Chapter 884: Ancestral Rites

This kick from He Yuzhu really poked a hornet's nest.

Relying on the fact that they were at their own doorstep, that group of little thugs puffed out their chests, pulled iron rods and chains from their waists one after another, and charged fiercely at He Yuzhu with a clamor.

Just as He Yuzhu was about to make a move, the ten bodyguards beside him struck first.

They didn't use weapons and went straight in—disarming the blades with their bare hands.

This bunch of hoodlums really couldn't take a beating; they didn't even last two rounds before they were beaten by the security guards until they were spitting out teeth all over the ground.

The security guards pressed their heads into the mud, and the little thugs screamed in pain, desperately calling for their companions to help.

But how could the people in the village who were watching the excitement dare to look any longer? One by one, they took to their heels and ran home.

Xiaohuzi was their leader; he was grabbed by the collar and hauled to He Yuzhu's feet.

He Yuzhu stepped on his shoulder and looked down, asking coldly, "Exactly how much money does my aunt owe you?"

Xiaohuzi trembled as he replied, "She owes me... six hundred and seventy."

He Yuzhu laughed: "You're really something. Neighbors and fellow villagers, yet you charge usury. She borrows six hundred and seventy from you, and you demand five thousand from me? If I report your evil deeds to the police, you'll be sentenced to a few years at the very least."

Watching He Yuzhu vent his anger for her, Shen Guixiang's eyes turned red with joy. She lowered her voice and said to her sister, "Guizhi, I'm so happy today. These few scoundrels have been bullying us for many years. Our family originally had a brick house, but it was forcibly snatched away by them..."

Shen Guizhi said with a hint of pride, "I won't hide it from you, my husband and my son are both from military backgrounds; they have fiery tempers and never let themselves be taken advantage of. Their personalities are not quite the same as us in the Shen Family..."

Shen Guixiang suddenly grabbed her sister's hand, her voice filled with a hint of pleading: "Sister, my son and grandson are stuck like this for the rest of their lives. But my two little granddaughters are still young; if they could get a good education, could you take them away?"

Shen Guizhi glared at her: "Do you think I was joking when I said I wanted to take you away? I really intend to take you with me. Before, I was only eighty percent determined, but now I'm one hundred percent. What kind of people are in your village?"

Shen Guixiang sighed: "It was fine when the old Village Chief was around, but now that his nephew is the Village Chief, it's far worse. He only does things that benefit him, and avoids anything that doesn't. We've talked to him several times about this usury business, but he doesn't care at all."

"If your son and grandson are too attached to their homeland and don't want to go to Si Jiu Cheng, then they can go to Zhouzhuang to help us look after the house," Shen Guizhi said.

Although Shen Guixiang hadn't fared well over the years, her family was not poor when she was young; they were a proper, wealthy family that did big business. Hearing her sister's sincerity, she lowered her head and thought for a moment, then nodded heavily: "Sister, I'll listen to you. I'll ask my son and grandson later to see what they choose."

Xiaohuzi was pressed into the mud and stopped yelling, starting to beg for mercy: "Big Brother, let me go. I'll just take the principal back from Sun Pozi's money."

He Yuzhu laughed: "Today, I insist on paying you five thousand to confirm your usury."

Xiaohuzi knew he had provoked a tough nut to crack this time and hurriedly begged for mercy: "Big Brother, actually... actually, our family and Sun Pozi's family are cousins; we're considered one family. Please, for her sake, spare us!"

As soon as He Yuzhu heard this, he kicked him square in the chest, sending him flying several meters away: "You bastard! You're cousins and you still charge her mother-fucking usury?"

Xiaohuzi took a hard fall this time, landing in the mud, and couldn't climb back up for a long time.

Seeing that his mother and the others had already boarded the car, He Yuzhu waved at the security guards.

The security guards left the thugs on the ground, quickly got into the cars, and drove away.

By the time the Village Chief arrived, only Xiaohuzi and his gang were left sitting on the ground, groaning.

