Chapter 89: Labeling Him【seeking Monthly Tickets】
Qin Lizheng snorted, saying meaningfully, “Brother Lin, a black sheep cannot be kept.”
After speaking, he disdainfully glanced at Lu Chengjing.
Just a scholar whose hands and feet were crippled, that’s all he would be in this lifetime, not worth worrying about.
As for Shang Wan, who could chat with Dan Dajun, Qin Lizheng looked down on her even more.
She was just relying on her good looks, both fierce and disrespectful to elders, clearly not a proper niangzi at first glance.
Shang Wan suddenly sneezed. Who was cursing her?
Yuan Yuan reached out her small hand to rub it for her.
“Brother Qin, I am also powerless.” Village Chief Lin had a bitter face and gestured for Qin Lizheng to look at his suspended arm. “If I keep meddling, I’m afraid this old life of mine will be lost too.”
“And my second son at home, if not for having no other choice and seeking your advice, Brother, how could my second son suffer such a disaster, still unconscious even now.”
Village Chief Lin raised his hand to wipe tears, his tone mournful. “If I continue being village chief, I’m afraid I’ll be a white-haired person sending off a black-haired one, and the family will be ruined.”
Qin Lizheng’s brows furrowed tightly. “What are you saying? In broad daylight under the clear sky, who would dare to murder for money?”
He glanced at the silent villagers, with a hint of warning. “All these years, what you’ve done for Elm Tree Village, I’ve seen it all, and everyone isn’t blind. You can’t say such words again!”
Village Chief Lin had a face full of worry and sighed. “Now my arm is broken, second son doesn’t know when he’ll recover, Er Ya is still lying at home, the whole family only has the eldest who can hold things together, but the eldest is covered in injuries too. So many mouths in the family, without grain, isn’t that forcing us to die?”
At the emotional point, tears fell again.
His shoulders shrank slightly, sobbing softly. Those who didn’t know would really think the whole village ganged up to bully his family.
Zhang Er couldn’t stand it and was about to speak when Zhang Da pulled him back.
Zhang Da glared at his brother, not allowing his brother to stand out.
Zhang Er muttered something and turned his head away, too lazy to watch Village Chief Lin play pitiful.
Village Chief Lin and Qin Lizheng sang in harmony. Except for a few who echoed them, surprisingly no one in the large circle of people made a sound, just silently staring at the two.
Qin Lizheng’s brows furrowed slightly. What was going on with the people of Elm Tree Village? Weren’t they very easy to incite before?
Lu Chengjing could help him answer his doubts.
The villagers’ different reaction from before was simply because of the word “interest.”
The entire village, except for the Lin Family and a few households lacking labor, basically all participated in the village’s collective labor, with interests all tied together.
In the past, when it didn’t relate to their own interests, the villagers would stand on the Lin Family’s side out of sympathy or other reasons, helping say a word or two, no big deal.
But now it involved dividing grain. The more the Lin Family got, the less they got. Don’t think the villagers are fools; who doesn’t have their own accounts in mind?
If it were before, so be it, everyone defaulted that the Lin Family could get more, and one or two objections wouldn’t make waves.
Now everyone had boarded another ship without the Lin Family. Only a fool would voluntarily give up their own interests.
Besides, what they earned through labor, why give it up?
The villagers’ silence made Village Chief Lin and Qin Lizheng unable to continue their play.
Qin Lizheng glanced at Dan Dajun and the other officers standing with arms crossed, thinking of the bribe he gave when he came, his eyes turned, and he gave Village Chief Lin a look.
Village Chief Lin understood and wiped his tears. “How to divide this grain can’t be settled in the village. Better have Brother Qin decide.”
Qin Lizheng cleared his throat, took over, and said righteously, “I’ve been village head for twenty years and never heard of any distribution based on labor method.”
“The grain is disaster relief grain issued by the Imperial Court. Distribution must follow the Imperial Court’s law and ancestral rules. The officers are watching nearby. If not following the Imperial Court’s rules, beware of the officers arresting people for planks and prison.”
The crowd exchanged glances, some couldn’t help shrinking their necks. Dividing grain is dividing grain, why planks and prison?
Qin Lizheng was very satisfied with the villagers’ reaction. He scanned the crowd, his majestic gaze falling on Lu Chengjing, and said gravely, “Lu Xiucai is a scholar, naturally understanding the Imperial Court’s law better than an old rural man like me. Right?”
This question, whether Lu Chengjing answered yes or no, was no good.
Answering yes, Lu Chengjing would be forced to agree with Qin Lizheng’s theory, admitting distribution based on labor was not feasible.
Answering no, Qin Lizheng could immediately pin on Lu Chengjing the hat of ignoring the law and disrespecting the court.
Qin Lizheng deliberately set a trap for Lu Chengjing.
But who said it had to be multiple choice?
Qin Lizheng could wave the Imperial Court’s banner, couldn’t Lu Chengjing?
Lu Chengjing closed the account book and met Qin Lizheng’s gaze expressionlessly.
“I am still young and may be improper in handling affairs, letting down everyone’s trust. After much thought, for safety, I shamelessly went to the county yamen to consult Lord An with this method.”
He paused slightly in his words, showing a timely bit of doubt on his face. “The lord praised this method as feasible, beneficial to the village, and implementable. Is the village head now questioning the lord for favoritism, abusing power for personal gain?”
Wasn’t it just pinning hats? Pin them together.
Shang Wan smiled inwardly. A fox is a fox.
The law is dead, but Lord An is alive, and the current official at that.
That day entering the city, Lu Chengjing was wrongly accused of adultery, and after the case was cleared, he explained this method to Lord An during casual talk and received his approval.
Now it was equivalent to having big shot Lord An’s endorsement.
Qin Lizheng’s face stiffened, the smugness of setting a trap for Lu Chengjing completely gone.
He looked at Village Chief Lin. Why didn’t he tell him Lord An knew about this?
Village Chief Lin was also caught off guard. How could he have thought Lu Chengjing would specially run to Lord An for such a trivial matter?
Seeing Village Chief Lin’s slightly panicked expression, Qin Lizheng knew both of them had been played by this young brat Lu Chengjing.
He was secretly annoyed inside. If he changed his tune immediately, not only would he be looked down on, his authority would be lost, and who would take him seriously as village head in the future?
Now in a dilemma, Qin Lizheng steadied his mind and said stubbornly, “Lu Xiucai, this action of yours is very improper. How can village trifles trouble the lord? Moreover, one person’s word is not credible. Better divide according to the old rules…”
“Village head, that day I was also by my husband’s side. I can prove my husband’s words are true.” Shang Wan interrupted Qin Lizheng’s attempt to gloss over, smiling faintly. “If the village head thinks I’ll favor my husband, why not ask these officers? They have no relation to my husband, so they surely won’t favor him.”
Interrupted halfway by a mere woman, Qin Lizheng immediately showed displeasure, just about to scold when he heard Shang Wan bring out the officers.
He snorted inwardly. This woman thought her good looks alone could confuse the officers. How naive.
He had given bribes, so which side the officers would take was beyond doubt!
He turned to face the leading Dan Dajun, cupped his hands, and said, “Please officers inform if these two’s words are credible?”
Found a gecko on my clothes, scared me silly o(╥﹏╥)o
