The splendor of the Red Chamber, the power that reigns supreme.

Chapter 179 Hu Sanniang Meets a High-Ranking Official, Meng Yulou is Forced into Marriage
The official turned around and looked.

A woman stood tall and imposing, towering above most men by half a head! She resembled a proud red pine tree standing tall in the snow, her very being exuding a wildness.

She was wearing a dark-colored, arrow-sleeved jacket, the fabric clinging tightly to her body.

A wide, tanned cowhide belt cinched his waist, creating a tiny, incredibly slender waist that was astoundingly thin yet resilient like a tightly coiled bowstring, making his chest bulge out like a lively, taut ball.

Below, she wore matching joggers and a pair of suede boots.

The trousers hugged her two jade-like legs, stretching them out to be round and full, with the flesh tumbling slightly as she walked, and her buttocks swaying gently.

Even the most explicit erotic paintings cannot depict such wild and sassy, ​​fleshy and fragrant legs and buttocks that seem to possess immense strength!
Even through the thick fabric, it couldn't hide the amazing elasticity and wild horse-like strength of the flesh underneath. It was truly a soul-snatching thing that could break a man's waist and crush the bones of a brute!
She was undeniably beautiful and radiant, yet she possessed none of the delicate, feminine air of a young lady from a noble family. Instead, she resembled a female leopard leaping out of a snowfield—clean, sharp, and exuding a chilling, fierce aura.

Her jet-black hair, as black as ink, was not tied into a elaborate bun, but simply bound into a high ponytail with a gold ring, revealing her smooth and full forehead. Her long, white neck stood straight in the cold wind, truly surpassing the swans stretching their necks in the snow.

Looking at that face again, it was truly as beautiful as a peach blossom, yet as cold as ice!
His eyebrows slanted upwards towards his temples, naturally dark and imposing.

Her phoenix eyes, bright as cold stars, shone with a sharp light when they opened and closed, and when they swept over, they were like two small knives, exuding power and authority.

Xu Zhi felt his legs tremble as she glanced at him, and he hurriedly looked away.

"Huh? It's you!" Before the official could speak, the woman's phoenix eyes flashed like lightning. She glanced at his face, and her cold, star-like eyes suddenly burst with light. She recognized him!
The icy frost on her face cracked open in an instant, revealing a bright and cheerful smile. This smile was like a wild rose with thorns suddenly blooming in the snow, its vibrant color and wild energy almost dazzling.

Without a word, she swiftly performed a fist-and-palm salute to Ximen Qing on horseback! The movement was clean and crisp, creating a sharp whistling sound as her waist twisted and her chest trembled slightly.
"So it was you! Thanks to the righteous man in the capital, I was freed from that filthy entanglement with that scoundrel! Hu Sanniang thanks you!" Her voice was clear and melodious, charming yet crisp and energetic, and carrying the open and bold spirit unique to women of the martial world.

Ximen Da Guanren finally came to his senses. The woman in front of him, who was dashing, beautiful, and fierce, was none other than the one he had seen being harassed by several scoundrels on Zhuque Street in Bianliang, Tokyo, a month ago, who was accompanied by two women.
On a whim, he used a featherless arrow to knock down two wicked servants and rescue her from the predicament.

The official shook his head, his gaze sweeping over her tightly bound waist before he laughed loudly, "Haha, it was nothing, not worth mentioning! My lady, you don't need to take it to heart."

He changed the subject, his tone now carrying a genuine admiration: "But your punches and kicks were clean, crisp, and skillful, clearly the work of a master! You have such a fine physique and strength! I am truly impressed!"

When Hu Sanniang heard him praise her martial arts skills, the smile in her phoenix eyes deepened, clearly she was very pleased.

She was straightforward and unpretentious, frankly stating, "It's just a little skill, nothing to mention. It's just that I was restricted from carrying weapons when entering and leaving the capital, and I almost fell into the trap of those spoiled brats."

