Chapter 6: with translation of chapter title

I don't have it — if you're able, bite me!

Chen Wuji's current tactic is simple: even if beaten to death, he won't admit.

As long as he doesn't admit, just Yuan Laoer's word alone isn't enough.

Unless this village chief, to shield his brother, doesn't care about face and insists on finding some pretext against him to get compensation.

Otherwise, they can't do anything to him.

Without any witnesses, at most it's each side sticking to their own story, just biting.

"Big brother, there's no reasoning with this idiot. He hit me — that's a fact, no need to worry about much else, just drag him to the Chen clan ancestral hall and beat him half to death." Yuan Laoer said upon seeing the situation.

The village chief glared at his brother, then looked at Chen Youwang: "Clan Chief Chen, what do you think of this?"

"If Chen Wuji really hit Yuan's brother, beating him half to death would be considered lenient. But we still need to speak clearly, otherwise it might affect the village chief's prestige in the village." Chen Youwang said after pondering.

"There's still Chen Huo's wife — she must know."

The village chief nodded: "Chen Huo's wife, speak frankly, don't risk your life."

Chen Youwang beside him added quietly: "Speaking frankly, if you beat him lightly, but if you conceal and don't report, this brat Chen Wuji might get beaten half to death, possibly even endangering his life."

"Our Chen clan has always had strict family rules, not tolerating such wicked conduct; our village even more strictly forbids private brawls among villagers, violators face heavy punishment — this is law, not child's play."

Huo Sanniang's face paled slightly.

Chen Wuji suddenly grabbed Huo Sanniang's scallion-white little hand, squeezed hard, then shouted at the top of his voice: "I, didn't do it!!"

The two old fogies are quite good at putting on airs; a simple fight gets elevated to a matter of life and death.

He actually wanted to see if they had the ability to stage a shura field for him.

Huo Sanniang felt the warm strength on her hand, her gaze firmed a bit: "Several uncles, Wuji returned from the mountains late last night; he had no time to go fight. It's not true; there must be some misunderstanding."

"If Yuan Jintang is targeting me because I'm a widowed woman, there's no need to trouble my little uncle; he's a simpleton, can't distinguish much, it's either yes or no."

Chen Wuji silently gave Huo Sanniang a thumbs-up in his heart.

That was nicely said!

The village chief glanced sideways at his brother beside him: "Is there such a thing?"

"'No, how could I have any thoughts about her? She's just a widow; I'm even afraid she'd harm me — her previous husband died horribly, we know that.' Yuan Laoer's sinister triangular eyes stared at Chen Wuji and Huo Sanniang, the corner of his mouth curling into a cold smile."

"'Married to ward off bad luck, ended up becoming a human corpse — tsk tsk, truly tragic.'"

Chen Wuji returned a cold smile: "Framing me, scolding my brother — I'll kill your whole family!"

Yuan Laoer met Chen Wuji's icy gaze, and suddenly shivered all over.

"'Chen Wuji, who do you want to kill?!' the village chief bellowed."

Chen Wuji showed no fear, stepped forward sharply: "You just said you wanted to beat me to death — kill them all!"

The village chief was suddenly struck dumb.

This remark… actually holds some truth.

"'You bully people — why can't I kill your whole family?' Chen Wuji shouted loudly, his eyes fierce and cold, like a rabid wolf."

Although he deliberately acted clumsy and foolish, his aura was still formidable.

The killer's intent was fully grasped by him.

The village chief felt a bit intimidated.

The ruthless fear the stubborn; the stubborn fear the reckless.

In the village chief's eyes, Chen Wuji possesses both stubbornness and recklessness.

"'Go back, your brain's knocked silly like a pig, and you still have the nerve to cause trouble for others!' The village chief suddenly turned and shoved Yuan Laoer hard."

"'Big brother, it really was this stubborn brat who hit me, I'm not lying!' Yuan Laoer protested unwillingly."

At this point the village chief couldn't be unclear about what's happening.

It must be that foolish younger brother trying to make a move on Chen Huo's wife, bumped into by this idiot Chen Wuji.

The fault surely lies with that foolish younger brother.

But he came with a thick face; if he just left resentfully after being threatened by Chen Wuji a couple times, how would the villagers view him?

The village chief halted his steps, pondered for a while, then said: "As for the beating, let's leave it at that — the wife says she's right, the husband says he's right; even I, the village chief, can't tell clearly, so let it be."

But I almost forgot one thing: your two families' taxes are due soon. Also, Chen Huo's wife, have you found someone to remarry? If by month's end you still haven't found a match, then as your uncle I may have to send you to the Xianya, and then your parents will suffer collective punishment.

Upon hearing this, Yuan Laoer's eyes lit up.

As expected, the elder brother is impressive!

Forcibly sending Huo Sanniang to the Xianya, then using a bit of silver to sell her off — isn't that just a reasonable and legal concubine? Why all the effort before?

Just block her, don't let her find another man in these few days — simple.

Even if you watch her every day, you could watch her to death.

"'Big brother, this idiot just lost his wife; he probably needs another one — hoping he finds one himself is hopeless, better let the office assign one.' Yuan Laoer's eyes shifted, another brilliant idea popping from his pig-headed brain."

When the time comes, greet the acquaintances at the Xianya and have them arrange for this idiot a dark, stout, hot-tempered, fight-ready partner.

Given their family's miserable state, they'll surely still be underfed then; he'll only need a bit of silver to coax that woman into beating this idiot daily as a punching bag.

Wait till the day she accidentally beats him to death, then find any excuse to brush it over and get that woman another husband.

Thus, his long-desired woman will end up in his bed, and the grudge from being beaten can also be avenged.

Two birds with one stone, a double kill — perfect.

Just need to wait a few days; we can wait.

The village chief glanced at his brother: "Isn't this nonsense? His name has already been registered; all that's left is for the Xianya matchmaker to confirm, then he can be placed. If there were no such matter, why would I bring up Chen Huo's wife?"

Although Yuan Laoer had been scolded, his face was full of delight.

He suddenly realized that Chen Huo's wife remained unmarried by the Xianya only because she had to care for the not-yet-sixteen Chen Wuji; otherwise that little blossom would have long since been beyond his reach.

Upon hearing this, Huo Sanniang's face had already turned as white as if coated with a layer of icy frost.

Busy taking care of her uncle these days, she almost forgot the burden she bore.

The Court has issued a clear edict: girls at fourteen; those without issue, widows without familial bonds who are overdue for marriage, the Court Matchmaker will forcibly marry them to unmarried men, or to war prisoners who have been relocated and settled.

Violators' parents are jointly liable, and besides being jailed for half a year, their taxes will be increased fivefold!