He really considered himself one of those young masters, feeling superior to the other children in the village, and with his nose in the air, it made people feel disgusted just looking at him.
Xiao Bei was playing with some other children in the village, catching crickets in the bushes, when those addicted-to-bullying young masters inevitably returned.
How could those young masters truly enjoy wandering around the countryside all the time? The truth was that Ji Xiaobao deliberately brought them here to show his own prowess.
The leading young master stepped on and killed the cricket Shugen had just caught, making Shugen cry instantly.
Ji Xiaobao scoffed, "It’s just a broken cricket, and it’s worth crying over? As expected, country bumpkins, pathetic!"
Shugen continued to cry even harder.
The other young masters laughed loudly, "Indeed, pathetic! What do you call that cricket? Just look at how big young master’s cricket is; it can easily fight yours to death!"
As they spoke, they proudly opened the small jar in their hands to show off the fat, enormous cricket they were raising inside to Shugen and the others.
Shugen was so amazed that he even forgot to cry, "There are actually crickets this big?"
"That’s right! This cricket was bought by Young Master Guo from the black market for thirty taels of silver! It’s unbeaten and invincible! Even if we sold you all, you couldn’t afford it!" the young master snorted.
With that smug look, it was as if Xiaobei and the others were beneath him.
Ji Xiaobao was also proudly following along, "See? A bunch of bumpkins! Your crickets don’t even count as anything! Pah! Served you right to have it killed!"
Xiaobei gritted his teeth and abruptly stood up, pointing at Ji Xiaobao, "You call us bumpkins, aren’t you from Yangjia Bay too? What right do you have to scold us?"
Ji Xiaobao was taken aback, then cursed, "Am I on the same level as you mud legs? Who do you think you are?!"
Xiaobei snorted coldly, "That’s right! We’re not on the same level. Your family is so poor that you have to sell farmland just to maintain your livelihood. We wouldn’t do such shameful things!"
Upon hearing those words, Shugen and Gou Dan immediately chimed in, "That’s right! Our families work hard in the fields to earn money, and we still have food stored at home. We’re not worse off than your family! Ji Xiaobao, do you even have the audacity to show off in front of us?"
Haven’t Ji Xiaobao been borrowing the prestige of these few young masters to suppress them?
But Xin He had taught him a phrase a few days ago: Water can carry a boat and can also overturn it.
What doesn’t belong to oneself will eventually be a double-edged sword.
Ji Xiaobao naturally didn’t understand such profound truths, he might even be under the illusion that the wealth of those young masters was his, and their influence and prestige were his too.
Those young masters suddenly burst out laughing, "Hahaha, we almost forgot, you’re a mud leg too, hahaha!"
Ji Xiaobao was just about to use these young masters to teach Xiaobei, the careless-mouthed kid, a lesson, but he didn’t expect them to start laughing at him first!
Actually, Ji Xiaobao just felt good about himself; those rich and powerful young masters wouldn’t take orders from a country boy like him.
They were just here for fun, and as for whom to tease, Ji Xiaobao didn’t have that kind of authority.
Ji Xiaobao’s face turned red with anger, almost stomping his feet, "I’m not a mud leg!"
Gou Dan immediately pointed at his nose and scolded, "If you’re not one, then who is? You’re the most mud-legged among us! Our family may be poor, but are we as poor as you? Shugen’s cricket might not be that big, but at least he has one! What about you? Do you dare to laugh at Shugen’s cricket for being small when yours isn’t even bigger?"
The few young masters immediately found a new source of entertainment and burst into laughter, "That’s true! This kid has nothing and yet he follows us closely, playing around with us. I almost thought he was quite capable!"
Xiao Bei snorted coldly, "You all played with him despite his uselessness; perhaps it shows that you are all on the same level!"
At these words, the faces of the young masters changed immediately; they angrily retorted, "Who’s on the same level as him? My family is wealthy, can I be on the same level as a mud leg?"
"That’s right! I don’t want to hang out with someone who can’t even get a decent cricket!"
They were all children after all; their minds were simple and easy to manipulate, even if they were malicious.
Xiao Bei sneered secretly, raised his head, and went away with Gou Dan and the others.
Ji Xiaobao wanted to punch them but was afraid his rich little friends would abandon him, so he hurriedly tried to ingratiate himself with the young masters, "Young Master Guo, I..."
"Get lost! You’ve got nothing, and you dare play with me? You can’t even compare to the mighty king in my jar!" Young Master Guo was referring to his undefeated and invincible cricket.
With that said, the young masters dispersed amid laughter.
Ji Xiaobao was left standing there, his face turning green with anger.
Xiao Bei returned home cheerfully; his sister was right, it was important to use your brain when dealing with matters. Those young masters were simple-minded, and Ji Xiaobao was merely using them as pawns. With those young masters deserting Ji Xiaobao, he would be nothing.
Without Ji Xiaobao’s guidance, those young masters wouldn’t waste their time bullying people in such remote and desolate places.
Xiao Bei felt extremely relieved that day and even ate an extra bowl of rice for dinner.
Ji Dong laughed, "It’s just children squabbling, isn’t it? They’ll be okay in no time."
Xin He smiled and said nothing more.
The matter seemed to have been settled on Xiao Bei’s side, but it wasn’t so simple for the Ji family.
---
Not long after, the 15th day of the first lunar month passed. When the festivities were over, families began working for the upcoming spring plowing.
At this time, a group of fearsome men and horses barged into Yangluo Bay and headed straight for the Ji family residence.
"These houses, these lands, they’re all mine now! Everyone inside, get out!" An ugly young man yelled.
Ji Dashan rushed out of the house with wide eyes, "What do you mean? These are clearly my houses and fields, how can they be yours? You’re just a bandit! I’m going to report you to the authorities!"
"Of course they’re mine. The title deeds for this house and for your seven acres of farmland are all with me. How can you still claim they’re yours?!" The man waved the title deeds in his hand.
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