"The scene was too chaotic; even if they tried to explain, they probably wouldn't be able to give a coherent account. Since you reported the incident, you should clearly explain the situation in detail, without any bias!"

The captain didn't know the specifics either, since when he arrived, the Li family members had already been beaten so badly their brains were practically turned into pig brains.

He could only briefly describe what he had seen after arriving, and then asked who had been watching the commotion the longest, to explain the situation clearly.

A group of village women were chattering away at the same time, and the policeman felt his ears ringing and his head was about to get tangled from the noise.

"Let one representative step forward and speak! After they've finished, you can then add the details!"

The village women looked at each other, and finally all their eyes fell on the youngest daughter-in-law.

Firstly, young people have stronger communication skills, and secondly, the young woman had only recently married into the village and was not yet familiar with the villagers, so she spoke more fairly.

However, the chosen young wife didn't think that way. She had no business dealings with Li Dafu's family, and on the contrary, they ruined the cloth purchase, so she naturally felt resentful.

Now that he sees that his words have the potential to become evidence, he speaks out directly:

"Officer, it's because Old Madam Li can't stand seeing Uncle Cai working for the benefit of the whole village. She's too ashamed to spend money to buy cloth herself, so she stands at the door making fun of people, criticizing each one who comes out."

The old lady of the Li family almost had her eyes pop out of their sockets.

What is this young wife talking about?!

Isn't this perjury?

The young woman didn't care about the old lady's murderous gaze. She crossed her arms and didn't bother to point at her, as if it would dirty her hands. She just gestured with her chin.

"That plump auntie only said a few fair words, and then the old lady of the Li family spread rumors that she and Uncle Youcai were having an affair."

Then he looked at Zhao Youcai, who was sitting in a chair with his eyes closed, and said, "Afterwards, Uncle Youcai came out to check the situation and was knocked unconscious by them."

Li Erfu panicked and his eyes darted around, pointing to the fire poker that had fallen to the ground.

"You're talking nonsense! Uncle Cai clearly hit me with a fire poker! The fire poker on the ground is the evidence!"

The third brother, Zhao Jianhua, is quick-witted but even quicker-tongued. For years he's been a petty thief and scoundrel, and he has a whole repertoire of excuses for getting him exonerated. He doesn't even need to think; he just spouts whatever comes to mind.

“My dad is old, what’s wrong with him using a cane when he goes out? What elderly person doesn’t use a cane?”

“The crutches we had before stopped working, and we were planning to save up to buy a better one at the town hospital. Didn’t you brothers swindle that one ten-yuan bill from us? Are you jealous of our fabric business and trying to extort money from us again?”

The police then noticed that the women around them were all holding cloths, and they remembered what they had heard earlier that day when they took the bureau leaders to the textile factory.

It turns out that the old man who took all the defective fabric was Zhao Youcai right in front of us!

Seeing the person in question right in front of them, even the police officers were incredibly envious that Zhao Youcai had managed to obtain authorization from the textile factory to sell this batch of fabric.

This is practically the only legal way to do business in this era.

With the textile factory's authorization, no one dared to say that Zhao Youcai's sale of cloth was speculation and profiteering.

Zhao Jianhua continued, "Your Li Dafu went to the hospital for a checkup, but he didn't even stay. What? A checkup costs ten yuan?"

Li Erfu was trembling with anger. "Our family can't afford to be hospitalized! How can one yuan be enough for hospitalization? Besides, doesn't it cost money to go home and recuperate? Doesn't it cost money to not be able to work for so many days and earn work points?"

Zhao Jianhua sneered, "Why don't you pick on someone else? Why go after my second brother, who has the worst temper? Isn't it because you know my father has money that you're doing this on purpose?"

Zhao Jianhua then looked at the police, "My dad told us last time that we can't interfere with the police's investigation; the police have it tough. Last time was a lesson learned for my second brother's impulsiveness, and I hope our whole family will remember it. But this time, our dad was wronged, and we absolutely can't let it go like this!"

If Zhao Youcai didn't have to continue pretending to be weak, he would have really given his third son a thumbs up right now.

Seeing that things were not going well, Li Dafu's mother immediately turned her attention to Aunt Ba and the other scratching village women.

Unfortunately, before she could even utter a word, she was intimidated by a single look from the police officer.

"The matter is already very clear, so stop making a fuss here, Old Mrs. Li! If your family were really in the right, why is the whole village bullying you?"

"Think carefully about what heinous things you did that angered everyone and made you think you were right, and you even want us police officers to testify for you. Do you really think you can make a fool of us?"

Li Dafu's mother was almost in tears from grievance. What kind of situation is this?!

She just wanted to vent her anger and said a few sarcastic things, how did it escalate to this point?

The most infuriating part was yet to come; the lead policeman then said—

"Since Li Dafu's injuries are not that serious, the remaining money, except for the cost of the hospital check-up, should be returned to Zhao Youcai. As for today's matter, let's consider it a settlement among all of you, and we'll waive the compensation."

After all, they've all taken action; if we really start investigating, it'll be a never-ending mess.

With so many leaders in town, we absolutely cannot afford to cause any scandals that would embarrass the police station.

Li Dafu's mother closed her eyes, intending to deny everything and claim that all the money was gone.

Unexpectedly, the police officer was also quite serious and greeted the young police officer standing nearby.

"Go to the hospital where Li Dafu had his check-up last time, and make a copy of all of Li Dafu's medical records and expense receipts from that hospital and send them over."

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