TNIBFT -Chapter 257 Still Not Kneeling for Me

Ye Tian continued eating his porridge.

Meanwhile, Duan Yingying stood at the door with a shy smile, reluctantly seeing Fang Shenghu out.

“Big Brother Fang, come back early!”

“I’ll make your favorite braised pork tonight.”

Duan Yingying blushed as she spoke at the door. Fang Shenghu frowned slightly, then thought better of it and couldn’t help adding: “Better make something the kids like too. Both of them are still growing; we can’t be careless.”

“Although they call me ‘Uncle,’ I have served the Ye family my whole life. I will always be part of the Ye household, and I cannot overstep my master.”

“I’ve noted that!”

Duan Yingying nodded, taking his advice to heart.

Ye Tian shook his head in disbelief. These lovebirds, not even married yet, are already talking about their master every day and brainwashing their fiancée to become household servants too? When Big Brother Fang comes back tonight, he’ll need a proper talking-to.

The weather was fine today. Ye Tian squinted at the door; the warm sun was dazzling, and the gentle wind made it perfect for a stroll. Once Qin Fengyi arrived, he would take her out to the city gates for a walk. Ye Tian felt pleased with himself.

“Is this the Ye family’s place?”

“Little sister, I’m here to deliver clothes for the young lady. Yesterday, her parents took her to my shop to buy some, and later…”

Outside the door, Duan Yingying was talking with a woman.

The wooden door blocked Ye Tian’s view. He looked up, only able to see Duan Yingying’s back and another pair of clean but slightly aged hands.

Duan Yingying turned and cautiously said, “Big sister, I think you’ve got the wrong person.”

“It probably isn’t my young mistress…”

After all, the two children didn’t have a mother. How could a family of three go shopping for ready-made clothes together?

Duan Yingying sized up the woman in front of her. She felt the woman wasn’t lying—she must have genuinely come to the wrong place.

“No, she mentioned a hotpot restaurant…” The shop owner nervously stepped forward. Ye Tian finally saw clearly—the visitor was the owner of the clothing shop from yesterday. Seeing her disappointment, she was about to turn and leave.

Ye Tian set down his bowl and chopsticks, and took a few steps forward. “Shop owner?”

“Why are you here?”

Seeing that it was the person who had helped her yesterday, the shop owner’s face brightened with gratitude. She quickly took the parcel off her shoulder and handed it to Ye Tian, embarrassed. “I accepted your money yesterday, but you didn’t get the clothes, which made me feel guilty. While there was still fabric, I made two sets of clothes again tonight.”

“If they don’t fit or you don’t like them, I can make alterations. Please accept them.”

Her eyes were sincere, a gentle smile at her lips, crow’s feet at the corners giving off a sense of warmth and kindness.

Ye Tian looked down and saw her index fingers reddened from work—these clothes must have been made overnight. He smiled. “Then I’ll take them. Thank you, sister.”

The shop owner exhaled in relief and handed the parcel over.

Her eyes were lonely and desolate. She said no more, turning to leave. Ye Tian frowned slightly as he watched. She had taken the money, worked through the night to make the clothes so he could feel at ease—people like her were rare good people in Sifang City.

“City Lord?”

“City Lord?”

Zhao Kang’s voice pulled Ye Tian from his thoughts. Ye Tian turned. Zhao Kang quickly averted his gaze and saluted. “City Lord, the matter you assigned yesterday has some leads.”

“Feng Jiaojiao—there are thirty people in the city with the same name, but among widows in their thirties, there is only one, in the ready-made clothing shop on Anmin Lane in the western district. Feng Jiaojiao is the shop owner.”

Ye Tian’s eyes widened.

No way, could it really be this coincidental?

He looked at the parcel in his hands. If nothing went wrong, this shop owner must be Feng Jiaojiao.

“Let’s go, let’s go!”

Ye Tian didn’t think twice. Grabbing Zhao Kang, he ran after the street where Feng Jiaojiao had gone.

“What is the city lord doing?” Zhao Kang was completely baffled, his hat nearly slipping off his head.

Only Ye Tian knew that this Feng Jiaojiao was the key factor in Lin Xianzhong’s surrender. In the original book, although it didn’t elaborate on the exact reason Lin Xianzhong surrendered to the boss, there was one detail: after surrendering, Lin Xianzhong basically stopped concerning himself with political matters and married a widow named Feng Jiaojiao in Sifang City.

The ruler of an entire city could easily find any woman he wanted—so why choose a widow in her thirties from Sifang City?

Feng Jiaojiao and Lin Xianzhong definitely had a story.

Given the author’s usual style, Feng Jiaojiao was almost certainly the decisive factor in Lin Xianzhong’s surrender.

At this moment, the streets were teeming with traffic, and even cockfights were taking place along the sides of the road.

Steam and laughter filled the air.

There were people everywhere!

Ye Tian craned his neck, looking around, but there was no sign of Feng Jiaojiao. Where could she have gone in such a short time?

Zhao Kang followed behind, panting heavily. “What happened?”

“What’s wrong?”

“That old wretch—has he found support somewhere?”

“My brother-in-law went to your shop yesterday, and today the city guards sent word that he hanged himself at the yamen. They want us to identify the body. Did you do this?”

A brazen male voice rang out, instantly drawing everyone’s attention.

Ye Tian turned and saw a man in a gray fur jacket, his face rough and menacing. With one fierce slap, he struck Feng Jiaojiao across the face: “Smack!”

Feng Jiaojiao’s hairpin flew apart, and she collapsed to the ground, utterly disheveled.

The man was not satisfied; he stepped forward, grabbed her long hair, and dragged her along the ground.

Feng Jiaojiao writhed in pain, struggling with hands and feet.

“You cursed woman! My brother-in-law wanted to marry you out of respect, and you pretend to be chaste and virtuous. You and that scoundrel conspired to kill him, didn’t you?”

“Everyone, come take a look!”

The burly man shouted at the crowd.

The crowd closed in on the two.

Feng Jiaojiao’s face was ashen. One side was swollen, blood smeared at the corner of her mouth. She didn’t resist. Her clothes were disheveled, and she allowed the crowd to point fingers, her gaze empty, lips curled into a cold, hollow smile.

“Move!”

“Move!” Ye Tian pushed through the crowd, squeezing his way closer.

The crowd joined in verbal attacks:

“This woman is so beautiful, can she really remain a widow?”

“Yeah, she even runs her own shop. Who knows what shady business she’s involved in?”

“Her shop always had a few city guards protecting her—her connections must be unusual…”

“Look, she’s not saying a word—that’s an admission!”

The burly man was triumphant, looking down at Feng Jiaojiao with contempt, dragging her like she was livestock. With force, he sneered, “Tell everyone, how did this promiscuous woman kill my brother?”

“Everyone, see this is the fate of women who aren’t faithful and seduce men!”

The ignorant townsfolk cheered, egging him on.

Feng Jiaojiao’s scalp bled, her face twisted from being dragged. She looked at the jeering crowd with numbness and cried out hoarsely, “My husband is dead—what crime have I committed?”

“The crime is that I shouldn’t be a woman!”

“How dare you argue!”

The man raised his hand high. Feng Jiaojiao closed her eyes, waiting, but nothing came.

A clear male voice rang out beside her:

“Who gave you the right to beat citizens in the middle of the street?”

“Still not kneeling for me!”