Chapter 4: Condemned by Thousands and Despised by All

Matchmaker Liu choked, a sudden, inexplicable panic rising in her chest. "Those words are truly unpleasant to hear. Lady Wang wants you to live a life of wealth and honor in your later years; she is doing it for your own good!"

"Gentry Dong is even older than you, Auntie."

Matchmaker Liu dismissed it dismissively. "What of it? A man can still be as vigorous as a tiger even if he uses a bit of medicine."

"Once you enter the door, you will be a stepmother. If you can conceive, everyone will be overjoyed; if you cannot, you can simply take over what is already there."

Yu Tingwan said coldly, "Not to mention that the original wife has been dead for less than a month, and the Dong family's white lanterns haven't even been taken down. And what happened to those concubines he took in years ago? Every single one of them was tortured until not a patch of skin on their bodies was intact, before being rolled up in a mat and tossed into the deep mountains to become food for wolves and tigers."

She asked calmly, "I have no grievance or enmity with you, Auntie. Why are you trying to harm me?"

Matchmaker Liu's smile remained unchanged. "Look at what you're saying. If those people died, it was simply their ill fate; it has nothing to do with the Gentry Master."

Yu Tingwan was unwilling to argue with her. "You have brokered many matches over the years, haven't you, Auntie?"

"A petty person like you, with your silver tongue and shamelessness, causes nothing but harm. You have pushed many girls from good families into the fiery pits of marriage."

"That Young Master Wei has tasted blood on the battlefield. If he were to wake up and learn that his own sister lost her life after marrying, what would become of you?"

Matchmaker Liu jumped up in anger. "You're scolding me? People say the Hu family's niece is full of ailments, and I didn't believe it at first. Who do you think I've been working so hard for? Don't be ungrateful!"

She finally understood why Lady Wang loathed Yu Tingwan!

This girl was indeed unlikable!

Fuming, she prepared to leave!

Marriage is a matter of parental command and matchmaker's words. Yu Tingwan's parents were gone, so Lady Wang, as her aunt, had the authority to decide!

Matchmaker Liu was incensed; this time, she truly intended to make this marriage happen!

"If I remember correctly, Auntie, you have been a widow for three years now."

Yu Tingwan watched her exasperated retreating figure, her eyes gleaming with something strange.

Who could have guessed that this Matchmaker Liu would soon be caught in an act of adultery and become a pariah despised by all?

"Auntie has no children to her name and no attachments; why bother clinging to widowhood? Just so the villagers can praise you for being chaste and virtuous, refusing to remarry even after your husband's death?"

Matchmaker Liu stopped in her tracks, suspicious, feeling there was a hidden meaning in her words.

Sure enough, Yu Tingwan's words sent shockwaves through her: "But how could they know that you and your father-in-law have been secretly sleeping together?"

Matchmaker Liu froze instantly.

"I wonder if your private, filthy affairs might accidentally be leaked by me one day."

Though the cold wind was piercing, a cold sweat broke out across her back. Refusing to admit it, she shrieked, "You're lying!"

Yu Tingwan asked curiously, "Does your father-in-law use medicine?"

He does, and he's as vigorous as a tiger.

Yu Tingwan continued, "Auntie, at your age, why is there still a pattern of mandarin ducks playing in the water embroidered on your bodice?"

*I'm not decent, so why do you care!*

Yu Tingwan tilted her head, asking three "shy" questions: "And how did that birthmark on your backside end up looking like a butterfly? Never mind if your father-in-law likes it; I find it quite lovely too."

How could Yu Tingwan know such intimate details?

Matchmaker Liu nearly fainted. Suppressing her tremors, she looked around frantically, her voice trembling. "Stop talking!"

The latter, however, remained smiling, showing no sign of threat.

A chill ran through Matchmaker Liu, her scalp going numb. How could she dare to play tricks any longer?

Her teeth chattering, she squeezed out a sentence: "Your aunt is malicious and cannot tolerate you, so she seeks to ruin your future. I am not like that. That Gentry Dong is halfway in his coffin already; a young lady in her prime deserves a talented match."

Yu Tingwan glanced at the sky. Seeing that one matter had been resolved, her mood brightened.

The faint smile at the corner of her mouth did not fade as she slowly and methodically straightened her messy hem, causing Matchmaker Liu's body to shudder three times.

