Chapter 42 Chapter 42-Two-in-one lawsuit, the police come to the door
"The village is slaughtering sheep tomorrow, so why not buy two more pounds of mutton instead of other things?"
Lin Chuntao smiled and said, "I originally thought that buying three kilograms should be enough, so how about buying six kilograms?"
Pei Ying smiled and nodded, then said "hmm".
"Okay, then we'll go straight to Great-grandfather's house and order the meat first before going back."
Pei Ying nodded slightly and said to Lin Chuntao, "Give me the backpack."
"What did you buy?"
Lin Chuntao carefully counted the things she bought and handed over the backpack. The backpack was not full, so she stuffed the small bamboo basket into the backpack and asked Pei Ying to carry it.
By the time they returned to the village, it was already past dinner time.
Lin Chuntao was already a little hungry, so she asked Pei Ying to go back and prepare some food while she went to Muramasa's house.
At this time, those who had eaten early had finished lunch and gathered in Muramasa's yard.
When Lin Chuntao entered, the yard was bustling with people of all ages, both men and women, standing and sitting. As soon as Lin Chuntao entered the yard, she felt like she had entered a vegetable market. They were all familiar faces, and everyone was chatting and greeting each other.
Sun heard their voices and stuck her head out of the house, only to see Lin Chuntao alone.
"Chun Tao, you're here. Have you had lunch?" asked Sun.
"Grandma." Lin Chuntao looked at Sun and replied, "I haven't eaten yet. I just came back from the county town."
Sun said, "My family just finished eating, too. Do you want to heat it up and have some?"
Lin Chuntao waved her hand and said, "Grandma, don't bother me. I've already asked Pei Ying to go back and prepare dinner. Chun Xing and the others are still waiting for us to eat."
"Yesterday, Aunt Guizhi told me that we should kill a sheep for dinner on the sixth day of the Lunar New Year and order the quantity in advance. I just came here because I was afraid I would be late."
Upon hearing this, Madam Sun took Lin Chuntao to the next room and said, "Tell your great-grandfather how many pounds you want. If you have any special requests, you can tell us in advance so they can be reserved."
Lin Chuntao smiled and said, "Grandpa, we need six pounds in total."
After she finished speaking, Sun and Lin Cunzheng were both surprised. Looking at their expressions, Lin Chuntao said, "I bought enough for two meals. All my life, I've only ever drunk soup mixed with a lot of water and smelled the smell. Now that we can buy it for ourselves, I thought of buying more."
Sun sighed softly upon hearing this, and then said, "That's fine. Killing sheep in our village is much cheaper than buying them in the county town."
After Lin Cunzheng took note, Lin Chuntao asked, "What are you going to do with the sheep's blood and tripe tomorrow? Are you going to sell them too?"
"We sell it, but it's usually cooked. When someone's sheep is slaughtered, they cook it in the drying yard. If you want it, you can buy some. It's much cheaper than meat."
Lin Chuntao nodded, indicating that she understood. Sun said from the side, "I'll pay you tomorrow. Just bring it with you when you come to get the meat."
After hearing what was said, Lin Chuntao thanked her softly and followed Sun out of the house to go home.
As soon as she left the house, the people in the yard looked at her and joked, "Chun Tao, I heard that you've been eating wild vegetables recently. Do you have money left to buy mutton?"
Lin Chuntao raised her eyes and glanced at the person who asked the question. She didn't answer directly, but just smiled and said, "I don't have any money, uncle. I'm going to borrow some later. Uncle, do you have any money on hand? Lend me thirty cents."
The man who was asked to borrow money smiled awkwardly and waved his hand.
"No money, we don't have any money."
Lin Chuntao looked at them with a smile and said, "Uncle, you all come to Great Grandpa's house to order the amount of meat. If you eat one jin less tomorrow, you can lend me thirty cents to buy one jin."
"If it's really not possible, fifteen cents will do. You lend me fifteen cents, she lends me fifteen cents, and that'll make thirty."
