166 Do You Believe That I’ll Pull Off Your Hair?

As soon as Ji Zhao finished speaking, the noisy crowd suddenly fell silent.

“With just your words? Why should we believe you?” Zhao Suqiu pursed her lips angrily. “Previously, during the drought, didn’t my family sell two little girls? You said that the county magistrate was settling scores after the fall, so we have to believe you? I think you’re just making up nonsense! You’re so vicious to your grandmother who raised you! You’ll definitely suffer retribution in the future.”

“Pfft!” Zhao Lanhua rushed in front of her aggressively and grabbed her hair. She gritted her teeth fiercely. “If you dare to say anything about my third daughter-in-law again, do you believe that I’ll pull your hair our?”

“Let go! Let go!” Zhao Suqiu did not expect Zhao Lanhua to be so fierce. She directly pulled her hair. Just as she was about to resist, she heard her mother’s exclamation from the crowd.

“Suqiu, this is incredible! Your father and your uncle were arrested by the bailiffs!”

The scene instantly became a mess.

When Shen Menghu rushed over, it was already quiet outside the Shen residence.

However, the villagers still gathered in groups of twos and threes, whispering to each other from time to time.

Shen Menghu knocked on the bamboo stick in his hand angrily. “Are you all so free? Have you dealt with the crops in the fields?”

Shen Menghu was already in his sixties. He had been the village chief for more than 40 years, and his aura was imposing. Coupled with his status in the villagers’ hearts, he was highly respected. Therefore, the villagers were very respectful of him.

“Village Chief, Aunt Suqiu’s father seems to have been captured!”

“Village Chief, what’s going on?”

“Village Chief, this Ji Ah Tao is so bad. Not only did she get someone to chop off her cousin’s hands, but she also ruthlessly sent her grandmother to prison!”

“Village Chief, I think our village can’t let a person like Ji Ah Tao stay!”

“Shut up, all of you!” Shen Menghu scolded with a straight face. “Are you all so free? Do you want me to find something for you to do before you stop?”

In the end, the onlookers left on their own.

Shen Yao stepped forward silently and welcomed Shen Menghu into the Shen family’s courtyard.

In the central room.

Zhao Lanhua brought over a large bowl of green bean soup and said with a grateful smile, “Uncle Huzi, thank you so much for just now. If you hadn’t arrived in time, I’m afraid everyone wouldn’t have been willing to leave!”

“They’re all too free!” Shen Menghu complained.

“Dashan’s wife, I’m here today to discuss the repair of the temple.” Shen Menghu drank more than half a bowl of mung bean soup before he slowly said, “In the past few years, the weather hasn’t been good. Shanghe Village is considered lucky. But I heard from Dashan that he wants to repair the entire temple to look more imposing?”

“Yes.” Zhao Lanhua nodded seriously.

“How much money would that cost?” Shen Menghu shook his head in disagreement. “Although your family’s situation in the village is considered good, even so, you can’t spend money like this. Besides, didn’t Dashan say a few days ago that he wanted to buy more homesteads to build houses?”

“Actually, this matter was my third daughter-in-law’s idea,” Zhao Lanhua said with a smile. Just as she was about to explain, she heard Shen Menghu scold her angrily, “Nonsense!”

Ji Zhao, who had been sitting at the bottom, blinked and held back her words.

“Ah Tao, tell me the truth. What exactly do you want to do?” Shen Menghu frowned and looked at Ji Zhao with a deep gaze. The doubt in his eyes was self-evident. “Others might not know, but I know. If you hadn’t gone to the county office first, your adoptive grandmother wouldn’t have been imprisoned in the county office!”

Shen Menghu stared at her, his weathered face filled with scrutiny.

Ji Zhao was neither servile nor overbearing as she met his scrutinizing gaze. She said softly, “Village Chief, many people know what kind of life I had before I married into Shanghe Village. However, ever since Old Master Xie passed away from an illness, I’ve cut off all contact with the Xie family. It was she who came knocking on my door time and time again, disturbing me and even the entire Shen family.”

“Even a clay man has a temper. Moreover, I’m a person of flesh and blood. Perhaps in your eyes, my actions are too unreasonable, but I don’t think I did anything wrong.”

Although Ji Zhao’s tone was very calm, the rest of the Shen family could not help but tear up.

The longer they interacted with Ah Tao, the more they could understand her character.

“Village Chief, actually, when Ah Tao went to the county office to file the case, I went too.” Shen Yao, who had been silent, suddenly explained, “We discussed this matter together previously. I also think Ah Tao did the right thing.”

“You… you guys…” Shen Menghu did not know what to say. In the end, he slumped his shoulders weakly and frowned. “Even if your adoptive grandmother deserved it, what about repairing the Earth Temple? You’re just a little girl. Why do you have such thoughts?”

“Because the Earth God will protect the peace of the land,” Ji Zhao explained concisely. “Village Chief, although we don’t have much money on hand to repair the Earth Temple, we will think of another way.”

Ji Zhao promised seriously.

Not only did the Earth God give her good luck, but he also repeatedly reminded her to avoid danger.

Therefore, she had to build a tall statue of the Earth God and revive the incense in the temple.

“But Shanghe Village no longer believes in the Earth God.” Shen Menghu frowned awkwardly.

“You know about the merit monument, right?” Shen Yao suddenly stood up and said to Shen Menghu sincerely, “Village Chief, all these years, in order to revitalize Shanghe Village, you have worked tirelessly and unafraid of hardships. You have put in a lot of action and sweat.”

“What are you getting at?”

“I’ve already discussed it with Ah Tao. Once the Earth Temple is renovated, your name must be engraved on the first line of the Merit Monument. Only then can you show your greatness.”

Although Shen Yao’s tone was as cold as usual, Shen Menghu was still persuaded.

“You mean, the order and size of the names on the Merit Monument can be adjusted?”

“Yes.” Shen Yao hurriedly nodded. “Anyone who donates more than ten taels of silver can have their name engraved on the Merit Monument. Moreover, the font will change. At the very least, it can be seen at a glance.

“If it’s more than eight taels and less than ten taels, the name can be placed in the middle to the left. If it’s more than five taels and less than eight taels, the name can also be magnified slightly. Of course, the specific layout on this merit monument needs to be confirmed one last time.” Shen Yao analyzed calmly. “Village Chief, what do you think?”

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