It Feels So Good to Stop Being a Simp

A moment later, a large group of about thirty to forty people rushed over in a formidable procession.

The moment they saw Liu Xingyuan, especially seeing him seated on his horse with a stern expression, they fell to their knees in a rustling, prostrating crowd.

"Master Liu, our family members were reckless before and offended you. Please be magnanimous and don't hold it against the younger generation."

"Master Liu, our families depend entirely on you. If you truly cut ties with us, we'll have no way to survive. Master Liu, you're so kind-hearted, surely you wouldn't do such a thing, right?"

"Master Liu, I've brought those foolish members of my family here. Scold them, let off some steam, and let's continue our cooperation as before. What do you say?"

...

Hearing this, Liu Xingyuan laughed.

He laughed in anger.

At this moment, these people still treated his thunderous rage as nothing more than a simple tantrum, trying to brush it off with a few words or even moral coercion.

He first glanced at Zhang Shi, and seeing that Zhang Shi remained silent, he said directly: "Steward."

"Master."

"Draft a new document. Sever all cooperation with these families completely."

"Yes."

"General Zhang Shi."

"Hmm?"

"You see, for such a document to take effect, it’s best to have official certification. Right now, I've already..."

"I'll certify it for you." Zhang Shi didn't wait for Liu Xingyuan to finish, waving his hand grandly, and even added: "If you think my authority isn't enough or carries little weight, I'll go to the Duke and ask him to certify it for you."

"If you still think it's insufficient..."

"That's enough! That's more than enough!" Liu Xingyuan exclaimed in surprise. "Such generosity, then I thank General Zhang Shi."

Zhang Shi waved his hand again generously. "No need for formality. It's a trivial matter."

The two played off each other, settling the matter in just a few words. The faces of the family members before them changed completely.

Wait, this is serious?!

Wasn't this just a tactic Liu Xingyuan used against A Xin?

Was it not?

Soon, they fully realized how far reality was from their expectations.

The document was already prepared. The steward brought it out quickly. Liu Xingyuan affixed his seal, and Zhang Shi took it and immediately wrote his name.

For a small place like Qingchou Plain, Zhang Shi's signature meant the matter was settled and irrevocable.

Watching this, Liu Xingyuan felt an immense surge of satisfaction and personally handed one of the two copies of the document to the family members before him.

The black-and-white printed words bore the seal of the Liu Clan and the signature of Zhang Shi, shattering the last glimmer of hope for these people and plunging them into utter panic.

If their earlier kneeling had an element of performance, now they were completely overwhelmed.

"Slap!"

Someone from one family struck their own daughter across the face, the sound crisp and sharp, followed by angry curses.

"Always causing trouble! Always feeding A Xin your foolish advice! Now you've ruined our entire family! Just wait, I'll kill you!"

With someone taking the lead, the other families were also set ablaze with rage, lashing out at their own daughters and maids.

They beat them while shouting curses.

In an instant, chaos erupted—people scrambling, crying out.

As for the young ladies and maids, gone was their arrogance from last night and earlier weeks. Now they covered their faces or stood pale as ghosts.

Looking at Liu Xingyuan, they suddenly saw him, seated tall on his horse with a cold expression, like an immense mountain bearing down on them.

The distance between them was instantly felt.

The pressure was instantly overwhelming.

In that moment, these young ladies and maids finally understood that the man they had called the insignificant head of the Liu Clan was anything but small.

With one word, he could decide life and death!

With one word, he could leave their entire families starving!

Previously, they had relied on being A Xin's close friends, and on A Xin having Liu Xingyuan completely under her thumb, to act recklessly and insult him. Now that Liu Xingyuan had cast aside A Xin, they had no leverage left.

They became nothing but humble wretches bowing before Liu Xingyuan's horse.

Anxiety and terror peaked within them.

One by one, either willingly or pushed by their families, they knelt down, their faces filled with pleading.

"Liu... No, no, Master Liu, we were wrong, we were wrong! Please be magnanimous and don't hold it against us!"

"Master Liu, let us persuade A Xin for you! We swear we'll never let her divorce you again. You two are a perfect match, none better!"

"Master Liu, we beg you. We'll never meddle in A Xin's ears again or influence her. Please, have mercy and spare our families!"

...

All these pleas fell on Liu Xingyuan's ears, but they didn't soften his heart at all. Instead, they brought him a perverse sense of satisfaction.

A pleasure that soared straight to the top of his head.

So this was how it felt—when he was no longer groveling in love, his status, position, and talent allowed him to live freely and arrogantly!

As he savored this inner joy, a woman stumbled over. Her face, beautiful enough to topple cities, was flushed with a pitiable charm that could stir anyone's heart.

It was his wife...

Or rather, his ex-wife.

A Xin.

"Liu Xingyuan, what do you think you're doing?! How dare you give me a letter of divorce? Do you believe I'll never speak to you again? Do you believe that?!"

Her voice was loud, drawing everyone's gaze. Zhang Shi also looked over, taking her in before nodding and saying to Liu Xingyuan: "So this is your wife?"

"Well, I'll say this—she is quite good-looking."

Liu Xingyuan immediately declared with righteous indignation: "General Zhang Shi, I have already issued the letter of divorce. From now on, I have nothing to do with this young lady."

"Understood!" Zhang Shi nodded knowingly. He then spoke coldly to A Xin: "How dare a common woman cause a scene before this general? Do you think this is still the imperial capital of Yunjing, where such lawlessness is tolerated?"

"Hmph, this land now belongs to the court. Qingchou Plain is under the Duke's jurisdiction. In my view, such behavior warrants being handed over to the Demon Suppression Bureau."

"Guards!"

A soldier immediately responded: "Sir!"

"Take this woman to the Demon Suppression Bureau. Have Lady Su Jin thoroughly discipline her, and teach her what true love really means."

"Yes, sir!"

The soldier accepted the order.

But A Xin's face turned deathly pale with terror.

The Demon Suppression Bureau?

Was this the same Demon Suppression Bureau her close friends had spoken of?