The Country Maiden: Fields and Leisure
Chapter 684 - 683: Madness

Chapter 684: Chapter 683: Madness

"Father?"

"Head of the household?"

Lady Qian and Mother Qian looked at Shopkeeper Qian, perplexed.

"Head of the household, what in the world happened? What did the trafficker say?" Mother Qian hurriedly asked.

Shopkeeper Qian, advanced in years, squatted down after hearing this sentence, "The trafficker said, Jinchai cannot be redeemed, all because of the calamity wrought by our good son-in-law!"

"Official?"

"Son-in-law?"

The two women of the Qian Family could hardly believe it.

Only then did Shopkeeper Qian relay the news passed on by the trafficker.

It turned out that Wang Yongan and Gao Jin had implicated each other, entangling many others. Although these people ended up in the big prison, they had families and relatives outside who naturally detested Wang Yongan and Gao Jin to the bone.

Some thought more long-term. With so many involved in the crime, anyone connected to the illegal mining was thrown into that great prison, yet only Wang Yongan was released after being flogged.

Although he was stripped of his Scholar’s title, he faced no further punishment! How could this not raise suspicions?

How could it not breed resentment?

Then those with cunning went to inquire and learned that Wang Yongan had turned traitor in court. To save his own skin, he claimed he wanted to atone for his crimes by confessing everything he knew and suspected.

Wang Yongan was clever. Although he hadn’t been involved in the illegal mining for long, he was observant and thoughtful, managing to guess quite a few secrets correctly. In his bid to survive, he confessed these as well.

And sure enough, Zhu Haoran did save quite a bit of trouble and caught many more who slipped through the net, based on the information Wang Yongan provided.

These developments were not kept secret by Zhu Haoran, and soon everyone who needed to know found out.

Wang Yongan couldn’t be touched for the moment, as he was seen as someone who had made amends for his crimes. Zhu Haoran was surely watching him in secret, and anyone daring to touch him would likely lose their hands.

"Do not harm the mouse for fear of breaking the vases," so they could only harbor silent grudges.

Later, it was found out that Wang Yongan had a daughter who had been taken as a concubine by Gao Jin, and she had now been demoted to an official servant.

Those who were quick to seize the opportunity wanted to redeem Wang Jinchai and humiliate her thoroughly, as a way to vent their spite.

They were all ready, rubbing their hands in gleeful anticipation.

When they sent someone to buy back Wang Jinchai, they hit a wall: the trafficker stated that Wang Jinchai was not to be redeemed, as Lord Zhu had personally decreed it.

Now, Zhu Haoran was like the sky over Qi City, wielding control over the army—who would dare to object?

Even if their hatred was bleeding them dry, they had no choice but to bear it in silence.

Upon hearing this, Lady Qian and her mother almost passed out.

This meant that Jinchai was ruined by Wang Yongan!

Indeed, had it not been for Wang Yongan’s desire for power, how could he have heartlessly forced Jinchai to become Gao Jin’s concubine? Without Wang Yongan, how could Jinchai have gone from the daughter of a Scholar to a government servant?

Without Wang Yongan, how could Jinchai have even lost the right to be redeemed?

The more Lady Qian thought about it, the more hatred and anger she felt. She didn’t know where she found the strength, but she stormed back, and when she saw Wang Yongan, she could barely utter a few words after a long struggle.

Hearing Wang Yongan still pretending nothing was wrong, Lady Qian immediately relayed all the information Shopkeeper Qian had found out, and only then did she say, "We’ve been husband and wife for over a decade, don’t I understand you? You appear gentle and refined, a perfect gentleman, but deep down you’re the coldest and most heartless!"

"It figures, you disregarded your own parents, siblings, and stole the property deeds and silver only for yourself; how could I have expected you to treat your wife or children well?"

"To achieve your goals, you’re even willing to harm your own father, let alone me and Jinchai? I just hate myself for how blind I was to marry you in the first place!"

Lady Qian seemed to have thrown caution to the wind.

Wang Yongan was taken aback. He gave Lady Qian a second look, not expecting that the wife he had shared a bed with for so many years had a side to her that even he had never seen.

After listening to Lady Qian, Wang Yongan scoffed, "Qian Ruyue, what innocence are you pretending to have now? Who was it that told our daughter from a young age every day that she must marry a son from an official family? Who, upon hearing that if we didn’t send Jinchai to serve as Gao Jin’s concubine, we couldn’t make ends meet, immediately went to persuade Jinchai? And who, once Jinchai gained favor, couldn’t wait to show off, bragging every day about being the County Magistrate’s mother-in-law?"

"As a married couple for so many years, you know me, don’t you think I know you? You seem to listen to everything I say, serving me, but don’t forget, how did you marry me in the first place? When I became a Scholar, I could have chosen from many daughters of noble families, but I picked you—without looks or family background, a daughter from a broken-down merchant’s family."

"The schemes you pulled behind the scenes, forcing and begging those girls who cared about their reputation, claiming that you and I were truly in love, that we had long been secretly engaged—do you think I really didn’t know?"

"The things you did back then, I was just too lazy to bother with them. Did you really think I liked you, that you were true love? Have you ever looked at yourself in the mirror to see if you’re worthy?"

His words turned Lady Qian as pale as death, her whole being filled with both shame and rage, especially under the astonished gazes of Shopkeeper Qian and Mother Qian, she completely broke down.

"You’re spouting nonsense! Wang Yongan, you bastard! You liar! Shut up—shut your mouth—" In her breakdown, Lady Qian lunged forward, trying to stop Wang Yongan’s mouth.

Wang Yongan tried to dodge, remembering only then that he was injured and unable to move. A hint of regret flashed in his eyes, knowing he should have restrained himself since Lady Qian could not take such provocation.

But it was too late. Lady Qian crashed into him right at his waist, and Wang Yongan let out a loud cry of pain, struggling to push her away.

At this moment, Lady Qian was almost mad with desperation. Her only thought was to not let Wang Yongan continue speaking; she fought furiously to cover his mouth.

In the midst of the struggle, her sharp nails scratched deep, bloody gashes across Wang Yongan’s face.

Every part of Wang Yongan’s body hurt, especially his face, which throbbed with a burning pain. Upon seeing Lady Qian’s distorted face, where was there any trace of her usual tenderness and compliance?

Instantly filled with rage, he took advantage of the moment Lady Qian failed to grasp him, when she lost her footing, and grabbed her hand with all his might and pushed. Lady Qian stumbled backward, hit the corner of a table, groaned, and collapsed to the floor.

Then he saw blood oozing from the back of her head.

Mother Qian’s legs went weak, and she sat down on the floor, unsure of what to do.

Shopkeeper Qian, panic-stricken and frantic, finally remembered to pick up Lady Qian and ran outside.

While running, he comforted both himself and Lady Qian, "My girl, don’t be scared, it’s okay! Your father is here, I’ll take you to the doctor—"

It took a while for Mother Qian to regain her senses. She sprang to her feet, about to follow. Then, remembering something, she advanced fiercely and pushed Wang Yongan off the bed, feeling vindicated as she chased after the others.

Wang Yongan’s vision darkened, and he only heard a snap. A surge of agony came from his leg, and he passed out...