"But your skill in throwing stones, righteous man, is truly amazing! It's like a 'featherless arrow,' always hitting the right spot! It's an eye-opener!"

The official laughed and said, "It's just a trivial skill, my wife is too kind."

Hu Sanniang clasped her hands in a traditional salute, saying, "Your chivalrous spirit is truly admirable! If you ever need my help, just come to Hu Family Village! My name is Hu Sanniang!"

The official rolled his eyes inwardly; these outlaws were all just empty promises.

Thinking of Hujiazhuang again?

The official was taken aback again, realizing that the wild game and mountain produce in his household over the years had been purchased from here.

After speaking, Hu Sanniang turned her gaze to the shopkeeper Xu Zhi beside her. The cheerful smile she had shown when facing Ximen Qing vanished instantly, replaced by a cold and capable demeanor like a snowfield. Her phoenix eyes were like knives: "May I ask, are you the shopkeeper here?"

Xu Zhi shuddered at the cold, authoritative question, as if waking from a dream. Seeing that this beautiful, tall, and wild woman seemed somewhat familiar with her employer, he dared not be negligent upon hearing her question.

He nodded and bowed hastily, agreeing, while simultaneously pointing to the high-ranking official seated on his horse, raising his voice:

“Indeed! I am the manager of the shop, but this gentleman,” he bowed even lower, “is the real owner of our shop, the famous Master Ximen of Qinghe County!”

Hu Sanniang was taken aback, her spirited eyebrows slightly raised, and she quickly clasped her hands in greeting to the official, saying, "Greetings, Your Excellency!"

"Does Madam Hu wish to purchase silk?" The official lifted the corner of his robe, dismounted nimbly, and tossed the reins to his servant Dai'an behind him. A friendly smile spread across his face: "Why would someone of your stature, Madam Hu, not go to the capital to buy the finest goods, but instead condescend to come to our humble Qinghe County?"

Hu Sanniang was straightforward and disliked beating around the bush. She nodded and said, "That's right! The end of the year is approaching, and the men, women, and children in the village need to prepare some new clothes for the New Year."

Having said that, she exhaled a puff of white breath from her full, rosy lips and sighed, "That was originally my plan. It's a pity that all the big cloth shops in the capital are now controlled by one family! They're probably afraid of offending those filthy rich kids, so they've found some excuse to avoid taking my orders!"

The official exclaimed "Oh?" and slowly asked, "I wonder how many bolts of cloth Lady Hu needs at her estate?"

Hu Sanniang raised her phoenix eyes slightly, pondered for a moment, and readily said, "There are about a thousand people in the manor, including the servants and their families. Each person needs to make a set of new clothes for the New Year. The material doesn't need to be too fancy, but it must be sturdy and durable. The color doesn't matter, blue, white, or black are all fine."

"A thousand people?!" The official nodded slowly.

That's quite a big deal!

He then turned to Xu Zhi, who was standing by with his hands at his sides, looking on expectantly: "Manager Xu! Quickly calculate in your mind how many bolts of fine silk would be enough to meet the amount that Madam Hu is asking for?"

Xu Zhi's mind, which was like an abacus, was already racing. Hearing this, he bent down even lower, almost touching the ground, and rubbed his hands together, saying, "Reporting to the master! Making clothes for these thousand or so people, even by the most frugal calculation, plus the waste from cutting and sewing... it would take at least... at least four hundred bolts of fine silk to barely make ends meet!"

Hu Sanniang chimed in, "That's about the same number we've been planning to buy, exactly four hundred bolts."

The official slightly raised his eyelids and continued to ask, "Hmm. Xu Zhi, does the warehouse currently have enough silk of this quality to meet this demand?"

Upon hearing this, Xu Zhi's face instantly contorted as if he had swallowed a bitter pill, his expression contorting in distress, his hands rubbing together so hard they seemed to be sparking.

"Boss! Our shop just had that 'group purchase of ten people for a discount' event! The silk in the warehouse... the silk in the warehouse is already more than half gone! Now... now at most, we can only squeeze out fifty bolts at most!"