Looking at her serious expression, it seemed that she was not joking at all, but rather that she really wanted to borrow money to buy mutton.
The man smiled awkwardly but before he could say anything, Lin Lin Chuntao continued, "Uncle, how many pounds of meat did your family order? Otherwise, I'll bring the pot over tomorrow and you can give me some. It doesn't need to be a lot. I'll ask the other uncles to scoop some, and we'll have enough for the meal."
As soon as these words came out, everyone in the courtyard was almost unable to hold back. How could Lin Chuntao be so arrogant? As if others should lend her money as a matter of course, so she wouldn't eat without money? And she even asked others for meat? How could she be so shameless?
But seeing that Lin Chuntao didn't move and just stood in the yard looking at them, no one dared to speak rashly, as if they were afraid that Lin Chuntao would really rely on them.
Seeing them like this, Lin Chuntao suddenly smiled and looked at Sun: "Grandma, look, I was just joking, and the uncles and aunts ignored me?"
Sun said, "Ignore them and go back quickly."
She smiled and waved to Chen Dongniang, "Grandma, Auntie, I'll be going back first."
The mother-in-law and daughter-in-law said in unison: "Go ahead, come home and play when you're done."
Lin Chuntao responded and left the yard.
As soon as they left, Sun's face darkened slightly. She looked at the man who had just spoken and said, "Changli, tell me why you are making fun of Chuntao like that? Hasn't your family ever dug wild vegetables to eat?"
Lin Changli blushed slightly and defended himself, "Aunt, I didn't laugh at her. I just asked casually."
Seeing him still like this, Sun said calmly, "Why are you asking? Do you want to hear her say she can't afford it so you can give her some? Or do you want to invite her sisters to come over to eat?"
"You don't act like an elder at all."
"She's also an older woman who's married, and her household registration is separate from Lin Lao San and his family. If there's something going on at home and we need to invite the uncles and aunts from the village to dinner, she'll come over and ask you if you're embarrassed."
Lin Changli looked at the angry Sun, lowered his head and said no more.
Someone nearby exclaimed, "The household registration has been divided?"
Sun replied, "Yes, it was divided long ago."
"Oh, why are we dividing the household registration?"
"I was wondering why she kept separate account of money when Qiao'er got married."
Sun said, "Even though they're separated, they're still one family. And you guys are already in your forties, so don't be so superficial. Who knows if you'll need help in the future?"
When Sun said this, everyone was actually wondering in their hearts, what could they ask for help from these little girls?
Chen Dongniang just smiled and said nothing.
Someone curiously asked, "Auntie, what's going on with Chuntao and the others? Are they really having nothing to eat and having to rely on wild vegetables to fill their stomachs?"
Sun glanced at her indifferently and sighed deeply.
"Are you really that curious? Chuntao picks mushrooms and sells them herself, and her husband works in the county town. Do you really think they rely on wild vegetables to fill their stomachs?"
After hearing this, they suddenly realized that they didn't seem to know what this person was doing in the county town.
Thinking about it, I asked. Sun smiled and said, "I don't know either. Go ask yourself."
*
It was the sixth day of June and the weather was sunny.
The system did not make any announcements, and Lin Chuntao slept until the sun shone into the yard.
As soon as she got up, the three sisters looked at her expectantly.
Lin Chuntao stretched and asked, "Has the sheep been killed?"
The three of them shook their heads in unison. "Not yet, but the sheep have been taken to the drying yard. Muramasa and the others are burning incense and praying for blessings. They will kill them after they finish the incense."
Lin Chuntao smiled and said, "That's not bad. I thought I got up late. Has everyone gone to the drying yard?"
Lin Chunhe nodded and said, "Yeah, I just went to check and saw that many of them were gone."
"Bring the two clean clay basins and the small bamboo basket. Wait for me to wash my face and then we'll go."
Lin Chuntao washed her face quickly, chewed a willow branch, rinsed her mouth, and then went back to the house to get money. She took Lin Chunxing and the others to the drying yard.
