Chapter 26: Small Test Of Skill, Brutally Fierce
“Boss, it’s not me.” Liu Shi felt extremely wronged, wiping her tears while saying, “It was my in-law’s mother. She took the child away behind my back. I thought she had brought her back. I didn’t know she would do such a thing!”
Village Chief Lin’s gaze softened slightly. He knew she was dragging someone else down to take the blame. At least she wasn’t completely stupid.
He pretended to be furious on his face. “Confused! Hurry and find her to get the facts straight!”
If today’s matter wasn’t cleared up, how could he, as village chief, have any authority left?
Liu Shi’s eyes darted evasively. She shrank her neck and muttered, “I-I don’t know where she went.”
“Not knowing doesn’t mean you don’t look!” Village Chief Lin was so angry he wanted to kick her.
The person who injured Chen San was very likely Shang Wan. Before getting it clear, how dare this stupid woman provoke Shang Wan? Did she also want to lie in bed for a lifetime?
Suddenly, Liu Da’s boy came running over, shouting loudly while running, “Village Chief, there’s been a death! Go to the riverside quickly!”
Everyone, upon hearing this, couldn’t care less about the unresolved dispute at the Lin Family and hurriedly ran to the riverside.
Shang Wan also held Yuan Yuan and followed. Taking advantage of no one noticing, she dripped a drop of spiritual spring water each on Yuan Yuan’s blade and wrapped it with a clean handkerchief.
“Ouch.” Yuan Yuan raised her small hand for Shang Wan to blow on it. There were still a few teardrops hanging on her eyelashes.
Shang Wan lowered her head and gently blew on it, then personally kissed her own child. “Good girl, it won’t hurt in a bit.”
“Mommy.” The little baby girl nestled aggrievedly in Shang Wan’s arms, her small mouth pouting. “No see… me, find!”
Shang Wan was stunned. She looked at Yuan Yuan. “You ran out to find me?”
Yuan Yuan nodded her little head vigorously, her baby voice soft and glutinous. “Miss Mommy!”
Shang Wan felt her heart soften upon hearing this. She leaned in and kissed her forehead. “No sneaking out next time. If you really want to come out, bring Xiao Hui.”
The crowd arrived at the riverside. Liu Da’s wife Wen Shi hurriedly came over holding the laundry basin.
She and Rong Niangzi had come to the riverside to wash clothes. While washing, an old madam suddenly floated over in the water, scaring them so much they almost fell into the river.
After recovering from the shock, the two used clubs to pull the old madam over and dragged her onto the shore.
That old madam was truly miserable. Her face was scratched to pieces, her whole body covered in blood. Her clothes were torn into rags by wild beasts. There were countless large and small wounds on her body, from scratches and bites. She was truly pitiful.
Rong Niangzi took off her outer garment and covered her.
“Qiu… Qiu…” Liu Shi recognized the bracelet on the old madam’s wrist and shouted in disbelief, “Qiu Xiaofeng!”
Chen Guifang was startled. Upon closer look, she also recognized her and immediately cried out as she rushed over. “Mom!”
The crowd was in an uproar.
“Oh my god, how did she end up like this?”
“Those wounds look like they were done by wild beasts. Could she have fallen into a wild beast’s den?”
“Is she still breathing?”
Shang Wan lowered her head and glanced at the little one in her arms. The effect of her small test of skill was quite ferocious.
Yuan Yuan was wrinkling her little round face, pointing excitedly at Qiu Xiaofeng and shouting, “Bad guy! Bad!”
Slashed me with a knife, it hurt so much!
The crowd was drawn by this baby voice. They saw the little baby girl wrinkling her face like buns, shouting “bad guy” while shrinking into her own mommy’s arms. She was clearly extremely afraid.
“Don’t be afraid, don’t be afraid. Mommy’s here.” Shang Wan comforted her softly in a low voice, thinking to herself, did the little one know that the old madam became like this because of her?
However, no matter how miserable, it was all self-inflicted by this old madam. If she hadn’t thrown Yuan Yuan into the mountains to feed the wild beasts, she wouldn’t have been besieged and killed by the little animals.
Yuan Langzhong was dragged to the riverside by Zhang Er. Before he could catch his breath, he squatted down to check Qiu Shi’s pulse and breathing. After a moment, he shook his head. “Better to bury her early for peace.”
