Chapter 60: Sophistry

People tend to trust their preconceived notions more.

The village chief didn't believe Gu Yanqing's words at all, and instead thought he was quibbling.

"Humph, even now, you still refuse to admit it!"

"Justice is in the hearts of the people. Gu believes he has a clear conscience and doesn't care what others think."

He stood with his hands hanging down, his sickly appearance could not hide his pride.

Shen Jinan and the child stood silently behind him, holding his hand.

Sui Sui Huan Huan pursed her lips, raised her little face, and confronted them stubbornly.

Daddy is not a corrupt official!

Mom said Dad is a great hero! He is their role model!

The family is in perfect harmony at this moment and will face everything together no matter what happens.

The onlookers shook their heads. How could such an upright person be such an unforgivable corrupt official?

"Could there be some misunderstanding?"

"What misunderstanding? They've been exiled to us, how could there be any misunderstanding?"

Corrupt officials are corrupt officials, they are good at pretending to be corrupt and misleading people!

He waved his hand, staring at Gu Yanqing sharply, "Let's get back to the point. How do we divide it?"

"Our family has been implicated, and we only ask that Gu Yanqing and his family be separated."

Minister Shen looked sad and his voice was a little hoarse.

Already aware of their purpose, the village chief nodded and said, "Where's that thing?"

"Since ancient times, which family has divided its property according to the number of people?" Shen Xitang spoke first.

They looked so righteous, as if they were afraid that no one would know that they were eager to draw a line between themselves and this corrupt official.

"Do you two agree?"

Since ancient times, the division of the family has always been decided by the elders. The village chief subconsciously looked at Minister Shen and Lin, asking for their opinions.

"It's indeed possible to divide it per person, but there are many children in their family and they can't eat much. The three of us are adults, so we should get more." Lin glanced at the rice and flour, looking like the mistress of the house.

At the end, she even pretended to ask Minister Shen, "Master, what do you think?"

Master? The village chief frowned. Another bureaucratic move!

"Let's do it this way." Minister Shen sighed, his face a little heavy, "It's really a misfortune for our family..."

They sang in unison and cooperated perfectly.

"It is indeed a family misfortune."

Shen Jinan looked at them coldly, and his voice seemed to have taken on a chill.

"You didn't pay a penny for these things, so why do you want to take most of them? These are all our family's things, don't even think about taking a single cent."

"Rebellious girl!" Minister Shen pointed at Shen Jin'an and trembled slightly, even his beard was shaking with anger, "Do you want to starve me and your mother to death?"

He deliberately did not mention Shen Xitang, intending to use filial piety to force Shen Jinan to agree.

"Gu Shenshi, that's your mother!"

The village chief really couldn’t stand it anymore and glared at Shen Jinan with disapproval.

"I know you're resentful of us, but your husband is a corrupt official despised by everyone. I can't do anything about it. I have to think about your sister! She's still young, and she'll eventually get married!"

Lin wiped the tears from the corners of her eyes with her sleeve. Her weak appearance made the villagers even more dissatisfied with Shen Jinan.

"A daughter once married off is like spilled water. With a daughter like this, the family should have been divided long ago!"

"How shameless! If I bring trouble to my parents' family, I won't be able to stay here any longer!"

"He even abandoned his own parents. How could such a person be assigned to our village? He is a disgrace to our village!"

The villagers' expressions were all visible, whether contempt, disgust, or condemnation.

So this is what Shen Xitang was planning, confusing right and wrong?

acting?

Do you really think that Shen Jinan was scared?

She staggered forward two steps, her face pale. When she raised her eyes, a line of tears rolled down her cheeks. She looked at them in disbelief.

"So this is what father thinks?" Shen Jinan's apricot eyes were filled with tears, and he stared at Minister Shen aggrievedly.

"So Dad wanted to sell my child because he thought we had implicated you. But the child is innocent! How could you be so cruel?"

"Mother! Mother is scared!"

The little bean jumped into Shen Jinan's arms and kept dropping golden beans.

“Bad woman, do you want to sell me and my sister again!” Suisui grabbed Shen Jinan’s clothes with one hand.

One hand tightly grasped Huanhuan's hand, his eyes widened as he stared at Chen Xitang fiercely, extremely alert.

"You're talking nonsense!"

Chen Xitang panicked, stepped forward, reached out and pulled Sui Sui over, trying to cover Sui Sui's mouth.

"Don't hit me! I don't want to eat! Don't hit me!" Sui Sui held his head in his hands and curled up into a ball.

The memory of being beaten and scolded by Shen Xitang in the past came back to him, and he was shaking all over.

"You little bastard! Just like your sickly father, you're a burden!"

"Why aren't you dead yet? You waste so much food every day!"

The sound of willow branches or whips breaking through the air seemed to be heard. Suisui curled up into a ball and trembled constantly.

"Brother!" Huanhuan stretched out her arms to hug him, tears all over her little face.

"Chen Xitang, you must force the child to death before you are satisfied, right!" There was a flame in Shen Jinan's eyes.

She was really angry about the half-true and half-false accusation just now.

"Don't be afraid, Suisui, mom is here!" She bent down and hugged Suisui tightly in her arms.

Patting his back gently, comforting him constantly.

"Chen Xitang, it seems that you really have no memory. You actually beat the child in front of so many people!" Gu Yanqing's face turned pale.

Seeing the two little kids crying like this, he just wanted to tear Shen Xitang into pieces.

Frightened by his gaze, Shen Xitang took a step back and argued stubbornly, "I didn't hit him!"

But children's performance will not lie.

"This is too cruel! Not only did she harm her family, she even didn't let her children go!"

Shen Xitang was anxious, and the tone of these people's words changed.

What if I don’t agree to give them things later?

mother?

Suisui opened her tear-filled eyes and felt the warmth.

It seemed like his mother was calling him.

Yes! It’s different now!

Now he has a mother, and his mother will protect him!

"Mother!" Suisui and Huanhuan hugged Shen Jinan tightly, buried their heads in her arms and sobbed softly.

"Chen Xitang, you've repeatedly tried to harm my child and even wanted to take my things away. You're simply dreaming!"

Putting all the new and old grudges together, Shen Jinan wanted to strangle Shen Xitang to death.

"Is what she said true or false?" The village chief frowned, a little bit unbelieving.

No matter what, Shen Xitang is the child's aunt. If she really did such a thing, it would be too cruel.

“It’s true!”

Li Chunhua squeezed out from the gap in the crowd and gave Shen Jinan a look to reassure her.

"Not only did this woman want to sell the child, she also repeatedly framed others and even went to court for this. I was a witness at that time."

"It's a lawsuit? That can't be fake, right?"

"Isn't it? I hate two-faced people like this the most in my life."

The villagers spat at them, realizing that they had been right not to lend them the ox cart.

If they used the ox cart, they would think it was dirty!

"No! They are all in the same group! They colluded with each other!" Shen Xitang just wanted to quickly distance himself from the matter and shook his head in panic.

I have no idea what I said.