Chapter 196

Wang Yuan’er stayed at Wang Min’er’s estate for two days before returning home. Madam Zhang couldn’t rest easy about her daughter, and Wang Min’er was reluctant to let her leave, hoping she would stay longer. However, with Wang Er still in prison, the family in disarray, and both elderly and ailing members at home, staying longer wasn’t an option. Reluctantly, Madam Zhang followed Wang Yuan’er back.

As the carriage returned to the inn, Wang Yuan’er noticed something was off. Many people were pointing at them and whispering among themselves.

Frowning and sensing that something was wrong, Wang Yuan’er quickly pulled Madam Zhang along and hastened home.

Upon stepping inside, they were stunned. The house was a chaotic mess, as though it had been ransacked. A tall figure was inside, helping to clean up.

“Hou Biao?” Wang Yuan’er exclaimed in surprise as the person turned around. “What are you doing here?”

“Elder Sister? Elder Sister, you’re back!” Wang Chun’er and the others rushed out from the main room like a swarm.

“Elder Sister,” Wang Qing’er cried, grabbing her arm in tears.

“What happened?” Wang Yuan’er asked in confusion, her heart pounding anxiously.

“Good heavens, did the house get robbed?” Madam Zhang entered and, seeing the chaos, couldn’t help but shout.

“It wasn’t thieves—it was bandits!” Wang Qing’er, her anger surging, shouted. “Second Aunt’s family from her maternal side came here with people to smash, rob, and burn while causing a scene. A gang of thuggish scoundrels turning truth on its head!”

The mention of Madam Zhang’s in-laws left Wang Yuan’er momentarily stunned. Now, the meaning behind the stares they had received earlier on the streets became clear, and her heart sank.

“Does this have something to do with Madam Zhang’s maternal family?”

In a flash of realization, Wang Yuan’er understood the stares and whispers from people on the street, and her heart sank slightly.

“Second Aunt’s eldest sister-in-law brought her brothers and some boys from the Zhang family to our home, shouting and cursing…” Wang Chun’er recounted the events angrily.

It turned out that after the incident involving Zhang Dapeng, the Tang family used the opportunity to find fault with Wang Min’er’s aunt, Madam Zhou, and drove her out of the Tang household. Madam Zhou, having just lost her husband and the job she had held for nearly twenty years, was left with nowhere to vent her anger and instead placed all the blame on Wang Er.

But that wasn’t all. Furious, Madam Zhou called on her brothers and her son to storm the Wang household to demand justice. Without so much as a word, they ransacked the home. The entire house would likely have been ruined if Hou Biao had not shown up in time to subdue them.

“Thank goodness Brother Hou has some fighting skills,” Wang Chun’er said, her eyes gleaming as she looked at Hou Biao.

Hou Biao scratched his head bashfully, laughing awkwardly. “It’s just a few moves.” As he spoke, he cast a cautious glance at Wang Yuan’er before returning to tidy up.

Wang Qing’er suddenly blurted out anxiously, “Elder Sister, that old tiger Madam Zhou also shouted about Sister Min’er’s affair.”

“What? What did you say?” Madam Zhang grabbed Wang Qing’er’s hand in shock.

“She exposed Sister Min’er’s affair with the Tang family—word has spread outside!” Wang Qing’er said, pursing her lips. “Grandmother was so angry that she fainted again. Grandfather is watching over her, and now you’ve returned just in time!”

Wang Yuan’er swayed slightly as she processed the news. The secret had been exposed—it was no wonder those people on the streets had been casting such complicated glances.

“Zhou Dahua! I’ll fight her to the death!” Madam Zhang finally came to her senses and leaped up, ready to storm out for revenge.

“Second Aunt!” Wang Yuan’er stopped her. “Now is not the time to go to the Zhang family and create more trouble. The more noise we make, the harder it will be to deal with this!”

The family was already overwhelmed with issues, and further entanglement with the Zhang family would only invite ridicule from others.

