Chapter 55: The Meat Must Stay in the Pot

(Please give recommendation votes, ah ah ah!)

Accompanied by a thunderous roar, the villagers gathered around the Zhong household parted of their own accord, and a young man strode through the crowd, walking in with great strides.

He had run all the way back, beads of sweat dotting his forehead, his eyes cold as they swept over anyone who dared block his path. That short sword was already gripped in his hand, only not yet drawn from its scabbard…

Yet even so, Heifu's arrival was enough to make the villagers tremble with fear.

It was said he could fight three men at once and send brigands fleeing with their tails between their legs.

It was said he could seize a bare blade with his bare hands — if that short sword were drawn, what then?

The crowd, hearts seized with dread, retreated to the side of their own accord, letting Heifu walk unimpeded straight before the Village Head!

The Village Head also retreated several steps involuntarily, his face stricken with terror, only to find that Heifu treated him as if he were air, walking directly to the door of his home and bowing deeply to Zhong.

"Elder Brother, your younger brother has returned!"

Heifu had once imagined how far matters might develop, and had even prepared himself for the treadle pestle to be taken away. But what he had never, ever expected was that at this very moment, his seemingly cowardly and honest elder brother would erupt with a long-dormant bloody courage…

Heifu had learned from reciting the statutes that, more serious than stealing mulberry leaves or picking locks, if one dared enter another's house without announcing oneself — trespassing into a private dwelling — then the intruder's fate would become uncertain.

For the Theft Statutes say: "He who without cause enters another's chamber, house, or dwelling, boards another's cart or boat, or lays hands on a person intending to commit a crime, at that moment may be struck down and killed, without guilt."

"At that moment" means instantly, right then, striking at once — it emphasizes immediacy and presence at the scene, equivalent to granting the master of the house unlimited right of defense!

Zhong had probably memorized this line while helping him recite, but the statutes permitting it was one thing; facing the Village Head inciting the crowd to force the door, and bravely standing forth to stop them, was another matter entirely.

Zhong had done it. He kept his word. When Heifu was not at home, he was the pillar of the household, using his not-at-all-tall frame to guard this family's safety.

"Good that you're back. Mother and the others are all unharmed."

Zhong smiled. Having shouted so fiercely with such force just now, he felt all his strength had drained away in that instant. Now he was somewhat unsteady on his feet, and sat down directly on the threshold.

As expected, this sort of thing really wasn't suited for him to do after all. Better to leave it to his younger brother to handle.

"Elder Brother, set your mind at ease. This matter, leave it to me to deal with!"

Heifu bowed again to his elder brother, rose, and swept his gaze over the crowd.

"All of you are neighbors of Sunset Village. Over these past ten-odd years, I, Heifu, dare say I have never slighted any of you. Yet today, you come to surround my family's door, press my elder brother, intimidate my old mother and young nephew, and seek to seize my family's property — what is the reason for this?"

The villagers were all silent, shame rising in their hearts, all avoiding Heifu's eyes, and at the same time turning their heads toward the Village Head.

The Village Head's face was stiff as he forced himself to say, "Heifu, we only came to advise your brother to bring out that rice-pounding implement and let everyone have a look…"

Heifu cut off the Village Head's words without the slightest courtesy, saying loudly, "The cause of this matter I already know. I understand that the neighbors did not intentionally seek to make trouble for my family, but were deceived by a petty man's instigation."

He glared at the Village Head, pointed at his own family's threshold, and said, "I, Heifu, lay these words right here: if you all stop at this point, each return to your own homes, then I shall treat this as if it never happened. From now on, we can still continue to be neighbors!"

"But if any, failing to recognize good from bad, dare to cross even half a step over my family's threshold — that person shall be the enemy of me, Heifu, Chief of Huyang Station!"

"Chief of Huyang Station?!"

Hearing this, the crowd was even more shocked and fearful. When had this Heifu become a Station Chief? How did they not know?

