Chapter 115: Chapter 110 Dealing with a Shrew i

Translator: 549690339

Sister-in-law Mo saw that Qin Niu wouldn’t play along with her, so she picked up her basket of eggs and went back.

For a fierce woman like her, it wasn’t possible that she would give a basket of eggs to Ah Niu for free.

Iler idea was naive, hoping to offer a basket of eggs and then have Qin Niu eat and speak softly, yielding a few parts of the homestead land to her family. Could this happen?

In the countryside, land, homestead land is the lifeblood of a farmer.

Old Man Liu couldn’t defeat Sister-in-law Mo’s family and could only suffer in silence; that was fine.

But now that Ah Niu had grown up and become stronger, he was fully capable of suppressing Sister-in-law Mo’s entire family.

The encroached-upon homestead land had to be reclaimed, every inch of it.

If it were to be taken by force, then the justified would become unjustified, and it would end up with a bad reputation for oppressing the common people.

Therefore, the matter needed to be handled through the village chief.

The village chief didn’t have much power, just organizing the villagers to meet and discuss things like water conservation and road repairs from time to time. If there were conflicts and disputes among villagers, the village chief would deal with them first.

If it was a large village with the same surname, there would be family elders in addition to the village chief.

Generally known as the Three Elders.

They were the most respected and revered elders in the family.

Their status was equivalent to that of local officials, but in reality, they were semi-official, semi-civil.

The elders’ power was great; for example, if a woman committed adultery, an elder’s word could have the adulteress caught and dunked in a pig cage. Or if someone in the family made a mistake, the elders could call a family meeting and impose family rules on the wrongdoer.

Even if someone was beaten to death, the authorities wouldn’t pursue it.

Shuangfeng Village couldn’t be considered a large village with scattered surnames, so it was impossible to have family elders. For instance, the Liu Family was a large family in Shuangfeng Village, prolific and thriving, but the elders elected by the Liu Family could only govern their own people.

Wanting to govern other surnames, naturally, they would not agree.

Xu Zhenchang, in order to protect his power as village chief, also would not allow such a thing to happen.

Don’t think that just because Xu Zhenchang was a hard-working tenant, he’d be easy to talk to.

One isn’t a man without poison.

When he needed to be ruthless, he would definitely be beyond imagination.

The difference between him and village tyrants like Wang I laikun was that Xu Zhenchang would act legally and reasonably, needing to draw on the power of the public to accomplish things, rather than doing whatever he wanted.

Soon, Xu Zhenchang hurried over.

Riding on a donkey.

His family didn’t have oxen, but they kept a donkey for grinding and carrying loads.

Actually, with Xu Zhenchang’s strength, he could have easily kept an ox.

But every year he spent a high price to rent oxen from the Yan Family to cultivate his land.

The most successful tenant didn’t rely solely on superior farming techniques.

For a successful individual, interpersonal skills must also be outstanding; otherwise, it’s very difficult to become successful.

“Village chief!”

“Rich Xu!”

Everyone eagerly greeted the village chief.

“Good, greetings to all my fellow villagers!”

Xu Zhenchang had already dismounted from the donkey and kept nodding in response.

He made his way to the front of Qin Niu’s house.

“I, Xu Zhenchang, the village chief of Shuangfeng Village, pay my respects to Master Qin!”

It was a full and respectful salute, without the slightest hesitation.

This Xu Zhenchang knew how to deal with situations!

“No formalities! Uncle Xu, I asked you to come today because I wish to build a new house. But Wu Si’s family has taken advantage of my youth and my foster father’s honesty, unceasingly encroaching on our homestead land. I need you to stand up for us and make a fair judgment in front of everyone here.”

Ah Niu’s calling him Uncle Xu made Xu Zhenchang feel more refreshed than drinking ice water on a hot June day.

Yet, his face showed a serious expression.

“I have a record of all the homestead land in the village. 1 will inspect it first. If Wu Si’s family really is so lacking in virtue, I will surely give Master Qin justice.”

He spoke with righteous indignation.

A posture of impartiality, demonstrating a refusal to favor anyone.

Life is like a play, all depending on acting skills.

To hold onto the position of village head, one needed more than just a few clever moves.

First, he took a look around, already calculating in his mind.

