Swallowing his saliva, he struggled to calm himself down, silently reassuring himself that if Lin Caisang could bring this black leopard out, it probably wouldn’t harm people at random.
"In the mountains, while I was picking wild fruit, I accidentally lost my way and ventured into the inner forest. That’s where I met Blackie. I actually managed to find my way out thanks to it."
Lin Caisang curled her lips and spouted some nonsense.
She didn’t care how the black leopard came about, just as long as it could intimidate these ungrateful villagers.
"Clan Chief Grandfather, you said that this black leopard has no home, it can’t always follow me around. Or else, I’ll keep it in Manghuang Mountain, you won’t oppose that, will you?"
She asked Clan Chief Lin.
Clan Chief Lin twitched the corner of his mouth.
What could he oppose to? These people were acting as if intending to peel Lin Caisang alive. If she hadn’t carried a charm to protect herself, he would really be afraid that Lin Caisang would suffer losses.
"Well... Manghuang Mountain is yours. Whatever you want to keep up there is naturally your decision."
"Clan Chief Lin, how can this be? How can we keep... a wild beast in the village? That’s a... it’s a leopard." As soon as Clan Chief Lin’s words fell, someone immediately voiced an opposition.
"So what if later everyone starts keeping tigers, black bears, and so on. Wouldn’t that disrupt the peace in the village?"
Clan Chief Lin asked back.
"If you have the ability to keep one, then go ahead. I won’t oppose it."
He scoffed in his heart. What peace? There was no peace in the village now. In his view, the Lin Family had been too generous to the villagers, which caused some of them to become arrogant.
At Clan Chief Lin’s words, the man choked, unsure of how to respond.
He would like to keep one. But did he have the means? Raising a leopard would probably result in the leopard raising him instead. If he ends up being eaten by the leopard, wouldn’t he die with his eyes wide open? He didn’t want to be such a fool!
"I heard, dear uncles, aunts, you wanted to see me for something? What’s the matter? I’m here now. You can speak to me." Lin Caisang looked at them and asked for advice humbly.
How could they say anything confronting a black leopard that could potentially maul them at any moment?
"No one has anything to say?"
Seeing them all silent, Lin Caisang sneered.
"Since no one here has anything to say, then I have something to say."
"You... what do you want to say?"
The wife of an elder in the clan struggled to find the courage to ask Lin Caisang.
This little girl sure has a knack! She had finally rallied everyone, thinking that this time Lin Caisang would surely reveal how to grow two-season rice. Everyone in the village would have to thank her then.
Who would have thought that Lin Caisang’s black leopard had ruined all her plans? What was she going to tell her father-in-law when she got home?
"What do I want to say?"
Lin Caisang raised her eyes to look at her.
"Manghuang Mountain is mine, registered in the local government office. If any of you don’t watch yourself and cause trouble on my mountain, or try to fetch water from the pond at the foot of the mountain, I will file a lawsuit with the county office immediately. You can be sure officials will pay you a visit. I, Lin Caisang, do what I say, without any vagueness!"
Upon hearing what she said, although the crowd was angry, they could not do anything to her.
Manghuang Mountain belongs to Lin Caisang, no one could find fault with her on this matter. They wouldn’t allow anyone to trespass into their lands at will either.