Chapter 67.1

Qin Qingman was truly moved by the unity of the village. In fact, there had been conflicts and turmoil among the villagers of Kaoshan Village before, but when outsiders bullied them, everyone could immediately unite under the leadership of Secretary Zheng Anguo.

This kind of unity had become part of the village culture in Kaoshan Village.

Qin Qingman remembered that even before the arrival of the secretary and the others, Zheng Meiqin and her husband, along with many villagers from Kaoshan Village whom she had never even met, had stepped forward on their own, offering to help her fend off the Wu family.

Kaoshan Village was not a village of a single surname. There were several surnames in the village, so the unity of the village was not based on clan culture but on solidarity. It was this unity that made it so that no one dared to bully the people of Kaoshan Village outside of it.

“Uncle Liang, thank you.” 

Qin Qingman sincerely felt the warmth from Kaoshan Village.

“No need to thank us, Qingman. In our village, no matter who is bullied outside, we will always stand up for them.” Aunt Yun’s husband was named Zheng Liang, and according to the village’s hierarchy, Qin Qingman called him “uncle.”

“Everyone is so good.”

Qin Qingman looked at Zheng Liang and smiled, and Chuchu, who was on her back, grinned as well.

Zheng Liang then noticed the injuries on Chuchu’s face and asked angrily, “Who did this?” The children of their village could play and roughhouse with each other as they pleased, but if outsiders dared to harm a child from Kaoshan Village, he, Zheng Liang, would be the first to oppose it.

“The one who hit him has already received retribution.” 

Qin Qingman, not wanting to discuss the dead in front of the police, gave a subtle hint.

Zheng Liang understood immediately. He glanced at the body bag at his feet and snorted before going to support Aunt Guiying.

Aunt Guiying was a housewife who had been pushed over by Wu Weimin earlier. Although her injuries weren’t serious, she was not tall and couldn’t win against a man. She hadn’t intervened earlier but now, seeing people from the village, she had already climbed down from the cart.

The whole “battlefield” was one-sided.

The Wu family was no match for them and was wiped out. Zheng Anguo stood in front of Wu Rong, sizing up the old man.

Zheng Anguo was not only the secretary of Kaoshan Village but also the deputy secretary of the commune party committee. He was highly respected in Hongqi Town and had law enforcement authority in dealing with fights and brawls during this special time period.

Wu Rong was both shocked and heartbroken when facing Zheng Anguo.

He knew that he would never be able to avenge his grandson. After today, not only would his son fall, but the entire Wu family would never have another good day again.

“Disregarding organizational discipline and obstructing the police in carrying out their duties, gathering people to cause a disturbance, and attempting to take the law into their own hands and end someone’s life. You’ve lived this long, how do you not have any sense of organizational discipline? You’ve truly wasted your life,” Zheng Anguo said coldly to Wu Rong.

“My grandson is dead, dead!” Wu Rong’s spirit seemed to drain away instantly.

“Wu Weimin?” Zheng Anguo already knew who had died. After speaking, he added, “He deserved it. With the evil things that kid did, if he hadn’t died today, he’d eventually be shot by the police.”

“You…” Wu Rong was already heartbroken, but Zheng Anguo’s words only made it worse. The old man became so overwhelmed with grief that he fainted.

Fortunately, two villagers from Kaoshan Village were standing nearby. They quickly supported him, otherwise, Wu Rong would have collapsed to the ground and might have been injured. It was possible that Zheng Anguo would have been blamed for it.

“Cough!”

Zheng Xuesong, the police captain, who had been standing by, had not only witnessed the fierceness of the Kaoshan Village people but also overheard the exchange between Zheng Anguo and Wu Rong. When Wu Rong fainted, he had to clear his throat to make his presence known.

“Comrade Zheng Anguo, this is Comrade Zheng Xuesong, the captain of the county police station. He was specifically sent from the county to handle the case of Wu Weimin’s death, which was caused by a fake police officer.” Hearing the cough from Zheng Xuesong, Qin Qingman immediately guided him to introduce himself to Zheng Anguo.

