Outside the Zhong family’s old house, the villagers who had gathered to watch the excitement chattered nonstop, all speculating whether this marriage would actually go through.
Most believed it would. The reason was simple—Pei Mu looked completely set on making the marriage happen, and with only a widow and her son, how could the Zhong family possibly dare refuse someone as fearsome as him?
Others thought differently. Even if the Zhong family had fallen on hard times, they were still from the prefectural city—unlike ordinary villagers. Perhaps they wouldn’t be afraid of Pei Mu?
Everyone talked over one another with great enthusiasm. Zhong Yizhu had already been the center of gossip lately, and Pei Mu was an even bigger topic of discussion. Now that the two of them were suddenly connected, people were so curious they almost felt it would be worth getting beaten just to eavesdrop.
Of course, no one actually dared to sneak around and listen—but someone did end up taking a hit on their behalf.
When Pei Mu and his group came out of the Zhong family courtyard, Zhang Guihua was in the middle of arguing with Liu Fulang.
The cause? Li Jian had heard that someone else had come to propose to the Zhong family. Thinking the match he had set his sights on had been stolen, he insisted that his father and grandparents help him snatch it back.
The whole family came over in a commotion, only to find out that the one proposing was Pei Mu.
Liu Fulang and his elders immediately backed down. The argument stopped, and they all tried to persuade Li Jian to give up—but he refused.
Since childhood, Li Jian had always hidden behind his family. Whatever he wanted, others handled it for him. Even though he feared Pei Mu, he couldn’t accept losing what he thought would have been an easy path to a good life.
The villagers all said Pei Mu was too poor to afford a marriage, so surely he couldn’t offer much betrothal money. If that was the case, couldn’t they just offer more?
Even Liu Fulang, indulgent as he was, was driven to frustration by his son’s unreasonable behavior. Not to mention that the Zhong family had already made it clear yesterday that there was no chance—how could their frail household dare compete with someone like Pei Mu?
While the elders continued coaxing Li Jian, Liu Fulang, filled with regret, happened to glance aside—and saw Zhang Guihua watching the drama with a grin.
All the anger in his chest suddenly found an outlet.
“What are you laughing at?” he snapped. “Your useless son wasn’t chosen, so you started spreading rumors that the Zhong family rejected you for offering too little betrothal money. And you still have the nerve to stand there smirking? Shameless!”
Zhang Guihua’s smile froze, then her face darkened. “Who are you talking about? What rumors did I spread? Didn’t your family get rejected too? Everyone knows they don’t look down on villagers like us. You insisted on pushing your way in—why blame me?”
Liu Fulang had endured a day of humiliation—lost face, lost the marriage, and still had his son causing trouble. Now that he had someone to vent on, he no longer held back.
“I’m talking about you! When did the Zhong family ever agree to marry into your family? Do you have proof? You’ve been eyeing their wealth, thinking they’re fools? You even lied that you offered five taels and they thought it too little—would you ever be willing to give that much? Stingy as you are? You couldn’t have it, so you tried to ruin their reputation. Careful your mouth doesn’t rot!”
Zhang Guihua hadn’t expected the fire to turn on her. Liu Fulang, in his fury, exposed all her schemes—and every word hit the truth.
She had repeated her own lies so often she almost believed them. Now, with everyone staring at her, she felt a flicker of panic.
Raising her voice, she tried to deflect: “Ruin whose reputation? If that boy were so virtuous, why would he be driven out of the city to live here? Acting all noble—if I wasn’t right, why does he hide indoors? I say he’s just a—ah!”
Before she could finish, something struck her forehead hard. She staggered, grabbing at someone nearby to keep from falling.
Clutching her head, she yelped in pain. A large lump was already swelling.
“Who hit me?!”
She glared in the direction the object had come from—only to meet Pei Mu’s calm gaze.
He had already lowered his hand, making no attempt to hide it.
Her heart trembled. She immediately looked away, her arrogance gone in an instant.
“What’s going on here?” Matchmaker Feng had just stepped out and saw the crowd arguing. Before he could understand, he noticed someone clutching their head and shouting in pain.
Only then did everyone realize the Zhong family gate had opened and Pei Mu’s group had come out.
All attention instantly shifted.
Pei Mu’s expression revealed nothing. Wang Ping’an and his spouse looked dazed, while Sun Yunniang appeared calm—completely different from what the villagers had expected.
Someone in the crowd couldn’t hold back and shouted, “Matchmaker Feng, did the marriage go through?”