"Auntie, your character may be lacking, but you should still weigh the consequences of being pointed at by a thousand people and spat upon by ten thousand, right?"

A matchmaker was an expert at reading people; how could she not realize Yu Tingwan's intention? She suppressed the terror spreading from her heart. "What do you want me to do?"

The world was frozen, and the river was covered in thick ice.

The sky was gloomy, and it had been snowing for three days. Everything was a bone-chilling white; every step sank deep, soaking shoes and socks.

After her fallout with Lady Wang, Yu Tingwan had no intention of making amends.

Since she had gone on strike, Lady Wang had been truly exhausted these past few days!!!

She had to manage everything, inside and out! Yet she was loath to command Little Mrs. Xu, fearing something might happen to the precious grandchild in her womb.

When mealtime arrived and Yu Tingwan appeared again, actively holding her bowl, Lady Wang's rage surged, wishing she could devour this little wench alive.

*Endure it, just endure a little longer. The Dong family will send word soon.*

This meal consisted of bean rice; there were hardly any grains of rice to be seen, only beans.

The soybeans had not been soaked long enough, and Lady Wang was too stingy to use oil, making the meal very difficult to swallow.

Yu Tingwan expressionlessly spat out a small pebble.

This was already the third one she had spat out.

But if she didn't eat, she would starve. She frowned and took another mouthful.

Little Mrs. Xu poked at her food with her chopsticks. She still preferred the food Yu Tingwan made; at least it was edible. But Yu Tingwan was a troublemaker now, and she didn't dare let her cook.

She glanced cautiously at Yu Tingwan; when living under someone else's roof, one had to know their place.

If she were Yu Tingwan, she would have already knelt down to kowtow to Lady Wang and apologized.

In the past, Yu Tingwan might not have tried to please Lady Wang, but she had been respectful. Even when Lady Wang made things difficult, she never lost her temper.

She didn't know what madness had taken her lately.

"Sister-in-law, why are you looking at me?"

*Looking at you die!*

But Little Mrs. Xu was wary of her. "It's nothing."

Yu Tingwan nodded earnestly. "Ah? Does Sister-in-law think the food Aunt makes tastes like pig swill?"

Little Mrs. Xu's nerves tightened:???

*You can tell that too?*

Lady Wang:!!!

Yu Tingwan frowned. "Yes. Aunt's cooking is poor, but Sister-in-law, if you ask around, which mother-in-law goes about busily taking care of her daughter-in-law? It's so cold; Aunt didn't want to get her hands wet and frozen by washing the soybeans, so she didn't bother pouring out the soaking water and put it straight into the pot. Whether it's because you found pebbles or it just doesn't suit your taste, can't you just endure it?"

"Don't be foolish, Sister-in-law. It doesn't matter if you don't eat, but what if the child goes hungry?"

Seeing the guilt and panic flash in Little Mrs. Xu's eyes, Lady Wang felt her breath hitch.

Since ancient times, there had been conflict between mothers-in-law and daughters-in-law.

She clearly knew Yu Tingwan was instigating, but she couldn't help but overthink!

She glared fixedly at Little Mrs. Xu, a cold sneer escaping her lips.

"Is it just that it's not clean? Can it kill someone?"

"Do you really think because you're carrying a child, I wouldn't dare teach you a lesson?"

Little Mrs. Xu's heart trembled. "Mother, I didn't. I just have no appetite."

Lady Wang was unwilling to believe her, poking her hard with her fingertip. "What do you think you are?"

"I was able to let Da-lang marry you back then, and once you give birth, I can still have him divorce you! His younger brother is successful; do you think he'll struggle to find a wife?"

Little Mrs. Xu's face turned deathly pale.

Yu Tingwan saw through everything clearly. Back then, to afford Hu Yaozu's education, the Hu family had no money to marry off Hu Da-lang.

Then came the drought, and many people starved to death that year.

Little Mrs. Xu had been traded by Lady Wang for a bag of rice.

Hu Da-lang had always looked down on her appearance, but he hadn't managed to intimidate her.

But this was only the beginning.

Yu Tingwan suppressed a low laugh and spoke slowly, "Now, Aunt, what kind of words are those? Sister-in-law is carrying the Hu family's flesh and blood; don't frighten her."

"Look at how pale her little face is. If Eldest Cousin saw this..."

Yu Tingwan smiled, telling the truth.

"Oh, he wouldn't feel any heartache."