The shooting case was something the local authorities could only assist with, not overshadow.

“Hello, Comrade Xuesong.”

Zheng Anguo, with an air of authority, shook hands with Zheng Xuesong. At that moment, there was no trace of the fierceness he had shown when leading people in a fight.

His demeanor had shifted to that of a disciplined and law-abiding official.

Zheng Anguo’s change in demeanor caused Zheng Xuesong’s brow to twitch a few times. He had to work hard to control his facial expression and seriously shook hands with Zheng Anguo, offering a formal thanks. “Hello, Comrade Zheng Anguo, thank you very much for leading your people to help us control the situation with the Wu family. Thank you.”

Zheng Xuesong’s words effectively defined the situation.

The Wu family had gathered to cause a disturbance, and Zheng Anguo, as the deputy secretary of the commune, had the authority to intervene, and that intervention could involve using force if necessary.

“Comrade Xuesong, this situation must be resolved immediately. A prompt decision is necessary to calm the people,” Zheng Anguo, being the deputy secretary of the commune, understood the importance of organizational discipline and stability.

Zheng Xuesong understood this as well. “Comrade Anguo, how do you think this should be handled?”

The incident had taken place at the entrance of the farm, where thousands of people had witnessed it. A proper response had to be made, and the commune had the authority to manage disturbances caused by the people.

“Comrade Xuesong, Comrade Qian Xiangyang, the commune Security Officer, has already gone to invite President Fang Mingjie and the commune militia commander, Comrade Jiang Yuanwei. They should be arriving soon. Once the five leaders of the commune are all present, we can deal with the Wu family on-site,” Zheng Anguo said, indicating that he had not come unprepared to handle the situation.

Zheng Anguo had made sure to leave himself some leeway. Once the president arrived, with the key leaders of the commune in attendance, they would have the authority to directly deal with the troublemaking Wu family members.

Of course, this kind of handling wasn’t a criminal sentence, as the commune didn’t have that power. However, the commune could implement special local measures.

For instance, they could assign the Wu family members to different jobs or relocate them to other areas to live. This was still within their power.

Zheng Xuesong understood this well and nodded immediately. “Comrade Anguo, I agree with your approach. The Wu family’s disturbance is a public security issue. Since it hasn’t caused serious consequences, even if we arrest them, it’ll be for criticism and education. Eventually, they’ll be released, but when they return, they will undergo ideological re-education from the local organization.”

Zheng Anguo and the others were commune leaders, and the Hongqi Farm was under the commune’s jurisdiction. The commune had the authority to handle the Wu family.

“Secretary, Comrade Xuesong, I think it would be best to handle it on-site and take notes. The Wu family must have used Wu Yuanming’s position as farm director to engage in a number of disciplinary violations. These violations should be dealt with by the organization,” Qin Qingman cleverly interjected.

She could see that many people in the crowd were eyeing them with eager anticipation, which meant the public was waiting for them to speak up. This was also the best way to completely crush the Wu family.

With Wu Weimin dead and the Wu family willing to let themselves take the fall, it showed how deep their hatred ran. Since that was the case, Qin Qingman thought there was no need to leave them any leeway. For such unreasonable people, it would be best to deal with them decisively.

Zheng Anguo and Zheng Xuesong exchanged glances, their gaze then shifting to the crowd.

Both of them could feel the intense, fiery gazes from the crowd. They understood what those looks meant.

But the situation was not easy to handle. 

After all, the current atmosphere was sensitive. Some things were inevitable, and not only did Zheng Anguo, the deputy secretary, have to be cautious, but the president, too, would likely be reluctant to stir up any major disturbances.

Seeing the two men in silence, Qin Qingman understood their hesitation.

