Chapter 170

This status is actually quite high; being a general's Lady would be fine, but General Yuan already had two wives before, and both died shortly after marrying him.

Thus, rumors spread that General Yuan was obsessed with domestic violence.

The Li family believed this without question.

This was because General Yuan was originally betrothed to Li Yuhu by a finger-sworn pact, but later, as his family fell into ruin and he became an orphan, he could only seek refuge with the Li family.

However, Li Fu, who despised the poor and loved the rich, was extremely snobbish; not only did he turn him away, but he also spoke words of humiliation.

Now that General Yuan has risen to prominence and suddenly sent a betrothal letter, Li Fu saw it as revenge, intending to marry Li Yuhu home to torture her.

Li Fu, on one hand, was afraid and dared not refuse; on the other, he held onto the lucky thought of climbing the dragon and attaching himself to the phoenix, so he forced his daughter to marry.

Though Du Bingyan and Li Yuhu were unwilling in every way, an arm cannot twist a thigh, so they had to comply.

"Scoundrel!"

Seeing this, many women angrily slapped their tables, filled with indignation.

What kind of scoundrel fathers are these?

One sold his daughter to seize another's wealth; the other pushed his daughter into a "domestic violence" pit, making her pay for his past snobbery.

This truly is one worse than the other.

Especially Du Fu!

Li Fu was indeed a villain's face, but forcing his daughter to marry was likely more due to pressure, so it was understandable.

After all, "commoners do not fight officials"; even if given ten guts, they would not dare to forcibly tear up an old betrothal with a Great General.

But Du Fu was a complete scoundrel!

Marrying his daughter to a dying man, waiting for him to die, then rolling up the wealth to marry her off again?

The calculations made... saw only money, treating his own flesh and blood not as a human at all, but merely as a tool for gold.

This is simply outrageous; he is unworthy of being a father!

188 Selling Daughters, Killing Teammates

In the room, the two women exchanged a glance.

Du Bingyan sighed lightly, while Li Yuhu looked furious, her small mouth pouting very high.

They were not like the characters in the story, with the Qi family proposing and a finger-sworn pact, but their fathers were just as snobbish as in the play.

For these two years, the reason they had not been married off was that both families were waiting for a better price, hoping to hook a "golden turtle husband."

Not long ago, people from the Grand Preceptor Hua's mansion came to propose; the two families had no room for refusal, and they could understand their families' compromise.

But the behavior of Du Fu and Li Fu made the two women feel extremely chilled to the heart.

Because on their faces, there was not a trace of melancholy from being forced to marry off a daughter; there was only the joy of climbing up to the powerful and noble.

That expression, they would never forget in their lives.

However, they did not intend to sit and wait for death.

One night, Li Yuhu secretly infiltrated the Du family to find Du Bingyan and discuss a countermeasure.

Just then, "mountain demons" were causing trouble in the Red River Valley, so the two women decided to use this opportunity to escape.

They figured that with the protection of the Kunji Seal, they would not face any danger.

So when Bai Qingshu acted to kidnap them, the two women were not frightened but delighted, having no thought of resistance at all.

Otherwise, Bai Qingshu truly could not have taken them away.

Later, when they met Jiang Sishui, why did they follow him so decisively? Was it not also due to disappointment in their fathers and having no home to return to?

Of course, they were also originally very curious about Jiang Sishui.

Seeing that their fathers in the story were still so despicable, the two women felt some resentment in their hearts, more or less.

But since they were biological fathers, they did not speak out to complain.

"Two brides leaving their homes on the same day."

"And because Li Fu played tricks, wanting to borrow the Du family's power to show off his own wealth, he deliberately waited until the Du family's sedan chair was about to pass the gate before the Li family's sedan chair departed."

"Thus walking in front of the other."

"The two sedan chairs, one after the other, followed closely."

"Borrowing another family's power to show off one's own wealth?" All the women were speechless.

This Li Fu is truly a villain among villains; he haggles over even such a small matter.

Li Yuhu subconsciously looked at Du Bingyan, feeling an indescribable embarrassment in her heart.

