Exile with Storage Space: Family Fortunes in the Barren Lands-Chapter 605 - 563: Strange Reversal (1)

Li Yuwen squinted her eyes, "A thief shouting to catch a thief? Are you saying it’s the Wei Family’s doing? But I don’t see any problems, the location on the map matches with the field."

Mu Yuanxiu said, "Elder sister, you have seen the water wells, right? Do you remember how I questioned Wei Dalang?"

Li Yuwen nodded, "Of course I remember, such a trivial matter, how could I forget? Wei Dalang said both wells were built a long time ago, but is there a problem with that?"

Mu Yuanxiu said, "There are two water wells there, one for brother-in-law’s field, and one for the Yang Family’s. Both families built their wells on the field boundaries, indicating that the boundary hasn’t changed for many years. But Wei Dalang insists that the Yang Family might have encroached on the field over here, possibly secretly moved the boundary."

Li Yuwen took out the map again to look and snorted coldly, "The map from eleven years ago indicates that the water wells were also on the boundary, suggesting the boundary couldn’t have been moved. The water wells serve as landmarks, so if the boundary was moved, it would be immediately apparent."

"..."

"No wonder Yuanxiu you said, if the Yang Family secretly moved the boundary, it would be as obvious as stealing the Wei Family’s main gate and putting it on their own. Such an evident theft, the Yang Family wouldn’t be foolish enough to attempt it."

Li Yuzhu also said, "The positions of the boundary and the water wells haven’t changed in all these years. If the boundary was really moved, the water wells would also be moved."

"..."

"Moving the boundary is easy, but moving the water wells is not. The wells are each one person deep, the smaller one is four feet wide and eight feet long, and the larger one is even bigger. Digging a well can’t be done in a day or two."

"..."

"Moreover, there are two wells there, so it’s impossible to simultaneously re-dig the wells and move the boundary in a short time."

Li Yuwen clapped her hands, "Exactly, Wei Dalang is lying through his teeth, and his story is full of holes. He’s practically confessed without a fight."

Pei Shenyan said, "Since the adjacent fields of the two families have no disputes, and other fields are divided by mountain lands, ponds, and forests, yet the land is still missing, then it really can only be the Wei Family we suspect."

Li Yuwen sneered, "What a Wei Family, the property entrusted to them eleven years ago has diminished, and they just pretend to be ignorant? Is this ’not crying till seeing the coffin’? I think they deserve a beating with a killing rod!"

Pei Shenyan thought for a moment, "I’ll go to the Yang Family to inquire about the situation."

Li Yuwen said, "The Wei Family and the Yang Family have been feuding for years and haven’t interacted for over a decade. The Wei Family is farming our land, so the Yang Family might not tell the truth, right?"

Li Yuzhu smiled lightly, "I don’t think that’s the case. If brother-in-law says he doesn’t want the Wei Family to rent the land anymore, and the Yang Family has a grudge against the Wei Family, then they certainly wouldn’t want the Wei Family to prosper. The Yang Family would definitely be happy to talk."

Pei Shenyan said, "Let’s go ask them and see, and if we don’t get any answers, then we’ll confront the Wei Family. If the Wei Family refuses to speak the truth, then we’ll have to handle it officially."

Pei Shenyan had a foot injury, and Li Yuwen didn’t want him to go out, "I’ll go. You rest here."

"You’ve never interacted with the villagers, so it’s better if I go." Pei Shenyan disagreed and told Pei Fusheng to bring him his cane.

Li Yuwen snorted lightly, "You really underestimate people. I’ve lived in the village all along, how could I not have interacted with villagers? Besides, isn’t my third sister and Yuanxiu coming with me? Oh, and I’ll bring Ji Bo along too." She pressed Pei Shen’s shoulder, "Wait for my good news."

Pei Shenyan was still hesitant, but Li Yuwen already waved to Li Yuzhu and Mu Yuanxiu and stepped out first.

Li Yuzhu smiled, "Brother-in-law, don’t worry. Elder sister hasn’t suffered any losses ever since she grew up."

Pei Shenyan had no choice but to agree, and he instructed Pei Ji to protect Li Yuwen well.

In the past, Li Yuwen was indifferent to everything involving Pei Shenyan as if she wasn’t Pei Shenyan’s wife, which made Pei Ji quite unhappy.

But Li Yuwen’s performance today was good, like a proper mistress. Pei Ji was genuinely pleased and immediately said, "Rest assured, young master, no one will be allowed to bully the young mistress."

It was still Pei Ji driving the carriage, and Li Yuwen brought Li Yuzhu and Mu Yuanxiu, riding towards the Yang Family.

They all lived in the same village, only about three miles apart, and the carriage quickly reached the Yang Family.

The Yang Family’s courtyard was a typical rural homestead.

The house was built on a sunny hillside, and the spacious courtyard for threshing grains was built on flat ground.

Standing at the doorway of the main house, one could see someone arriving at the courtyard gate.

Li Yuwen and the others’ carriage had just stopped when a young man in his thirties walked out from the main house.

The man opened the courtyard gate and looked at Li Yuwen, Li Yuzhu, and Mu Yuanxiu, "You are..."

