Seeing the smug look on their cousin-in-law’s face, Zhang Facai and his brothers felt heat rush to their faces, their dark complexions turning beet-red, their thick lips stammered, and they couldn’t find the words to speak.
Lady Chen, somewhat proud, even gave Madam Zhou a provoking look and said, "This land is ours from today on."
Liu Jin had been fuming with anger for a while, and it was now clear what was happening. Knowing that they were planning to build a house, greed had taken them, and they had seized the land. The next step would surely be to claim they needed this plot for building, and would just buy it with silver.
It had to be said, Liu Jin was quick-witted. They must be eyeing this plot; otherwise, they wouldn’t have come to clear the land before dawn.
"We’ve cleared this land, if you want to build a house, it’s not impossible, but you’ll have to buy the land first," Lady Chen said, as if she could read Liu Jin’s mind and couldn’t wait to reveal her own scheme.
Seeing her eager, greedy face, one has seen shameless people, but never one so utterly shameless.
Hearing this, the Zhang brothers wore expressions of disbelief, their gazes not even daring to meet Madam Zhou’s eyes, feeling their own faces burning hot.
This was truly, utterly shameless!
"Cousin-in-law, this, this isn’t right," Zhang Facai said, holding back his anger, stepping forward to argue.
"Oh, Uncle Zhang, this isn’t right? What is right then? Tell me? This is how the entire village does it; whoever clears the land, it’s theirs. Uncle, I know you’re an honest man, but don’t be so easily fooled by a few sweet words, dazed by her enchanting ways. Later, if I say a word to Guihua’s mother, you won’t even be able to climb into her bed," Lady Chen said, standing with her hands on her hips.
Madam Zhou couldn’t help but angrily retort, "What do you mean by this?"
Lady Chen rolled her eyes to the sky, spreading her hands dismissively, "I don’t mean much."
"You, you..." Madam Zhou was so angry that her fingers began to tremble.
Lady Chen ignored her, only instructing her sons to pick up dead branches to enclose the casually cleared land, saying, "Make sure it’s all fenced off, and we’ll buy seeds tomorrow to sow."
Seeing this, Madam Zhou was so angry that her chest ached; she opened her mouth to speak again, but Liu Jin stepped in first.
"Uncle Zhang, how and where to build the house, our two families had agreed upon it nicely, and now, you Zhang family folks have stirred up such a scene, it’s quite the spectacle indeed," Liu Jin said sarcastically, his words carrying a double meaning.
What had been agreed upon was suddenly snatched away, and by the Zhang family members, no less. Could there be some trickery afoot?
Even if there wasn’t, Liu Jin would assume there was. Zhang Facai and his brothers thought the same; the timing was too coincidental. To outsiders, it appeared as if the Zhang family had conspired with their cousins to scheme against others, attempting to get them to pay more silver for the land.
Zhang Facai had lived honestly for many years, always known for his good character, but now he was being wrongfully accused, feeling furious and embarrassed. Yet, he had no way to refute it.
Because the land grab was done by his own kin, and as the two brothers were helping to build the house and knew exactly where, it was clear as day; to outsiders, they were inevitably connected.
However wronged he felt, Zhang Facai still had to defend himself, saying, "Liu, my young brother, we swear to heaven, we knew nothing of this."
Liu Jin sneered, "Whether you knew or not is irrelevant. But as things stand, the construction of the house is hindered, so our agreement can only be indefinitely delayed. In fact, it might even have to be annulled. Therefore, let’s set aside the matter of the building materials for the house."
Upon hearing this, Zhang Facai’s face showed a slight change.