Chapter 2069: Grudge
âYou best mind your manners. Showing disrespect to a general wonât be tolerated. Whether youâre from the same hometown or not is irrelevant. Should you overstep again, I wonât hesitate to report you to your County Magistrate for arrest!â
The Ding family, shocked by the stern warning, tempered their emotions.
However, Ding Jinshanâs grandfather remained somewhat discontented. Turning to Qi, he voiced his sentiments, âI acknowledge your capabilities, Qi, but we share a hometown. Canât you extend a helping hand? Even if just a minor position, given your rank as a general. Weâre from the same village; why this detachment?â
Anger and resentment brewed among Ding Jinshanâs relatives.
âAbsolutely! Arenât fellow villagers supposed to support each other? Yet here you are, neglecting your own.â
âYou promised to look after our mountain-dwelling kin.â
âYouâve attained the rank of general; bringing him back should be a mere formality.â
ââŠIn the end, wealth has clouded your sense of community.â
Qiâs expression hardened as he retorted, âMilitary protocol is stringent. Ding Jinshan falls beyond my authority, being a mere soldier. His return to hometown isnât feasible. Iâve elucidated this out of consideration for our shared village. Further discussion is unnecessary. Rest assured, in due time, Ding Jinshan will return unscathed.â
Qin Yuanshanâs threats and rebukes instilled fear in the Ding family, despite their lingering doubts.
While they may not have hesitated to challenge Qi, whom they had watched grow up, Qin Yuanshanâs stern demeanor was a different story altogether.
Ding Jinshanâs mother persisted, seeking reassurance about her sonâs future upon his return in a few years. She couldnât shake the notion that if Qi could ascend to officialdom, so could her son. Anything less would seem unjust, wouldnât it?
Qi found himself at a loss for words, while Yuan Mi derided, âAsk him about his capabilities! His contributions! Donât simplify matters within the military camp! Who told you that officialdom is a given?â
Growing impatient, Yuan Mi resorted to intimidation. Only then did the Ding family depart in a huff, refraining from further protest.
Ms. Fang, seething with anger, embraced Qi, offering solace. âPay them no mind. They speak from ignorance. The more clueless they are, the louder they bluster. Youâve finally returned; donât let them rattle youâŠâ
Ms. Fang was so happy to see her son home that she did not bother to argue with them, otherwise she would not have let them go so easily.
The Ding family was also ridiculous. What were they talking about?!
Qi and Ding Jinshan applied at the same time. Qi was even younger than him. Why did he need Qi to take care of him?
Qi bore no such obligation.
His success depended solely on his own merit!
Qi had never harbored any expectation for Ding Jinshan to tend to him.
Qin Yuanshan and Yuan Mi mused to themselves, No wonder upon learning of Qiâs tutelage under Old General Zhao, Old General Feng and his cohorts promptly scrutinized Ding Jinshan. Upon uncovering his character, they swiftly reassigned him to a distant military camp, ensuring Qi remained untainted by association.
Engaging with such an individual would only spell trouble for Qi!
Qi spent several days at home, much to the delight of the Shao family elders, the Land Officer, and others. They even inaugurated a new ancestral hall, inviting Qi to pay homage to their forebears.
Meanwhile, Ding Jinshan and his kin faced severe reprimand from the patriarch.
The situation was truly outrageous!
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