"We are looking for Yang Runsen. Is he home?" Mu Yuanxiu walked over, clasped his hands, and greeted the young man.

The man said, "I am Yang Runsen. But I don’t know you. You’re not from our village, are you? Where are you from? What do you want?"

Upon hearing this was Yang Runsen, Li Yuzhu began sizing up the man.

Repeatedly failing the county exams means he’s either not diligent or just unlucky.

Thirty-two years old, three fiancées died before marrying him, still unmarried, is this man possessed by bad luck?

He looks quite good, among the villagers, the tall and scholarly Yang Runsen certainly counts as a handsome man.

Could all the good fortune have gone to appearance?

Mu Yuanxiu said, "We are indeed from another village, but we have some connections with the Wei Family. The Wei Family’s owner, Mr. Pei, is my brother-in-law. He has something he asked us to inquire about." He pointed to Li Yuwen, "This is Mrs. Pei."

"Wei Family?" Yang Runsen scrutinized Mu Yuanxiu and the others once more before stepping aside, "Come in and let’s talk."

Pei Ji tied the carriage to a small tree next to the Yang Family’s courtyard gate and followed everyone inside.

The Yang Family’s courtyard was extremely large, with osmanthus trees at the corner, and stone tables and chairs beneath the trees.

Yang Runsen invited everyone to sit by the stone table.

He moved an old bamboo chair and sat beside them, "What is it? Go ahead and ask."

Li Yuwen said, "Eleven years ago, the Wei Family planted on my husband’s family’s land. The land contract was for fifty acres exactly, but now, after measurement, it’s only forty-eight acres. We approached the Wei Family for an explanation, and they said your family moved the land boundary, taking two acres."

Yang Runsen widened his eyes in surprise, was about to speak when an old woman emerged from the house, loudly scolding, "They’re talking nonsense, you can’t expect ivory from a dog’s mouth! When did my family take their land? Shameless!"

"Mother, can’t you speak properly? Must you curse?" Yang Runsen looked at Yang’s mother and frowned.

Yang’s mother retorted angrily, "That shameless family, what good words could they deserve? Your third brother’s leg was broken by the Wei Family’s second son, he was bedridden for three months before recovering, have you forgotten this?"

Yang Runsen stood up and said to Li Yuzhu and the others, "Let’s talk outside."

He sighed and walked out to the courtyard first.

Li Yuzhu and Li Yuwen exchanged a glance and also walked out.

Mu Yuanxiu and Pei Ji followed along.

Yang Runsen, with his hands clasped behind his back, walked ahead until they were several dozen steps away from his home before stopping.

He turned back and asked Li Yuzhu and the others, "Did you bring the map of the land contract?"

Li Yuwen said, "Of course we did."

"Please let me see the map," Yang Runsen requested.

Li Yuwen took the map from her sleeve and handed it over.

Yang Runsen took it and began examining it.

"The Wei Family said your family moved the land boundary and took Mr. Pei’s land. Yang Runsen, what do you say?" Mu Yuanxiu asked him.

Yang Runsen kept his head down, looking at the map, without responding to Mu Yuanxiu’s question. After a while, he pointed to a spot and said, "There’s a plot not accounted for, which naturally results in a shortage of two acres."

Li Yuwen looked at the map, "But that place is not our family’s."

Yang Runsen pointed to a patch of land beside the reed field.

To the left of the reed field was the land that Pei Shenyan rented to the Wei Family for planting, and to the right was other people’s land.

"Many years ago, I saw the Wei Family planting vegetables there. Perhaps because too many years have passed, they forgot, and the place has grown weeds." Yang Runsen said, "Let me take you there."

Li Yuwen glanced at Li Yuzhu and Mu Yuanxiu, "It’s still early, why not take a look?"

Li Yuzhu and Mu Yuanxiu both agreed.

Pei Ji turned the carriage around. Yang Runsen and Pei Ji sat in the driver’s seat, and Li Yuwen, Li Yuzhu, along with the little maid Cui Xi, and Mu Yuanxiu sat inside the carriage.

Everyone returned to the edge of the field.

Yang Runsen led everyone towards the two water wells. He glanced at the wells and pointed ahead, "Walk straight to the end, that plot must not have been accounted for."

The road through the fields was difficult to navigate. To find out why the land measured less, Li Yuwen persevered through the hardships.

Li Yuzhu and Mu Yuanxiu walked effortlessly, while the little maid Cui Xi found it even easier.

After walking several li along the narrow path, they finally reached the end of the field.

Just as Yang Runsen had said, at the end of Pei Shenyan’s plot was a piece of land about a li long and several zhang wide with reeds, and on the other side of the reed field, a sparse field with some rapeseed seedlings.

Yang Runsen pointed to the field beside the reed field and said, "This field was originally cultivated by the Wei Family. Later, they stopped farming it. Seeing the field become barren seemed a pity, so I occasionally scattered seeds to prevent weeds. The Wei Family hasn’t farmed it for many years, and now they say some land is missing; it must be this field."

Li Yuwen glanced at the field and then at the map, feeling suspicious.

At this time, Yang Runsen found an old sickle in the reed patch and began cutting the reeds.