Carefree Farmwife: Training the Husband, Raising the Bun - Chapter 97

The moment Shi Fei heard Li Dalang’s words, his face turned deathly pale. He cursed himself for not having a clever tongue, his forehead dripping with sweat from anxiety.

“Master, it wasn’t me, it was Shi Yuan, it was Shi Yuan who did it…” He kept repeating the same words, but they carried no weight at all. He was only a step away from kneeling down and swearing to heaven that he hadn’t done it.

Just then, Ying Su’s voice cut in.

“I already know how this matter stands. Leaking your master’s secrets, at worst, it means ten years in prison, at best, a harsh flogging. If you fear the jailhouse, then one of you had better confess now. But if you keep trying to drag each other down with lies, don’t blame me when I show no mercy!”

As she spoke, a sharp and intimidating aura radiated from her, so strong that no one dared meet her gaze.

Her fingers tapped rhythmically on the tabletop, the sound striking like a drumbeat directly against the two men’s hearts.

After a heavy silence, Shi Yuan was the first to speak.

“Master, I saw with my own eyes Brother Shi Fei meeting with Manager Li.” Shi Fei quickly defended himself.

“Master, truly it wasn’t me. I’ve never done such a thing!”

Ying Su gave a small nod. “I’ve already sent someone to notify Officer Zhou. When this goes before the county magistrate, if you still wish to deny it and add the crime of deceiving an official, then by all means, keep insisting.”

Her expression was calm, her tone level, as though this were nothing more than her usual way of handling things. She never wore her thoughts on her face, she simply acted. And now, she had even summoned the county constable.

Shi Yuan’s composure began to crack. Though his face remained unchanged, his palms broke out in a cold sweat.

The whole room fell silent. Li Dalang and Liu Chuncao didn’t speak either; discovering such treachery in their shop left them both feeling deeply unsettled.

Wang Guaizi had nothing to say. This had nothing to do with him, and though he wanted to speak up for Shi Fei, he didn’t dare.

Suddenly, the noise of men’s voices and knocking came from outside. Li Dalang muttered, “Could it be Officer Zhou already? I’ll go check.”

The words made Shi Yuan’s body tremble. Shi Fei, on the other hand, straightened like a man prepared for death, his neck stiff.

The sound of the door opening came from outside, followed by faint voices. The words were unclear, but the rattling of chains could be heard, iron links clashing together.

Cold sweat slid down Shi Yuan’s temples. In his daze, he seemed to see Officer Zhou walking toward him, iron chains in hand.

His whole body shook uncontrollably before he suddenly shouted out, “It was me! I was the one who secretly gave the blueprints to Manager Li, it was me!”

At his words, Ying Su’s finger-tapping stopped abruptly. She snapped her fingers in the air. Shi Yuan’s dazed look vanished, his eyes regaining clarity as if waking from a dream. He stared at himself in shock, as though not quite believing what he had just confessed.

Realizing the weight of his admission, Shi Yuan stood there in defeat, regret written all over his face.

“So it really was you! To think, knowing someone’s face doesn’t mean knowing their heart…” Liu Chuncao sighed heavily. The sudden turn left her shaken. Shi Yuan’s earlier accusations had been so convincing that she had truly believed Shi Fei guilty. 

But now it was clear that Shi Yuan was the traitor, and worse, he had tried to frame another. Such a man had no place in their shop.

At that moment, Li Dalang returned from outside, his expression puzzled. “Cuihua, there are two people here asking for you. One of them looks like that young noble who came to our village last time to collect the children!”

But what unsettled him most was that one of the men claimed to be Cuihua’s elder brother. But wasn’t Cuihua bought by Mother from a broker? How could she have a brother?

Li Dalang’s head was full of questions, but Ying Su was already walking toward the front. He made to follow, but Liu Chuncao tugged him back and motioned with her chin.

“Shi Yuan has already confessed. What do you plan to do about him?”

Li Dalang let out a long breath of relief.

“So it was him!” If it had been Shi Fei, it would have cut much deeper, since he had personally brought Shi Fei into the shop.

People are like this, once trust is given, any form of betrayal cuts to the heart, whether deeply or lightly.

“Didn’t Cuihua say to hand him over to the yamen? With all the trouble we’ve had because of him, that’s what we’ll do.” Li Dalang hardened his heart as he spoke.

But Liu Chuncao hesitated. “Do we really have to… send him to the magistrate?”

To ordinary folk like her, the county magistrate was an untouchable figure of authority. Anyone dragged into the yamen would carry shame for life. That was why she had panicked so much when Li Dalang had been taken in before.

“Please, Master, I beg you, spare me just this once! I was foolish, I didn’t think clearly. If you hand me to the authorities, my life is ruined. I swear I’ll never do it again, please, forgive me!” Shi Yuan fell to his knees, groveling desperately, his panic plain to see.

Li Dalang, never having been begged on his knees before, felt awkward and stepped aside. “Kneeling won’t help you. Why didn’t you think about the consequences before you did this? A real man wouldn’t do such a thing!” 

Seeing Li Dalang’s resolve, Shi Yuan turned instead to Shi Fei and Wang Guaizi, crawling toward them on his knees.

“Brother Shi Fei, we’re from the same village please, speak for me! If I’m sent to the yamen, I’m finished. No family will ever marry their daughter to me… Uncle Guaizi, please, say something for me too! I beg you both!”

But Shi Fei was still seething with anger. If not for the Master’s intervention, I would have been the one falsely accused and dragged off to the yamen! His jaw clenched, he turned his head away and ignored Shi Yuan’s pleas.

Wang Guaizi also despised such treachery. The master had treated them well, where else could they find such work? Yet because of Shi Yuan’s betrayal, the whole shop had nearly collapsed, and they’d nearly lost their livelihood. He had no intention of helping.

Even so, Li Dalang couldn’t help but feel some pity. He turned to Liu Chuncao.

“I’ll ask Cuihua what she thinks again.”

Liu Chuncao nodded. By now, she and her husband had grown accustomed to seeking Cuihua’s opinion. Somehow, she always seemed to have better judgment and clearer vision than they did.

At the front of the shop, Wang Ba spoke to Ying Su with a helpless look.

“Second Young Master Bai came to the gambling house first thing this morning. He said he won’t be staying long in Shilo Town, and wants to finalize the matter of the glass mirrors quickly. So we came to find you, sister.”