Transmigrated into the role of the matriarch, I ensured my family had enough to eat and wear during

The night was as dark as ink, enveloping the entire Yangqu Village in a deep stillness. The bright, clear full moon shone down, illuminating every path in the village, but it could not penetrate the panic and fear in Zheng Rapi's house at this moment.

The commotion at Zheng's house was enormous; the howling of wolves and the cries of people woke up all the neighbors early on.

The villagers quickly put on their clothes and got up, holding torches high for self-defense. They gathered around Zheng the Rascal's courtyard, peering out cautiously, but no one dared to approach rashly.

Everyone had heard of the wolves' ferocity, and no one was willing to risk their life.

Tang Susu, carrying Yang Dabai and leading Yang Dahuang, gently pushed aside the onlookers and walked to the front.

Looking up, one could see two tall gray wolves standing at the gate of Zheng Popi's courtyard. They were agile and had sharp eyes, watching the crowd outside the courtyard warily, and occasionally letting out low howls.

Held in Tang Susu's arms, Yang Dabai became extremely excited upon seeing the two wolves. He whimpered incessantly at them, his little tail wagging wildly, as if greeting his long-lost companions or trying to tell them something.

At this moment, Zheng Dahu emerged from behind the woodpile in the corner of the courtyard. He held a torch and a kitchen knife aloft, his face pale and filled with terror. His voice trembled as he cried out to the onlookers, "Help! Please save my parents!"

"I was sound asleep when I suddenly heard a noise at the courtyard gate. My father got up to open it, but as soon as he opened the door, a wolf pounced on him and pinned him to the ground!"

"My mother heard the commotion and ran over to check, but she was also pinned to the ground by another wolf. I was so scared my legs went weak, and I could only hide behind the woodpile, too afraid to go any closer!"

Following the direction Zheng Dahu pointed, everyone looked into Zheng Rapi's courtyard and gasped in shock.

Zheng the rascal and his wife were each being stared at by a wolf. The wolves' front paws were pressing heavily on their backs, their sharp fangs were exposed, and thick saliva dripped from their mouths, falling onto their heads.

The two were so terrified that they trembled uncontrollably and wet their pants on the spot. Their trouser legs were soaked, and the smell of urine wafted over on the wind, attracting the attention of the villagers who were watching, but no one dared to say anything.

By this time, there were about ten villagers gathered outside the courtyard, while there were only four wolves in total—two inside the courtyard suppressing Zheng the rascal and his wife, and two guarding and watching at the entrance.

If a fight were to break out, the sheer number of people would likely give them the upper hand and they would probably win. However, the villagers were wary of the wolves' ferocity and feared that if they got desperate during the fight, they might retaliate and injure people. No one dared to gamble with their own lives.

The two sides remained locked in a stalemate, neither daring to move. The villagers outside the courtyard dared not attack, and the wolves inside did not launch any further attacks. Only their low howls pierced the silent night.

A villager suddenly remembered that Tang Susu's family had a wolf cub named Yang Dabai, and whispered, "Could these wolves be related to Yang Dabai from Gousheng's mother's family? After all, Yang Dabai is also a wolf, so maybe these are its companions."

Upon hearing this, everyone echoed his sentiments, and then they all turned their gazes to Yang Dabai in Tang Susu's arms, placing all their hopes for calming the situation on Tang Susu.

Seeing this, the village headman quickly stepped forward and pleaded with Tang Susu in an urgent tone, "Gousheng's mother, only you can solve this problem now. Have Yang Dabai lead these wolves to the woods behind the mountain, so they won't hurt Zheng the hooligan and his wife anymore."

"Our Yangqu Village and the wolves in the mountains have never clashed in the past hundred years. We have always kept to ourselves and never interfered with each other. I hope that things can remain the same today and that this turmoil can be resolved as soon as possible so that no one is killed."

Tang Susu's lips curled slightly, and she glanced coldly at the Zheng couple, who were half-dead with fright in the courtyard, before slowly replying to the village head: "Village head, you are right. Our Yangqu Village and the wolves have always kept to themselves and never interfered with each other."

"But it's no coincidence that these four wolves deliberately broke into Zheng's house in the middle of the night; there must be a reason."

As she spoke, she turned to look at the courtyard and raised her voice to the Zheng couple: "You two, think carefully about what you did wrong to offend these wolves. If you don't tell the truth, no one can save you today."

Zheng was pinned down by the wolf, unable to even lift his head. His fear gradually turned into anger.

Instead of reflecting on his own actions, he launched into a tirade against Tang Susu: "Tang Susu! It's all your fault! If you hadn't been raising wolf cubs at home, how would these mother wolves have come to the village? You're the one who brought them here!"

"Once these wolves are lured away, I propose that the whole village work together to wipe them all out, so they won't plague our Yangqu Village again!"

No sooner had Zheng the punk finished speaking than the white she-wolf holding him down was instantly enraged.

