Transmigrated into a Historical GL Novel as the Scumbag Heroine - Chapter 47

Shen Yanding stared at the shy woman before him, but in her features, he saw the shadow of someone else. He clenched his jaw and lowered his head.

The room was dim in the evening light, with no candles yet lit.

At this moment, no one bothered with lighting them.

Perhaps it was better this way—if the room stayed dark, faces couldn’t be seen clearly. Shen Yanding closed his eyes, as if to imagine that the person in his arms wasn’t Lu Jiaojiao…

Time was rushed. The man, eager to achieve his goal, showed no gentleness. Cries broke out in the room from time to time, mingling with helpless whimpers of pain.

As their intimacy deepened, Shen Yanding whispered, “Jiaojiao… I went to the prefectural city to visit your uncle. I mentioned something about what happened to us before.”

“What do you mean?” she asked softly.

“I just said that Qiu Luo once caused me to be imprisoned. Your uncle said he’d teach her a lesson. I tried to stop him, but he wouldn’t listen, so I watched in secret… but then I realized—he’d arrested the wrong person.”

Shen Yanding paused to gently wipe away the tears from the corners of Lu Jiaojiao’s eyes, then continued, “Your uncle mistook Cheng Yu for Qiu Luo and had her taken. Before I could tell him he had the wrong person, news came that Cheng Yu had placed first in the provincial exams. The moment I heard it, I rushed to find him—but he’d already been arrested by the bailiffs. I fear things have gone terribly wrong.”

“How could this happen? I’ll go to Father and Mother right now to figure out a way to save Uncle,” Lu Jiaojiao said, trying to rise from the bed—but Shen Yanding held her tightly, refusing to let go.

“Don’t be hasty. Right now, the most urgent matter isn’t your uncle—it’s me. Framing a jieyuan is a serious crime. What if your uncle, in order to save himself, pins all the blame on me?”

His eyes were fixed intently on her, dark and unreadable.

Lu Jiaojiao froze, panicking even more. “Then what should we do?”

“I have a plan… though it might drag your uncle down,” Shen Yanding said with a troubled look, sighing with apparent regret. “But he’s worked so hard all these years—I should be the one to bear it.”

He lowered his head, pretending to accept his fate, thinking coldly, Don’t blame me. Blame your uncle for arresting the wrong person. I had no choice.

“No, husband! If Uncle truly did wrong, then he must face the consequences himself. You mustn’t take the blame for him. Tell me your plan!”

Shen Yanding hesitated, then said slowly, “My plan… needs your cooperation.”

What he wanted was for Lu Jiaojiao to take full responsibility, claim that it was her idea to visit her uncle, and shift all the blame onto Adviser Wang—leaving himself entirely unscathed.

“You mean… I’m to say it was me who went to Uncle?”

Lu Jiaojiao froze slightly. Her thoughts, which had been swept along by Shen Yanding until now, finally slowed—and she began to sense something wrong.

Shen Yanding stared closely at her, and seeing her hesitation, quickly pulled her into his arms again and said in a low voice, “Jiaojiao, it doesn’t matter what happens to me. I only regret that I’ve just come to love you, and yet I may not get to stay by your side. If you end up bearing our child… I won’t even be there to raise them.”

Lu Jiaojiao’s heart tensed.

A child… Yes, they had just consummated their marriage.

How coincidental—right after such a major incident, Shen Yanding, who had always avoided physical intimacy, suddenly came home and claimed her.

So coincidental. Too coincidental…

Her dear husband—was clearly calculating and cruel.

Lu Jiaojiao had always been intelligent. She was raised carefully by Magistrate Lu, who had high hopes for her, especially since their dynasty allowed women to study and take the imperial exams. She had once topped the county exam and was considered on par with Cheng Yu—the two most talented women in the county.

There were many things she hadn’t wanted to think about, but not because she couldn’t understand them.

Now, her thoughts were in turmoil as she got out of bed, dressing herself without realizing it.

Seeing this, Shen Yanding panicked and grabbed her wrist, urgency creeping into his voice. “My wife—what are you doing? Where are you going? Do you want me to go to prison in your uncle’s place? Am I not more important to you than him?”

Lu Jiaojiao paused, her gaze landing on his face. The young man’s features were delicate and refined, his skin pale as jade—his beauty rivaled a woman’s.

She remembered the first time she saw him—how her heart had raced. In the days that followed, she had only grown more determined to marry this talented young man.

