Chapter 37 Bullying with Power

Wang Jiaojiao, her son, and Wang Pozizi exchanged a glance, their hearts filled with glee.

The Wang family had already discussed how to deal with Qin Ruo, but before they could act, a better opportunity presented itself.

“Wang, what do you mean? You want my girl to be a scapegoat? Do you have any shame left? You got rid of the Wu family like this before, didn’t you…?”

Qin Laotai, as if suddenly remembering something, pointed at Wang Lizheng and began to scold him.

Hearing Qin Laotai mention the Wu family from before, the villagers’ discussions quieted down, their expressions varied.

The villagers still couldn’t help but sigh when they thought about the tragedy that befell the Wu family seven years ago.

“Go! Bring the person here! Don’t let them escape.”

Wang Lizheng, having already torn off his mask, didn’t bother with Qin Laotai, instead urging the few people who had been named.

“You’re slandering me, you…”

“No need for Wang Lizheng to worry, I’m here.” Qin Ruo quietly squeezed Qin Laotai’s hand and calmly walked out from the crowd.

Seeing Qin Ruo suddenly appear beside her, Qin Laotai breathed a sigh of relief, but her heart was still pounding.

Qin Ruo was wearing a light blue cotton jacket she had just bought yesterday, new cotton shoes on her feet, and her hair was simply half-tied with a wooden hairpin.

It was still the same person, her figure still slightly thin, but her whole spirit seemed different.

The villagers looked at Qin Ruo, whispering among themselves.

The scene instantly became as noisy as a vegetable market, but Qin Ruo seemed oblivious to the gazes of the crowd.

She stood there quietly, her expression full of mockery.

“Just in time! According to the laws of the Great Sheng Dynasty, those who kill shall be punished by death, Qin Qiuxi, do you know your crime?”

Wang Lizheng stared at Qin Ruo with a gloomy expression, as if he had already won.

As soon as he opened his mouth, such a serious crime was thrown at his granddaughter, Qin Laotai almost couldn’t hold back.

But seeing Qin Ruo’s confident expression, she held back.

“Wang Lizheng, you have quite a bit of official authority. Those who know, know that you are just the village head of Changhe Village. Those who don’t know might think you are the magistrate of Taihe County, holding court here.”

“Since you, Wang Lizheng, know the laws of the Great Sheng Dynasty so well, then you must also know the law of false accusation and its consequences. Those who falsely accuse others without conclusive evidence shall be punished with one hundred strokes of the cane, exiled three thousand miles, and forced labor for three years.”

“Is your Wang family’s word the only evidence in this case? You want to pin the murder on me, then please, Wang Lizheng, bring out some real evidence. I killed someone? Who did I kill? Where is the body?”

Qin Ruo sneered, her expression emotionless.

“You! Even if you’re stubborn, it’s no use. Bao Gen went into the mountains with you, but he’s gone missing. Do you dare say this has nothing to do with you?”

Wang Lizheng was instantly furious, his tone becoming even more unpleasant.

Qin Ruo’s sharp-tongued performance made him feel a bad premonition in his heart.

“First of all, I have no relationship with Bao Gen, and I would never go into the mountains with him. Even if we were to take a step back, the Humpback Mountain is not my property, anyone can go in if they want. Could it be that if your dog goes into the mountains and disappears, you’ll hold me responsible?”

“Just because I went to Humpback Mountain? Wang Lizheng, you’re quite interesting. I wonder how you’ve managed to stay in the position of village head for so many years.”

“As the saying goes, virtue does not match position, there will be disaster.”

Qin Ruo’s words were full of meaning.

Qin Ruo’s words made the crowd feel a surge of excitement, almost wanting to applaud.

This was the first time anyone had dared to confront Wang Lizheng since he became village head, and every word was merciless.

This person was still the most inconspicuous girl in the Qin family.

Look at what they call a young and fearless spirit?

Qin Ruo was really brave.

The villagers secretly gave Qin Ruo a thumbs up in their hearts.

Only the Qin family girl would dare to strike straight at Chief Wang’s heart like this.

“Utter nonsense! You… you…!” Chief Wang was nearly enraged to death.

When it came to sharp words, he truly wasn’t a match for Qin Ruo.

Seeing Chief Wang at a loss for words, Wang Jiaojiao couldn’t help but jump out.

“Qin Qiuxi, arguing won’t help you. I swear, I saw with my own eyes that Bao Gen went into the mountains with you!”

“You say you saw Bao Gen and me go into the mountains together. Well then, tell me—on which day did I go into the mountains?” Qin Ruo’s gaze swept over Wang Jiaojiao, calm and unhurried, in stark contrast to her.

“I saw it with my own eyes. It was the day before yesterday. Yes, the day before yesterday!” Wang Jiaojiao, quick-thinking, blurted out.

The matter of her father being fined five silver taels had been triggered by Qin Quixi going into the mountains and catching a wolf that day, so how hard could it be?

“Hah! The day before yesterday, I went into the mountains with Zhou Dazhu and my brother Erlang. So, just how could I have killed someone in front of everyone? And, besides, why would I go into the mountains with Bao Gen?”

“No! I misspoke—it was four days ago, no, five days ago! You vile woman, Qin Quixi, why else would you go into the mountains with Bao Gen if not for your affair with him?”

Wang Jiaojiao, flustered, jumped up and pointed her finger at Qin Ruo’s face, her mouth spewing obscenities.

Qin Ruo suddenly stepped to Wang Jiaojiao’s side, and with several loud slaps, a dead silence fell over the crowd.

Shaking her slightly numb hand, her face as cold as frost, Qin Ruo was truly frightening.

“Listen well, Wang Jiaojiao! Ever since my father passed away, you saw I had no one to rely on, and for the past three years, you’ve seized every opportunity to beat and scold me.”

“Half a month ago, you maliciously pushed me into a pool, intending to take my life, but I climbed out myself. Now you’re trying to ruin my reputation, falsely accusing me of murder?”

“I kept giving in, but you just kept pushing. Do I look like a pushover to you? Do you Wang family people think you can trample on me? Swear, then! Let’s see you make a real oath.”

Old Lady Qin clutched her chest, staring blankly at this person in front of her, as if hearing distant stories unrelated to her. Her throat tightened.

Qin Ruo’s words—“with no one to rely on”—stung her heart, making her body tremble.

Stunned by the slaps, Wang Jiaojiao was momentarily dazed, and then she burst into tears.

The Qin Ruo before her was nothing like the soft target she had imagined. She never expected her to confront Chief Wang without the slightest fear and even slap her in front of everyone.

Wang Jiaojiao’s heart was filled with shock and fear, her usual arrogance vanished as she covered her face and cried.

Wang Jiaojiao’s mother and daughter-in-law wanted to rush forward but were firmly stopped by the tearful Old Lady Qin.

Peeking through her fingers, Wang Jiaojiao glanced at Chief Wang’s face and stopped crying.

Steeling herself, she began to ramble again.

“Fine, I’ll swear. If I, Wang Jiaojiao, have spoken even a single false word, may I… may I be bitten to death by a venomous snake today.”

Raising two fingers, Wang Jiaojiao modified the usual “struck by lightning” oath into something else entirely.

It was the dead of winter—where would you find snakes in Changhe Village?

She couldn’t believe it; what could that little Qin girl possibly do to her?