Allure of a Country Maiden
Chapter 117 - 115: Unpleasant Retribution 1

Chapter 117: Chapter 115: Unpleasant Retribution 1

As they stepped out of the old house, the sky had already begun to turn dark. Everyone remained silent as they walked a short distance, soon coming face-to-face with a few officers.

When Shen Chengyao saw the officers approaching them, his heart was pounding! Although his words and deeds were righteous and proper, his previous experience of being jailed had left a shadow over him.

He continued to walk forward as if nothing was wrong, but his involuntary protective action of shielding the children behind him betrayed his nervousness and worry.

Jinghao couldn’t help but grip Xiao’er’s hand tightly.

The officers bypassed them and continued walking, and only then did Shen Chengyao breathe a sigh of relief, his heart returning to its rightful place.

The group curiously looked back, wondering where these officers were going and what they were doing in the village.

After a thought, Shen Chengyao told the children, "Go home first, I will see where these officers are going."

The children nodded and went home. As long as it didn’t concern their own family, they had no interest at all in where the officers were going!

Shen Chengyao saw the officers enter the village chief’s house and he returned home, assuming the officers had some business with the village chief.

Upon returning home, as the family was settling down to eat, their front door was knocked loudly, "Bang...Bang..." The deafening sound echoed with Fourth Uncle’s urgent shout, "Third Brother, open the door, Third Brother, hurry and open the door..."

"It’s Fourth Uncle!" Jinghao said.

"What’s the matter with Fourth Uncle? Why is he so frantic?" Shen Chengyao quickly dropped his chopsticks and ran to open the door.

As soon as the door was open, Shen Chengzu pulled Shen Chengyao outside, "Third Brother, hurry, Dad asked you to come over, your eldest and second brother have been taken by the government’s people!"

Upon hearing these words, Shen Chengyao was shocked. Those officers!

Mrs. Liu, worried that something might have happened, also went outside. Upon hearing this, she too got a big scare!

"Child’s mother, I have to go there first. Lock the door and don’t come out!" Shen Chengyao hastily instructed Mrs. Liu, then he and Shen Chengzu ran towards the old house.

The moment they entered the main room of the old house, Mrs. Shen Zhuang hurled a bowl towards them, striking Shen Chengyao’s forehead and causing blood to flow.

"You ungrateful dog, you’ve done well, you’ve completely ruined your eldest brother!"

"Mother, how could you do this!" Shen Chengzu called out, then ran to the stove to fetch some plant ash to help stop Shen Chengyao’s bleeding.

In pain, Shen Chengyao used his hand to cover his forehead, blood flowing between his fingers.

"Third Brother, you vicious creature, even your own elder brother you’ve harmed!" Mrs. Lan cried, her swollen eyes glowering at Shen Chengyao with both sadness and fury.

"Third Brother, you will not die a natural death! What has our family done to offend you, that you had them take my son and then my husband?" Mrs. Li cursed bitterly.

"This ungrateful beast is trying to leave our family destitute!" cried Mrs. Shen Zhuang.

"Father, what exactly has happened?" Shen Chengyao asked, fighting back the pain and suppressing his anger.

"Unfilial son, you tell me, is it because of your doing that your two elder brothers have been thrown into prison!" Mr. Shen coldly stared at Shen Chengyao.

Shen Chengyao’s heart was filled with bitter discontent, "Father, is that the person you think I am?"

"Your eldest brother just said it, it must have been your doing!"

"Zhi’er also said, do not provoke your family, as the prison is truly terrifying!"

"Third Brother, stop the bleeding first. Didn’t you call for Third Brother to discuss how to rescue Eldest and Second Brothers?" Shen Chengzu handed a bunch of straw ash to Shen Chengyao.

"I didn’t do this, I’m not him!" Shen Chengyao pushed away Shen Chengzu’s hand and spoke sarcastically, judging others by his own yardstick!

"You still claim innocence, you must be seeking personal revenge!" Mrs. Lan did not believe him!

