Land Officer Yang saw each one of them hanging their heads in shame and he heaved a sigh, lamenting how they really brought the scolding upon themselves.
"You all are truly bored and stuffed with too much food, thinking of nothing better to do than to create problems at home," after Land Officer Yang’s wife had finally finished scolding, Land Officer Yang spoke up, "Do you think the governmental office is ineffective? Do you believe Divine Doctor Mu is ineffectual? Haven’t you seen that they have good relations with people like County Magistrate Shen and Constable Hong? The governmental office’s people are still guarding our village, and yet you’re all scared, it’s laughable to even speak of it."
"Enough, everyone go back home. Our Quanya doesn’t have bandits, and those bandits were just passing through. If there really were bandits, as the old woman said, the first ones to face them would be the Yang Family and the Ye Family, then it would be my family; it’s not your turn to worry. Besides, if they really started robbing villagers, do you all think you’re dead already, just standing there waiting to be robbed and chopped? With so many able-bodied men in our village, can’t they grab kitchen knives and charge to fight? Even if the bandits had more people, could they outnumber our villagers?"
One by one, they were lectured by Land Officer Yang’s wife and Land Officer Yang, playing good cop and bad cop, achieving no purpose but a scolding. They couldn’t help blaming each other, wondering who had instigated them to say such things, and when they thought about it, how ridiculous this all was.
Indeed, if bandits really came and spared none of them, were they all just waiting to die, standing there to be chopped up?
If such a thing were to happen, they should have come together as a group and fought against the bandits. As they talked about it, everybody realized that when the third branch of the family was in trouble, they didn’t help, and now they were making these comments, wasn’t that like kicking someone when they were down?
The third branch of the family always treated them well on regular days, and now, such actions, if heard by the third branch, would inevitably be disheartening. They all began to feel a sense of remorse.
A few of the clan elders even begged Land Officer Yang not to tell the third branch about what had happened that day.
Land Officer Yang just waved his hand and said, "They are busy; they have no time to worry about your idle talk. Dachuan has gone to town to buy some people again these past few days, and I heard he’s hired quite a few guards too. Don’t underestimate these guards; in case of a real emergency, you might have to rely on them. Keep an eye out into the distance."
Once the crowd had left Land Officer Yang’s home, they started to settle scores, looking for the person who had provoked the situation first. After some searching, they found out it was actually Yang Jinhai and also the man from the Li Family who had spoken earlier, and then Auntie Li’s youngest son.
Seeing everyone looking at him, Yang Jinhai hurriedly said, "It wasn’t my fault; I was truly frightened. You didn’t see the family members of the Yang Family’s servants coming to identify bodies; that scared me to death. Anyway, I’m afraid of dying; don’t say you all aren’t."
With just a few words, he admitted his cowardice, and nobody could really blame him for being scared of death—it’s human nature.
The man from the Li Family was the same as Yang Jinhai.
But Auntie Li’s youngest son, without any hesitation, sold out his mother, "It was my mom who told me to go to the fourth grandpa."
Upon hearing this, Uncle Li’s anger exploded. He grabbed Auntie Li’s hair and dragged her towards their home with such ferocity, a side of him the villagers had never seen before.
Some couldn’t help but worry for Auntie Li.
And those who enjoyed a good commotion followed to watch. They had only reached the Li Family’s doorstep when the door was shut from the inside. Soon after, sounds of beating and kicking followed, occasionally mixed with a few curses at the ’worthless wife’.