Li Zhiyuan and his mother hurriedly headed to Qinghe Village.

Granny Li was secretly pleased and praised Ye Caiping.

As expected of a woman who owns three workshops, she has indeed become smarter, actually coming up with such a good idea as arranging a marriage for her daughter, giving Zhiyuan a way out.

I wonder what kind of family Zhao Di is betrothed to. I'll have to add fuel to the fire later and get Zhiyuan and his wife together so that Zhao Di can continue to marry this person. After all, with so many betrothal gifts, it would be a waste not to marry him.

Soon, we arrived at Qinghe Village.

The mother and son went straight to Ye Caiping's house.

This was the first time Li Zhiyuan had seen Ye Caiping's large courtyard with its blue bricks.

He stood there, stunned.

This courtyard is actually bigger than Zhang Shui Niang's maternal home!

Only now did he have a more direct understanding of how wealthy Ye Caiping was.

The villagers were still gathered in front of Ye Caiping's house when they saw Li Zhiyuan and his companion, and exclaimed in surprise, "Isn't this Scholar Li?"

"Haha, what scholar? He's been stripped of his academic title long ago."

Li Zhiyuan's face turned ashen as he listened to these insults.

"Oh, it's Li Zhiyuan!" Granny Zhao exclaimed excitedly as she squeezed in. "I was just about to look for you, and here you are! We really are on the same wavelength!"

Upon seeing Granny Zhao, Li Zhiyuan and his companion were terrified, as if they had seen a ghost. Who could possibly be on the same wavelength as you!

The psychological trauma that Granny Zhao left on them was too great.

Granny Li felt she was in the right to come today, and retorted in a trembling voice:

"Come on then, are you afraid of me? I won't argue with you now, I'll tear your mouth apart after we've finished business! Zhiyuan, let's go!"

As he spoke, he grabbed Li Zhiyuan and tried to force his way through the gate.

Shanzi immediately stopped them: "Stop! What, you want to get beaten up again!"

Granny Li's face changed. Seeing that she couldn't get in the door, she angrily said, "Fine, fine, I'll see how she teaches you a lesson later!"

Today, Zhiyuan from her family came, so she was afraid that Ye Caiping wouldn't back down!

"Hmph, I, Li Zhiyuan, don't even bother stepping into your shabby door!" Li Zhiyuan angrily flicked his sleeves, then put his hands behind his back: "Tell Ye Caiping to get out here and see me! Tell her that I, Li Zhiyuan, have arrived!"

The surrounding villagers looked at him as if he were a fool.

Granny Zhao burst into loud laughter: "What kind of rare breed of dog poop did you, Li Zhiyuan, produce? So rare that you specially sent Caiping out to see you?"

"Hahahaha!" The villagers all burst into laughter.

Li Zhiyuan's face turned ashen: "You—you are vulgar! You are an insult to civilization!"

After saying that, Li Zhiyuan stopped arguing with them and turned to shout loudly towards the gate:

"Ye Caiping, get out here! Humph, when I divorced you, you even came to snatch Zhaodi and Laidi away, and then you falsely accused me of selling my daughters for personal gain."

"But what have you done now? I, Li Zhiyuan, would never sell my daughter for personal gain, but you have! You're simply allowing the magistrate to set fires while forbidding the common people to light lamps! It's pure embezzlement! You've slapped yourself in the face!"

The villagers were completely baffled by his words.

Cai Ping's family was in the process of presenting the betrothal gifts when Li Zhiyuan suddenly ran over and started talking about snatching his daughter and selling her for personal gain. It's completely nonsensical. What's wrong with him?

"Li Zhiyuan has gone mad!" Granny Zhao laughed. "His head must be on his butt. He must have damaged his brain from the beating he received last time!"

"Shut up, you gossipy old woman! I, Li Zhiyuan, am seeking justice for my daughter! Ye Caiping, get out here! Which family did you sell Zhaodi to, and why did you get so much in return for the dowry!"