She quietly suggested, “Comrade Zhou Jingguo from the Commune Revolutionary Committee is also here. Let him take charge; I believe he will handle it fairly.”

At these words, Zheng Anguo and Zheng Xuesong both turned their attention to Zhou Jingguo, who had been quietly standing at the back of the crowd, saying nothing.

Normally, the head of the Commune Revolutionary Committee would also serve as the president of the commune, but their commune was different. Fang Mingjie, a former Red Army member, had a clean and solid background. In this special period, he held both the position of president and the secretary of the commune party committee.

This was the most frustrating part for Zhou Jingguo.

Moreover, Zheng Anguo often opposed him on many issues. Zhou Jingguo had to follow the president’s instructions, but also had to contend with Zheng Anguo, which meant many power struggles couldn’t be properly carried out, and the balance of power was maintained.

Originally, Zhou Jingguo had been itching to take action after seeing Zheng Anguo personally lead the fight. He had planned to go back and report Zheng Anguo to the secretary of the county revolutionary committee, hoping to get Zheng Anguo dismissed or at least sent for ideological study.

Zhou Jingguo had his plans in mind. He remained quietly in the crowd, not speaking. But then, Zheng Anguo and Zheng Xuesong both turned their attention to him.

The moment Zhou Jingguo met Zheng Anguo’s gaze, he realized something was wrong. At that moment, he had no idea that Qin Qingman had set a trap for him.

“Comrade Jingguo, it’s really good to see you here. Come, let’s discuss how to handle the follow-up to this situation,” Zheng Anguo greeted Zhou Jingguo enthusiastically, pulling him towards Zheng Xuesong.

When dealing with troublesome situations like this, it was important to involve Zhou Jingguo. Only if he participated could the fight be resolved without future problems.

Zhou Jingguo tried to pull away from Zheng Anguo’s grip, but since Zheng Anguo was still strong and capable of leading a fight, there was no way he could escape. With a stiff expression, Zhou Jingguo was dragged in front of Zheng Xuesong.

“Comrade Jingguo, I just discussed it with Comrade Zheng Xuesong, and we plan to handle it right here, without going anywhere. We’ll deal with the troublemaking Wu family,” Zheng Anguo said earnestly, as though their relationship was good.

Zhou Jingguo tried to break free from Zheng Anguo’s hand and, with a stiff face, replied, “Comrade Zheng Anguo, we have no authority to handle this, do we?”

Zheng Anguo, feigning innocence, rubbed his hands together and said, “Comrade Jingguo, Comrade Qian Xiangyang has already gone to bring the president and the others. They should be here soon. In the meantime, we can set things up. We must make sure to settle the score with the Wu family. They dared to obstruct the police and threaten the authorities—this is a serious ideological issue. We, as a commune, need to take charge.”

Zhou Jingguo’s eyes widened slightly. He hadn’t expected Zheng Anguo to make such a lofty speech.

When did they become close enough to make decisions together?

They were supposed to be opponents at work!

“Comrade Zheng Anguo, we surely need to take charge of the situation, but according to procedure, it requires a vote from the commune members. Even if three or two people vote, it won’t be enough,” Zhou Jingguo spoke in an official tone, deliberately making it difficult for Zheng Anguo and refusing to cooperate.

Why should he comply with Zheng Anguo’s wishes?

If today’s matter were delayed by one more day, he would be able to send the message to the county and report Zheng Anguo first. Perhaps the village head would also be reprimanded. If the village head’s authority were suppressed, wouldn’t Hongqi Town still be under his control?

He could certainly carry out the “struggle” with great enthusiasm.

Zhou Jingguo’s plans sounded sharp. He would not help Zheng Anguo.

Both Zheng Anguo and Zheng Xuesong immediately understood Zhou Jingguo’s intentions. Their hearts sank. Despite Zhou Jingguo being just one person, his position was different. What he said carried more weight than theirs.

At that moment, Chuchu, taking advantage of Qin Qingman’s taller back, lightly poked Zheng Anguo’s back with his finger.

