeing You Wu about to jump into the pool with a crowd of onlookers, intended to leverage the power of the crowd to suppress Yan San Shi and protect You Wu

The young servant also expressed his agreement and continued, "However, that Yan San-shi is quite arrogant. Seeing Miss You marrying into the Yang family, he actually approached the Yang family and demanded Miss You from Lord Yang, even making threatening remarks. Lord Yang, after all, is a veteran of three dynasties and would not be intimidated by him. Yet, Yan San-shi is unwilling to give up, boldly claiming that he will find a way to make Lord Yang write a divorce letter, forcing the You family to send their daughter to the Yan family.

Youyi has been moved; look, this top scholar is not only handsome but also kind-hearted, cherishing the delicate and beautiful. Moreover, he comes from a family that can withstand the scrutiny of the third generation. Now, agreeing to marry him resolves the issue!

Shen Yunan's words were left unfinished when Yan San Shi arrived. Ignoring the curious gazes around him, he stepped forward and said: "Wunian, I am sincere. I am willing to divorce my wife and remarry, bringing you into my home as my legitimate wife, and I will never betray you for all eternity"

You Wu secretly pondered, suspecting that Feng Yan had some issues with his mindset. She thought that rather than harming other men, it would be better to harm Feng Yan instead! However, she did not expect Yang Shangbao to act so quickly, actually spreading rumors, diverting the blame, and even writing a divorce letter, which forced her to pretend to jump into the lotus pond to seek death, compelling Feng Yan to come forward and make a statement

Wei Zheng's ears turned slightly red as he confessed: "Miss You is not afraid of power and refuses to be a concubine; I truly admire that."

You Wu broke free from Madam Guo's hand, lowering her head in an attempt to squeeze out a few tears, aiming to achieve a silent protest that spoke louder than words. After a considerable effort, she was unable to produce any tears, so she had no choice but to cover her face with her hands, slightly shaking her shoulders to feign quiet sobbing

Jump if you want to, who is afraid of whom? You Wu can swim and is confident. Upon hearing this, she wipes her tears and pretends to jump, but then hears a voice calling out: "Miss You, please wait!"

"Wei Zhuangyuan..." You Wuru softly called out, lowering her head

Yan San Shi was unaware that he had caught Feng Yan's attention; he could only secretly rejoice. Oh, who would have thought that the old man Yang Shangbao would drunkenly write a divorce letter? Now that Wu Niang has nowhere to go, she must agree to enter the Yan residence! However, who on earth is so bold as to spread rumors, claiming that I fabricated a story about Wu Niang having an affair with Feng Yan just to win her over, which led the old man Yang to write the divorce letter? I will have to explain this to Feng Yan later; otherwise, offending this young man is no trivial matter. However, who on earth is so bold as to spread rumors, claiming that I fabricated a story about Wu Niang having an affair with Feng Yan just to win her over, which led the old man Yang to write the divorce letter? I will have to explain this to Feng Yan later; otherwise, offending this young man is no trivial matter.

So, are you saying that Yan San Shi is taking the opportunity to spread rumors today, prompting Lord Yang to write a divorce decree?" Feng Yan furrowed his brow, "Although Lord Yang is elderly, he is not a foolish person. How could he write a divorce decree without asking for clarification? There are too many loopholes in this matter.

Before You Wu could speak, a breathless voice came from the other end, saying: "Wu Niang is my fiancée, but because I am still in the mourning period, I am unable to marry her, hence..." The speaker was Shen Yu Nan, who had just arrived.

Madam Guo, without any suspicion, descended from the lotus flower platform, both surprised and delighted

Madam Guo stood beside, attempting to stop You Wu from jumping into the pool. At this moment, she noticed Feng Yan approaching and speaking with an unfriendly tone. She hurriedly grabbed You Wu and said to Feng Yan, "General, why do you speak in such a manner?"