Chapter 188:
Actually, everyone knew this very well in their hearts. Those few households coveted other people’s farmland and caused this trouble.
The main point is to put pressure on him, for deterrence… to make them hand over the farmland voluntarily!
Li Sanmao looked at Zhao Anyi and Li Wanliang,
“Secondly, hmph! Those summer beans in my family’s field, who exactly destroyed them? I, Li Sanmao, must get to the bottom of this. When the time comes, it won’t be as simple as compensation!”
“I, Li Sanmao, am not so easy to bully!”
“What? Th-threatening people?”
Zhao Anyi was a bit intimidated and stammered.
“Hehe, Uncle, I didn’t say it was you. Why are you getting agitated? Could it be that the one who destroyed my family’s summer beans was from your family?” Li Sanmao said in a questioning tone!
“What nonsense are you spouting? Destroying summer beans or whatever, I don’t know about that. But with so many people in the village, why are you only targeting me?” The implication was that there were others involved in destroying the summer beans!
Li Sanmao sneered and glanced at Li Wanliang, who shrank his neck.
“That depends… on… who is coveting the farmland of my Li Sanmao family!”
Li Daniu’s mother had also arrived, crouching on the ground, standing out like a sore thumb, with everyone keeping their distance from her.
Li Daniu had carried her here in a bamboo basket and had already run off early. He felt that today his mother was definitely going to cause some big trouble.
Some villagers covered their noses, fanned the air, and secretly cursed that even with her legs like this, she wasn’t resting at home but came to the village meeting!
Her face had a strange expression, seemingly full of hatred!
A flash in Li Shi’s eyes. She really had dog shit luck. How did they dodge it again?
“Li Sanmao, you two as a couple are really vicious enough. We’re all from the same village—today you beat this one, tomorrow you hit that one. This old lady’s leg is ruined for life. If Li Zhengxin and his wife don’t give me a proper explanation today, I won’t let it go!”
Everyone turned their gazes to the agitated speaker. After looking for a while, they thought they had misseen, but upon closer inspection, it was Li Shi crouched behind the crowd, so they began whispering to each other!
“Li Shi, how did you come on such a big day today? Look at how stinky you are. What if you infect everyone?” Ma Shenzi said, covering her nose. As she spoke and moved, the smell made people hold their breath!
“Ma Shi, if anyone’s kicking someone when they’re down, it’s you. I’m also from Zhao Li Village. Why can’t I come?” Li Shi said angrily.
“Oh my! Look at what you’re getting worked up about? I didn’t say you can’t come. It’s just that you know your own condition, right? Almost everyone in the village is here today. If you infect us, won’t the whole village suffer?”
“You can’t be so selfish!”
“Exactly, I’m getting on in years too. What if I catch your stinky sores? What then?” An old man from the Zhao family said.
“That’s right. Last time I rode an ox cart with her to town, and these past few days I’ve been feeling unwell all over. Who knows if it’s because of that?”
Her body was always itching, and she had to keep scratching…
“What?”
“My kids are still young!” Everyone was scared and quickly covered their mouths and noses with the corners of their clothes!
“Village Chief, quickly think of something. We don’t want to stay in the same place as her!”
“Right! Either end the meeting, or we’ll leave!”
Some villagers had already started leading the way!
“Hu Zi, come here!”
Li Zhengxin called Zhao Hu to find people to carry her away!
“No, you bunch of old schemers, heartless ones. I just came to seek justice. Aren’t you the Village Chief? My leg won’t be able to walk anymore. He, Li Sanmao, and Luo Zhi’er must give me an explanation. Otherwise, I’ll go to the yamen. If he doesn’t handle it, I’ll die at the yamen doorway!”
Although Li Shi was carried away reluctantly, her words stayed in the ears of Li Zhengxin, Zhao Zuzu, Li Zuzu, and others…
If this matter isn’t properly resolved, won’t it ruin the reputation of Zhao Li Village?
As the village stewards, they hadn’t handled the matters in their own hands well.
A strange smell permeated the air, along with a weird atmosphere…
“Doctor Li, quickly tell us, is Li Shi’s illness contagious or not?” That Zhao family old man said.
“Uh… Based on my previous treatment, I think it’s not contagious. Her smell is from bedsores… But, it’s hard to say…”
“Doctor Li, how reliable is your medical knowledge?”
“This, whether it’s specifically contagious still needs observation!”
“Tch!”
Everyone burst into an uproar!
“Village Chief, actually Li Shi is also a pitiful person. It’s not her fault for going mad. San Mao’s wife was indeed too ruthless in her actions. Was there any need to crush her leg?”
“Her family originally relied on her as the only able-bodied laborer. Now that she’s paralyzed, how will her family survive?” Zhao Er suddenly stood up and spoke.
At this time, Li Zhengsen also stood up, coughed once, as if coughing out the old phlegm from his throat, and said imposingly,
“Right? Even I, her second uncle, feel ashamed. She went too far…”
“Folks and neighbors, sorry about this. Our Old Li Family having such a venomous woman is truly shameful. In my heart, I’ve always felt uneasy…”
He gave everyone an apologetic bow, then continued,
“Sigh, thinking of my Wei Zi’s mother’s bare ear makes my heart ache… I simply can’t sleep at night or eat during the day…”
Wiping his tears,
“Hmph, speaking of compensation, my wife’s ear is gone for life. The harm done isn’t minor; it can’t be settled with just a few coins!”
The people below chattered, “Goodness, stirring up old troubles. He’s not worried, he’s scared. If it were me, I wouldn’t be able to eat for days either!”
Hearing this in Li Zhengsen’s ears, he was so angry he nearly threw the pipe in his hand at her!
……
“Village Chief, actually there’s something I’ve, Zhao Er, never mentioned, also afraid of everyone laughing at me!”
“Hehe! Another one. I’m not the type to casually stir up trouble, but if I don’t say it, it won’t feel good. My wife’s leg was also crushed by Luo Zhi’er!”
“What?”
Everyone buzzed with discussion; there was a good show to watch!
“No wonder I haven’t seen that woman Huaihua for some days. Turns out she can’t get out of bed and is hiding!” Ma Shenzi chattered.
“My Zhao Ge and I spent quite a bit of silver and effort to treat it to about seventy percent recovery. His mother suffered greatly. I’m not satisfied; I want compensation!”
Zhao Er boldly voiced the thoughts in his heart. His wife had suffered in silence, and at the time he was wary of her and village gossip about his wife…
Now seeing she had offended so many villagers, he added fuel to the fire to see if she would compensate or not.
“What if Li Shi really dies at the yamen doorway? Won’t that harm the villagers of our Zhao Li Village? This matter really shows that Li Sanmao’s family didn’t act properly.” Zhao Anyi said.
“Exactly, our village actually has such a ruthless person. Why keep her around?” Li Wanliang, now revived, saw everyone attacking Li Sanmao and his wife, rolled his eyes, and quickly chimed in.
Li Sanmao was furious. This group was united against a common enemy, all attacking his wife and him.
He looked at his wife and saw her expressionless face, not knowing what she was thinking, thinking she was scared silly. He pulled her hand: “Wife, don’t be afraid. Your husband is here!”
Luo Zhi’er raised her eyes to look at Li Sanmao, who had a face full of anger, and said unhurriedly: “Husband, watch quietly and adapt. Don’t disrupt our own formation. First see what the Village Chief and others say, then counter their moves!”
“Good!”
Li Sanmao suddenly calmed down. Strange, why was his wife so composed? Had she already thought of a strategy?
