Courtyard House: Starting by inheriting the tradition and suppressing the barbarians.

The crowd automatically parted to form a path.

An older woman was seen helping an elderly woman with a full head of white hair and bound feet, who was leaning on a cane, into the room.

It was the "ancestor" of this courtyard house—the deaf old lady!

The deaf old lady rarely went out.

But everyone in this courtyard knows that she is Yi Zhonghai's backer and Sha Zhu's godmother!

He was the undisputed leader in the courtyard.

It is said that she was a family member of a martyr and even gave straw sandals to the Red Army.

Even Director Wang of the neighborhood office had to treat her with utmost respect.

When he saw the deaf old lady arrive, Yi Zhonghai felt like he had seen a savior, and his back straightened up considerably.

"Grandma! You've finally arrived!"

"Look at this, that Li kid's gone mad! He beat Zhu Zi until he vomited blood, and he even hit me!"

Yi Zhonghai rushed over to complain, looking aggrieved.

It was as if he wasn't the one who had just taken sides.

The deaf old woman squinted her cloudy old eyes and glanced at the groaning, silly Zhu on the ground.

His wrinkled face was instantly covered with frost.

She's usually a little hard of hearing, but right now her temper was flaring up.

Sha Zhu is the eldest grandson she chose; he's the one who'll take care of her in her old age and see her off when she dies!

How could someone beat him up like this?

"Well done! Well done, Li family lad!"

The deaf old lady let go of the middle-aged woman's hand and, leaning on her cane, walked shakily to Li Xuan.

Pointing his cane at Li Xuan's nose, he cursed, "You heartless little beast!"

"So vicious at such a young age! Daring to hit even an elder?"

"I think you just need discipline!"

"Today, I'll teach you a lesson on behalf of your deceased father!"

As she spoke, the deaf old woman raised the hardwood cane in her hand and smashed it down hard on Li Xuan's head!

If that blow lands squarely, even without a concussion, the skull will be cracked open!

The neighbors around were so frightened that they screamed.

Su Yun's face turned deathly pale. She tried to rush forward to block him, but it was too late.

However, Li Xuan stood still, without moving an inch.

Just as the cane was about to fall, he suddenly raised his hand!

"Snapped!"

A long, strong hand caught the cane steadily.

That powerful and heavy blow seemed as light as a feather in Li Xuan's hands, without even the slightest tremor.

"you..."

The deaf old woman was stunned, and tried with all her might to pull her cane back.

But they found that the cane seemed to have taken root and did not move at all.

Li Xuan looked at the old woman in front of him who was acting like a senior citizen, and a hint of disgust flashed in his eyes.

"Lecturing me? You dare to?"

As soon as he finished speaking, Li Xuan suddenly exerted force with his five fingers!

"Snap!"

A crisp sound.

That sturdy elm cane was actually crushed in one piece by Li Xuan's hand!

Wood chips flying everywhere!

The deaf old lady felt her hand suddenly lighten, lost her balance, and staggered back several steps.

I almost fell on my bottom.

Fortunately, an older woman reacted quickly and caught her.

The entire room fell silent instantly.

Everyone who saw the broken cane in Li Xuan's hand couldn't help but swallow hard.

Breaking wooden sticks with bare hands!

How much force does that take?

"You...you dare to destroy my cane!"

"This is treason!"

The deaf old woman was trembling with anger, her finger pointing at Li Xuan shaking. "I'm going to sue you!"

"I'm going to have the neighborhood committee arrest you!"

"I'm a martyr's family member! I'm the patriarch of this compound! How dare you touch me?"

Yi Zhonghai quickly chimed in, "Li Xuan! You're finished! The old lady was a hero who delivered straw sandals to the Red Army!"

"You are persecuting veteran revolutionaries! That's a grave crime!"

"Family of a martyr? Hero?"

Li Xuan sneered, casually tossed away the broken wooden stick in his hand, and dusted off his hands.

He walked step by step toward the deaf old lady.

That sense of oppression made the deaf old woman instinctively feel fear.

"Since you insist on breaking the ice, then let's have a proper talk today."

Li Xuan stood in the center of the courtyard and looked around at his neighbors.

Finally, it landed on the deaf old woman's bound feet.

"As everyone knows, Beijing was peacefully liberated."

