Chapter 247: Troublesome Deeds

Village Chief Liang's family was large, but to properly host the distinguished guest, everyone else was sent to the kitchen. The large square table was thus occupied only by He Lingchuan, Village Chief Liang, and Zhou Seshi.

Shan Youjun and the other personal guards were also provided with meals in the kitchen.

The rock wolf received a whole live duck, and even the monkey was given two pieces of fruit.

He Lingchuan's conduct was a classic example of "living off the rich." Not only his own meals but also those of his subordinates were provided by the village, a common practice for local officials. In prosperous years, wealthy rural families typically didn't mind; they even considered it an honor.

As he sat down, He Lingchuan smiled, "Village Chief Liang, you're clearly excellent at hosting guests."

On the table sat a large basin of goose meat stewed with potatoes, dark and gleaming with oil, the rich fat nearly half an inch thick, the goose meat overflowing the bowl. Other dishes included fish, stir-fried dried bitter greens, stir-fried shredded bamboo shoots, and pickled beans. All were simple farm dishes, unrefined but hearty.

Village Chief Liang personally served a chopstick full of goose meat into He Lingchuan's bowl. "This large goose was raised on our farm for two years and weighs a full eight catties. Please try it; it's incredibly fragrant!"

He Lingchuan adapted to the local customs, abandoning any pretense of being a young master. He ate the meat, drank the village chief's homemade rice wine, and conversed cheerfully with the two men. He would spontaneously tap the table and laugh aloud when hearing amusing village anecdotes, as if their previous conflict had never occurred.

The village chief's family, who had been listening in secret, gradually let down their guard as they observed the seemingly harmonious atmosphere.

After all, these were officials with known names and backgrounds. Surely, they wouldn't suddenly attack someone during a meal?

Right?

After several rounds of drinks, Lingguang, the medicinal ape perched on the windowsill, chirped twice.

To He Lingchuan, this signal had only one meaning:

No one was around.

The rock wolf approached after devouring the duck, then lay down in the courtyard outside the dining room to groom its fur.

With such a large monster present, the villagers wouldn't dare to come close. At most, they would stand outside the courtyard, observing from a distance.

Just as Village Chief Liang naively believed the young master, having enjoyed his hospitality, had no further intentions of causing trouble, He Lingchuan once again patted his shoulder. "They say a child's destiny is set by age three. Your grandson has remarkable features; he's sure to accomplish great things when he grows up."

"Thank you for your kind words," Village Chief Liang replied. Before his smile could fully form, He Lingchuan's next sentence immediately followed:

"He bears a striking resemblance to you."

Village Chief Liang's smile faltered. "What?"

"Your grandson, yes. He looks as if he was cast from the same mold as you – his eyebrows, his eyes, his mouth."

"He's my grandson, so of course he resembles me."

"Not entirely," He Lingchuan replied slowly, chewing his goose meat. "Your son is outside, isn't he? I think your grandson resembles you more than him."

Village Chief Liang's hand, holding his wine cup, trembled slightly. Forcing himself to maintain composure, he asked, "Young Master He, those words are quite rude. What exactly are you implying?"

"Let's be frank," He Lingchuan said, pulling his chair closer and leaning in to whisper, "What I mean to say is, you only have two grandsons, yet you have three sons."

Village Chief Liang set his wine cup down with a sharp clatter. "What are you implying?"

"Shhh—" He Lingchuan raised a finger to his lips. "Lower your voice; don't let your family hear."

He heavily emphasized the words "your family."

Zhou Seshi was utterly bewildered, his hand behind his back, his fingers unable to keep up.

Didn't Village Chief Liang have two sons and three grandsons?

Was Young Master He suggesting...?

Surely not?

"Liang Su is the child you fathered with your third daughter-in-law." He Lingchuan offered a slight, mocking smile. "You old scoundrel, did you enjoy such illicit pleasure at home, or did you engage in 'wild combat' out in the fields? Does your son know what a massive cuckold's horn you've given him?"

Village Chief Liang, having no idea what "green hat" signified, and with no time to ponder it, felt the muscles in his face contort. "Young Master He, you're slandering me and destroying my reputation!"

He instinctively wanted to pound the table but restrained himself.

"Stop with the nonsense," He Lingchuan retorted, patting his shoulder again. "Your third daughter-in-law's gaze when she looks at you is practically overflowing with emotion, quite unlike how she looks at her dull husband. We're all men; who wouldn't be able to tell?"

Village Chief Liang shifted his shoulder, evading He Lingchuan's hand, and angrily flushed. "Where's your proof? Without evidence, you're just talking nonsense!"

Despite his apparent fury, he didn't raise his voice, instead lowering it.

He Lingchuan gestured, and the medicinal ape Lingguang, seemingly from nowhere, produced a bowl of clear water and placed it on the table.

He pulled two silver needles from his robe, each with a translucent soft pouch attached to its base.

These were Lingguang's tools for medicinal moxibustion, temporarily commandeered by He Lingchuan.

He Lingchuan squeezed one of the soft pouches, and the fresh blood within dripped into the bowl. Instead of dispersing, it sank to the bottom, forming a small ball.

He then squeezed the other pouch, letting more blood drip, before gently swirling the bowl.

All three watched as the two drops of blood at the bottom of the bowl met and quickly merged into one.

Village Chief Liang's expression shifted; he understood.

A moment ago, he had felt a slight, numb prick on his arm, which he'd dismissed as a mosquito bite. Now he realized this scoundrel had struck!

"This," He Lingchuan stated, "is the blood of your 'third grandson,' Liang Su. My apologies, I discreetly pricked him."

Both Village Chief Liang and Zhou Seshi finally understood why the child had cried so loudly earlier.

