Nine Chapters of Strange Cases

Chapter 128 Our Divorce
She had found it strange before.

As the saying goes, "Once bitten by a snake, twice shy."

Not long ago, Bao Chun'an was kidnapped and assaulted after running away in anger. How could she run out the door alone a second time after being rebuked by Zhou Xuan?

This is against common sense.

“When I asked you questions, you didn’t dare to look me in the eye. Your eyes were darting around, and you kept touching the tip of your nose. You were very guilty, weren’t you? You were afraid that you would give a false statement and get into trouble with the authorities, which would affect your son Shen Jianshen’s career.”

Madam Shen's expression changed drastically, but when she heard Zhou Zhao say that it would affect her career, she calmed down.

She took out a handkerchief and wiped away the tears from the corners of her eyes. "This was Chun'an's idea! I didn't mean it. Your sister is really not a good match. I asked my son to divorce his wife, but he wouldn't allow it; I asked him to take a concubine, but he wouldn't allow that either; what can I do?"

Unbeknownst to Madam Shen, Shen Jianshen stood frozen in place at the door, while Zhou Xuan's eyes were filled with disbelief. Her fists were clenched so tightly that her nails dug into her flesh.

“I’m not lying or giving a false testimony. This matter has nothing to do with my son Jian Shen; he knows nothing about it. I am his own mother; how could I not know that he wants to have his own offspring? It’s just that because of Zhou Xuan, he can only pretend to be displeased. If Chun An doesn’t have this accident, then it will be possible…”

Zhou Zhao took a deep breath.

She is currently at the Court of Judicial Review, and is Lord Zhou investigating a case! It's not appropriate to beat up a witness in broad daylight.

"Since it's almost done, why did Bao Chun'an leave in a huff again? Is she trying to deceive people again?"

Perhaps Zhou Zhao's gaze was too terrifying, for Old Madam Shen couldn't help but hiccup. She covered her mouth and looked at the young girl sitting opposite her. She was wearing an official robe and seemed to be handling matters impartially, but she always felt that as soon as she stepped out the door, this person would sneak up on her and kill her like a fish.

"Hiccup... No, I wasn't trying to lie, this time it's for real."

Zhou Zhao stared intently at Madam Shen. "Was it Zhou Xuan who confronted Bao Chun'an, and Bao Chun'an ran out? Around what time did she leave alone?"

Madam Shen's lips moved, but she shook her head in the end. She said somewhat awkwardly, "It has nothing to do with Zhou Xuan. It was just before dusk when Chun'an was swinging in the garden. She heard a peddler passing by outside the gate and went out out of curiosity. She didn't have any money on her, so she asked her maid, Yinhuan, to get some..."

When Yin Huan returned with her money pouch, she discovered that Chun An and the peddler were both gone…

Zhou Zhao's eyes flickered. "Did that maid, Yin Huan, see what the peddler looked like?"

Madam Shen shook her head. "I asked her too. When Chun'an heard the peddler's voice, she asked him to go get the money. She didn't even see the peddler."

After asking his question, Zhou Zhao glanced at Min Zangzhi. Seeing him nod, he stood up, pushed open the door, and walked out.

She didn't even look at Shen Jianshen. She stepped forward and gently hugged Zhou Xuan. "Sister, you heard everything. It wasn't your fault from beginning to end. Second sister is getting married far away. She's a gentle person..."

As Zhou Zhao spoke, he couldn't help but feel a chill. How could Zhou Wan be weak! When she puts all her cunning into one, even a tiger on the mountain would be dizzy from her schemes!

"I don't even dare to speak loudly. My mother doesn't care about anything, so my eldest sister has to go and give her some instructions in the end."

A glimmer of light returned to Zhou Xuan's bewildered eyes. She gently patted Zhou Zhao's back. "Yes, you're right. It wasn't my fault."

She straightened up and was about to leave when Shen Jianshen grabbed Zhou Xuan's wrist.

“Ah Xuan, it was my mother’s fault. I didn’t want Na Chun’an. We can adopt a child…we…”

Zhou Xuan looked intently at Shen Jianshen, took a deep breath, and said, "Let's get a divorce."

Shen Jianshen's pupils contracted sharply, his eyes instantly reddening, and his voice carried a hint of pleading, "Ah Xuan..."

