Lin Jinhong was dumbfounded.
When he went home yesterday, he heard his sister and wife talk about how they were forced to swallow their grievances and how his sister-in-law had become so eloquent. He had not believed them. Besides, he coveted the fifty taels of silver.
When he came over just now and saw that there was no one at home, he was sure that the fifty taels of silver had been hidden by that evil woman Chu Nanzhi, so he went straight to the hut to search. He had not expected the three children to discover him the moment he found the silver.
He ran as fast as he could, but had not managed to get rid of the brats.
He thought that he could scare this fierce woman by mentioning the Qi family's son and his gambling friends, but this woman had really grown more capable.
He was resentful and indignant. He scolded, "Chu Nanzhi, you evil woman, you're really scheming. Why are you storing your money in such a smelly cloth bag?"
"You scoundrel, you're really meddlesome. Do I have explain everything I do to you?"
Chu Nanzhi really did not know how to reply.
How shameless.
However, she had some thoughts when she hid the silver a few days ago.
After all, this silver was very important to her. Of course she was worried that some thieves would covet it.
It the silver was completely lost with no chance of recovering it, then she would give up. But if she had even the faintest clue, she would not watch helplessly as someone took away her hard-earned money.
Lin Jinhong grew afraid when he saw the crowd staring at him hostilely. He was so frightened that he quickly ran to Lin Jinxiao and begged.
"Big Brother, I didn't mean to covet this money. My family has been really been in difficult straits recently. I had no choice. Have mercy on me."
"Since you know that your family is in dire straits, why don't you show some self-restraint? You idle around all day. You're either in the casino or hanging out with your disreputable friends. How many times have you done such immoral things? Can you yourself keep count of them?"
Lin Jinxiao's face was solemn. He had long given up on his brother. He glanced at the familiar and hateful figure from the corner of his eye. For some reason, he felt a sense of security.
This crazy woman was getting smarter and smarter.
Lin Ruiwen and Lin Ruixi ground their teeth in hatred and complained to Lin Jinxiao, "Father, you can't let him off. He hit us just now."
Chu Nanzhi remembered how Lin Jinhong had punched and kicked the two children just now. She immediately walked up to the two children. The moment she touched Lin Ruichong's arm, the child trembled and shrank back.
Lin Jinxiao rolled up Lin Ruichong's sleeves. His little arms were covered with old and new wounds. Lin Jinhong's kicks had broken his skin.
Chu Nanzhi closed her eyes in pain and went to look at Lin Ruiwen.
Lin Ruiwen looked at her with hatred mixed with admiration.
The child took the initiative to roll up his pants. The scab on his calf had cracked and blood was oozing out.
Chu Nanzhi felt even worse and hurried into the house to get some ointment. Lin Ruiwen was so frightened that he quickly pulled Lin Ruichong and hid behind Lin Jinxiao.
"Apply this ointment and then it won't hurt anymore."
Chu Nanzhi knew that other than Lin Ruijiao, the other three children were still wary of her.
But how could such a young child endure such a serious injury?
Lin Jinxiao saw that the two children refused to go over, so he ordered, "Go quickly."
Only then did the two boys walk over in fear and trembling.
Chu Nanzhi treated the wound on Lin Ruixi's arms first. When it was Lin Ruiwen's turn, he cried out in pain the moment Chu Nanzhi touched his back.
Chu Nanzhi opened his shirt and saw that other than the two long cane marks on his back, there was a large red patch in the middle that was bruised.
It was obvious that he had been kicked hard.
She tentatively reached out to touch Lin Ruiwen's bruise. Lin Ruiwen cried and shouted, "It hurts, it hurts, it hurts."
"Why didn't you say something when it hurt? Are you just going to let others bully you?"
Chu Nanzhi gritted her teeth and looked at Lin Jinhong angrily.
This scoundrel was really heartless to be so ruthless to his nephew.
Liu Qingbo came over to take a look and said worriedly, "I'm afraid his bones are fractured. I'll send someone for a doctor to take a look."
Lin Jinhong did not expect his kicks to hurt Lin Ruiwen so badly. He began to feel afraid.
Liu Qingbo ordered someone to get a doctor. When he turned around and looked at the injured child, he frowned tightly. The veins stood out on his forehead as he pointed at Lin Jinhong and scolded.