The official then turned to Hu Sanniang, sighed, and said apologetically, "Oh dear! Madam Hu! I'm so sorry! The small storeroom is temporarily out of business. I've been so negligent!"

Hu Sanniang's two straight, slanted eyebrows immediately furrowed, forming a knot, clearly indicating her extreme dissatisfaction with the result.

Her phoenix eyes flashed like lightning as she looked around and noticed that a large fabric shop across the street was closed and deserted.

She raised her hand and pointed, her jade-like fingers whistling through the air as she asked softly, "Where's that cloth shop? Why is it closed in broad daylight?"

Before the official could even speak...

Xu Zhi quickly stepped forward, lowered his voice, and said mysteriously, "Oh my! Madam Hu, you don't know! That family... that family has suffered a terrible disaster! I heard it was the owner... alas! This shop... this shop... I'm afraid... it definitely won't be able to open for at least ten days or half a month!"

He changed the subject, his posture seemed to straighten a bit, and his voice carried a hint of certainty:

"To be honest, my lady, in Qinghe County today, you probably couldn't find another place besides us that can immediately supply you with the quantity and quality of fabric you require!"

"If you want to buy now, I'm afraid you can only wait for our new stock to arrive at the warehouse, or... or see if we can urgently transfer some from our branches in neighboring prefectures to help you in an emergency?" He said this half-truthfully, both pointing out that his company was the only one available and implying the urgency and his own capabilities.

The high-ranking official listened from the side, his eyelids half-closed, a faint smile playing on his lips, without interrupting.

Xu Zhi is quite adept at reading people's expressions! Isn't his acting all this just to help his boss keep this big deal firmly in his grasp?
It's all for the sake of Ximen Da Guanren's jingling silver!

Why undermine yourself?

Hu Sanniang frowned slightly, her phoenix eyes fixed on Xu Zhi, and asked, "If that's the case, when will the new goods arrive? The end of the year waits for no one! I've heard that the waterways in Jiangnan are currently blocked, and only large official ships can protect the goods."

Upon hearing this, Xu Zhi immediately straightened his back, a confident smile spreading across his face. He patted his chest and said, "Madam Hu, please rest assured! If the waterway is blocked, our master still has the land route. We guarantee that it will be safely transported to Qinghe within half a month!"

After a moment's thought, Hu Sanniang realized that she had enough money for the future, and then asked, "How much does it cost?"

Xu Zhi had been waiting for this! A glint flashed in his small eyes, his smile deepened, and his voice warmed even more: "Oh, madam, you've come to the right place! What a coincidence! Our shop is currently having a 'group purchase of ten people, discounted price' promotion! At the regular price, four hundred bolts of silk is no small sum! But since you are an old friend of the owner and such a decisive person, I'll take the liberty of making the decision..."

He paused deliberately, glancing at Hu Sanniang's expression, before lowering his voice as if revealing a top secret: "I've arranged a group purchase of... two full forty portions for you! This discount... hehe, I guarantee you'll be satisfied!"

Having said that, she said no more, picked up the ebony abacus from the counter, and with a series of crisp "clattering" sounds, the beads flew up and down like butterflies flitting among flowers. Finally, she pushed the abacus forward, and the number was clearly displayed before Hu Sanniang's eyes.

Hu Sanniang took a closer look and thought to herself: Although the price is slightly higher than usual in the capital, those filthy merchants in the capital have cut off their supply lines, and this is the only place like this, plus the discount... it's barely acceptable. So she readily nodded: "Alright! Leave these four hundred bolts of fabric for me!"

Upon hearing this, Xu Zhi felt a weight lifted from his heart, and his face lit up with a smile. He hurriedly said, "My lady is so kind! However... however, it is the rule of this trade that for such a large sum, we need to first place a deposit of two hundred taels of pure silver and draw up a written agreement as proof. Only then can I send a letter to urge delivery and lock up the bolts in the warehouse. I dare not delay my lady's important matter!"

