The wicked mother-in-law doesn't try to whitewash herself; she only abuses her awful children.

Chapter 238 Reversal
"I formulated the pesticide to control corn ear rot, it is absolutely true that I formulated it."

The two constables exchanged a glance, their expressions indescribable.

The faces of Zheng Juren and his wife were as black as the bottom of a pot.

Xu Zaohua didn't notice their expressions and continued talking to herself.

“My uncle hasn’t worked in the fields for many years. Even though he lives in the village, he’s not very good at taking care of crops. What kind of pesticides could he possibly make? He’s been the village head of Qinghewan for so many years and still hasn’t solved the problem of corn ear rot.”

“After I formulated the pesticide, it was inconvenient for me to return to Qinghewan, so I gave it to my uncle to distribute to the villagers. I wasn’t afraid to say this even if he confronted me to my face.”

"Did my uncle take the credit for himself? Did he say that he was the one who prepared the medicine? Fortunately, Lord Liu was wise and did not believe her."

Xu Zaohua's candor left the two constables speechless.

That's a direct admission.

Is the eldest daughter-in-law of the Zheng family a fool?

Even though Madam Zheng kept giving her meaningful glances, she didn't notice?

Zheng Juren and his wife were both taken aback by Xu Zaohua's stupidity and fell silent after hearing her words.

Xu Zaohua has completely disgraced the Zheng family. Not only did she concoct fake pesticides, but she was also reported to the authorities. What's even more infuriating is that she confessed like a complete idiot.

Doesn't she ever consider why the yamen runners came to her door?

If the medicine she prescribed were truly effective, by now the government would be arriving with fanfare, carrying plaques and gongs, and the bailiffs would be interrogating her like a criminal.
“I’ve been working in the fields in Qinghewan since I was a child. I saw that the corn was damaged by ear rot every year, so I thought about making pesticides. After thinking about it for so many years, I finally made it.”

After criticizing Xu Yong, Xu Zaohua explained her thought process in preparing pesticides and discovered that the yamen runners did not look at her with the admiration and approval she had expected.

Instead, it exudes an indescribable strangeness.

Xu Zaohua then realized that the atmosphere was a bit awkward.

“Young Madam, Xu Yong is selling counterfeit pesticides in the Yanguan Town area, which has destroyed the corn crops of many farmers. Now the villagers have sued him. Xu Yong claims that the pesticides were prepared by you and given to him, and that he sold them to the villagers at your request,” the constable said.

"Now it seems that what Xu Yong said was true."

what?
Xu Zaohua's temples throbbed, and she felt a sudden dizziness.

How did the medicine she had someone make turn out to be counterfeit?
How could the medicine she prescribed not be effective?
Her first thought was that her uncle might have secretly mixed pesticides behind her back, but in reality, he was using his own mixed pesticides, not hers.

Thinking this, Xu Zaohua blurted out, "The medicine that Uncle sells must be prepared by himself."

"The medicine I prepare will absolutely not have any problems."

The slightly older yamen runner said, "That's why we specially invited the young mistress to the county yamen. If you really didn't get fake medicine, just explain it to her face. Lord Liu won't wrong anyone."

Xu Zaohua gasped.

If she goes to court, will she be able to come out as if nothing happened?

Her uncle and her aunt, Granny Yan, had both been to court because of Xu Si's case. Listening to her aunt's tearful account was truly unbearable.

Besides, if word gets out that the eldest daughter-in-law of the Zheng family is in court, won't she have any shame?
Even if it turns out she's innocent, people will still spread all sorts of rumors about her.

Moreover, she herself is now unsure whether there is anything wrong with the medication she prescribed.

If the medicine Xu Yong sold to the villagers was indeed prepared by her...
Xu Zaohua dared not think about it any further.

She looked at her in-laws with eyes full of helplessness.

The faces of Zheng Juren and his wife were so dark they looked like they could be squeezed dry.

