In the end, the village chief didn't let the villagers come together to surround the Song residence. He and Zhou Laoda walked in front, with Zhao Guihua, who was holding Xingxing, following behind.
Master Song doesn't always stay in Yegou Village, but he happens to be staying here for the past two days. He just finished asking the guards about the process of collecting herbs this time, and now he's thinking about whether he should send more people into the deep mountains next time.
Then the butler came in and said, "Master, the village chief of Yegou Village and Old Zhou from next door have come to see you."
After pondering for a moment, Master Song quickly understood the reason and had the steward bring the people in. Although the villagers of Yegou Village had received wolf meat today, it had obviously caused concern among the village chief and others.
They feared that the peaceful life of Yegou Village would be disrupted, and that if wild animals were lured down from the mountain, it could cause incalculable casualties.
This matter was indeed caused by them. Now that the people from Yegou Village have come to their door, Master Song is taking it seriously and hopes to find a solution.
When the village chief and his companions entered, a maid from the Song family brought over tea and even two plates of snacks. However, the village chief and his companions paid no attention to the tea and snacks, and even Xingxing did not glance at them.
Master Song didn't seem to mind. He spoke in a pleasant tone, "Last time, my daughter bullied the Zhou family's daughter, and I sent her back to the county town the next day. I won't let her come here again."
His first words were an apology, but he didn't mention at all that Song Jiao had tripped and scraped her face.
“Master Song, we’ve come here today not for that matter, but to talk to you about how the guards of the Song family lured the wolves out of the deep mountains today.” The village chief didn’t mince words and stated his purpose directly.
As expected, Master Song's expression changed slightly, but he quickly recovered. He did not say that the guards were not from the Song family, which was considered as tacitly agreeing with the village chief's words.
"This matter is indeed a hidden danger, but my people will continue to go deep into the mountains to collect herbs. It is truly a last resort."
The village chief was furious. What did he mean by "a helpless act"? What good things could the Song family have in the deep mountains that would make them take such a risk? Of course, it was Song Yuanwai's business to make his men take risks, but it was wrong of him to disregard the safety of the people of Yegou Village.
“We are just peasants who toil in the fields, we are just ordinary people. We really can’t understand Master Song’s helplessness. We only know that if wild animals come down from the mountain, they will endanger the lives of the villagers. Does Master Song intend to disregard the lives of the villagers and insist on doing that?” The village chief was indignant and became more and more agitated as he spoke.
Seeing the village chief's angry expression, Master Song couldn't help but think to himself, "This village chief usually seems quite gentle and easy to talk to, but he has quite a temper. Once it comes to the lives of the villagers, he comes to argue without any regard for the consequences, and he doesn't seem to be afraid at all."
Then there's the Zhou family next door. Whether they're incredibly carefree or just plain stupid, they all came knocking on our door. The eldest son and his wife couldn't hide their anger on their faces.
“Someone in my family has fallen seriously ill. We have been searching for doctors and medicines everywhere, but many years have passed and they still haven’t been cured. Last year, a wise man gave me some advice and said that there is a medicine that my relative needs in the deep mountains of Yegou Village. As long as we find this medicine, my relative’s illness can be cured.” Master Song only said that it was his relative and did not reveal the patient’s true identity.
"Even so, you can't disregard the lives of our villagers." The village chief frowned. He could tell from Song Yuanwai's words that no matter what he said, the Song family would send people into the deep mountains, and there was no way to stop them.
With a smile on his face, Master Song said in a gentle tone, "The village chief didn't come here today to compete with me, did he? Isn't it to discuss a foolproof plan that can both allow my men to find the necessary herbs and prevent wild beasts from attacking the village?"
On the surface, Master Song appears gentle and easy to get along with, but in reality, he is a cunning old fox. Moreover, given his status and the backing of imperial officials, the village chief knows he cannot defeat him and can only patiently deal with him.
“We’re all rough men, and apart from knowing a few words, we don’t have any other skills. We’ll have to rely on Master Song to come up with a solution that satisfies both of us.” The village chief had calmed down and was no longer showing his emotions.
"My solution is simple: send more people into the deep mountains to hunt down any wild beasts they encounter, preventing them from having a chance to escape down the mountain," said Master Song in a straightforward manner.
Village Chief Song wanted to swear, no, he had already cursed Song Yuanwai's ancestors for eighteen generations in his mind, feeling that the other party was deliberately playing him, that the method he proposed was completely insincere, and that no matter how many people he sent, they would not be able to deal with the wild beasts in the mountains.
The ten guards sent earlier were chased by more than twenty wolves and almost eaten by them. Could Master Song really send thousands of troops into the mountains?
Seeing that the village chief did not agree with this method, Master Song suggested another solution: "How about I hire someone to build a high wall at the end of the village, and then plant thorns on it? That should be enough to ensure safety, right?"
“That’s not realistic. Our terrain is too complex to build a wall around the village. And even if we could build a high wall, our villagers are always out on the mountain gathering pig feed, wild vegetables, fruits and mushrooms. If you do this, how will we ever get up the mountain?” The village chief’s face grew increasingly grim.
The village chief and Master Song were deadlocked, and Zhou Laoda and Zhao Guihua couldn't get a word in edgewise. Of course, they didn't know what to say either, since the village chief had already said everything he wanted to say.
"I have something to say," Xingxing said in her sweet, childlike voice.
Oh right, Zhao Guihua suddenly remembered why she had come to the Song residence. It was because this little girl insisted on coming, and she couldn't bear to leave her there, so she came along.
But what exactly does Xingxing want to do?
"Young lady, please say whatever you want to say. I'm listening." Master Song didn't seem to mind that the conversation was interrupted, and a smile returned to his slightly somber face.
“Aren’t you looking for herbs? We can help you find them,” Xingxing said, tilting her head to look at Master Song.
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