During famine years, I had a divination slip in hand, and my whole family ate chicken, duck, fish, a

He likes her!

But he didn't even know who he was; his mind was blank, as if someone had ripped a large chunk out of him with a knife.

He feared he already had a wife, and that his enemies might be after him and implicate her...

So he could only suppress the urge to get close to Ye Qingqing; just seeing her every day was enough.

Today, Ye Qingqing told him in front of the whole village that she wanted to spend her life with him. His heart was pounding so hard it felt like it was going to explode. But then she said, "I'll just use you as a substitute for now."

Ye Dazhuang was suddenly drenched.

Ye Youliang squatted on the threshold, smoking his pipe, puffing away, occasionally stealing glances at the two children. He only snapped out of his reverie when the pipe was almost burning his fingers.

Ye Qingqing leaned against the well platform for a while, her brows slightly furrowed as she pondered Zhao Yuanlang's intentions.

That person's problem was definitely not about saving face after being rejected in a proper marriage proposal!

He was probably after the income from her shop and also attracted to her looks, and held a grudge after being rejected.

After pondering for a moment, Ye Qingqing said coldly, "Brother Dazhuang, today..."

"Don't go anywhere this afternoon, stay home. I don't think this is over yet."

Ye Dazhuang looked up at her, his brows twitching slightly.

Will he come again?

Ye Qingqing nodded and said,

"He comes from a prestigious family and has had everything he wanted since he was a child. He has never been treated like this before."

He was humiliated by me in front of so many people today, do you think he can swallow this insult?

Ye Dazhuang downed the remaining water in the bowl in one gulp, put the bowl down, and said in a low voice,

"I'm not going anywhere."

……

Ye Qingqing was right after all!

A commotion erupted outside the courtyard gate, a cacophony of hoofbeats and clanging metal, accompanied by shouts from someone at the top of their lungs.

"Ye Youliang! Open the door! I'm here on the orders of the county magistrate to investigate a case involving an accomplice of a notorious bandit!"

Ye Youliang's pipe fell to the ground with a "thud".

He had just stood up when the courtyard gate was kicked open.

The bolt snapped in two with a "crack," and the door slammed against the earthen wall with a loud "bang."

Five or six constables in black uniforms rushed in. The leader was thin-faced with triangular eyes, an iron chain around his waist, and a face full of fat. A scar on his chin ran from the corner of his mouth to his ear.

Zhao Yuanlang followed behind.

He strolled in slowly, a mocking and sinister smile on his face, like a cat playing with a mouse.

Ye Qingqing came out of the house and looked coldly at Zhao Yuanlang.

"Young Master Zhao, what brings you here again?"

Zhao Yuanlang tapped his folding fan against his palm and said with a smile,

"Miss Qingqing, this time it's not me who's here, it's the government office handling a case."

In the robbery and murder case on the main road a few days ago, someone confessed that the stolen goods were hidden in the Ye family's shop in Kaoshantun... Isn't that a coincidence?

Ye Qingqing sneered, "Really? Who confessed? Did they point to me?"

"Don't worry about that."

Zhao Yuanlang took two steps forward and lowered his voice,

"Young lady, your elder brother and sister-in-law have both been arrested. If you want your family to live peacefully for fifty years, I'll show you a way out..."

If you agree to marry me, and then come up with five hundred taels of silver to bribe officials, the Zhao family can settle this matter with just a word.

Your older brother is in the county jail right now. If you, your father, and the whole family go in, your family is finished.

Ye Youliang's legs went weak, and he grabbed the door frame, his lips trembling.

"What? Da-Dali got arrested?"

Zhao Yuanlang's tone was filled with undisguised smugness, "Dali is still not behaving himself even after being put in jail. The county magistrate is just looking for a reason to deal with him!"

Qingqing, you're a sensible person; think this through carefully.

Ye Qingqing's lips curled into a cold smile, her eyes glaring fiercely at him. "Zhao Yuanlang, do you think you're the only smart person in the whole world?"

Zhao Yuanlang's smile froze.

"What do you mean?"

"You're using the government to intimidate me, aren't you just implying that I'm just a country girl and you can't do anything to me?"

Ye Qingqing crossed her arms and said bluntly, "But have you considered what if your trick doesn't work?"

Zhao Yuanlang's face darkened, he snapped his folding fan shut, pointed at Ye Qingqing, and shouted.

"Don't push your luck! Given the situation, you have no choice but to agree, or else..."

He waved his hand behind him, "Don't blame me for turning my back on you... Men, seize him!"

Two constables immediately pounced on him, one grabbing Ye Youliang and the other heading straight for Ye Qingqing.

"Let's see who dares!"

Ye Dazhuang shouted coldly and charged over.

At the same time, Zhao Laoda grabbed the door jamb from the side of the door, while Zhao Lao'er still gripped the handle of a hoe, shouting angrily.

"Let's see who dares to touch our master's house!"

"I'll fight you to the death!"

Ye Dazhuang took a step forward, using his right foot to step on the threshold for leverage, and lunged forward. He grabbed the wrist of the constable who was holding Ye Qingqing with his left hand, his fingers digging into the other man's wrist bones and twisting it back.

The constable's arm felt like it had been shackled, and he howled in pain. His face turned a deep purplish-red, and as soon as he let go, Ye Qing fell into his arms.

Ye Dazhuang put one arm around her, his shoulder pressed against the yamen runner's chest, and with a thrust of his waist and abdomen, he made the runner stagger back several steps.

The constable slammed his head against the wall, wincing in pain, and curled up on the ground for a long time, unable to get up.

Seeing the situation was turning against them, the constable shouted in a shrill voice, "Rebellion! How dare you assault an officer! Men, get him!"

The remaining three constables rushed forward.

Old Zhao swept one of them down with a single swing of his bar. The constable clutched his leg and rolled on the ground, howling like a pig being slaughtered.

Zhao Lao Er swung the hoe in a wide arc and smashed it into another shoulder...

A constable lunged at Ye Dazhuang from behind. Ye Dazhuang heard the sound of wind and dodged to the side, then grabbed the man by the back of his collar and kneed him in the lower back.

The constable groaned and fell face down into the mud, his front teeth hitting a stone, blood trickling down his chin.

In the short time it takes to drink a cup of tea, all six constables were lying on the ground, groaning and unable to get up.

The constable scrambled and stumbled towards the courtyard gate, shouting as he ran.

"A rebellion! The Ye family has rebelled! They're attacking the officials! They're killing the officials!"

Zhao Yuanlang stood in the courtyard, forgetting to even wave his folding fan, his face alternating between pale and flushed.

He looked at Ye Dazhuang, his voice filled with barely suppressed ferocity.

"Ye Dazhuang! You dare to assault a government official! According to the law, you shall be flogged eighty times and exiled three thousand li! Ye Qingqing hired thugs to beat up a government official; she is guilty of the same crime!"

I'm telling you, none of your entire family will escape!

Ye Dazhuang looked down at her arm, which was pinched red, and asked, "Does it hurt?"

Ye Qingqing frowned and shook her head, quickly searching for a way to break the deadlock.

"It's alright, Brother Dazhuang..."

Before he finished speaking, Ye Dazhuang suddenly turned to look at Zhao Yuanlang.

Zhao Yuanlang felt a chill run down his spine when he saw him, took a step back, and his face was filled with terror.

"What are you doing? Don't come any closer! Let me tell you, my father is Zhao Dechang, and the Zhao family is a prestigious family in the prefecture!"

Believe me or not, if you lay a finger on me, your entire family will be executed!

Ye Dazhuang walked towards him step by step.