The Eldest Daughter of a Rural Family

Mother Qian came over, and with Shu Hua, they thudded to their knees in front of Pei Zongli, and began to cry about how hard it had been for Qian Wanxiu to struggle and toil for the sake of Old Pei’s House. Pei Zongli, however, didn’t care whether Zhao Liniang was arranged by them or not, he still took her into his house and doted on her and her son. They also said Zhao Liniang was fooling around with other men after her engagement and wondered if the child she bore was even his. Yet, he still favored them so much.

Pei Zongli didn’t speak for a while, looking at the red eyes of Qian Wanxiu weeping, then at Pei Wensheng shocked stiff with fear. Suddenly his throat constricted, "...Was it... Wensheng who did it?" He couldn’t believe it. Wensheng was still just a teenager, and besides, he hadn’t favored Zhao Liniang and her son that much; he knew that in his heart. He had never imagined that the person who smothered his young son would turn out to be his beloved second son.

"You come and kill me! Go, report me! Just say I’m the one who killed him!" cried Qian Wanxiu as she screamed.

Pei Zongli watched her protect Pei Wensheng tightly, her mouth gasping for air, her head raised, tears still falling uncontrollably, "...He is your own younger brother!"

"Master! If it wasn’t for that Zhao Liniang forcing her way in, scheming to enter the house as a concubine, and then giving birth to a child who might not even be yours, the young master wouldn’t have been so confused and committed such a thing!" Mother Qian cried out and accused him, shifting the blame onto Zhao Liniang. Now only they were privy to the inside story. They had to think of a solution together to save the young master.

Shu Hua also cried, "Master! We do not know whether that little bastard is really Zhao Liniang’s child with some other man. But the young master, he is your own flesh and blood! Missy has devoted herself to you since your decline, bearing children and taking care of the household. Even if the Master won’t consider himself, he must save his own son!"

Pei Wensheng was now a murderer. How could they save him?

Qian Wanxiu was out of ideas, so what could Pei Zongli come up with momentarily? Although he had been preaching in the Government Office these past years and had made some connections, bribing some people, and even knew the prison guard, to make Lady Chen ’commit suicide out of guilt’ without poisoning her in prison was still quite difficult.

After sitting for half a day, Pei Zongli had wept, but still, he thought of ways to save Pei Wensheng. Although both were his sons, he had already lost one son and couldn’t sacrifice another.