Reclaiming Wasteland: Carefree Mountain Farmer

Chapter 65 Guidance 1
Yang Family Grain Store, Beiyuan County
Twenty-year-old Ma Tuchai walked into the main room and saw her mother-in-law talking to a woman in her forties.

"Mother, haven't Father and Qing-ge returned yet?"

Ma Tuchai's husband, Yang Qing, has not returned for two days and one night. His father-in-law and three employees have also disappeared.

The old woman started crying, tears streaming down her face.

Yang Sangu also sighed, "I asked around and found out that a powerful figure named Beiji Wu has emerged in this area this year. He is a murderer and robber, and he does all sorts of evil deeds. He also has a very good relationship with the military officer, so even merchants from Tongzhou don't dare to offend him."

“Our five men just came back from collecting debts in Gaoliu County. They didn’t know that such a powerful figure had appeared in the villages below. They haven’t come back for the past two days and nights. I’m afraid something bad has happened to them.”

Ma Tuchai immediately said, "We need to see the goods and the person, or the body and the body. We should send someone over to inquire. If they've been detained, it's better to spend some money to get them out than for a bunch of women like us to live like this."

Yang Sangu thought this made sense, but she was also in a dilemma.

"Who would dare go there now?"

Ma Tuchai said, "Let Yuangui go over and ask around, find someone to inquire."

Yuan Gui is Yang Sangu's son. Yang Sangu immediately turned her head and said, "No way! If they were detaining people for money, they would have done so long ago. It's not like there hasn't been a reply for two days and one night. In my opinion, it's probably a bad omen. Don't worry, sister-in-law, Yuan Gui will take good care of you from now on."

Ma Tuchai encountered the most troublesome thing: after the men in her family died, her relatives, who were originally a group of people, couldn't wait to come and take advantage of the family's demise.

Grandma Yang lowered her head and cried, not daring to refuse, nor wanting to agree.

Yang Sangu glanced at the old woman with disdain, then looked at Ma Tuchai, whose expression was not good.

“Tuchai, you’re married but don’t have any children yet. It just so happens that my Yuangui is also looking to take another concubine. We shouldn’t let this good fortune go to outsiders. If you agree, I’ll go and have a good talk with my Yuangui.”

Ma Tuchai looked at Yang Sangu with a serious expression. "Third Aunt's words are nice, but I also have a request. If Third Aunt agrees, I am willing to continue being a daughter-in-law in the Yang family."

Aunt Yang said happily, "Go ahead! Don't just say one, three or five are fine too!"

Ma Tuchai laughed and said, "One is enough. I'm not a greedy person. I'll only marry a man with guts. Have Yuan Gui go to Beitian Village. As long as he can confirm my man's life or death, I'll become his concubine!"

Yang Sangu did indeed like Ma Tuchai and envied her brother's family for having such a beautiful and capable wife.

"Okay! I'll have Yuan Gui go and ask him later."

After agreeing, Yang Sangu decided to go back on her word.

"You have no idea how ruthless that Beiji Wu is. He killed six Hu people by himself, killed an 800-pound wild boar with one punch, stomped a leopard to death, and can carry an ox!"

"It's my fault. It's my fault for not coming ahead to tell you how powerful this person is. If Yang Qing and the others had told me before they went to the countryside to collect debts, that would have been fine. Beitian Village is not a good place. Why did you provoke them?"

"The merchants from Tongzhou are a hundred times more powerful than us. They were beaten and had their bones broken just for saying a few more words to Beijiwu. They didn't dare to utter a single word."

"Several dozen Turks encountered the Northern Warrior and were beaten to their knees, begging for mercy. They even offered gold to the Northern Warrior to let them go."

"With just your family of ten or so, you might be able to scare ordinary villagers and common folk, but if you encounter a 'deadly star,' you really should stay as far away as possible."

Hearing Yang Sangu's words, the old woman cried even more pitifully.

Yang Sangu didn't want to hear the old woman cry either, so she smiled at Ma Tuchai and said, "Tuchai, why don't you come to my house and talk to Yuangui?"

Ma Tuchai looked at the old woman, who was also secretly looking at her while wiping away tears. After their eyes met, she continued to cry.

Ma Tuchai smiled and said, "I still need to stay home and keep an eye on things; the rice shop can't be left unattended."

Yang Sangu laughed and said, "Then I'll go back and talk to Yuangui. Those two guys outside are unreliable. I'll call Yuangui over. With the Yang family here, those guys won't steal money or do anything reckless. You should also talk to Yuangui."

Ma Tuchai walked to the door and said, "I'll see Third Aunt out."

“Okay.” Yang Sangu and Ma Tuchai went out together, leaving the old woman, whose husband and son had died, behind, crying in panic.

The old woman longed for her husband and son to return and take charge of the situation, praying in her heart that the two men were still alive.

As Yang Sangu and Ma Tuchai walked out of the main room and into the courtyard, Yang Sangu continued to persuade Ma Tuchai.

“Tuchai, I may say something that’s hard to hear, but you must know that your in-laws and your husband are no good people. They deserved to be killed.”

Ma Tuchai sighed, "Third Aunt is right. I know these things, just like Third Aunt. I also know that in addition to lending money to collect debts, they also buy and sell women and children."

Yang Sangu advised, "Now that you know, why bother with these things?"

