The playboy county magistrate

"Mother," Li Xuanzhi said in a low voice, "this Chengen Marquis's mansion has been unfair to you. Since Father cannot tolerate your obedience, we will leave this prison behind."

"We will divorce openly and honestly, leaving with a clean conscience. We will not be tainted by any disgrace, nor suffer any humiliation."

"Once the divorce papers are sealed, my son will go to the palace to beg His Majesty's grace and request an imperial edict to separate the family and remove us from the family register. From now on, I will completely separate from the Cheng'en Earl's Mansion and establish my own household."

"You no longer need to be mindful of others' opinions, no longer need to endure hardship, and no longer need to compromise yourself for the sake of the clan."

"Your son hereby acknowledges you as the matriarch of our household, promising you a life of luxury and security. No one will dare to discipline you, bully you, or criticize you. You endured hardship and forbearance in the first half of your life; in the second half, I will protect you, ensuring you have no worries and enjoy peace and happiness year after year!"

The burning promise struck Zhang's heart, and the grievances that had been building up for decades burst forth in an instant. Tears streamed down her face, but no longer with helplessness and sorrow, but with relief and liberation, with the peace of mind that comes after suffering.

She raised her hand with trembling hands to touch her son's upright eyebrows and eyes, choking back tears.

"My son... my poor, good child..."

The tender scene of mother and son leaning on each other deeply stung Li Dehai, who sat in the main seat.

He originally intended to use the threat of divorcing his wife as a weapon to force Li Xuanzhi to abandon his principles.

In the end, not only did he fail to gain any leverage, but his son also used the law to completely block his path to divorce. He was even forced to face the desperate situation of divorce, separation of the family, and complete severance of ties with his family!

If he were to actually write a letter of divorce, Li Xuanzhi would surely enter the palace and impeach him for prioritizing personal matters over public duty.

At that time, the Earl's family will be disgraced, and he himself will not be able to escape questioning from the court and legal punishment.

If one agrees to a divorce and separation of the family, it means personally letting go of the son who currently enjoys the strongest imperial favor and has the brightest future.

From then on, the Chengen Earl's Mansion had no one to rely on, Li Xuanjing would live a mediocre and unproductive life, and the future of the Earl's Mansion would be completely hopeless.

To put pen to paper is to lose, to not put pen to paper is also to lose.

Li Dehai felt a surge of turbid air in his chest, his blood rushing to his head. He gripped the pen tightly with both hands, his knuckles turning white and veins bulging. All the anger and malice in his heart were trapped inside, with nowhere to be released.

He wanted to lash out at Li Xuanzhi and Zhang, but he was rendered speechless by the law and reason.

He wanted to write a verdict, but he was also afraid of being held accountable by the imperial court and the destruction of his family.

After a long while, Li Dehai's eyes turned bloodshot, and his chest heaved violently. A fierce rage surged in his eyes, but ultimately—

He hesitated to put down a single stroke.

The wolf-hair brush, suspended in mid-air, froze on the paper, the ink slowly dripping down, spreading into a patch of pitch-black stain.

Just like his current state of complete ruin, his dignity as the head of the family has been utterly lost.

Having lived most of his life and managed the Cheng'en Marquis's mansion for decades, he had never felt so extremely frustrated and powerless.

Li Xuanjing stood to the side, his whole body ice-cold, as if he had fallen into a freezing cave.

He stared intently at the spreading ink stain, his jaw clenching painfully. Panic and jealousy surged within him.

He knew perfectly well, without a shred of self-deception, that his younger brother, whom he used to control at will, had now reached a height that neither he nor his father could control.

After an unknown amount of time, Li Dehai suddenly raised his hand and slammed the wolf-hair brush he was holding onto the table!

With a sharp crack, the penholder broke, sending splinters of wood flying.

"Great! Excellent!"

His voice was hoarse and rough, filled with rage, each word squeezed out from between his teeth.

"I have raised a fine son! He is knowledgeable in the law, eloquent, and proud. He doesn't even respect his father or his clan!"

He dared not mention divorcing his wife again, nor dared to force a conviction. He could only use his remaining title as a father to vent the overwhelming anger in his heart.

