Chapter 328 This is too much!
Because the existence of the coal mine was confirmed, more than ten people came to the village that day; they were all followers of Lord He.
As soon as the group arrived in the village, they looked for a place to stay and immediately spotted the village head's house... Why not the Cao family's residence? The main reason was that the Cao family's residence was built next to two hundred acres of mulberry trees, and the mulberry grove was on the northern edge, too far from the coal hill to the south. Therefore, the Cao family's residence escaped the fate of being requisitioned.
The village head had originally planned to give up the house for the officials to live in, but as soon as these officials arrived, Zhao Anjiang moved out with his family.
However, the village head's house was too small, and more than ten people couldn't fit in. So, these people went looking for a place to stay closer to home, and that's when they set their sights on the house of Uncle Zhao in the village.
Master Zhao, the village head, and Old Man Zhao are all cousins. He is the second oldest in his generation and is known as Master Zhao.
This Mr. Zhao was considered to be doing quite well in Dahe Village. He was neighbors with the village head, and his house looked similar to the village head's mud-brick house. It was spacious, bright, and very clean, so he naturally attracted attention.
“Father knows Second Master’s temper. He’s as stubborn as a mule and refuses to give up his own house no matter what,” Zhao Anjiang sighed. “Those officials weren’t exactly mild-mannered either. They grabbed Second Master by the back of his collar. How could Second Master let someone hold his life in their hands? He just happened to have learned a move called White Crane Spreads Wings from Master He, so a fight broke out.”
"Second Master was over fifty years old, how could he possibly beat the young constables? His sons and grandsons all rushed at him, and I went up to help too..." He lowered his head, "In the end, the constables drew their broadswords, and Second Master's family became obedient. Then we were all beaten up. Second Master's entire family of more than a dozen people were all driven out, sitting under the big locust tree in the middle of the village, crying and wailing, and secretly cursing that Lord He. What if Lord He heard this?"
"This is outrageous!" Cheng Wanwan frowned deeply. "Even if officials are requisitioning people's houses, they can't just forcibly take them. What's the difference between this and banditry?"
The village head was also furious. He always adhered to the principle of "taking a step back to see the bigger picture," but since the other party had already resorted to violence, even a clay figure has some backbone.
He slammed his hand on the table: "I'm going to find the magistrate and demand justice."
“An hour ago, the county magistrate was invited to Huzhou by someone sent by the prefect. It seems to be a very urgent matter.” Zhao Anjiang sighed. “Besides, even if the county magistrate is here, there’s nothing he can do. A higher-ranking official can crush a lower-ranking one. A seventh-rank county magistrate is no match for a sixth-rank official in the capital. It will only make the county magistrate anxious and frustrated.”
The village head, like a deflated balloon, muttered, "What does Aunt Dashan think we should do about this? If a dozen more people come tomorrow, will the villagers continue to have their houses robbed?"
The heavy snow during the Spring Festival collapsed more than a dozen thatched houses. The village was already short of houses, and now outsiders were taking away their houses. They just couldn't swallow this insult.
I thought the discovery of coal was a good thing, but now it feels like a disaster.
The village head finally understood the saying that Tie Zhu recited every day at home: "Misfortune may be a blessing in disguise, and blessing may be a misfortune in disguise."
Just then, Afu stumbled in from the doorway: "Shagen's house was also robbed. Those people were too fierce. They pointed knives at his neck and forced Shagen's family to move out. Shagen just asked when he could move back, and that official kicked him in the heart, making him spit out a mouthful of blood."
Zhao Sidan's face turned pale: "Brother Shagen is so strong, yet he vomited blood. Those people were kicking him to death!"
"This is outrageous!" Zhao Ergou exclaimed angrily. "They dare to bully people like this in our Dahe Village! Do they think the patrol team in Dahe Village is all dead? San Niu, grab your weapons!"
