Chapter 104: Slander, Punishment ( 3 )
"Village Chief, just tell us who it is!"
"Yeah, we must give this person a beating as a lesson!"
One after another, the villagers spoke angrily. Seeing that the situation became disadvantageous to her, the middle-aged woman tried to slip away.
But before she could leave, the Village Chief pointed at her and said, "Itâs Zhu-
shi
."
Hearing this, the villagers around her quickly grabbed her and stopped her from leaving. They pushed her to the front and made her kneel on the ground.
Standing in front of her, Yao Zhi asked, "Zhu-
shi
, I never had anything to do with you. Why do you want to harm me?"
"I saw 2 strangers enter your house and thought that you were in trouble, so I reported it to the Village Chief. I was just trying to help you."
"You said you were trying to help me. Then why did you insist that Iâm having an affair when you came?" Yao Zhi asked again.
When he heard this, the Village Chief realized the truth. It was true that she told him Yao Zhi was being harassed by strangers and was in danger. Fearing that something bad would happen to her, he gathered the villagers to help.
But when they arrived, Zhu-
shi
suddenly pointed at them and said that they were having an affair. It was clear that she came prepared and tried to ruin Yao Girlâs reputation. He was actually led by the nose by this wicked woman!
Zhu-
shi
panicked when she heard her words, but she didnât know how to retort. She was only a village woman who never touched a book. When facing this kind of situation, her mind froze, and she couldnât think of anything.
Looking at her pale face, what couldnât everyone guess?
The Village Chief was so angry that he felt pain in his chest. He pointed at the middle-aged woman and said, "Zhu-
shi
, you dared to lie to me and spread rumors. You will be given 10 canes as a warning. If there is a next time, donât blame me for being ruthless!"
After he finished his words, Yang Sanlang grabbed the thickest plank from his eldest brotherâs hand and said, "Pin her down."
The villagers were also angry at Zhu-
shi
. So when they heard Yang Sanlangâs words, they pushed her to the ground and held her down. The next moment, the sound of loud smacking echoed in the area.
THUD!
"Akkhhh! Village Chief, please spare me!"
THUD! THUD!
"I-I wonât dare anymore! OUCH!"
THUD! THUD!
The sound of beating lasted for a few minutes, and Zhu-
shi
âs voice grew weaker and weaker until she could only let out a soft whimper on the ground.
After 10 canes, Yang Sanlang wiped the sweat off his forehead. He didnât hold back at all and beat her ruthlessly. With only 10 canes, Zhu-
shi
âs skirt was covered in blood.
The Village Chief glanced at his 3rd son but said nothing.
He turned to the villagers and said, "Everyone who dares to spread false rumors and ruin our villageâs reputation will be punished according to their crimes! Take this as a warning and watch your words in the future!"
Seeing the bloody back of Zhu-
shi
, everyone nodded and replied, "Village Chief, we will keep your words in mind."
The Village Chief nodded and turned to Yao Zhi. He softened his tone and asked, "Yao Girl, are you satisfied with this punishment?"
Yao Zhi smiled and replied, "Grandpa, you are wise and have good judgment. Since you already punished her, I wonât report her to the authorities."
The Village Chief smiled and said, "If you need any help in the future, just come find my wife or me. Donât worry. With me here, no one will dare to wrong you anymore."
"Thank you, Grandpa."
Hearing the change of the title, the Village Chief was delighted. With her calling him Grandpa, it showed that their relationship was not as distant as before. With Fu Chenâanâs bright future, the Village Chief was more than willing to get close to his family.
Satisfied with this result, he waved his hand and said, "Alright, everyone, go back to your homes."
The villagers didnât dare linger in case they were beaten and took their leave. Some people who had a good relationship with Zhu-
shi
quickly carried her out and sent her back home.
Before leaving, Yang Sanlang took a look at Yao Zhi. His gaze was complicated, and he had many words he wanted to say to her. But after a moment, he still chose to leave without saying a word.
When they were finally alone, Yao Zhi looked at Zhou Boming and said, "Uncle Zhou, Brother Zhou, Iâm sorry for troubling you."
"Miss Yao, this is not your fault. You donât have to apologize," Zhou Zihong replied.
Although they said that it was all right, Yao Zhi still gave them a basket of vegetables as an apology while they unloaded the jars.
Her vegetables had ripened and were ready for harvest. So she gave them 1 head of cabbage, 5 carrots, 5 cucumbers, 2 white radishes, 5 eggplants, and a bag of cherry tomatoes.
When she handed the basket to him, Zhou Boming stared at the colorful vegetables and said, "Miss Yao, itâs too much. We canât accept it."
"Uncle Zhou, itâs just some homegrown vegetables and doesnât cost any money. Please accept them."
Since she insisted, Zhou Boming finally accepted them and said, "Thank you, Miss Yao. I will send my people to pick up the sauce next month."
"Alright."
After the Zhou father and son finally left, Yao Zhi locked the gate and returned to the kitchen. It was not early anymore, and she needed to prepare lunch for her husband. She stored the empty jars in her systemâs storage before getting busy in the kitchen.
At 11 oâclock in the morning, she left the house in her donkey cart. Not long after she left the village, she saw Wang Shen carrying a basket on her back as she walked briskly.