Chapter 480

Zhang Guilian watched the one‑by‑one outsiders surrounding her leave, ran to greet Li Ping's party, and seeing their enthusiastic demeanor before Li Ping's group, her eyes were filled with unmistakable anger.

She had just slipped close to that group and, when she spoke ill of her older brother Zhang Deben, used a bit of trickery.

If she hadn't revealed her identity as the sister of the newly appointed Lion Ridge Mountain God, Zhang Deben, the villagers would have clearly been dissatisfied with the slanders she said about De Ben.

She feared she would be beaten up on the spot.

"You bunch of sycophants who step on the low to climb the high!"

Zhang Guilian muttered under her breath. As for the group of outsiders gathered around Li Ping's party to greet them, her face was full of unmistakable anger. Had she not had her own scheme, when she saw those outsiders' expressions she would not even want to acknowledge them, let alone speak ill of her older brother, and she said:

"There will be a day when you will regret!"

Having said that, Zhang Guilian's gaze, when it fell on Li Ping's party, couldn't help but show a hint of panic on her face.

She had not forgotten that just now she had continuously recited slanders about her older brother De Ben; Li Ping is De Ben's wife, and Zhang Guihua is De Ben's younger sister.

Who knows whether these two scoundrels will cause her trouble.

Even if her older brother stepped forward to defend her, it would be useless!

But.

What disappointed Zhang Guilian was that, under her worried gaze, Li Ping and Zhang Guihua, those two scoundrels, not only did not come to take revenge, they didn't even acknowledge her, not even a glance.

They completely ignored her, as if the Mountain God Temple had no person named Zhang Guilian at all.

"Good, good, good… I told you, these past days I have not ceased to flatter you, yet not a single one of you is willing to step forward and defend my family Du Guan and Wenxuan."

"I consider that after all these years I have done nothing wrong to you, yet you look down on me just because your family Zhang Deben became the Lion Ridge Mountain God?"

Seeing Li Ping and Zhang Guihua completely ignore her, Zhang Guilian's heart did not relax; instead it filled with boundless fury. She snarled, speaking in a low voice:

"If you can manage the first day, then don't blame me for the fifteenth; there will be a day you regret, a day you kneel before me and beg!"

"Zhang Li—no, Madam Zhang, how is the statue I carved? Not bad, right?"

An older, yet still rather burly man approached Li Ping, and after everyone around had finished greeting Li Ping's party, he beamed with pride.

Li Ping did not rush to reply; instead she looked up at the nearby three‑meter‑tall statue, which seemed to have carved her husband's middle‑aged likeness in a majestic, imposing manner. Tears welled in her eyes, and she instinctively said:

"Master Qi, your craftsmanship is truly unrivaled; I'm afraid no one in the whole Qingyang County can match you. You have carved De Ben so well that with just a few words from us, you have captured his visage!"

Qi Wenshan, originally named Qi Wenshan, is a renowned stone statue sculptor in Qingyang County; his skill is superb, but his fees are also very high.

At first.

When the Zhang family considered having a Mountain God Statue carved for De Ben, they did not think of Qi Wenshan; they just wanted to find any master craftsman.

It was then the Village Chief of Zhang Family Village, upon learning they wanted a Mountain God Statue for De Ben, came and recommended Qi Wenshan, saying that having Qi Wenshan carve De Ben's Mountain God Temple would be most appropriate.

Of course.

Zhang Yongde also knew that Qi Wenshan's fees were very steep; the De Ben family was relatively wealthy in Zhang Family Village, but still not enough to afford Qi Wenshan to come and carve the statue.

He suggested that the cost for Qi Wenshan to carve the statue for De Ben be raised collectively by the people of Zhang Family Village.

Every household contributed a bit; the richer gave more, the poorer gave less. This matter…

Li Ping was initially opposed, for after all De Ben's affairs, their family had no heir, how could they let others pay? Yet she was eventually persuaded by Zhang Yongde.

Facing the fundraising to invite Qi Wenshan to carve De Ben's statue, there were indeed some dissenting voices among the villagers of Zhang Family Village, but the majority agreed.

One cannot say they were all visionary, but at least they were not short‑sighted, understanding the benefits that De Ben becoming the Lion Ridge Mountain God would bring to the whole Zhang Family Village.

It was proper for every household to contribute money and invite Qi Wenshan to carve De Ben's statue.

"Madam Zhang, this is my craft for earning a living, how could it be lacking?"

Qi Wenshan's face was full of arrogance as he said, "Otherwise how could I possibly justify the high price you pay to bring me here?"

An elder of Zhang Family Village stepped forward and asked, "Li Ping, it's getting late, do you think De Ben's deity‑making ceremony can be prepared to start?"

"Uncle, this matter is to be presided over by the Village Chief; we'll discuss it when the Village Chief arrives!" Li Ping replied.

Li Ping responded.

This novel you to.

For De Ben's deity‑making ceremony, Zhang Yongde suggested that her eldest son Zhang Chengze preside, but she refused.

Her eldest son has some reputation in Zhang Family Village, but he is still too young; there are many elders older than him in the village.

How could a junior be allowed to preside over such an important affair?

In the past.

Whenever Zhang Family Village had a grand event, it was mostly presided over by Zhang Yongde; she did not want to leave, so she handed De Ben's deity‑making ceremony over to Zhang Yongde to preside.

Not to mention.

Zhang Yongde truly lives up to being the Village Chief of Zhang Family Village; having presided over countless major events, he handled De Ben's deity‑making ceremony in an orderly manner.

"Yongde…"

An elder of Zhang Family Village was about to call Zhang Yongde, but did not see his figure inside the Mountain God Temple, frowned and said:

"He was just inside the Mountain God Temple a moment ago, how is he gone now? I wonder what he's busy with."

Li Ping naturally knew that Zhang Yongde should be outside the Mountain God Temple at this time, entertaining the lord who came from the county seat, but she did not answer, instead changed her words:

"It should be that someone is bringing our village's bedridden elders, or postpartum women, to bring their newborns here to attend De Ben's deity‑making ceremony!"

"Isn't that overreaching?"

Not only this elder of Zhang Family Village, but also the other elders nearby, upon hearing Li Ping's words, were all dissatisfied with Zhang Yongde, speaking harshly:

"Are bedridden patients and women in confinement something you can just call upon at will? If something goes wrong, what will he do!"

Li Ping exclaimed, "Uncle and elder‑brothers, don't you know that De Ben's deity‑making ceremony will bring a divine rain?"

(End of chapter)