USWHC -Chapter 227 Someone Here to Smash the Scene (Part 7)

Hua Feixue listened to the questions Zhu Jie threw at her one after another and couldn’t help but feel stunned. Yes—why had they come all the way to Xiangshui Village to find a wife?

“And judging from Sun Shaoyan’s standards, he’s not the type who would settle for an ignorant village woman. In the end, he chose you precisely because you can read and write,” Zhu Jie said with another cold sneer.

“Then why did the Sun family come all the way to Xiangshui Village to look for a wife?” Hua Feixue asked blankly. The affairs of the capital were things she truly didn’t understand, nor were they things one could simply learn from books.

Zhu Jie sighed faintly and said, “Because they knew Princess Pingning wouldn’t agree—and yet they were still afraid of her. You could tell that clearly from what happened today.”

“Why? Even if Sun Shaoyan fears his wife like a tiger, the Sun family shouldn’t be afraid of a hen that can’t lay eggs, right?” Hua Feixue spat angrily, full of resentment.

“I’m afraid the truth may not be as the Sun family claims,” Zhu Jie said with a contemptuous smile. “First of all, the matter of Princess Pingning being unable to bear children is probably only something whispered about in private. Even if an imperial physician was consulted, neither the Duke of Ying’s residence nor the Sun family would ever bring such a matter out into the open. Since it’s not official news, who can say for certain that she truly can’t have children?”

“Even if it’s not something openly discussed, the fact remains that she hasn’t given birth to a single child after all these years! The Sun family could easily use that as a reason to take another wife. Not divorcing her would already be generous!” Hua Feixue said bitterly.

“Divorce her? I’m afraid it’s not that simple,” Zhu Jie shook her head with a wry smile. “Marriages in the capital are about alliances—about interests. Those things are far more important than a child. Besides, the Duke of Ying’s residence may not hold great power in court, but after so many years their marital ties have spread throughout the capital like tangled roots. Especially Princess Pingning’s mother—she is also…”

Zhu Jie trailed off, then silently shook her head.

“I’m afraid that the reason Grand Secretary Sun managed to come through this incident unscathed is precisely because of the power those connections hold.”

Hua Feixue grew even more confused after hearing this. “How do you know all this? Isn’t the Sun family headed by a Grand Secretary? Isn’t that a very powerful position?”

“A Grand Secretary has former associates all over the realm,” Zhu Jie said with a slightly mocking smile. “But it’s also the most dangerous position. Too many people are staring at that seat, waiting to take it. And serving the emperor is like living beside a tiger. Throughout history, how many people who stepped down from the position of Grand Secretary actually met a good end? Have you ever counted them?”

Hua Feixue truly didn’t understand such matters. She simply looked at Zhu Jie with even greater bewilderment, her eyes wavering with doubt.

Zhu Jie continued, “You witnessed everything that happened today yourself. Tell me—who seemed more imposing, Grand Secretary Sun or Princess Pingning?”

Faced with that question, Hua Feixue immediately fell silent. Could she really say it was Princess Pingning who had been more imposing?

“If you truly married into that family, do you think the Sun family could protect you? And do you think Princess Pingning would tolerate you?” Zhu Jie pressed again.

This time Hua Feixue couldn’t even muster a rebuttal. Yes, the Sun family couldn’t protect her now, and they certainly wouldn’t be able to protect her later. As for Princess Pingning… she couldn’t help but laugh bitterly to herself. That woman would probably never tolerate her.

“But even if I managed to come back alive now, how is that any different from being dead? After today, my reputation is already ruined. How am I supposed to live from now on?” Hua Feixue said sorrowfully, tears welling up again as she thought of her bleak future.

Seeing her like this, Zhu Jie couldn’t help but sigh.

In the modern world, divorce had become such a common thing that people were used to it. Though it might still bring sadness, few would be driven to seek death over it. But this was ancient times—expecting them to live with the same open-mindedness was likely asking too much.

“What happened today will eventually pass. Instead of seeking death, why not live even better?” Zhu Jie comforted her softly. “If people nearby can’t understand, then we can simply find someone far away to marry. You’re so beautiful and you can read and write—there’s no way you’d marry poorly.”

In truth, the lack of information flow in ancient times also had its advantages. Unlike the modern world, where anything could instantly spread across the internet—someone eating something on one side of the planet could become known to people on the other side overnight.

“Besides, Grand Secretary Sun and Princess Pingning would never allow this matter to spread,” Zhu Jie said with certainty.