"Believe me or not, is that why you called for me? Then let me tell you clearly, this has nothing to do with me! I don’t even know why they were arrested! Besides, I don’t have the clout to influence the government!" He turned to leave after speaking; what was all this nonsense about! Staying here would just add insult to injury!

"Third Brother, stop!" Mrs. Shen saw him leaving, panicked, and immediately stepped forward, grabbing his sleeve to keep him from leaving.

"Third brother, Father was just too worried about your eldest brother and said something wrong. You have to plead with Young Master Shangguan to save your two elder brothers." Master Shen was stunned by Third Brother’s dismissive behavior. Third Brother is known to be honest, he had never lied since childhood. If he says this has nothing to do with him, then it must not.

"What exactly did the officers say? " Although Shen Chengyao was very upset, he really couldn’t just leave the two terrified elderly people behind. As for his two sister-in-law, let them blow hot air.

His own mother was trembling as she held his hand. She might have a vicious tongue, but inside, she was actually quite timid.

"They said, your elder and second brother are involved in a case of smuggling tea and salt, and they must be brought back for questioning! Third Brother, ever since ancient times, smuggling salt is a major crime. If not handled properly, it can lead to the confiscation of family property and extermination of the family. Your elder brothers would never dare to do such a thing!"

Upon hearing this, Shen Chengyao’s face turned pale: "That can’t be! This is a capital offence! How could they be implicated?"

"We don’t know either. Third Brother, you have wide connections. Go and inquire about the situation in the jail. We must rescue your elder brother!" Master Shen thought of his eldest son suffering in jail, and his eyes turned red.

"Father, it’s getting dark already, and Third Brother also has been injured, his head is still bleeding. Shouldn’t we wait until tomorrow..."

"Nonsense! If we wait till tomorrow, your elder brother will have to spend a night in jail. In this cold weather, how can he bear it?"

"Yes, Third Brother, when you were arrested last time, didn’t you get out almost instantly? You surely have a way." Mrs. Lan also faced the fact that this was not the time to offend Shen Chengyao. Her husband’s rescue depended on him!

"Going to the county town at this hour, by the time we reach there, the city gates would be closed. It’s a waste of time for Third Brother to go!" Shen Chengzu felt that, other than themselves, these people really didn’t care about the lives of others.

On hearing this, Master Shen slumped. Yes, if the city gates are closed, how can they get in! They could only wait until tomorrow.

Fortunately, he realized at this moment that Shen Chengyao was unable to open the city gates, otherwise, Shen Chengyao would have been so frustrated that he wanted to weep!

After thinking for a while, Shen Chengzu said, "I’ll go and see Doctor Luo..."

Mrs. Li immediately shrieked: "Third Brother, don’t you have any humanity? Your Eldest and Second Brothers are suffering right now, and you’re worried about treating your small injury!"

Shen Chengyao was initially suggesting to visit Doctor Luo for his help, but he didn’t expect Mrs. Li to say such a thing!

Heartless!

The wound on his head throbbed painfully! Had he not been tolerating it, staying here for half the day? Even actually going to Doctor Hu to dress the wound would not be too much!

"Second Sister-in-Law, Third Brother has bled a lot! What’s wrong with going to Doctor Luo?" There was a small puddle of blood on the ground.

"In a household, isn’t it just tears and blood that are shed? What’s the big deal!" Mrs. Li murmured softly, glancing at Shen Chengyao’s blood-stained face and the blood on the ground, but she didn’t say anything else.

"I’m going to see Doctor Luo!" Shen Chengyao didn’t bother to further explain, it was getting late and Doctor Luo would be going to bed soon.

"As soon as Third Brother grows wings, he forgets his relatives. He was such a good person earlier!" Mrs. Lan watched Shen Chengyao leave and sighed, why did they come to arrest them only after it got dark!

"Li Guihua, come out, my husband was harmed by your man!"

Just as Shen Chengyao was about to leave the courtyard, a furious woman came rushing towards him. Wasn’t this woman Mrs. Li’s sister-in-law from her mother’s house?