Su Qi'an turned his head. Four or five burly men surrounded a middle-aged, plump man who was slowly walking towards them.
Qin Ziyin looked at the middle-aged man, her expression changing, but then she greeted him with a smile.
"So it's Manager Guan. I was planning to finish up here and then talk with you, but you've made the trip all this way—thank you."
"Hmph," Manager Guan sneered, "If I hadn't come, Madam Su, I reckon you'd have tried to avoid paying this debt."
"Manager Guan, you're too kind. My husband is fortunate to be alive, thanks to the blessings of our ancestors. So, there's no need for the coffin you made. I'm truly sorry."
Hearing this, the plump man's face twitched, and he spoke coldly.
"Madam Su, are you joking with me? The coffin I made for your husband was on credit. I've been kind, giving you that coffin on deferred payment. Now you just say you don't need it, and act as if nothing's happened? That's not going to work."
Qin Ziyin knew that her words weren't entirely reasonable, so she quickly tried to smooth things over with a smile.
"You're absolutely right, Manager Guan. But you also know the situation with the Su family. How about this? I can give you a hundred coins, just as a token for the craftsmen who worked on the coffin?"
Su Qi'an, sitting nearby, could clearly see Qin Ziyin's reluctance as she mentioned the money.
Right now, the Su family had only about 300 coins, and Qin Ziyin offering a third of that was already generous.
He recognized Manager Guan, who ran a coffin business. Although the trade was seen as lowly, due to the ongoing wars and the high death toll, it was a lucrative profession, and Manager Guan had made a good amount of money.
His business was well-known in the surrounding villages.
If someone were to say that Manager Guan was a poor man, Su Qi'an wouldn't argue. However, he was aware of the unscrupulous tactics the man employed behind the scenes.
If this matter were to settle smoothly, Manager Guan wouldn't have brought along a group of thugs, including the notorious Wang Er.
Sure enough, as soon as Qin Ziyin mentioned the payment, the big men around them started laughing. Wang Er, stepping forward, said:
"Uncle, I told you, using 100 coins to brush this off? It's clear she's trying to make a fool of you!"
"Madam Su, I'm from Dongshan Village too, and my uncle is a kind man. He wouldn't want to make trouble for you. But here's the thing—if you'll sleep with me, I'll make sure this whole issue is forgotten. What do you say?"
As he spoke, Wang Er's eyes were filled with lust as he shamelessly looked Qin Ziyin up and down.
Qin Ziyin's face changed at once, and she quickly stepped back, positioning herself behind Su Qi'an.
Wang Er, however, didn't care at all. He openly leered at Qin Ziyin in front of Su Qi'an.
Su Qi'an, a weak scholar, had already been humiliated with words and had even tried to drown himself. To Wang Er, he was nothing but trash.
This kind of harassment wasn't new to Wang Er. What could a weak scholar like Su Qi'an do? All he could do was stay behind closed doors and read his so-called Confucian classics.
Such a waste, what could he possibly do?
"Madam Su, don't be afraid," Wang Er said with a smirk. "Your brother Wang is very gentle. Come now, little lady."
He reached out to grab Qin Ziyin.
Qin Ziyin's face paled, and she stepped back frantically. Just as Wang Er's hand was about to touch her shoulder...
The next moment, a streak of blood shot into the air as Wang Er's arm was chopped off by an axe.
Wang Er screamed, rolling on the ground in agony.
This scene stunned Manager Guan and the big men around him, who were frozen until they heard Wang Er's agonizing wails.
Su Qi'an, who had been sitting on a bench chopping wood, was now holding an axe and standing protectively in front of Qin Ziyin.
Blood continued to drip from the axe.
Su Qi'an's face was pale, gasping heavily. This wasn't from fear, but because his body was so weak that the exertion of a single blow drained most of his strength.
Looking at Wang Er writhing on the ground, Manager Guan's face contorted with murderous intent. The thugs surrounding him quickly closed in.
At any given signal from Manager Guan, Su Qi'an would be dead.
