CHAPTER 392: CHAPTER 392: STIRRING UP TROUBLE

Third Grandpa said, "The fact that you can ask this question shows you’re not entirely foolish."

Upon hearing this, Gu Dashan felt a chill in his heart and asked, "So, Good Brother An and Xiao Yu didn’t go to return the mule cart? They didn’t stay at Wenyuan’s Family tonight either, where did they go?"

Third Grandpa said, "They obviously went to the county government."

Not only did they go to the county government, but they also sued the Lu Family, and the lawsuit was successful.

Soon after, Wang Yongfu, Father Luo, including several men from other families came running to find Third Grandpa to ask what exactly was going on?

Thinking that the government officials had already gone to arrest people at the Lu Family, and that matters were halfway successful, Third Grandpa no longer concealed the truth. He explained that Old Man Xue had written a letter informing Xiao Yu that Old Master Lu might be an escaped slave; upon receiving this letter, Elder Qin, Xiao Yu, and Good Brother An went to the county government to accuse the Lu Family in the evening.

Upon hearing this, all the men were shocked, "Such a big event has happened... What, what should we do now?"

Third Grandpa said, "Do nothing, immediately go back to your own homes. It’s still not dawn, the Lu Family has not been sentenced yet, we cannot let our guard down. Everyone, go home, stay alert, and take good care of the women and children in your family. Don’t go to watch the excitement. Things are chaotic now, the Lu Family still has thugs like Zhang Niu, and if the Lu Family becomes desperate and decides to fight to the death with us, that would be terrible."

Hearing this, the expressions of the men changed, "Yes, yes, yes, we have to go home, we must not let anything happen to our families."

All the families immediately ran back to their homes, barricaded the doors, and sat in the main hall, fearing that someone might come to cause trouble.

Third Grandpa had Old Zhu and his son get up and patrol back and forth at the end of the village, and if they saw any suspicious people, they were to immediately knock on the wooden clapper to alert everyone.

Wang Yongfu did not go back, but instead, he stayed and guarded the courtyard of Gu Jinli’s house.

As a servant bought by Gu Jinli’s family, skilled in martial arts, he ought to protect Gu Jinli’s house first.

...

In the dead of night, the whole Da Feng Village burst into activity, the villagers lit torches and surged towards the Lu Mansion.

Squad Leader Yang and his men had already captured all individuals at the Lu Mansion, tied them up with ropes, one dragging another, and pulled them out of the Lu Mansion.

Luo Wu produced a seal and sealed all doors of the Lu Mansion, including the main gate, back gate, and the corner gate.

Squad Leader Yang left behind four government officials to guard the Lu Mansion, and said to Village Chief He, "There are some matters concerning Old Master Lu’s youth that we need to inquire about from you, you need to come with us to the county government."

"Eh, eh, eh, let’s go, this old man will definitely go." Village Chief He was still excited, eager to go to the county government as soon as possible to expedite the sentencing of Old Master Lu’s crimes.

"However, the charge of being an escaped slave is not so easy to adjudicate. Although there is Old Man Xue as a witness, the archives still need to be checked. Lu Mansion’s Linglong Painting Boat is located in Jinling Prefecture of Jiangnan, and to check the archives there and return, it will not take less than ten days."

"The Lu Family People saw that Old Master Lu’s entire family was arrested and were all frightened. Arresting people in the dead of night, it seems that the matter involving Old Master Lu’s household is no small issue."

"Lord, what exactly did Old Master Lu’s family do? Is it serious? Why suddenly arrest people? Could it be a misunderstanding?" Lu Tianya’s father asked.

Lu Tianya’s father, a distant nephew of Old Master Lu and the closest relative within the Lu Family, had always relied on Old Master Lu’s household for his livelihood. Now seeing Old Master Lu’s entire family getting arrested, he turned pale and anxiously asked Squad Leader Yang.

Squad Leader Yang’s expression darkened and pointing at him, he said, "Who are you? Government officers execute cases on orders from the Lord County Magistrate, and there is no need for explanations to you. Don’t question it, if you’re not at ease, you can follow us to the county government, but we’ll have to bind you."

Upon hearing this, Lu Tianya’s father’s hand holding the pine oil torch trembled, and he hurriedly said: "No, I dare not, Lord, please proceed as you wish."

"Ha ha, Lu Jinggui, what’s wrong, scared already? Old Master Lu is your uncle, you eat the Lu family’s food, now that Old Master Lu is arrested, shouldn’t you accompany them in loyalty?" The He Family People reveled in the chaos, mocking Lu Jinggui.

Lu Jinggui dared not speak, fearing that speaking further would implicate himself with Old Master Lu, and get arrested by the Government Officials to the county government.

"Lu Jinggui, why aren’t you speaking? Scared, huh? When you were bullying us He Family People, relying on Old Master Lu’s power, why weren’t you scared then?"

The He Family People had long despised the Lu Family People, and pointing at Lu Jinggui, they said to Squad Leader Yang: "Lord, you don’t know how vile Lu Jinggui is. Last year during the drought, although our area wasn’t severely affected, the river water had also dropped by half. Our family, being close to their land, had the whole family carry water to the fields. It took four days and three nights just to store up water in our fifteen acres of land."

"But this despicable Lu Jinggui, he stealthily breached our field ridges at night, letting the water from our fields flow into his own... Ah, they didn’t do any work, just dug a few shovelfuls through the field ridge and let their own fields get watered, but it was tough on our family, picking up water for another two days just to irrigate our own fields."

"When we went to confront them, that scoundrel Lu Jinggui even said, if we have the ability, we should sue him at the county government. He also threatened us that if we do sue, we’d better not lose the lawsuit or offend County Magistrate Zou... a tyrant, Lu Jinggui you are truly a tyrant!" He Lao Ma pointed at Lu Jinggui, cursing furiously, almost out of breath.

Squad Leader Yang frowned upon hearing this, glanced at Lu Jinggui, and said to He Lao Ma: "If you feel wronged, now is the time to gather evidence... Do you know what evidence is? It’s when somebody bullies you, and if any outsider sees it, those witnesses count as part of the evidence. Then you can sue Lu Jinggui at the county government, and the Lord County Magistrate will surely stand for you."

"Recently, County Magistrate Xu has been very proactive in pleading for the people, handling cases more diligently, and now that the Lu family is about to fall, with County Magistrate Zou busy with his own matters, Lord County Magistrate has no reservations. If you wish to seek justice, hurry before three months pass; once the Lord County Magistrate leaves, and a new one arrives, we cannot predict their quality, and the chance for justice might be lost."

The He Family People, hearing this, joyfully said, "Lord, can we really sue the Lu Family People at the county government? Won’t we get arrested by County Magistrate Zou? The Lu Family People claimed that whoever dares to sue them, County Magistrate Zou will imprison them."

The Lu Family People, hearing this, turned pale, quickly saying: "Don’t talk nonsense, only Old Master Lu’s household is abusive, we have nothing to do with it."

"Pah, how does it have nothing to do with you? You Lu Family People are just accomplices of Old Master Lu. We will sue you, sue till you’re all destroyed!"

The Lu Family People, being called names, some with hot tempers, immediately cursed back at He Family People.

Seeing this, the He Family People scoffed, "Oh, look at that, Old Master Lu has been arrested, and you Lu Family People still dare to be so arrogant, how could this be permitted? We must roll up our sleeves, put hands on hips, and return the insults!"

For a moment, the quarrel between the He Family People and the Lu Family turned the place into a bedlam, spitting flying and foul language filling the air, causing a headache for Squad Leader Yang.