The young couple, hand in hand, walked to a restaurant located further away. It was a restaurant near the scholars' dormitory. It was quite a prime location, causing the opening of many temporary stalls, the area was packed.

    The crowd was bustling, people walked in and out, and without Mu Heng holding Yueqian's hand, she might have been pushed back by the throngs.

    Mu Heng, taller than everyone in the crowd, used his height advantage to lead the way. He pushed through the crowd of smaller people, causing them to be bounced off the way, clearing a path for Yueqian who followed closely behind him through the sea of people.

    The area he led them to was not in the bustling heart but was not too far from it either. A short walk down a street that people were constantly walking by brought them to the restaurant he mentioned.

    The front of the restaurant was just a high table set up next to rice and boiling pots. He made a fire to always keep it hot, this would enhance its flavor and appeal. Around the restaurant, many scholars were already gathered, each holding a bamboo tube and using chopsticks to scoop up food.

    Observing their eating, it was clear that the food was delicious. Yueqian looked intrigued by the unusual props, but the owner’s voice caught her attention first.

    "Isn’t that Young Mu Heng? What kind of meat have you brought to sell today?" The owner's loud voice caught the attention of those around, making them look up with interest.

    "Today, I’m just here on errands in the city, I didn’t bring anything to sell," Mu Heng replied with a faint smile that appeared on his face.

    "Is that so? I thought you had some meat to sell. Tomorrow, I wanted to change the menu because my customers are complaining that they are tired of my pork stew," the Shopkeeper Bai replied cheerfully.

    His words made the scholars eating there laugh.

    "It's true, uncle! You keep feeding us pork stew. We used to have venison, rabbit, and bird meat. Now it's just pork stew and our faces might as well turn into pigs."

    "I agree with my fellow scholar. We keep eating pork that just a smell of it makes me fed up.”

    "I want rabbit stew. Last time I had a bowl, it was incredibly delicious."

    "Hey! You dare to mention that? I didn’t even get to taste the rabbit last time. By the time I got there, only pork stew was left."

    "Me too. Why don’t you get more varieties of meat?"

    The scholars complained, their voices so loud that one could hardly hear the word, yet their tone was playful. They did not seriously complain or curse.

    "Enough. Enough already, you guys. If you want different kinds of meat, ask Mu Heng here to bring more. I don’t know many foragers, and others have already competed to buy the stuff at high prices. Just getting these pork scraps for you to eat is a blessing," the Shopkeeper Bai retorted.

    As he said, pork isn't cheap, but he went on to buy scraps that were stuck to the bones from a pork shop. It took a long time to pick the meats off and simmer them to make this stewed pork. Not to mention pig’s heads, which most people don't like to eat. However, when made into stew, they became quite delicious, and he bought them at an affordable price.

    For him, doing business like this was also a way to support scholars. Originally, he too dreamed of becoming a scholar and taking an exam to enter civil service. However, poverty prevented him from pursuing his dreams, he could only continue helping with his parents’ work. Once he earned enough, he chose to be a merchant instead, becoming another supporter for poor scholars.

    The prices at Shopkeeper Bai's restaurant were affordable, allowing the poor scholars to save some money for their academic materials. Thus, this place has become a gathering spot for those with shared ideologies, individuals determined to strive for their future.

    Because of these shared ideologies, they are more like comrades or brothers than mere merchants and customers, unlike other shops.

    "So, Young Mu, the beautiful lady beside you must be the wife people talk about," Shopkeeper Bai asked, nodding towards Yueqian.

    An indescribably beautiful woman, she stood out significantly from the ordinary village girls and possessed an intimidating aura that made people somewhat hesitant to approach her.

    "Yes, this is Yueqian, my wife," Mu Heng replied, still holding her soft hand possessively as if once he held them, he never thought of letting go.

    "Oh, as beautiful as the rumors say.... As for everything else, you'll adjust to each other. Husband and wife are considered one person. From now on, if there are any issues, you should support each other. This Mu Heng is a good and hardworking man. Though he's a bit stubborn, not willing to submit to others, a kind word will soften him. I don't believe such a beautiful woman as you can't make him give in.

    And… you are now your husband’s person. Get over the past and begin a new journey. Mu Heng took you to his house, said he would take good care of you, then you should live here with no worry. Don’t overdo it." Shopkeeper Bai said like the someone who went through many things.

