Chapter 120: Madam Zhou’s Husband Isn’t Dead?

Madam Zhao stood with her hands on her hips, glaring fiercely. “If anyone should talk about virtue, it should be your Zhou family! You ruined my daughter’s reputation and still refuse to marry her!”

Madam Zhou let out a cold laugh. “My son has never even spoken a word to your daughter. How exactly did he ruin her reputation? It’s you who barged into my home making a scene, afraid that the whole village wouldn’t know how desperate your daughter is to get married!”

Madam Zhao’s face turned livid with anger. “Chen Yue’e! It’s clearly your family that wronged mine!”

Madam Zhou sneered and continued, “Everyone in the village knows my Zhao’er is only fourteen or fifteen. He’s not even old enough to take a wife. Who exactly ruined whose reputation here? It’s already generous of us not to accuse you first!”

In their village, men typically married at sixteen.

Madam Zhao, knowing she was in the wrong, became flustered and retorted angrily, “If it weren’t for your son seducing my daughter, would she be in this situation?!”

Madam Zhou burst into laughter. “Seducing? What a joke! My son just walked past your daughter—so now that counts as seduction? Then what about the wild boar that also passed by her? Should she marry the boar and become the wife of the mountain king?”

When she first arrived in the village, Madam Zhou had been gentle and reserved, but now she had no problem hurling sharp words back.

Madam Zhao was left speechless, unsure of how to argue back. Furious, she pointed at Madam Zhou and snapped, “You filthy widow! What are you so proud of? Who knows which wild man helped you open that incense shop! Your son must’ve learned his seduction tricks from you!”

Those who disliked Madam Zhou often used her widowhood to gossip. In the village, women without husbands were frequently the subject of rumors spread by nosy busybodies.

Madam Zhou was used to it, but someone else was not.

“Shut your mouth!”

A deep, authoritative voice rang out as Third Prince strode into the courtyard, positioning himself protectively in front of Madam Zhou.

He had traveled by carriage to Cheng’an County and met with Master Fang, who told him everything he knew about the Zhou family. Without hesitation, he rode straight to Changliu Village.

And now, just as he arrived, he witnessed this scene.

Seeing the woman he cared for being slandered by a group of people—it was enough to drive him mad!

“Who are you calling a widow?!” Third Prince snapped at Madam Zhao.

Though he was already in his middle years, Third Prince was tall and imposing, with striking features. Standing in front of Madam Zhou, he was like a towering mountain, making both Madam Zhao and her husband feel suffocated.

Madam Zhou froze in shock at the sight of the man before her. Her eyes widened as a terrible thought ran through her mind—had the Emperor discovered them? Had he found out about her and her children?

Madam Zhao was the first to recover from her shock and immediately sneered, “Oh, look! The wild man has arrived!”

Third Prince’s voice was deep and commanding as he said, “Who told you I’m some wild man? And who told you that her husband is dead?!”

His words were clear—he wanted everyone to know that there was nothing improper between him and Madam Zhou, and more importantly, that her husband was still alive.

The current emperor, instead of properly ruling from his palace, spent his days favoring one concubine after another. Yet, even as he indulged himself, he still wept over the original wife he had practically driven to death.

But Madam Zhao seemed to have misunderstood something. Her eyes widened as she exclaimed, “Are you the man Chen Yue’e married in the capital?!”

Rumors had it that Chen Yue’e had become a child bride to a stableman in the capital.

Today, in order to keep a low profile, the Third Prince had dressed in a servant’s attire. At first glance, he did somewhat resemble a stableman—though one with an unmistakable air of nobility. This contradiction left Madam Zhao momentarily uncertain.

The Third Prince was utterly confused by the conversation.

At that moment, Madam Zhou quickly grasped the situation. She immediately pulled the prince behind her and declared, “That’s right! He’s my husband from the capital!”

Madam Zhao was stunned. “But didn’t everyone in the village say your husband was dead?”

Madam Zhou’s mind raced, and she swiftly concocted an explanation. “My husband worked as a carriage driver for an armed escort agency. While traveling, he was attacked by mountain bandits and accidentally fell off a cliff. I thought he had died.”

As she spoke, she glanced at the utterly bewildered Third Prince and subtly signaled him with her eyes. Then, as if overwhelmed with emotion, she suddenly burst into tears. “You heartless man! If you were alive all this time, why didn’t you come looking for us sooner?!”

The Third Prince, seeing how invested she was in the act, played along. Without hesitation, he pulled her into a tight embrace. “I’m here now, aren’t I?”

Du Wanchun, ever perceptive, immediately chimed in, calling out, “Father!”

Hearing her address him as “Father,” the Third Prince felt an inexplicable sense of satisfaction. He had heard from Master Fang before coming here that Ruiyuan had married a good wife. Now, he was certain this young woman was the one. With a broad grin, he responded loudly, “Ah! Yes!”

Seeing this “family” reunion, Madam Zhao and her husband hesitated to cause trouble.

This towering man looked like he could knock them both out with a single punch!

The couple instinctively took two steps back and turned to leave.

But before they could escape, the Third Prince called out, “Stop right there!”

Madam Zhao turned back hesitantly, looking apprehensive.

The Third Prince released Madam Zhou from his embrace, turned to them, and issued a chilling warning. “If anyone dares to stir up trouble at the Zhou house again, I’ll break their legs!”