The drying yard was crowded with people. Lin Cunzheng and his group were burning incense and offering sacrifices in front of an eight-immortal table. Four sheep were also tied in front of the table.
Lin Chuntao and the others stood outside with clay pots, watching Lin Cunzheng and a few elderly people worshipping over there. They waited for them to finish their work and said, "Alright, get ready to slaughter the sheep."
After he finished speaking, several adult men brought a table from the back. They tied up the sheep, lifted them onto the table and started to kill them and collect the sheep's blood. They killed sheep every year and their movements were skillful and quick. They killed four sheep quickly.
The person here raised his voice and asked, "Is the water boiling?"
“It’ll be open soon!”
Pei Ying looked at them. They didn't even peel the sheepskin, but seemed to be waiting for the water to boil. He frowned slightly and looked at Lin Chuntao in confusion: "Why don't they peel the sheepskin?"
Lin Chuntao smiled and said, "We don't skin the goats here. We'll start scalding them to remove the hair soon, and then we'll cook them with the skin on."
Pei Ying nodded slightly, and Lin Chuntao continued, "In the north, people kill sheep to skin them and make coats, right?"
"Yeah." Pei Ying responded, "Maybe it's because the wool of sheep in the north is thicker and more useful."
Lin Chuntao smiled and said, "That's right. Besides, it's not particularly cold here in winter, so we eat everything we can eat."
Pei Ying curled his lips, as if it was indeed the case. He saw that this village was still quite poor.
But looking at the people carrying basins in the drying yard, it seems that everyone in every household has come here. It seems that the people here have saved some money and eaten it all.
By the time the mutton was ready, it was already three quarters past four in the morning.
Muramasa instructed the villagers to line up for meat, with two people from each family and the rest standing nearby. Lin Chuntao and Pei Ying went to line up for the meat, while Lin Chunxing and her sisters waited nearby.
The sheep slaughtered today belonged to Uncle Shitou's family. Lin Chuntao saw that they cooked the sheep's heads and feet, and arranged for someone to clean the intestines and stomachs, and boiled the offal of the four sheep in one pot.
Uncle Shitou stood nearby and said, "This year's meat is thirty cents per pound, and the intestines, tripes, and goat's blood are the same as in previous years. After an hour, everyone will bring their pots to serve them, and the price is still fifteen cents per pound."
When Lin Chuntao was photographed, there happened to be a lamb hind leg.
Lin Changzong was also there, counting the food for Uncle Shitou. Lin Chuntao called out to everyone and said hello. Lin Changzong said to Uncle Shitou, "Chuntao and the others want six pounds."
Uncle Shitou weighed the lamb leg and said to himself, "This leg probably weighs six pounds. Let's weigh it and see."
As he said this, he picked up the scale and weighed it.
"Oh, it's six and a half pounds." Uncle Shitou said, looking at Lin Chuntao, "I'll cut off some."
Lin Chuntao thought that there was only one leg of lamb left, so it would be fine if it wasn't cut. So she asked, "Uncle, if we don't cut it, will there be enough for the people behind us? If there is enough, then don't cut it. Just give me both."
Uncle Shitou smiled and said, "If that's enough, then I won't cut it. I'll give it all to you."
Lin Chuntao agreed with a smile. She brought two hundred copper coins, counted five of them, and handed the rest to Uncle Shitou.
"One hundred and ninety-five, uncle, please count."
Uncle Shitou counted the pieces and made sure they were correct, so he accepted them. The people behind him and nearby were shocked to see that Lin Chuntao had taken away a leg directly, and they all cried out in surprise.
"Chun Tao, can you finish all this in one meal?"
Lin Chuntao smiled when she heard that. Before she could say anything, the person next to her said, "If you can't finish it in one meal, you can continue eating in the next meal. It's the same as not asking at all."