But Manager Guan was no fool. It seemed like he thought of something, and he suppressed the killing intent, whispering to one of his men.
The big man understood and immediately began banging a drum and shouting loudly.
"Come and see! Su Xiucai has killed someone!"
"Does the law of Daliang still apply? A scholar openly kills someone! Villagers, please help us and make a judgment!"
This loud commotion soon attracted most of the villagers.
The first to arrive was the village head of Dongshan Village, an elderly man named Li, who was over sixty.
He had attempted the imperial exams in his youth but failed, still carrying the title of Xiucai, which gave him a high status in the village.
Upon seeing the scene, he didn't say anything at first. One of Manager Guan's men spoke quickly.
"Everyone, I, Guan Wu, may be in the coffin business, but I've earned my living through hard work. A few days ago, Madam Su came to me, saying her husband was dead, and I, out of kindness, gave them a coffin on credit. But when the payment was due, not only did Madam Su refuse to pay, but this Su Xiucai also chopped off my nephew's arm for no reason."
"I hope Village Head Li can give us justice. Even though Su Xiucai has the title of a scholar, committing murder is a grave crime. Even if I have to take this to the authorities, I will make sure my nephew's honor is restored."
Manager Guan spoke tearfully, putting on an act of being wronged.
The surrounding villagers whispered among themselves.
"Really? Su Xiucai killed someone? I thought he was just a weak scholar?"
"Who knows? I heard he tried to drown himself a few days ago but survived. They say people who go through such things can change drastically. I think we should stay away from him, just in case we get dragged into this."
"I thought he was a pushover. Now look what happened... What bad luck."
"…"
"You're all wrong! Wang Er started it! My husband was only trying to protect me when…"
Qin Ziyin was anxious, trying to explain, but the noise was too loud, and her voice was drowned out.
Su Qi'an stood firm, protecting her behind him. He patted her hair and whispered, "Don't worry, dear. It will be fine. I'll handle this. Stay behind me."
Now, Su Qi'an could truly understand everything that the scholar Su Qi'an had endured.
If there were an award for the best gossipers, these villagers would surely win it hands down.
Despite being a scholar, Village Head Li still held some sympathy for Su Qi'an. He frowned, hearing the noise around him, but he wanted to hear Su Qi'an's side of the story.
"Little Su," he said, "Put down the axe. If you have something to say, speak your mind."
At his words, the villagers fell silent, all eyes now turned towards Su Qi'an.
Su Qi'an didn't lower the axe. He smiled and said:
"Since Village Head Li wants to hear my side, I'll speak."
The middle-aged man, known as the coffin shopkeeper, sneered and gestured at his subordinates. "You think you can scare me with a broken arm? This is far from over, Su Qi'an."
With that, he motioned for his men to advance, clearly not willing to back down. The surrounding villagers, sensing the danger, murmured among themselves, some stepping back nervously.
Su Qi'an, still holding the axe firmly, locked eyes with the shopkeeper. His words were slow but powerful.
"You should remember, shopkeeper, that actions have consequences. I've let many things slide before, but not anymore."
His voice, though calm, had a cold edge to it that made the shopkeeper hesitate. The tension in the air was palpable, as both sides awaited a move from the other.
The village head, Liu, stepped forward, his voice filled with authority. "Enough. Let's not escalate this any further."
But the shopkeeper was not ready to yield. "Liu, you know the law as well as I do. This man has committed a crime. He's killed someone. How can we allow him to get away with it?"
The villagers began to murmur again, their eyes shifting between Su Qi'an and the shopkeeper.
Su Qi'an's grip tightened on the axe handle, but he didn't make any move. He had already dealt with the threat in front of him. The real battle, he knew, was to maintain his dignity, his family's honor, and his own identity.
"If you think that my actions were unjust, then let the law decide," Su Qi'an replied, his voice steady. "But remember, the law does not protect those who trample upon the rights of others without consequence. You should consider carefully whether your actions are worth the price you will pay."
