Shocking! In this matriarchal society, every man wants to marry me!

There are many ways to hit someone, but slapping someone is undoubtedly the most humiliating and cathartic way to get revenge.

After that slap and those insulting words, Ding Yucheng could no longer pretend to be gentle and virtuous. He glared at Xia Muning and wanted to pounce on him and tear him apart.

Xia Muning remained unmoved.

"Ding Yucheng, how dare you!" came an angry voice.

Ding Yucheng's movements came to an abrupt halt. He was astonished to find that not only Xia Muning was in the room, but also Shi Shu, who looked disdainful, Liang Yun, who looked guilty, and Xia's mother and Xia Qingshi, who looked disappointed.

All of Ding Yucheng's arrogance vanished, and he reverted to being the gentle, pitiful Ding Yucheng whose wife had died young.

Tears streamed down his face, and his voice was filled with grievance. He knelt before Madam Xia and said, "I don't know what brings Lady Zhong here today. She barged into my Chaolu Pavilion without explanation and attempted to do something improper. I beg you elders to help me."

Since these people came in, Zhongtian has not said a word. After hearing Ding Yucheng's words, she sneered from the side, "Is this love?"

When faced with something that could harm him, his first instinct is to protect himself. His talk of love is just a way to satisfy his own selfish desires; the person he loves most is always himself.

Everyone watched him indifferently as he put on his tearful performance.

Liang Yun couldn't bear to see his master make a foolish move, so he reminded him, "Master, we arrived very early."

So they heard everything!

Xia Qingshi looked at Ding Yucheng with disappointment, lifted up her daughter's memorial tablet, and gently stroked it, her eyes full of heartache: "I always thought you were a good child, but you are really disappointing. Fang'er's death is inextricably linked to you, isn't it?"

Having messed up the performance, Ding Yucheng nonchalantly wiped away the tears from the corners of his eyes. Since showing weakness wouldn't work, he might as well be arrogant.

"Even if you find out, what can you do? The chastity archway awarded by the imperial court is still under construction. How much praise has your Xia family received because of me? I am the face of your Xia family. Do you dare to tear off your own face?"

"Do you dare to make a fuss about what happened today? Do you dare? Treat me well and turn a blind eye to what happened between me and Zhongniang, and I will stay in the Xia family. Otherwise, I will go out and find someone to make peace with, and trample the face of the Xia family and the court under my feet."

Everyone's face flushed red and then turned pale; they hadn't expected Ding Yucheng to be so shameless after things had turned sour.

Ding Yucheng felt quite relieved to see the Xia family helpless against him.

People need to learn to be crazy!

Looking at the deranged Ding Yucheng, Xia Muning slowly spoke: "The imperial court's grace and the emperor's benevolence are boundless. We must do something, and not do anything shameful."

"Mu Ning, do you have any ideas?" Xia's mother asked.

Xia Muning whispered something to her mother, who nodded in satisfaction.

Ding Yucheng didn't know what Xia Muning had said. Looking at Xia Muning's calm face, he felt a chill run down his spine. He was locked up, and the huge Chaolu Pavilion was empty, but there was a constant banging and clanging noise outside.

Ding Yucheng was freed three days later.

He opened the door! His pupils widened instantly.

There was a wall in front of him, about three feet high. He could only see a square patch of sky, with only a small gap about the size of a palm, so that his servants could bring him food through that gap.

Ding Yucheng felt that he was no longer a person, but a dog, a domesticated dog.

His emotions collapsed instantly!

Around noon, a servant brought him food. He struggled to open his eyes and saw Liang Yun.

Ding Yucheng glared at Liang Yun, cursing him with extreme hatred: "You treacherous, lowly slave!" If Liang Yun hadn't secretly informed Xia Muning, he wouldn't be in this predicament now.

Liang Yun was also somewhat dejected. He looked at his master, whom he had served for more than two years, and said with a hint of pity in his voice, "There is nothing wrong with people seeking survival. I just don't want to sink into depravity with you."

When he sent the message to Zhongtian, he did not leave, but went straight to find Xia Muning and told her everything.

Liang Yun stuffed the chilled food into the hole and slowly said, "Master, you've been locked up inside for three days and are unconscious. Let me tell you what's going on outside."

Ding Yucheng overturned the food!

Liang Yun didn't care: "The Xia family has been publicizing your loyal and chaste character, saying that after Master Xia Fang died, you voluntarily lived in the Steadfast Pavilion to keep his chastity, staying there for the rest of your life, never going out or socializing, until the day you died and were reunited with Xia Fang in the underworld."

Ding Yucheng sensed the absurdity.

“People were deeply moved by your actions. The neighbors all praised you. The newly arrived magistrate was even more moved. You personally went to supervise the construction while you were imprisoned. People even wrote books about you.”

"People actually believe that?" Ding Yucheng calmed down as Liang Yun recounted the story; he found it unbelievable. "This is illegal imprisonment, Liang Yun, listen to me, go report this to the authorities!"

“Master, people believe it! And they believe it without a doubt.” Liang Yun looked at Ding Yucheng with even more pity.

Ding Yucheng felt as if someone had hit him hard on the head with a heavy hammer, making him dizzy and lightheaded. He had to lean against the wall to keep from falling.

He felt he had made a huge mistake by trying to exploit the public's sympathy, and now he was suffering a severe backlash.

His previous feigned affection made people believe in the matter without anyone seeing through its true nature.

He was utterly desperate!

He didn't know what to do; he grasped at the last straw. "Go find Zhongtian, beg her, she'll soften."

“No, Madam Zhong didn’t soften her heart; she even tacitly approved of it!” Liang Yun shattered Ding Yucheng’s illusions.

He urgently grabbed Liang Yun's hand from inside the cave: "Liang Yun, you'll stay with me, won't you!"

“Master,” Liang Yun looked at Ding Yucheng’s hand, “I was kicked out of the Xia family. I’ve come today to say goodbye. We were master and servant before, so listen to my advice: behave yourself and don’t cause trouble. One day, the Xia family will release you.”

"No, no, no!" Ding Yucheng shook his head frantically.

They won't do that; they'll just lock themselves up until they die!

Liang Yun pried Ding Yucheng's hand away and left. Ding Yucheng's hand kept reaching out, as if trying to grab something! But he grabbed nothing!

Those hands were withdrawn!

Ding Yucheng clutched his head and screamed shrilly!

Suddenly, he saw a pair of eyes, calm and compassionate eyes. It was Xia Muning, who was standing not far away, quietly watching Ding Yucheng!