He selected three elderly men from the crowd of onlookers on the spot.

Whether intentionally or not, the three elders he chose had all been scolded by Sister Mo before, including Wu San, who had been berated numerous times.

This man was actually Wu Si’s blood brother.

But everyone knew that the two brothers were now sworn enemies who often engaged in ‘mad dog’ fights, cursing and bickering at each other like rabid dogs.

The reason was simple.

Sister Mo, the ever burning lamp, wished nothing more than to quietly take over the entire Shuangfeng Village.

In addition to encroaching on Qin Niu’s homestead, she would also embezzle Wu San’s land.

As for Wu San being her husband’s own brother, that counted for nothing. When compared to self-interest, even gaining an extra inch of homestead land was more desirable.

“I remember that back then, Old Man Liu’s homestead boundary was marked by that large camphor tree.”

“Right, I remember it very clearly, it’s three feet to this side of the big camphor tree.”

“No mistake, it should be at least three feet on this side. Wu Si really lacks moral integrity. Not only did he occupy the three feet on this side of the camphor tree, but he also encroached by more than a full ten feet. It’s too much bullying.”

The three elders who bore grudges against Wu Si’s family were asked to act as referees. If they didn’t use this opportunity to take private revenge, they would have lived in vain for decades.

Sister Mo had already called her husband out and brought two children who were about seven or eight years old.

Sister Mo wore a look of dominance, while Wu Si was cowering.

He was basically dragged over by his wife.

“Village head! It’s not easy for you to come over, here’s a little money for wine!”

Sister Mo actually stuffed money into Xu Zhenchang’s hand in front of everyone.

She was indeed generous, giving two Silver Pieces, the kind that were scrap silver.

They must have weighed at least one qian.

Because Silver Pieces were easier to counterfeit, their value was lower than that of solid Official Silver.

A qian of Silver Pieces could be exchanged for about eighty copper coins.

If it were Official Silver, one One Tael of Silver was equivalent to one thousand copper coins. When the silver rate was high, it could even be exchanged for up to eleven hundred copper coins.

“What are you doing? Are you trying to bribe me, the village head, in public? What we do is seen by the heavens; I cannot accept this dishonest money.”

Xu Zhenchang threw the money on the ground angrily.

He showed everyone an image of being fair and just.

“Wu Si, I have personally checked, and also asked three of the village elders to check. We all agree that your family has encroached on Old Man Liu’s homestead. And it’s not just a little bit; it’s at least ten feet and three inches.”

Xu Zhenchang looked sternly at Wu Si, who was shrinking back.

“What? What did you say? My family has occupied ten feet and three inches of their land?”

Sister Mo asked back in a shrill voice.

“My family’s fence is clearly here; how could it possibly have encroached on All Niu’s homestead? You’re the village head; you can’t side with them just because Qin Niu has become an official now. The villagers are watching; everyone help judge fairly.”

Unfortunately, Sister Mo wasn’t well-liked.

Plus, with Qin Niu now even more powerful than Wang Yue, who would dare to risk offending Qin Niu to speak up for Sister Mo’s family?

Only if their brains had been kicked by a donkey.

“Mrs. Mo, you’re used to being domineering in the village, and everyone makes allowances for you. That’s because they see you as a woman and don’t want to be petty with you. Now, I and the three elders in the village have confirmed it, so what are you still clamoring about? It’s not that the one with the shrillest voice is right.”

Xu Zhenchang chastised Sister Mo solemnly and strictly for her wrongdoing.

“Wu Si, do you see that big camphor tree? Using it as the marker, then moving three feet in this direction, it all belongs to Old Man Liu’s homestead. You’d better tear down that broken fence quickly, and dismantle the thatched houses you’ve built in the last two years, and return the land to them. It’s only because Master Qin is kind-hearted; otherwise, your fate wouldn’t be any better than Wang Haikun’s.”

The village head still had some power.

Following the verdict, if Wu Si still refused to accept, it would be like refusing a toast only to be forced to drink a forfeit.

“Building those two thatched huts with difficulty wasn’t easy for me. I beg the village head and Master Qin to consider my hardship and not make me tear them down. I’m willing to make some compensation.” Wu Si trembled with fear.

He also knew he’d done wrong and was clearly aware of his guilt..