Tao Lengshuang didn't hesitate at the words.
With a flash of cold light, a large gash appeared on Tao Dagou's right thigh. Blood sprayed out, causing him to cry out sharply and terrifying Yu Shi and the others.
They never imagined Tao Lengshuang would actually go through with it. They stood frozen, not daring to step forward.
"It hurts, it hurts, my leg hurts so much!"
Tao Dagou clutched his right leg, writhing on the ground in pain.
Blood stained the ground, a shocking sight that further terrified Old Master Tao and the others.
"Come on, beat me to death. Let's see how many of you I can kill."
Tao Lengshuang flicked the blood off her sickle, her eyes glinting as she glared at Old Master Tao and the others. "Who should I cut down first?"
She pointed her sickle at each of them in turn. "Should I cut you down first, or you, or you, you..."
Each person pointed at shook their heads in panic, terrified that Tao Lengshuang would actually kill them.
"Oh my, what's going on here?"
Just then, Luo Yang walked in gracefully, covering her mouth in surprise. "I heard that sister-in-law came to her maiden home in a huff, and I was worried something might happen, so I came to check."
"What's wrong?"
Yu Shi, seeing this, was the first to complain. "You have no idea, Tao Lengshuang has gone mad."
"Her house was robbed, but she's blaming my family, and even came with a knife to attack people. This is simply outrageous!"
Luo Yang's eyes flickered at this. She said softly, "Sister-in-law, my father will investigate the matter of your house being robbed. Please put down the sickle quickly."
"What you're doing is wrong. They are your maternal family, after all."
Tao Lengshuang glanced at Luo Yang and said sarcastically, "Oh, you believe whatever the Tao family says?"
"Then the Tao family said they would come to your house later to propose marriage, asking you to marry into the Tao family. You should believe them."
She didn't believe Luo Yang was genuinely there to help.
A flicker of disgust crossed Luo Yang's eyes, and she sighed helplessly. "Sister-in-law, I know you have many misunderstandings about me, but I genuinely came to help you."
"You came to cause trouble at the Tao family without concrete evidence of your house being robbed. It will harm your reputation if word gets out."
Old Master Tao and the others, as if having found a backer, glared fiercely at Tao Lengshuang.
Tao Lengshuang said nothing more, her expressionless face as she hacked at the table.
The 'crackling' sounds, accompanied by Tao Dagou's screams, continued to assault the ears and nerves of everyone present.
After smashing the table, Tao Lengshuang began to chop at the bench.
After the bench, she swung her sickle at the kang.
This startled Old Master Tao, who jumped up and retreated far away.
"Sister-in-law, what you're doing is really not good."
Luo Yang, somewhat fearful, backed away, her hands trembling slightly. "Sister-in-law, why don't we go back first? My father will investigate this matter as soon as possible."
Tao Lengshuang didn't even spare her a glance. She pointed her sickle at Tao Dagou. "Speak, how did you steal from my house?"
Tao Dagou was truly afraid of her now. He stammered out his confession again, emphasizing where he had hidden the stolen items.
"It wasn't my fault, it was my grandfather and the others who told me to steal. Just now, my grandfather and the others were praising me for stealing well.
They also said that next time your family has anything good, they want to steal it again, so that your family has nothing good left."
Tao Lengshuang looked down at Luo Yang, a half-smile playing on her lips. "Did you hear that clearly?"
Luo Yang's face changed for a moment, as if she had been slapped hard. "Sister-in-law, you can't just believe what Tao Dagou says. He's just a child."
"A child's words should not be taken seriously."
Tao Lengshuang flung her hand and slapped Luo Yang several times, her voice as cold as frost. "According to the laws of our Eastern Jin Dynasty, even a three-year-old child who breaks the law is guilty of the same crime."
"Are you saying that to disrespect the current emperor and the law?"
This accusation, carrying a heavy penalty, instantly turned Luo Yang's face completely pale. She shook her head in panic. "No, no, no, I didn't say that. I didn't mean that, sister-in-law, don't talk nonsense."
"I'm talking nonsense?"
Tao Lengshuang scoffed. "Didn't you say Tao Dagou is just a child, and his words shouldn't be taken seriously?"
"If the words of a child over ten years old are not to be taken seriously, then whose words should be taken seriously? Should only your words, Luo Yang's words, be taken seriously?"
Luo Yang was startled, her eyes looking at Tao Lengshuang with suspicion.
The woman before her was wearing a patched coarse linen dress, her plumpness both ugly and repulsive. Yet, her sharp eyes sent a chill down one's spine.
Was this the Tao Lengshuang she used to control and toy with?
No!
She absolutely could not let Tao Lengshuang escape her control. Otherwise, how could she marry Brother Mo?
"Sister-in-law, it's not like that."
She sighed, appearing to be concerned for Tao Lengshuang in every way. "Without concrete evidence, you come here to cause trouble... Ah! What are you doing?"
A sharp, cold glint flashed, startling Luo Yang so much that she fell to the ground, her composure and beauty gone, replaced by a look of utter panic.
Tao Lengshuang hadn't actually intended to strike Luo Yang, but she had managed to scare her. She sneered, "Tao Dagou has already confessed. What more concrete evidence do you need?"
"Seeing how you're favoring the Tao family so much, perhaps you wish to become a daughter-in-law of the Tao family? It's a shame, though, the sons of the Tao family are already married. But you could marry Tao Dagou."
These words made the Tao family's eyes light up as they stared at Luo Yang. She was the village head's daughter. If they could marry her into the family, they would have whatever they wanted, and their status in the village would be much higher.
Luo Yang was both shamed and enraged, her face flushing red. "Sister-in-law, I was trying to help you out of kindness, and you're ruining my reputation like this."
"Trying to help me out of kindness?"
Tao Lengshuang glanced at her coldly, her gaze seeming to see through everything. "Your so-called kindness in helping me is to speak up for the Tao family at every turn, and allow the Tao family to bully and scheme against me?"
These words left Luo Yang speechless. Damn Tao Lengshuang, so ugly and fat, she should divorce herself and not interfere with her and Brother Mo's happy and blissful life.
Tao Lengshuang didn't have time to settle scores with Luo Yang for the moment. She pointed her sickle at Tao Dagou. "Take me to get my things immediately."
"How much silver did you use, how many things did you take, the Tao family must compensate me. Otherwise, I will come to the Tao family with my sickle every day, and I will not let you have any peace."
Tao Dagou dared not disobey. He was truly afraid Tao Lengshuang would kill him. Trembling, he dragged his injured leg and hobbled outwards.
If he had known Tao Lengshuang was so terrifying, he would never have gone to steal.
It was all his grandfather and the others' fault for instigating him to steal.
Tao Lengshuang cast a fierce glance at Old Master Tao and the others. "When I come again, if you haven't prepared the compensation..."
She glanced at the smashed table on the ground, then followed Tao Dagou.
Old Master Tao and the others quickly locked their doors, refusing to let Tao Lengshuang in again. That woman was truly too terrifying.
...
Tao Lengshuang was led by Tao Dagou to where he had hidden the items, but found nothing.