Those present, watching the commotion, couldn’t help but feel sympathy as they watched Cheng Su’s pale face being supported by Qi Taiguo, her weak and unsteady pitiful appearance also evoking a shared sense of distress.
This world has always been unequal. Faced with high officials and strong powers, these rootless common folk have no right to speak. Even with laws in place, it’s still the common folk who suffer. They have always been the ones sacrificed.
Thus, even if they suffer a great injustice, they can only admit defeat and dare not pursue it further.
Jiang Conghe had not failed to notice the looks in people’s eyes, which spoke of fear and resentment, as their anger flared from their toes to the top of their heads.
It was infuriating, too infuriating. They said it was coercion, but clearly, it was that wretched girl forcing them, playing the weak to garner sympathy.
"If this still isn’t enough to appease Commander Chiang, then I will voluntarily remove my uniform, I only ask that Commander Chiang graciously spare me!" Qi Taiguo looked towards Jiang Conghe.
Regimental Commander Mai immediately rebuked, "Comrade Qi Taiguo, don’t act rashly. The nation has laws. As a soldier, can you just speak of removing your uniform? What regard do you have for military regulations?"
Chiang Qing trembled upon hearing this, lifting her head in disbelief.
Without the uniform, would he still be himself? No, that simply cannot happen, absolutely not!
Jiang Conghe glared fiercely at Qi Taiguo. This troublemaker was the root cause of all this mess. Without him, none of this would have happened. Damn him.
Seeing the atmosphere becoming untenable, Commissar Tan suggested, "Commander Chiang, these are just uneducated rural women who resort to violence. Perhaps, I could assign a women’s director to educate them?"
Jiang Conghe snorted.
Lu Shufen heard the implications: that was it, they were just going to let it slide!
So was she just supposed to accept having been slapped for nothing?
Unacceptable!
"No, we can’t just let them go, take them all to prison," Lu Shufen urged.
Qi Taiguo glared back.
Lu Shufen took several steps back, instinctively covering her face. She hadn’t forgotten—he had slapped out one of her teeth with a single smack.
Jiang Conghe saw his wife’s frightened demeanor and grew even more enraged, glaring back, but Qi Taiguo had already lowered his gaze.
"Commander Chiang, it won’t be good if word gets out," Commissar Tan whispered, nudging his mouth towards the outside.
We’ll see who dares!
Jiang Conghe was defiant. For how many years had he been forced into a corner by someone?
"Let them go!" Chiang Qing spoke out, looking at her father: "Dad, I’m begging you, please let them go."
Lu Shufen felt anger welling up, enough to spill three liters of blood. Her daughter, always undermining her at critical moments—was she trying to infuriate her, to leave them swallowing this injustice in silence?
"Comrade Qi Taiguo, problems cannot always be solved with force. Your family, uneducated and lacking insight, doesn’t mean they can throw tantrums. There are state laws. Let it go for now, take them away immediately," resigned, Jiang Conghe gestured dismissively as his daughter had spoken.
"Thank you for the guidance, Commander Chiang," Qi Taiguo said flatly, calling for Qi Fenglian and leading his family away.
Chiang Qing gazed blankly as he disappeared, the brightness in her eyes fading away with him, her desire to cry tearless.
"Commander Chiang must be tired too. This..." Regimental Commander Mai glanced at the messy room and suggested, "How about you rest at the guesthouse with me?"
Jiang Conghe looked around the room and then at Lu Shufen and the others, his head aching, and he nodded in agreement.
The Chiang Family all left, and the onlookers hadn’t dispersed yet, still relishing the recent drama. They felt pity for Cheng Su and feared the authority, and mentioned that Qi Taiguo had offended the high official and might really have to remove his uniform.