Chapter 123: Chapter 122: What Happened at Midnight
Daya, faced with inquiries from many elder women, aunts, and even young wives and nieces, how could she respond?
Having been misunderstood the last time, she dared not speak of the adults’ affairs. Even if she knew something, she would claim ignorance. Unable to cope with so many people, she timidly remained silent.
After washing the clothes, Daya returned home to hang them to dry. The adults at home, some of whom had just gotten up, went to the kitchen for breakfast, and did not mention any events from the village to their family.
Ye Shuzhi and Ye Shuzhen, having had their breakfast, went to wash clothes by the river as usual. Passing by the guards stationed at the entrance to the yard, both sisters couldn’t help but glance at the two tall and handsome guards.
The guards received the girls’ glances, neither avoiding nor returning them. Having stood guard all night, they were tired, hungry, and cold. At dawn, they had taken off their straw coats and were waiting to change shifts.
Ye Shuzhi and Ye Shuzhen merely stole a quick glance at the guards. Village girls, unlike rich young ladies, faced young men shyly without avoiding them.
The sisters reached the riverside to wash clothes. At this late hour, it was mostly little girls and young women who, perhaps having heard about the village incidents, were also discussing them.
As Ye Shuzhi and Ye Shuzhen squatted by the river to wash, they listened to these people gossiping. Proud from the girls’ envious glances the day before, they deliberately did not initiate chat with them.
Gradually, they began to understand the big events of the morning. Did their family members not know? Why hadn’t their eldest brother mentioned anything?
“Ye Shuzhi, Ye Shuzhen, your elder brother is going to become a small boss, he might hire workers, right? So why are you still coming out to wash clothes?”
Previously, after Ye Shuzhen had fought with a girl resulting in the girls distancing themselves from the sisters, they, envious from yesterday’s meeting, now felt compelled to make conversation.
Her words carried a mocking tone, actually stemming from jealousy.
“So what? What does it have to do with you?”
Ye Shuzhi was not as impulsive or foolish as her sister. Even in verbal disputes, she would not resort to physical fights. The girl’s naked jealousy was apparent to anyone.
“Wow, gotten quite arrogant haven’t we? Can we even have a proper chat anymore?”
Another girl, believing her looks were no inferior to the sisters’, but lacking such a capable elder brother, spoke with evident bitterness.
“If you don’t want to chat with us, then don’t!” Ye Shuzhen retorted haughtily, glancing at the girls.
The girls were angry, but dared not offend the sisters, and could only huffily wash their clothes together, ignoring the two sisters.
Ye Shuzhi and Ye Shuzhen felt victorious in the argument, very pleased with themselves. On their way home after washing the clothes, they saw the guards at the front gate changing shifts and informed the new guards about the events of late last night, asking them to be cautious that night.
The two guards, after hearing about the issue during the handover, kept the matter in mind.
The housekeeper had arrived at their house and was chatting with the elder brother in a thatched hut while their father smoked bamboo tube tobacco on the other side.
The sisters didn’t dare disturb their brother, but they were eager to share the village gossip with someone in the family, and that someone was naturally their mother.
“No wonder, I thought I heard a dog barking last night and assumed a thief had entered the village,” Mrs. Lai said as she joined in the gossip, not keeping her voice down at all.
The guards leading out the horses to change shifts had sharp ears and had overheard the conversation between the two sisters and their mother.
The two exchanged looks; the scare from the day before was due to someone causing trouble in the village. Now informed, the guard felt an increased need to be vigilant, wondering if someone might be crazy enough to commit more bad deeds.
Just before stepping out, the two guards expressed their concerns to the guards at the door, emphasizing the valuable wood the Boss had entrusted to the small boss. If mishandled and caught by fire, the loss would be significant, and they too would face penalties.
Hearing their companion’s words, the other two guards also felt the need to be more vigilant. The village wasn’t wholly safe. If it were, why would the incident that morning have occurred?
It might seem like a small issue, but small issues can lead to bigger problems.
Ye Shiqi could hear her aunt and grandmother’s voices from her room. At this moment, she realized the barking she had heard in the middle of the previous night was due to someone committing a crime!
How could someone do such disgusting acts? Ye Shiqi felt her understanding was being challenged; didn’t the perpetrator find the act foul?
The previous night, she had already drawn the plans for the wood her father was going to carve today and had left them on the table.
Her father, tacitly understanding the plan, had moved those woods to the tool shed—an arrangement known only to Heaven, Earth, and the father-daughter duo.
The housekeeper was asking Hongji about the affairs conducted by the village chief during the day; especially if the landowners had agreed to sell their land.
He then overheard the conversation of the three women in the courtyard and frowned, feeling relieved that this was not a demolition. Even though it wasn’t a demolition, dealing with the stubborn rural landowners was still a headache.
“Small boss, let’s go to the Land Officer’s house and have him call those landowners. If they refuse to sell, our only option might be to buy land from the neighboring village.”
Hongji nodded. What else could he say?
The two walked together to the Land Officer’s house, where the whole family of the Land Officer was at home.
The Land Officer’s wife courteously served them tea.
The Land Officer also warmly invited Housekeeper Tang and Hongji to take a seat.
“Land Officer, how’s the situation? Did all of them agree to sell their land?”
“Housekeeper Tang, to tell you the truth, there are still two families who disagree. I was thinking, if those families’ lands are on the outskirts, maybe we don’t need their lands after all. It’s alright if they don’t sell.”
“Then, let’s gather them once more and ask again. If anyone is willing to sell, let them come with us to measure the land. Whatever the measure, we will go to the government office to stamp the deal, and pay them in full.”
“Housekeeper Tang, if they agree to sell, give them some deposit, and pay the full amount once the matter is settled.”
The Land Officer said this also to look out for the villagers’ interests. Although the Tang Family was large and wouldn’t oppress the villagers, this method was meant to provide peace of mind.
If the deal for the land didn’t go through, he’d end up saddled with a huge debt as the guarantor.
“Alright, let’s draft a contract. Those willing to sell can sign it, and we can give some deposit. Land Officer, please call those people first!”
The Land Officer used the method of ringing a gong again, but this time he added his voice, “Hey, villagers with land, come for a meeting! Hurry, you won’t find this kind of deal again!”
Not just those selling land, but everyone in the village was interested in this matter. Even though they weren’t called, they gathered in front of the Land Officer’s house to watch the excitement.