Old Zhu and the others, seeing that everything here was settled and not wishing to stay longer, said to Gu Dashan, "Master, we’ll head back to the workshop first. If there’s anything you need, just call us." Gu Dashan replied, "Eh, you guys go back to the workshop first." Old Zhu returned to the workshop with Old Guo and the others, continuing to busy themselves with the workshop affairs. Being people who knew the rules well, they didn’t spread the word about the incident at the Gu Family. Ms. Chu, on the other hand, did not leave. She followed Gu Dashan and his family into the main house. Third Grandma expressed her worries, "We’ve hit Matchmaker Lao. What if Village Chief Sun gets outraged and does something terrible in retaliation?" Mrs. Cui was also very afraid, gripping Gu Jinxiu’s hand, she said, "Yes, your father, that Village Chief Sun is a man with bad intentions. If someone spreads rumors that are unfavorable to Sister Xiu, what will we do with her?" Ever since the migration, Mrs. Cui had been worried about Gu Jinxiu. Her eldest daughter was beautiful and of marriageable age, and she feared that her daughter would attract unwanted attention and something might happen. Gu Dashan was also fearful, yet he comforted Mrs. Cui, "Don’t scare yourself. Maybe in a few days, Village Chief Sun will be removed from his position. If he loses his position as the village chief, what kind of waves can he make?" Gu Jinxiu’s eyes were red as she said, "Father, mother, do not worry. If the Sun Family dares to provoke me again, I’ll just do as Xiao Yu did - take a knife and split them open!" Gu Jinli said, "Father, mother, big sister, don’t worry. With Matchmaker Lao around, even if Village Chief Sun’s family wanted to spread rumors, we could just give some silver to Matchmaker Lao, and she’d bite back at the Sun Family any time." One look at Matchmaker Lao and you could tell she was greedy for money and feared death. "Moreover, Village Chief Sun’s marriage proposal was intended to establish kinship with our family to share the spice business. He wouldn’t be foolish enough to spread rumors and ruin big sister’s reputation. If he did, then he would not be Village Chief Sun." Village Chief Sun had always liked to use schemes and pressure, and wouldn’t resort to extreme methods that would completely ruin relations. Hearing this, Gu Dashan’s family felt somewhat relieved. However, Gu Jinli did not relax. She and her brother must speed up their efforts to eliminate Village Chief Sun. Further investigation into Village Chief Sun’s household was needed. With Village Chief Sun’s character, he certainly must have committed many acts violating the Great Chu Criminal Law, and with the Lord County Magistrate wanting achievements, this was a good opportunity to take him down. "Father, mother, I have to go out," Gu Jinli left home and went to the workshop to find San Lai, asking, "Do you know anyone from Beigou Village? Do you know the matchmaker in the town, Matchmaker Lao?" San Lai nodded, "I know a few guys from Beigou Village. I also know Matchmaker Lao. She has one of the worst reputations among the matchmakers in Qingfu Town, but she has a wide network and knows a lot of dirty secrets." What attracted Gu Jinli to Matchmaker Lao was the plethora of private matters she knew. She gave San Lai five taels of silver, "Find some brothers to go drink with those men from Beigou Village, then go to Matchmaker Lao and find out the dishonorable things Village Chief Sun’s household has done, who their enemies are, and report back to me." She continued, "Don’t show your face in this, and handle it cleanly, don’t let anyone know it’s my family inquiring about the Sun Family affairs, understand?" "Young Master, rest assured, I know some brothers, I will definitely handle this matter well for you." San Lai happily took the silver and left cheerfully. Beigou Village, at Village Chief Sun’s house, Matchmaker Lao, along with the two lads, was fiercely pounding on the big gate of the village chief’s house: "Open the door quickly, we’re here to collect money!" "Who is it, banging away like mad—a fart in the wind—this is the honorable Village Chief’s