It suddenly raised its head, its sharp claws flashing out like steel knives as it swiftly grabbed at Zheng Popi's nape. With a "sizzle," several deep bloody marks immediately appeared on Zheng Popi's nape, and blood slowly dripped down his neck, staining his collar red.

Just moments ago, Zheng, who had been so arrogant, let out a pitiful scream after being scratched by the wolf. He instantly deflated, fear once again taking over his mind, and he wet his pants again. The foul smell of urine grew stronger, and the villagers watching subconsciously took a few steps back, glancing at him secretly.

The village head's expression changed drastically; he was extremely anxious.

Although he disliked Zheng the Scoundrel's opportunistic and cunning nature, Zheng the Scoundrel was ultimately a villager of Yangqu Village. As the village head, it was his duty and responsibility to protect the personal safety of every villager.

He could only turn to Tang Susu again, pleadingly, "Dog's mother, please, think of something quickly! If this continues, Zheng the rascal will be bitten to death by wolves!"

Tang Susu calmly shook her head, her tone grave as she warned the village head and the onlookers: "Village head, fellow villagers, listen carefully. Wolves are extremely vengeful animals. There are at least one or two hundred wolves in the mountains. If we kill these four today, nearly two hundred more will come to retaliate. No one in Yangqu Village can stop them!"

"And look, these wolves entered the village in the middle of the night but didn't kill Zheng and his wife outright. They clearly just wanted an explanation and to seek justice. As long as Zheng and his wife admit their mistake and return what they owe the wolves, the wolves will naturally return to the mountains and forests and won't bother them anymore."

Terrified and unable to move, Zheng Popi vented his anger on his wife, yelling at her, "It's all your fault! You idiot! You must have done something to offend the wolves that made me like this!"

Zheng the Scoundrel's wife was jolted awake by his scolding. She shuddered, then suddenly remembered something, and her face turned deathly pale. She stammered, her voice barely audible, "I...I remembered..."

"This morning, when I passed by Tang Susu's yard, I saw several wild animals in a bamboo basket, including rabbits and pheasants. I was greedy and stole three rabbits and one pheasant..."

"One of the rabbits has already been cooked and eaten, and the remaining two rabbits and a pheasant are still hanging under the eaves of our house..."

She paused, tears streaming down her face, her expression filled with remorse: "I'd heard before that the mother of the wolf cubs in Tang Susu's family would bring wild game every day, but I never believed it. Now I realize that what I stole wasn't from Hunter Yang at all, but from the wolves... These wolves came seeking revenge..."

After saying that, she hurriedly shouted to Zheng Dahu, "Dahu! Quick! Go to the eaves and get the rest of the rabbits and pheasants down, quick!"

Zheng Dahu trembled with fear, but dared not disobey his mother's orders. He nervously walked into the courtyard, carefully avoiding the wolf's gaze, and quickly went to the eaves. He took down the two rabbits and a pheasant hanging there, then lowered his head and quickly walked to Tang Susu, handing over the prey.

A wolf immediately pounced forward, biting its prey and gently carrying it to Tang Susu's feet, as if to confirm if it was something they had lost.

Even after obtaining the remaining prey, the four wolves in the yard still showed no intention of leaving, keeping a watchful eye on Zheng and his wife with eyes full of dissatisfaction.

Tang Susu smiled coldly, understanding in her heart—Zheng the rascal's wife was blatantly stealing. If the wolf hadn't come knocking on her door, her things would have been stolen for nothing, and she would have eaten them without a care in the world.

If she dares to steal wild game today, she might do something even worse tomorrow. We must teach her a lesson today.

She looked at Zheng's wife and coldly demanded, "You've handed over the stolen prey, but you must compensate for the rabbit you ate. There's no such thing as a free lunch; if you steal, you have to pay the price."

Zheng the Scoundrel's wife, tilting her head back and looking unwilling, retorted, "Why should I pay compensation? The rabbit is already in my stomach; I can't spit it out. How can I pay compensation? Village head, please tell me, she's deliberately making things difficult for me!"

As she spoke, she turned to the village head for help, hoping he could speak up for her and stop Tang Susu's request.

Tang Susu calmly calculated the compensation amount, her tone flat yet unquestionable: "At the market in Dongtai Town, wild rabbits cost thirty-eight copper coins per pound. I'll give you a discount and calculate it at thirty copper coins per pound. The wild rabbit you ate wasn't small, so I'll calculate it at three pounds. The total compensation is ninety copper coins, not a penny less."

Seeing this, the village head quickly waved his hand, trying to brush it off: "Never mind, never mind, Gou Sheng's mother, since the prey has been found, there's no need for compensation. Let everyone go home and rest; it's chilly at night."

But Zheng's wife knew in her heart that if they didn't pay compensation, these wolves would never give up and might even attack their family again.

She was heartbroken—the family's savings totaled less than three hundred copper coins, and the compensation of nearly one hundred copper coins was a huge sum for her.

But if she defaulted on the debt, she was even more worried that the wolf would hold a grudge and retaliate in the future. At that time, it would probably not be as simple as just paying back a few copper coins.

