The husband I snatched halfway through his life is strange.

Old Mrs. He was furious, but she didn't dare offend Yu Jingcheng, so she slammed the door and went back inside. She didn't continue cursing at her daughter-in-law, but spat in the direction of the Yu family next door.

"A good-for-nothing who doesn't know the rules and has no manners whatsoever, only Yu Jingcheng would treat him like a treasure."

Thinking of Yu Jiayao's new clothes just now.

"Such fine material, yet she wasted it."

"He's so young and already wearing gold and silver. I, an old woman, don't even have a decent piece of jewelry!"

"And then there's that good-for-nothing mother. A vixen-like slut, with that kind of appearance, she's clearly not the type to settle down and live a peaceful life."

Aunt He remained silent, only hanging clothes to dry. I chuckled inwardly.

They just want to spoil their daughter, what's it to you?

Yu Jingcheng is capable; he always manages to earn a lot of money every time he goes out to escort goods.

Why not save that money for your wife and daughter? Why would you, an unreasonable old man, use it?

and also……

Aunt He gave a wry smile.

Even Yao Yao couldn't bear to watch and knew to help her.

My father-in-law doesn't manage things.

Her eldest son had long been spoiled by Old Woman He.

Her husband was at home, but he lacked initiative and huddled in the room, afraid to make a sound.

They're all unreliable!
This……

The man is useless.

But my son is still young, and I can still straighten him.

But as long as the old woman lives, she can't manage the household.

Just as she had told Yu Niang before, they still had to endure it.

Old Mrs. He, unaware of her thoughts, slapped her thigh hard again: "Sending her to school? What? Does she think she can pass the imperial examinations? She really has too much money to burn."

Her eyes drooped, her cheekbones were high, making her look even more fierce, as she glared at Aunt He.

"You should have as little contact as possible with the neighbors next door."

Aunt He was utterly disgusted with her mother-in-law.

“Yu Niang is gentle and doesn’t leave the house all day. She seems like a very dutiful daughter-in-law.”

Old Woman He: ?! ?
"Unbelievable! You dare talk back?"

"I wouldn't dare. It's just that I don't mind what Mother said, but our two families live close by. If Escort Yu hears this, it will be terrible."

“Back then, he overheard Old Lady Liu gossiping behind his back in the alley next door, and he stormed straight to her house and threw a huge tantrum.”

Aunt He said, "My mother is getting old and can't take a beating."

Old Mrs. He choked.

But you have to admit, that's very true.

Her face turned pale and then flushed.

Finally, he said coldly.

"Who doesn't say that?"

Leaving aside others, even that old woman Liu, after being reprimanded, was still the most vocal in gossiping behind people's backs.

"If Yu Jingcheng is truly capable, then he should attack each and every one of them!"

"If he offends all the neighbors, he won't last long."

Aunt He: ...

Why do it behind closed doors? Isn't it because they're afraid of being confronted by Yu Jingcheng?
Would a brute like Yu Jingcheng be afraid of offending people? If he had a list, would he be able to resist using force?
Ze County was a poor and remote place, incorrigible. Here, might makes right. If neighbors got into a fight, as long as no one died, the county magistrate wouldn't interfere.

What losses could Yu Jingcheng possibly suffer? He would only have to pay some money.

But is he short of money?
Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

Zexian City Gate.

A horse-drawn carriage slowly approached.

The carriage looked quite ordinary and did not attract the attention of passersby.

The guards stopped him.

Uncle Yan, the horseman, smiled and handed over the forged travel permit and toll. The guard glanced at it casually and returned the permit. Uncle Yan continued riding and entered the city gate.

The person inside the carriage then gently lifted a corner of the curtain, letting in a sliver of sunlight that illuminated half of his chin.

His hands have distinct knuckles, and there is a shallow indentation on the inside of his index finger, a groove caused by years of holding a pen.

Perhaps because tomorrow is Lunar New Year's Eve, every household has already prepared their New Year's goods, and there aren't many people on the streets.

"master."

Uncle Yan: "You came in such a hurry this time without doing any prior investigation. Aren't you afraid that General Jingyuan's words might be wrong?"

"How did he find out about the girl's affair, which was kept completely secret?"

"If it were someone else, they would probably use them as leverage to get you to work for them, only revealing their whereabouts after the deed is done. But he came to my door and gave me the address directly. There's more to this than that..."

Gu Fuju was somewhat lost in thought.

Ze County... He had actually been here many times, so it was not unfamiliar to him.

In the past, when I came here, my feelings were a mixture of undisguised disgust and a faint, unattainable hope.

This feeling is complicated.

But right now...

He is nervous.

And they couldn't wait.

Gu Fuju arrived day and night, looking tired, but his heart was filled with excitement.

He closed his eyes: "Behind him is...that person."

For years, there had been no movement, and the Prince of Yan had perhaps resigned himself to his fate. But suddenly he decided to rebel against the court, and there was probably something he didn't know about it.

"The tragedy of Old Master Lu is still fresh in my mind, and I have also suffered from the suppression of the imperial court over the years. It is inevitable that they want to get something from me."

Can……

"He is from the Wei family, which is enough to make him upright."

With just one simple sentence, Wei Fengyuan was affirmed.

Gu Fuju had thought a lot along the way.

Since the new emperor ascended the throne, the famine years have passed, and the people's lives have improved. Along the way, the streets have gone from prosperous to desolate, and the surrounding scenery has changed considerably.

Some people bore the marks of hunger, yet their sunken eyes shone with a light.

But... such a monarch.

He made the people of the Great Jin Dynasty happy, but only for the sake of merit and a good reputation. Was he truly benevolent?
If he were truly benevolent, he could have done much better.

The laws of the Great Jin Dynasty are not perfect, the court is exploiting people everywhere, and the corruption in the officialdom should be dealt with swiftly and decisively.

But the emperor's mind was preoccupied with the art of rulership, which involved checking and balancing his ministers.

His fruitless search for Qingying over the years was orchestrated by the Zhou family, the Empress's maternal clan, which was undoubtedly approved by the Emperor.

A flash of hatred crossed Gu Fuju's eyes.

Let alone informing them of Qingying's whereabouts, he would do anything for them, even if it were just a tiny bit of information about Qingying.

Unfortunately, the Prince of Yan and Wei Fengyuan held nothing back.

That did... convince him completely.

Hearing Gu Fuju say that, Uncle Yan couldn't hide the smile on his face.

So... I can really find a girl?
"We don't have any portraits of the girl, so if we run into her on the road, we probably won't recognize her."

"Fortunately, my subordinates have already found out where Escort Yu lives."

Those alleys were so winding and labyrinthine that Uncle Yan almost got lost while riding his horse. He had no choice but to stop the carriage and ask for directions from the nearest house.

"Looking for Escort Yu?"

Someone gave him directions: "It's in the next alley, not far. Go straight ahead, turn left after you see the second old locust tree, and the most impressive house is the Yu family's."

Uncle Yan was overjoyed and thanked him profusely.

Just then, a little boy, full of bravado, ran towards them carrying a rock bigger than her face.

Seeing only one side of his face, Gu Fuju's heart suddenly skipped a beat.

He lifted the curtain and almost fell off the carriage shaft. His chest pounded so hard it hurt his eardrums, and he staggered a few steps after him.

(End of this chapter)