Zhou Xuan looked at Shen Jianshen with a hint of nostalgia in her eyes. "Do you still remember why we got married? It was because you were soft-hearted, afraid of taking charge and hesitant to make decisions, and you were always depressed; while I was strong-willed, liked to take responsibility and make decisions on my own, and our eldest daughter didn't worry about trivial matters. We were very comfortable together, like fish in water."

"Jian Shen, look at me, then look at yourself..."

Shen Jianshen looked at Zhou Xuan in front of him. She had lost a lot of weight compared to before, and her old clothes from last year were so big that they looked like they were about to float away.

She looked terrible, and even without looking in the mirror, he knew he was in terrible shape too.

"So let's get a divorce. You can marry a new wife and have your own children. Your mother won't have to rack her brains and scheme for you at her age, losing her dignity as the head of the household. As for me... I can go back to being Zhou Xuan." "I am Zhou Xuan!"

Shen Jianshen's heart skipped a beat. It was Zhou Xuan! The first time he saw her, she was riding on horseback, cracking her whip, her smile brighter than the sun.

"I promise……"

Zhou Xuan shook his head, interrupting Shen Jianshen.

Their eyes met, and both fell silent.

Zhou Xuan forced a smile, said nothing, and strode towards the door.

Zhou Zhao gave Su Changying a look, signaling him to arrange for the Northern Army to investigate the case, and then jogged after him.

She didn't look at Zhou Xuan or say anything, but tears kept falling down her cheeks and landing on the back of Zhou Zhao's hand.

Zhou Xuan wiped his face haphazardly with his sleeve. "I can't cry in the Court of Justice. If your colleagues see me, it will embarrass you."

"Sister, don't worry. My master has already disgraced all of us disciples for the next eighty years."

Zhou Xuan angrily twisted Zhou Zhao's ear, "How old are you? Stop talking nonsense. He's your master. If he hasn't bullied you, you should treat him with respect."

What if he bullies me?

"How dare he bully my sister, Zhou Xuan! Beat him up!"

Zhou Zhao paused, turned around and walked back, but before her foot touched the ground, Zhou Xuan grabbed her collar. "You don't need to beat up Shen Jianshen or his mother. If I wanted to, I would have done it myself. You helped me find out the truth, which is like a huge weight being lifted off my shoulders."

Zhou Zhao turned around and grabbed Zhou Xuan's arm.

"That's good, I haven't become unrecognizable, and neither has he."

Even if there is no spring iris, there will be summer iris... As long as Shen Jianshen has no offspring, there will be endless struggles in the future... There are only two possible outcomes for her: either she will be disciplined to resemble someone else, or she will go completely insane with blood on her hands.

She, Zhou Xuan, did not kill her entire family; she shouldn't have lived that kind of life.

It should be said that no one should live that kind of life.

She shouldn't have done it, and neither should Shen Jianshen.

Seeing that she had figured it out, Zhou Zhao didn't say anything more and accompanied Zhou Xuan step by step toward the Zhou family's residence.

The sisters had walked this road many times.

“Sister, do you still remember this alley? You used to take us here to catch dragonflies. Whenever it rained, the alley would be teeming with them… Once, my second sister cried, and a dragonfly flew into her mouth…”

She remembers every embarrassing thing that happened to Zhou Wan in her childhood and often brings it up to tease her. Zhou Wan does the same.

Zhou Xuan couldn't help but laugh as she recalled her childhood memories. "I still remember when you and Changying sneaked out to pick persimmons at noon. He was still young then, and once he went up, he couldn't get down."

"Poor Changying wanted to call you to summon the adults, but you were asleep leaning against the tree and couldn't be woken up. In desperation, he could only pick persimmons and throw them at you. When I came looking for you, you were fast asleep, surrounded by persimmons. Changying was perched on the tree, tears welling up in his eyes..."

As they talked, they arrived at the door.

Zhou Xuan turned around and looked at Zhou Zhao. "Sister is alright, don't worry. You should hurry back to the Court of Justice. Catching the murderer as soon as possible is the most important thing."

Zhou Zhao gave a soft "hmm" and watched Zhou Xuan enter the house before turning around and walking towards the Court of Justice.

As she passed the persimmon tree, she looked up and saw that the persimmons on it were still green. She shook her head after looking at it for a while and walked towards the direction of the Court of Justice. When she arrived at the gate, Su Changying was already waiting there.