And now, she had gotten what she wished for. Yet her heart was just as desolate as it had been on their wedding day.

Looking at his pleading face, Lu Jiaojiao murmured, “You’re hurting me.”

Shen Yanding flinched and let go, noticing the red mark his fingers had left on her fair wrist.

He forced a smile. “My fault. Punish me, my wife. Hit me if you like. I’ll do anything to make it up to you.”

Lu Jiaojiao stared at his strained expression, saying nothing.

After a long silence, she continued dressing and said quietly, “I’ll go speak with Father. I’ll do what you ask.”

Relief flooded Shen Yanding’s face, and this time his smile was genuine. “Good. Please go find Father-in-law. I’ll be waiting here for your return.”

Lu Jiaojiao staggered slightly but said nothing.

The night was cold as water—but not as cold as the frost that had settled in her heart.

—

Back at the magistrate’s residence, Lu Jiaojiao looked around the courtyard where she had grown up. The moment she saw Magistrate Lu, she burst into tears.

“Father… your daughter regrets everything.”

Magistrate Lu was shocked and quickly caught her before she could kneel. “What’s happened? Did that brat Shen Yanding bully you? I knew he wasn’t a good one. Don’t be afraid, Jiaojiao—Father will teach him a lesson for you.”

“Father… I want to divorce Shen Yanding.”

Magistrate Lu was stunned.

The joy came too suddenly—he almost couldn’t believe it. Had his daughter finally come to her senses?

But when he heard why she wanted a divorce, the joy vanished, replaced by anger.

“Outrageous! That man is clearly lying. Your uncle is a cautious man—he’d never act recklessly just to defend him.”

Magistrate Lu instinctively rejected the story—he was certain Shen Yanding was lying.

But soon, a sense of powerlessness settled in. Regardless of who masterminded it, Adviser Wang was already implicated and wouldn’t escape unscathed.

Lu Jiaojiao understood this too. Her uncle’s days as a legal adviser were over. If she shouldered some of the blame on Shen Yanding’s behalf, it would be a final gesture of loyalty toward their brief marriage.

Seeing her expression, Magistrate Lu’s anger flared again. “Ungrateful girl! You think only of saving him! Have you thought of what this means for me?”

Lu Jiaojiao froze, realization slowly dawning.

If this matter were pursued, even if her father were not at fault, he would still be blamed for failing to raise his daughter properly.

Under the jurisdiction of the prefectural city, there were many county magistrates. To be promoted, one didn’t necessarily need great achievements—but being blameless was a minimum requirement.

If her father was reprimanded over her actions, and lacked the merits to counterbalance it, his career would likely stall forever.

Seeing that she had finally understood, Magistrate Lu’s voice grew heavier. “Since you’ve decided to divorce him, then go through with it completely. Jiaojiao, Shen Yanding is petty and vindictive—a true scoundrel. If he ever gains power, he’ll make trouble for our family. Think this through.”

Lu Jiaojiao stared at her father blankly.

Think it through…

She was silent. In that moment, she felt like nothing more than a tragic joke.

Magistrate Lu, watching her dazed expression, suddenly had a thought. He grasped her arm firmly and said in a low voice, “Go back to him now. Tell him I refuse to let you take the blame. Say you’ll only help if you divorce. You must act reluctant—make it seem like you still care. Jiaojiao, do you understand?”

He had been a magistrate for half his life. He’d seen couples turn on each other, brothers fight to the death, even fathers and sons become enemies. He knew the darkness of human nature well.

Now that his daughter had awakened, he couldn’t let her sink deeper—not even a little.

After this, Shen Yanding would lose his status, face prison, and ruin his future. The Shen family still had influence, and Magistrate Lu, though a county magistrate, couldn’t always do as he pleased. This was the time to cut ties—for good.

A clean break.

Magistrate Lu had thought it all through. What kind of life could a disgraced scholar give his daughter? More importantly, Shen Yanding had never truly loved her.

Numbly, Lu Jiaojiao followed her father back to the Shen household.

When Shen Yanding saw her returning with her father, his expression darkened. “Wife… what’s the meaning of this? Why did you bring Father-in-law here?” Had she changed her mind?

His tone carried a hint of blame and displeasure.

Lu Jiaojiao suddenly looked up and met his frown. Her heart twisted in bitterness—and clarity.

This is the man I gave up my exam for. The man I implicated my uncle for. The man who’s disappointed Father again and again…

Yes. It’s time I truly saw him for what he is.