The Country Maiden: Fields and Leisure-Chapter 874 - 873: Night Escape

They had consulted countless doctors, taken countless medicines, visited all the nearby temples, and prayed to all the gods in the sky, but it was all in vain. Lady Chen’s belly still never swelled.

People outside laughed, saying that perhaps the Eldest Brother was impotent, not a real man, which was why he had no children.

As parents, they naturally couldn’t let their son have no descendants, so they wanted to bring in a concubine for the Eldest Brother, to at least ensure their bloodline.

But the Eldest Brother refused, saying it was all fate.

Zhang Qiuju and Shopkeeper Tian were infuriated. Since the Eldest Brother was so uncooperative, there was still the Second Brother, wasn’t there?

So she and her husband pinned all their remaining hopes on the Second Brother. Plus, the Second Brother was sweet-tongued and could easily please people, so they liked him more than the Eldest Brother to begin with.

Zhang Qiuju chose for a long time before finally settling on Lady Fang. She was good-looking, with a curvy figure, and her wide hips suggested she could easily bear sons.

But Lady Fang had been in the house for quite some time without any news of a child. Zhang Qiuju had started to wonder if Lady Fang was just a pretty face without much use.

She never expected that at this moment, her son said Lady Fang might be pregnant, and Zhang Qiuju’s anger dissipated immediately.

Thinking carefully, Lady Fang hadn’t changed her clothes this month and had been vomiting. What else could it be if not pregnancy?

Thinking of the soon-to-arrive grandson, not only Zhang Qiuju but also Shopkeeper Tian couldn’t help but show a slight smile on his face.

Though Shopkeeper Tian was already quite old, he had only these two sons. He had a few concubines outside, but their bellies were disappointing. Over the years, they had only given him a couple of daughters, who were married off early to merchants from other places.

Now that he was old, he knew that in this lifetime, he would only have Wu Hu and Sihai as his sons. Who could he hand this vast family business over to if not the two of them?

Unexpectedly, the Eldest Brother and his wife had no children after five or six years. He even refused to take a concubine, claiming, "If fate wills it, there will be children. If not, don’t force it."

Hearing this made his heart ache!

If Shopkeeper Tian had believed in fate, would he have gone from a rural peddler to his current position in life?

Since the Eldest Brother was uncooperative, there was still the Second Brother.

Indeed, the Second Brother was sensible, exceedingly obedient, and had a knack for business.

Shopkeeper Tian sighed in relief, knowing the family business would not fail now that he had a capable successor.

However, he had a new worry. The Second Brother had also been married for quite some time without any children.

He recalled years ago, after that incident, the dying woman had cursed their family out of spite: "You Tian people will never die a good death! I curse your descendants to die off! Even if you have a vast family business, it will ultimately benefit others, ha-ha..."

Shopkeeper Tian feared the curse and had donated large sums to temples, hoping to break it.

So, was this curse finally lifted?

Quickly, he said, "Second Brother, help your wife get changed. She’s now with child, and she can’t catch a chill!"

As a father-in-law, he shouldn’t stay in his son’s room. After giving his orders, he left.

Zhang Qiuju, considering Lady Fang’s pregnancy, also gave a few instructions before going to change her clothes.

When the Eldest Brother’s wife came with hot water to help her bathe, Zhang Qiuju looked at Lady Chen’s flat belly and couldn’t help scolding her again.

Only when Lady Chen ran out, covering her face, did she stop.

After the chaos subsided, everyone sat in the main hall, and the atmosphere, though still heavy, had a trace of happiness.

But the thought of what awaited them the next day cast a shadow over their newfound good mood.

After a long silence, Tian Sihai finally said, "Why don’t we let Lady Fang speak up tomorrow? She’s been using our family’s cosmetics all along without any problems and she’s pregnant, isn’t she?"

Shopkeeper Tian shook his head. "It won’t work. Unless we can switch the rouge set to be inspected tomorrow with a problem-free one. Where would we find someone like that? If we can’t, we’re dead meat tomorrow!"

After thinking for a while, Shopkeeper Tian gritted his teeth. "Let’s plan for the worst. Second Brother, you take your wife to our estate in the countryside tonight. With your wife’s pregnancy, take plenty of silver coins and observe the situation there. If we’re lucky and nothing happens, everything will be fine!"

"But if things go south, take the silver coins and flee far away with your wife! We have other shops in Qingzhou Prefecture. With that, you won’t starve! Then we’ll figure out a way to reunite the family!"

Hearing this, Zhang Qiuju’s face changed. "Husband, what are you..."

"This is planning for the worst. No matter what, we must leave a root for the Tian family," Shopkeeper Tian replied.

Zhang Qiuju still showed some motherly concern. "But what about the Eldest Brother and his wife?"

Shopkeeper Tian snorted coldly, "If something really happens, can we all escape? Better use the Eldest Brother to buy us time. If he’s caught and killed, the Tian family’s last hope—his younger brother—might be spared in pity."

In other words, they were exchanging the Eldest Brother and his wife’s lives for the Second Brother and his wife’s, along with the unborn child.

"But will the Eldest Brother agree?" Zhang Qiuju stammered.

"It’s not up to him! This is decided! You two go back to your room and pack up the valuables. Leave now!" Shopkeeper Tian commanded resolutely.

Tian Sihai dared not say more. He went back to the room and began packing.

Lady Fang, still groggy, didn’t help, but just looked on blankly as Tian Sihai packed the valuables.

Tian Sihai assumed Lady Fang was in shock and didn’t bother her.

Once everything was packed, he took Lady Fang to the main hall to bid farewell to his parents.

Shopkeeper Tian had already prepared a small bundle and handed it to Tian Sihai. "Here are some silver notes, travel permits, and property deeds. Keep them well. These are the capital for the Tian family to rise again!"

Tian Sihai’s eyes reddened. "Father, Mother, what about you two?" freewёbnoνel.com

In that moment, Shopkeeper Tian looked like a loving father. "You should leave quickly! Don’t delay! Rest assured, this is the worst-case scenario. Your father isn’t easy to overthrow! I’ve got a backup plan! Once you’re gone, I’ll have no concerns. Stop dawdling—"

Biting his lip, Tian Sihai bowed deeply to his parents and disappeared into the night with Lady Fang.

Once the Tian family courtyard returned to its usual stillness, a single oil lamp flickered to life in the most secluded part of the compound.

Under the lamp’s dim light, Tian Wuhu’s face was ghastly pale, devoid of any life.

Lady Chen, beside him, held back her sobs, tears streaming down like a broken string of pearls. "Husband, why are Father and Mother so heartless? Are you not their son too? It’s bad enough they favor Second Brother, as long as we have enough to eat, we won’t compete with them. Who told us we couldn’t have children?"

New novel chapt𝒆rs are published on free(w)ebnovel(.)com