"As for whether Your Highness wants to deal with them, and how you want to deal with them, that is your Wangjia Village's own 'family matter'."
"I'm an outsider, it's none of my business, and I don't want to get involved."
These words were perfectly worded, both stating his own position and passing the buck back to Wang Huanchun, while also subtly mocking Wang Jian and others.
After saying that, Zhang Cheng didn't linger and turned to look at Zhang Da Nao and the others.
"Big Head Bro, brothers, let's go."
“I believe Your Highness is clear-headed and knows what to do to avoid tarnishing the reputation of Wangjia Village and our ancestors.”
Zhang Da Nao and the others responded enthusiastically.
Wang Jian watched Zhang Cheng's decisive back and cursed him under his breath for being treacherous.
With just a few words, Zhang Ergou put the old village chief in a very difficult position!
The old village chief, Wang Huanchun, stared at Zhang Cheng, who strode out of the ancestral hall without hesitation, his eyes filled with complex emotions.
That little rascal, he's got a deep mind and some tricks up his sleeve!
With such a remarkable person emerging from Zhangjia Village, things might change...
He shook his head, pulling his thoughts back to the present moment.
After all the nearly forty people from Zhangjia Village left the ancestral hall, only the people from Wangjia Village remained inside.
The atmosphere instantly became even more tense.
Old village chief Wang Huanchun narrowed his eyes, his gaze sweeping coldly over Wang Jian and the others.
"All the outsiders have left."
"Now, can you tell me the truth?"
Wang Jian tried to argue and deny it, but Wang Shanfeng, whose face was swollen from being slapped, couldn't hold back and knelt down with a thud.
"Village chief! We were wrong! We broke the rules!"
His kneeling caused the others to lose their composure and lower their heads as well.
Wang Weiguo stepped forward and gritted his teeth, saying, "Village chief! One person does something, one person takes responsibility! This was led by Brother Wang Jian, but we all went along! We accept the punishment!"
"Good!" A hint of approval flashed in Wang Huanchun's eyes. "That's the kind of man from our Wangjia Village! If you do something wrong, you have to admit it! You have to take responsibility!"
He strode up to Wang Weiguo and said sternly, "Take off your clothes!"
The ancestral hall fell silent.
In this freezing weather, taking off your shirt and getting a spanking is no joke! Getting sick from the cold would be the least of your worries!
Wang Weiguo's face turned pale, but he gritted his teeth and, in front of everyone, quickly took off his cotton-padded jacket and inner lining, revealing his thin, dark chest and back.
A chill instantly swept over him, and he couldn't help but shiver.
Old village chief Wang Huanchun walked behind Wang Weiguo and raised his cane high!
Everyone in the ancestral hall held their breath.
"Smack!"
The heavy cane whistled through the air and lashed hard against Wang Weiguo's bare back!
A clear red mark appeared instantly!
Wang Weiguo gasped in pain, his body trembling violently, but he gritted his teeth and didn't utter a sound!
The villagers present all had complicated expressions, but none of them spoke up to plead for leniency.
Even Wang Weiguo's father clenched his fists tightly, turned his head away, and his eyes were red.
Village rules are as ironclad as iron!
"Smack!"
"Smack!"
Two more blows! They landed heavily!
After three blows, Wang Weiguo's back was already torn open and bleeding.
"Put on your clothes!" The old village chief put away his cane, his voice still cold.
He took a breath, then slowly turned around, his gaze sharp as a knife, shooting at Wang Jian, whose face was ashen and whose whole body was trembling like a leaf.
"Wang Jian!"
"As the ringleader, you broke the rules, not only showing no remorse, but also daring to lie and make excuses in front of our ancestors and fellow villagers in the ancestral hall!"
"I'll punish you!"
"You'll kneel here in this ancestral hall tonight! Reflect on your actions!"
"Tomorrow morning, we'll open the family genealogy! We'll write down every single thing you did today, so that all the descendants of the Wang family can see that they have such an unfilial descendant!"
"No! Old village chief! Please stop!!"
Upon hearing that Wang Jian's mother was to be recorded in the family genealogy, she was terrified and fell to her knees with a thud, crying and clinging to the old village chief's leg.
"Village chief! Please! Jianzi is still young, he knows he was wrong! Please forgive him this time! If this is recorded in the family genealogy, his life will be ruined!!"
Being recorded in the family genealogy is a great disgrace, one who will never be able to hold their head high for the rest of their life, and it may even affect their descendants!
...
On the other side, Zhang Cheng led the people of Zhangjia Village on a grand procession back along the snowy road.
The anger and tension I felt upon arrival had dissipated, replaced by a sense of exhilarating triumph.
"Er Gouzi, do you think that old guy Wang Huanchun will really punish Wang Jian and the others according to the rules?" Zhang Da Nao asked curiously as he approached Zhang Cheng.
Zhang Cheng smiled, glanced at him, and asked in return, "Big Head Brother, if it were you, leading people to do such a shameful thing, and then being made a scene at the ancestral hall with gongs and drums."
"What do you think our village chief will do to you?"
Zhang Da shrank his neck and chuckled dryly, "That...that old man will definitely break my legs...my dad...my dad will probably disown me on the spot and kick me out of the house..."
Zhang Cheng didn't say anything more; the answer was already self-evident.
For the sake of Wangjia Village's reputation and to maintain his authority as village chief, Wang Huanchun had to severely punish Wang Jian and give everyone an explanation.
...
By the time we returned to Zhangjia Village, it was completely dark.
Zhang Cheng didn't go straight home, but instead asked Zhang Da Nao and the others to wait a while.
In full view of everyone, he used a machete to cut the roe deer in half.
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