Song Lizheng turned his gaze to Qi Zhenzhen. Even if he was inclined to forgive, he couldn't. Not sending them to the yamen was already showing leniency. To let them go again would be seen as taking advantage of his good nature.
Qi Zhenzhen understood the village head's point. With Da Hei incapacitated, it would indeed be difficult for him to cause trouble in the future. If he were confined at home as the Ding couple suggested, it wouldn't be impossible. However, the Ding family had another son, Er Hei. Er Hei had suffered a loss at her hands before, and Da Hei had always held a grudge. Now that Da Hei was crippled by her, with their deep brotherly bond, would Er Hei let it go?
Qi Zhenzhen voiced her thoughts. Ding Cheng immediately guaranteed, "Don't worry, I will keep a close eye on both of them from now on. I'll also keep Er Hei in check. He's still young, and his temper can be straightened out."
Qi Zhenzhen didn't believe Er Hei's temper could be straightened out, given the saying that one's character at three years old predicts their future.
Qi Zhenzhen sighed, "Since you've asked the village head, I can't make him difficult. You must remember your words and keep a good watch on your two sons. Your elder son is already crippled. If your younger son continues to overestimate himself, don't blame me for showing no mercy."
Ding Cheng looked extremely grateful. He bent down, picked up Da Hei, and hurried back, hoping to find a physician quickly. Perhaps there was still a chance for recovery. This was the thought in Da Hei's parents' minds.
"Jin Ping should be confined to the back courtyard of the ancestral hall for now. Have someone watch her. I will call her husband back from the shore as soon as possible, and then we can decide how to handle her. Such a malicious woman cannot be let off lightly," said Song Lizheng. "Let's not spread the word about today's events. Good deeds go unnoticed, but bad deeds spread like wildfire. If such a thing happens in the village, it will be embarrassing for all of us."
Fortunately, there weren't many people present, and they were all respectable figures in the village who understood the implications of the matter. They all nodded in agreement.
As for the women working, they were in the side rooms. Yu Shi would speak to them later, and they likely wouldn't say much if they wanted to avoid trouble.
Leaving the Qi family's home, Song Lizheng still felt stifled. With such an incident, he, as the village head, couldn't escape responsibility. And what about that girl Zhenzhen? Would she develop any resentment towards him because of this matter? What about that ten percent profit...?
"Uncle, you handled this matter very well," Song Yan said in a low voice. "Not sending them to the yamen was Qi girl's suggestion, saying it was for the village's reputation. In reality, Qi girl is unmarried, and going to the yamen would greatly affect her reputation. The village has not condoned their actions; it's a warning to others. From now on, anyone harboring ill intentions will have to behave themselves, as the Qi family is not as weak as they appear. If they want to bully the weak, they must be prepared to have their hands broken."
Song Lizheng nodded. Song Yan was right; after this incident, the villagers should all restrain themselves.
"As for the clan school, Uncle can let the villagers know. It will also add to the Qi family's good reputation. After all, although they were the victims in today's incident, people are accustomed to sympathizing with the weaker party. There will always be a small group who think the Qi family's mother and daughter were indiscreet, which led to the trouble. The clan school will benefit any family with children of school age, which will also silence their gossip," Song Yan added.
"Alright, we'll do as you say. There's no time like the present. Let's summon the heads of each household today and convey this matter to them. We can also officially establish the Qi family's elder status!" Song Lizheng said after some thought.
Song Yan's mind suddenly flashed with Qi Zhenzhen's image. This girl was truly extraordinary. If nothing else, being able to cripple Da Hei with a single blow was enough to make people take notice. Although she appeared timid today, Song Yan detected no fear in her eyes. Wouldn't an ordinary girl encountering such a situation be too frightened to even speak coherently? How could she handle things so methodically?
At this moment, Song Yan no longer considered Qi Zhenzhen an ordinary village girl.
At the Qi family's home, Yu Shi recounted the incident to the working women, mixing truth with falsehood. Everyone listened with pale faces, feeling as if they were dreaming. A fellow worker had such great ambitions, coveting the employer's business, and being married, she had also seduced a man, failing in her wifely duties, and being promiscuous!
"Sister-in-law, please rest assured, we will work hard and won't cause any trouble. Please tell Qi girl to trust us," said one of the women.
The work of pickling cabbage with chili sauce was not tiring at all, and the wages were high. Where else could they find such good work? They were afraid that because of Jin Ping's actions, the Qi family would be displeased with them and dismiss them.
"Qi girl is a sensible person; she wouldn't hold you responsible for Jin Ping's actions. Rest assured, work diligently, and when a workshop is built in the future, we will definitely look for you first," Yu Shi reassured them.
Hearing this, the women finally relaxed, put aside their selfish thoughts, and worked diligently.
The person who came to the Qi family to pick up the pickled cabbage did not leave after loading the cart. He hid to the side and watched the entire incident unfold before returning. Upon seeing Manager Lin, he recounted everything he had seen and heard, as Manager Lin had specifically instructed him to show respect to Qi girl, as their employer had ordered.
Manager Lin listened, sighing at the wickedness of those people while also not daring to delay in writing a letter to the capital.
With a swift horse, it only took half a day for Qian Yuanbao to learn about the incident at the Qi family's home. His and his companion's benefactor had encountered trouble, and he couldn't handle it alone. Qian Yuanbao tidied himself up and went to find Gu Sinian. That day, after Qian Yuanbao had given Qi Zhenzhen ten percent of the profits from the pickled cabbage, Gu Sinian had called back his own people.
Therefore, Gu Sinian was unaware of the matter.
Qian Yuanbao directly handed the letter to Gu Sinian. The more he read, the more his brow furrowed. Weren't country folk simple and honest? How could they harbor such malicious thoughts?
"Ultimately, it's money that causes trouble. If it weren't for this pickled cabbage business, that little girl wouldn't have had to endure this. Perhaps this pickled cabbage business should be terminated?" Qian Yuanbao asked casually.
Terminate the cooperation? Gu Sinian subconsciously shook his head. The Qi family had been struggling financially before, and they had only recently improved their situation. He didn't want them to return to their previous life. Moreover, now that they were prosperous, people still dared to scheme against them. If they lost this business as a safety net, more people might look down on them, and wouldn't that be counterproductive?
"The letter also mentioned that Qi girl handled the matter well and did not suffer any losses, which proves that she can protect her wealth and has the ability to protect herself," Gu Sinian said. "Tell your people to pay more attention and ensure they don't suffer any losses."
"Losses? She saved us from a brown bear, how could she suffer losses? Didn't the letter say that the ill-intentioned scoundrel was crippled at the waist?" Qian Yuanbao snorted. "She's quite ruthless."
"Such a person deserves to die. Qi girl is still too soft-hearted," Gu Sinian said, feeling a sense of unease. For some reason, he really wanted to ask her if she was scared.