On the side, the eldest son, Tian Wuhu, became anxious first, "Father, then we should report to the authorities? Let the Government Office make the decision for us! We can’t just be wronged !"
Shopkeeper Tian looked at his clueless, foolish eldest son and suddenly felt exhausted. He waved his hand impatiently, "We just drove back, the horses have been tired all day, why don’t you go feed them? You don’t understand these business matters, so why are you interfering? Go and do your work!"
Tian Wuhu, filled with worry, was like having a bucket of cold water poured over him by his own father, his heart grew cold.
He looked at his mother, Zhang Qiuju, who also looked impatient. Seeing him still standing there, her eyes were about to roll back, "Why are you still dawdling, Eldest Brother? What is it? Now, neither your father nor I can command you?"
On the side, Tian Sihai couldn’t help but curl his lips, looking at Tian Wuhu with eyes full of disdain and contempt.
The eldest brother was still this clueless and blind.
He didn’t know anything about the household business, naturally didn’t know the situation. If reporting to the authorities could solve it, wouldn’t they have done it already?
And yet, he still thought about competing with him, how laughable!
But to make a good impression in front of their parents, Tian Sihai still put on the face of a good brother, "Eldest Brother, these outside matters you don’t understand, so don’t worry about it! Rest assured, Father and I will handle the outside matters. Your main contribution to the family would be taking good care of Mother and Sister-in-law at home, letting Father and me be free of worries."
Where Shopkeeper Tian and Zhang Qiuju couldn’t see, he threw a provoking glance at Tian Wuhu.
Tian Wuhu’s gaze darkened. No matter how foolish he might be, he knew his brother was warning and mocking him not to waste his efforts.
He smiled wryly, not even attempting to argue, and quietly stepped out.
As soon as Tian Wuhu left, Tian Sihai started speaking, "Now this matter is thorny. Father has already agreed to let everyone bring the rouge powder to the authorities tomorrow for inspection. If it is found out —"
At this point, Shopkeeper Tian, Zhang Qiuju, and Tian Sihai looked at each other.
This was the most crucial and fatal point! The three of them knew that their rouge recipe was not obtained properly, and indeed there was lead powder in their Palace Powder.
If this was found out under the Government Office’s supervision, it would be irrefutable evidence.
The Tian Family would be completely finished.
"The most urgent matter now is what to do tomorrow?" Shopkeeper Tian directly addressed the core issue.
The three of them looked at each other, and for a moment, no one had an idea.
"How did the Wang Family maid know our recipe contains lead powder? Only the three of us know this recipe, it’s impossible for anyone else in the world to know! Back then, there was no one left in that house..." Zhang Qiuju lowered her voice.
"Shut up!" Shopkeeper Tian reprimanded in a low voice.
"Apart from the three of us, no one knows the secret. I didn’t say anything, did you two say something? Wife, did you get into an argument with the Wang Family the other day and reveal something you shouldn’t have? And you, Second Brother, did you in a moment of carelessness reveal anything in front of your wife?" Shopkeeper Tian looked at his wife and son.
Zhang Qiuju quickly said, "Of course not me! I’m not stupid enough to discuss this with outsiders!"
However, Tian Sihai’s face changed. He remembered when Lady Fang had asked him to bring rouge powder from their shop. He knew what the rouge powder contained, and when he saw how delicate and pretty his wife was, he didn’t mention it, vaguely hinting at it.
His wife was smart, she must have picked up something, could it be that his wife revealed the secret?
Thinking this, Tian Sihai broke into a cold sweat.
Shopkeeper Tian, with his many years of business acumen, immediately sensed something was wrong, and said in a deep voice, "Second Brother?"
Tian Sihai, always afraid of his father, knew he couldn’t hide, so he honestly revealed his suspicion.
Before Shopkeeper Tian could respond, Zhang Qiuju exploded, "I think it’s that little bitch Lady Fang! That mouth of hers is always flapping without a filter, she says anything to anyone! It must be her blabbing! This bitch, watch how I’ll deal with her—"
Furious, she was about to head to the second household.
Tian Sihai wanted to stop her but didn’t dare, only looked at Shopkeeper Tian.
Shopkeeper Tian, being more steady, although suspecting it in his heart, still said, "Second Wife doesn’t seem like the type to do this, probably there’s a misunderstanding. Let’s go ask first."
He said and followed Zhang Qiuju towards the second household, with Tian Sihai having to follow obediently.
Zhang Qiuju burst into the second household’s room to see the eldest daughter-in-law, Lady Chen, just wiping Lady Fang’s face and hands, holding a basin of dirty water about to leave.
In a flash, she snatched the basin from Lady Chen’s hands, rushed to the bed, and poured the dirty water entirely over Lady Fang’s face and body.
"Mother?" Lady Chen’s voice changed in shock.
What’s wrong with her mother-in-law? Usually sharp-tongued, but considering the neighboring respectable families, it wouldn’t do to have a reputation for mistreating a daughter-in-law.
She rarely resorted to physical actions, what happened today?
The basin of water waking her up, Lady Fang slowly opened her swollen eyes, barely managing to see anything.
She smelled a foul stench.
Opening her mouth, a bitter, salty, indescribable taste filled her mouth, making her stomach churn. Turning her head, she grabbed a piece of cloth and began to vomit.
Zhang Qiuju wasn’t prepared, being grabbed by the skirt, and before she realized, Lady Fang had vomited all over her.
She screamed, pushing Lady Fang, "Damn it! Eldest daughter-in-law, come change my clothes! Boil some water; I need a bath!"
Lady Chen, stunned, quickly agreed and went to boil water.
When Shopkeeper Tian and Tian Sihai arrived, they saw Zhang Qiuju furious and Lady Fang looking bewildered, in a room filled with vomit and foul odors.
Tian Sihai couldn’t help but cover his nose, "What happened?"
Zhang Qiuju, flushed with anger, "What do you think? This is the wife you married, vomiting all over me! Whose wife dares to do this to her mother-in-law? This isn’t over—"
Tian Sihai’s eyes flickered, "Mother, could it be Yuniang is pregnant?" He thought of Lady Fang not changing recently and vomiting, weren’t these pregnancy symptoms?
Zhang Qiuju paused, her eyes towards Lady Fang softening a bit.
Despite everything, the Tian Family was thriving; the business was growing bigger. Her husband, despite having mistresses, didn’t bring any back to upset her, nor did he father any illegitimate children to dispute the inheritance.
But as for the eldest, he had been married for five or six years, and still, no children, not even an egg.