“What? You’re saying you don’t want that beautiful brick-and-tile house? Yuan’er, don’t be foolish! That house is worth a fortune. If you don’t want it, aren’t you just giving it away to that family?”
After lunch, with everyone gathered, Tang Yuan casually mentioned the matter of the house. The moment Auntie Ma heard it, she became anxious.
“Yuan’er, are you afraid that your Eighth Grandfather’s family will cause trouble? Don’t worry. Great-Grandmother is still here. I’ll stand up for you. This time, no matter what, I won’t let that family bully you again.”
The old woman held Tang Yuan’s hand as she spoke.
Tang Yuan thought about it for a moment and decided not to tell them about the Heart-Piercing Evil formation. If that family was greedy and refused to change their ways, she would simply stand by and watch, letting them continue living in that house and suffer the consequences brought by the evil energy.
Given her relationship with everyone present, Tang Yuan couldn’t say too much directly. She still had to use her grandfather’s name as an excuse.
“Great-Grandmother, Grandpa told me to move away. He said I shouldn’t continue living in that house because it would be bad for me. He told me to find somewhere else to live.”
“Ah! Your grandfather said that? Then there must be a reason behind it. Did you ask him why?”
Everyone present wanted to know the reason. Why would she suddenly give up such a good house?
Tang Yuan pretended not to know and shook her head.
“I don’t know either.”
Great-Grandmother took a puff from her long tobacco pipe before speaking.
“Hmm. I understand. Since it was your grandfather who said it, there must be a reason. Tomorrow, call everyone over. This matter can’t be dragged out any longer. It’s time to settle it. Man Cang, go around the village and see if anyone is going to town. Ask them to send word to your Second Uncle and have him come back tomorrow. Man Tun, go to Eighth Uncle’s house and tell them to come over tomorrow.”
The two cousins immediately went off to carry out their tasks.
After dinner, when the whole family was preparing to turn in for the night, someone came over. It was one of their clanswomen, whom Tang Yuan called Third Auntie because her household was ranked third among the women of her generation.
Third Auntie had come late at night specifically to bring them some news.
“Do you know? Eighth Uncle’s whole family is back. They went to Wanfu Temple on the outskirts of town today. As soon as they came back, Eighth Auntie started making a huge fuss. She said she spent three taels of silver to get protective talismans for the whole family. Apparently, some great master at the temple blessed them. She said they’re incredibly powerful.”
Third Auntie lowered her voice dramatically.
“She even said that if Yuan’er’s grandfather comes to them again at night, she’ll use the talisman to beat him until his soul is completely destroyed. Good heavens, she made it sound so terrifying! I came here just to let you know.”
Tang Yuan sneered inwardly.
So they’ve found themselves some backing and don’t intend to settle this peacefully.
Fine.
Just wait.
She would add another spark later and see whether they could withstand the fright.
The next morning, Second Granduncle arrived home from town early in a horse-drawn carriage. This time, he wasn’t alone. Second Granduncle’s wife and their twelve-year-old granddaughter, Tang Yun, had come with him.
Because Tang Yun had grown up in the city, both her clothing and mannerisms were noticeably different from those of the village children.
As soon as Second Granduncle arrived, he stood in the courtyard talking with Eldest Granduncle. Second Grand-aunt went inside to see the old lady.
When she saw Tang Yuan, her tone was polite but distant.
Tang Yuan also respectfully greeted her before sitting quietly to one side.
Before long, the elders of the clan arrived one after another. Even the village headman came.
The village headman was surnamed Cheng and was about the same age as Eldest Granduncle. He was upright and fair-minded, and everyone in Laobie Ravine respected him. Most importantly, he had also studied under Tang Yuan’s grandfather, so he was particularly concerned about her situation.
Finally, Eighth Granduncle’s family arrived.
Tang Yuan watched Old Zhao Granny walk in with her head held high and her chest puffed out. Every now and then, she touched the red cloth pouch hanging around her neck by a string.
She looked nothing like the terrified woman who had fainted a few days earlier.
Her sons had also regained their confidence.
Eighth Granduncle silently sat down on a stool beside her. He didn’t say a word, merely puffing away on his long tobacco pipe.
Once everyone had arrived, Eldest Granduncle, as clan leader, looked around before speaking.
“Third Brother, why didn’t your Fifth Phoenix come? Is she still at her maternal family’s home? What, is she planning never to come back?”
He paused before continuing sternly.
“Let me tell you, the law says deliberately causing someone serious harm is a major offense. Your Fifth Phoenix deliberately harmed a fellow clan sister. Our clan won’t simply let that go either.”
Before Fifth Phoenix’s father could say anything, her mother, Huang Huacai, exploded.
“What nonsense are you talking about? Causing harm? Harming a fellow clan member? Don’t you dare make things up to frighten me! It was nothing more than ordinary play between sisters. At worst, she just didn’t realize how much force she used.”
She pointed toward Tang Yuan.
“Besides, isn’t this girl perfectly fine? She’s alive and kicking! What’s wrong with her? Don’t think you can bully me just because you’re the clan leader!”
Eldest Granduncle was so angry that he nearly staggered backward.
He shouted at Fifth Phoenix’s father,
“Third Brother! Can’t you control your wife? We’re talking about men’s business here. Does she have to keep making such a racket?”
Before Fifth Phoenix’s father could respond, Old Zhao Granny suddenly dropped herself onto the floor.
She slapped her thighs and began wailing at the top of her lungs.
“Oh, heavens! We have no way to live anymore! You’re trying to drive my whole family to our deaths! It was just two sisters playing around, and now you’re threatening to kill us!”
She began crying even louder.
“Do you want someone’s life? Take mine! I’ll give you my old life! Please, have mercy and let my family go!”
After saying this, she changed from sitting to kneeling.
Still wailing that she wanted to die, she crawled toward Tang Yuan on her knees.
Her daughters-in-law merely shouted, “Mother!” while making a few half-hearted attempts to pull her back.
Just as Old Zhao Granny reached Tang Yuan’s direction, Tang Yuan swiftly moved behind Great-Grandmother.
Go ahead and kneel. Kneel all you want.
I can’t see you anyway.
Inside, Tang Yuan was furious.
She coldly glanced at Eighth Granduncle.
That old man is truly rotten.
He simply sat there without saying a word, letting his wife and daughters-in-law make a scene and stir up trouble.
Not a single decent person in that entire family.
It was as if all the bad people from the surrounding villages had gathered in his household.
The room descended into complete chaos.
Finally, Eldest Granduncle could take no more. He slammed his hand onto the table and raised his voice.
“Can we have a proper discussion or not? If you can’t speak reasonably, then get out! There’s no point continuing this conversation.”
He pointed toward the village headman.
“Our clan clearly can’t handle your family anymore. Since the village headman is here today, we’ll have him take this matter to the county authorities. We’ll see how the government rules on deliberately harming someone, attempting to wipe out a household without heirs, and occupying another person’s farmland!”
The moment Old Zhao Granny heard this, she immediately fell silent.
It was as if someone had suddenly grabbed a hen by the throat.
Gawk.
Her voice stopped instantly.
The room finally became quiet.
At this point, Old Zhao Granny looked completely deranged. Her hair was disheveled, and her bloodshot eyes still carried a vicious glare, making her face particularly frightening.
Now that she had stopped throwing a tantrum, they could finally continue discussing the matter.