The Lucky Farmgirl-Chapter 1937 - 1912: Calm Down

Patriarch Xia was truly infuriated, right in front of the County Magistrate and members of the Zhou Family, with so many neighbors outside watching, Xia Yi’s household was making a scene.

Although he had often seen them act out while in the village, that was in the village, where such actions were common; no one said one thing or another, and it wasn’t considered shameful.

But this was the county town, right in front of County Magistrate Zhai!

Wulang and Qilang would need to meet County Magistrate Zhai for their future examinations.

Patriarch Xia was so angry that his nose was almost smoking, but the Zhou Family didn’t feel anything amiss. Even Manbao, Bai Shan, and Bai Erlang were either seated or standing, and beyond the initial howl, they weren’t startled at all.

After all, although such incidents were rare in Qili Village, they weren’t unheard of.

If the three youngsters felt this way, then it was surely true of Old Zhou who, in his youth, had been known for creating a ruckus, and Ms. Qian merely lifted her eyelids slightly, glancing at Xia Yi’s wife still crying on the ground.

Other than the initial surprise, County Magistrate Zhai also calmed down. Seeing her make an unruly noise, he turned to ask Zhou Man, "How would Lord Zhou like to handle this?"

Manbao just sighed, looking regretful, and said, "I think Eldest Aunt is very emotional right now; perhaps letting her calm down would be best."

County Magistrate Zhai was about to ask how to make her calm down when he saw Zhou Man staring at the bailiffs he brought.

County Magistrate Zhai hesitated for a moment, wanting to ask "Are you serious?", but with so many eyes watching, he couldn’t ask outright. He watched her for a while, and when she glanced at the bailiffs and then turned to nod at him slightly, he knew she was serious.

County Magistrate Zhai had no choice but to sternly tell Xia Yi’s wife, who was still crying and beating her legs on the ground, "Silence! If you continue making a scene, don’t blame this official for using penalties."

Upon hearing this, Xia Yi’s wife immediately lay down and rolled on the ground, shouting in despair, "This is terrible, this is terrible, the officials are colluding and bullying people!"

The veins on County Magistrate Zhai’s forehead couldn’t help but pulse, then he turned to the waiting bailiffs and said, "Such baseless fabrication and provocation, arrest her, let her calm down in jail for two days first."

The bailiffs immediately pounced like wolves, two of them pressed her down to tie her up. Xia Yi’s wife was terrified, began to struggle violently. She wanted to make a scene but didn’t want to go to jail.

The struggle was so fierce that the two bailiffs couldn’t control her, she nearly escaped. The other bailiffs saw this and rushed to help, while the steward noticed her endless screams, echoing through half the city. But the bailiffs had done nothing, only restrained her hands and feet... 𝘧𝓇ℯℯ𝑤ℯ𝘣𝓃ℴ𝓋𝑒𝑙.𝑐𝘰𝑚

He glanced at County Magistrate Zhai’s livid face and couldn’t help but order, "Hurry and gag her."

For a moment, the bailiffs couldn’t find a cloth to gag her, so one of them took off a shoe, pulled off a sock, and balled it up to stuff in her mouth.

Manbao’s eyes widened, Bai Shan and Bai Erlang were equally shocked, leaning back and taking two steps back in fright—how horrifying!

Xia Yi saw his wife was being taken away and finally stopped standing idly, rushed to intervene, and when he couldn’t, knelt before County Magistrate Zhai, with tears and snot, admitting fault, "Forgive me, my lord, forgive me, the woman understands nothing, I will discipline her, I will discipline her immediately."

After speaking, he swung his arm to hit his wife, causing Manbao, Bai Shan, and Bai Erlang to frown involuntarily. Daji, standing nearby, extended a hand to grab his arm and pushed him back.

County Magistrate Zhai was also slightly angry, slammed the table and said, "Bold, what kind of place do you think the courthouse is, what kind of person do you think I am?"

He gave a sharp look toward Patriarch Xia, squinting and querying, "If Patriarch Xia can’t discipline his clan members, this official doesn’t mind helping you discipline them."

Patriarch Xia took a deep breath, then shook his finger and pointed at Xia Yi, "If you and your wife don’t start speaking honestly, you’ll be expelled from the clan. Don’t forget what I told you outside!"

Xia Yi saw Patriarch Xia’s teeth-gritting demeanor and couldn’t help but shrink his neck.

He feared County Magistrate Zhai, but truthfully feared Patriarch Xia more; if he was expelled from the clan...

Xia Yi’s legs buckled and he directly fell to his knees, clutching his head and weeping with grief and rage, this was his home, his home.

Manbao furrowed her brows, couldn’t help but ask Patriarch Xia, "Is his family’s house gone?"

Patriarch Xia immediately replied, "Of course it’s still there, they occasionally return to the village to stay for a while during the New Year."

It’s just that after many years of neglect, it’s quite rundown.

Manbao didn’t understand much about such matters, but Old Zhou did. He smirked and quietly said to Manbao, "Probably thought since they lived in the city, their house in the village could be left to waste."

Old Zhou remembered something, told her, "Later, we should write a letter to your Second Brother; even though we’re not at home, our rooms still need occasional cleaning to prevent damage."

Manbao looked puzzled, stone houses can still be damaged?

The father and daughter exchanged whispers for a while, then Manbao addressed Patriarch Xia, "What’s difficult about that? Gather the young and strong from the clan, and with everybody’s hands, the house will be repaired in no time."

Patriarch Xia: ... and the labor fees?

And where will the repair materials come from?

Manbao didn’t see these as problems, her brothers would occasionally help villagers repair homes once or twice a year.

They did it for free, prepared the thatch themselves, the village youth helped repair some walls and roofs, barely any labor fees, just provided a meal.

She judged by her own experience, thought Ms. Xia should be similar.

So Zhou Man consoled the kneeling Xia Yi from a high position, "Yi Eldest Uncle, you and we are closely linked by blood, and over these years you’ve helped guard the house, let’s do this: when you need repairs done tomorrow, inform us, we’ll all go help you."

"I’ve already arranged with the Patriarch to allocate some of my grandfather’s land to you, as gratitude for your assistance over the years."

Xia Yi was stunned, apparently hearing this for the first time, looked up at Patriarch Xia.

Patriarch Xia, with a blank expression, said, "Later, I’ll negotiate with the fifth branch of family and ask them to relinquish the land they’re currently cultivating to you."

Although Xia Yi calmed down, and Xia Yi’s wife was forced quiet, County Magistrate Zhai nonetheless intended not to release Xia Yi’s wife so easily; otherwise saying one thing and doing another would make him seem too fickle. Thus, Xia Yi’s wife was still locked up to calm down for two days.

Xia Yi was less worried about the house issue and more concerned she might not be released after being jailed, he worriedly cried all the way to the prison gate with his children.

Patriarch Xia brought the Clan Elders along and couldn’t stop him.

Manbao remained unmoved, sitting in the living room waiting for Xia Yi’s return, and took advantage of the time to stroll around the front and back courtyards thoroughly.

The backyard housed a kitchen and a small vegetable garden with some scallions and greens. Manbao walked around the backyard, then pushed open the slightly ajar back door, discovering another small alleyway, with only one door leading out. Not far from the exit lay a main street, and standing there, the bustling noises from there could be heard.