"Xu Yong's sale of counterfeit medicine has caused damage to the crops of many villagers, which is a serious matter. As you know, Mr. Zheng, crops are a matter of people's livelihood and cannot be destroyed by anyone. This matter of counterfeit medicine must be thoroughly investigated, so young mistress must come with us. I'm sorry!"

Zheng, the scholar, bowed to the yamen runner with a troubled expression, naturally not wanting his daughter-in-law to go to court.

The Zheng family can't afford to lose face like this.

But the constable's words left him unsure how to refuse.

"It's all because my daughter-in-law is too stupid." "I understand that you two are upholding the law and will not obstruct me, but I urge you to be more considerate when we go to court," Zheng said through gritted teeth.

Xu Zaohua's heart sank.

It seems the Zheng family is no longer planning to protect her.

They didn't even care about the incense in her belly.

Incense, the incense in one's belly.

Xu Zaohua clutched her stomach and groaned as she curled up in the chair.

"My belly."

"Ouch, my tummy."

Xu Zaohua shouted, her forehead covered in fine beads of sweat.

Mr. Zheng and his wife panicked and repeatedly called for someone to fetch a doctor.

They were so angry that they forgot their daughter-in-law was pregnant.

Fortunately, she has this child, so Xu Zaohua doesn't have to go to court.

The two constables panicked; it turned out that the eldest daughter-in-law of the Zheng family was pregnant.

How can you go to court while pregnant?!
Xu Zaohua was helped to Madam Zheng's room.

"My lords, I am truly sorry, but my eldest daughter-in-law is pregnant. Perhaps you could send someone who serves her to the court in her place?" Zheng, the scholar, said to the two bailiffs.

That's all we can do!

After taking her pulse, Xu Zaohua was told that everything was fine. Upon learning that her servants had gone to court in her place, she lay on the bed, still shaken, wanting to cry but unable to.

How did things turn out like this!

"Alright, stop pretending." Madam Zheng sneered. "It's a good thing you're not completely stupid enough to fake a stomachache, otherwise you would have completely disgraced the Zheng family."

Xu Zaohua was so ashamed and indignant that she dared not raise her head.

"The Zheng family has completely lost face. I said you had no ability to concoct pesticides, but it turns out you concocted fake ones." Scholar Zheng was furious.

No wonder Xu Zaohua was unwilling to hand over the prescription to the Zheng family; it turned out that it was a fake medicine.

This daughter-in-law is incredibly bold.

Xu Zaohua stubbornly defended herself, saying, "It must be my uncle who framed me. The medicine I prepared could clearly cure ear rot when it was sprayed."

At this moment, Xu Zaohua deeply regretted believing the words of that charlatan, who had cheated her out of five hundred taels of silver.

That was her collection of family property that she had accumulated over a long period of time after joining the Zheng family.

Zheng, the scholar, sneered, "No matter what, this is all your fault. If you had given me the medicine, this wouldn't have happened. You're a daughter-in-law of the Zheng family now, but you don't think about the Zheng family at all. Instead, you gave the medicine to your distant uncle. Now that something has gone wrong, our Zheng family has to clean up your mess."

Xu Zaohua bit her lip, not daring to continue arguing.

Madam Zheng said, "If the crop-destroying medicine was really made by you, then our Zheng family will be infamous throughout Pingchuan County, and notorious at that."

What Madam Zheng mentioned was exactly what Xu Zaohua feared most.

The Zheng family sent someone to the court to inquire about the situation, but they haven't returned yet.

It is still unclear whether the counterfeit medicine was concocted by Xu Zaohua or Xu Yong.

Xu Zaohua slowly came to her senses. She knew her uncle too well; no matter who prepared the medicine, if something went wrong, her uncle would hold her accountable.

The Zheng family certainly didn't want her to bear the reputation of distributing fake medicine and harming crops.

Xu Zaohua naturally wanted to pin all the blame on Xu Yong, but then she thought that there was someone more suitable to take the blame than Xu Yong.