Chapter 23: Growing Old and Dying Without Ever Crossing Paths Again!

In the pouring rain, Xia Qingfei was drenched to the bone, yet she kept looking back with every step.

She truly could not reconcile herself to this—

Everything fell silent. It seemed the heavens, in a moment of tact, had ceased the downpour.

Nan Yan gazed blankly at the deepening horizon. Mother Su reported, "My lady, everything has been packed up."

Closing her eyes, Nan Yan swallowed the pain of three years of being deceived and giving her heart in vain. She said calmly, "Whatever remains, see that it is all cleared out."

Mother Su nodded and went to attend to it.

Deep into the night, people moved in and out of the Meng household, carrying crates of all sizes in a long procession toward the Duke's mansion. The members of the Meng family watched, yet none dared to intervene.

Aunt Fen, seeing the goods being moved with such speed, hurried to Meng Boji's room.

"Young Master! We cannot let her just walk away like this! That Master Jiang in the guest courtyard is a physician—he took her pulse!"

"What?!"

At these words, Meng Boji sprang to his feet. Madam Meng and the Matriarch, who were still present, were also struck with alarm.

"Does this mean she knows she..."

Glancing at Xia Qingfei standing nearby, Meng Boji swallowed the rest of his words.

The Matriarch sneered, "And what if she does? The divorce papers have been signed. If she makes a scene later, she will only be shaming herself!"

Madam Meng grew noticeably flustered. "This is not right, this is not right. We must find a way to deal with this!"

Xia Qingfei felt they were keeping something from her and could not help but ask, "Boji, what does she know that has made you all so nervous?"

After a moment of silence, Meng Boji suddenly smiled. "Oh, it is nothing, just a minor matter. I will handle it."

"You are with child, and you were caught in the rain just now; hurry and go get some rest! Someone! Help Mistress Xia back to her room and see that she is well attended to!"

The maidservants stepped forward to assist her. Before Xia Qingfei could press for an answer, the Matriarch cut her off.

"The child is what matters. Go and rest. Prepare ginger soup for Mistress Xia; if there is even the slightest error, you shall all answer for it!"

The maids trembled and replied in unison.

Dissatisfied, Xia Qingfei had no choice but to leave, her heart filled with suspicion. No sooner had she left than a young servant came to report, "Young Master, Master Jiang from the guest courtyard also says he is leaving and has instructed me to bid you farewell."

"Master Jiang is leaving too?" Meng Boji narrowed his eyes.

Madam Meng pieced it together. "He took Nan Yan’s pulse. Could it be... that he found something out and is rushing to leave?"

"This man is definitely suspicious!" the Matriarch agreed.

Meng Boji pondered for a moment and asked the servant, "Do you know where Master Jiang has been these past two days?"

The servant thought for a moment. "He didn't say, but someone in the household saw him returning from the direction of Swallow Pavilion during the day."

Upon hearing this, the three of them were struck with terror.

Meng Boji waved the servant away and slammed his palm heavily against the table. "No wonder Nan Yan was able to get hold of the letters between Qingfei and me from three years ago—it was him all along!"

With no outsiders present, Madam Meng voiced her fears.

"Since Nan Yan knows she is pregnant, why has she not said a word about it? By rights, she does not know the child is not yours. When Mother rebuked her for being barren and demanded you divorce her, she could have used this to refute the claim. Why did she say nothing?"

"Is she leaving the Meng household while pregnant because she intends to use this child later to blackmail us for something?!"

"No!" The Matriarch stood up abruptly. "The bastard seed in her womb cannot remain, and she must not remain either!"

Meng Boji had his reservations. "If she were to meet with an untimely death now, I fear it would complicate matters regarding her father and brother."

"There are already voices in the court crying for justice for the Nan family. If something were to happen to her, it might truly arouse the Emperor's suspicion."

After a moment of silence, the Matriarch’s eyes turned sinister. She gritted her teeth and said, "Then... we shall destroy her reputation!"

Madam Meng, being a woman herself, shivered violently, her face turning pale.

The Matriarch’s tone was harsh and severe. "As long as her reputation is ruined, no one will believe a word she says in the future!"

Meng Boji nodded. "That is the only way."

"Since that Master Jiang is helping her, he will no longer be of any use to you. Why not let him assist you one last time?"

Meng Boji and his mother looked at the Matriarch in surprise.

The Matriarch sneered, "He walked right into this himself!"

"Once this is done, never mind this grand Meng estate—everything that belonged to the Nan family will fall into our hands!"

"Grandmother, do you have a brilliant plan?"

The Matriarch merely smiled and beckoned for Nurse Liu.

"Prepare some wine. After all, they were once husband and wife. Boji, you should bid her a proper farewell!"

Meng Boji was puzzled, but the Matriarch’s smile grew increasingly chilling as the night deepened.

On Nan Yan's side, the moving was nearly complete. She took one last look at the courtyard where she had lived for three years, then turned away with firm resolve.

By the roadside, she caught a glimpse of Jiang Li and Dan Zhu standing in the shadows, quietly nodding in greeting.

Nan Yan’s heart stirred, but she did not stop. She gave a slight nod in return and strode away.

From this moment on, she was finished with the Meng family; she was no longer Meng Boji’s wife!

Jiang Li watched her receding figure until she disappeared, the corners of his lips curling high in an unconcealed smile.

A moment later, he turned to leave. "Let us go as well."

Dan Zhu nodded and followed him.

Just as she was about to step out of the Meng household gates, Nan Yan was called back. She turned to see Meng Boji approaching with a servant. The servant held a pot of wine and two cups. Meng Boji poured the wine himself and held it out to Nan Yan.

"We were once husband and wife; let us bid each other a proper farewell."

Nan Yan looked at him coldly and did not take the cup.

He sighed lightly. "Can three years of marriage not buy a single cup of wine?"

"Although I had other motives when I married you, I believe I treated you well these past three years. Surely you must harbor some feelings for me?"

Nan Yan replied coldly, "I once did, but unfortunately, over these past few days, those have all been worn away."

"Very well."

Meng Boji held out the cup again. "Drink this cup, and from this day on, you and I are strangers!"

After a moment of hesitation, Nan Yan finally took the cup and added, "And may we never cross paths again until the day we die!"

Hearing this, a rare flicker of emotion crossed Meng Boji’s face.

Nan Yan drank it down in one gulp, and Meng Boji followed suit.

Without another word, Nan Yan turned resolutely and stepped out of the Meng gates, leading Mother Su and Bie Zhi to the carriage.

As they traveled further into the night, Meng Boji watched their retreating forms, lost in thought.

Turning back, he found Jiang Li standing before him, having appeared silently.

Meng Boji was startled for a moment, then smiled. "I heard Master Jiang was leaving as well?"

Jiang Li merely nodded, not even deigning to speak.

Meng Boji felt rebuffed, but asked, "May I trouble you with a question?"

Jiang Li coughed twice and replied faintly, "I fear I am unable to answer anything for Scholar Meng."

"You can!" Meng Boji stepped closer, his voice low. "Tell me, did you visit the Swallow Pavilion today?"

"..." Jiang Li remained silent.

Meng Boji took his silence for confirmation, and his gaze shifted instantly.