Favoring a concubine and destroying the wife? I'll abandon my husband and children and wipe out

"My lord, Granny Ding... she's gone." Qian Yidong quickly came in and carefully reported.

Upon hearing this, the servants around him trembled, lowered their heads, and dared not utter a sound.

Only Lianruo remained oblivious, and angrily retorted, "What else does Miss Biao have to say this time? Will the apology from before continue?!"

Ye Ruyue's face was extremely ugly, and she remained stiff, refusing to lower her head.

Zhao Ye couldn't bear to see his beloved like this. "Nanzhi, my cousin didn't mean it, so why don't you..."

"If it wasn't intentional, my young lady almost suffered such a great injustice. If it was intentional, how could my young lady possibly have gotten away with it?!" Qingdai said coldly.

Cheng Nanzhi casually wiped the corner of her eye with a handkerchief, trying to appear calm, but her voice still clearly choked with sobs.

“My husband, I see things clearly today. I’ve been away from home for too long and have grown distant from you all, which is why I’m not as good as a cousin who just arrived. I don’t blame you for not believing me; I only blame myself for being too foolish back then, listening to the doctor’s advice to leave the capital to recuperate. But if it happened again, I would still shield you from the arrow.”

Zhao Ye was taken aback, looking at Cheng Nanzhi's heartbroken face with emotion. Her vulnerability made her beauty, which he had long been accustomed to seeing, suddenly appear exceptionally vivid.

"In that case, I will go and beat the petition drum at the Dali Temple. Even if I have to be punished according to the law, I will still request a divorce. It's better than me watching us drift further and further apart, and in the end, we become an unrequited couple, only to suffer!"

After saying that, Cheng Nanzhi turned to leave.

"Nanzhi, wait! Why come to this!" Old Madam Zhao was the first to panic, and she suddenly stood up and shouted.

Zhao Ye suddenly snapped out of his daze and immediately grabbed Cheng Nanzhi.

Cheng Nanzhi just covered her face and cried sadly, seemingly unable to hear what Zhao Ye was saying.

Qingdai had a sudden inspiration: "Miss, please don't do anything foolish! The young master still cares about you. He would rather slap you a few times as compensation than see you suffer!"

Ye Ruyue's eyes widened.

Zhao Ye was also stunned.

But he couldn't think too much at the moment. Cheng Nanzhi cried and struggled to break free from him and wanted to leave. Qing Dailian's constant persuasion and accusations made him dizzy and confused. In addition, the chaotic persuasion from Madam Zhao, Granny Zhang and others made his head ache even more.

Finally, Zhao Ye couldn't take it anymore. Overwhelmed by impulse, he turned around without thinking and slapped the man across the face.

"Snapped--!"

Silence fell.

All that remained was Zhao Ye's angry rebuke.

"Look how angry you've made your sister-in-law! She's been spoiled since she was a child, and she's never been wronged even after marrying into the Zhao family. How can you wrong her without even knowing the facts?"

Ye Ruyue was thrown to the ground, her face swollen, and she was stunned.

The others were also stunned.

Zhao Ye immediately regretted it, but had no choice but to keep up the act: "Hurry up and apologize to your sister-in-law!"

Ye Ruyue's ears were ringing as she slowly raised her head to look at Zhao Ye in disbelief.

Zhao Ye winked at him.

Madam Zhao quickly put pressure on her: "Yue'er, your sister-in-law will forgive you."

Ye Ruyue's eyes reddened with genuine grievance. After a moment, she gritted her teeth, got up, closed her eyes, and slammed her head heavily against the ground.

"Please forgive me, sister-in-law, Yue'er really didn't mean it!"

Cheng Nanzhi curled her lips into a mocking smile, then wiped the tears from her face with a handkerchief and, feigning surprise, quickly stepped forward to help Ye Ruyue up.

"What are you doing, cousin? Your sister-in-law didn't mean that!"