Zhao Sanniu immediately picked up a hoe, ready to start working at any moment.
"Calm down, all of you," Cheng Wanwan said in a deep voice. "Since these officials dared to take action in the village, it means they have someone protecting them, and someone will cover for them if anything happens. Their superior must be Lord He. Do you know what the consequences will be if you rush out and confront Lord He?"
Assaulting an official of the imperial court is a capital offense, as clearly stated in the laws of every dynasty in ancient times.
The village head was deflated again: "The houses that everyone worked so hard to build, and spent most of their life savings, are just going to be stolen like this?"
"Let's find out who this Lord He is first," Cheng Wanwan said thoughtfully. "Ergou, go and invite Master Yu, Little He, and Kong Xiuniang over."
These three are all people of unusual status. If they meet and share information, they should be able to figure out Lord He's identity.
When Zhao Ergou went to invite people, many more people arrived at Cheng Wanwan's courtyard.
“Village head, my family’s big hen that lays eggs was taken away by the officials. They twisted its neck right in front of me and didn’t even give me a copper coin to buy a new chicken.”
"Oh dear, this is unbearable! These officials are bullying us! What sins has our Dahe Village committed?"
"Let's go to the city together and find the magistrate so he can uphold justice!"
"..."
"Please calm down, everyone." The village head took a deep breath and spoke calmly, "Da Shan's mother and I will discuss how to resolve this matter. Please write down any losses you have suffered, and the village will compensate you for them later."
After hearing this, the villagers reluctantly dispersed.
When Master Yu and the others arrived, they went into the study and began a formal meeting.
Kong Xiuniang had been making a living in the capital for over ten years, working in the inner quarters of wealthy families, and was quite familiar with the situation in the capital. She was the first to speak: "The He family has a second-rank official who is very prestigious and influential in the capital. The He family also has a son who is engaged to the daughter of a general. After becoming related to the general's family through marriage, the He family's influence in the capital has risen even higher. However, I don't know if this Lord He has any connection with the He family in the capital."
"
Master Yu said in a deep voice, "I spent some time in the capital back then and had contact with a junior member of the He family. The He family members acted arrogantly and recklessly. I ended up in this state because of this person... Let's not talk about the past. In short, the He family in the capital is an important family in the court. If this sixth-rank official He is a direct descendant of the He family in the capital, then Dahe Village can only swallow this insult."
“He is not a direct descendant of the He family.” He Xiao lowered his eyes and spoke slowly, “He is a collateral branch of the He family, born out of wedlock.”
The village head asked in surprise, "Master He, how do you know about the He family in the capital? Have you been to the capital?"
In Dahe Village, He Xiao was Cheng Wanwan's distant cousin. Although He Xiao's temperament was different from the men in the village, the villagers only thought it was because he practiced martial arts. No one expected that he knew about the He family in the capital. Everyone cast curious glances at him, including Cheng Wanwan.
Only Cheng Wanwan in the entire village knew his real surname was He, and this Lord He also had the surname He, could it be...?
She stepped in to defuse the situation: "Martial arts practitioners travel around to gain experience, so it's normal for Xiao He to have been to the capital. However, even if this Lord He is just a member of a collateral branch of the He family, he is still a member of the He family and not easy to deal with."
Master Yu nodded in agreement. He had become a Jinshi (a successful candidate in the highest imperial examinations) and was considered an official, with the Yu family as a powerful backer. Yet, the He family had trampled him into the mud, ruining his promising life.
He hid in a remote mountain village, abandoning his political career and his desire to overturn the verdict. How could he possibly want to confront the He family again?
He Xiao remained silent.
He and He Yan had known each other since they were teenagers. If He Yan were to discover his hiding place, he would die again. He also did not want to confront the He family head-on.
Having grown accustomed to a peaceful and stable life, who would want to risk their life again?
But as the legitimate son of the He family, how could he possibly be afraid of a illegitimate branch of the family?
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