Yingzi’s tears fell onto her hands, but Yun Jiao seemed not to see them and continued, "It’s not impossible for you to marry into a wealthy family, you could still become a concubine!"

Yingzi suddenly looked up at Yun Jiao, "I do not want to be a concubine!"

Yun Jiao ignored her and continued in a calm manner, "Being a concubine allows you to wear gold and silver, but once the master gets tired of you, he might just sell you to another."

"Or perhaps, you’ll be tormented by the household’s first wife until you’re plagued by illness. With some luck, you may bear a child, which could provide some support later in life. However, you’d forever be confined in that mansion like a bird in a cage, never dreaming of leaving."

Yingzi sobbed, "I don’t want to be a concubine!"

Yun Jiao replied plainly, "Then you should truly understand who you are and what kind of man you match with."

"From my perspective, marrying into the Shen Family’s Da Lang is the best match you can find right now, no wonder your mother is forcing you to agree."

"As time goes on, the families proposing will only get worse."

Yun Jiao sneered, "Perhaps, no families will propose anymore. After all, who would dare come forward when you hang yourself on the day of the engagement?"

Yingzi collapsed onto the bed, crying uncontrollably.

Guihua watched with a heavy heart, clenched her teeth but did not go over to console her.

Yun Jiao sighed, stood up, "I know, speaking of these leaves you unhappy, maybe you’ll even hate me."

"However, it doesn’t bother me."

"Thinking over this matter, I am also to blame."

"Inviting the female instructor, I shouldn’t have let you study with San Ya. Those lessons on music, chess, calligraphy, and painting are of no use to your life, and they gave you an illusion, thinking you are the same as San Ya."

"But you don’t have San Ya’s luck!"

"San Ya, although raised as a farmer’s daughter, had a father who accrued karma by saving San Lang’s life, raising him, and that karma protects San Ya!"

Yun Jiao initially intended to leave, then thought and continued, "Moreover, your mother and stepfather have done more than enough for you. They toil hard to raise you, have you ever done anything for the family? Sometimes I see your mother exhausted, yet you don’t lend a hand. What right have you to demand golden hairpins and bracelets?"

"Do your stepfather and mother owe you?"

"Having dreams is not shameful, but you must have the ability to match them. If you had skills like mine, earning a golden bracelet would be nothing."

"A dream without skill is mere delusion!"

"If you have ambition and skill to sustain yourself, even if you look down on all men of the world and choose to remain unwed, there’s no issue with that. But, are you capable?"

After finishing her words, Yun Jiao left.

Yingzi clung to the bed, weeping bitterly.

As Yun Jiao stepped out, she saw Lao Jiu awkwardly standing by the door, she nodded at him and went downstairs.

She knew her words today were harsh. She wanted to give Yingzi a wake-up call, also on behalf of San Ya.

Hearing Yingzi today, she realized that her actions at Kaiyuan Temple weren’t unintentional but deliberate.

San Ya considered her a good sister, yet she tried to steal San Ya’s marriage match while pretending to be naïve and innocent.

Despite knowing the family circumstances, she still desired golden hairpins and bracelets, this girl’s heart is already twisted.

She wondered if she could ever correct her ways.