She looked at Zhao Ye, feigning a young girl's complaint: "You too, how could you be so cruel to my cousin? I was just sad that my husband didn't believe me, and I just wanted him to coax me a little more. How could you blame my cousin like this?"

Upon hearing this, Zhao Ye and Ye Ruyue almost choked.

Madam Zhao's expression was also indescribable.

"In my eyes, my wife is the most important person. Now, does my wife trust me and forgive me?" Zhao Ye forced himself not to look at the pitiful Ye Ruyue.

Cheng Nanzhi seemed to be moved, and her tearful smile deeply stung Ye Ruyue's eyes.

Madam Zhao said, "That's right, but you mustn't mention divorce again."

Cheng Nanzhi curtsied and said, "I'm sorry to have made you laugh, Mother-in-law. I was just being stubborn for a moment."

“However, given that such a wicked servant as Granny Ding has emerged in Guantang Courtyard, it’s hard to guarantee there aren’t others like her. When I get back, I’ll be thoroughly screening everyone. If any of them are people sent by my husband or mother-in-law, you won’t mind me dealing with them, will you?” she said.

"Of course not! You can handle it as you see fit." The two readily agreed.

Cheng Nanzhi then said, "If we punish the servants, I'm afraid I won't have the energy to manage the shop my husband gave me for the time being. In that case, I'll have Li Mama's son manage it for now."

Cheng Nanzhi planned to establish a clear relationship with Zhao Ye and his group, especially after the emergence of disloyal servants like Granny Ding, so that it would be easier to handle any problems that might arise in the future.

So as not to abruptly arouse their suspicion.

Zhao Ye and his mother naturally agreed with her and had no objections.

Zhao Ye even considerately said, "Madam, your Guantang Courtyard must be short of people. How about this, I'll find you some more useful ones. I'm sure Mother has quite a few here too."

Madam Zhao wanted to plant some spies, so she immediately named several old nannies.

Cheng Nanzhi replied, "Thank you for your kindness, Mother, but I am feeling better now and can manage these matters. How can I trouble you to worry about me? When I have some free time, I will find a matchmaker. If all else fails, there is always Granny Li."

Unable to find a reason to release the person immediately, Madam Zhao had no choice but to give up.

Cheng Nanzhi then turned to Ye Ruyue, pulled out the pearl and kingfisher feather hairpin from her hair, and said with remorse, "Cousin, I didn't mean to provoke you today. I was just upset by you. This is my favorite hairpin. I'm giving it to you as an apology. Please forgive me."

Ye Ruyue felt extremely frustrated.

She was in the wrong from the start, so she couldn't say anything.

Seeing that the hairpin was extremely valuable, Ye Ruyue's expression softened, and she forced a smile, saying, "Sister-in-law, you flatter me. I don't blame you."

Cheng Nanzhi smiled, tucked the hairpin into Ye Ruyue's hair, and then left, feigning exhaustion and distress.

Once the others had walked away, Zhao Ye immediately went up to them with concern, "Yue'er, are you still in pain?"

With quick reflexes, Zhang Mama dismissed all the servants and then left herself, leaving only Ye Ruyue, Zhao Ye, and Old Madam Zhao.

Ye Ruyue cried out, "Ye Lang, you're too cruel! How could you bear to do that!"

"It's all your fault for causing this mess without understanding the situation!" Old Madam Zhao slammed her hand on the table angrily. "Do you know how much trouble you almost brought to the Zhao family!"

Ye Ruyue said aggrievedly, "Madam, I really didn't know it was Granny Ding who did it! It's all that servant's fault for not explaining clearly!"

Zhao Ye got angry and shouted for Qian Yidong outside to deal with the servant so that Ye Ruyue could vent her anger.

To everyone's surprise, Qian Yidong said, "Sir, when Madam left just now, she took that man with her. She said that the servant is a grateful and conscientious person, and can be kept around!"

Zhao Ye's face darkened. Was this person calling him an ingrate?!