Du Bingyan smiled, held her hand, and said, "It is just a story. Moreover, you and I are sisters; there is no need to be so clear-cut."

Li Yuhu immediately beamed with joy, nodding repeatedly: "Sister Bingyan is the best!"

"Just then, heavy rain fell across the land, so both processions carried the sedan chairs into the Fairy Temple to take shelter from the rain."

"Du Bingyan and Li Yuhu thus met, and confided their grievances to comfort each other."

"But because the two brides' wedding gowns were exactly the same, with only the red veil being different, and they left in haste, the two women also mixed up the red veils."

"Thus, the matchmakers of both families led the wrong people."

"Du Bingyan boarded the Li family's sedan chair, and Li Yuhu boarded the Du family's sedan chair."

"The two women thus married in the wrong places."

"However, after a series of events occurred, the two women finally learned that 'the Qi family Young Master is afflicted with illness' and 'General Yuan loves domestic violence' were both untrue."

"And during the process of getting along, the two women each fell in love with the other's husband, so in the end, they let the mistake stand."

"So that is how it is."

All the women understood the meaning of the play's title.

The whole story was not complex, but due to many misunderstandings and coincidences, it added much dramatic flair.

"Marrying the right husband?" Du Bingyan silently shook her head.

Reality was clearly crueler than the story. Without the "variable" that was Jiang Sishui appearing, she and Li Yuhu would most likely have ended up marrying into the Grand Tutor's mansion in the end.

What "marrying the right husband"—nothing but wishful thinking.

【After learning the two brides' identities, the relief I felt inside!】

【Lucky I ran into them today, otherwise wouldn't I have missed them for nothing?】

【And the ones they were to marry turned out to be the two imbecile sons of Grand Tutor Hua's household—how could that be allowed?】

【So I stepped up without hesitation, decided to save them from the sea of suffering】

"Save them from the sea of suffering? More like you were struck by their beauty!"

The women all expressed contempt for Jiang Sishui's pretense.

【The escort procession had to pass through Red River Valley. Rumor had it some "mountain demon" was causing trouble there—didn't bother anyone else, only snatched brides】

【One hearing was enough to tell someone was playing tricks】

【So I followed along to take a look】

【When the procession reached the middle of the valley, thick smoke suddenly rose on all sides, then a half-masked man went in and carried the people off】

【Seeing the culprit himself, I had my guesses about his identity, which were later confirmed】

【Bai Qingshu, a character from "The Commoner Divine Physiognomist"】

【"The Commoner Divine Physiognomist" is set against a backdrop where the righteous and unrighteous factions hold a "Jin Yin Battle" once every five years. Each side fields five experts to compete; the victor holds the Jin Yin and commands the jianghu, while the loser must keep a low profile for the next five years】

【Bai Qingshu was one of the combatants in a certain edition】

【However, because he fell for the unrighteous faction's honey trap, he was drugged before the battle and thus missed it】

【After Bai Qingshu woke up, grief-stricken and enraged, he accidentally knocked over a candle and burned half his face】

【From then on, Bai Qingshu's temperament changed drastically, and he began to doubt true love between men and women】

【He abducted brides to see whether the bride and groom were sincere, whether they could withstand the test—not because he himself had any designs on the brides】

【This man is indeed pitiable, but equally hateful, because what he did brought a lot of trouble to others】

【Considering his heart wasn't truly bad, I didn't kill him, but issued a warning and gave him one chance】

""As expected." Du Bingyan realized with a start.

Earlier, seeing that something was off about Bai Qingshu, she had sensed he must have had some tragic experience, only becoming like that after being traumatized.

Now, her guess was confirmed.

But just as Jiang Sishui said, the pitiable Bai Qingshu also had his hateful side.

A bride sets out to be married, and Bai Qingshu snatches her away.

If the person doesn't come back, everyone thinks it's the "mountain demon" causing trouble; if the person does come back, everyone knows you were kidnapped by bandits.

What? He didn't touch you during that time?

Say it out loud—who'd believe it!