Hu Sanniang didn't waste any time or haggle. She turned around and walked to her horse. She reached into the saddlebag behind the horse and pulled out a heavy blue cloth bundle with a "whoosh." She untied the rope, and inside were gleaming white silver ingots.

Without even counting, she picked out two hundred taels and pushed them onto Xu Zhi's counter: "Here, two hundred taels! Count them carefully. I'll come back with my own caravan to collect them in half a month!"

Xu Zhi's eyes lit up. He hurriedly checked the quality and weight, praising repeatedly, "My lady is truly trustworthy! So efficient! So efficient!" He then turned and went behind the counter, grabbed a pen, ink, and inkpad, quickly wrote a receipt, and presented it with both hands: "My lady, please keep this safe! With this receipt, you can pay the balance later, take the goods, and leave without any problems!"

Hu Sanniang took the receipt, put it into her bosom without even looking at it, and clasped her hands in a fist salute to Ximen Qing: "Master Ximen, Manager Xu, Sanniang takes her leave!"

After saying that, she mounted her horse with the agility of a hawk, without even stepping on the stirrups. With a flick of her jade-like leg, her plump thighs, tightly wrapped in riding breeches, swung high into the air, making her look exactly like a female leopard leaping into the air!

With a twist and a push of her waist, her round, firm buttocks landed solidly on the saddle, and the inner sides of her two strong, round thighs clamped down like iron pincers, making the saddle seem to groan.

After that dashing figure disappeared into the distance, Ximen Qing strolled to the counter, tapped his fingers lightly on the surface, and asked slowly without raising his eyelids, "Xu Zhi, the warehouse has been completely sold out recently. After deducting the cost and labor involved, how much net profit is left?"

Xu Zhi's obsequious and calculating smile hadn't faded yet when he heard this, he immediately leaned closer, his withered fingers flying across the abacus again. Finally, in a low voice, filled with barely suppressed elation, he replied, "Reporting to the master! At least... at least this amount!" He stretched out two fingers like withered twigs and shook them vigorously, "Two thousand taels of silver! No more, no less!"

The official's lips curled into a barely perceptible smile of satisfaction, and he nodded slightly. He twirled the prayer beads on his wrist, his gaze sweeping over the bustling street outside, as if he could see a steady stream of silver flowing in. He said to Xu Zhi, "Hmm. Not bad. There's another batch of goods with a cost of two thousand taels on the way."

Upon hearing this, Xu Zhi was overjoyed and almost jumped for joy. He rubbed his hands together, his voice trembling, "Oh, my good boss! This is truly a case of the God of Wealth chasing after us to feed us! Once that batch arrives, we'll rush to sell it off in bulk, and we'll net another two thousand taels! With bandits rampant in Jiangnan, as long as the goods aren't damaged, doubling our net profit is a piece of cake!" The official nodded, secretly comparing the profits in his mind: indeed, the silk business is much more profitable than his own herbal medicine shop!
But... his eyes were slightly cold.

If herbal medicine shops want to make big money and get rich quick, they can't succeed by just doing small-scale business. They have to... get on the military's good side and supply medicinal herbs to the garrisons and barracks as military supplies. That's the real money-making machine, a business that will make you rich quick!
There is one more thing!
The official thought to himself: Dali produces a kind of herb called "Tianqi", which also has a nickname "Jinbuhuan".

This medicine has miraculous effects in stopping bleeding and promoting tissue regeneration, especially for wounds caused by metal objects or knives. It is effective immediately upon application and it is no exaggeration to say that it can save lives.

This medicine is currently only found in the wild south, and is rarely seen in the north.

If we could bring Tianqi here and monopolize this trade, it wouldn't just be a huge profit; it would be like making money hand over fist, opening a silver mountain!

