Upon hearing Liu Yuxiu's words, Liu Dagai frowned and immediately cursed, "You're really like a married daughter, water spilled from a cup! Now you're siding with outsiders, you stupid thing! I was doing all this for you!"

Liu Yuxiu wasn't angry. After watching her father finish his rant, she slowly said, "It's not that I don't want you to do it, it's just that this can't be done this way!"

After hearing their daughter's whispered explanation, Liu Dagai and Shan Yongju smiled broadly, praising her repeatedly, "My daughter is so smart!"

With Liu Yuxiu keeping a close eye on the construction team's pace, and finding a time when work was stopped to trick Li Yuan into leaving, Liu Dagai easily completed his task.

To be honest, Liu Dagai was all talk and no action. Despite his high spirits before he started, he chickened out as soon as he entered Li Xiangdong's house and didn't follow Liu Dagai's instructions to bury himself in the ground on both sides of the gate.

He quickly picked up a brick still covered in cement that hadn't completely hardened, put the knife in it, and ran away in a flash.

It is said that ever since he put down the knife, he has been having nightmares every night, dreaming that Li Xiangdong and his men are blocking his way.

Looking at the old man who was constantly filled with anxiety, Shan Yongju encouraged him, "What are you still afraid of? Wasn't it your grandfather who planted the scissors at that landlord's house? Look, the landlord's family is all dead, but our family is fine, isn't it?"

Liu Dagai straightened his hunched back and scolded Shan Yongju, "Don't go around spreading rumors!"

...

Li Xiangdong now knows that Pan Jixian has returned. In his previous life, this guy mainly operated in Henan Province and became the richest man in the area. It is said that he was also involved in organized crime.

"I suspect he wanted to make me angry so I would hit Liu Dagai. Then he would have Wang Shuli instigate Liu Dagai to sue me."

Li Xiangdong and Li Jin analyzed the possible developments of the situation, saying, "Of course, this may just be a starting point."

"His most likely goal is to find out what's wrong with our team and then take decisive action to bring you down."

Li Jin frowned. "He just got back. How could he possibly know so much about what's going on in our brigade?"

"Father, some things, regardless of right or wrong."

Li Xiangdong looked out the window. The June weather was already getting warm, and the roses outside the window were blooming beautifully, with little butterflies flitting about.

"Secretary Liu is being transferred."

"What?!"

Li Jin almost dropped the cup in his hand.

His expression changed instantly. "Where are you being transferred to? Is it a lateral move or a promotion?"

Of course, there is another possibility that he dares not and does not want to say: that he has been demoted.

Despite being well-loved in Huichuan County, Liu Donglai was an anomaly in the broader social context.

Who would openly encourage farmers to develop private economy? Although Liu Donglai used the banner of collective mutual assistance, anyone with eyes could see that this was just a charade.

Li Xiangdong said in a somber tone, "I don't know yet."

The scariest thing is not knowing yet.

Although all of Li Jiapo's businesses have complete and legal permits, it is easy to find a pretext to accuse someone.

Sometimes, it's not about whether something is right or wrong, but about the outcome of the power struggle above.

If Liu Donglai steps down in disgrace, then Li Jiapo, as one of his key protégés, will not be far from falling from power.

For the first time since his rebirth, Li Xiangdong deeply felt the passivity of having no control over his own destiny.

This feeling is very unpleasant.

There are still two years before the state allows the existence of individual businesses, and in these two years, the voices criticizing the individual economy are still very strong.

These days, Li Xiangdong has been racking his brains trying to figure out how to resolve the current predicament of Liu Donglai and Lijiapo, and how to accelerate the process of legalizing the individual economy.

Compared to these, the matter of casting a spell on a demon is extremely minor.

However, Li Xiangdong wouldn't tolerate these people's arrogance. It's better to nip such sibling rivalry in the bud.

So, the next day, Li Jin, for the first time ever, called Li Weijun and Liu Yuxiu home, and gathered more than thirty people from the village. They carried a pot full of oil and went to Guanyutai in a grand procession.

Everyone else was confused, but Liu Yuxiu's face kept changing color the whole way.

Li Jin called out to Ma Jinfu and arrived at Liu Dagai's house with gongs and drums.

The place was so lively that almost everyone at the Fish Viewing Platform came out to watch the spectacle.

A large crowd gathered in front of Liu Dagai's house, bustling about.

Liu Dagai was leaning against the kang (heated brick bed) with his eyes closed, humming a song with his hands tucked in his pocket, when he heard a commotion outside.

He slipped on his shoes and went outside, only to bump into Li Jin as he entered the house. He was so startled that he almost fell to the ground!

Li Jin ignored him and had someone place a pot full of oil in the center of the courtyard, then lit a fire to heat the oil.

Everyone was puzzled and started whispering among themselves, "What is Captain Li up to?"

"Is there too much oil at home that you can't finish, so you're giving it to his in-laws?"

"You know what, it might actually be true!"

"Delivering oil is fine, but did you have to send the pot too? And you even called our brigade leader? Hmph, I think this is more than you think!"

The oil in the pot quickly boiled, bubbling and steaming.

At this moment, Liu Dage was also summoned.

His eyes darted around, and he said to Ma Jinfu with a fake smile, "Uncle, your sister just finished cooking, and we're about to eat. What's the matter that you had to call me over?"

Ma Jinfu glanced at his troublesome cousin-in-law and said, "It'll only be a little while, it won't delay you from finishing your meal and getting to work!"

Liu Dage choked and awkwardly stood next to Liu Dagai.

Li Jin coughed, and the entire room immediately fell silent, everyone wanting to see what Li Jin was going to do.

"Fellow villagers of Guanyutai, I'm here today for no other reason than to learn a trick to break the curse a few days ago!"

These words caused an uproar in the room, like water droplets falling into a pot of oil!

The faces of the Liu brothers, Da Gai and Da Ge, turned pale instantly.

Ma Jinfu glared at the two of them and spat, "What a family with wicked intentions!"

Li Jin continued, "We all know about the Liu family who were cursed. In fact, Liu the landlord and Liu Dagai were family."

Li Jin's eyes swept over the Liu brothers, Liu Dagai and Liu Dage, as if they were made of ice.

"As the saying goes, one should not have the heart to harm others, but one must be wary of others. In order to prevent anyone from using such despicable tricks again, today I will tell everyone the ultimate method to break the curse!"

After saying that, Li Jin beckoned, and Li Xiangchao handed over something wrapped in red cloth.

Li Jin took it, pulled back the red cloth, and there were two quenched knives!

Li Jin wielded two knives and twirled them swiftly at the Liu brothers!

Then,.

Clang~

Clang~

After two sounds, both knives were thrown into the boiling oil!