Upon hearing this, the villagers immediately understood what was going on and sneered, "He doesn't think that today's betrothal is for Jin'er, does he?"

Li Zhiyuan was stunned. No? How could that be!

Apart from Zhaodi, there were no other girls of marriageable age in this courtyard.

"It must be Lai Di! Yes, she sold Lai Di!" Granny Li exclaimed anxiously. "Oh dear, Ye Caiping, you actually sold my most beloved granddaughter."

Because Huan'er didn't scold her when she delivered things last time, she felt that Huan'er was the closest to her, so she was placed ahead of Jin'er in the ranking.

"Hehehe, give me back your precious granddaughter? You wish!" Granny Zhao laughed. "She's not surnamed Li anymore, and she won't be surnamed Ye anymore either. She's going to be surnamed Chen!"

Li Zhiyuan and his mother were completely bewildered and were about to start cursing.

Granny Zhao continued, "Today is the day the Shen family is presenting their betrothal gifts. Do you know which Shen family? It's Mr. Shen, Ye Xuan's teacher!"

Shen Zhiyan? Li Zhiyuan's expression changed. Shen Zhiyan was his nightmare!

Shen Zhiyan offered his betrothal gift?

"Yes, it's Mr. Shen presenting the betrothal gifts!" As if hearing his thoughts, Granny Zhao kindly answered him, "Mr. Shen is presenting the betrothal gifts to Cai Ping! Oh, of course, they were engaged a long time ago, just two days ago. Today is the betrothal ceremony, and if nothing unexpected happens, the wedding date will be announced soon!"

Did Shen Zhiyan propose to Ye Caiping?

Ye Caiping... is getting married?!

Li Zhiyuan and Granny Li's minds went blank!

Especially Granny Li, who screamed, "Impossible! Absolutely impossible!"

"How could Ye Caiping get married? She loves my Zhiyuan to death! For the past year... she's rejected matchmaker after matchmaker's proposal, all to wait for my Zhiyuan! Now my Zhiyuan..."

Tie Niu's wife, standing to the side, raised an eyebrow: "Is it possible that Cai Ping is waiting for Mr. Shen?"

Upon hearing this, Granny Li's vision blurred: "No way! How could this be—"

She simply couldn't accept the fact that Ye Caiping had married someone else!

How could such an absurd thing happen?

If Ye Caiping were to marry, those three large workshops, those thousands of taels of family property, and that life of luxury surrounded by servants...

Good heavens, how could such an absurd thing happen!

If that happens, her family will have nothing left! Nothing left!!!

In an instant, the sky collapsed and the earth cracked; Granny Li broke down!

Li Zhiyuan slumped to the ground, stunned, dazed, and dumbfounded.

Ye Caiping wasn't waiting for him after all...

How could she not wait for him?

Why shouldn't she wait for him?

What will he do? What will become of him...?

As he thought about it, Li Zhiyuan felt dizzy and his vision blurred; the darkness was very similar to the road ahead of him...

Moreover, that person was Shen Zhiyan!

That person who became the top scholar at the age of seventeen, someone he could never reach even if he chased for a lifetime...

He actually married Ye Caiping?

Li Zhiyuan clutched his chest tightly, feeling a metallic taste in his throat, and almost coughed up blood.

Shanzi, still feeling that his criticism wasn't enough, said, "Oh right, I forgot to tell you, our new son-in-law is not only a top scholar who passed the imperial examination at the age of seventeen, but his family is a family of officials for generations, the Marquis of Dingguo's mansion."

"My new son-in-law is a nobleman's son. Not only is he talented, but he also comes from a distinguished family!"

He was actually a young master from a noble family! Li Zhiyuan finally couldn't hold back any longer and spat out a mouthful of blood with a "poof".

"Ahhh—Zhiyuan! My son—" Granny Li rushed over immediately, supporting him. "Ye Caiping, get out here right now! Zhiyuan is vomiting blood! If you don't come out, you'll regret it! You'll definitely regret it!"