Zheng Anguo turned his head, only to see Zhao Tiancheng in the crowd.

He sneered and decided not to pay attention to Zhou Jingguo. Instead, he addressed the villagers of Kaoshan Village, who were wiping sweat and changing their inner clothes, saying, “Take all the Wu family members to the farm canteen. Today, the commune will conduct ideological re-education on them.”

Ideological re-education was a polite term; in reality, it meant a public criticism and struggle session.

This kind of situation usually happened in the early days of the Liberation when landlords and capitalists who had exploited the laboring people were publicly criticized and struggled against. During the session, anyone who believed they had been oppressed by landlords or capitalists could freely speak out.

Everyone could take part in the criticism and struggle.

“Yes, Secretary.” The people of Kaoshan Village were very obedient to Zheng Anguo. They immediately began to drag the Wu family members, following the guidance of some enthusiastic villagers, toward the farm canteen.

The onlookers responded to Zheng Anguo’s words with intense applause.

Everyone understood what ideological re-education meant.

Sensitive topics did not need to be discussed, nor was there any need to mention family backgrounds. One only needed to talk about whether they had been bullied or oppressed.

“Boss… Boss!”

The first to panic was Wang Ji.

Wang Ji thought of the late Wu Weimin. He and the others had been very close to Wu Weimin and had done many things together. Although not every action had been illegal, they had certainly bullied others more than once.

Their main targets had been the Educated Youth.

Wu Weimin was a member of the Wu family. If anyone talked about Wu Weimin’s wrongdoings, it would inevitably involve them.

Would they meet the same fate as the Wu family?

Wang Ji was in a state of panic, looking desperately at Zhao Tiancheng.

Zhao Tiancheng also came to his senses. Originally, he thought he had nothing to worry about, but as his memories resurfaced, the long-forgotten moments spent with Wu Weimin came flooding back. Some things, from the perspective of their former position, might have seemed admirable or beneficial, but now, looking back, they were nothing but reckless actions that led to their own destruction.

Now, Zhao Tiancheng was panicking too.

In his panic, he quickly searched the crowd for his father, knowing that only he could suppress the situation.

Then Zhao Tiancheng saw Zhou Jingguo standing together with Zheng Anguo, with Qin Qingman and Zheng Xuesong nearby, and the body bag containing Wu Weimin’s corpse not far from their feet.

Looking at the bulging body bag, Zhao Tiancheng suddenly shuddered.

He had an eerie feeling that Wu Weimin was staring at the three of them with a vengeful glare from within the body bag. Wu Weimin seemed to blame them for not helping their brother, but instead, they had cruelly kicked him while he was down. Wu Weimin was dissatisfied and seemed to want them to accompany him in death.

A cold sweat poured down Zhao Tiancheng’s face.

His gaze toward Zhou Jingguo grew increasingly urgent.

The crowd had started to move, and the body bag was about to be lifted by the police officers, including Li Hongyi. Just then, a heart-wrenching cry pierced the air—it was Wu Weimin’s unconscious mother, Wu Chunxia, who had regained consciousness.

Seeing the inevitable fate of the Wu family and then the cold body bag, Wu Chunxia stumbled forward.

At first, the villagers of Kaoshan Village wanted to stop her, but Zheng Anguo waved his hand, signaling for them to step aside.

No matter how many wrongs the Wu family and Wu Weimin had committed, Wu Chunxia was still his mother. A mother had the right to see her own flesh and blood one last time, and she deserved the dignity to mourn her loss.

“Wemin, my Wemin!” Wu Chunxia finally collapsed onto the body bag and wailed in sorrow.

She cried loudly and heartbreakingly.

Countless people silently watched. Although Wu Chunxia’s grief seemed genuine, no one felt any sympathy for her.

Because everyone knew that Wu Weimin had deserved to die.

He had it coming.

No one would sympathize with someone who deserved to die.