Chapter 769: Zhao Zhang Wei Refuses For Divorce!
Zhao Zhang Wei was looking through some documents when Eunuch Zhang came running inside the study room …without even knocking the door.
He raised his head and looked at his Eunuch who usually have been so timid with raised eyebrows wondering from where did he get this much courage suddenly.
Could it be that the thought that he was going to become the head of all the Imperial Eunuchs soon had made him daring out of the blue?
However, Eunuch Zhang was too happy to notice his master's suggestive expressions.
"Your Highness….Wangfei is outside and wishes to see you."
For a moment, Zhao Zhang Wei's face was blank.
He thought that he heard something wrong. It was only when Eunuch Zhang called his name out anxiously did he came out of his trance.
"Your Highness…Wangfei is waiting."
The young Eunuch was scared that because of his master's slow actions, Wangfei would leave …and he also knew very well that the consequences of such actions would be suffered by him as well.
A cold shiver ran behind his back when Eunuch Zhang thought this. He almost looked ready to go out and enter the study room …without his master's permission as well.
At that moment, Zhao Zhang Wei finally said
"Let her inside."
His voice sounded calm but only he knew the kind of feeling he was feeling inside his heart.
As soon as Eunuch Zhang left, Zhao Zhang Wei roamed his hands on his clothes ensuring that they were rightly set.
He had been inside the study room for so long. He was unaware if he looked presentable enough.
Zhao Zhang Wei grimaced.
However, now he could only sit straight and present himself like this.
He immediately sat straight when he sensed that the door was being opened again.
His phoenix eyes immediately looked in door's direction and without any hesitation, he looked at her face carefully.
It had been so many days since he last saw her.
She had got thin.
Zhao Zhang Wei frowned when he saw this.
"Greetings, Your Highness. This wangfei hopes that Your Highness was not disturbed by this wangfei."
"No."
He said immediately when he registered her words in his mind.
He could never be disturbed by her.
Just to control himself from going to her courtyard did he look through these documents so that his mind would stay busy and he would not think about her continuously.
Though he was joyous that she came to see him, he could not help but wonder if everything was alright.
However, he patiently waited for her to speak.
He wanted to hear her voice.
It was disappointing that she didn't even raise her head to look at him. It was according to etiquette but Zhao Zhang Wei only felt frustrated because of all these rules and manners.
At least between them there should not be need of rules and manners.
"This wangfei would not take much of Your Highness time."
Yi Huiqing didn't even know that the man in front of her wanted otherwise. If she had been the previous Yi Huiqing who used to notice Zhao Zhang Wei's each and every action like a silly girl in love, she would have surely that there was something different about him today.
However, at that moment, her mind was only focused on one thing.
That she didn't want to be an Empress.
"Your Highness…"
She opened her mouth to say what she had come to say with a firm mindset. However, now suddenly Yi Huiqing felt like something was blocking her heart and mouth.
She closed her mouth feeling bitter for a second.
What was this feeling for? Could she still not see what was right or what was wrong for her?
She scolded herself inside her heart and this time, opened her mouth again to say what she had come here for.
"This wangfei wants separation."
The study room was deathly silent.
Zhao Zhang Wei suddenly looked very cold after hearing the words in the same voice he was looking forward to hearing.
His face was blank as he looked at her standing silently in front of him.
Yi Huiqing frowned when she didn't hear anything for a long time.
In her eyes, Zhao Zhang Wei would perhaps refuse for separation because in separation both of them would be willing to separate from each other in other people's eyes.
That would perhaps hurt his ego.
A woman rejecting a man to be her husband…would he not be mocked by others?
And even if he was not…she had already seen how he was when she had refused him before.
So she suggested.
"Your Highness….this wangfei would accept the divorce as well."
By divorce, it would be he who would reject her and divorce didn't require her agreement or acceptance.
He should have no problem with that.
That was what Yi Huiqing thought.
However, she was confused when she heard him say coldly
"There would neither be divorce nor separation."
This time, Yi Huiqing finally raised her head and looked at him. For a moment, she was startled when she saw the anger and coldness in his eyes.
What was he getting angry for?
Did she not already say that she could accept the divorce as well?
Zhao Zhang Wei saw her confusion and felt more frustrated. With a great effort, he calmed his anger and said as calmly as he could
"Go back to your chambers. We will talk tomorrow."
"No!"
Yi Huiqing refused without any hesitation. She couldn't let this matter go tonight. Tomorrow…she would already be an Empress if she didn't do anything today and then she would have no choice but continue living in this Imperial Palace.
"Your Highness….you can rest assured. No one will point their finger at your Highness. This wangfei will leave the Imperial City and go somewhere far away. Slowly people will forget and…"
Yi Huiqing stopped when she heard a chuckle from Zhao Zhang Wei. His chuckle as well as his face didn't have any signs of humor.
"You have planned very meticulously."
The words sounded as if he was praising her but she was aware that he was not really doing that.
He stood up from the chair he was sitting on and walked to her.
Yi Huiqing unconsciously took a step back when he got too close but was held back by him.
She looked at the hand that held her arm and visibly frowned.
Zhao Zhang Wei felt as if someone has stuffed his heart when he saw her like this.
However, he also knew that it was his own doing.
But divorce or separation was out of the option.
"Qingqing…"
He called her very gently …so gently that for a moment, Yi Huiqing thought that she was dreaming.
However, this also reminds her of his behavior from a few days back. At that moment, she almost forget everything but it was only for a moment.
"Did you think about your clan before making such a decision?"
Yi Huiqing didn't say anything because she couldn't.
She indeed didn't seem to think about her clan.
"You can go away from here …but the shame that your clan will face later…what will you do about it?"
What will she do about it?
She could do nothing.
Yi Huiqing felt as if someone had poured ice-cold bucket of water over her body.
She remembered how her grandfather had told her that she was free to do anything. He thought so much for her otherwise he would have never said such words.
But here she was being selfish.
She didn't even think about what kind of words he would have to hear if Zhao Zhang Wei divorced her.
She hesitated for a moment and finally said
"Then Your Highness….could you please agree for separation?"
Separation would happen because of mutual understanding and it should not harm her clan's reputation.
On hearing her words, Zhao Zhang Wei's lips twitched.
He didn't even bother to hide the hurt he was feeling but unfortunately, she was not looking at him.
"Qingqing…I know that there had been few incidents in the past…"
Zhao Zhang Wei paused.
He has finally decided to be straightforward. He just wished that she would notice his efforts.
He didn't care what he would have to do but he just wished that she would forgive him.
"You have been wronged."
His hands trembled when he said this.
Yi Huiqing could feel it because his hand was on her arm.
She slowly raised her head to look at him and was startled when she saw his eyes.
She had never seen him like this.
"Your Highness…"
She whispered but Zhao Zhang Wei shook his head indicating her to let him speak.
"Qingqing….I have been very wrong in the past. Can you forgive me just this once?"
Yi Huiqing couldn't say anything. Never in her dreams, she had thought that one day Zhao Zhang Wei would ask her to forgive him.
It didn't even give her any kind of satisfaction.
When she spoke, she was honest.
"Your Highness doesn't need anyone's forgiveness. What this wangfei wants is very simple. Either separation or divorce…it is Your Highness' wish what to do."
However, she only heard a simple rejection of her proposal.
"Nothing like that will happen."
Zhao Zhang Wei didn't agree.
He would never divorce her nor would he accept separation.