After weighing the pros and cons, Zheng's wife had no choice but to grit her teeth and agree, "Fine! I'll pay! I'll pay, okay?!"

After saying that, she turned and shouted into the house, "Cuiju! Cuiju! Come out quickly, go to the chest in my house and take ninety copper coins, hurry up!"

Soon, a girl who looked to be about ten years old came out of the house.

She had a round, chubby face and timid eyes; she was Cuiju, the niece of Zheng the Scoundrel's wife.

Clutching a string of copper coins, Cuiju quickly walked to Zheng Dahu's side, stuffed the coins into his hand, and then hurriedly turned back into the house, not daring to look up at the crowd and wolves outside the courtyard the entire time.

Zheng Dahu took the copper coin and quickly handed it to Tang Susu, keeping his head down and not daring to say another word.

Tang Susu took the copper coins, counted them carefully, and nodded in satisfaction after confirming that there were exactly ninety coins.

She lowered her head, gently stroked Yang Dabai's head, and said softly, "Dabai, tell your mother and your companions that it's getting late, you've retrieved the items, and you've received the compensation. Tell them to go back to the mountains quickly and not stay here any longer."

Yang Dabai nodded as if he understood, and whimpered several times in front of the four wolves, as if conveying Tang Susu's words.

The two wolves that had been holding down Zheng and his wife immediately released their grip, slowly stood up, walked to Yang Dabai, and gently licked Yang Dabai's body with their tongues, as if giving Yang Dabai a "saliva bath," their eyes full of tenderness.

Yang Dahuang, who was standing nearby, also stepped forward and whimpered a few words in a flattering tone to the four wolves, looking very obedient.

Just then, Zheng Popi saw that the wolf had released him, like a beast breaking free from a swamp, and the hatred in his heart instantly overwhelmed his fear.

He scrambled to his feet, grabbed a shovel leaning against the corner of the yard, his eyes bloodshot, and swung it viciously at the white she-wolf that had scratched him, roaring, "I'll kill you, you beast!"

The other gray wolf, who was guarding the side, reacted extremely quickly.

Sensing danger, it immediately leaped up, its sharp claws piercing Zheng Popi's head. With a muffled thud, Zheng Popi crashed to the ground, his mouth filled with mud and blood. His head was pierced, and blood gushed out. The intense pain caused him to convulse a few times before he could no longer move.

The villagers who were watching gasped in fright and retreated in all directions. No one dared to step forward to help—Zheng the rascal had brought it on himself, and no one was willing to provoke a ferocious wolf for his sake.

Looking at the badly injured Zheng Rapian lying on the ground, Tang Susu calmly addressed the surrounding villagers, saying, "Fellow villagers, you've all seen it, haven't you? Wolves aren't inherently ferocious. As long as we don't provoke them, they won't attack people. Today's incident is entirely due to Zheng Rapian and his wife's greed; they stole from the wolves, spoke arrogantly, and actively provoked them, which is why they ended up like this."

After saying that, she waved to the villagers: "Everyone, make way for them and let them go back to the mountains and forests."

The villagers immediately stepped aside, making way for the four wolves.

The four wolves turned their heads and whimpered a few more times at Yang Dabai, as if saying goodbye. Then they swaggered out of Zheng Popi's courtyard and headed towards the mountain forest behind the house.

Under the moonlight, the figures of the four wolves gradually receded into the distance, eventually disappearing completely into the night.

Only when the wolf disappeared from sight did the villagers who had been watching breathe a long sigh of relief, completely at ease, and the fear on their faces gradually faded away.

After the wolf left, the villagers gathered together and began to whisper among themselves.

Someone whispered, "My God, these wolves are so obedient to Gou Sheng's mother! She told them to leave, and they really left."

Some people quickly corrected: "It's not about listening to Gou Sheng's mother, it's about listening to Yang Da Bai. After all, Yang Da Bai was saved by Gou Sheng's mother. Wolves know how to repay kindness. Out of respect for Yang Da Bai, they only gave Gou Sheng's mother some face."

Some people exclaimed, "Gou Sheng's mother is so lucky! With Gou Sheng's father's spirit protecting her, and now with the wolf repaying her kindness, no one in Yangqu Village will dare to provoke her anymore. There's no need to go looking for trouble and offend such a capable person."

Looking at the ninety copper coins in Tang Susu's hand, and then at Zheng the Rascal lying on the ground, seriously injured and motionless, Zheng the Rascal's wife was overwhelmed by heartache and anger.

She suddenly stood up and hysterically roared at Tang Susu, "Tang Susu! You bitch! You must have colluded with the wolves to deliberately oppress us ordinary people!"

"I was bullied by wolves today and even had to pay them ninety copper coins. I'm not reconciled!"

"If we don't eliminate all these wolves, the other villagers will suffer tomorrow, and our Yangqu Village will never have peace!"

As she roared, she turned to the villagers who had gathered around and incited them: "Fellow villagers, let's join forces, go to the back mountain and kill these wolves, so that we can eliminate this threat forever and stop them from harming us!"