When Lin Chunxing and the others saw Pei Ying and Lin Chuntao carrying the meat out, they happily surrounded them. Lin Chuntao smiled and said, "Don't look at it anymore, go home and see." While it was still early, they went back and cooked the meat. It would probably take more than an hour to cook.
After saying this, he hurried away with his sisters.
As soon as they came out of the threshing ground, they met Zhang coming with a basin, and several of Lin Jiacai's children followed her.
When they saw Pei Ying holding a leg of lamb, the children stood there in a daze with their eyes wide open.
Zhang was also stunned for a moment, and looked up at Lin Chuntao, but Lin Chuntao didn't look at them and walked forward on her own.
Seeing Zhang's expression, the children didn't dare to speak and could only make faces and wink.
As soon as they entered the drying yard, they heard people laughing and saying, "Oh, yesterday and the day before yesterday, everyone was laughing at Chuntao and the others for eating wild vegetables, and today someone just took away a leg of lamb."
"The most popular fruit sold in our village this year is probably spring peaches."
Zhang Qiuniang was also standing among the group of women. Seeing Zhang coming, she smiled and said, "Qiuzhen, why are you here just now? Did you meet Chuntao? I don't know where this girl makes so much money. She just took away a leg of lamb."
Zhang was unhappy and replied with a forced smile, "No."
Zhang Qiuniang sighed and came to her side and queued up with her, chattering non-stop.
"I can't believe it. Just two days ago, they were saying they couldn't even afford food, so how could they have money to dig wild vegetables?"
Zhang curled her lips but did not respond.
Now, the members of the Lin family are too embarrassed to go out and see people.
It seemed like one bad luck happened after another. First, Lin Jiabao was accused of stealing eggs, and then Miao Feng's gossip was exposed in public, leading to quarrels and fights in the family. This time, Qian's child was beaten to death, and Qian had to return to her parents' home.
All these bad things happened because of Lin Chuntao.
Zhang now found it difficult to suppress her anger when she heard the three words "Lin Chuntao".
Just as she feared the most, it happened. A woman at the front of the line leaned out her head and saw Zhang. She smiled and asked, "Sister-in-law, is Qian back?"
Zhang wanted to turn her head and pretend not to hear, but it was too late. Many people in front turned around and looked at her.
She could only reply: "Not yet, probably later, I don't know."
"Then why didn't Lin Lao San go to pick it up?"
The corners of Zhang's lips twitched. She really didn't have the face to say that she went to pick it up, but didn't bring it back.
Fortunately, someone took over the conversation and started saying that Lin Lao San might have done something stupid again, and Zhang breathed a sigh of relief.
After Lin Chuntao and the others brought the meat home, they divided the work. Lin Chunhe and Lin Duoer started the fire, Lin Chunxing soaked the rice, and Lin Chuntao washed the lamb legs and asked Pei Ying to chop them into two pieces and put them into the iron pot.
The meat should be cooked first and then cut into pieces for hot pot. The goat meat has a very authentic flavor and is raised on pure grass, so the meat quality is excellent.
Lin Chuntao washed and pounded two pieces of ginger and threw them in, then added a small amount of fennel. She added enough water to cover the mutton, covered it with straw, and began to cook.
It takes a long time to cook mutton, so Lin Chuntao and Lin Chunxing washed the vegetables that they would eat later and put them in a colander to drain.
Seeing that there was no water in the bucket, Pei Ying took the carrying pole.
"There's no water left. Give me the bucket and I'll go get some."
Lin Chuntao came out with a bucket of water and handed it to Pei Ying.
"I'll go with you. I told Aunt Guizhi to go pick two radishes. You can't eat mutton without radishes."
There were still a lot of vegetables at home, including cabbage, potatoes, eggplants and cucumbers. This was the first meal and everyone was going to eat mainly meat, so she didn't prepare other vegetables. The only thing missing was two radishes.
Before leaving, Lin Chuntao reminded Lin Chunxing to watch the fire and not to lift the lid.
