Chapter Seventy-Three: The Bride

In the city, under the dim yellow lights, a group of men sat around a table, legs crossed, glasses of wine in hand.

“Gu Da Cai, what happened to you? Did a woman beat you up, or was it a man? Look at you! Did you fall into a cesspit by accident? Hahaha!”

The men drinking with him lounged about, tossing out their jeers before bursting into raucous laughter.

They paid no mind to how sour Gu Da Cai’s expression became; to them, this was all just amusing.

“Nonsense! My eyes work just fine—why would I fall into a cesspit? What do you take me for, yourself? Sneaking around after a young widow, getting caught and chased, then falling into a pit and unable to climb out?”

Gu Da Cai had never been one to take things lying down, and he retorted with a mocking sneer.

The man on the receiving end wasn’t angered in the least. He rubbed his chest, grinning lasciviously at the others.

“Even if I did fall in, it was worth it. You lot have no idea how fiery that woman is. Tch, tch—right here, such a generous bosom.”

He puffed out his chest, lewdly cracking jokes that sent the men into howls of laughter.

After a round of idle banter, they finally got to the matter at hand.

“So, what’s really going on with you? Weren’t we supposed to meet up at the gambling den? Why are you so late? We’ve already circled the place several times waiting for you.”

All of these men were loafers, their greatest pleasures wandering the city and loitering in gambling halls.

Gu Da Cai had planned to join them at the gambling den that day, but something had happened and he hadn’t shown.

“Don’t even mention it. Damn it, the wretch at home turned on me—had the gall to hit me! And that worthless daughter of mine, I don’t know where she found the courage, she took off with the silver I’d hidden!”

When the men heard this, they exchanged glances, skepticism written all over their faces.

Gu Da Cai's wife and daughter, capable of this? Daring to strike him? Impossible!

“Come on, don’t joke. We all know what your lot at home are like—timid as mice. Only your son’s got a bit of backbone. Your wife and daughter are as soft as dough.”

Gu Da Cai felt stifled; who could argue? He’d never imagined his wife and daughter would dare gang up on him, let alone beat him so soundly.

“Bah! They’ve been hiding it, that’s all. Two heartless curs, the both of them. Beat me so badly I can barely get out of bed.”

The thought of the silver being stolen made his chest ache all the more. He rubbed at it, letting out a heavy sigh.

“The two of them even took off with my silver. Bah! They really think, just because they’ve left, that I can’t do anything about it.”

Seeing Gu Da Cai’s fury, the men exchanged glances before offering up some rotten advice.

“Brother Da Cai, judging by your face, you’re destined to strike it rich. Your daughter’s marriage brought you silver—have you never thought of marrying off your wife as well?”

Gu Da Cai was momentarily baffled. What on earth did they mean? That wife was already married to him.

“What are you talking about? I don’t follow.”

The man across from him smirked, downing the rest of his wine.

“Are you really that dense, or just pretending? Marry your wife off again, of course—get the bride price!”

“Old Fourth did just that; you can ask him yourself. He made fifteen taels of silver at the time.”

With that, the man shoved Old Fourth forward, inviting him to share his experience on selling off a wife.