Xiaohuzi cried with a mournful face: "Third Uncle! The relatives who came from Sun Pozi's house beat us up. You have to stand up for me! Go report them to the police and have them arrested."

The Village Chief laughed and said unhurriedly: "Sun Yuliang, I don't know what kind of background those people have, but every car they drive is worth over a million. Can I afford to provoke people like that?"

"You're the Village Chief! People in the village were beaten, you can't just ignore it!" a little thug shouted.

"You bastards are charging usury; if I really report it to the police, the first ones they'll arrest are you. Sun Pozi's family is already miserable enough, why are you still bullying them?"

Xiaohuzi grew anxious: "Third Uncle, the money I lent out includes your principal; you aren't clean either!"

The Village Chief's face darkened, and he snorted coldly: "When I put up the principal, I told you that this money was to help others with business turnover, not for you to use to swindle poor people like Sun Pozi. You're making money off Sun Pozi—that's too wicked. Do you have the face to face your Sixth Brother?"

Xiaohuzi cursed: "Third Uncle's mouth is a lying devil. He takes his share of the money, but in the blink of an eye, it's all high-minded principles."

He Yuzhu and his group drove straight back to their base—Kunshan.

By the time they reached Xiangjiang Dajiulou, it was already past six in the evening.

He Daqing, Lin Wanning, and the others who hadn't gone to the village had already prepared the meal, and six tables were set up in the lobby. The dishes were piled high—the most famous local Yangcheng Lake hairy crabs, Wansantui, roast goose, white-sauce river eel, as well as beef and mutton, filling the entire table.

Looking at the table full of fish and meat, Shen Guixiang's voice trembled slightly: "Guizhi, I feel like I've returned to my childhood. All these years, I haven't eaten such good things..."

Shen Guizhi patted her hand and said with a smile: "Don't worry, from now on it will be good days like this; don't worry about money anymore."

Sun Xi and Sun Ying, the two little girls, stared at the table full of food, their mouths almost watering. But the two children were very sensible; they just watched and none of them reached out.

Shen Guizhi picked up her chopsticks, placed a piece of Wansantui into each of the children's bowls, and said softly: "Girls, come, eat some meat first."

After the meal, the group stayed at the hotel.

He Yuzhu settled his family in, but he secretly drove out. He found a secluded spot by the water and released Elize from the space.

This time, He Yuzhu didn't waste words with him; he pressed his head directly into the water. Once, twice, three times... after pressing him down more than a dozen times in a row, Elize finally couldn't take it anymore, struggling desperately and begging for mercy, indicating his willingness to cooperate.

Only then did He Yuzhu let go, immediately taking out a satellite phone and tossing it to him, telling him to report to headquarters: he had found the trail of Shadow and would go to Hong Kong immediately to arrange an arrest.

Elize was a smart man; he knew that in his current situation, no one could save him. It was better to listen to this man and live comfortably for one day at a time.

Seeing that he was sensible, He Yuzhu waited for him to finish the call and then put him back into the space.

Early the next morning, the He Family went to the Shen Family cemetery near Zhouzhuang to pay respects to their ancestors.

He Yuzhu had Shen Wenyu set up new tombstones for the Shen Family ancestors.

When Shen Guizhi's parents passed away, Japan had already occupied Si Jiu Cheng, and it was impossible to transport the remains to the south, so they had to be buried in Si Jiu Cheng.

Therefore, the cemetery here only contained the ancestors before Shen Guizhi's grandfather.

After some discussion, Shen Guixiang's son and grandson were both willing to stay in Zhouzhuang to help look after the house.

Shen Guizhi agreed as well—after all, once the old house was renovated, someone had to keep an eye on it. In the future, when they returned, they could stay at home.

Only then did Shen Guixiang completely set her mind at ease.

Her two great-granddaughters—Sun Ying and Sun Xi—soon started playing with Zhou Wei and He Duoduo.

The four children were not far apart in age, so they had companions now and were incredibly lively.

At first, Sun Ying and Sun Xi were a bit shy, but with the mediation of that little rascal Zhou Wei, the group quickly closed the distance and became good friends.