"At that time, the main force of the Red Army hadn't even entered the city!"

"Excuse me, deaf old lady, your bound feet are so small that you can't even walk steadily."

"How did you manage to traverse mountains and valleys, traveling hundreds of miles to deliver straw sandals to the Red Army?"

"Can you fly?"

This question was like a thunderclap, exploding in everyone's ears.

The neighbors looked at each other and began to whisper among themselves.

"Yes... The old lady has such bound feet, it's difficult for her to even leave the courtyard."

"Moreover, the Red Army was in northern Shaanxi at that time, on the Long March, which was a hundred and eight thousand miles away from here."

"This... doesn't seem to make sense."

The deaf old woman's face turned deathly pale instantly, and her eyes began to flicker.

"I...I used to deliver them back in my hometown! Is that not allowed?"

"Your hometown? Aren't you from the Manchu banner system? A remnant of the Qing dynasty?"

Li Xuan chuckled and pressed on, "Fine, then I'll assume you did give it to me."

"Then, may I ask, where is your certificate of being a martyr's family member?"

"Since they are family members of martyrs and meritorious individuals, the state must have issued certificates and recorded their pension payments."

"My father sacrificed his life. Our family has a martyr's certificate and a pension certificate."

"And yours?"

"Show it to everyone! Let them open their eyes and admire the glory of your ancestor!"

"I..." The deaf old woman stammered, cold sweat pouring down her forehead.

What kind of documents does she have?

Her so-called "family member of a martyr" status was merely a product of the chaotic early years after liberation.

She created a protective talisman for herself in order to save her life.

In addition, Yi Zhonghai, in order to establish his authority in the hospital, praised her extensively.

Over time, everyone believed it to be true, and no one dared to verify it.

Who would have thought that I would be exposed in public by a teenager?

"What? Can't you get it out?"

Li Xuan's eyes instantly sharpened, and his voice suddenly rose in pitch:

"If you can't produce it, you're impersonating someone!"

"This deaf elderly woman impersonated a martyr's family member, deceived the organization, and fraudulently obtained the 'Five Guarantees' benefits—this is fraud!"

"You're going to get shot!"

"And you, Yi Zhonghai! Helping to spread rumors without verification—you're an accomplice! You're covering it up!"

"Xiao Tian! Go to the police station right now! Report someone here impersonating a martyr's family member!"

"Let the police thoroughly investigate this old woman's background!"

"No! Don't go!"

Yi Zhonghai was terrified.

If this were to be investigated, the deaf old lady's past would definitely not be clean.

When they pull out the radish and bring out the mud along with it, he'll be finished too!

The deaf old woman was so frightened that her eyes rolled back, her body went limp, and she fell straight backward.

"Ouch..."

"I can't take it anymore... I'm dizzy... My chest hurts..."

She groaned as she gripped the older woman's hand tightly, desperately trying to wink at her with her eyes.

The acting was so realistic.

"Grandma! Grandma has fainted!"

The older woman, a seasoned actress herself, immediately joined in, shouting, "Help! Someone come quick!"

"The old lady has been angered to death by Li Xuan! Quick, get her to the hospital!"

Taking advantage of the moment, Yi Zhonghai shouted, "What are you all standing there for? Saving lives is the priority!"

"Get the old lady and Zhu to the hospital first! We'll settle the score later!"

After saying that, he didn't care about losing money anymore.

He picked up the deaf old lady and ran outside; he was faster than a rabbit.

Liu Haizhong and several neighbors hurriedly lifted Shazhu up and ran away in a flash.

"Tch, faking fainting? Terrible acting."

Li Xuan watched their disheveled retreating figures and curled his lip in disdain.

He didn't actually send anyone to chase after them, because he had already achieved his goal.

After this incident, the deaf old lady's golden statue has been shattered.

From now on, when she speaks in the courtyard, probably few people will truly listen to her.

Once the seed of doubt is planted, it will take root and sprout.

"Brother, should we still call the police?" Li Tian asked excitedly.

"No."

Li Xuan patted his younger brother's head, a slight smile playing on his lips. "Let them be afraid for now."

"Having a sword hanging over their heads is more painful for them than the sword falling."

"And this is just the beginning."

"The best is yet to come."

......