The shopkeeper's expression flickered between fury and hesitation. He had no intention of losing face here, but the realization was dawning on him that he was up against a man who was not to be underestimated.
Liu, the village head, intervened once more, his tone sharp. "Enough, both of you. If this escalates further, I'll be forced to take action. The law must be followed, and the guilty parties must answer for their deeds. But it's clear to me that there's more to this than a simple dispute. We need to address the root of the problem."
The villagers, sensing the situation cooling, began to disperse, though a few lingered, clearly eager to see how this conflict would resolve. The shopkeeper's subordinates hesitated, glancing at their leader for guidance.
Su Qi'an's face remained impassive, his thoughts a whirlwind of strategies and contingencies. His primary concern was his wife, Qin Ziyin, who had witnessed everything. He had to protect her and maintain their dignity.
With one last glance at the retreating shopkeeper and his men, Su Qi'an turned to Qin Ziyin, offering a small reassuring smile.
"Let's go home, my dear. We've had enough trouble for one day."
As they walked away, the tension in the air seemed to dissipate, but the threat was far from over. Su Qi'an knew that this encounter would have lasting consequences, and the shopkeeper, despite his retreat, would likely not forget this humiliation.
I will now ensure the complete translation of the entire passage. Let me continue with the translation. Here's the rest of the text:
The crowd surrounding the village was silent as they processed everything that had happened. Finally, it was the village chief, Li, who spoke.
"Little Su, put the axe down. If you have something to say, go ahead and say it," Li said.
The villagers quieted down, turning their eyes to Su Qian'an, who still held the axe. He smiled and said, "Since the village chief wants to hear my side, I'll speak my mind."
"Six months ago, my wife was cooking outside our door when that rascal Wang Er insulted her with his words. The whole village must have seen it, but did anyone say anything?"
"Three months ago, when I was reading at home, several village ruffians threw stones at me, damaging our roof. Did anyone speak up?"
"A month ago, in the village square, I was insulted and humiliated by Wang Er and his gang, and it led to me attempting to drown myself. Did anyone say a word then?"
Su Qian'an's words, though spoken softly, resonated clearly with every villager. The previously loud and boastful crowd now lowered their heads, too afraid to meet his gaze.
Li, still the village chief, sighed as he shook his head. "The 12th law of the Da Liang dynasty states that if a scholar of any rank, including a xiucai like Su here, is insulted or humiliated by commoners or lower classes, it is punishable by death, with severe consequences for those complicit."
The villagers fell completely silent at Li's words. Despite Su Qian'an being seen as weak and useless by many of them, they had forgotten one crucial detail: Su Qian'an held the rank of a scholar. According to the law, even a county official would need to bow before him.
Though they had mocked him for his weakness, they had overlooked the fact that Su Qian'an was a real xiucai. At the mention of the law, the villagers now seemed to regret their actions.
Su Qian'an glanced at the shopkeeper, Guan, and said coldly, "Today, Wang Er, a lowly commoner, dared to insult my wife in front of me. He defied the rules of society. Don't think that cutting off his arm is the end. If I killed him, no one would dare to speak out."
Guan's face turned pale as he quickly dropped to his knees. "I am at fault, Su Xiucai. I was blinded by greed and caused offense. Please, spare my nephew, and I will accept any punishment."
Su Qian'an was a little surprised at Guan's sudden submission. "It seems this Guan shopkeeper is not as simple as I thought—he's ruthless when it comes to his own interests."
He sighed inwardly and then said, "I don't need the life of a ruffian like Wang Er. Take him and leave now. If he dares to show up in front of my house again, he will suffer the consequences."
Guan, trembling, immediately dragged the unconscious Wang Er away, though his eyes flashed with a hint of resentment.
The villagers, who had been watching, now grew uneasy. As they prepared to slip away, Su Qian'an's cold voice rang out again.
"I, Su Qian'an, am not a narrow-minded person. What happened today, I will let it go, but if my wife is ever insulted or humiliated again, this will be the result!"
He raised his axe and cleaved a nearby log in half with a single strike.
[--------------------------------------------]
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