Chapter 205: Chapter 205: Don’t Use This as an Excuse to Falsely Accuse Me

"Alright, let’s assume for a moment that he really did think that,"

Xie Jinbai didn’t argue. Instead, he followed her line of thought. "Then think about it. If his feelings for Chen Minrou hadn’t wavered, what would he do if he wanted a son?"

Before Cui Lingyao could answer, he continued, "Bringing a concubine into the family would only mean endless strife. Zhao Shijie isn’t a fool. As long as he still had any feelings for Chen Minrou, he wouldn’t do such a thing. There are many ways to produce an heir."

A great many.

Cui Lingyao blinked, tilting her head to look at him. "For example?"

Xie Jinbai seemed to forget this was a private matter between other people.

Completely off his guard, he spoke frankly. "For example, he could keep a mistress in secret. Once she gives birth, he could have the child raised by a side branch of his clan. Then, he could bring the child back under the guise of adoption and place him under Chen Minrou’s name. With Zhao Shijie’s cunning and methods, no one would ever find out, and it wouldn’t affect his marriage in the slightest."

"..." Cui Lingyao fell silent for a few moments, then slowly nodded. "That is a good plan, indeed."

’That way, he wouldn’t need to take a concubine, but he’d still have a biological heir.’

’Not only would their marriage remain intact, but his wife, kept completely in the dark, would think she’d married a truly good man.’

’She’d feel moved and guilty.’

’After all, for her sake, her husband would have given up the chance to have his own son, choosing to adopt another’s child instead.’

’Wouldn’t she feel compelled to repay him with her whole heart, to treat him as well as she possibly could for the rest of her life?’

’And the benefits wouldn’t even stop there.’

’A man who promises his wife he’ll be faithful for life, and then, when she’s unable to have children, insists on adopting a clan relative’s son instead of taking a concubine... how could he not earn a reputation for being deeply devoted and honorable?’

’Loyalty and keeping one’s promises have always been considered exceptionally noble virtues.’

’And because they’re so rare, everyone praises them.’

’Everyone wants their friends and trusted subordinates to be men of such noble character.’

’His future career would be wide open.’

’It was truly...’

’As expected. Girls like her, raised in the seclusion of the women’s quarters, could only think as far as taking a concubine for something like this.’

’How could they possibly compare to a man who navigates the circles of officialdom? With a single turn of his mind, he could come up with a "plan" that was, for him, perfect in every way.’

Cui Lingyao was thoroughly convinced. She said coolly, "Your Highness is truly resourceful and clever. I am no match for you."

Anyone with ears could hear the sarcasm in her voice.

Xie Jinbai froze, then it finally dawned on him. He frowned. "Aren’t we talking about Zhao Shijie and Chen Minrou? Don’t use this as an excuse to make accusations against me."

"Of course not," Cui Lingyao said with a smile that didn’t reach her eyes. "Every word Your Highness says is perfectly reasonable. I simply could never have conceived of such a ’perfect’ solution that benefits everyone."

"..." Xie Jinbai stared at her, speechless.

’He’d always heard that a woman’s mind was impossible to fathom and that they excelled at being deliberately difficult, but this was the first time he was learning that lesson from her.’

’Completely caught off guard, he had single-handedly dug a pit and buried himself in it.’

Xie Jinbai felt a mix of exasperation and a strange, inexplicable delight.

He raised a hand to his forehead and explained earnestly, "I was only analyzing what a man with Zhao Shijie’s cunning might do in a situation where he still had feelings for Chen Minrou but wanted an heir. It has nothing to do with me."

The conclusion of this analysis was this:

Zhao Shijie’s words from three years ago had indeed been a thoughtless, unintentional slip of the tongue.

Of course, it was also possible he had truly been tempted by the idea of having both a wife and a concubine and didn’t care if it shattered his marriage. It was just a coincidence that Chen Minrou fell gravely ill.

The imminent threat of losing her made his feelings, which had just begun to stray, snap completely back into place.

After all, their bond as childhood sweethearts couldn’t have been fake.

Whether out of guilt or lingering affection, he had chosen to turn back only after a single sentence from him had driven his wife into a deathly illness born from depression.

Perhaps this was what vexed Chen Minrou the most.

She had given a love that was unique and absolutely pure, and in the beginning, Zhao Shijie had returned it in kind.

But later, his heart had strayed.

She had seen him when he was at his most sincere, so she could sense even the slightest change in him immediately.

Cui Lingyao thought for a moment, then clicked her tongue. "If you ask me, Minmin married him for that pure love. Now that the love has spoiled and there’s no going back, she should make a clean break. When it’s time to let go, you let go."

Recalling the words he’d overheard at the courtyard gate that day, Xie Jinbai raised an eyebrow. "You want her to get a divorce?"

A divorce wasn’t a good thing.

Cui Lingyao knew that, of course. She was silent for a few moments before saying in a low voice, "I just feel that Minmin isn’t happy living with the Zhao Family. It already cost her her life once. Now that she’s barely escaped death, she should live the rest of her life for herself."

When others considered Chen Minrou’s situation, they only worried about the families, her two children, and the potential rumors and damage to her reputation.

But Cui Lingyao only wanted her to live a healthy and happy life.

Chen Minrou had been suffering from depression, a melancholy that had festered into a physical illness.

That was an illness of the heart. The Hundred Diseases Pill could mend her body, but an ailment of the heart requires a cure for the heart.

’What if, after living in the same environment for so long, she falls into depression all over again?’

This was what Cui Lingyao feared.

Nothing is more important than life and death.

Chen Minrou’s life was the most important thing.

"They can’t get a divorce," Xie Jinbai said. "Zhao Shijie loves her too deeply, and neither the Zhao Family nor the Chen Family would allow it."

There was another point he didn’t mention.

’Namely, that Chen Minrou was far more soft-hearted than Cui Lingyao.’

’With two children in the picture, their ties could never be completely severed.’

’Instead of a divorce, it would be better for the couple to talk things through, resolve their issues, and move on with their lives together.’

’Compared to other couples from powerful, aristocratic families, they were in love—or at least, they had been once.’

’It was hard to say how Chen Minrou felt now, but Zhao Shijie was still deeply in love.’

Xie Jinbai believed that as long as the man refused to let go, the relationship couldn’t be broken.

He said, "In the Capital City, there are countless couples with no affection for each other who still live out their lives with mutual respect. No matter how bad things are, they’re still much better off than those couples."

"That’s not how it works," Cui Lingyao disagreed. "When you’ve truly loved someone, your expectations are higher. You scrutinize every little thing."

’You can choose to enter a loveless, arranged marriage and make do.’

’You can also marry for love.’

’But you can’t fall in love, have that love shatter, and then be forced to make do with a former lover who has become unrecognizable.’

This was Cui Lingyao’s perspective.

Xie Jinbai fell silent.

’He found himself being persuaded, and to his surprise, he deeply agreed with what she had said.’

’If he were in that position, he would never be able to tolerate the possibility of her heart straying.’

’Even in death, she would have to die entangled with him.’

’He couldn’t tolerate it if she even dared to glance at another man.’

’But he wouldn’t choose divorce.’

’He would only...’

The sound of footsteps outside the carriage broke their train of thought.

Chen Minrou and Zhao Shijie had arrived. They were outside, paying their respects.

Cui Lingyao swept aside the carriage curtain, smiling and waving. "Hurry, get in."

"Thank you for your kindness, Princess Consort," Zhao Shijie said, taking his wife’s hand in a gentle refusal. "We have our own carriage."

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