The main hall was elegant, filled with the fragrant aroma of tea. Mu Zhaoyun sat in the chief seat, Ling Yue seated beside her. Both women furrowed their brows, gazing at the still, empty hall. "Where has that impish girl been? Why hasn't she shown up?" Without knowing exactly why, Mu Zhaoyun felt an unusual sense of unease—her heart fluttered with a deep, mounting anxiety, as if something momentous might go wrong. "Mother," said Ling Yue impatiently, tapping the tea table with her fingers—the rhythmic *thump-thump-thump* especially loud in the quiet hall, "Isn't it possible that she's playing us?" "General good morning!" A servant’s voice echoed from outside the door. General? Mu Zhaoyun and her daughter were startled—they had certainly heard correctly! Wasn’t the General (her father) back at last? "General, how did you return?" Ling Yao came in with a storm of anger, his entire presence radiating coldness and sternness. He narrowed his eyes, stepped decisively toward Mu Zhaoyun, and flung the letters and documents he held across her lap—the sheets scattered like snowflakes around her. Mu Zhaoyun was taken aback. Never had she seen the General so furious. Her growing sense of unease deepened; with every effort to suppress her fear, she gathered up the papers one by one—only to find her face pale with shock: "Who could have framed me?" It couldn’t be true! How had all the evidence of attempted assassinations against that impish girl ended up in the General’s hands? Her luminous eyes flickered with panic, yet she pressed it down. With a face full of wounded dignity, she cried out her innocence to Ling Yao. "Whether or not you’ve been framed—you yourself must know," Ling Yao snorted, clearly catching the tremor in her gaze. His anger intensified further—she still refused to admit fault. "What’s going on now, Father?" Ling Yue was frightened by her father's intensity, trembling as she picked up the papers. When she glanced at them, she paled—her hands shook so that the documents drifted to the floor. What could possibly be happening? "What more can I say?" Mu Zhaoyun stared at her husband’s absolute determination and cold demeanor. Her heart sank like ice into a deep well. This man was her heaven, her ideal partner through all these years—yet now, after twenty years of marriage, he stood opposed only to that one impish girl. How could she bear it? Even if she sought to remove the girl, it wasn’t merely for herself—it was about securing the future of the household, the future of the General’s estate. "What have I done wrong?" She had only wanted to protect the General’s family. The girl was obstinate and unpredictable—how could anyone guarantee that one day she wouldn't bring disaster upon the household? "Protecting the General’s estate?" Ling Yao stared at her, then laughed sharply, "How do you not say it’s your personal ambition? That you’re afraid of losing your influence to her—you’re afraid she’ll avenge her mother, aren’t you?" He didn’t need to be told—he knew. How had so many of the concubines unexpectedly miscarried? How had the girl's own mother fallen ill and forced to give birth prematurely? All these were acts orchestrated by this very woman. "You—" Mu Zhaoyun gazed at him, heartbroken. Wasn’t this the man she had hoped to share her life with for a lifetime? Now, after twenty years of self-deception, it seemed he had never truly seen or valued her—his entire resentment directed at her efforts. Even now, every action of hers was seen as selfish. How could such a man still hold any affection for her? Her heart had completely died; the proud expression on her face now looked like faded ash. "Father," Ling Yue couldn’t bear to watch her father blame and wrong her mother anymore. "What has Mother done wrong? What have I done, that you’ve never shown me warmth or kindness since we were young? Why not? Even in ordinary households, filial piety is the norm—why does Father always seem so distant? I once thought he was cold to all alike. But now, ever since this impish girl arrived, everything has changed. Isn’t it true that Father doesn’t just dislike her—he’s simply given every bit of love to her?" Ling Yao listened intently to his daughter's complaint and felt a growing sense of regret. It *was* his fault—not to have let the affection for Mu Zhaoyun overshadow