The Country Maiden: Fields and Leisure
Chapter 119 Disposal

Chapter 119: Chapter 119 Disposal

The Li Family Patriarch’s forehead, already nearly dry of cold sweat, began to furiously bead up again as he glared fiercely at Li Jinlong and Li Dagui.

Such a menace! A single careless act could bring about a calamity that would annihilate the entire clan!

The slight hope from the previous night of saving Li Jinlong had completely vanished; now he wished he could sever ties with Li Dagui’s family immediately.

Although Li Dagui didn’t quite understand, he wasn’t foolish. Seeing that Wang Yongan had only casually spoken a few words, and the Clan Leader’s look toward him grew hostile, how could he not understand?

It seemed that his son’s chances were more likely bad than good.

Looking at his son, Li Jinlong, who had heard what Wang Yongan said, sat on the ground in a stupor as if struck by lightning, unresponsive.

Any thought of further bargaining with the Wang Family disappeared instantly. He hardened his heart, set aside his pride, and pulling Wang Daxiu, knelt before Wang Yongan, "Scholar Wang, I beg you, spare my Jinlong! He’s still young, doesn’t understand things, it was truly just a moment of confusion! Please, for the sake of our previous relations as in-laws, spare his life! We’ll compensate with money, with money! I’ve brought all the silver from home, everything, and we’ll give it all to you. Only ask you to spare him for the sake of our fellow villagers, for the sake of past affection, please spare his life! I kowtow to you!"

As he spoke, he reached into his bosom and pulled out the bulging purse, attempting to stuff it into Wang Yongan’s hand.

Wang Yongan wouldn’t dare accept such a grand gesture and fear the risk of ensuing complications.

He immediately stepped aside, repeatedly saying, "Uncle Da Gui, you mustn’t do this, you are putting me in a difficult position. How this should be handled is up to the respective Clan Leaders and my father to decide. I, a junior, cannot simply speak out. Uncle Da Gui, please, rise."

Where would Li Dagui dare to stand up? The situation was compelling! The Wang Family called back Wang Laoer as reinforcement. Now that his sons and daughters had fled, he was left only with his wife, and looking at the Clan Leader’s demeanor, it seemed he wouldn’t defend Li’s family. Was there any other option than to obediently accept punishment and save his son?

The Li Family Patriarch didn’t dare waste any more time either and hastily discussed with the Clan Leaders of the Wang and Song Families and consulted Wang Laozhu for his opinion, finally formulating a plan. Then he approached Wang Yongan and whispered a few words in his ear.

Wang Yongan then smiled faintly towards the Li Family Patriarch and gave a formal gesture of respect, "Uncle Li’s insights are commendable, truly embodying the virtue of striving for the clan’s prosperity and blessing the future generations! Admirable, indeed!"

The Li Family Patriarch tasted bitterness in his mouth, yet he still wore a smile on his face.

Together with the Wang Family Patriarch, they announced the punishments for Li Jinlong and Li Dagui’s family.

Due to the severity of the offense, Li Jinlong was sentenced to twenty lashes in front of the ancestral hall as a warning to others! The Li Family must compensate the Wang Family with fifty taels of silver for Wang Yongfu’s medical expenses. Furthermore, due to Li Dagui’s failure in disciplining his son and lack of fatherly compassion, Li Dagui himself was expelled from the Li Family! Li Dagui’s eldest son, Li Jinhu, and second son, Li Jingou, having already disassociated themselves and left home, were still permitted to remain in the clan.

Being expelled meant that Li’s current homestead and house would be reclaimed by the clan, and the fields and lands were permitted to be sold!

In essence, this was equivalent to banishing Li Dagui’s family from Qilidun.

Li Dagui and Wang Daxiu collapsed to the ground. For people of their time, the clan was a person’s foundation. A person expelled from the clan would be scorned by everyone, right?

Even if his son’s life was saved, what future could a son expelled from the clan possibly have?

Li Dagui felt the world go dark before his eyes, struggling to maintain a shred of lucidity as he grasped the Clan Leader’s hand, "Clan Leader, I beg you..."

"Don’t beg me! Do you realize the disaster your son has caused? Your son was born with a disability, six toes on his foot, and that disqualifies him from education and taking the civil service examinations! Otherwise, it’s a grave offense of deceiving the Royal Family! Your entire family has been keeping this secret. If in the future your son participated in the county examination and it was discovered, our entire clan would be implicated!"

"Blinded by greed, you could have doomed all the members of our clan! Being able to spare your lives is already a huge leniency. If you fuss further, I will go to the County Yamen myself to report your family’s attempt to deceive the Royal Family! If you accept your punishment obediently, I can grant you ten days to sell the house and land, compensate the Wang Family, and then you may leave. Otherwise, spend a lifetime locked up in prison!"

The Clan Leader said menacingly, nearly dragged down by the predicament caused by Li Dagui’s family, thankfully he had pulled back just in time.

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However, watching Wang Yongan’s polished demeanor, which had forced him to deflate his pride and shame the Li Family in the village in just a few words, the Li Family Patriarch felt both hate and fear.

He resolved that, upon returning, he would force his grandson to study diligently, to also become a Scholar or Graduate and regain their honor!

Meanwhile, chosen by the Wang Family clan people, the stupefied Li Jinlong was bound to a bench, his upper clothing removed, his trousers pulled down to his waist, and the saltwater-soaked whip was lashed across his back.

With each strike, it brought up a trail of blood.

"Ahhhh!" With a wretched scream, Li Jinlong snapped back to his senses, his body trembling uncontrollably and convulsing like a fish scraped of its scales.

The young girls and married women nearby were petrified by such a gruesome scene, their faces turning pale, while some adults covered the children’s eyes, refusing to let them see.

Others whispered among themselves, secretly filled with fear.

After several lashes, Li Jinlong couldn’t bear it any longer and fainted.

Li Dagui and Wang Daxiu couldn’t withstand the shock either and had long been lying on the ground unconscious.

When thirty lashes were completed, and the ropes were untied, Li Jinlong’s body collapsed limply to the ground, breathing more out than in.

Now that the Li Family had been declared expelled from the clan, who would dare offer a helping hand?

The Li Family’s people didn’t help, and those from the Wang and Song Families were even less likely to step forward.

Everyone acted as if they hadn’t seen the three family members of Li Dagui lying on the ground. After everything was cleared up and the ancestral hall doors locked, they all dispersed and went home.

A gust of wind blew across, leaving behind just the three people and a puddle of blood on the lonely ground.

It was quite a while before Li Jinhu and Li Jingou, along with their wives, came sneaking over, hurriedly carrying away the three bodies.

Let’s turn to the Wang Family’s side.

After Li Jinlong was nearly beaten to death with thirty lashes, and with no timely medical help, it was feared he might meet Yama Raja tonight; only then did the Wang Family people feel mildly relieved.

The Li Family was also ordered to pay fifty taels of silver in reparation, which made Old Granny Zhang grin from ear to ear.

Especially since the Li Family Patriarch had someone count the silver in the purse held by Li Dagui right in front of everyone, totaling about twenty taels—it indeed was all of the Li Family’s savings.

He handed it over to Wang Laozhu right there and then in front of the crowd.

Wang Laozhu hadn’t even warmed to the silver before Old Granny Zhang snatched it from his hands. Naturally, she felt more at ease holding the silver herself.

Wang Yongan was invited by the Wang Family Patriarch to discuss matters at home, with Wang Laozhu accompanying him; the rest naturally returned to the Wang Family’s side.

This disposition lifted the previously gloomy atmosphere in the Wang Family’s home over the past few days.

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