Work overtime

Chapter 702

The people in Meng's house felt extremely tormented that night, because they didn't know how the emperor would deal with them.

However, before the imperial edict was issued, Prime Minister Meng's servant brought a letter of divorce to Madam Meng, asking her to return to her parents' home.

When Mrs. Meng took the divorce letter, it seemed as if the whole world suddenly stopped.

The sunlight shone on her face through the carved window lattice. The paper in her hand was thin yet extremely heavy.

"You...how could you do this to me?" Her voice trembled and her eyes were filled with disbelief and deep pain.

She read it word by word, and every word was like a knife, and her heart was bleeding.

Meng Xiang stood aside, his face serious and his eyes determined. After decades of sharing weal and woe, he felt helpless and painful to have come to this point. But if he didn't do this, he would face a greater disaster.

"I know you have a lot to say, but some things have already happened and cannot be undone." Meng Xiang's voice was low and firm. "For Zhao'er and Yun'er, I have to do this. I think you understand."

Yun'er is the nickname of his son Meng Qing.

Mrs. Meng's hands were shaking slightly, and the divorce letter seemed to weigh a thousand pounds in her hands. She raised her head, tears glistening in her eyes, but she tried hard not to let them fall. Her pride prevented her from crying at this time.

Besides being shocked, she was also filled with grievance and dissatisfaction. "Prime Minister, you are suspecting that I was the one who gave Yao Shi a miscarriage without any evidence? If I say it wasn't me, will you believe me?"

"It doesn't matter whether you believe it or not," Meng Xiang rubbed his fingers, his voice cold, "Didn't you abort Feng's two babies? Didn't you kill Yang's son?"

Madam Meng smiled bitterly, "I didn't expect that I was such a vicious woman in the eyes of the Prime Minister. For so many years, I have been running the Prime Minister's Mansion, working diligently and cautiously. Prime Minister, is it not worth mentioning? Twenty-six years, a full twenty-six years."

Before she could finish her words, her throat seemed to be blocked by something and her voice choked. She took a deep breath and tried to calm herself down.

She smiled sadly, looking up, trying to control her tears, "Okay. Since the Prime Minister has made up his mind, let's break up."

The voice was so resolute and helpless.

Meng Xiang said calmly, "You can take anything you want."

The servants around watched this scene from afar and lowered their heads.

The prime minister's wife slowly stood up, holding the divorce letter tightly in her hand, and turned to walk towards the inner room. Every step she took seemed particularly heavy, as if every step was stepping on her broken heart.

Sorrow overwhelmed her.

Meng Xiang stared at her back in silence, without saying a word. He turned around and left resolutely.

After entering the room, Mrs. Meng closed the door, leaned against it, and finally let the tears fall silently. She fell to the ground, covered her face with her hands, and let the tears flow freely.

She recalled the mutual affection between her and the prime minister when they were young, recalled the naive and romantic self, recalled the honor of being the prime minister's wife, and recalled everything she had done over the years to maintain this honor.

"How could it turn out like this..." She murmured to herself, her voice full of regret and helplessness.

Her personal maid came in and helped her up.

"The Prime Minister has left?" She still held on to a glimmer of hope.

The maid lowered her head and said, "The Prime Minister looked at the Madam for a while and then left."

Mrs. Meng smiled sadly, wiped her tears, stood up, and a hint of determination flashed in her eyes.

"Pack up your clothes and jewelry."

She took the divorce letter to the dressing table and read it again word by word. She still couldn't help crying, covering her mouth.

She didn't expect the prime minister to be so decisive, disregarding the love they had had for each other for more than 20 years.

When she calmed down and looked at herself in the mirror, the once glorious prime minister's wife now looked tired and haggard, with gray hair on her temples, red eyes, and crow's feet at the corners of her eyes.

She is no longer the beautiful young girl with a sweet smile, red lips and white teeth.

Beauty fades with age.

She gently stroked the frame, as if saying goodbye to her past self.

"From now on, I will no longer be the Prime Minister's wife." She said softly, with a hint of relief in her voice.

The divorce letter said that she should go back to her parents' home. How could she go back to her parents' home? It would be better to kill her.

With tears in her eyes, she wrote a letter to Meng Xiang. "My hair is just beginning to cover my forehead, and I am picking flowers in front of the door. My lover comes riding on a bamboo horse, and plays with green plums around the bed. We live together in Changganli, and there is no suspicion between the two children.

