He waved his hand to signal the servant anxiously peering out from the main entrance not to speak, then turned to make a silencing gesture to the crowd behind him. Yang Mengchen entered the gate and walked over to the outside of the parlor. Through the open windows, he could clearly see the situation inside, and a trace of fierceness flashed in his eyes.

Madam Yang Zhou and Shen Qiulan were seated on the left, with Qiao Niangzi and several servants standing behind them, their eyes vigilantly watching the people from Huangsha Village.

The man seated in the place of honor was square-faced, with skin slightly more fair than that of common farmers, and a mustache on his lips. His narrow eyes were swirling around, clearly showing a light of scheming and jealousy.

This man was none other than Xiong Wang, the Lizheng from Huangsha Village, and seated below him were a dozen or so young men.

The Village Chief of Huangsha Village, Shen Chang'an, sat alone in a corner of the parlor, his honest face showing anxiety and restlessness, and his eyes filled with apologia as he looked at Mother and Daughter-in-law Yang Zhou.

Upon hearing Xiong Wang's questioning, Madam Yang Zhou's response was evidently barbed, "Jiujiu is busy harvesting rice; she certainly won't be able to return for a while. How about you all go back first? When Jiujiu comes back, I will speak to her."

He was merely a Lizheng from another village, yet he dared to come to her door, pressuring her darling granddaughter and daughter-in-law Sansan. Naturally, she didn't need to be polite to him.

"Ninth Sister Yang is right. We should go back to harvest rice first. We can talk about other matters in a few days." Shen Chang'an quickly nodded in agreement.

Ever since he saw the Shen family making some money from baking cakes, the Lizheng had been openly and covertly criticizing the Shen family for not looking out for their fellow villagers.

Not long ago, upon hearing that Ninth Sister Yang had paid out of her own pocket to purchase fruit tree saplings for the people of Stone Village to plant, and that she would buy back the fruit, the Lizheng had repeatedly approached him, saying he wanted to talk to Ninth Sister Yang.

He suggested that she also buy saplings for the villagers to plant, and he mentioned that Ninth Sister Yang's maternal family was from Huangsha Village. Accusing her of neglecting her own people while helping outsiders was forgetting her roots. He had persuaded the Lizheng several times before the matter was finally put to rest.

Unexpectedly, that very morning, while he was harvesting rice in the fields, the Lizheng came with a group of young men and directly dragged him to the Yang family, demanding that Ninth Sister Yang must find a way to improve the living conditions of the people of Huangsha Village.

When the Yang mother and daughter-in-law said they would discuss it upon Ninth Sister Yang's return, the Lizheng unexpectedly refused to leave. Even he thought it was too much.

Regrettably, the Lizheng had powerful backing, leaving him helpless.

Glaring fiercely at Shen Chang'an, Xiong Wang barked dominantly, "The matter hasn't been resolved. Why go back?"

"Ninth Sister Yang is busy and can't come back right now. Us staying here is of no use," Shen Chang'an said, stiffening his resolve to persuade.

"Madam Yang Zhou, haven't you sent someone to call Ninth Sister Yang back yet?" Xiong Wang glared angrily at Madam Yang Zhou.

Madam Yang Zhou, holding back her daughter-in-law who wanted to speak, said sternly, "All the servants are busy drying the rice, indeed we don't have spare hands to go find Jiujiu."

In her youth, she was known to be quite fiery, and there were few in her home village who dared to provoke her. After marrying into the Yang family and due to life constraints, she had to temper her hot-tempered nature. If Xiong Lizheng really thought she was someone to be bullied, he was sorely mistaken.

Outside the house, Yang Mengchen secretly endorsed her: In his memory, his grandmother had always been gentle and kind. He had not expected her to have such a forceful side. Not bad at all!

Irritated and embarrassed, Xiong Wang pointed his finger imperiously at Qiao Niangzi and ordered sharply, "You, hurry up and call Ninth Sister Yang back!" Ever since he became Lizheng of Huangsha Village, not just the people of Huangsha Village, but also those from other villages had been very respectful towards him. Here was Madam Yang Zhou, daring to talk back to him—detestable and odious.

Qiao Niangzi didn't move an inch.

"Madam Yang Zhou, why keep such disobedient servants? You should simply sell them off," advised Xiong Wang as if it were the natural thing to do.

"This is my house, not a place for you to dictate!" Madam Yang Zhou burst out angrily, "Jiujiu has said, they are not just our servants, they are our family members. Without Jiujiu's word, no one will chase them away, let alone sell them!"

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