The wicked mother-in-law doesn't try to whitewash herself; she only abuses her awful children.

Chapter 612 She's not so stupid as to be unable to see reality.

"In my opinion, among these three pretty girls in Qinghe Bay, your Xiaoxue is the most outstanding. I heard she's very capable, beautiful, and gentle. Don't laugh at me, but I just asked Xinghua and she said she's not engaged yet. Could it be that you're worried about your daughter and want to keep her around for a few more years?"

With a beaming smile, Matchmaker Wang steered the conversation toward Xiaoxue's marriage.

During a casual chat at the Xu family's house, she mentioned that she had a marriage proposal for the son of a wealthy family. She didn't specify which family the son was from, only that the son was in a bad situation and wanted to find a girl in the village who was both good-looking and kind. Her real intention was to find out which family in Qinghe Bay was willing to sell their daughter.

Xu Xinghua secretly told Wang the matchmaker that Gu Xiaoxue was a good match; the second branch of the Gu family could let their son marry into the family, let alone sell their daughter.

That's when Wang the matchmaker set her sights on Gu Xiaoxue.

Jia's eyelids twitched.

Matchmaker Wang is not very skilled. She admits that Gu Xiaoxue is capable and good-looking, but her gentle nature is a thing of the past.

The current Gu Xiaoxue is nothing like the gentle person she once was.

She'll retaliate if anyone in the family says anything unpleasant to her.

Even Grandma Gu didn't dare to go and risk bad luck.

If you didn't know better, you'd think she and Gu Taohua were sisters, both born to Tong Huaqiong.

Jia forced a smile and said, "We've only been in Qinghewan for two years since we came from the south. We're not familiar with the young people in the surrounding area, so we wanted to find out more about them. That's why Xiaoxue's marriage has been delayed."

Matchmaker Wang sighed and said, "With Xiaoxue's looks, the family she marries will only be better than Gu Xiaocao's. I've met many people, and Xiaoxue would be qualified to marry a wealthy young master from Pingchuan as his wife."

"To be frank, it's illogical for your son Ruinian to marry into the Xu family while both his parents are still alive. It's all because your family is poor and powerless. You have such a good daughter, yet you're wasting your son's life. You're the kind of family you can't find anywhere else in the surrounding area. If Xiaoxue were to be engaged to a good family, would the Xu family dare to bully you like this?"

Matchmaker Wang persuaded Jia Shi with just a few words.

Madam Jia sighed and said, "Ever since Xiaoxue went to work at Tong Dajiao's weaving workshop, she has become increasingly unruly. I'm afraid that if I use her marriage as a pretext, she will become temperamental."

The thought of Gu Xiaoxue's ruthlessness in wanting to poison the whole family terrified Jia.

Matchmaker Wang often went from street to street, so she naturally heard a little about Gu Xiaoxue's story.

She felt that it was all exaggerated; how could a young girl be so magnanimous? It was probably because the Gu family spoiled her too much.

A young girl like her can't possibly cause any trouble; there are ways to deal with her.

Unless she never wants to get married and become a nun, as long as her parents control her marriage, she has to obey them.

Matchmaker Wang then said to Jia, "You're confused. Can a young woman's marriage be entirely in her own hands? Since ancient times, it has been the parents' decision and the matchmaker's words. Xiaoxue will eventually get married. As long as you find her a good match, how could she refuse?"

Jia thought about it and realized that this made sense.

"Sister-in-law Wang makes it sound so easy. Where are we going to find a good marriage for Xiaoxue?" Jia asked with a worried look.

That day, Gu Ruinian also made it clear to her that Gu Xiaoxue had become too ambitious and it was time to find her a marriage partner.

According to Wang the matchmaker, this good marriage would not only support Gu Ruinian, but also satisfy Xiaoxue.

Hard!

Matchmaker Wang was just waiting for these words. She raised her eyes and said, "This is difficult for you people who never leave your homes, but it's not difficult for me. A thousand-mile marriage is tied by a single thread, and that's what I do. To tell you the truth, I currently have a good marriage in my hands."

"It's the Lian family, a well-known family in Pingchuan County. They own a very large pearl shop. This third young master of the Lian family has two older brothers, one married and one unmarried, and an older sister born out of wedlock who just became the wife of the prefect two months ago. The third young master himself is handsome and just passed the imperial examination this year. He is a good match for Xiaoxue in terms of both age and temperament."

Jia felt that the Lian family was so familiar.

How could such a wealthy family, with a prefect as brother-in-law and himself a scholar, be willing to marry a village girl from Qinghewan?

