Reborn as the Blissful Wife in the countryside-Chapter 879: Despair

Elder Gu was stunned, but the storyteller was very excited and shouted again: "Sacrifice righteousness for family integrity! Mrs. Gu Pan identified Gu Shengxiang as a wife-killer in court, a couple’s relationship falling apart, and in crisis, each one flies!"

The onlookers were excited by these words, and soon gossip spread that Granny Gu and Elder Gu had a falling out right in the courtroom.

With a loud snap, Magistrate Gu banged the gavel and said, "Silence, silence!"

He was almost driven mad by these storytellers; couldn’t they be quiet for a moment? If they shouted again, would they believe that he wouldn’t drag them in and give them a whipping?

But the storytellers weren’t afraid at all; after all, it wasn’t just them making noise, there were countless onlookers. Could Lord Magistrate arrest and beat everyone? 𝒻𝑟ℯℯ𝑤𝑒𝑏𝑛𝘰𝓋𝑒𝓁.𝒸𝑜𝘮

Elder Gu, startled by all the commotion, snapped back to reality, glaring incredulously at Granny Gu and asking, "Shuangniang, we’ve been married for nearly forty years, and you treat me like this?"

Elder Gu had always thought Granny Gu was very nice to him. Mrs. Fei wouldn’t let him do certain things, but Granny Gu allowed him anything and even praised him, saying he was capable, knowing a few characters, better than those who couldn’t recognize their own names.

She even said the family could build a green brick house all because of his efforts. If he hadn’t married Mrs. Fei, how could a fatherless and brotherless military family woman like her protect those compensation silver coins?

If Mrs. Fei hadn’t married him, once her elderly mother passed, not only would she lose the money, she wouldn’t be able to protect herself and would be sold off by village ruffians.

When he failed in business, Granny Gu comforted him, saying he was too kind-hearted and got deceived by bad people. Unlike Mrs. Fei, who chastised him for wasting her father’s and brother’s compensation money, telling him to stop doing business, use the remaining silver to buy land, and honestly farm to make a living.

Make a living, my foot!

Granny Gu said only men without skills farm the land; with a name like Gu Shengxiang, he was meant for big business, not farming!

He was made a hero by Granny Gu, thinking she was good in every way, idolizing him immensely. Who would’ve thought that the Granny Gu, who idolized him so, would now frame him for killing Mrs. Fei?

Confronted with Elder Gu’s questioning, Granny Gu didn’t give him any glance, only struggled to say: "He, killed, wife... I, innocent!"

Though it was just a few words, everyone understood it clearly.

Magistrate Gu asked Elder Gu, "You said the Bloodthorn Vine was given to you by Mrs. Gu Pan, but now Mrs. Gu Pan accuses you of wife-killing. What evidence do you have to prove you didn’t murder Mrs. Fei?"

Judge Tang reminded from the side, "You previously confessed that Mrs. Fei was given Bloodthorn Vine and not Red Blood Vine. If you can’t prove your innocence, by law, you’ll be convicted of wife-killing."

Judge Tang had perceptive eyes. After years of case hearings, he could see Elder Gu probably didn’t kill his wife but was used. Perhaps after Mrs. Fei’s death, Elder Gu found something amiss, but he chose to help Granny Gu cover it up for years. He never imagined Granny Gu would publicly blame him for Mrs. Fei’s death.

Elder Gu was extremely anxious. He’d been a tyrant at home all his life and had never encountered such a murder case. Now, accused as Mrs. Fei’s killer by Granny Gu, he was helpless and could only sob, "My lord, I didn’t, I didn’t kill Mrs. Fei. Those Bloodthorn Vines were given by Pan Shuangniang. She, she..."

Magistrate Gu frowned, "She what?"

Elder Gu paused, then turned again to look at Granny Gu, mouthing as if pleading, "Shuangniang, Shuangniang~ we’ve been married for decades, why come to this?"

Third Grandma and Third Grandpa, due to their age, had been allowed by Magistrate Gu’s grace to rest behind the screen in the courtroom. If needed, they could be called upon to testify.

At this moment, Third Grandma couldn’t hold back, coming out to sneer, "Lao Liu, you turtle bastard, you still don’t see what Pan is like to you? She never intended to be with you; she was just pregnant back then and feared she’d be drowned in a pig cage, so she hurriedly found you as a backup plan."

Elder Gu, hearing this, roared angrily at Third Grandma, "Shut up, you childless hag! If you dare to sow discord between my wife and me again, I’ll kill you!"

"Spit! Come on, you’re not even a person if you don’t kill me." Third Grandma didn’t fear Elder Gu’s threats at all, speaking in open court about Granny Gu’s old gossip: "Who in Yuanjia Town doesn’t know Pan was unclean, and you weren’t her only man. Before you, someone saw a man leave her house before dawn. Back then, Yuan Jiaman wasn’t even dead, and she was already used to fooling around."

Hearing this, Elder Gu was furious, his eyes almost popping out: "Shut up, you slut..."

"You should shut up. Daring to spew filth against my wife again, don’t blame me for hitting you." Third Grandpa stepped out, pulling Third Grandma aside, then brought out two chairs to sit by and listen.

This was irregular, but Magistrate Gu couldn’t reprimand them. Considering their advanced age and all the onlookers, one wrong word from him, and within two hours, the whole city would hear he disrespected the elderly, tarnishing his reputation.

Elder Gu, trying to defend Granny Gu, clashed with Third Grandma. Yet Granny Gu lay on the door panel, staring at the ceiling, not sparing him a glance.

Elder Gu fell into despair.

Seizing the moment, Magistrate Gu asked, "Clarify what you left unsaid earlier, don’t waste time."

Upon hearing this, Elder Gu, tears rolling down his aged face, said: "The Bloodthorn Vine was given by Pan Shuangniang. She said it was Red Blood Vine. I had no idea she gave me poison deadly to Mrs. Fei..."

He wiped his tears, choking as he said, "Looking back, she probably intended to kill Mrs. Fei... After decades together, I realize she was proud and unwilling to be a concubine. But back then, she said she was willing to be a concubine, then expressed apologies to Mrs. Fei, asked me to treat Mrs. Fei better, and gave me the Bloodthorn Vine to prepare for Mrs. Fei."

Judge Tang summarized for him: "So you’re saying Granny Gu used you to poison Mrs. Fei so she could marry you as the official wife?"

Elder Gu nodded, with tears streaming down, "That’s right, that’s how it is."

"Spit!" Granny Gu, hearing this, spat angrily at Elder Gu and with difficulty said again, "Jin, Zhi, can, testify!"

Gu Dagu, suddenly named, was so scared she fell and sat on the ground, staring at Granny Gu in terror. Didn’t mom say she’d protect her? Why drag her into this? What if she misspoke?

But Granny Gu was looking at her and said, "Trust, mom... speak!"

Those three words were meaningful, and Gu Dagu understood. Remembering what Granny Gu taught her to say years ago, she knelt on the ground and said, "Lord Magistrate, I can confirm Elder Gu intended to kill Mrs. Fei. I heard him say it back then."