“So we just let it go?” Madam Zhang fumed, her anger unrelenting.

“The house is already in chaos, and Second Uncle hasn’t even returned yet. What good will it do for you to go now? You’d only make things worse and become the subject of even more mockery,” Wang Yuan’er said irritably.

“But… but what about Min’er?” Madam Zhang was still worried about her daughter.

“Min’er is at the estate. The trouble here won’t reach her there. If you cause a scene and word spreads to her, won’t that only make her more anxious?” Wang Yuan’er, though agitated, spoke patiently before heading toward the main house, her mind heavy with frustration.

As she reached the entrance to the main house, she instinctively turned back and glanced outside. Hou Biao was lifting a door plank, and Chun’er eagerly rushed over to help, flashing him a smile.

Wang Yuan’er’s heart sank as she stepped into the main house.

Inside, Grandpa Wang was gently trying to console Grandma Wang. Both of them looked up in surprise when she entered.

“You’re back!” Grandpa Wang said, setting down the bowl he was holding.

Wang Yuan’er nodded and turned to Grandma Wang. “Chun’er and the others have told me what happened. Is Grandmother alright?”

“An old life like mine—anyone can take it, and it’d be better than living with such disgrace,” Grandma Wang said coldly, sputtering before coughing heavily.

Wang Yuan’er rubbed her back to soothe her and said, “Grandmother, why say such discouraging words? This family still needs you.”

Grandma Wang glanced at her, giving a mocking laugh. “Need me? What can you expect from someone who’s halfway into the grave?”

“Don’t say things like that!” Grandpa Wang sighed heavily and turned to Wang Yuan’er, asking, “Did you see Min’er? How is she?”

Wang Yuan’er pressed her lips together and shook her head. “Not too well. The Tang family hasn’t sent anyone to take care of things—they’ve been cruel. She’s left to fend for herself.”

“She might as well be dead rather than living to disgrace the family!” Grandma Wang interrupted harshly. “She’s brought shame upon our Wang family!”

“Mother! How can you say such a thing? Min’er is your own granddaughter—she’s already suffered enough!” Madam Zhang, who had been standing at the doorway, entered with reddened eyes as she spoke.

“You still have the nerve to show your face in front of me? Your Zhang family is truly impressive—such skill in shifting blame, it’s almost applause-worthy!” Grandma Wang snapped at Madam Zhang as though she were an enemy. “From now on, I no longer consider your Zhang family as relatives. Especially your eldest sister-in-law—I will never allow her to step foot in our Wang family again!”

Grandma Wang felt suffocated as she thought about how Madam Zhou had publicly revealed Wang Min’er’s loss of virtue before marriage and her concealed pregnancy. The weight of the shame was almost too much to bear.

Madam Zhang, clearly at fault in the matter, especially concerning her eldest sister-in-law, followed Grandma Wang’s lead and said, “I hate my sister-in-law too, but, Mother, what are we going to do now? It seems like outsiders already know about Min’er…”

Grandma Wang’s face fell into a despondent expression upon hearing this.

“The Wang family is going to be utterly disgraced!” She glanced at Wang Yuan’er with a complex look filled with both guilt and regret.

Wang Yuan’er understood the meaning behind Grandma Wang’s gaze and sighed inwardly. She said, “Everything will eventually work itself out. Now that Min’er has given birth and isn’t in Changle Town, she’s avoided the brunt of the storm. Out of sight, out of mind—people will talk, but as time passes, the rumors will fade.”

She truly couldn’t think of a solution at the moment. The only consolation was that Wang Min’er wasn’t stuck in the center of the turmoil, drawing more attention. Her words were meant more as comfort than practicality. After all, what else could they do but console themselves under the circumstances?

There was hope that the Tang family would step in to suppress the rumors for the sake of Tang Xiuping’s reputation. But regardless of how things unfolded, Min’er’s reputation was bound to suffer damage.