He frowned. The Dali Kingdom was a long way away, and it was rife with miasma. It was impossible for ordinary people to travel there unless they were well-connected and had a strong business background.
The real issue would be if we could get in touch with a wealthy merchant from Dali to discuss this matter.

The official looked up and saw that it was already dark. He summoned Dai'an and led him to the newly opened Zuichunlou, which claimed to be staffed entirely by Hu women.

Meanwhile, the tall and beautiful Meng Yulou was surrounded at home again. Her late husband's fourth uncle, Yang, led dozens of Yang family relatives to surround her courtyard. Several of the older relatives pushed and shoved their way in.

Uncle Yang had a slick, oily face, and his eyes darted around. He smiled before he spoke, but his smile carried three parts meanness and seven parts calculation.

"Niece-in-law!" Uncle Yang plopped down in the head chair, crossed his legs, and glanced sideways at Meng Yulou, saying, "The days of widowhood are hard to endure. You're so young, like a flower in full bloom, why sit here so forlornly? We've come today partly out of pity for your loneliness, and partly to find you a future;

"Secondly, Zongxi has passed away. The family fortune he painstakingly built up needs to be accounted for. It can't just fall into the hands of someone with a different surname, can it?"

Yang Zongbao, a rough man standing nearby, couldn't contain himself and shouted in a gruff voice, "That's right! The capital, the silver, the trunks and equipment in that cloth shop were all earned by my Yang family! How can you, a woman, protect them? Hand them over now, and we'll keep them for you. In the future, we can find an honest family to settle you down with!"

Meng Yulou knew perfectly well that these hungry wolves had come to seize her property and force her into marriage.

Her face remained impassive, but she gently twisted the plain handkerchief in her hand, lowered her head, revealing a hint of sorrow and fragility, and said softly, "I understand why my uncles and aunts have come. Thinking of my deceased husband, my heart is breaking, and I have no time to care about these material possessions. But..."

She raised her eyes, her gaze clear, and slowly swept over the crowd: "I remember every penny of the property left by Zongxi. When I find a home and marry, I will naturally hand over all the Yang family's property clearly and completely, and I will never let it fall into the hands of outsiders. It is still in the Yang family now, and I will take care of it myself, so you don't need to worry about it."

These words were both soft and firm, making it clear that she would only hand over the Yang family's possessions after she was "married out," and that she was still the Yang family's mistress at this moment, which was perfectly legitimate.

Uncle Yang and the others felt as if they had punched cotton. They tried to force her to hand over the property immediately, but she always used marriage as an excuse to avoid it.

He asked her when she would get married, but she kept changing the date.

The group looked at each other, unable to find a stronger point to say.

Uncle Yang chuckled twice: "My niece-in-law is a sensible person, that's good, very good! Just don't delay too long, lest you waste your youth and chill the hearts of the clan. We'll make this clear: if you don't marry within the year, you will have to hand over the clan property no matter what."

He said a few more perfunctory words, but seeing that Meng Yulou just hung her head and remained silent, looking mournful, he could not gain any more advantage and had no choice but to get up and leave with the others in a huff.

No sooner had the Yang family left than Meng Yulou, before she could even catch her breath, arrived in a flurry of activity, accompanied by her distant aunt Meng and a cousin from her own family.

As soon as Aunt Zhang entered the door, she clapped her hands and laughed, "My good girl! We've finally sent those plagues away! Look, great news has arrived! How could your family not think of you? We've been worried day and night and found you the best place to go!"

She leaned closer, lowering her voice but unable to hide her eagerness: "The famous Young Master Li Gongbi of the capital! What do you think? He's a proper official's son, incredibly wealthy, and a charming man! His first wife has passed away, and he's looking for a well-educated, virtuous, and beautiful woman to replace her! As soon as I heard the news, I immediately thought of you! This is a match made in heaven, a chance to rise to the top in one step!"

Aunt Meng chimed in, "Yulou, what hope do you have staying here all alone? The Li family lives in luxury, with their fine clothes, gourmet food, and countless maids and servants at their beck and call. Marry them, and you'll be a lady-in-waiting, enjoying endless riches and honor! We went through so much trouble and pulled so many strings to get this marriage arranged! Don't miss this opportunity!"