After leaving the yard, Lin Chuntao saw the entire village. Smoke was rising from the chimneys of every household. It was noon today, and it was so neat.
The vegetable field was outside the village and the well was inside. Pei Ying first carried a bucket and followed Lin Chuntao to the vegetable field to pick radishes.
When the two came out of the vegetable field, they saw a group of people in the distance who seemed to be walking towards the village. There were probably seven or eight of them, and they seemed to be carrying swords.
Lin Chuntao's mind skipped a beat. Pei Ying also noticed this. His face darkened slightly and he said hurriedly, "Let's go home first."
She nodded, quickened her pace, and the two of them entered the village, quickly fetched two buckets of water, and carried them home.
Pei Ying's face looked unhappy. Lin Chuntao asked, "Did you see who he was?"
"No."
"I think he's holding a knife, and his clothes look the same. Is he an official?"
Pei Ying shook his head slightly: "I saw the knife too, but I'm not sure if it was from an official."
Pei Ying had encountered many bandits pretending to be police officers. He would kill them with one blow when he thought they were police officers letting their guard down.
Therefore, whether they are officials or not, it is better to stay away from them.
Seeing Pei Ying's expression, Lin Chuntao asked tentatively, "Is it possible that some gangsters would pretend to be officials?"
"Um."
Lin Chuntao was a little nervous, and Pei Ying comforted her softly, "Don't be too nervous. Wait and see if they're here to arrest you."
"Arrest someone?" Lin Chuntao was a little confused. Pei Ying said, "Have you forgotten? A few days ago, they had a fight and the child had an abortion."
Lin Chuntao breathed a sigh of relief when she heard this. "According to current laws, what kind of crime is this?"
Pei Ying shook his head slightly, "I'm not sure, but the mother-in-law beat her daughter-in-law, so the punishment will probably be much lighter."
Lin Chuntao frowned slightly, and Pei Ying said, "Stay home, I'm going to the drying yard to find Muramasa and see what's going on."
After Pei Ying left, Lin Chunxing and the others looked bewildered, "Sister, what's wrong?"
"It's okay. We just saw someone we don't know enter the village. Let's not go out and wait for your brother-in-law to come back."
After Lin Chuntao finished speaking, the sisters nodded and the yard instantly became quiet.
But after a while, Pei Ying came back.
Lin Chuntao hurriedly asked, "What's going on?"
Pei Ying said, "The one who's looking for the old lady, Muramasa is taking her to the courtyard over there."
"It's really Qian's lawsuit."
Pei Ying nodded.
At this time, in the yard of the old Lin family, Zhang had just brought the mutton back, and a group of children gathered at the door of the kitchen, preparing to cook the meat.
The old lady had just returned from feeding the pigs in the backyard when she ran into the villagers and their officials walking straight into the yard.
Tian looked at the men behind Muramasa, each holding a sword. Her expression changed slightly. Before she could ask Muramasa what was going on, she heard the leading officer holding an iron chain and shouting, "Where is Tian Xiaomei?"
The man's voice was loud and serious, which frightened Tian so much that she trembled and fell to her knees.
"That's what the common people are."
"By order of the magistrate, arrest the suspect Tian Xiaomei and bring her to court for interrogation." The leader took out a piece of paper with a seal on it. Almost none of the family members could read and did not know what was written on it, but they understood what the officer said.
Suspect? Lin Changhai stepped forward tremblingly, "Sir, are you mistaken? My mother works at home every day, it's impossible for her to have committed a crime."
The officer looked at Lin Changhai and said sternly, "Qian Dingxiang went to the yamen to sue Tian, claiming that she had been beaten in the stomach with a hammer, causing her to miscarry. Is this true?"
Lin Changhai swallowed, not daring to lie, and remained silent.
The man narrowed his eyes and ordered, "Catch him."
As soon as he finished speaking, the officer behind him came over with iron chains, tied the old lady's hands and feet with the chains, and dragged her to her feet.
The old lady was shivering and couldn't stand straight.
