Chapter 93: Chapter 92: Turning Strength Against Strength
This commotion was so loud that it startled the three old men in the main hall, and they all ran out to see what was going on.
The Zhou brothers had already climbed out of the dung pit, retching and wishing they could turn themselves upside down to empty their stomachs.
"Hey! In the middle of the night, who can’t sleep and comes to someone else’s house to bathe in the dung pit?" Village Chief Zhou pinched his nose with one hand and held an oil lamp with the other as he approached the two, "Let me see which little rogue is asking for trouble?"
Zhou Da and Zhou Er recognized the voice as their village chief’s and quickly turned their faces away, not daring to let him see them.
Unexpectedly, Granny Song suddenly splashed a basin of cold water over them from behind.
Although it was summer, the nights were still cool, and the cold water hit their bodies, making the brothers shiver uncontrollably.
Now Village Chief Zhou could clearly see Zhou Da and Zhou Er’s faces and was instantly speechless.
Just now in the room, Song Wei had said there was a thief in the house.
Turns out, after all this fuss, the thief was a Zhou family member from the same village?
"Aren’t these the two boys from the Zhou family? What are they doing at my house?" Granny Song stood at the eastern room’s doorway, her loud voice making sure everyone in the courtyard heard her clearly.
The brothers certainly didn’t dare to admit directly; they just said they were passing by and somehow accidentally fell into the dung pit.
This directly ignited Granny Song’s anger, "Don’t give me that nonsense, not sleeping in the middle of the night, are you so full that you’re climbing my courtyard walls to take a stroll? Passing by? Why don’t you say you fell from the sky and landed in our yard? Lucky the village chief is here, you’d better explain yourself. If you don’t tell the truth, neither of you is leaving tonight; you can sleep in the dung pit!"
The brothers turned pale at these words.
They originally came, prompted by their sister’s words, to steal gold and jewels, but who would’ve thought they wouldn’t get the treasure and would get into such trouble instead.
Zhou Da couldn’t hold it anymore, speaking as he retched, he confessed that they were tempted and misled, knowing the Song family had a box of treasures, they came to see for themselves.
"I find your words really intriguing," Granny Song, not letting the matter drop, retorted seriously thanks to the presence of several village chiefs, "Why don’t you walk through the front door in the daytime? Are you used to climbing walls in the night to marvel at the sights while bathing in the dung pit?"
The Zhou brothers were left speechless, but there was nothing they could do. Who told them to run into the sharp-tongued Granny Song?
Facing her, no matter how many mouths you have, it’s completely inadequate.
Song Wei came over, glanced at the two, said nothing, and took Village Chief Zhou aside, speaking calmly, "I heard after I issued that guarantee letter last time, many villagers in Zhou Village are planning to transfer the fields registered under Mr. Zhou’s name back to mine once I become a scholar.
But with tonight’s incident, if because of these two brothers, their plan to transfer the fields fails, then I guess, Uncle Zhou, you might be in for some trouble."
In essence, the people of Zhou Village wanted to transfer their fields to Song Wei’s name because he wouldn’t tax them. If it fails, everyone will demand an explanation from Village Chief Zhou, and if he doesn’t provide one, they might tear his roof down.
Village Chief Zhou was in a difficult spot, "Third Son, can’t you let this go and turn a big matter into a small one?"
Song Wei smiled faintly, "What they intended to steal is the relic left by my late mother-in-law for Wanwan. As for what it is, Uncle Zhou, you just saw it. This matter can be big or small, depending on your attitude."
Stealing a relic and hindering villagers from registering fields.
Two offenses combined, it’s significant indeed.
If Song Wei didn’t care, he could dismiss it with a word. If he did, this matter could easily escalate to a lawsuit.
Village Chief Zhou certainly didn’t want to stir trouble, gritting his teeth, "As long as you promise, once you become a scholar, to leave field registration slots for our villagers, I’ll open the ancestral hall tomorrow, remove their family from the genealogy, and expel them."
Song Wei cupped his hands and smiled, "Uncle Zhou is indeed a wise man."