Slap the Face Hard~
Boom! A bolt of lightning flashed brightly in the night sky.
Huo stormed forward in anger, lifting the long skirt that nearly trailed into the Yutang waters. Muttering and complaining all the way, she fumed, "Listen to the nonsense that girl is spouting!"
"My piano is only used to kill people! Hahaha! Haha!"
"That serious look nearly scared the old lady to death!"
"Madam, madam, please calm down! Don't be angry anymore..." Governor Yu chased after her in small, hurried steps, quickly taking the umbrella from a silent maid and holding it over his wife's head.
"I've had enough!" Huo whirled around, her face contorted with fury. She gritted her teeth, spitting out her words. "That girl was born to make my life miserable! She won't rest until she drives me mad!"
"Look at her! Every time I try to be even a little kind to her, she infuriates me to the point of collapse!"
"Her mouth is far too sharp! Either she keeps silent or, when she does speak, it's all slander and lies! Not a single one of her ten sentences holds the truth—she's a complete liar!"
"Oh, madam, that might be a bit too harsh..." Governor Yu tried to comfort her, reaching for her hand.
Huo shook him off. "I, Huo Jinxiu, have not been this angry in more than thirty years!"
"And don't even bring up my mother's family! I know better than anyone the kind of life I led there. I am Huo Jinxiu—the golden priestess of the Huo family! I have never wasted time on idle people!"
"Since marrying into your Yu family, my mother-in-law has not angered me this much! But now, your daughter—your daughter!—she has driven me to madness. My heart literally hurts!"
Huo Jinxiu grew even angrier as she spoke. She jabbed a finger against her chest, emphasizing each word.
"A good reunion dinner was ruined because of her! How am I supposed to calm my heart after this?"
"And yet you still protect her!" Huo raised her arm, pointing as she scolded. "You spoil her, letting her do as she pleases! One day, when you return to the capital to report your duties, just wait and see what she does! See if she even gives you a chance to offer her a gift! What a pity!"
Governor Yu sighed bitterly. His shoulders slumped, and his neck shrank as if trying to make himself smaller.
"Wife, why do you speak of returning to Beijing so casually? King Liang was murdered by a villain, and his own improper conduct was exposed! Such a huge scandal—how could it not implicate me? Reporting to the capital now... who knows if I'll even keep my position as governor?"
"Don't think about returning to Beijing." Governor Yu waved his hand weakly, his face full of defeat. He lowered his head, utterly dejected.
It was as if a bucket of ice water had been poured over her head. Huo stopped in her tracks, her voice trembling. "Wait... is it really that serious?"
At that moment, Governor Yu looked as if he had aged ten years. He let out a long sigh.
"I fear the worst, wife... I truly do."
Huo's heart ached at the sight of him. Stepping forward, she gently took his arm. "Master, it's too early to say such things. Perhaps the situation isn't as bad as you think?"
"They won't dismiss you outright. At most, you'll be demoted. Don't worry too much. I will write to my family and ask them to mediate on your behalf. At worst, you may have to stay away from the capital for a few years... but there will always be a chance."
Governor Yu's eyes reddened with gratitude. "Thank you, wife. It just pains me to think that I won't be able to return to Beijing to visit my mother-in-law anytime soon."
"Enough of that talk—it's making me sick!"
"The night rain is cold, madam. Let's go inside and rest."
---
The Day Yu Qiuping Left the Palace
On the day Yu Qiuping left for her marriage, a light drizzle misted the air, blurring the corridors in a soft haze.
Because she was rushing to be wed before the New Year, the wedding was kept simple—only two firecrackers were set off.
It was a hurried, almost pitiful marriage, but the moment Yu Qiuping stepped into the sedan chair, her steps were unwavering.
As the curtains fell, she caught a glimpse of Aunt Ma standing at the corner of the wall, waving her handkerchief ever so slightly.
Yu Qiuping clutched the small box in her arms tightly, a storm of emotions raging inside her.
Inside that box was the last bit of silver her aunt had saved—offered now as a part of her dowry.
It was pitiful, almost laughable, compared to the lavish dowries given by noble families.
And yet, Yu Qiuping was deeply touched. She couldn't help but remember what Yu Linlang had told her that day:
"Your aunt loves you dearly. She may not have much money, but she is willing to give you everything she has..."
Tears welled up in Yu Qiuping's eyes. She reached up, wiping them away, murmuring to herself as if making a solemn vow: "I will succeed. I will live well. Mother."
Her third sister's words were harsh, but they rang true.
She was merely a concubine's daughter. Marrying into the Wu family as an official wife was, in truth, a good match.
The marriage was set in stone. But how she lived her life from now on—that was entirely in her hands.
"Mother, just wait. I will carve out a good life for myself. And when I do, I will take you out of that house so you can live your days in peace..."
Suddenly, a cold voice interrupted from outside the sedan chair.
"Wait!"
"The third miss has ordered me to bring a wedding gift for the eldest lady."
The crowd stirred. A servant stepped forward, lifting a small brocade box. From it, he pulled out a deed and raised his voice.
"A small estate in Bali Village, Chengde Road—120 acres of fertile land. Congratulations to the eldest miss on her wedding! May you and your husband enjoy a long and prosperous marriage!"
With that, he placed the deed back into the box and handed it to a servant.
The groom, Wu Zhe, let out a hearty laugh and bowed deeply. "Thank you, third sister!"
Yu Pianpian, who had been standing at the doorway, turned pale with rage and shame.
How could anyone give such a gift?
She had mocked Yu Linlang before for offering nothing but a simple silver hairpin as a wedding gift. And now, Yu Linlang had gifted an entire estate and 120 acres of farmland—an undeniable slap to her face.
Yu Pianpian instinctively clung to Huo's arm, biting her lip and stomping her foot in frustration. She gently shook her mother's arm, hoping for some kind of response.
Huo's expression was dark with anger, but with so many people present, she couldn't lash out. Instead, she patted her daughter's back lightly, trying to maintain her composure.
Standing by the door, Yu Zhihuan's face was equally sour.
Her own wedding gift had been a simple gold bracelet—not even worth much silver. Compared to Yu Linlang's grand gesture, it was insignificant.
Inside the sedan chair, Yu Qiuping's eyes welled with emotion. Lifting the curtain slightly, she called out through the red veil, "Baliang, please thank my third sister for me. I will always remember her kindness. If fate allows, I hope she and I can meet again."
"Oh, bride, don't lift the curtain." The matchmaker quickly pressed it down with a chuckle.
"Alright, alright! The auspicious time has arrived—lift the sedan chair!"
And so, Yu Qiuping was carried off to her new life.