The eyesore Wu Family people finally left, and Wufu personally saw her own teacher into the carriage.

"Well, Wufu, your teacher truly had no idea that brat would pull a stunt like this," Old Mr. Meng said cautiously.

Wufu said, "Then why did you still say that, Master? You insisted you’d only agree to the marriage if he won a bout. Did you never think, what if he lost?"

"If he lost, it would only prove his sincerity wasn’t enough, that he hadn’t gone all out." Old Mr. Meng gave a cold snort. Seeing Wufu glaring at him, he coughed, lowered his voice, and said, "That one has begun to harbor suspicions—your teacher had no choice but to divert his thoughts."

He pointed up to the sky. Wufu’s heart gave a sudden jolt; she nodded.

"Come seek me again later and we’ll talk," Old Mr. Meng said, and left with that.

"We should go back too." Wufu got into the carriage, closed her eyes, and thought over what her teacher had just said, her fingertips lightly tapping her knee.

The Emperor of Nanyue was suspicious?

So even a man devoted to cultivating the Way wasn’t really thinking only of cultivating the Way. Of course—how could someone seated on the throne truly disregard the safety of that throne?

Everyone had left. Not far away, a woman in sumptuous palace dress also let down the carriage curtain and sneered, "Let’s go!"

What a fine show.

This little slut Zhou Wufu was no good thing, but that Wu girl was even more worthless. With goods like that, she still dared to covet her son?

As for Madam Wang—heh." Princess Consort Wei narrowed her eyes, sinking into thought.

...

Wu Yining sat in her own carriage, sobbing in jerks and sniffs, but not daring to cry aloud. She could feel the air was dangerously uneasy.

Wu Yilin was just as uneasy, and beneath that, seething with rage. She kept her head slightly lowered, cutting a sidelong glance at Wu Yining from the corner of her eye, hatred towards her boiling in her heart.

With that one impulsive outburst of hers, she had ruined not only her own future, but that of her and the other younger siblings as well.

Old Mr. Meng was the foremost scholar of the age. He had scolded Father and Mother in front of so many people; their children’s upbringing would certainly be called into question.

What household would be willing to take girls with such a reputation through their gates? Especially after Old Mr. Meng’s public rebuke.

Wu Yilin drew a breath. She wasn’t afraid; she was only twelve, still a few years away from reaching the age of marriage. In a few years, people would probably forget this episode.

But as for Wu Yining—hmph. If she hadn’t courted death, she wouldn’t be dying now. She’d ruined her own future with her own hands. Truly stupid!

"Mother..." Wu Yining ventured timidly, sounding utterly aggrieved. 𝐟𝐫𝕖𝗲𝘄𝚎𝗯𝕟𝐨𝕧𝐞𝚕.𝕔𝕠𝐦

Smack!

Madam Wang swung her hand hard across her face, glaring at her viciously. "Don’t call me that!"

Wu Yining was stunned by the blow. She covered her face, not daring to cry out, only staring at her with wide eyes as tears pattered down.

Why?

"Idiot—how did I give birth to such an idiot as you? You are—you are beyond saving." Madam Wang’s hand trembled as she pointed at her.

Wu Yining pouted, letting the tears fall, but not daring to make a sound.

"You’ve made such a scene, and even Old Mr. Meng said you have no upbringing. Are you satisfied now? The whole city knows you’re ill-bred, that I failed to raise you. Idiot, you still dream of becoming Crown Princess? You think Princess Consort Wei will let Crown Prince Song marry you? Dream on!" Madam Wang cursed her through gritted teeth. "Idiot, useless trash!"

When Wu Yining heard that, even her tears dried up. Her mouth fell open, her lips moving soundlessly.

Seeing her like this, Madam Wang shut her eyes and refused to look at her again, lest that stupid face make her die of rage.

When they returned to the Wu Family estate, Wu Lihong angrily lifted the curtain and pointed at Wu Yining. "Drag her to the ancestral hall to kneel. Without my orders, no one is allowed to let her get up, and no food or water is to be sent to her." He fixed her with a cold, severe glare. "When you know you were wrong, you can come out. If you never understand it in this lifetime, then you can die in there!"

Those cruel, final words finally made Wu Yining scream aloud.