CHAPTER 602: EPISODE 321 YOU’RE GOING TO BE PUNISHED WITH STANDING.

For the folks of Fire Knife Village, missing out on any excitement was tantamount to courting a strike of heavenly lightning. When weary from toil or troubled by anxiety, finding entertainment without spending a copper coin was one of life’s greatest pleasures.

At the threshing ground, it was now so clamorous it seemed the very sky might turn upside down.

No sooner had Great Saint and a few others dumped Zhou Qing and Tian Da on the ground than the farmers from the fields swarmed over, not caring whether their work was done. A few busybodies even sprinted into the village, eager to summon more spectators to the spectacle.

From a distance, Chun Xi and La Mei led a group of gossiping women, their fury palpable as they made straight for Zhou Qing and Tian Da. Towering above the two prostrate men, they stared for a long while before spitting on the ground, and La Mei cried out loudly, "It’s him who wants to sell his daughter! Instead of attending to proper affairs, all he does is drink and gamble, and now he’s dared to set his sights on his own daughter, utterly shameless!"

Never underestimate the fighting spirit of women, especially when the victim is one of their own—they often become even more indignant. One bold woman stepped forward and kicked Zhou Qing, shouting angrily, "Never in Fire Knife Village have we had such scum. A fine young girl you plan to sell into slavery, just wait until you meet the King of Hell and prepare to be deep-fried in oil!"

Another woman pointed at Tian Da and asked Chun Xi, "I’ve seen this Tian fellow, he’s not one of our village’s, is he here to bid on the girl?"

Chun Xi snorted with laughter, "Indeed! To use the words of Scholar Wen from the shop, they’re in cahoots!"

Even the tooth-puller Zheng Yakuai, whose arrival had gone unnoticed, stood to one side, shaking his head vigorously and sighing, "Such a disgrace to our profession..."

Great Saint and his companions had dragged Zhou Qing and Tian Da from the gambling table that morning, beating them severely. Zhou Qing’s teeth had been knocked out, and the left side of his face was swollen two fingers high, distorting his features grotesquely.

Exhausted though he was, Zhou Qing could not bear the humiliation of being pointed at and yelled at. He croaked desperately, "She’s my daughter. Whether I sell her or not, what’s it to you?"

Immediately, Great Saint punched him again, snorting coldly, "Your daughter? Go look at your own reflection in the water jar, do you even resemble a father? Dare to talk back again, and I’ll beat you to death!"

La Mei chimed in angrily from the side, "You still know she’s your daughter? Have you ever taken care of her for even a day? In a few months Yun’er will be seventeen. At her age, which girl isn’t engaged? Have you prepared a dowry or found a match for her? And you dare to be so insolent in front of everyone here—I know you are used to beating your wife and children and throwing your weight around at home, but I am not afraid of you. Do you dare to act tough with me?"

The bystanders erupted in discussion.

Indeed, Fire Knife Village wasn’t wealthy, but neither was it destitute. Far from it, there had not been an instance of a parent truly selling their child for money in decades. This unexpected news was more than the crowd could bear, and they joined the chorus of condemnation, with some of the hot-tempered farmers giving Zhou Qing and Tian Da a few additional blows, unable to contain their anger.

Tian Da, feeling utterly wronged, wailed incessantly, "It’s not my fault, it was him who wanted to sell his daughter. I just agreed to help him make arrangements. But look, nothing has come of it yet. Isn’t it enough for me to wash my hands of the matter?"

Farmers are naturally strong, and Zhou Qing, already weakened by his drinking, couldn’t withstand the beating. He began to beg pitifully, "I’m not selling, I’m not selling—even if you gave me money..."

"Empty words are useless."

At that moment, Wen Huaren stepped out from the crowd, drawing a piece of paper from his bosom and throwing it down in front of Zhou Qing.

"I won’t deceive you. This document states that from this day forward, you’re not allowed to entertain the notion of selling off any of your four daughters. If you agree, put your thumbprint on it," Wen Huaren said, his voice trembling slightly, his back ramrod straight.

Zhou Qing wasn’t a fool. Though he knew he couldn’t stand against so many, he was reluctant to yield, and retorted, "Why... why should I put my thumbprint? You’re not the Government..."

"No reason. If you don’t put the print, I’ll just keep beating you—it’s that simple!" Great Saint slapped him hard atop his head.

Wincing in pain, Zhou Qing gave a pitiful cry, turned his head to look at the robust men surrounding him, and feeling intimidated, he finally took the inkpad offered by Wen Huaren, dabbed some ink on his thumb, and angrily stamped his print on the paper.