"Your older brother's injuries are so serious. How can you bear to do such a thing? If not for your sister-in-law's intelligence, you would have brought great harm on the family. Back when your brother married Madam Chu and earned so many rich and fertile fields for your family, you didn't farm and support the family. Instead you lazed around and end up in such a sorry state. You only have yourself to blame."
Liu Qingbo had only spoken some hard truths when a woman's fierce voice came from outside the courtyard.
"What makes you say my son is lazy? Village Chief, you have to be careful with your words."
Everyone looked over and saw Madam Chen enter majestically, leading her daughter and daughter-in-law.
No one was surprised by this scene.
A few people exclaimed softly, "Madam Chen always turns up at the right moment."
Chu Nanzhi knew that Madam Chen was going to intercede again. She did not care about Lin Jinxiao's feelings. She said directly to Liu Qingbo,
"Sir, let's make an official report. This scoundrel violates the morals of the village and disturbs the customs of the people. Bring him to the county office so that he can learn a lesson."
Upon hearing that, Madam Chen immediately panicked. "What report? What report?"
Liu Qingbo said sternly. "Ask your second son what he did this time."
Lin Jinhong knelt on the ground and clutched Madam Chen as he cried. When Madam Chen heard what had happened, she said very calmly, "He just took some money. We're all from the same family. What's the big deal? Village Chief, you're being too nosy."
"What do you mean by nosy?"
Liu Qingbo said angrily, "This is not taking, but stealing. Moreover, the sum is getting larger and larger. If everyone in the village were like Jinhong, there would be no law to speak of."
Then, he instructed someone to restrain Lin Jinhong.
When Madam Chen saw that he was serious, her legs went weak from fear. She fell to the ground and begged bitterly,
"Sir, my son is still young. You can't bring him before the magistrate. He did all of this for me. Please forgive him this time on account of his filial piety."
"Again?"
Village Chief Liu gritted his teeth.
"Filial piety? Does filial piety mean he can steal?"
"Yes, yes, yes. It's Jinhong's fault, but he's still my late husband's flesh and blood. My late husband was in office for five years and worked so hard that he became ill. He heartlessly abandoned us orphans and widows and passed away early. He has done so much for his country."
Madam Chen sobbed and looked at the crowd around her. She continued aggressively,
"How many of the neighbors present have not received a favor from my late husband? During the two years of famine, he worked hard to plead for tax cuts for everyone. He tried his best to send disaster relief supplies and money to every family. Not a single person starved to death. He also improved the river transport infrastructure and built canals so that everyone could support themselves. Without him, would you have survived until now?"
"Wuwuwu, my poor husband. You've worked so hard and everyone has benefited. Yet look at how they treat your widow and children now. They want to drag your flesh and blood before the magistrate."
Towards the end, Madam Chen's cried as though her heart was broken. She wept and wailed as she wiped her tears.
When Liu Qingbo and everyone present heard her mention Magistrate Lin, they all felt ashamed.
He was indeed a rare official.
Liu Qingbo looked at Chu Nanzhi awkwardly.
Chu Nanzhi did not know whether to laugh or cry. She did not know how the wise Magistrate Lin had married such a shameless woman.
She bent down and faced Madam Chen directly. She sneered and said, "Since you know that County Magistrate Lin is concerned for everyone and is a selfless person, as his widow, how dare you use his heroic name to protect yourself for your own selfish reasons? Don't you feel ashamed?"
"You… you b*tch…"
Madam Chen was so furious that she could not speak clearly.
"I said that day that this family has nothing to do with you anymore. You're not allowed to step into this courtyard again."
As she spoke, Chu Nanzhi's clear eyes grew firm and unshakable.
"Moreover, I can tell you clearly that Lin Jinhong must be sent to the magistrate today. It's useless to plead for mercy. Today, he dared to openly steal and rob. Even if you protect him now, what if he murders and commits arson tomorrow? Will you still protect him?"
After a pause, she continued, "You have used County Magistrate Lin's reputation time and again to gain the sympathy of the neighbors, but you cannot bend the iron law of the Dahe Empire."
She was not just saying this to Madam Chen, she hoped that Lin Jinxiao would understand too.