Chapter 32: Chapter 32 Compensation (2)_1 Chapter 32: Chapter 32 Compensation (2)_1 “Fine,” Lou Zheng, with no other options, reluctantly turned to the Ma family, “You all heard it. Whether or not you accept the silver is up to you.”
“I won’t…” Ma Youcai defiantly shouted.
Lin Ziyin sneered, “Grandfather, let’s go home, we need to attend to my brother’s and Yanzhi’s wounds.”
“Alright.” The old man, leading Changting and carrying Lin Changshu’s empty load, prepared to return home. Lin Changshu, carrying Lin Yanzhi, followed behind after casting a fierce glare at the Ma family.
“You can’t leave.” Yan Family’s matriarch grew frantic as the prospect of losing the incoming silver became real. She stretched out her arm, intending to stop Lin Ziyin.
“Robbery, huh? Does injuring someone who’s obstructing my path not count?” Lin Ziyin held aloft his sickle, deliberately asking the surrounding villagers.
“It doesn’t count, we all saw it.” Some villagers stirred, and it turned out that there were still plenty of kind-hearted people in the countryside. After grasping the crux of the matter, many found the Ma family’s actions distasteful.
They had seen shameless people, but never had they encountered ones as shameless as the Ma family. It was the Ma family who started the conflict, and they assaulted the children of the Lin family. Yet, they had the audacity to frame the Lins.
As for Ma Zhicai, the village scholar, the villagers had a good impression of him. He spent his days studying diligently and behaved modestly. However, they did not expect such a gentle person to be so ruthless when framing others.
“Kneel and apologize.” Ma Zhicai impatiently kicked Ma Youcai, who was lying on the ground.
He still needed to attend private school, and his family was in dire need of silver. He obviously couldn’t let go of the silver that Lin family was offering.
“Me?” Ma Youcai’s face was covered in tears and snot, and the child in the woman’s arms was also frightened.
“Hurry up.” Ma Zhicai said sternly.
“Listen to your brother.” Yan Shi came to her senses, although she looked at her younger son with sympathy, she was tempted by the silver and chose to apologize without dignity, “Only with the silver, can we treat your arm.”
“That’s right, we expect the same from you. How you settle between you two is your business, but I am set on holding the Ma family accountable.” Lin Ziyin sneered as he looked at Yan Shi, who was unwilling to kneel.
“Why so?” The high-cheekboned woman was displeased.
“Because you failed to control your son.” Lin Ziyin coldly retorted, “It’s not unusual for children to fight, but look at who your child is hitting and the lack of intervention from your side. What if one day, your child beats every kid in the village, will you maintain the same attitude then?”
Upon hearing this, the villagers all looked at the high-cheekboned woman with exceptional disdain, forcing her to lower her head under their gaze.
“I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have scolded the girl from the Lin family. I won’t do it again.” Under the pressure from Yan Shi and Ma Zhicai, Ma Youcai closed his eyes and knelt on the ground to apologize, though unwillingly.
The other child also knelt down and repeated the apology.
“My son has apologized. Now, give us the silver. We can wait for the two taels, but the silver for medical treatment, we cannot. Give it to us right now,” Yan Shi said loudly.
“We don’t have any silver on us,” Lin Ziyin cheerfully replied.
“You want to renege on your word? Lou Zheng, you saw it too. We’ve done what we must. If the Lin family is obstinate, they’ll have to compensate us with their land,” Ma Zhicai said, glaring at Lin Ziyin with menace.
“We can’t sell the land,” Lin Changshu said anxiously. The family had sold everything they could to cover the medical expenses incurred by their parents’ injuries and Lin Ziyin’s recent illness, including several acres of their farmland. What remained was just enough to sustain their livelihoods. If they sold more, what would the Lin family eat?
“If you don’t have the silver, then mortgage the land,” Yan Shi said, her spirits revived.
“I’ll cover the silver,” a burly man declared, as a crowd began to gather from the direction of the mountain.