his children’s needs. Yet even with this regret, he could not erase what had been done. With resolve, he turned away from Ling Yue’s tear-streaked face, choosing to ignore her distress. "Bring the brush and ink," he commanded, waving his hand to a servant outside. "Do you intend to dismiss me?" Mu Zhaoyun stared at him—her heart, long thought dead, now surged with renewed pain. Did he truly plan to cast her out as merely an afterthought for that one impish girl? How could he be so callous? "No!" Ling Yue fell silent, then suddenly knelt before him, clutching his robe tightly, her voice trembling. "Father, you can’t dismiss Mother. Wouldn't it be unbearable if I were to grow up without a mother?" "You’re nearly married yourself," Cold Wanyuan laughed with grace as she stepped into the hall, her movements elegant and composed. "If I recall rightly now, why did you choose your own path when you could have stayed with me? You only thought of your siblings becoming orphans—how about your mother’s death, which remains shrouded in mystery? And how about those serving concubines—the children within them—all innocent, all lost?" "You—" Ling Yue stared at the shorter figure before her, incredulous. "You’re fabricating this!" She didn’t believe a word of it. "Then why not ask her yourself?" Cold Wanyuan lifted her gaze, turning to Mu Zhaoyun. "Mother," Ling Yue looked to her mother, with hopeful eyes. "Isn't that what you’ve always said?" Mu Zhaoyun’s face turned pale. Cold Wanyuan's words uncovered the deep-seated guilt she had long concealed—she remembered the blood seeping from each of the serving concubines’ legs, and the sorrow in Xiao Lian’s eyes. Her body slumped against her chair as she buried her head into her hands. Helpless, overwhelmed. "Mother—" Ling Yue stared at her mother's silent acceptance, stunned. How could this be? Was it possible that Father had never had other children because of her? Had the girl’s mother also perished due to her actions—wasn't this all a calculated act of retaliation now? Overwhelmed, disbelieving, emotions surged within her—her long-held convictions seemed to crumble like a fortress. Now she stood bewildered. "This is your formal divorce decree," Ling Yao said, his tone cold and composed. "From this day on, you are no longer my wife." Though Mu Zhaoyun had been with him for twenty years—bearing two sons and one daughter—he could not overlook the cost: the lives of so many children who had never yet seen the light of day due to her actions. He couldn’t find it in his heart to seek vengeance for them, so he chose this formal separation—to let their fates drift apart. "Divorce decree?" Mu Zhaoyun took the scroll in stunned silence, then laughed—her laugh both bright and sorrowful. Twenty years of marriage, culminating in a single document? How could such pride endure? Her expression was now almost wild with emotion. "Mother! Mother!" Ling Yue clutched her tightly, calling out in panic. Tears streamed down her face—why? Why now? Ling Yao watched Mu Zhaoyun’s rising agitation and frowned. He had known this would happen—he hadn’t seen it coming at all. He paused, then swept his sleeve aside and walked away. Cold Wanyuan looked upon the mother and daughter with a steady gaze before following after him. In the now-vacant main hall, Mu Zhaoyun’s sharp, piercing laughter echoed, mingling with Ling Yue's helpless sobs. "Yue," Mu Zhaoyun said finally, after a long silence, her voice soft yet full of sorrow. "Remember this: men are inherently cold and unforgiving." Then she staggered from the hall, her steps unsteady. Ling Yue sat there in stunned stillness, eyes wide with confusion. After that day, Mu Zhaoyun moved out of the General’s household. Ling Yue became quieter—no longer as bold or assertive as before. Thus, it became well-known throughout the General's estate: Don’t upset the bears or the tigers—don’t even think of challenging Cold Wanyuan. ——— *The Nine-Year-Old Fairy Princess* ———— **Upcoming Chapter Preview:** *The Male Character “Wu Nian Chu Xiang Hong” is about to step into the spotlight.* The next male lead will follow, then the main character and the third male character will gradually emerge—be sure to watch closely! Ling Yao: To protect my children, I dismissed my first wife. Fans, please give this story your votes now!