Chapter 240 Scaring the Matchmaker Away
After receiving his appointment, Zhou Ruiyuan immediately rode back to Changliu Village. As soon as he entered the village, he saw the matchmaker from Chu spouting nonsense.
"My husband!"
Upon seeing Zhou Ruiyuan, Du Wanchun strode over, her face beaming, "You're back."
Zhou Ruiyuan hadn't seen Du Wanchun for a long time, and he had been thinking about his wife on the way. Now that his wife was right in front of him, he was so excited that he couldn't move his feet. He simply reached out and pulled her into his arms.
"How have you been at home lately?" Zhou Ruiyuan asked her softly.
Du Wanchun looked up and smiled, "All is well."
The matchmaker, Chu, watching the two of them being so affectionate, sneered and said, "So it's the eldest son of the Zhou family. I was just talking to your wife about wanting to arrange a marriage for your mother. The county magistrate's father wants to marry your mother to bring good luck."
Zhou Ruiyuan's gaze suddenly turned cold. "What did you say? You want to marry my mother to bring good luck?"
The matchmaker, Chu, put her hands on her hips and said smugly, "That's right, your mother is lucky to have a family like the county magistrate marry her."
Du Wanchun sneered, "Granny Chu keeps mentioning the magistrate of the whole county. Anyone who didn't know better would think you were trying to arrange a marriage for him. You're practically half-buried, and you still have the nerve to call yourself a good person?"
The matchmaker, Chu, was so angry that her face turned red. Pointing at Du Wanchun, she said to Zhou Ruiyuan, "You better control your wife! What kind of wife talks to her elders like that!"
Zhou Ruiyuan said sternly, "This is my home. My wife can say whatever she wants. But you, Granny Chu, my father is not dead. He's still alive and well. What makes you think you can be a matchmaker!"
The matchmaker, Chu, suppressed her anger and said sarcastically, "What father? If you have a father, then call him out! He's just a fake man we paid for. How dare you call him your father? You have no shame."
Zhou Ruiyuan, with Du Wanchun in his arms, turned and called out, "Father!"
The matchmaker was startled by the voice and looked towards the door.
A handsome middle-aged man dressed in fine clothes walked in.
She was so shocked her jaw dropped.
The Third Prince overheard what Granny Chu was saying outside the door: "You matchmaker, how dare you arrange a marriage for a married woman? You have some nerve! Be careful, or I'll report you to the county government."
The matchmaker was startled, but still stubbornly insisted, "Who knows if you're Widow Zhou's man? If you really are, why are you never home!"
The Third Prince slowly walked into the house, saying, "Who do you think you are? It's none of your business!"
Du Wanchun followed suit, saying, "Granny Chu, there are no marriages you can arrange here. You'd better leave quickly!"
The matchmaker, Chu, was humiliated by the Zhou family and felt terrible. Unable to contain her anger, she stood in the house and cursed, "What kind of man are you? I bet you're just Zhou the widow's lover!"
The word "paramour" was spoken very loudly.
Aunt Zhou heard everything from inside. She strode out, carrying her wooden stick, and shouted, "Get out of here right now!"
The matchmaker from Chu looked up and said, "Fine, you dare to lay a hand on me! Then go ahead and hit me!"
Aunt Zhou held the wooden stick, hesitating to make a move.
Just as Zhou Ruiyuan and the Third Prince were about to make their move, Du Wanchun suddenly stepped forward, dodging the wooden cabinet in Zhou Da Niang's hand and striking Chu the matchmaker on the head with a club.
"Ah!" Matchmaker Chu cried out in pain, clutching her head. Then she glared fiercely at Du Wanchun. "You brat, how dare you hit me! I'm going to report you to the authorities!"
She said she was going to go up and hit Du Wanchun too.
Zhou Ruiyuan immediately stepped forward and shielded Du Wanchun behind him, shouting, "Stop!"
The matchmaker from Chu roared like a madwoman, "This little brat dares to hit me! I'll beat her to death!"
"Stop! Madam Chu! How dare you beat up the magistrate's wife!" Zhou Ruiyuan shouted coldly.
Everyone was stunned by these words.
"What?! The matchmaker Chu withdrew her hand and said."
Zhou Ruiyuan produced his official appointment document, saying, "Take a good look, I am the newly appointed magistrate of Cheng'an County!"
The matchmaker, who knew a few characters, turned pale upon seeing the seal on the document. "You...you're the newly appointed magistrate?!"
Zhou Ruiyuan said seriously, "With the documents in hand, how could they be fake?"
The matchmaker, now terrified, stumbled back a few steps, saying, "Sir, I didn't know you were the magistrate. I was rude just now."
Zhou Ruiyuan said sternly, "It's more than just being rude. If you had touched my wife's hair just now, you wouldn't be leaving here unscathed!"
The matchmaker from Chu knelt down with a thud and said, "My lord, I was wrong just now. Please, have the magnanimity to forgive me!"
Zhou Ruiyuan lowered his voice and said coldly, "Don't let me see you enter the Zhou family again! Now get out!"
The matchmaker's legs trembled, and she could barely stand. She grabbed the wall and quickly turned to leave the Zhou family.
Halfway there, the matchmaker accidentally fell into a mud pit. She climbed out of the pit, wiping the mud off her face, and ran towards her village.
After the matchmaker from Chu left, the Zhou family became lively again.
"Ruiyuan, you're the magistrate of Cheng'an County?" Aunt Zhou was overjoyed. She had been worried about Zhou Ruiyuan's imperial examination for so many days, and now that she saw him become an official, she felt relieved.
Zhou Ruiyuan replied, "I didn't become the top scholar, but only the third-ranked scholar."
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