Quick Transmigration: Why did you provoke him? He's love-struck!

Chapter 332 Towards the Golden Palace (36)

"Oh?" Meng Zhenyue adopted a posture of being willing to hear more details.

Xie Zhao immediately explained Yan Zhen's status as an imperial merchant: "Cao He controls the official salt of the entire Daji region and is also the richest man in Yinzhou. With her help, not only will the Xie family rise to a higher level, but she can also lend a hand if the Meng family ever needs her help in the future."

He paused, then said, "You complained to me before that Fang'er spends money extravagantly, and that you are under pressure in managing the household. Once Cao Shi is taken into the family, you will no longer have to worry about money. This is a good thing for you, for me, for the Xie family, and for the Meng family."

Upon hearing this, Meng Zhenyue looked Xie Zhao up and down with a suspicious gaze: "I have heard of Cao He, the richest man in Yinzhou. She owns Jin Yu Lou. However, I remember that she is already married. Her husband is Xue, the top scholar of this year's imperial examination. When did you meet her and persuade her to become a concubine in the Xie family?"

Xie Zhao had already prepared his explanation: "Cao is from Ningzhou. I have known her since childhood. She had feelings for me in my early years, but I was focused on my studies and ignored her. As for her and Xue Lin, they were only husband and wife in name only, and had no real relationship."

Meng Zhenyue scoffed: "You mean, you've been having an affair with a married woman behind my back, and now you're risking offending your colleagues by taking Cao as your concubine?"

Xie Zhao: "..."

"Where does this leave my dignity?" Meng Zhenyue was furious. "If you had taken an ordinary woman as your concubine, it would have been fine, but that person is Cao He! Xie Zhao, don't think I don't know what you're up to. You just think I'm not as easy to manipulate as before, so you're looking for someone richer and more powerful to suppress me!"

Cao He is a royal merchant with immense wealth; neither the Meng family nor I can afford to offend her. If she were to marry into the family, would I still have any say in anything? Let me tell you, don't even think about taking a concubine! I will absolutely not agree to it!"

Xie Zhao's thoughts were exposed, and her expression hardened, but she said, "I had no such intention. A wife is a wife, and a concubine is a concubine. No matter how high Cao He's status is, he cannot surpass you in this family! You are still the only mistress of the Xie family."

Cheng Qingshuang chimed in, "Yes, even if Zhao'er is confused, the laws of Daji will not allow Cao to bully you. Once Cao enters the household, if you don't like her, you can use your status as the mistress to set the rules for her, and she won't dare to disobey."

“I have no interest in setting rules for others, and I don’t want to get involved in these unpleasant things,” Meng Zhenyue said. “Don’t bring this up again; I will not agree to it.”

After she finished speaking, she got up to go back to her room.

Seeing this, Cheng Qingshuang couldn't help but say sarcastically, "You're scared, aren't you? You know you're lame and can't have children, so you're worried that Cao will take Zhao'er away after she comes, so you simply don't give her a chance to enter the house."

Meng Zhenyue paused, turned around, and looked coldly at Cheng Qingshuang.

Cheng Qingshuang instinctively shrank back when she met her icy gaze.

But thinking of the wealth and glory her son would easily obtain after taking a concubine, she mustered her courage and continued to use reverse psychology: "You're happy if you don't let Cao Shi into the house, but it's a pity for our Zhao'er."

Other men have multiple wives and concubines, with their principal wives being generous and kind. But he's married to someone who can't bear children. He even has to beg and plead to take a concubine. If word gets out that his principal wife is jealous, who knows whether it's the Xie family or the Meng family that will lose face.

Meng Zhenyue patiently listened to her finish speaking, then turned around and slapped Xie Zhao hard across the face.

With a sharp "smack," Xie Zhao was caught off guard.

He covered his face in shock, while Cheng Qingshuang immediately screamed, "Meng Zhenyue! Why are you hitting me!"

"I'm beating you up, you two-faced, heartless bastard!" Meng Zhenyue's face was ashen as she pointed at Xie Zhao's nose and shouted angrily, "You surnamed Xie, have I spoiled you too much, making you forget who you are?"

Do you still remember what you said six years ago when you shamelessly came to propose to me? If you hadn't promised to treat me well for the rest of your life, and never take concubines or maids, would I, the daughter of the Minister of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices, have ever looked at a peasant like you?

Xie Zhao: "..."

He stared at Meng Zhenyue in shock, his eyes filled with astonishment.

Cheng Qingshuang was also stunned: "Meng... Meng Zhenyue, what are you saying!"

Meng Zhenyue ignored Cheng Qingshuang and continued to attack Xie Zhao: "It sounds nice that you are the top scholar personally appointed by His Majesty, but apart from this status, what do you have? You can't afford servants, you can't afford a carriage, and you don't even have a house to stay in in the capital!"

The reason my parents agreed to let me marry you was because you were easy to manipulate. They wanted to give me a larger dowry so I wouldn't have to suffer. Otherwise, a spineless coward like you wouldn't even be worthy of touching the threshold of the Meng family!

But you, after six years you're still just a compiler in the Hanlin Academy, no promotions, but your ambition has only grown. Now you actually want to take a concubine! You eat my food, wear my clothes, use my things, and you still want to bring a concubine to put me in my place? There's no way you can have such a good deal!

"..." Xie Zhao's face turned ashen.

"Let me tell you, as long as I'm in the Xie family, no one from the Cao, Zhao, or Qian families will ever be allowed to enter!"

After saying this, Meng Zhenyue turned and left.

The dining room was so quiet you could hear a pin drop.

After a long while, Cheng Qingshuang, who had been staring in disbelief, came to her senses and stepped forward with heartache to examine the injury on Xie Zhao's cheek.

Seeing that half of his face was swollen, Cheng Qingshuang was furious and wanted to scold Meng Zhenyue, but she was worried that the servants in the house would hear her.

She could only suppress her anger and asked Xie Zhao in a low voice, "Zhao'er, that bitch doesn't agree, what can we do now?"

Xie Zhao was also very annoyed.

He had considered that Meng Zhenyue would object to him taking a concubine, and had even thought about how to persuade her.

But I never expected her opposition to be so fierce.

Her stance was clear; there was no room for negotiation.

Seeing his sullen face and silence, Cheng Qingshuang lowered her voice even further: "Why don't you...why don't you divorce her?"

He should divorce Meng Zhenyue and then marry Luo Yun.

Compared to the unreasonable and shrewish Meng Zhenyue, she preferred the honest and easy-going Luo Jun.

Moreover, Luo Yun still has money.

"Do you think I don't want to?" Xie Zhao said impatiently.

Divorcing Meng Zhenyue would be tantamount to offending Meng Zongrong.

A higher-ranking official can have a crush on a person. If Meng Zongrong holds a grudge and tries to trip him up in court, he'll be stuck as a lowly scribe in the Hanlin Academy for the rest of his life.

After listening to his concerns, Cheng Qingshuang said, "Isn't there Luo Yun? She's a royal merchant. If Meng Zongrong opposes you, isn't that the same as opposing a royal merchant?"

Xie Zhao said, "Luo Yun is a woman. Being good at business doesn't mean she can get along well in officialdom."

Moreover, Luo Yun has just been appointed as an imperial merchant, and it is still unknown how far he can go in the future.

He divorced Meng Zhenyue for her sake, offending Meng Zongrong. If Luo Yun proved unreliable, all the hard work he had put in over the years would be for naught.

He needs to find a solution that satisfies both sides.