    He looked at Mu Heng and Yueqian, gave them a speech as if he was their ancestor.

    Indeed, Merchant Bai had heard bits and pieces. About the malevolence of this woman who was beautiful on the outside, but her manner did not match her look, he knew more than anyone, since she was to be married off to a poor villager in their town.

    As a lady of the prominent Qin family from the capital, engaged to a famous Young General, who wouldn't be interested to hear about her?

    He heard that she was extremely malevolent, harming many innocents out of jealousy and using her high status to oppress the one that loved by the Young General. People praised the Young General and his lover as a match made by heaven. The way they could overcome all obstacles meant that they were destined to be together. But people also cursed this Young Villainess Qin to a bad end.

    When he heard that Mu Heng, who was like a younger brother to him, was embroiled in the tale as someone who tortured the other party, he felt deeply sympathetic towards Mu Heng. Even though he got 100 silver taels, would the woman he married be good to him? How could they possibly live happily together? He couldn't figure it out.

    But who could know that after the rumors of a runaway bride in the first night, who then later been drugged and send away on a bride cruise, within a single night, he would meet the woman from the rumors, and everything would turn upside down.

    Did she look evil?

    Ah, if you just consider her face, she indeed looks quite evil. She was indeed a harm to the land, her beauty could easily start a war between regions.

    As for her temperament, she didn't seem too troublesome or demanding. His shop was far, and it was tough to get through the crowd to reach this place, but she didn't show any signs of being tired or willfully demanding, not even a hint of irritation.

    It seems the stories he heard might have been exaggerated.

    What about the notorious Miss Qin who ruthlessly orders the beating till death punishment of those who displease her?

    What about the malevolent Miss Qin who harshly punishes those who don't meet her approval?

    What about the cunning and deceitful Miss Qin? Now he only sees a young woman being led by her husband like a child afraid of getting lost, right?

    Where is the Young Villainess Qin they spoke of!!

    After seeing everyone's reactions, Yueqian couldn't help but raise an eyebrow. It was clear how much they had expected from her based on their disappointed looks.

    But honestly, she did want to cause a scene. Her first goal after being exiled was to ensure that the rumors of her being a villainess continued. She didn't want her identity to change to that of an ordinary person because it might mean that the Qin family thinks she has reformed and wants to bring her back.

    Yueqian's goal was to live a peaceful life. She did not want to get involved with the situation of the capital anymore. Especially now, as the hero and heroine still have to struggle to be together, they must face many more challenges. She no longer wants to be a mere supporting character to make their love seem grander.

    Moreover…, that Young General, she did not think highly of him at all!

    Compared to Mu Heng, her husband, that guy seemed like a downright awful man who had his heart for many.

    He claimed to love the heroine alone, but he had already married four concubines before at the age of 21, Mu Heng's age, which considered quite young. He still had so many domestic issues; just thinking about it gave her a headache on behalf of the heroine.

    In this time, he had not yet married the heroine because he just managed to get rid of his fiancée. Soon, if the story continues as usual, he and the heroine will go on a mission to help the villagers together.

    The heroine needed to distribute food to the needy, while he must check on the smuggling of resources in a bandit-like manner.

    Eventually, he would get tricked and poisoned, an obstacle to propel this love story forward, just like in typical novels…

    The heroine would help him by using her body for him to vent on that night. Afterward, he had to marry her as one of his wives, but her status was only that of a concubine’s daughter, and he, a Young General, could not make decisions on his own. His parents did not want him to marry the daughter of a concubine as his principal wife because they sought support from other families.

    So, the foolish hero allowed his lover to be mistreated by everyone else. Years passed, and only after a long struggle did the heroine overcome the obstacles and became his principal wife, while dealing with all the other venomous people, leaving only those concubines who were loyal to her.

    Though it ended that way, Yueqian did not desire the heroine's status and did not want to become the principal wife of anyone. She wished to be the only wife of Mu Heng, to live without worry and grow old with him.

    Originally, she wanted to keep causing trouble to make the people from the capital think they were right, and stop paying attention, but once she really was with Mu Heng, and she saw how he defended her no matter how aggressively she spoke, Yueqian could no longer bring herself to harm him.

    Well, whatever is meant to happen will happen. Besides, she was now his wife, and being husband and wife, they must stay together forever. Even if the storyline changed slightly because of her actions, Yueqian was not sorry.