Xianggong, Please Divorce Me! Chapter 1

TL’ed by snowflake_obsidian

Edited by snowflake_obsidian and Xia

Notes:

[1] Peach flower here refers to the main character’s love life.

[2] Daren (大人) is a t.i.tle of respect toward superiors. Here it can be understood as “His Excellency”.

[3] 飘然 has several meanings including to float in the air, swiftly, easy and relaxed. I chose to use the float in the air definition given the MC's starry-eyed infatuation.

[4] 虽是砸了个痛快，却也砸出个再无媒婆敢上门……
My thinking is that the punch relieved Su Tang's stress.

[5] Brothel or theater

Chapter 1 – Bitter Forced Pathetic Peach Flower [1]

In this lifetime, Su Tang’s peach flower can be regarded as exuberant, but….

12 years old: Su Tang’s first awakening to love saw the young son of Daren w.a.n.g [2]. The family newly moved in across the road.

But who knew that in less than 3 months Daren w.a.n.g’s entire family would move to the capital. By the time 3 months had pa.s.sed, Su Tang was steeped in the promise given by young w.a.n.g to wait for her to grow up and then soon afterwards marry, a glorious yearning and longing for that future time. But news came from the capital that Daren w.a.n.g was promoted to the vice minister of public works, and Daren Qin was to become related by marriage. The bridegroom would be young brother w.a.n.g, whom Su Tang wholeheartedly kept thinking of.

In one fell swoop, the hammer smashed Su Tang’s pitiful “sacrificial vessel of affection” to pieces. Su Tang was incessantly heartbroken. She gorged herself on two bowls of rice and afterwards the short wood post began to grow….

13 years old: Su Tang rediscovered affection. She took a fancy to the teacher that father Su invited for his young son. The instructor was surnamed Jiang, given name Lin Feng, a handsome suave young gentleman with an imposing appearance. Su Tang's eyes often stared at him, gaped as if dull-witted, almost drooled, but sufficient courage to express the admiration in her heart (to him) had not yet arisen. Mr. Jiang floated in the air [3] and left. Without even much effort, he abducted her 16 year old second elder sister who had fine spring scenery.

Thereupon, lingering affection again was mercilessly cut off. Su Tang’s pent up frustrations in her heart unexpectedly gave birth to two small earthy buns in her flat chest ….

14 years old: Su Tang’s peach flower came around again. A marriage unexpectedly dropped into her lap. A former good friend of father Su came to visit, and seeing Su Tang’s carefree vivaciousness, he soon afterwards wanted her to become his grandson’s wife. Allegedly that person was incomparable, versatile in both civil and military affairs. Su Tang’s heart was sweet like honey, at her darkest hour there was light at the end of the tunnel, but her joy didn't pa.s.s March. The close friend once again dropped in to visit and even gave an apology, merely that exceptional youth already had a private lifelong agreement with another family’s young lady.

After finding out, Su Tang was incessantly heart broken and inwardly wailing. Each cry could water a sunflower until it sprouted, endless waves surging forth….

15 years old: a stranger came to visit, said to be a son of the Shang dynasty. The matchmaker’s tongue was resplendent as a lotus flower, said that person was celestial and without equal on Earth. Hearing this thoroughly moved Su Tang’s heart rate. Unpredictably, elder sister’s husband's letter arrived and smashed all her fantasies– that person indeed had incomparable good looks, but nevertheless he was a child-like imbecile!

Su Tang’s self-esteem received a wound. A fist smashed that matchmaker making her dizzy. And though the punch delighted one's heart [4], after that no matchmaker dared to visit….

16 years old….that year father Su’s close friend, as an apology, introduced the son of a good friend. This time things seemed to go smoothly, only stay for the September worship ceremonies to bring about a lifetime of reconciliation. Who would have thought, at the beginning of June this visitor withdrew the marriage saying Su Tang was not sufficiently sweet-tempered and virtuous, so that it was very likely the future would not have enough blissful happiness. The marriage had not been retracted for even 10 days when it was circulated that the son left home with a woman from an entertainment house [5]. The couple was simply inseparable.

Su Tang almost spouted out a mouthful of blood, after restraining herself, fury— this old woman will not marry!

Henceforth, Su Tang whole heartedly managed the Su family store. Showing her face in public would have meant dealing with slanderous gossip.

Only be as it may, in one’s mind there were still expectations but the heavens failed to materialize the person’s desire. Su Tang also had no alternative support so her own ascetic practices became increasingly indestructible.

17 years old….

18 years old…

Things were completely bitter cold up until 19 years old, then a sudden warm spring came. Su Tang who was rather old to get married unexpectedly was wooed by a man! That person was a client of the Su family. He had both household and provisions which he built from scratch, and up until now he was a bachelor. Moreover he had delicate finely chiseled features, was gentle and polite as well as elegant. Indeed, he truly was very much a rare find! Su Tang cried tears of joy. Everyone's rain became sunshine. But who would have thought that one month before the prenuptials this person fell off a horse and died!

Su Tang thus far completely reconciled herself to the loss and firmly believed in this life that fate had predestined her marrying with two words, no chance.

Let it pa.s.s, be done with it!

Straighten and support the stick-like waist, raise one’s head up, from now on just be a heroic woman. Cut off all the feelings of love between a man and a woman!

Su Tang prepared to spend her remaining years until her death living her life alone. But who knew — a person again dropped in and proposed a marriage?

This, this, this, who would take matters to heart like that?!