Font Size:
Enraged, Chai Fa shouted and shoved Xun Yuanbai aside.
The officers then moved forward with chains towards Jiang Mixia and all the villagers from Jiang’s Village present.
This time it was the officers making the arrests, instilling fear among the villagers who, caught off guard, forgot to flee or resist.
Furrowing his brow deeply, Jiang Zhengxin picked up a nearby wooden stick used to prop up a makeshift structure and swung it at the nearest officer. “Get out of here!”
The officer winced in pain, taking a couple of steps back, staring at Jiang Zhengxin with reddened eyes. “Are you rebelling?”
“To hell with your accusations!” Jiang Zhengxin retorted. “Is it right for the officers to arbitrarily arrest people without cause? Is there no justice left in this world?”
“The officers need justice?” Chai Fa interjected.
“Why wouldn’t they?” Jiang Mixia responded. “The officers must act in accordance with the law. Our county magistrate is known for fairness and upholding the law. If you claim the officers don’t need justice…”
“Could it be that you’re not real officers, but impostors?”
Just as they accused Xun Yuanbai of impersonation earlier, now suggesting these individuals were impersonating officers made sense!
The officers and Chai Fa were stunned by this accusation. Over the years, they had faced pleas for mercy, displays of arrogance, resistance, and stubbornness, but being called impostors was a first.
“Nonsense!” Chai Fa protested.
However, Jiang Mixia’s words sparked a new line of thinking for Jiang Zhengxin.
Jiang Zhengxin gripped the wooden stick tightly, shouting, “You ruffians and scoundrels, attempting to seize our Jiang’s Village properties, bullying our villagers, even resorting to impersonating officers – aren’t you afraid of losing your heads?”
Upon hearing their village leader’s rallying cry, the villagers of Jiang’s Village, recalling Chai Fa and others’ attempts to take over the kiln the previous day, coupled with the current brazen and tyrannical behavior of these individuals, were filled with righteous indignation.
The earlier fear dissipated completely, replaced by a surge of anger and outrage.
They promptly armed themselves and began fighting back.
Fueled by their fury, their retaliation today was fiercer than yesterday.
Chai Fa and the officers found themselves on the receiving end once more, crying out in pain, fleeing with heads in their hands, desperate to escape the treacherous clutches of Jiang’s Village.
This time, Jiang Zhengxin didn’t allow them to escape. Instead, he personally bound them tightly, trussing them up like oversized rice dumplings, and left them under guard in the ancestral hall.
“Uncle, what do we do next?” inquired a young villager.
By now, with a clearer perspective after the chaos, it became apparent that these people were indeed real officers, not impostors.
Chai Fa had not lied; he was likely the county magistrate’s brother-in-law.
In that recent situation, without asserting that these individuals were impostors, there wouldn’t have been a valid reason for resistance.
Allowing the officers to act with impunity, seizing the kiln, arbitrarily imprisoning people from Jiang’s Village, subjecting them to punishment – what kind of future would that lead to? Living in constant fear, even those abiding by the law might end up in prison, leaving no hope for the future.
So, they fought back; at least through that, they could release some pent-up frustration and feel less aggrieved.
However, if the authorities pursued the matter…
They felt uncertain and turned to Jiang Zhengxin for guidance.
“Arrange a few ox carts and bring out the drums and gongs stored in our ancestral hall. Tomorrow morning, we’ll send these individuals to the yamen,” Jiang Zhengxin instructed.
“Send them to the yamen?” The crowd was taken aback.
Having fought against the officers, they would have typically avoided the authorities at all costs. Now, they were to be sent to the yamen voluntarily.
Was this what they called inviting trouble upon themselves?
“Yes, not only will we send them to the yamen, but we’ll do it with drumming and fanfare. We want the entire county to witness and understand that these individuals resorted to impersonating yamen officials in their attempt to seize the village kiln,” Jiang Zhengxin declared.
Jiang Mixia’s call had sparked a new line of thinking for Jiang Zhengxin.
By firmly asserting that these individuals had impersonated officers in an attempt to seize the kiln, it would create a significant commotion.
This approach essentially passed the hot potato to the yamen.
If the authorities acknowledged and protected individuals like Chai Fa, it would be akin to admitting collusion between the yamen and these individuals, eroding trust in the yamen among the county’s residents.
If the yamen valued their reputation, they might not even acknowledge the situation, merely stating that Chai Fa had impersonated them, blaming the officers for being deceived, and punishing Chai Fa and his associates severely while also placating Jiang’s Village.
Given the strict laws and rigorous official assessments in the imperial court, and with no reports of the county magistrate acting excessively corrupt, Jiang Zhengxin believed the latter was more likely.
Even if the county magistrate was driven by self-interest, maintaining a façade of peace was still necessary.
Upon hearing Jiang Zhengxin’s plan, the others initially puzzled, eventually grasped its significance and commended his strategy. They began organizing ox carts and drums as instructed.
Some individuals, still puzzled by the day’s events, engaged in hushed discussions in small groups.
“Why do you think this Chai fellow, being related to the county magistrate as his brother-in-law, and seeking money, didn’t target some wealthy business but ended up picking our small kiln in Jiang’s Village?”
“You don’t quite get it, do you? In the county town, there are plenty of wealthy targets and big businesses, but think about it – those who run such large enterprises often have powerful backers. Taking a bite out of them could lead to more than just a nip back; it might end up with a severe beating!”
“True, if you avoid the big fish and go after these small businesses in our village, where no one cares or interferes, once you grab hold, no one dares to speak up. If you can steadily profit from these small ventures, it adds up over time.”
“Exactly, the more you hold onto, the more the money flows into your pocket like a river. That Chai fellow seems quite adept; he might have done this many times before.”
“Our county magistrate isn’t all that bad, from what I’ve heard. No major scandals. Why is his brother-in-law such a shady character?”
“Every family has their black sheep. Who knows?”
“I have a feeling the county magistrate might have turned a blind eye to this. It’s hard to tell…”
While the villagers discussed these matters, Xun Yuanbai was slamming his hands on the table, visibly furious.
“At my age, I’ve never faced such injustice!”
Book recommendation:
Title: “I’m Pregnant with the regent’s baby” (Completed)
Title: “Reborn as a farmer with Fields”
Title: “Farm Girl’s Space: Picking Up a Major Villain during the Runaway Journey(Completed)