Chapter 54
Chapter 54: Chapter 54 Punishment Decision_1
Chapter 54: Chapter 54 Punishment Decision_1
“Genbao’s family, do you think we’re all blind or fools? If it wasn’t you who smashed the things, could it possibly be that Erhu’s own family did it? Are they out of their minds, smashing their own belongings for no reason? Even making up lies, you can’t conjure up a more convincing one. There’s no use trying to shirk responsibility today. Things will be settled as they should be, or else there’s no need for me to be the village head.” Seeing Zhao Erhu’s adamant attitude, the village head realized that without a satisfactory explanation, the issue wouldn’t be settled today. He had no desire to watch further squabbles and laid down his stance directly.
“Village head, listen to you talk! How would I know why Erhu’s wife would do such a thing? She was the first to lay hands. I already said I wouldn’t hold it against her. Why don’t we just let this matter go, village head?”
Zhao Lan herself felt that her retorts were growing weak. If the roles were reversed, she’d likely think the same as the village head. At the time, she even wondered if Erhu’s wife had gone mad. Now it seemed this woman’s scheming was terrifyingly deep; she must have been lying in wait for her.
Third Uncle has always been partial to Zhao Erhu. Seeing Zhao Lan relentlessly biting at Erhu’s wife, unrepentant and stubborn, he was so angry he puffed out his beard and glared. “Genbao’s family, stop with the useless talk. Are you still trying to frame Erhu’s wife? The village head is speaking my mind as well. Give us a straight answer—are you compensating or not? If you refuse to compensate, there’s no need for further prattle. Since you’ve injured Erhu’s wife, I’ll have someone report it to the government right away, and you can explain yourself to the magistrate at the government office. But once it goes to court, whether you can leave or not isn’t something we can decide—you weigh it for yourself.”
This was a blatant threat, and Third Uncle felt emboldened to speak this way because his son worked as a constable in the government office. Otherwise, who would dare to easily provoke the authorities? Because of this connection, the village head was extremely respectful to Third Uncle. After all, while the village head might seem prestigious and commanding in the village, he wasn’t even considered an official. He too was scared of being associated with the word ‘official’.
“No, please, Third Uncle, don’t! You know what kind of place the government is; if I end up there, nothing good can come of it. I absolutely must not go there.”
As soon as Zhao Lan heard Third Uncle threaten to take her to the government, she was immediately dumbfounded and anxiously wanted to keep explaining. Yet no one present was willing to believe her. The village head and Third Uncle spoke such firm words that she didn’t dare to retort further; otherwise, if she really was taken to the government, she would not only face corporal punishment but might not be released without losing everything she had. If things really got to that point, whether her husband would stand up for her was another question, and the old hag at home would surely be delighted if she stayed in jail and never came out.
“If you don’t want the matter to reach the government, then you must accept the village head’s decision. Will you compensate for the things you broke in Erhu’s household and the medical expenses for Erhu’s wife, or will you admit fault?!” Third Uncle wasn’t an arrogant man and still showed great respect to the village head, his words containing ample deference. The village head listened and felt comfortable.
“I’ll compensate, that’s settled,” Zhao Lan knew that at this stage, she was bound to suffer the loss. Despite nearly vomiting blood in frustration, she had no choice but to reluctantly agree. The silver might be gone, but she could save it up bit by bit. If she were to be sent to jail, it wouldn’t be so easy to get out, and at her age, she couldn’t withstand such torment.
Finally, after consulting with the village head and Third Uncle, they decided that Zhao Lan would pay three taels of silver in compensation. Moreover, they made Zhao Lan kneel and reflect at the village ancestral hall for an afternoon—a rather severe punishment, especially considering it was for a younger family member. Zhao Erhu understood this and agreed without objections, accepting the written agreement Zhao Lan set down from the village head’s hands.