Feng immediately beamed. “Of course it did! A match made in heaven—how could it not?”
The crowd exchanged glances.
As expected of the town’s best matchmaker—his ability to spin things was unmatched.
But no matter how smooth his words, an engagement wasn’t something to joke about.
So… Pei Mu and the Zhong family boy were really betrothed?
The villagers quickly lost interest in staying. One by one, they found excuses to leave.
Liu Fulang’s family fled the fastest. Even Li Jian, who had been making such a fuss, shrank back the moment he saw Pei Mu strike someone without hesitation.
Zhang Guihua, still clutching her head, also hurried to slip away.
Though she had been struck for insulting Zhong Yizhu, she didn’t believe Pei Mu had acted for the boy’s sake. In her eyes, men only cared about face—he was protecting his own reputation.
After all, wasn’t he the same man who had broken ties with his parents and crippled his own brother? Cold-hearted—how could he possibly have any tenderness?
Meanwhile, Matchmaker Feng was utterly confused by the villagers’ reactions.
But the marriage was settled—that was all that mattered.
Just as he was about to take his leave, he suddenly saw an old woman approaching with several others.
The moment she saw Pei Mu, hatred burst from her eyes.
Pointing at him, trembling, she shouted to the village chief beside her:
“You heard it! Pei Mu forced that Zhong boy into marriage! He’s heartless, a bully—this disaster should be driven out of our village!”
Her shrill voice pierced the air.
Matchmaker Feng frowned immediately. “Don’t make baseless accusations! He followed proper customs, brought a matchmaker, and both sides agreed. How is that bullying?”
“Bah!” The old woman spat at him. “You’re paid by him, of course you’d defend him! Taking money from such a cursed man—aren’t you afraid of retribution?”
Feng barely avoided the spit, pulled back by Pei Mu. Furious, he snapped, “Madwoman! Absolutely mad!”
Pei Mu stood there coldly, indifferent.
But his silence only seemed to provoke her further.
The villagers, who had begun dispersing, gathered again at the sight of the village chief.
Someone whispered explanations to newcomers.
Years ago, when the court conscripted soldiers, every household with more than one eligible man had to send one—or pay silver in exchange.
Pei Mu had just turned fourteen and was forced into service.
While most families scraped together money to avoid sending loved ones, the Pei family chose to save five taels and sent him instead.
The old woman’s family had no choice either. Her son Liu Dashan was taken.
Last year, when the soldiers returned victorious, only Pei Mu came back alive.
Liu Dashan died.
Since then, the old woman blamed everything on Pei Mu.
Now, seizing the opportunity, she demanded he be driven out.
Her voice rose in crazed curses until she was hoarse, repeating over and over:
“Why wasn’t it you who died… why not you…”
Pei Mu finally lifted his gaze.
A cold smile touched his lips, like something inhuman.
“I won’t die.”
“Not only did your son die before me—you will too.”
The crowd erupted.
The old woman lunged at him in a frenzy, but he stepped aside, and others restrained her.
The village chief finally spoke, “Enough. If you keep this up, I’ll leave.”
She quieted, glaring venomously.
“What proof do you have that he forced this marriage?” he asked.
“The whole village is proof!” she cried. “Who would willingly marry him? The Zhong family must be crazy!”
Before others could respond—
A clear voice cut through the noise.
“It was my choice to marry him.”
Silence fell.
Zhong Yizhu stepped out of the house, calm and composed.
He held his mother’s hand, then faced the crowd.
“No one forced me. No one bullied anyone. I chose this marriage myself.”
The crowd was stunned.
Even Zhang Guihua stared as if he were mad.
Pei Mu, standing aside, glanced at the slender figure.
For the first time, his indifferent expression shifted slightly.
Raised in comfort, yet capable of such resolve…
Unexpected.
Zhong Yizhu didn’t stop there. Turning to Zhang Guihua, he asked calmly:
“But I would like to ask—my family has no ties with yours, and my mother never agreed to any match with your son. Why have you been spreading rumors about us?”
Zhang Guihua stammered, unable to answer.
Finally she muttered, “Now that you’ve found a better match, of course you can say whatever you want…”
Implying he was just denying everything to save face.
Zhong Yizhu’s gaze sharpened slightly.
“In that case,” he said, “since the village chief and everyone are here, let’s invite Matchmaker Liu to clarify things—whether she ever mentioned any betrothal money at all…”
(To be continued…)