"The other needle contained your blood," He Lingchuan said in a soft, low voice. "Liang Su's blood and yours have completely merged, indicating a direct bloodline. This is your evidence. What do you have to say now?"

Both shocked and enraged, Village Chief Liang lowered his voice, speaking rapidly. "Who knows what concoction you've put in this water!"

He Lingchuan eyed him askance. "Do you admit it or not?"

"Admit nothing!" Village Chief Liang burst out, swearing. "I am innocent, and so is my third daughter-in-law!"

He Lingchuan chuckled. "Yes, you are both innocent together."

Zhou Seshi listened from the side, utterly dumbfounded, feeling his trip was well worth it.

"If you refuse to admit it, I'll gather everyone in the village, young and old, and we'll repeat the experiment," He Lingchuan said with a shrug. "Your disagreement won't matter; we'll simply discuss it then."

Village Chief Liang's dark face, which had been flushed crimson from drinking, now turned ashen, and sweat continually broke out on his nose.

If this wicked young master merely assembled the entire village and raised this issue, he would be utterly ruined as a village chief, a father, and a grandfather, even without performing the experiment!

If the experiment proved successful, his reputation would be shattered. If it didn't, rumors and gossip would still cling to him for the rest of his life, impossible to erase.

How would his son view him? How would the villagers view him?

Could he possibly retain his position as village chief?

After He Lingchuan finished speaking, he picked up the wine jar and poured another round for the three of them. Zhou Seshi remained motionless, engrossed in observing Village Chief Liang's stunned silence.

This village chief typically thought too highly of himself and wasn't particularly deferential to local officials. Now, retribution had arrived.

A moment later, seeing that Village Chief Liang still hadn't spoken, Zhou Seshi couldn't resist. "Village Chief, it's just a few land deeds. Once the village seal is affixed, it's settled. Why make everyone uncomfortable?"

Village Chief Liang's eyes finally shifted, looking at He Lingchuan. "If I agree to stamp it, you won't make a fuss or spread this around?"

"Of course," He Lingchuan smiled. "I wouldn't come to a place like Shuangyu Village without an assignment. We have no prior animosity or grievances, so there's no reason to specifically target you, Village Chief, is there?"

Village Chief Liang turned to Zhou Seshi, who, without waiting to be asked, patted his chest and guaranteed, "I will absolutely keep this confidential. Not a single word will ever escape me, Village Chief, rest assured!"

Village Chief Liang remained silent for a long moment, then rose, retrieved a cloth bag from an inner room, and returned.

"The land deeds, bring them out."

Inside the cloth bag was a seal. He breathed on it and then pressed it onto the land deeds.

According to local custom, this stamp was necessary for the buyers of the Shuangyu Village land rights to collect rent from the tenants.

Zhou Seshi inspected each land deed, and upon confirming the seal was correct, he exhaled in relief, nodded to He Lingchuan, and carefully put them away.

He Lingchuan, however, had no interest in how Village Chief Liang would explain this to the village elders and residents. A person with no skill wouldn't become a village chief at such a young age.

He then inquired, "Has Elder Liang of the Cloud-Piercing Pavilion been back?"

Village Chief Liang's expression stiffened. "He returned yesterday."

"He went to the provincial capital today," He Lingchuan smiled. "Was it to intercede on your behalf?"

Village Chief Liang remained silent.

He Lingchuan wiped his mouth. "My task is complete; I won't bother you further."

Shuangyu Village refused to adhere to proper procedures, choosing instead to follow its own private rules. Therefore, He Lingchuan felt justified in not taking the conventional route himself.

Fighting crookedness with crookedness, and negativity with negativity, could indeed yield positive results.

Just as he was about to stand, Village Chief Liang suddenly asked, "You... where did you hear about this?"

He Lingchuan stared at him for a long moment. Only when the village chief began to squirm under his gaze did the young master finally say, "It's better if you don't know."

"Please explain yourself clearly!" Village Chief Liang demanded. "Otherwise, when Elder Liang returns, I will tell him you plied me with alcohol and then coerced me into stamping the deeds."

He Lingchuan smiled, waved his hand, and the medicinal ape Lingguang jumped onto his shoulder and settled comfortably.

He stroked the monkey's head and said to Village Chief Liang, "This monkey of mine was born with a pair of Yin-Yang eyes, which allow him to see things others cannot. Just now, as we were discussing matters in the village house, there was a well beneath the eaves in front. A boy of seven or eight was sitting by the well. He cried to my monkey, saying that you personally drowned him in the river."

Village Chief Liang froze, his mouth agape but silent, like a fish.

It did occur to him that Young Master He had indeed paused at the doorway for a moment when he first approached the village house.

It took him a long time to find his voice, which was shockingly hoarse. "What did you say?"

"I said, that child cried to my monkey..."

He Lingchuan was about to repeat himself when Village Chief Liang cut him off. "What kind of child?"

"Thin and small, with sparse hair, wearing yellow clothes that he said his mother bought him before the New Year," He Lingchuan whispered. "Oh, and he kicked off one shoe when you drowned him. He wants you to return it to him."

Village Chief Liang gasped sharply, a broken sound escaping him as if he were being choked. The wine he had consumed moments earlier now seemed to have turned into cold sweat.

Or perhaps something else entirely.

"Is he still by the well now?" The village chief dared not look towards the doorway, addressing only the medicinal ape, his voice trembling.

Lingguang shook its head.

"At midday, why would such entities be lingering outside?" He Lingchuan remarked idly. "They've most likely hidden in the well. There's water in there, isn't there?"

Village Chief Liang nodded woodenly.

He Lingchuan stood up, patted his shoulder again, and said earnestly, "Take care!"

Village Chief Liang clutched his arm, like a drowning man grasping at a straw. "W-what should I do?"