Repudiating a Good Wife Is Out of the Question

183. Woman in the Painting

Translator: Sissy That Walk

Xiao Yi nodded to comfort Cao Le, then he turned around and told Xiao Jin, “Jin, your yearly allowance is less than two hundred taels, did you use your wife’s dowry? I know you care for you uncle and want to give as much as the elders, but that’s not necessary, I’m sure our account has prepared a proper amount for you, you just need to give them fifty taels to extend your regards to your uncle’s family.”

It wasn’t until now did Xiao Yi realize Xiao Jin was a bit drunk, Xiao Jin squinted at Xiao Yi and said, “It’s none of your business, I can do whatever I want with my wife’s dowry, you just stay out of this!”

“What nonsense are you talking about? Watch your language or I will make you watch your language!”

Xiao Jin sneered, “Prince Xing comes back from Hunan and Hubei with four hundred thousand taels of silver thanks to you and Cao Mo, Cao Le spent a few days with you guys there too, saying he was doing business with you guys, I’m sure he has got a finger in the pie, let alone you and your wife! But you two didn’t bring one tael of silver for our family, that’s fine, I just can’t stand being scolded by you for using my own wife’s dowry!”

Xiao Jin cast a glimpse at Cao Le and continued, “He should be worshiping Buddha every day for marrying into our family, how dare he complain about me using his dowry! His dowry! He wouldn’t have any dowry if not for that wealthy brother! Does he really think he is the Second Young Madam in this manor? A good-for-nothing like him? What an absolute joke! Is he any good in child bearing? I would have him repudiated a long time ago if not for grandma!”

Xiao Yi sneered, now he understood what this scene was really about. Xiao Jin was complaining Cao Mo, he thought Cao Mo had embezzled the silver in Xiao Manor and carried them back to Cao Manor.

Xiao Jin was sending a message to all the servants, Cao Mo didn’t bring one tael of silver from Hunan and Hubei region, Xiao Jin had to use Cao Le’s dowry to cover his expense.

Cao Le got emotional, “I guess I have to reap the fruits of my own actions, I did make every attempt to marry you, and I have been nothing but loyal to you, but look what I have got in the end. You have never seen me as your wife, all you did was disrespect me and torture me emotionally, all right, please give me a divorce paper for old time’s sake.”

“Divorce paper? Stop day dreaming! I can only give you a repudiation paper!” Xiao Jin shouted.

“Enough!” Xiao Yi fumed, “Me and Mo went to Hunan and Hubei with Prince Xing for official business, not for personal gains! You are one to talk about the account books, you think I don’t know about the heavy deficit in your account books? Stop leading a life of luxury and debauchery, my brother, you are going to attend imperial examination soon, no girls from good family will marry you if you repudiate your wife for no good reason!”

“You are so partial to your wife and his brother, no wonder people say you are Cao Mo’s persistent follower… …”

Xiao Yi kicked Xiao Jin, “How dare you call your brother-in-law by his name! Servants, take him back to his own room and make sure he behaves!”

With that Xiao Yi turned around, he couldn’t stand the sight of Xiao Jin now.

However, Xiao Jin took the silver in Cao Le’s hand and shouted, “My father recently got promoted, I’m going to repudiate you for sure, there are many girls willing to marry me! Servants, take a step back, all of you! I’m the Second Young Master and father relies on me to carry on the family line!”

Xiao Yi rolled his eyes, he had to turn back and stop this farce.

What came to his sight when he walked back was Cao Le pushing Xiao Jin over and Cao Le had accidentally hurt Xiao Jin’s private parts, Xiao Jin howled, “Cao Le! You vicious snake!”

Cao Le ignored him and grabbed the silver, “Do you call yourself a young master? I have never seen a young master stealing money from his wife!”

Cao Le opened the packet and counted the silver, to his surprise, there was a woman’s painting in the packet, he took a look and threw it on the ground, “How shameless! I don’t think you are using my silver for your uncle’s funeral, I say you are giving this silver to the little bitxx in the painting!”

Xiao Yi alighted on the painting on the ground, he was shocked to see the woman bear an uncanny resemblance to his late mother, “Who is this woman!”

Xiao Jin picked himself up from the ground and said, “None of your business!”

Xiao Yi turned around and asked Cao Le, “Who is she?”

“Just some prostitute in Bloom Brothel!” Cao Le gnashed his teeth, “Xiao Jin, I will report you and this prostitute’s business to the education commissioner if you mention repudiating me one more time! The education commissioner is a righteous man, you can say goodbye to your official career if I report you.”

“You vicious snake! Me and Lian loves each other, she is no prostitute, she is just a performing girl in Bloom Brothel! And now you are threatening me to ruin my official career, I will repudiate you today, even Dowager Xiao can’t stop me!”

Xiao Yugui now walked in to the yard and fumed, “Enough!”

Xiao Yi walked to Xiao Yugui and stuffed the painting into his hands.

Xiao Yugui’s cheek was still swollen, he used one hand to rub his face and the other hand to hold the painting, he gasped as he saw the woman on the painting, “Who is she?”

“I’m afraid you need to ask Jin, it looks like he knows her from Bloom Brothel.” replied Xiao Yi.

Xiao Jin lowered his head as soon as Xiao Yugui walked in, he said in a low voice, “She is Lian, she was sold to Bloom Brothel by her step mother after her father passed away, I just want to help the poor girl out.”

“You are helping her out? I think you are the one who needs some help, she shouldn’t have got involved with you now that you are going to attend imperial examinations soon, is she asking you to disregard your future instead of focusing on your study?” Xiao Yugui felt like there was a stabbing pain from his swollen gum.

“Father, I’m afraid there is a lot more to it than meets the eye.” chimed in Xiao Yi.

Xiao Yugui nodded, he found it odd as well, a girl who bore such uncanny resemblance to his late wife suddenly appeared in the capital city, and his son Xiao Jin fell in love with her and wanted to buy her freedom from the brothel.

Two hundred taels, that was the amount Xiao Jin could afford.

Xiao Yi thought for a while and asked, “Father, have you seen my Second Aunt recently?”

“She went to the Buddhist nunnery since she got the news that your Second Uncle had gone missing.” Xiao Yugui replied with impatience, then he scolded Xiao Jin, “I will beat you to death and ask your teacher to discipline you if you don’t focus on your study!”