“Mom!” Chen Guifang hugged Qiu Shi’s corpse and wailed in grief. “Don’t leave me! Mom!”
Lin Jianshui’s eyes reddened. He stepped forward to comfort her in a low voice.
Several aunts turned away to secretly wipe their tears.
Liu Shi just wanted to cry and shout along, but was glared back by a look from Village Chief Lin.
“Village Chief, my boy picked up a chopping knife. There’s still blood on the chopping knife.” Wen Shi handed the chopping knife to Village Chief Lin. She didn’t know about the Lin Family incident yet and only guessed, “It should be that Old Madam Qiu went up the mountain to chop wood and was targeted by wild beasts, which led to this…”
She sighed and didn’t continue.
“Knife!” Yuan Yuan’s eyes widened round, staring at the chopping knife as her little body trembled. “Chop… me!”
“Wah wah wah…” The little baby girl shrank into Shang Wan’s arms, big teardrops falling down. “Scared! I’m scared!”
The crowd was stunned. Seeing her fearful reaction, how could they not understand that this was the murder weapon that injured Yuan Yuan.
In an instant, the sympathy in everyone’s hearts due to Qiu Xiaofeng’s tragic death faded quite a bit.
Without harboring malicious intentions, how could she suffer such a calamity? It was all retribution!
Village Chief Lin took the chopping knife with a grim face and said to Shang Wan, “I will definitely make the Chen Family give an explanation for this matter.”
Shang Wan curled her lips. Relying on the dead not being able to speak, she poured all the dirty water on the dead person. What a clever calculation.
However, as for dogs biting dogs, she didn’t mind watching the excitement.
Shang Wan said, “Village Chief, please relay a message to the Chen Family. My family’s Yuan Yuan was both injured and frightened, suffering a great loss. Medical expenses, nutrition fees, mental distress fee, not one can be less. Reluctantly, let’s say fifty taels. Deliver it to my home within three days, or I won’t mind coming to collect it personally.”
This was clearly asking an outrageous price!
Village Chief Lin’s face turned ashen. He took two deep breaths to suppress his anger. “The dead take precedence. Yuan Yuan was only injured on the arm, no threat to her life. You open your mouth asking for fifty taels, deliberately making things difficult. Being so aggressive, aren’t you afraid of gaining a reputation for being harsh and greedy?”
“Reputation can’t be eaten as food.” Shang Wan waved her hand to show she didn’t care. “Chen San has collected plenty of protection fees over these years. A mere fifty taels, the Chen Family can afford it.”
The villagers originally wanted to help mediate, but upon thinking of the disgusting things Chen San had done in the village, they all gave up on the idea of mediating.
Village Chief Lin said with a dark face, “I’ll pass on the message. I hope you don’t regret it.”
His tone carried a hidden threat.
“No need for Village Chief to worry.” Shang Wan hooked the corner of her lips. She would only regret asking for too little.
Village Chief Lin turned his face away and asked the villagers to help carry Qiu Shi to the Chen Family.
Qiu Shi had three sons and two daughters. The first two were sons, but one died of illness, one drowned. Now Chen San had become a cripple. The funeral could only be handled by her daughter and son-in-law.
Chen Guifang and Lin Jianshui followed to help prepare the coffin, burial clothes, spirit money, and other funeral items.
After the villagers dispersed, Shang Wan invited Yuan Langzhong to come home to check Yuan Yuan and Lu Chengjing’s injuries.
Lu Chengjing and the other two were waiting at the courtyard gate. One sitting, two squatting. Seeing Shang Wan return holding Yuan Yuan, their suspended hearts finally settled, their eyes shining brighter than each other.
“It’s all my fault for not watching Yuan Yuan.” Seeing the injury on Yuan Yuan’s arm, Xiao Huan felt heartbroken and was full of self-blame.
Shang Wan said, “It can also be considered a blessing in disguise.”
Xiao Huan was puzzled. “What blessing?”
Shang Wan didn’t answer and put the little one who kept shouting “Daddy” into Lu Chengjing’s arms.
“Want Daddy!” Yuan Yuan pouted her little mouth and gave Lu Chengjing several loud kisses on the face, smearing her daddy’s face with saliva. Then, with starry eyes, she looked at him.
Daddy is super handsome!
Shang Wan: Good daughter has taste!