At fourteen I became your wife, but I was too shy to open my face. I lowered my head to the dark wall, and did not respond even when I called you many times. At fifteen I began to raise my eyebrows, and I was willing to be dust and ashes. I always hold my faith and never go up to the platform to look for my husband. At sixteen you went far away, and the Qutang River was full of mist.

May is untouchable, the monkeys cry sadly in the sky. The footsteps are slow in front of the door, and the green moss grows everywhere. The moss is too deep to sweep, and the autumn wind falls leaves early. In August, butterflies come, flying in pairs over the grass in the western garden.

I feel sad about this, and I am worried about my beauty fading away. I will go to Sanba in the morning and evening, and bring the newspaper home in advance. I will meet you at Changfengsha.

The fate of this life has ended, and all causes and effects will be left for the next life."

Twenty-six years. Just as it was written in the poem, she was exactly fourteen years old when she married Meng Xiang.

When she put down her brush, Mrs. Meng no longer had tears in her eyes, but only melancholy.

Time passes slowly, and the beauty has grown old. I feel sad about this, and I worry about the beauty fading away. Love will eventually end, and pain will surely come.

After packing everything up and calming down, Mrs. Meng went to visit her daughter in gorgeous clothes and exquisite makeup.

Meng Zhao was still in a trance after losing her child. She looked at her elegant mother with a confused look on her face. "Mother, why are you dressed so formally? Is the emperor coming to pick me up in person?"

Mother Meng touched Meng Zhao's face lovingly, "Your father has gone to the palace to meet the emperor. I believe he will take you back to the palace soon. You must take good care of yourself and take good care of the confinement after childbirth. I have told Qingying everything you should pay attention to. You must be obedient and don't act willfully."

"Mom, I will." Meng Zhao nodded seriously, tears streaming down her face unconsciously. She didn't know why she had so many tears to shed. Perhaps it was because she regretted not listening to her mother before.

Meng's mother smiled and said, "Don't worry, you are only sixteen, there will be plenty of opportunities in the future."

"Yeah. I know." Meng Zhao said unusually obediently.

Meng Mu said, "You should learn from this lesson and be more careful in the palace. Don't trust others too easily. Don't drink water and eat food outside casually. Don't trust others easily and give your heart to others."

Meng Zhao nodded repeatedly, "I understand, mother."

She found that her mother seemed to have become much more haggard overnight, and she felt very guilty, "It's my fault for making my mother worry."

Seeing her daughter so innocent and well-behaved, Mother Meng couldn't help but hug her in her arms and cried sadly, "My Zhao'er, mother can't bear to leave you."

"Mom, I will come back to see you later." Meng Zhao said sweetly.

"Good child. As long as you live well in the palace, I'm glad. If you are well, your father and I will be relieved." Madam Meng advised with tears in her eyes.

The two talked for a while, and the doctor brought medicine. Meng Zhao drank the medicine and fell asleep again. Meng's mother sat beside the bed, holding her daughter's hand and looking at Meng Zhao carefully.

She tried hard to remember her daughter's appearance. She was afraid that she would never have the chance to see her again in her life. She whispered softly, "My daughter, it's all my fault. I will pray for you in front of the Bodhisattva for the rest of my life. May you and your brother be safe and sound."

"Mom, this is not your fault." Meng Zhao opened his eyes and looked at his mother.

Although Meng Zhao was sad, she had already accepted this reality. She comforted herself that maybe it was just her bad luck. Otherwise, how could it be such a coincidence.

Mother Meng smiled reluctantly. She gathered the loose hair on her daughter's forehead and said, "Go to sleep quickly. I'm going out first."

"Mom, you don't have to be too sad. I will have children again. The emperor treats me very well." Meng Zhao did not forget to comfort his mother.

"Yes. It will definitely happen." Meng's mother said with a smile.

Meng Mu reluctantly accompanied her daughter for a long time before leaving. When she left, she held her head high and chest out, still as proud and elegant as usual, and walked calmly. As she walked along, people in the mansion bowed to her as usual.

She was not at all as miserable and desolate as other concubines imagined.

"Where are you going, Madam?" a concubine who was watching the show asked mockingly.

Mrs. Meng slapped the man in the face, causing his face to swell up instantly.

"I'll tell the Prime Minister later." The other party was shocked and angry, and said unconvinced.

Mrs. Meng curled her lips and sneered, glanced at the other party, turned and left.

"You can't go back to your mother's home. Do you want to go to the temple and become a nun?" the other party sneered.

The maidservant beside Madam Meng whispered, "Madam."

Madam Meng said calmly, "As long as she doesn't block the way, let her go."