Xiangzhou Arc: Soul Transmigration to Another World Chapter 21: Qiaoqiao's Pavilion of Divine Calculations

"To put it bluntly, the Crown Prince only granted the divorce because he found Chen Bailei’s behavior utterly shameless. I suppose you could say I’ve encountered a noble benefactor," Ye Qiaoqiao said, her tone suggesting she had no desire to dwell on the matter.

After all, she had intended to initiate the divorce herself, though she lacked the necessary standing. Furthermore, the ancient mindset regarding concubinage was deeply entrenched. She quickly changed the subject, softly asking, "Where is sister-in-law? Let’s go inside and visit her and the baby."

"Right, follow me," Ye Jinglan replied.

Upon hearing this, Madam Ye finally understood the full scope of the situation. Knowing this would set the old master’s mind at ease, she told Ye Qiaoqiao, "I’ll have the kitchen prepare a grand feast to celebrate Qiaoqiao’s new beginning!"

"That sounds wonderful," Ye Qiaoqiao agreed.

When they entered the inner chamber, her sister-in-law, Zhu Qinran, was resting in bed. Seeing Ye Qiaoqiao, she offered a gentle smile of welcome. Ye Qiaoqiao smiled back, her gaze shifting to the sleeping infant in her sister-in-law’s arms, noting his rosy complexion and steady, strong breathing.

The baby seemed perfectly healthy. She teased her older brother with a laugh, "Brother, this child will definitely be a natural-born leader among his peers."

"How can you tell?" Ye Jinglan laughed along.

Ye Qiaoqiao’s expression remained unchanged as she replied with mock seriousness, "It’s written all over him, of course."

"You, you’re just sharp-tongued," Ye Jinglan couldn't help but chuckle.

Ye Jinglan worried about the future; it was inevitable that people would label Ye Qiaoqiao a "discarded wife." Though it was a formal divorce, avoiding public gossip was nearly impossible. "Speaking of that, what are your plans for the future?"

"Brother, what do you mean by that?" Ye Qiaoqiao asked, feigning surprise as if to say, *Are you suggesting I can’t remarry just because I left Chen Bailei?*

"I’m just worried that, as a young woman, you’ll have a difficult time getting by," Ye Jinglan said with genuine concern.

"Oh, don't worry. Your sister is quite capable," Ye Qiaoqiao replied with great confidence. Seeing that Ye Jinglan still seemed skeptical, she added, "At the very least, I still have the estate my mother gave me as a dowry. I won’t go hungry."

"That’s true. Besides, as long as you are in Xiangzhou, I can protect you," Ye Jinglan said with a relaxed smile.

Shortly after, Madam Ye called for everyone to come out for the meal. Ye Qiaoqiao stepped out and immediately noticed Ye Daonian watching her with bright, expectant eyes. She knew her mother must have told him about the divorce, and she could tell he was genuinely happy for her. She felt a surge of warmth and happiness herself.

After dinner, she bid them farewell and returned to the Chen residence. As soon as she stepped inside, Hanxiang grabbed her hands, exclaiming happily, "Miss, you wouldn't believe it! Ever since the Crown Prince intervened, things have been moving incredibly fast."

Confused, Ye Qiaoqiao asked, "What happened?"

"Today, Chen Bailei returned a portion of the family property. He claimed the rest is still with Ling'er and asked me to tell you that the remainder will definitely be returned within ten days," Hanxiang said, beaming. She truly believed that since her mistress had returned from the gates of hell, she must have received the guidance of the King of the Underworld. Everything was going so smoothly!

"That’s good. At least he hasn't broken his word," Ye Qiaoqiao replied calmly.

She then walked with Hanxiang to the wall where the original owner used to store gold and silver. Pointing to the returned assets and documents, she instructed, "Take some of these funds and have the plaque for the Chen residence replaced tomorrow."

"Understood!" Hanxiang nodded vigorously, brimming with excitement. But then she frowned, looking troubled. "Miss, you haven't told me what the new plaque should say."

Ye Qiaoqiao pondered this. In this era, residences were usually named after the courtyard itself, though names ending in "Pavilion," "Garden," or "Hall" were also common. Her goal was to transform the Chen residence into her own fortune-telling parlor. She wasn't certain if her family would support such a decision, as turning a private home into a place for divination might be seen as scandalous and far too unconventional.

*Oh well,* she thought, *since this is my pre-marital property gifted by my parents, I have every right to do as I please.*

Following her own inclinations, she said, "Let’s call it 'Qiaoqiao’s Pavilion of Divine Calculations.'"

"Ah? Why 'Divine Calculations'?" Hanxiang gasped, her mouth wide enough to fit an egg.

Ye Qiaoqiao knew she would ask. "How else are we supposed to make money grow?"

"Do you mean... you intend to pass on the skills you learned from the King of the Underworld to everyone else?" Hanxiang felt this must be the reason, awarding herself full marks for her own cleverness.

Ye Qiaoqiao was impressed by Hanxiang’s ability to rationalize, so she simply said, "Exactly."

"It’s a lovely name. I’ll see to it first thing tomorrow," Hanxiang declared.

"Good. Take this matter seriously. Our future depends on Qiaoqiao’s Pavilion of Divine Calculations."

The next day, the first thing Hanxiang did upon waking was hire someone to replace the plaque. By the moment the new sign was unveiled, a dense crowd of onlookers had already gathered outside.

They whispered among themselves:
"Why did the Chen lady change the plaque so quickly?"
"Indeed, I remember her mother-in-law came here to cause a scene just a few days ago and was driven away."
"Isn't this plaque a bit too outrageous? Since when does the Chen lady know how to tell fortunes?"

The crowd buzzed with speculation, all trying to decipher the hidden meaning behind the new name. Ye Qiaoqiao didn't chase them away as she had done previously. Instead, she announced, "A few days ago, I formally divorced Chen Bailei. This property is my own estate, gifted by my parents, and I intend to put it to good use. I hope you will all come and show your support."

Murmurs rippled through the crowd:
"So she’s divorced, no wonder she changed the sign."
"First time I’ve seen someone make such a scene over a divorce and a plaque change."
"This Ye Qiaoqiao is quite the character; she's clearly worried people won't know who she is."
"Indeed, look at that—the plaque even bears her name, and what a boastful name it is."

Just as the crowd was debating, a woman in a drab, dark brown jacket with a coarse cloth belt tied around her waist pushed her way through the throng. The moment she spotted Ye Qiaoqiao, her eyes widened with fury. She shrieked, "Ye Qiaoqiao! You divorced my son—you’ll never find another man to marry you!"

"Is that any of your concern?" Ye Qiaoqiao glanced at the woman, her tone icy.

It seemed that after fainting the other day, she had been cured by the physician. Now that she had recovered her strength after a few days of rest, she was back at her doorstep, acting just as shrewish and shameless as before. The woman was none other than the original owner’s notorious, wicked mother-in-law—Zheng Qianjuan.