Li Xuanzhi's expression remained aloof as he protected his mother, whose face was streaked with tears, speaking calmly without the slightest sign of weakness.

"The son never intended to disobey his father, nor did he intend to rebel against his clan."

"My son asks for only two things: first, to clear my mother's name and ensure she is innocent and unhumiliated; second, to ensure that public and private matters are clearly distinguished and that I never bend the law for personal gain."

"If a father continues to threaten his son with personal feelings and bind his son's future with the clan, then this father-son relationship and clan ties are better off gone."

Li Dehai's chest heaved violently, and he was so angry that his vision blurred, but he couldn't utter a single word of rebuttal.

He knew all too well that everything Li Xuanzhi said was true.

It was he, as the father, who acted selfishly first. He lost not only the argument, but also the legal basis, the right to speak, and face.

"Divorce, separation...you've certainly got a good plan!"

Even now, Li Dehai still has no intention of admitting his mistakes.

Li Dehai sneered, his eyes filled with a dark and gloomy expression.

"You and your son want to break free from the Earl's mansion and escape its control? I'll put my words on the table right here and now."

"Zhang has done nothing wrong, so I can refrain from forcing a divorce. But an amicable divorce is absolutely out of the question!"

Upon hearing this, Zhang's body stiffened slightly, and a hint of astonishment and despair flashed in her eyes.

She had thought that by tearing off the mask of civility today, at least they could have a dignified divorce.

She wanted to leave the cold and harsh Earl's mansion and live a peaceful life with her son.

Li Xuanzhi's gaze instantly darkened, and a chilling aura suddenly spread. "Why is Father interfering?"

Li Dehai raised his eyes, his gaze sinister and cunning. "The reason is simple."

"You now hold a high position and enjoy the Emperor's favor; you are a rising star in the court. If I were to divorce your mother today, outsiders would only think that my family is intolerant of the mother of a meritorious official, cruel and heartless, and oppressing even one's own flesh and blood."

"For the sake of the Earl's reputation, for the hereditary title, for the dignity of the court. Once Zhang is a member of the Cheng'en Earl's Mansion, she will be for life!"

His refusal to let go wasn't out of consideration for their relationship. It was purely out of fear of losing face and losing the last bargaining chip to control Li Xuanzhi.

By keeping Zhang Shi in the manor, there will always be a subtle thread that binds Li Xuanzhi, preventing him from completely severing ties with the Earl's Mansion and from being entirely unrestrained.

As long as he remains in the household and retains his official status, he will still have opportunities to leverage Li Xuanzhi's influence in the future.

Even if things fall apart and become ugly, so what? The blood that flows in his veins is still Li Dehai's.

"Father is truly selfish to the extreme," Li Xuanzhi said softly, his tone flat. "He has no regard for our marital bond, only for the interests of the family. He uses Mother's freedom as a bargaining chip to control me."

Li Dehai showed no remorse on his face; on the contrary, he became even colder and harder.

"Born into a prestigious family, you are not free to choose your own path! Now that you have entered the court and assumed important responsibilities, you should understand the bigger picture and know what to prioritize!"

"I don't understand, and I don't want to understand." Li Xuanzhi shook his head slightly, his attitude resolute. "The greater good is never about sacrificing the weak and imprisoning others for half their lives."

"If you refuse to divorce, that's fine. Divorce requires mutual consent," Li Xuanzhi changed the subject. "But a division of the family property can be done solely by imperial grace."

"I will not ask you to let me pass today, but tomorrow I will go directly to the palace to meet the Emperor, submit a memorial, and state the truth. I humbly request Your Majesty to grant me special permission to separate from the Cheng'en Earl's Mansion, to leave the household registration, and to establish my own household."

"As soon as His Majesty issues the decree, my son and I will immediately move out of the Chengen Earl's Mansion. From then on, our household registration will be separate, our ancestral hall will be separate, and our property will be cleared."

"My mother will still be the wife of the Earl in name only, and will not be subject to divorce or have her life's reputation tarnished. She can still completely break free from the Earl's household constraints and live peacefully with me in the new mansion, where she will no longer be manipulated or bullied by anyone."

Li Dehai's pupils shrank suddenly, and his face turned deathly pale.