The Eldest Daughter of a Rural Family-Chapter 1142 - 261: Hate That You Die Too Slowly

"How could she die so easily?" Pei Qian said uncomfortably. That venomous bitch Lady Qian, who had tried to take their lives multiple times, deserved to be tortured to death rather than die so easily! Yet, allowing her to die this way felt like too good a death!

But Pei Yuan grew worried. She trusted her elder sister, but still couldn’t accept that Qian Wanxiu could have done such a thing with Old Master Qian... To have even given birth to Pei Wenchen was too shocking for common decency! She feared few would believe it, and with Qian Wanxiu’s death, Pei Zongli and Pei Wenchen might bite back, accusing them, the siblings, of driving someone to their death.

Moreover, they could no longer keep this news from their elder sister.

Pei Qin had already found out and came to Pei Qian, "Her suicide by ingesting gold is still an inadequate death for her crimes, the rest is no longer our concern!"

"What if they cause more trouble? The rumors spreading around are clearly released by someone with intent!" Pei Qian had no intention of stopping, "You risked your life in battle, and they did not see when you were close to death; now, for a mere false reputation, they forget your achievements, attacking you with words! It’s utterly heartless and cold-blooded! Someone is definitely manipulating this behind the scenes, and those people are even less forgivable!"

"You, as the wife of the official in charge, why bother with those people! They’re just being idle and busybodies, no need to pay them any mind!" Pei Qin gave her a sideways glance.

But Pei Qian wouldn’t have it. She had seen Bai Jinyan in the streets, now everyone was criticizing them, the siblings, for being born of Jiāotiāo, assailing the elder sister for setting the precedent of women officials, corrupting court regulations and the boundaries between men and women, Bai Jinyan’s mocking words filled her with unbearable rage and hatred. It was the honor that rightfully belonged to their elder sister, earned through life-threatening sacrifices! Yet, it turned them into sinners, subjected them to denunciation!

"The more attention you pay, the more they’ll jump around. Rumors stop with the wise!" Pei Qin instructed Fang Liuming to take care of her, suggesting she spend time with the children when she had nothing else to do!

Fang Liuming’s gentle tactics were no longer effective, and he himself felt that his wife needed pampering and doting on during this period. As for those matters outside, he would take care of them. He ordered close surveillance on every move of Pei Zongli and Pei Wenchen.

The death of Qian Wanxiu soon provoked a reaction.

Everyone said she killed herself because her scandal was exposed and she couldn’t face living any longer.

Then someone jumped out to say that Qian Wanxiu had been wrongfully accused and had killed herself in humiliation, forced by the unbearable disgrace, in hopes that Pei Qin would spare her son Pei Wenchen and Pei Zongli. They alleged that the blood test for proof of paternity involving Pei Zongli and Pei Wenchen had been tampered with, rumors were being spread wrongly without seeing the real facts.

But what was the real truth?

Everyone believed what Pei Qin said, if Qian Wanxiu hadn’t committed any guilt-ridden deed, she could have simply done the paternity test publicly. Swallowing gold to commit suicide was clearly an act of guilt-ridden suicide! She was far more despicable than those brothel women who had illicit affairs, deserving worse than being drowned in a pig cage, she ought to be paraded on a wooden donkey!

Following the death of Qian Wanxiu, Pei Zongli became more rational, resolutely and firmly denying the allegations of promiscuity and adamantly stating, "It was them, the siblings, who deliberately plotted, wanting us dead! Because they have power and authority, you believe what they say! So they resorted to such despicable and venomous tactics to force us to our deaths!"

Pei Wenchen, with eyes red and swollen from crying, gathered the public outside, seeking justice, "...to clear my mother’s name!"

"How can her name be cleared? Are you suggesting another public paternity test?" a busybody asked.

Both Pei Zongli and Pei Wenchen nodded, "Yes! We want to do a public paternity test!"

"Pfft! Who knows if you’ll tamper with the water, intentionally avoiding the disgrace and throwing the dirty water on General Pei?"

"Exactly! Don’t you know your own deeds? If nothing happened, why would she be too guilty to want to live?"

"She deserved to die! Such a promiscuous, shameless woman, even more lascivious than those sisters of the brothel! And still has the audacity to seek justice, to talk of innocence!? Pah!"

A wave of disdain rippled through the crowd.

Pei Wenchen, with eyes blazing red, said, "Let any one of you prepare this bowl of water! We won’t touch it! Nor will we tamper with it! Let all of you see what the real truth is!"

Someone immediately brought over a bowl of water and handed them a knife.

Pei Wenchen, grating his teeth with anger, took it, cut his hand to draw blood, and then passed it to Pei Zongli.

Pei Zongli also cut his hand and let drops of blood fall into the bowl.

The drops of blood slowly merged. fɾeewebnoveℓ.co๓

"There’s something wrong with the water! It must be the water!" someone in the crowd said, refusing to believe.

"Then bring your own water!" Pei Wenchen shouted angrily.

That person actually brought his own bowl of water, followed by others who also brought water.