Ma Tuchai said, "It's not that I want to get involved, but I can't ignore it. People die and that's it, but what will happen after that? Right now, I just want to find a good home. If Yuan Gui can determine the fate of those five people, then it would be reasonable for him to take over the family."

"The Yang family is in the business of selling rice and lending money. Without a strong person to keep things in check, women like us simply can't survive."

"Now that Yuan Gui has taken a liking to me and the Yang family's shops, he should at least have some guts. Beitian Village isn't a den of dragons or tigers; let's go and ask him."

"I don't ask for revenge for them, so that everyone doesn't lose their lives. I just ask for confirmation of their fate. Otherwise, what will happen if Yang Qing and my father-in-law come back after I marry Yuan Gui? Since Third Aunt wants to grant my wish, please let Yuan Gui give me a definite answer."

Ma Tuchai spoke her true feelings, revealing all her genuine thoughts without any ulterior motives.

After hearing this, Yang Sangu also felt that what Ma Tuchai said made sense.

"That's right, we really need to find out the details before we talk about it."

After saying this, Yang Sangu added, "Don't report this to the authorities. The government can't send troops without the imperial order. If you report it, everyone in the city will know that our family has lost a man. How can we run the grain shop then? They'll all come to rob us!" Ma Tuchai nodded, but she had a very bad feeling in her heart.

Ultimately, she was just a woman, and Ma Tuchai couldn't control the situation. This time, three of her employees also died, and the news quickly spread among the three families whose husbands had died.

The three men came from three different families and quickly gathered twenty or thirty neighbors to cause trouble at the rice shop.

"Give me back my son's life! My son worked for you, and now he's dead! My poor daughter-in-law and grandson!"

"Hand over my brother! Or I'll smash up your rice shop!"

"Give me back my money! Give me my son's wages and the money for his funeral!"

"Get Boss Yang out here! He still owes me money! Come out now!"

"Pay up! Pay up!"

A large crowd crowded in front of Yang's Grain Shop, surrounding the rice sellers and the shopkeeper inside.

Twenty-four-year-old Yuan Gui was just thinking about taking over his uncle's shop assets and his beautiful wife when this happened before they even had a chance to get intimate that night.

"My uncle isn't here. Please come back in a few days. He'll be back soon!"

Yuan Gui quickly calmed everyone down, thinking of finding any excuse to send them away.

"Pah!" An old man spat and cursed viciously, "You brat, trying to fool your grandpa? What haven't I seen? If you don't pay me back today, we'll smash up your shop!!"

"Yes! Smash this shop!" a man shouted, his eyes darting quickly towards where the money was hidden.

Few people living on the border abide by the law, and seeing the commotion, they quickly shouted in unison.

"Pay up! Pay up! Or I'll smash your shop!"

Yuan Gui wiped the drool from his face and, seeing a large group of people standing at the door, immediately shouted to several nearby employees, "Close the door!"

His words only fueled the anger of the impatient crowd.

"Smash this shop!"

It was called smashing up the shop, but it was actually a robbery. A large group of people rushed into the shop like a tide. Some were fighting over the grain bags, some were pushing towards the cash box, and some were directly beating people. Several shop assistants who tried to stop them were beaten until their heads were bleeding and their clothes were torn off.

Without a man to keep order, there was no order, especially after people learned that the Yang family team had lost five men, so the people in the vicinity were naturally no longer afraid of the Yang family.

The old lady of the Yang family hid in the house, but was soon dragged out by a group of people.

"Tell me! Where did you hide the money?!"

The old lady of the Yang family looked tremblingly at the large group of vicious people, which reminded her of the day when she was young when she was surrounded by rebels who had broken into the city.

"The money... is all with my wife. My poor son! He married a jinx!"

The old lady started to cry.

A man nearby shouted, "Where is your daughter-in-law? Tell me now!"

The old lady quickly replied, "She's at home!"

Suddenly a slap came, and a young man kicked the old woman twice.

"You old hag! Tell me where that woman is hiding? I can't find her anywhere!"

The old woman cried, "She was right in the yard! She didn't go anywhere!"

The men and women in the neighborhood searched everywhere but couldn't find him.

One of the men yelled, "You have to pay us back today! My son died while working for you. According to our local custom, we're owed twenty taels less or fifty or sixty taels more. But considering that someone in your family died too, just give us fifty taels!"

An old man nearby chimed in, yelling, "Fifty taels per person! Pay up! Our son died, and it's all your fault!!"

Working for a loan shark gang, one's death cannot be in vain. It was the Yang family's own fault for provoking the wrong people. Industry rules forbid reporting to the authorities, so they must compensate the thugs' families!

If they don't pay them, who the hell will work for these people?!

Fifty taels per person is not much; it is a fair price in Beiyuan County.

No one reported the matter to the authorities, because they knew that if they did, the Yang family would only have less money. At the moment, everyone was focused on getting their share of the money as soon as possible, and no one cared about justice or revenge for the time being.

"Speak up! Where's the money?! Or we'll kill you all!"

Men have stopped caring about neighborhood etiquette in their pursuit of money.

Yuan Gui, now bound and kneeling on the ground by a group of people, shouted, "Tu Chai! Come out quickly! Give them the money!!"

Tuchai didn't come out, but she heard someone outside shouting in panic, "The soldiers are here!"

Upon hearing that the soldiers were coming, the group of people, regardless of whether they were in the right or not, grabbed what they had stolen and fled.

(End of this chapter)