residence, keep knocking and you’ll be hauled to the government office." Sun Liuzi, a servant, came out to open the door and yelled at Matchmaker Lao. "Pah!" Matchmaker Lao spat a mouthful of saliva straight at Sun Liuzi’s face and led her party into Village Chief Sun’s house. "Hey, how can you barge in here?" Sun Liuzi shouted, quickly chasing after them. But Matchmaker Lao moved much faster than him; she had already stormed into the main courtyard of Village Chief Sun’s house and bellowed: "Sun Fuxiong, come out here and face me, what kind of marriage did you ask me to propose? Is that family someone you can just talk to easily? Come out and see for yourself, see what kind of disaster you’ve brought upon me!" Not to mention being beaten, they even splashed urine on her! Matchmaker Lao felt nauseated from her own stench. The two lads behind her were also clamoring: "Village Chief Sun, Sun Fuxiong, come out quickly and compensate us for our medicine. Look what that family did to us; we don’t have a single patch of unbruised flesh on our bodies." "We’ve followed the matchmaker to deliver wedding invitations countless times before, and we’ve never encountered such a situation—it’s utterly disgraceful, you must come out and explain this to us." Matchmaker Lao and the two lads kept clamoring nonstop. Two women, hearing the noise, hurried from the back courtyard. One of them, a gray-clothed old lady in her fifties, yelled at Matchmaker Lao: "Matchmaker Lao, are you looking to die? Coming to my house to make trouble, you don’t want to live anymore?" The speaker was Village Chief Sun’s daughter-in-law, and standing next to her was Sun Fang, her elder daughter-in-law. After Granny Sun shouted at Matchmaker Lao, she turned to Sun Liuzi, who had caught up, and said: "Why are you standing there like an idiot? Go to the village and find someone to drive this damn woman away!" "Eh, Granny, I’ll go and call for people right now." Sun Liuzi turned to leave and call for help, but Matchmaker Lao shouted at the top of her lungs: "Stop right there, if you dare to call for people, I will spill all of Sun Fuxiong’s dirty laundry!" Granny Sun sneered: "Matchmaker, who are you trying to scare? My Sun Family only has good news and joyful events, where would any dirty laundry come from?" Matchmaker Lao laughed with a tilt of her eye, saying: "What dirty laundry? Do you want me to enumerate them for you? Alright then, listen carefully, but don’t get too angry—you could die from it, and then I’d still have to organize your funeral rites!" Matchmaker Lao, who didn’t hold back, simply sat down on the ground in the front courtyard, pointed at Sun Fang, and exclaimed: "Your grandkid in the county, Sun Youqian, is a beast. You think he’s actually diligently studying in the county? Pah! My old sister in the county said, he’s had an affair with the widow of the West Alley as early as last year, plunging into sin who knows how many times!" "Ew, it disgusts me to death! How old was your Qian last year? Merely a fifteen-year-old lad, and he hooked up with a thirty-year-old widow. That widow’s eldest daughter is twelve; she’s practically ready to become your son’s bride!" "You—you’re talking nonsense, shut your mouth right now!" Sun Fang was nearly fainting from shock but managed to retort: "My Brother Qian is entirely devoted to his studies and is extremely proper, you are slandering him." "Pah, with your Brother Qian’s character, does he really need me to slander him?" Matchmaker Lao scoffed and pointed westward, saying: "Xu Lianzi, the younger daughter from the Xu Tianfa’s family in Songzi Gully—your Brother Qian, under the guise of visiting Xu Tongsheng to learn, seduced Xu Lianzi and ruined her. Now, that can’t be called slander, can it?" Matchmaker Lao snorted and laughed repeatedly, "I went to Songzi Gully a while ago to arrange a match, and I saw that Xu Lianzi walked strangely. Observing her condition, she’s certainly pregnant. Congratulations to the Sun Family, you’re about to have a new addition to your family." After Granny Sun and Sun Fang heard this, they both turned deathly pale. How could Matchmaker Lao possibly know about Xu Lianzi’s affair?