Wang Yuan’er wasn’t wrong. The next day, when she visited the workshop, she overheard numerous whispers.

“Did you hear about that Wang family girl who was married into the Tang family? Turns out, she was involved with one of the young masters of the Tang family before getting married.”

“I heard that too! It’s apparently from the nanny serving the Tang family’s young master—it was her niece. Who would’ve thought?”

“No wonder the marriage was rushed—it all makes sense now.”

“Hah, a wealthy family would never marry into a humble household unless there was a reason. Their bloodline is what matters most to them!”

“Didn’t they say that girl was only valued by the Tang family’s matriarch because she saved her life? What nonsense!”

“When her own aunt said it, how could it be false? I think it’s most likely true.”

“…”

Wang Yuan’er pressed her lips together and glanced at the group gossiping nearby. Noticing her gaze, they quickly dispersed.

The steward, Manager Guan, approached and asked, “Are you alright? I heard your family’s been dealing with a lot lately. What’s going on? Do you need help? Or should you take some time to sort things out before coming back to the workshop?”

“I’m fine!” Wang Yuan’er noticed a worker carrying a sieve approaching, and an idea struck her. Raising her voice slightly, she said, “My Second Aunt’s brother passed away, and my sister-in-law has been so overwhelmed with grief that she’s become confused. She also lost her position, and now she seems a bit hysterical, spouting all sorts of nonsense. My Second Aunt’s been busy supporting her maternal family, so the household burdens fell to me, making things a little hectic. But I’m managing!”

Manager Guan was startled for a moment. Seeing her wink at him subtly and noticing others eavesdropping, he said, “You’ve had it rough. I heard that people with hysteria can’t tell truth from fiction. I also heard they caused a mess at your place?”

“Exactly. Fortunately, my grandfather and grandmother are magnanimous and didn’t hold it against them. The dead deserve respect, after all, and grief is understandable. If we made a fuss, we’d just seem petty.” Wang Yuan’er smiled faintly. As she noticed the curious onlookers walking away, her smile grew even brighter.

Manager Guan raised an eyebrow and remarked, “Another performance pulled off by you!”

Wang Yuan’er bowed slightly and replied, “I really had no other choice!”

Manager Guan said, “Even that might not be enough; the Tang family needs to step in to suppress this.”

Wang Yuan’er paused. Would the Tang family intervene? Especially Madam Rong, who likely wished for Wang Min’er to fall into disgrace.

“If it damages their reputation or interests, the Tang family will step in!” Manager Guan hinted.

Wang Yuan’er pursed her lips, then suddenly her eyes lit up, and she smiled. “I understand now!”

If the Tang family refused to help, she would force their hand!

Madam Zhou might not fear the Wang family, but what about the Tang family? As a prominent household, if they couldn’t even control a dismissed servant spreading gossip, what claim did they have to be a respected noble family?

Madam Zhou didn’t fear the Wang family—how would she react to pressure from the Tang family?

Thanking Manager Guan, Wang Yuan’er went to the dilapidated temple on the western outskirts, spent a silver liang, and whispered instructions to two beggars.

Within half a day, rumors spread through Changle Town that Third Young Master Tang had deceived a virtuous girl, leading to her pregnancy and forcing her into marriage. Additionally, it was said the Tang family was so shameless as to refuse her a formal title. And the source? Allegedly, the nanny who served the Third Young Master confirmed it.

Since the Tang family was neglecting Wang Min’er, Wang Yuan’er decided to strike back. If the rumors gained traction, they could either suppress them or let them spread—it was up to them.

As for Madam Zhou, since she had exposed Wang Min’er’s loss of virtue before marriage, bearing the brunt of this false accusation wouldn’t be too far-fetched.

Indeed, Wang Yuan’er was determined to set them up. Even if the Tang family swallowed a “dead cat,” they’d have to accept it without complaint!