Wangjiacun Ancestral Hall.
The ancestral hall is the most sacred place in the village. Meetings are only held in the ancestral hall when dealing with extremely important or serious matters.
At this moment, the atmosphere in the ancestral hall was solemn, even oppressive.
Nearly forty people from Zhangjia Village stood on one side of the ancestral hall, all with unfriendly expressions.
Opposite them were forty or fifty villagers from Wangjia Village who had rushed over upon hearing the news. Most of them were middle-aged or elderly, and their expressions were complicated.
Old village chief Wang Huanchun stood in the center of the ancestral hall, leaning on his cane, his face ashen.
The fact that the matter has escalated to the point of needing to be resolved in the ancestral hall demonstrates the importance he attaches to it and also means that a result must be reached today.
Just then, a commotion broke out at the entrance of the ancestral hall.
Led by Wang Hongzhao, Wang Jian and his group walked in with their heads down and bracing themselves.
In an instant, nearly a hundred eyes in the ancestral hall focused on them.
Wang Jian and the others immediately felt as if they were being pricked by needles, and their scalps tingled.
Wang Huanchun's gaze was like a cold awl, fixed straight on Wang Jian, who was in the lead.
His voice was deep and carried an undeniable authority as he asked:
"Wang Jian!"
"I am now asking you this question as the village chief of Wangjia Village!"
"This afternoon in the mountains, were you leading a group to steal the roe deer that Zhang Ergou from Zhangjia Village hunted?!"
Wang Jian panicked, but he forced a smile and explained, "Village chief, please listen to me, things... things aren't as they say..."
"What do you mean by that?! You explain yourself clearly in front of our ancestors and the villagers of both villages!" Wang Huanchun slammed his cane down heavily and said sternly.
The old village chief was also furious, but he was willing to give Wang Jian a chance to explain.
If it is truly the people of Zhangjia Village who are making baseless accusations and maliciously slandering others, then the reputation of Wangjia Village cannot be trampled on for nothing!
"Village Chief!" Wang Jian's eyes lit up, and an idea came to him. He quickly said, "We...we were just happy for Er Gouzi because he killed such a big roe deer all by himself, so...we just played a joke on him!"
"Yes, yes, yes! It's just a joke!" The people next to him quickly chimed in.
"We offered to help him carry it back, but he probably misunderstood!"
"Yes, village chief, you know me, Wang Jian. I'm the most law-abiding person in our village! How could I possibly do something as despicable as stealing someone's prey?" Wang Jian patted his chest and solemnly assured him, trying to get away with it.
Upon hearing this, the old village chief, Wang Huanchun, frowned slightly, seemingly somewhat tempted.
His cloudy gaze turned towards Zhangjia Village, looking at Zhang Cheng, who had remained silent.
"Er Gouzi..."
Before the old village chief could finish speaking, Zhang Cheng stepped forward, his calm gaze sweeping over the forced composure on the faces of Wang Jian and the others.
He showed neither anger nor agitation; he spoke calmly, yet his voice carried clearly throughout the entire ancestral hall:
"Your Highness."
He first clasped his hands in a fist salute to Wang Huanchun to show his respect.
"I know that everyone in the surrounding area knows that Your Highness is the most principled and fair person."
"That's why we dare to come to Wangjia Village today with drums and gongs to demand an explanation from you."
Zhang Cheng paused for a moment, then continued, "Your Highness, Wang Jian and the others know exactly what happened in the mountains back then, and so do I."
"But now, without any proof, they insist it's a joke, what can I say?"
His gaze fell on Wang Huanchun again, his voice not loud, but carrying an undeniable power:
"I'm standing up now, not arguing whether they're joking or not."
"I only want to ask Your Highness one question in front of everyone."
"These mountain rules passed down from our ancestors, will they still be upheld from now on?!"
This question struck everyone like a heavy blow.
Old village chief Wang Huanchun fell silent.
He looked at the young man in front of him; his eyes were sharp, his logic clear, and he immediately grasped the core of the problem.
As Zhang Cheng said, as long as Wang Jian and his group refuse to admit it, the matter will become a mere stalemate.
But Zhang Cheng didn't argue with them at all; he directly raised the issue to the rules themselves!
Do we follow the rules or not?
This is not just a matter for Wangjia Village, but also the very foundation upon which all the people in this mountainous region who rely on the mountains for their livelihood depend!
If Wangjia Village blurs the rules today in order to protect its own people, what about in the future?
Does having the biggest fist mean you're right? Wouldn't that throw this mountain area into complete chaos?
Wang Huanchun took a deep breath, a resolute glint flashing in his cloudy eyes.
He leaned on his cane, straightened his back, and spoke with unwavering conviction:
"Rules are rules!"
"Anyone who enters these mountains, no matter which village they're from, whether they're from the Zhang family, the Li family, the Wang family, or the Zhao family, they all have to keep a close watch on them!"
"Anyone who dares to break the rules will be dealt with according to the village's rules! There will be absolutely no leniency!"
The old village chief's words resonated powerfully, echoing in the solemn ancestral hall.
Upon hearing this, many villagers in Wangjia Village nodded secretly, agreeing with the old village chief's words.
Wang Jian and the others turned pale, their hearts sinking to the bottom.
"good!"
Zhang Cheng responded crisply and decisively.
He clasped his hands in a fist salute to the old village chief again: "Your Highness's words are enough."
His gaze shifted to Wang Jian and the others, whose faces were ashen, and a barely perceptible smile appeared on his lips.
"As for whether Wang Jian and the others were joking with me in the mountains just now, I think everyone here knows the truth and understands what really happened."
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