As Meng Yulou listened, the sorrow on her face gradually faded, replaced by a layer of frost.

She raised her eyes and looked straight at Aunt Zhang and Aunt Meng, a faint, cold smile suddenly appearing on her lips.

"Ha," she chuckled softly, her voice low but each word clear, like ice beads falling to the ground, "What a 'perfect' place! What 'laborious' relatives! Sister-in-law, aunt, you keep saying you're doing this for my own good, for finding a future for me. But..."

She paused, her gaze sharp as needles, piercing their faces: "But who exactly is this young master Li Gongbi in the capital? Did you personally witness his appearance and wealth, and are you certain he is a suitable match?"

"Or... someone promised you a lot of benefits, lured you here, and tricked me, a widow, into remarrying so they could profit from it?"

"If that young master Li is really as good as you say, are all the young ladies and daughters of wealthy families in the capital blind, and how could I, a widow from Qinghe County, possibly be chosen? I'm afraid you yourselves don't even know the truth about this 'good match'. You're just gossiping, or... you've conspired with someone to scheme against me, Meng Yulou!"

These words, like a steel knife, pierced through the veil of warmth and affection, exposing the scheming and despicable acts within to the light of day!
Aunt Zhang and Aunt Meng were struck in the heart, their faces flushing red and then turning pale, as if they had been dyed.

Aunt Zhang jumped up first, pointing at Meng Yulou, trembling with anger: "Good! You heartless Meng San'er! We were so kind, and you've treated us like dirt!"

"You...you dare to slander us and defame our elders! That Young Master Li is absolutely true, from a distinguished family! If we uttered even the slightest lie, may we be struck by lightning! You yourself are unlucky and bring misfortune upon your husbands, and we risked bad luck to help you, only to be scorned by you! You're like a dog biting Lü Dongbin, not recognizing a kind heart!"

Aunt Meng also slammed her hand on the stool and joined in the cursing: "Outrageous! Outrageous! You little hussy, you've only been widowed for a few days, and now you're all high and mighty! How dare you talk about your elders like that? What do we want from you? Your Yang family's worth of scrap metal?"

"It's all because you're young and widowed, so pitiful! And you're so suspicious, treating us all like thieves! Fine! Since you're so ungrateful, we'll never care about your life or death again! We'll let the Yang family bully you!"

The two men, enraged and spitting as they stormed out, slamming the door behind them and leaving Meng Yulou alone in the empty room. The cold smile on her face gradually turned into sorrow, and two lines of tears silently slid down her cheeks.

The barbed and furious curses from Aunt Zhang and Aunt Meng still echoed in my ears.

The large room suddenly became eerily quiet. The only sound was the flickering flame of the eternal lamp in front of the spirit tablet, which made the dark memorial tablet look even more sinister and desolate, like a judge who would take away souls.

Exhausted, Meng Yulou slumped into the armchair. The harsh words and cold laughter and questioning she had just received had drained her energy and completely tore away the thin layer of warmth on her family's faces.

At that moment, a bone-chilling cold began to creep up from the soles of her feet, freezing the tips of her ten fingers until they were numb and tingling, with no sensation at all.

In this world, it's truly unbearable for a widow! Surrounded by wolves in front and tigers behind, what family ties are there? They all just want to devour her alive.

"I've said it, and it feels good, but what about the future..." She twisted the plain silk handkerchief in her hand with all her might.

My sister-in-law, Granny Zhang, and Aunt Meng, were spitting everywhere, spouting "Young Master Li from the capital" and "immense wealth" in a dazzling display of their eloquence.

But the more they swore and swore, the more urgent and pressing they became, the thicker the cloud of doubt in Meng Yulou's heart grew, like ink that could not be dissolved.