Seeing his mother like this, Lin Changhai timidly glanced at the official, then plucked himself up and said, "Don't be afraid, mother. It was Qian who scolded you first."
Tian looked at Lin Changhai in a panic. The officer frowned slightly and then said, "Everyone who was present at the time, please stand up."
Lin Changhe was also confused. He thought that what Qian said about breaking up was over, but he didn't expect her to report it to the government!
At this time, the old lady had been roasted and chained, and the officials were still questioning the people who were present that day.
He stammered, "They were all...at home that day."
The officer glanced at him and said in a deep voice, "Then take them all away!"
The villagers, who were supposed to be cooking mutton at home, now came out of the yard and watched from afar as the officials took away Lin Laowu and his family.
"What happened? The whole family was arrested?"
"Is it because of the fight a few days ago?"
"That shouldn't be the case. It's just a fight, the government doesn't know about it."
"Then Mrs. Qian hasn't come back yet. Did she go to the government office to file a complaint?"
As soon as these words came out, the people around them suddenly realized and immediately said, "It must be!"
Lin Chuntao stood outside the yard and saw that all the people in the Lin family were taken away.
"Why did they take everyone away?"
Pei Ying said, "They should have been present during the fight. They should all go to court together."
The whole family was taken away. After all, Old Man Lin was Lin Cunzheng's younger brother. He didn't even have time to eat lunch. He hurriedly found the head of the village and went to the yamen together.
After they left, the villagers talked for a long time, and finally went back to their houses to prepare food.
At this time, Lin Chunxing and the others were glad that they were kicked out, otherwise they would have been taken away today.
Lin Chuntao didn't care about the old lady's life or death, but she kept thinking about what Pei Ying said: the mother-in-law beat the daughter-in-law, so the punishment might be much lighter. She then reviewed whether she had left any handle for the Lin family when she brought her sisters out.
She didn't understand the current laws, so she wanted to see what the outcome of this matter would be.
The mutton was cooked after more than an hour. Lin Chuntao added salt to the pot, covered it and continued to cook it before taking it out and letting it dry, waiting for it to cool down before slicing it.
Lin Chuntao prefers lamb blood when eating lamb hotpot. Lamb offal costs 15 yuan per pound. After buying so much meat, she doesn't want to save on the lamb blood. Lin Chuntao went back to the house to get the money and asked Pei Ying and Lin Chunxing, "Do you want to eat any lamb offal? Lamb tripe, lamb blood, lamb intestines, etc."
The sisters shook their heads, and Pei Ying asked, "Do you want to buy some mutton offal?"
"Um."
"Then I'll have some goat tripe."
Lin Chuntao nodded, picked up the clay basin, left the yard, and went to the drying yard.
When she arrived, the mutton offal, mutton blood, and mutton had just been cooked, and several people were carrying pots to buy them. When they saw Lin Chuntao, they asked, "Chuntao, why were your grandparents taken away? Did your stepmother go to the authorities to file a complaint?"
Lin Chuntao shook her head and said, "I don't know either."
The man sighed to himself, "Oh, this guy is really cruel. Everyone has their own little quarrels, but why did he bring it to the government?"
Lin Chuntao remained silent. To her, being beaten and having a miscarriage was not just a minor matter. Moreover, Tian did it on purpose and was so vicious. Why couldn't Qian report it to the authorities?
But that's how the villagers are. If Qian didn't report to the government, they would think that Tian, the mother-in-law, was vicious. But after Qian reported the case and Tian was taken away, they thought Qian was vicious again.
In their minds, whoever is weaker has the moral high ground.
Lin Chuntao frowned slightly. The people in front had finished buying. She gave Uncle Shitou fifteen cents and asked for a pound of sheep's blood and sheep's stomach. Uncle Shitou scooped half a clay basin of soup for her and gave her two lamb's trotters.
"Thank you, uncle."
Uncle Shitou smiled and waved at her: "Go back and make something to eat. I have to go home for dinner too."
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