The Village Head's eyes also widened as he rebuked, "Heifu, you dare impersonate an official — do you know what crime this is…" He directed his own several field slaves: "Quickly, seize this bold villain who impersonates an official!"

The field slaves, fearing Heifu's fierce reputation, not a single one dared step forward.

"This old man can bear witness — Heifu's post as Station Chief is no impersonation!"

An aged voice rang out. The crowd turned their heads and saw the Village Gatekeeper and Jing returning together. They were also supporting an old man dressed in silk robes and wearing a board-shaped cap on his head. Someone with sharp eyes immediately recognized him — wasn't this Elder Yan of Bian Village!

"How has Lord Yan come…" The Village Head also knew Yan Zheng, and hurriedly forced a smile as he stepped forward…

Yan Zheng, however, was full of disgust, and raised his pigeon-staff, making the Village Head stop in his tracks.

"Heifu has already been conscripted by the county as Chief of Huyang Station. He can assume the post after passing the assessment on the first day of the twelfth month. For this past half-month, he has been studying the statutes under this old man. Village Head of Sunset Village, did none of you know this?"

This matter was confirmed by Yan Zheng. This old man was of high virtue and great prestige; the crowd dared not disbelieve, and they looked at one another, their faces turning pale.

To bear a grudge against a man of the first rank — that was nothing. But to be marked with hatred by a Station Chief — that was greatly ominous!

"There really is such a thing…" The Village Head panicked, seeming to recall the words Heifu had spoken to him that day beside the fields…

If Heifu could truly become a Station Chief, wouldn't this official post be greater than his own?

Then he himself had made things difficult for their family several times before, and now had even torn all face and blockaded their door — had he not thoroughly forged a mortal enmity?

Although Yan Zheng was not a person of this village, he had served as a Township Thrice Venerable and commanded great respect. In rebuking the Village Head, he showed not the slightest mercy!

"As Village Head, you were supposed to govern the locality, bring harmony to the villagers, and keep neighbors free of strife. Yet you wantonly incited the crowd to riot, and even sought, without permission, to enter another's dwelling and seize their property. Though not accomplished, there was intent. In our Qin, intent is itself a crime!"

Yan Zheng struck his pigeon-staff heavily upon the ground, the sound striking a chill deep into the Village Head's heart, and said with a cold sneer, "I see that your post as Village Head has reached its end!"

"This…"

The Village Head's face instantly turned ashen. He leaned against the mulberry tree, nearly unable to stand steady.

While Yan Zheng was angrily rebuking the Village Head over there, everyone present was also filled with regret, lamenting that in a moment of hot-headedness they had accompanied the Village Head in stirring up a hornet's nest. What were they to do now?

Heifu watched the regret appear on everyone's faces. Although he knew that most of them had been incited, in his heart he still harbored some secret hatred toward these people.

But Zhong tugged at Heifu from behind again, saying that this matter still needed a proper conclusion; otherwise, their family's situation in the village would truly be somewhat awkward from now on.

"After all, they are fellow villagers and neighbors. You know Mother — she too would not want things to become too ugly." Zhong's heart was still too soft; he always liked to choose forgiveness in neighborhood disputes.

Although Heifu was somewhat unwilling, after a sigh, he still listened to his elder brother's words. He suppressed the anger in his heart, walked into the midst of the crowd, and said loudly, "Fellow villagers!"

Everyone fell silent, watching Heifu.

"In truth, my family does indeed possess a device that can make rice-pounding yield twice the result with half the effort. Its name is the treadle pestle. The reason it was kept secret and not shown to others is not that I was unwilling to share it with fellow villagers and neighbors, but because I, Heifu, did not wish this object to be used merely in one household, one village, one township. I intend to let it spread its benefit across an entire county, an entire commandery, and even the whole realm! I plan to bring the treadle pestle to the county seat and present it to the County Artisan! Everyone, set your minds at ease — within half a month, this object will surely be disseminated throughout the entire county. I, Heifu, guarantee here that our Sunset Village will be the very first place to use it!"

"Heifu's breadth of spirit is generous!"

