Chapter 115: Chapter 110 Dealing with a Shrew i


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    Sister-inw Mo saw that Qin Niu wouldn’t y 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 homesteadnd to her family. Could this happen?


    In the countryside,nd, homesteadnd is the lifeblood of a farmer.


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


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


    The encroached-upon homesteadnd had to be reimed, every inch of it.


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


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


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


    If it was arge vige with the same surname, there would be family elders in addition to the vige 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 womanmitted 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 Vige couldn’t be considered arge vige with scattered surnames, so it was impossible to have family elders. For instance, the Liu Family was arge family in Shuangfeng Vige, 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 vige 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 vige tyrants like Wang Iikun was that Xu Zhenchang would act legally and reasonably, needing to draw on the power of the public to aplish 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 hisnd.


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


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


    “Vige chief!”


    “Rich Xu!”


    Everyone eagerly greeted the vige chief.


    “Good, greetings to all my fellow vigers!”


    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 vige chief of Shuangfeng Vige, 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 toe 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 homesteadnd. 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 homesteadnd in the vige. 1 will inspect it first. If Wu Si’s family really is socking 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 y, all depending on acting skills.


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


    First, he took a look around, already calcting 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 burningmp, wished nothing more than to quietly take over the entire Shuangfeng Vige.


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


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


    “I remember that back then, Old Man Liu’s homestead boundary was marked by thatrge 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 reallycks moral integrity. Not only did he upy 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.


    “Vige head! It’s not easy for you toe 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 vige head, in public? What we do is seen by the heavens; I cannot ept 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 vige 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 upied ten feet and three inches of theirnd?”


    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 vige head; you can’t side with them just because Qin Niu has be an official now. The vigers 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 vige, 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 vige have confirmed it, so what are you still moring 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 thest two years, and return thend to them. It’s only because Master Qin is kind-hearted; otherwise, your fate wouldn’t be any better than Wang Haikun’s.”


    The vige head still had some power.


    Following the verdict, if Wu Si still refused to ept, 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 vige head and Master Qin to consider my hardship and not make me tear them down. I’m willing to make somepensation.” Wu Si trembled with fear.


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