The Eldest Daughter of a Rural Family-Chapter 1143 - 261: Disliking How Slowly You’re Dying_2

The results were consistent, the untampered water, when Pei Wenchen and Pei Zongli’s blood was added, all fused completely.

The crowd looked at the bowls of water, and now they had to believe that Pei Wenchen was indeed Pei Zongli’s biological child; if they were not related by blood, the fluids would not have merged.

So what Pei Qin said about Qian Wanxiu being promiscuous at her parents’ home and that Pei Wendong was an illegitimate child of the lowest status, were these words intentionally spoken to slander Lady Qian and drive them to their deaths?

Pei Wendong wept and knelt down, "Now that the truth has come to light for all to see, my mother can finally rest in peace with her name cleared!"

Pei Zongli also wept bitterly, "One cannot judge a person by their appearance! Lady Fang and Jian Xiao gave birth to a child, upon seeing me return home she committed suicide out of shame and anger. She and her brother both harbored hatred towards me and sought revenge multiple times. I have already lost two little sons! Now my wife is gone as well, leaving just me and my son alone and helpless!" novelbuddy.cσ๓

With the body of Qian Wanxiu still lying horizontally in the room, their weeping and speaking painted them as the victims, which immediately garnered a great deal of sympathy.

Then some people came out to speak in support, "Even if they had high status and power, such humiliation and slander, why did you not clarify things? Was it necessary to die? That’s a human life lost because of this!"

Pei Wendong sobbed, "She was highly meritorious, held a position superior to other officials, the Emperor regarded her as Great Chu’s Lucky General, and the people revered her as the legendary deity general. When she said my mother was dishonorable, we who were insignificant, could not be believed no matter how much we explained. Instead, we were subjected to insult and mockery. We had the truth, but against their high status and power, we were rendered speechless!"

For a time, more and more people began to feel that Pei Qin was overstepping, waving the banner of righteousness for the people, but in reality, it was all for power and status! They couldn’t stand the fact that their stepmother lived well; there were even those who sought revenge on their stepmother, but Pei Qin even went so far as to falsely accuse Qian Wanxiu and Old Master Qian, such malice, forcing Qian Wanxiu to use death to prove her integrity, greatly tarnishing her spiritual virtue, too vicious!

As the matter spread, those who staunchly supported Pei Qin strongly objected, "General Pei is not that kind of person! Since she said it, there must be some truth to it! At that time, General Pei also said that if it wasn’t for that scum of a father, Pei Zongli, and Lady Qian provoking things, this matter would have remained unspoken! They brought it upon themselves!"

"And Pei Wendong and Pei Zongli have just taken a blood test to recognize their kinship! We switched so many bowls of water, including the water we prepared, there was no chance for tricks, they all fused completely! They are indeed biological father and son!"

"...Even if they are biological father and son, General Pei would not falsely accuse Qian Wanxiu! If she wanted to harm her, she would have taken revenge when they drove General Pei’s mother to her death! Just because Pei Wendong is the biological son, it doesn’t mean Qian Wanxiu didn’t do what she’s accused of! Her reaction at the time was as if there really were ’three hundred taels of silver here!’"

Then they listed a litany of evidence, Pei Zongli coveted the Qian family’s young lady’s beauty and the family’s wealth and refused to return home. The old and stubborn members of the household forced Lady Fang and Jian Xiao. With nothing to his name, and just barely decent-looking, how could the Qian family’s young lady, unable to find a man, pick him! And to help her kill!?

Having lived a prosperous life for over a decade with two sons, why would she give up her wealth and return to the village!? The affairs of Lady Qian must have been known by more than one person; otherwise, General Pei wouldn’t have found out! Therefore, Qian Wanxiu and the killed Pei Zongli went back to live a poor life in the countryside.

"To say General Pei took revenge on them, it would be more accurate to say it was the other way around! Back when General Pei was growing sweet potatoes, the Imperial Court was going to commend her, but then Pei Zongli and the Qian family rushed ahead, didn’t grow a single sweet potato but still received the commendation for it! And then got an official post! His position was revoked due to his corruption and bribery!" The well-informed gossip scoffed at those who believed Pei Zongli and Pei Wendong, mocking them as fools.

The more strongly the supporters of Pei Qin asserted the facts, the more those who believed Pei Zongli and Pei Wendong felt they had been bribed by Pei Qin, who as the powerful oppressor, was bullying the weak Pei Wendong and taking a life.

In the Imperial Court, the opposition also became fierce, with those supporting General Pei to continue holding office, and those establishing regulations for women to hold office, and the opposition factions verbally dueling in the court. The opposition vehemently demanded the revocation of Pei Wendong’s honors and barred him from participating in the imperial civil service examination next spring and any future exams. They also wanted to ensure that General Pei and Mo Heng abstained from any involvement in this matter.

Others went to find Pei Zongli and Pei Wendong, urging them to bring the body of Qian Wanxiu to confront Pei Qin for justice and to restore their innocence.

"My two younger brothers are dead, and my mother too; now it’s just me and my father left. We need to survive!" Pei Wendong wept in public, admitting his fear, saying he was scared of Pei Qin’s retaliation and saw no way out.