"If that young master Li is truly, as they say, a son of an official with a respectable family background and a charming personality, and is willing to take me, a widow, as his second wife..."

Thinking of this, a faint longing for a peaceful life, like a blade of grass sprouting from the frozen ground in the twelfth lunar month, trembled slightly in her heart.

If that's really the case, then Meng Yulou will have someone to rely on for the rest of her life. It would be only right and proper for her to give Zhang Sao and the others a generous reward, and she would do so willingly.

However! The moment this thought popped into his head, it was abruptly suppressed by an even more sinister and vicious fear!

The chill was like a damp, venomous snake, hissing as it climbed up her spine, tightly coiling around her heart and internal organs!

"I'm afraid... I'm afraid this seemingly perfect 'Young Master Li' is actually some scoundrel they pulled out of some dark hole, or some scoundrel who's colluded with those thugs!"

Meng Yulou shuddered, as if she could already see the horrifying scene before her eyes:

A bridal sedan chair was swayed and carried into a dilapidated courtyard. The so-called "Young Master Li" tore off his mask, revealing a blue face and fangs. Behind him were Granny Xue, Aunt Meng, and who knows, even the likes of Uncle Zhang, the hungry ghost from the Yang family. They all winked and bared their teeth, pouncing on him like hungry tigers...

At that time, I, a widow, will be nothing more than a naked piece of meat on the chopping block!

The little bit of valuables left in the Yang family, all the money I've saved up over the years, skin and bones and my whole body... have all become fat that they can chew on!

He cried out to the heavens, but the heavens were deaf! He cried out to the earth, but the earth was mute!
It's all over!

As soon as the thought crossed Meng Yulou's mind, he felt a cold sweat "whoosh" soak through his undergarments, sticking stickily to his body as if he were wrapped in a shroud.

She knew all too well the true nature of these "closest relatives"! The Yang family was openly robbing them, brandishing knives and guns!
Her family, on the other hand, were all sweet talk and treacherous intentions, secretly plotting against her!

"It's easy to draw a dragon or a tiger, but difficult to draw their bones; it's easy to know a person's face, but difficult to know their heart!"

Meng Yulou's beautiful face paled, her teeth clenched so tightly that her lower lip almost bled!
Those long legs held it firmly in place.

She was a widow, unemployed, childless, with her own family a tiger's den and her husband's family a wolf's lair. Her only means of survival were her meager savings and her fairly decent face and body.

But this little bit of capital, in the eyes of those envious relatives, is just a piece of juicy, fragrant fat meat, and who wouldn't want to pounce on it and take a bite?
"Don't trust it... don't trust a single word!" She clenched her fist tightly, her nails digging deep into her flesh, the excruciating pain forcing her to stay focused.

"Who cares about that Li or Zhang young master? If you haven't seen him with your own eyes and haven't figured out his background, even if he talks a good game, it's all just a mirage, a long tongue of a hanged ghost—just there to take lives!"

But where should one begin to investigate this matter? How many connections could a widow confined to her humble home, tending a cold stove, possibly have?
Are we really like lambs waiting to be slaughtered in a pen, stretching our necks and waiting for the bridal sedan chair to come and carry us away, whether it's a blessing or a curse?

"Whoosh—" A gust of evil wind swept past the window, and the tiny flame of the lamp in front of the altar jumped up, struggled a few times, and then went out with a "poof!" The room was instantly plunged into complete darkness.

Meng Yulou felt a chill that went straight up from the soles of her feet to the top of her head, so cold that it felt like her soul was about to leave her body.

This huge mansion now resembled a cold iron coffin, trapping her inside completely.

Ahead were jackals with gaping jaws, behind were hungry tigers with sharp claws, to the left was a dead end, to the right was a dead end!
She stared blankly at her deceased husband's dark, cold memorial tablet. The wooden block was lifeless and silent, offering no sign of life, only boundless desolation and loneliness. It weighed heavily on her chest like a leaden weight, making her see stars and almost causing her to faint.

(End of this chapter)