After being jilted, the entire neighboring village was filled with deep regret.

Chapter 106: Trouble at the Door

The next morning, before dawn, Han got up to prepare food, making a bowl of goat milk for Su Tai and Shen Yi each, and heating up a plate of steamed buns and mantou before finally waking the two who were fast asleep.

"Hurry up, we still need to go to town after breakfast! I've already prepared all the gifts for the New Year's greetings."

Han kept urging him on, but Shen Yi, unaware of the reason, thought they were going to visit relatives and dared not delay at all.

The three of them arrived in town in a donkey cart.

Just as Shen Yi was about to ask Han Shi where to go, he ran into several familiar faces.

"Governor," Shen Yi greeted.

Liu Tiechui immediately stopped in his tracks. "Master Shen! Are you here in town on business?"

Shen Yi nodded respectfully, "We've come to visit relatives. Is the town magistrate already busy since the third day of the Lunar New Year?"

Liu Tiechui sighed in frustration, "Don't even mention it! Sang Yong's matter isn't fully resolved yet. Look, the victim couldn't wait any longer and came to my door on the third day of the Lunar New Year. After all, Sang Yong is my mother-in-law's older brother, and she was involved in that matter, so naturally we have to hold her responsible."

Judging from his expression, he was clearly furious.

Mo Laotian and his group, following behind Liu Tiechui, became increasingly silent and somewhat cautious.

Shen Yi noticed Guan Shi lying on the cart with her eyes bandaged, and understood. He felt some sympathy for Liu Tiechui. "You've worked hard, sir."

Liu Tiechui waved his hand, "I'm leaving now. If there are any fish when I go to the market later, bring me some more."

"it is good!"

Shen Yi agreed and waited for Liu Tiechui to leave before driving the donkey cart away.

Xiong Kai witnessed Shen Yi and Liu Tiechui exchanging pleasantries and was consumed by jealousy. He tried to lash out several times, but was stopped by Mo Chunxiang's older brother, Mo Dali.

The group arrived at the Ma residence.

The gatekeeper knew from the commotion that the other party was up to no good, so he pleaded and knelt down before Liu Tiechui, "Governor, please have mercy! Our master is so angry that he's fallen ill and can't get out of bed. His wife has also been sent back to her parents' home. The young master and his wife have said that the Sang family's affairs have nothing to do with them. They don't care. Even if you come, it won't make a difference!"

Xiong Kai immediately flew into a rage, "Why? If Sang Yong hadn't relied on your powerful connections, how dare you cheat us like this? Now my mother-in-law has lost an eye, and we'll need money for her medical treatment and medicine. You think you can just dismiss us with a few words? Dream on!"

The gatekeeper also panicked, "This has nothing to do with us! The magistrate has already ordered Sang Yong to pay compensation. You should go find Sang Yong, not come to our Ma residence to cause trouble!"

Mo Dali spat on the ground, his expression filled with resentment. "Bullshit! Sang Yong is still locked up in the county jail. How could we possibly see him? The Sang family is now deserted, not a soul in sight. They must have come to hide in your Ma family's place!"

"No! They didn't come here!" the doorman insisted.

Mo Dali, however, refused to listen and sat down on the steps of the Ma residence in a shameless manner. "If we don't see those people from the Sang family today, we won't leave. If we freeze to death here, it's all your fault!"

"Yes! That's right! It's all your fault!" Xiong Kai chimed in.

Mo Laotian and his second son, Mo Erli, stood silently by the cart, clearly approving of Mo Dali's actions.

The gatekeeper, sweating profusely, gritted his teeth and pleaded with Liu Tiechui, "Sir, could you please help us for the sake of our young lady?" "No!" Liu Tiechui replied curtly, even somewhat exasperated. "The things the Sang family has done are too numerous to recount! The magistrate has already said they will be severely punished. I've already shown leniency by not arresting the rest of the Sang family. Quickly get Sang Yong and Sang Rong's wives out to resolve this matter. They should pay compensation, apologize, and show some remorse. If they do, they might be able to get a lenient sentence."

If they continue to be so stubborn, and Sang Yong and Sang Rong never return, then it will be a great loss!

The gatekeeper's expression changed, and he quickly said, "Please wait a moment, sir, I'll go in and report to the master."

After saying that, he closed the door behind him.

Zhou and Ma Yuqing, who were hiding in the backyard, were so anxious that they kept wiping away tears and looked at Sang.

Sang was also in a real bind. "I've given you all my money! Now the master won't let me leave this courtyard and doesn't want to see me. What can I do? If this continues, I'll really be sent back to my parents' home, and then we'll all be doomed!"

Zhou hesitated, wiping away tears, "Sister-in-law, could you please ask Xingfei to plead for us? Your brother and I only have Rong'er as our precious son. If he's gone, I can't go on living. Yuqing will become a widow, and there's the child in her belly too."

Sang's pupils contracted, her gaze falling on Ma Yuqing's stomach. "Why didn't you say so before?"

Zhou felt extremely aggrieved. "These past two days have been so chaotic, we haven't had a chance to talk! You can't just stand by and watch your elder brother and nephew get into trouble!"

Sang had previously considered abandoning her elder brother and nephew, but now that her daughter was pregnant, if all the men in the Sang family were gone, her daughter's life would be over.

It wasn't that she felt particularly sorry for her daughter, but rather that she didn't want her daughter to become a burden to her and affect her son's future.

In a flash, she had an idea. "Alright! I'll go find Xiaofei and ask him to plead for me. But with the master's greedy nature, he definitely won't give money away for nothing. The eldest son and his wife won't agree either. We'll have to borrow it, and you'll have to pay it back later."

Mrs. Zhou was stunned, somewhat reluctantly, "This is no small amount, can we afford it?"

Sang's face was tense and expressionless. "If my sister-in-law agrees, I will do it. If she doesn't agree, there's nothing I can do."

Ma Yuqing was about to speak when Sang glared at him fiercely, so he could only shut up reluctantly.

Zhou was originally waiting for her daughter-in-law to speak up for her, but seeing this, she was so angry that she wanted to scold Ma Yuqing. Fortunately, reason prevailed.

"Fine! I promise you! We'll borrow the money!" she said through gritted teeth.

Sang sent someone to deliver a message to Ma Xingfei.

I don't know what Ma Xingfei said to Master Ma.

In less than a quarter of an hour, he came over with a contract for Zhou to sign, and said, "My father said he can lend money, but my uncle and cousin have to sign it together. He will send someone to the county town later, and he will send the people outside away first."

Zhou was surprised that the matter was resolved so quickly, and felt somewhat dazed and resentful.

Back in the house, she immediately complained to Ma Yuqing, "Your parents are really not being fair. They could have easily settled things with just money, but they made us borrow. Our family already didn't have much money left, and now it's even worse. Yuqing, why don't you stay at your parents' house from now on? Otherwise, you'll have to suffer with us."

Upon hearing this, Ma Yuqing immediately became anxious. "Aunt, please don't say that. I was born a member of the Sang family, and I will die a member of the Sang family. Don't worry, although my father loves money more than anything, he won't just stand by and watch our family die. Although this money is a loan, we decide when to repay it. If we really don't have the money, there's nothing he can do! He can't possibly treat us like outsiders!"

(End of this chapter)