Lu Yang was a little upset: “Do I seem very fierce to you?”
Xie Yan said, “Very majestic!”
Lu Yang laughed.
The two of them laughed and joked, leaving Ding Boss standing there forgotten.
Ding Boss looked at the young couple’s affection and shook his head as he walked away.
After the Little New Year, the two brothers Luo Dayong and Luo Erwu came to the shop. They also looked at the door gods.
Unfortunately, there weren’t that many wealthy masters who commissioned portraits every day.
Ruffians and thugs can’t celebrate the New Year without money; only with money can they have a good year.
He only wanted the land deed; the rest of the property was up to their skills.
The Luo brothers took note, exchanged New Year’s greetings, and parted ways, vowing to meet again next year.
On New Year’s Eve, their shop was closed.
He and Xie Yan had been too busy lately, so Zhao Peilan had folded all the joss paper and coins for the offerings by herself. While drying their hair, the couple also folded some joss paper, as a token of their intentions.
They had a simple meal for lunch and then prepared the New Year’s Eve dinner in the afternoon.
Xie Yan assisted, while Lu Yang prepared the meat dishes. He cooked a chicken and handed it to Zhao Peilan to simmer on the stove.
The New Year’s Eve dinner was abundant, with fish and meat, four meat dishes, one vegetarian dish, and one soup, totaling six dishes. May the coming year be smooth sailing.
Everything was prepared neatly, and the food was steaming in the pot to keep it warm.
They washed their hands, took off the cotton coats they had been wearing for a long time, and put on the new cotton coats given to them by Wu Pingzhi.
The cotton coats were made of plain indigo cloth, thick and warm.
The boots were also made of cloth, stuffed with cotton. They were all new cotton, and when you first put your feet in, they felt tight and cramped. New shoes needed to be worn for a couple of days before they felt comfortable.
Lu Yang hadn’t worn new clothes or shoes in a long time. He stomped his feet on the ground and said to Xie Yan, “Thanks to you, I got to wear new clothes for the New Year.”
Xie Yan felt a pang of guilt. How could he have laughed earlier? This wasn’t something to be proud of.
He said, “From now on, I’ll buy you clothes and shoes. Don’t accept them from him.”
Lu Yang believed him.
His son, the top scholar, was a treasure with great potential, just waiting to be unleashed.
The three of them changed into their new clothes and shoes and went out together to set up the incense altar.
The offerings this year were simple, following what people ate. They would first let the souls of their relatives eat their fill before they ate.
Zhao Peilan had prepared the paste and asked them, “When will we hang the door gods and couplets?”
Lu Yang said, “We’ll hang them after we get the land deed.”
Upon hearing this, Zhao Peilan’s heart surged with emotion. Though she was still afraid, there was more excitement and anticipation welling up inside her. She felt a rush of relief, and before she could blink, large tears fell from her eyes.
She wiped her eyes and lit incense for Xie Yan’s father, muttering something to herself. Lu Yang and Xie Yan couldn’t hear what she was saying, nor did they have time to listen. The people who came to collect the land deed arrived.
What they had in common was that they all looked sloppy, stood without proper posture, and had a look of ferocity and vulgarity on their faces.
Lu Yang brought Xie Yan out and closed the door.
“You’re here? Did Brother Luo make arrangements with you?”
The government officials had found them work, so they dared not act recklessly. When they saw Lu Yang, they bowed awkwardly in respect.
“Brother Luo has already made arrangements. We’ll follow your orders today. Just give us your commands!”
The villagers dared not look too closely, and those in the courtyards hurriedly retreated back into their houses.
The Shazhu family had many members, and when they heard the news, they rushed home. Shazhu was so scared that he hid in the cellar.
Sangui was the same. He feared the cellar wasn’t a good place to hide, so he hurriedly hid in Lu Lin’s cellar. This was because their fathers were brothers.
Lu Lin was furious!
Only Sun Erxi, who was bolder than anyone else, couldn’t be stopped by his family. He quietly followed the group of aggressive people to Xie Sicao’s house.
He called out his family members, and a group of people stood there, making a big show.
Lu Yang got straight to the point and didn’t beat around the bush.
“Have you heard about what’s been happening in the village lately? Everyone says my family doesn’t owe any debts. Since we don’t owe any debts, shouldn’t you return the things you took?”
Xie Sicao, of course, denied it: “They say we don’t owe anything, but that’s none of my family’s business. What I took was what I deserved.”
Alright.
Lu Yang said, “There’s a saying on the streets: if the soft approach doesn’t work, use the hard approach. In layman’s terms, it means if you don’t take the soft approach, you’ll have to take the hard approach. It’s also called ‘if you don’t take the wine, you’ll have to take the punishment.’ It also says, ‘you won’t cry until you see the coffin.’ Which one do you understand?”
The eight men who had followed him were all notorious thugs in the county, working as private enforcers in gambling dens and brothels. When Lu Yang said this, they drew their weapons.
Seeing their menacing appearance, Xie Sicao felt uneasy and decided to play it safe and play the victim.
Before he could say a word, Lu Yang raised his voice and asked again, “I asked you, which part did you understand?”
Xie Sicao didn’t answer, but instead shouted in protest. The family members standing outside began to cry.
They said their family had it tough, that they had taken care of Xie Yan’s father and the Xie family mother and son in the past, crying as if it were true, and shouting that they would report it to the authorities.
Lu Yang’s eyes were cold: “That’s the one we’re choosing. Smash his house.”
He had brought eight men with him, all of whom were trained fighters who spent their days fighting and causing trouble. When they came to the door, they forced the farmers’ sons into a corner. They didn’t fight with brute strength, but with cold knives and cold sticks.
The villagers were afraid of trouble and afraid of injury. Injuries could cost them their jobs and money, and they might not be able to recover, leaving them with lasting health problems.
Someone tried to charge at Lu Yang, but Lu Yang didn’t hold back and picked up a wooden stick to fight back.
He was seething with anger and had no outlet for it.
Provoking him was like provoking a living demon.
On New Year’s Eve, Xie Sicao’s house was filled with wailing.
The village chief, Zhang Dashi, dared not come out to break up the fight, nor did the two brothers from the Xie family who lived nearby.
Only Sun Erxi stood far away, watching, his legs trembling.
A small family cannot withstand such a blow.
In an ordinary peasant household, there are only a few places where money and valuables are hidden.
The thieves even climbed onto the roof beams, searching every nook and cranny.
The fingerprint was made with Xie Sicao’s blood. They cut his hand open, scaring him so badly he lost control of his bowels.
When the contract, or rather the land deed, was handed over to Lu Yang, it was still warm, with fresh bloodstains trickling down, looking quite terrifying.