"Heifu truly thinks for his neighbors…"

"Indeed. We are truly ashamed. We hope Chief Heifu will not hold it against us."

Hearing this, the crowd all spoke out in approval, their words full of flattery.

The old Village Gatekeeper also clapped his hands in praise, and even said loudly, "This journey to the county seat is long and far, and the treadle pestle is heavy. Chief Heifu, why not use my family's ox cart!"

"The Village Gatekeeper's family ox is too old. Chief Heifu, better to use my family's two horses to pull the shaft."

At this moment, the Field Overseer also arrived, having heard the news. He had long forgotten his "help neither side" pledge to the Village Head, and began to smile obsequiously, vying with the Village Gatekeeper to curry favor with Heifu…

This was still an out-of-area Station Chief, who could not govern Sunset Village. If it were a local Station Chief, he would count all the more as their superior officer — an official one rank higher crushes a man to death, and could shout and order the two of them about at will!

As for the village head, who had completely lost his nerve, he had long since fled home in disgrace with his field slave and wife.

This time, the village head tried to steal a chicken only to lose his own bait. Not only was his reputation utterly ruined, but from now on, the Heifu household, with two men holding the rank of Gongshi and one even becoming a Ting Chief, might well replace the village head as the family no one in the village dared to provoke…

The village head no longer cared about any of that. What worried him was that with Yan Zheng backing him, Heifu would surely file a harsh lawsuit against him at the county office! A commoner suing an official was difficult, but an official suing another official was a different matter entirely. How much longer could he hold his post as village head?

……

Elsewhere, the villagers crowded around Heifu, offering him repeated congratulations. Wringing their hands, they stammered out many words of apology. Some men who had just returned home even forced their wives—who had been foolishly stirring up trouble—to their knees to apologize to Heifu and Zhong.

In short, everyone pinned the day's events entirely on the village head, hoping Heifu would not hold a grudge against them.

Heifu did not pay them much attention. He thanked the village gatekeeper and the field clerk for their goodwill, and agreed to use the field clerk's horse hitched to the village gatekeeper's cart to make a trip to the county seat. The two men also scrambled to prepare a travel pass for him; when the village head was unable to handle affairs, the two assistant village officials could also issue letters of introduction.

By this point, the two men were already treating the village head as if he had been dismissed from office.

After that, Heifu told Jing and Yuan to bring out the treadle pestle, while he himself bowed in salute to Yan Zheng. He had not been confident he could persuade Yan Zheng to help, and this time, he owed the Yan clan yet another enormous favor.

"Today, I thank you, Master, for your assistance. Otherwise, how could we have so easily driven off the village head and dispersed the villagers?"

"When a disciple faces trouble, his teacher ought to help. However, you handled today's matter very appropriately—you showed something of the manner of a proper official."

Yan Zheng stroked his beard as he offered praise, then his expression turned serious again. "But Heifu, do you truly intend to go to the county seat to present this treadle pestle? Do you still remember what I discussed with you?"

"Heifu bears it firmly in mind."

Heifu smiled. "So on this trip to the county seat, I am merely going to meet the Chief Clerk and take the official selection examination. As for the person presenting the treadle pestle, it will not be me, but my brother-in-law. His household registration is under the artisan class."

Yan Zheng understood. He burst into hearty laughter, waved his hand, and told Heifu to inform him immediately once there was news. Then, supported by the household's bondservant woman, he departed.

Yuan, who had just carried the treadle pestle out from the side, was stunned by these words and asked, "I have to go too?"

"Brother-in-law, you built this treadle pestle from start to finish. If you don't go, who will?"

As he spoke, Heifu grinned and lent a hand, hoisting the heavy treadle pestle onto the cart. At the same time, he whispered into Yuan's ear:

"A fine cut of meat—rather than letting it go cheap to an outsider, better to keep it in our own pot! If this treadle pestle truly earns a reward, brother-in-law, consider it my belated wedding gift to you and my elder sister!"

PS: Begging for recommendation tickets, ahhhhh!

(End of Chapter)