Chapter 978: 976: Shopkeeper Tian's Reputation Can't Be Cleared Even by Jumping into the River

Words : 1367 Updated : Sep 23rd, 2025

Chapter 978: Chapter 976: Shopkeeper Tian’s Reputation Can’t Be Cleared Even by Jumping into the River As he spoke, he waved his hand, and the government officials were about to escort Shopkeeper Tian and Tian Sihai away. Shopkeeper Tian took a few steps before barely regaining his senses, “Honorable officers, honorable officers, the County Magistrate gave the order, and I dare not disobey. But I have a request for you esteemed officers to show mercy. My daughter-in-law is pregnant, and today, due to a few quarreling words with my wife, she has disturbed her fetus. I was just about to let my son go fetch a doctor.” “I dare not delay on behalf of the County Magistrate, but I beg you officers, could you please invite a doctor from the Peace Clinic to see my daughter-in-law, to preserve this lineage?” Since the Dragon Boat Festival that day, when he inserted the incense into the dragon boat, Shopkeeper Tian’s eyelids had been incessantly twitching, and his heart had been uneasy, always feeling that something was about to happen. When these government officials came today, he felt a sense of reality settle in. He estimated that there was no escaping this fate for his family, and perhaps the second son would also get involved. The Eldest Brother was not reliable; the child that Lady Fang was carrying was their only hope, the last trace of the Tian family’s lineage, and it had to be preserved at all costs. If there was a chance, he had a few bits of family fortune unknown to others; when the time comes, he’d give them to the Eldest Brother and his wife, so they could raise that child and continue the Tian family lineage. That would be a blessing. While Shopkeeper Tian was painstakingly planning, Tian Sihai’s heart had turned cold. At this point, the whole family was about to be imprisoned, and he wasn’t worried about this son of his, not worried about himself, nor his own mother. The only concern was Lady Fang and the child in her belly. Fine, fine, fine! Since the father is unjust, don’t blame the son for being unfilial. Tian Sihai sneered, “Dad, stop worrying about that illegitimate child in Lady Fang’s belly, don’t worry, that kid won’t make it!” “What did you say?” Shopkeeper Tian felt dizzy. The officials nearby heard Tian Sihai’s words and knew something was off. Wasn’t Lady Fang Tian Sihai’s wife? Why was he calling the child in her belly an illegitimate child? Having worked for a long time, they sensed something fishy upon hearing this. They didn’t rush to bring them to the Yamen. Tian Sihai had also had enough, “I said, Dad, that illegitimate child in Lady Fang’s belly, won’t survive! Early this morning, Lady Fang started bleeding. She terminated that illegitimate child herself! She said she felt sorry for you, but she had no choice, she was afraid I would find out, so she ruthlessly terminated it today! Dad, are you surprised? Are you shocked?” Shopkeeper Tian felt as if his son had gone mad, “What nonsense are you talking about? What do you mean the child in Lady Fang’s belly is my illegitimate child? Do you know what you’re saying? I have a clear conscience with Lady Fang; you must be paranoid!” he thought, puzzled as to why someone would rush to put a green hat on himself. The surrounding officials’ eyes lit up. Ah, today was not in vain! This is quite a show! Listen, listen, the father-in-law and daughter-in-law give the son a green hat, the daughter-in-law aborts the father-in-law’s illegitimate child, and the son turns against his father in public! This is something even the theater wouldn’t dare to depict! “You claim to have a clear conscience with Lady Fang? Then where did the child in her belly come from? Lady Fang waits for you at the second gate every night until you come home and insists on exchanging a few words before going back to sleep, and that’s clear? How did your pouch end up with Lady Fang?” Tian Sihai took the pouch he was holding and tossed it onto Shopkeeper Tian’s face. Shopkeeper Tian focused his gaze, “This is my pouch, but I gave it to Lady Fang yesterday, with some Silver Pieces inside, for her to buy something to nourish her body—” “And what your daughter-in-law eats, whether she nourishes her body or not, isn’t it something for your son to manage? Does it require you as the father-in-law to give her Silver?” Tian Sihai retorted sarcastically. “Isn’t it your mother—” “And now you bring my mother into this? Was my mom short of anything for Lady Fang to eat or drink? Was it not enough to buy maids and old servants to serve her?” Tian Sihai sneered. Shopkeeper Tian felt that he couldn’t explain himself; the more he explained, the more tangled he became. Couldn’t he see the sympathetic looks from the officials next to him towards Tian Sihai? But not explaining would be like jumping into the river and still not being able to clear his name. Shopkeeper Tian forced himself, “Sihai, who have you been listening to that you doubt your father? If I truly wanted to find women, can’t I find plenty outside? I keep several mistresses outside, any of them better than Lady Fang. Why would I—” Before he could finish, Zhang Qiuju, dragged out by the officials, let out a shrill cry and threw herself at him, with two officials unable to hold her back. Zhang Qiuju threw herself on Shopkeeper Tian, slapped him twice, and scratched his face down to his neck, leaving it covered in scratches. She cursed, “You good-for-nothing Tian, today you’re telling the truth, aren’t you? Are you supporting women outside with my money? You ungrateful, unloyal wretch! Have you forgotten whose merit it is that the Tian family is where it is today? Without me, you’d still be eating dirt in the fields! You bastard—” The officials came to their senses, finally separating them, and Shopkeeper Tian was already unrecognizable, with a clump of hair pulled out, exposing a bloody scalp. The marks on his face made him look terrifying. Even after being pulled away, Zhang Qiuju was relentless, “You unspeakable, immoral bastard! Supporting women outside is one thing, but being insane enough to not even spare your daughter-in-law! You beast, worse than a dog! How did I end up marrying you—” Shopkeeper Tian was really about to be infuriated to death by this confused mother and son pair, not knowing what kind of madness possessed them to conclude that he and Lady Fang were having an affair. Ironically, he was thinking of them, wanting to leave a legacy with the second son and pass everything to his child. Unexpectedly, they turned out to be ungrateful wretches. Shopkeeper Tian regretted not entrusting everything to the Eldest Brother Tian Wuhu, reflecting on his goodness. The Team Leader, having captured the main offenders and eavesdropped on some gossip, was quite satisfied. Looking at the trembling maids and old women in the courtyard, he remembered that there was still Lady Fang in the inner chamber, and they couldn’t just let people die. He dispatched someone to fetch a doctor while leaving two officials and a maid to guard the place, and led Shopkeeper Tian and others back to report. Upon exiting, they saw that the outside of the Tian family was surrounded tightly, layer after layer. As soon as they came out, all eyes turned to them. Someone spoke, “Who would have guessed, Old Tian seemed so decent usually, yet he got involved in this kind of mess.” “Isn’t it just lack of sense! With so many women outside, why get entangled with your daughter-in-law?” “Don’t you know, the Eldest Brother in the Tian family has been married for years without children, and the second son has been married for some time yet still childless. Wouldn’t Shopkeeper Tian be anxious? Maybe it was all pre-arranged, as long as the child comes from a Tian woman’s belly, it doesn’t matter...” ...

Chapter 978: 976: Shopkeeper Tian's Reputation Can't Be Cleared Even by Jumping into the River

Comments (0)