Chapter 56: Trying to Harm Others, Ends Up Harming Self

Chen Dafu nodded, "Certain! I went and took a look around, and I found mouse holes and mouse droppings in all eight mu of land."

"It's strange—other people's places are fine, only ours has this problem."

Gu Xixi pondered, "Did you see any mice in the fields the past two days?"

Chen Dafu said, "I haven't seen any, that's why I said it's strange."

"I've farmed half my life, and I hate mice the most; whenever I see one I kill it on the spot—how could I wait for them to suddenly swarm the fields like this?"

Gu Xixi mused, "I know Chen Shu is meticulous."

"I think these mice didn't come on their own; it seems someone deliberately released them."

"What?!" Chen Dafu was stunned.

He shouted loudly, "Who's so depraved to dump mice in someone else's field? Aren't they afraid the flood will wash away their ancestors' graves, or that they'll have sons without assholes?!"

Gu Xixi gestured for him to lower his voice, "We don't know who did it yet; for now it's just you and me who know—don't shout it out."

Chen Dafu obediently fell silent, "Master, do you want to go take a look now?"

Gu Xixi nodded, "Let's go."

After walking around, we discovered that the mouse holes were all located at the edge of the fields beside the road.

If a mouse plague were to strike, it should be causing damage everywhere without any pattern.

This further confirmed Gu Xixi's suspicion.

Seeing the millet gnawed apart, Chen Dafu clenched his teeth in anguish, "I just had them pour water into the mouse holes to see if we could flush them out and catch them."

"It's just a shame about this millet; if I knew who did it, I'd surely..."

Gu Xixi comforted, "Fortunately you noticed it in time; this loss is negligible."

Chen Dafu nodded and said resentfully, "We must get rid of them all today."

The hired workers temporarily set aside their farm work to focus on dealing with the mice.

Some even divided their own rations to use as bait, vowing to end the battle completely before nightfall.

Gu Xixi returned home and told Mu Nan Zhao about this.

Mu Nan Zhao immediately went out and didn't return until after lunchtime.

He took a sip of water and said, "As you expected, Gu Tiezhu went to Shitou Village yesterday morning."

"After he left, someone noticed that a bag used for holding mice was missing one, but no one paid it much mind."

Gu Xixi sneered, "After all, who besides him would bring such filthy stuff into our own village?"

"He only thinks about revenge on me; doesn't he realize this harms others and brings no benefit to himself?"

Mu Nan Zhao replied indifferently, "How could he possibly think of all that? Unless..."

His gaze shifted, meeting Gu Xixi's eyes.

At this moment, without words, they knew they were thinking the same thing.

At dusk, Chen Dafu brought good news, "All twenty-five mice have been caught, and their holes have been filled in."

"We were worried some might have escaped, so we searched back and forth several times, making sure not a single one remained."

Fortunately, Gu Tiezhu, feeling guilty as a thief, took only this many mice.

Eight able-bodied laborers joined forces to besiege them all day, finally eliminating the menace.

Chen Dafu set down a bag, "Master, this is what you wanted."

He grinned, somewhat pleased with himself, "I specially picked the ten fattest, strongest ones."

Gu Xixi also smiled, "Thanks for your effort; tonight we'll test the medicine on them."

One night passed.

The morning tranquility of Huachi Du Cun was shattered by a woman's piercing scream.

Zhang Shen went to the fields to pick vegetables, and on the way back brought a somewhat shocking yet deeply satisfying piece of news.

"Gu Lao San's house is overrun with mice! It happened just before dawn!"

First, Gu Tiezhu was asleep when a fat mouse fell from the beams and landed in his crotch.

Then the hens in the chicken coop squawked and flapped wildly, having been bitten by the mice and flying about in panic.

Gu Lao San and his wife were awakened by their son's frantic shouting and the hens' cries; when they came out to look, the sight frightened them so much they lost two of their three souls.

Gu Tiezhu's pants were torn by the mice; as he ran out the door he stumbled and fainted.

In the chicken coop, there were four hens; three were badly bitten, and one frightened itself to death by crashing into something.

Even more horrifying, the misbehaving mice suddenly had their eyes bulge and blood spray from their mouths and noses.

Liu Shi let out a miserable scream and collapsed to the ground, but she did not lose consciousness as she wished.

She could only watch helplessly as the mice twitched on the ground, dying in a gruesome manner.

It is said that Gu Lao San was the first to react, stumbling off to the granary.

Upon seeing that the mice had eaten and ruined a third of the wheat, he fainted on the spot; later he was carried out by several neighbors.

As Zhang Shen spoke, she didn't notice that everyone else in the family—aside from her—had expressions that weren't particularly surprised.

Gu Xixi asked, "How is Gu Tiezhu doing?"

Zhang Shen waved her hand, "Nothing much—he's gone mad."

Gu Xixi was astonished, "They're all mad, and yet you say it's nothing?"

Zhang Shen couldn't hold back her laughter, saying, "Speaking of this, it's truly deeply satisfying."

"When Lao Qian rushed to his house, Gu Tiezhu had woken up, pointing at Lao Qian and saying it was the mice."

"He also cried and laughed while shouting, 'I dare not release mice again; please spare me!'"

"Lao Qian saw how severely Gu Tiezhu had gone mad, pulled a long face, called Gu Lao San and his wife to the side, and said their family's misfortune was entirely self-inflicted."

"Someone heard that it seemed Gu Tiezhu himself had stolen a bag of mice from a neighboring village; Lao Qian went this morning to see the village chief of Shitou Village to discuss something else, but ended up hearing about this instead."

Zhang Shen shook her head, sighing, "Why does Gu Tiezhu keep clashing with his own family?"

"He must have gone mad long ago, sigh, no wonder Gu Lao San, upon learning the truth, fainted from anger—having such a son, who could bear it?"

Mu Nan Zhao said lightly, "The rats are all at his place; none ran outside?"

Zhang Shen thought for a moment, "Hmm, I haven't heard anyone say they saw dead rats on the road."

Mu Nan Zhao gave a slight nod, his expression relaxing.

It seems the position he chose last night was quite suitable.

Lao Langzhong asked, "Did all the rats die after the commotion?"

"Yes." Zhang Shen wondered, "Why are you suddenly so concerned about his family's affairs?"

Gu Xixi and Lao Langzhong waved their hands in unison.

"No, no, just curious."

Mu Nan Zhao lowered his head to flip through a book, appearing utterly upright.

Last night, in order to repay evil with evil, after asking Lao Langzhong, Gu Xixi obtained a poison that makes rats go mad first and then drop dead on the spot after an incense stick's worth of time.

After all, it was hard-won; she didn't want the rats to run wild and harm innocent people.

The facts proved that this medicine was indeed effective.

Gu Xixi still wanted to ask Lao Langzhong for some more, "Master..."

As soon as she opened her mouth, she was refused: "No, do you know how much precious medicinal material I used for this?"

Moreover, it is originally a medicinal guide, meant for saving people.

"Last night I made an exception and let you take it to poison the rats, but as your master I cannot stand by while others bully you!"

Gu Xixi had no choice but to give up the idea, "Master treats me the best; I will surely study pharmacy diligently under you."

Gu Tiezhu became insane and foolish, no longer able to harbor malicious thoughts.

Gu Lao San also fell ill.

Adding to that, his son had done such a shameful thing; he couldn't face people, even refusing neighbors' visits.

Only Lady Liu ran around the village, telling everyone that the rats were summoned by Gu Xixi and Chen Fang.