The Eldest Daughter of a Rural Family
Chapter 776 Unyielding (1)_1

Chapter 776: Chapter 776 Unyielding (1)_1

Pei Qian watched the actual situation unfold as the doctor had yet to arrive when the news had already spread.

Many people on the street gathered to see if it truly was a wronged spirit claiming a life. Just yesterday, so many were saying that Pei Wensheng had smothered his half-brother to death, yet the Government Office extracted no confession, allowing him to return home after he had fainted. And now, he encountered such a bizarre and horrifying event as a ghost seeking retribution.

The crowd, feeling a shared distress, came to look, whispering softly to each other, afraid they might encounter something unclean, yet couldn’t help their curiosity and longed to discover the truth.

After Pei Wensheng had fainted, Qian Wanxiu and Pei Wenchen moved him into their own room and summoned a doctor.

The doctor first applied acupuncture and then prescribed a medicine, but Pei Wensheng did not wake up. "He’s suffering from a nightmare disorder, excessively startled, and won’t come to for a while. Give him two bowls of the medicine I’ve prescribed, let him calm his spirit, have a good sleep, and all will be well."

"Truly fortunate, eh! He was about to be forced into a confession in the courtroom, yet temporarily escaped danger with a feigned faint. Once at home, he’s struck by a nightmare and inexplicably ends up sleeping in a dead man’s room, getting a fright—and now, with him not waking up, he can’t confess to his crime," Pei Qian said coolly, looking disdainfully at Pei Zongli and Qian Wanxiu.

"How dare you slander without evidence!?" Qian Wanxiu turned her head, her gaze filled with hatred and murderous intent, staring at her.

Upon hearing this, Pei Qian let out a cold laugh. "Madam Preaching, how concerned you are with appearances! Without evidence, you could slander us for instigating the nursemaid to commit murder. Now, the word on the street is that Pei Wensheng is the killer, and just last night he ran into the dead man’s room to sleep, yet you won’t allow others to say a word!?"

"It’s you people! Someone from your side intentionally moved the fifth master into that room! It was all to frame the fifth master!" Mother Qian angrily shouted.

"Then you tell me, if someone moved Pei Wensheng into the dead man’s room and locked doors and windows from the inside, how did that person get out? You all saw it when the Government Official burst open the door just now—you searched, and apart from not seeing any visible ghosts, there was not a single person in sight," Pei Qian finally caught them at their own game, allowing them to accuse her of conspiracy? That meant she wasn’t Pei Qian!

The people outside also buzzed with endless speculation. With the doors and windows locked from the inside, did Pei Wensheng go in by himself? Who led him in?

Someone suggested, "I heard there’s something called ’calling the soul.’ It’s said that a soul, wronged in death and unable to reincarnate, will call the soul where they died in the place with the heaviest yin energy. Whoever caused their death, that’s whose soul they summon. This Pei Wensheng..."

At this, everyone outside felt their hair stand on end.

"Nonsense! All of you spouting nonsense! Don’t spread wild rumors in our house!" Mother Qian raged.

Pei Qian watched Pei Zongli and Qian Wanxiu with icy eyes. "Your own son smothered his own brother; such deeds have been done, yet you won’t allow others to discuss it? You can’t even bear to be slighted or scolded?"

"You’re retaliating against us! You low-born wretch, taking revenge on us!" Lady Zhu pointed at her, cursing.

"Retaliating against you? If I were really retaliating against you, all these years, you wouldn’t have risen step by step, again and again succeeding in harming us, snatching away our sweet potato rewards! This is but the result of the troubles you’ve brought upon yourselves, your own doing!" Pei Qian’s eyes seethed with hatred as she glared at them.

"You... the rewards were granted by the Imperial Court. If you think the court granted the wrong rewards, go complain to the Emperor! Why take it out on us!?" Lady Zhu’s face turned livid with anger.

Pei Qian’s lips curled coldly, "The Imperial Court doesn’t grant rewards mistakenly; it was you who bribed people with money to snatch away what should have been our reward. You had the audacity to take an office without ever having succeeded in growing sweet potatoes. Now, heaven has opened its eyes; you’ve brought upon your own downfall, and your good days are over!"