Gu Xiaoxue is beautiful and capable. She would believe that she would marry a wealthy man from the Jia family in the city, but she does not believe that she would marry the third son of the Lian family.

She wasn't so stupid as to be unable to see reality. Could it be that the third young master of the Lian family has something wrong with him?
Meeting Jia's suspicious gaze, Wang the matchmaker offered an explanation.

"When the third young master of the Lian family was young, he was engaged to a woman. However, the woman's brother later went to Shengjing and married into a wealthier family. He sent his sister to the Prince's mansion as a concubine, and the two families broke off the engagement. After this setback, the second young master of the Lian family was unwilling to marry a girl of equal social standing and planned to find a girl from a respectable family in the countryside."

Matchmaker Wang made up a bunch of lies.

"If you don't believe me, go and ask around. Do you think I would lie to you?"

Seeing how determined Wang the matchmaker was, Jia was overjoyed.

The Lian family is the prefect's in-laws' family. If Xiaoxue marries into the family, her son won't have to be a live-in son-in-law.

Xiaoxue resented her family before because they wanted to marry her off to Xu Dabao. Now that they've arranged such a good marriage for her, what reason does she have to object?
The first people to enter the house were the third young mistress of the Lian family and the scholar's wife.

Jia said, "I'll go back and discuss it with the head of the household."

Matchmaker Wang nodded and said, "Then I'll wait for your letter."

Laughter came from the weaving workshop, and several girls came out to playfully tease Gu Xiaoxue, with Gu Xiaoxue standing out the most.

Matchmaker Wang glanced over and nodded in satisfaction.

The matchmaker, Wang, didn't tell Jia the truth at all. The Lian family was indeed choosing a daughter-in-law, but it wasn't for Lian's third son.

Instead, it was to arrange a marriage for the second young master of the Lian family.

Even the Second Young Master's brain was severed, and his head was smashed by Lian Hengruo, making him look like a child.

It's impossible to find a girl in Pingchuan who's willing to marry you.

Left with no other option, the Lian family turned their attention to the village. The country girls were simple, capable, and a good match for the current second young master of the Lian family.

However, this girl cannot be just anyone; she must be good-looking, capable, and able to support the second wife's household.

They feared that if the girl from the countryside found out about the Second Young Master Lian's situation, their marriage would be hindered.

So they made it public that they were arranging a marriage with the Third Young Master Lian, and that the Third Young Master Lian would help with the wedding procession and perform the wedding ceremony.
Once the rice is cooked, the rural family, being weak and powerless, can't do anything to the Lian family and can only accept their fate.

Later, they can adopt a nephew to the second wife, so that the second wife will have an heir.

Matchmaker Wang felt that Gu Taohua was the most suitable for the second young master of the Lian family, as she was good at business and could support the family. However, Tong Huaqiong was not the same as before, so she dared not provoke her. Therefore, she set her sights on Gu Xiaoxue.

The second branch of the Gu family is so poor that their son is about to marry into the family, yet they still can't abandon a daughter?
If the second branch of the Gu family and Tong Huaqiong had a harmonious relationship, Wang the matchmaker wouldn't dare to do it.

In short, Wang the matchmaker thought Gu Xiaoxue was the most suitable.

As Wang, the matchmaker, sat in the carriage, she lifted the curtain and looked Gu Xiaoxue over again, becoming more and more satisfied with her.

Gu Taohua nudged Gu Xiaoxue and said, "Matchmaker Wang is a wicked woman. She kept staring at you while she was talking to your mother. I'm afraid she's after your marriage."

Having dealt with Wang the matchmaker before, Gu Taohua's alarm bells went off as soon as she saw Wang the matchmaker holding onto Jia Shi.

Gu Taohua guessed that the matchmaker Wang was arranging a marriage for Gu Xiaoxue with either an old man whose first wife had died, or a wealthy family's son who was unable to raise children.

In short, it's an abnormal marriage where the groom can afford an exorbitant dowry to thank the matchmaker.

Gu Xiaoxue's heart sank.

Gu Youtian and Jia Shi had always wanted to use her marriage to turn their fortunes around, but they hadn't brought it up for the past six months because they hadn't found anyone they were satisfied with.

If they find someone satisfactory, such as a concubine or a second wife from a wealthy family, as long as she can help Gu Youtian turn his life around and help Gu Ruinian cure his leg, his parents will not hesitate to sell her.

Even Grandpa Gu and Grandma Gu would stand on the same side as them.