Repudiating a Good Wife Is Out of the Question

44. I’m the Master of my Own Destiny

Translator: Sissy That Walk

“It’s most difficult to forestall a thief within the house!” shouted Xiao Yugui, “Or, in my case, a stabber!”

People gasped, wondering what Xiao Yugui meant.

Xiao Yugui pointed at Xiao Li, “Look at our Third Lady, you cannot imagine what I felt when I heard Imperial Censor Li said he had my daughter, Xiao Li’s letter accusing her brother-in-law and me of doing no justice to her mother! I was impeached by my fellow officer and His Majesty loathed me in court! Is this what you want to see, my daughter? You want my whole family to perish, as a revenge for your mother?”

With that Xiao Yugui walked to Xiao Li and was about to kick her on her chest.

Xiao Yi was startled, he knew what his father, the Marquis Valour, was capable of, he stepped forward, trying to protect his sister.

Cao Mo, worried for his husband, he took a few steps forward and—

Xiao Yugui’s foot landed on Cao Mo’s ribs!

“Mo, what are you doing, are you all right?” Xiao Yi was startled.

Cao Mo broke into a cold sweat, huge sweat beads were oozing on his forehead, he gritted his teeth and replied, “I’m fine, don’t worry.”

Xiao Li took refuge behind Xiao Yi and cried, “Father, I won’t do it again! Please forgive me this time! I will behave myself and watch my mouth!”

Xiao Yugui looked at Cao Mo who was panting in agony, frowned, “What are you doing, Mo? Do you have any idea what the person you just protected has done to you? She wished for your death!”

Cao Mo shook his head, lying on the ground, panting.

Xiao Yugui glared at Xiao Li, “Tell me everything! You are only a little girl, how did you know Imperial Censor Li? From the dinner last night?”

“No, father, I don’t know who you are talking about!” Xiao Li wept, “How could I, an unmarried girl, talk to strange men? I didn’t even set foot on the guest hall last night, I swear it’s not me who has act in collusion with Imperial Censor Li!”

Xiao Yugui found that hard to believe, “How could he know so much about your mother’s death, if not you?”

Xiao Li flinched in fear, but she mustered all her calm and continued, “Father, I really haven’t entered the guest hall last night and I don’t know what Imperial Censor Li, let alone write him a letter to accuse you or my brother-in-law of anything!”

“Stop lying!”

Xiao Yugui produced the letter Imperial Censor Li showed to him in court from his sleeve and threw it on the ground, “You have a good look what is this, this is your own handwriting, isn’t it? How do you explain this?”

Xiao Li picked the letter up and took a look, yeah, it was her handwriting, but she wrote this on Mammy Wang’s request last night. Mammy Wang didn’t tell her what she was going to do with this letter, and she was blinded by hatred so she just did what Mammy Wang asked her to.

Xiao Li cried, “Father, I hate my brother-in-law and I have never tried to conceal that, but never had I even tried to put any of our family member into jeopardy! This letter is written by me, but it was Mammy Wang who asked me to write this last night, she said this was the only way you would find out who my brother-in-law really was, so I wrote it, I have no idea why Imperial Censor Li would have this letter and used it against you!”

Cao Mo was startled, ‘I have been so good to you, and you are still thinking about driving me away from your brother!’

Xiao Yi signaled Cao Mo to be quiet, and he kowtowed to Xiao Yugui, “Father, it looks like this letter is written by my Third Sister to vent spleen. None of those so called charges in the letter is valid, our entire family know that. It was nothing of great consequence in the beginning until Imperial Censor Li took advantage of it and used if against you. But bottom line is Mo is innocent.”

Xiao Yugui sighed, “My son, you are too naive. His Majesty has asked Dali the Highest Judiciary to investigate this, I have no idea what this might lead to. Yeah, we can provide evidence to prove Mo’s innocence, but will they listen to us? Our entire family might sink with Mo, do you know that?”

“But I haven’t done anything, what can they do? Or should I ask what are you going to do with me?” Cao Mo chimed in.

Cao Mo had watched a lot of harem drama, he knew this was no joking matter, chances were the entirely family would be punished due to him unless they used him as a scapegoat. So he was desperate to find out what Xiao Yugui was going to do next.

“Unfilial Xiao Li should be sent to Baiyun Taoist Temple to cultivate herself according to the Taoist doctrines, as for Cao Mo, you should be repudiated due to the trouble you’ve made.” said Xiao Yugui, emotionless.

Cao Mo sneered, he looked at Xiao Yi with a meaningful smile, ‘I guess I’m lucky, your father wasn’t trying to kill me at least.’

Xiao Yi kowtowed to Xiao Yugui, “Father, no way will I repudiate Mo! I’d rather go to jail together with him.”

Dowager Xiao fumed, “Watch your mouth, Yi!”

“Father, please renounce me!” Xiao Yi gnashed his teeth, “This is the best way to protect Xiao Family’s reputation!”

Hearing that, Xiao Yugui almost slumped to the ground, his servant Yonghe supported him on the arm on time.

Cao Mo looked at Xiao Yi, “You don’t need to do this for me, I’m not afraid of anything.”

“How can I be your husband if I don’t protect you.” was the answer.

“But I haven’t done anything, everyone in this hall knows that. Concubine Wu died from small pox, Bailu embezzled our assets, Cao Le’s Royal Jade Ruyi is returned to Her Ladyship Dowager Xiao now, as for Qiushuang’s pregnancy, hahaha, we all know who the father is.” said Cao Mo, he shot a meaningful look at Lady Lu and continued, “If we take a monent and really think about this and ask ourselves who on earth is behind all of these!”

Cao Mo smiled, “Well, if you all choose to be blind, fine by me. But I will fight for my innocence, for me and for my husband.”

Xiao Yi caught hold of Cao Mo’s hand and said, “I am here for you.”

Xiao Yugui said, “Kids, don’t be so naive, you have no idea what you are dealing with, I will try to contact Dali the Highest Judiciary and ask for leniency.”

“Father, thank you for your concern. But I’m the master of my own destiny, I won’t just sit back and do nothing. Be it Dali the Highest Judiciary, Censorate or Ministry of Punishments, I’m not intimidated by them, I haven’t done anything in the letter!” countered Cao Mo.