This matter has been resolved.
After paying the compensation, the Liu and Zhao Clans retreated with their tails between their legs, looking like a pack of defeated dogs. This was in stark contrast to their earlier grand entrance when they came to stir up trouble.
Lei Yangqiu was temporarily let off the hook, and having survived this ordeal, he didn’t want to linger.
The onlookers, however, showed no signs of dispersing, still eagerly discussing and sharing their excitement about the events.
Most of the world’s common folk live difficult and monotonous lives, struggling to stay above the subsistence line. Their greatest hope is often just to save up some money gradually year by year, buy some land, or secure a good future for their children, perhaps find a good wife.
This dramatic and suspenseful saga was enough to be etched in their memories for a lifetime.
Madam Gongsun Hui, accompanied by her sisters-in-law and female relatives, directed the household servants to set up a porridge stall and cook some thick salted meat porridge, inviting the common folk to have a meal.
Today, these commoners, even the poor among them, might have seemed like mere onlookers. But in fact, they were the most crucial part of Wang Shouzhe’s plan today.
This meal was a feast in their honor.
In the eyes of many arrogant noble family descendants, commoners are so insignificant and inconspicuous, like ants that can be crushed at will.
Yet, most noble families cannot do without commoners. Without commoners to create wealth for them, how could noble family descendants afford their luxurious lifestyles? How could they buy precious cultivation resources?
Moreover, while individual commoners may be insignificant, their collective strength becomes very formidable once gathered in large numbers. Under the watchful eyes of a thousand commoners, even a Spirit Platform Realm cultivator like Lei Yangqiu, a dignified Garrison Commander, dared not act recklessly.
Wang Shouzhe had learned this well in his previous life; the gathered power of onlookers should never be underestimated. Even the lofty Celestial Human Families need a vast number of commoners to survive.
Some of the young girls and young male servants of the Wang Family also actively participated in cooking and serving porridge, as well as maintaining order.
This included two legitimate daughters, Wang Luoyi and Wang Luomiao.
Even the recently acclaimed Wang Luqiu and Wang Luojing were earnestly busy with their tasks, showing no signs of disdain.
This pleased Wang Shouzhe greatly; the children of our family have upright values. They certainly won’t think themselves superior just because they possess martial strength and separate themselves from the common folk.
It seems that some odd elements have snuck in.
A burly man with a face like a pig’s head sat on the ground in front of the porridge stall, gulping down meat porridge. As soon as he finished one bowl, he demanded another, consuming more than ten bowls in no time.
Wang Shouzhe walked over and scrutinized him. He found that the man’s injuries from the Spirit Bee stings had already healed significantly, and his recovery power was truly astonishing.
"Is it tasty?" Wang Shouzhe asked with a slight smile.
"Tasty, very tasty." The boy Zhao Dingteng instinctively responded, then looked up and saw Wang Shouzhe, immediately startled and clutching his bowl, as if afraid Wang Shouzhe would take it away.
This caused the corner of Wang Shouzhe’s mouth to twitch; this kid, he’s afraid in the wrong direction, isn’t he?
What a simple-minded kid, but during a fight, he’s quite cunning. It would be hard to say who would win if he faced Wang Luqiu.
"Alright, alright, eat more, and when you’re full, head home quickly." Waving his hand, Wang Shouzhe, with his bearing, would not concern himself with a fourteen-year-old dimwitted boy.
Though this boy, his appearance hardly suggests he’s a child, after all, he’s only fourteen.
"Clan Leader Wang, it’s Clan Leader Wang."
When the commoners saw Wang Shouzhe approach the porridge stall, they became extremely tense, with awe and admiration in their eyes.
Today’s event not only made the Wang Family famous but even more so the fame of the Wang Family Clan Leader.
"Everyone, help yourselves today, eat your fill," Wang Shouzhe cheerfully invited. "In the future, if you find life unsatisfactory in the territories of the Liu and Zhao Clans, you could move to our Wang Family’s territories. In our territory, at the very least, you can live and work in peace, and should disaster strike, we of the Wang Family will face it together with you."
Wang Shouzhe’s words immediately tempted many people. Compared to the lofty and vindictive Liu and Zhao Clans, the Wang Family seemed to be a genuine noble family.
Under the protection of the Wang Family, it felt as if one could live with more peace of mind.
"Clan Leader Wang, but my family’s fields and house are in the village," said a somewhat ragged self-cultivating farmer. "If we move, we can’t take the fields with us."
Many people echoed his concerns; they wanted to move but faced many practical difficulties, each feeling somewhat disappointed and frustrated.
Among the thousand commoners, there were also those from the Wang Family’s territory.
Upon hearing this, they immediately felt a sense of superiority, a young man about twenty years old said, "Your dilapidated fields and houses, how much are they worth? Only the houses and fields in our Wang Family’s territory are truly valuable."
People outside the Wang territory were not convinced, angrily retorting, "Why aren’t they valuable? They produce grain and house people just the same."
The young man arrogantly replied, "What do you know? Our Wang Family has a Spirit Insect Master. This year, with some care, our family’s fields only saw a fifty percent reduction in yield."