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

Chapter 210 Ma Yujie Panicked

"Absolutely!" Liu Tiechui clasped his hands in a fist salute again. Before leaving, he turned back to Su Tai and said, "It's a pity that Shen Yi isn't here. I'll apologize to him separately later."

Su Tai politely saw them off at the door, nodded slightly to Huang Xinghua and the others who were working in the fields, and closed the door again.

Shen Yi received the news as soon as he entered the village and rushed home in a hurry.

"Xiaotai, are you alright?"

Su Tai was feeding the child when she turned back and gave him a reassuring smile. "It's alright. If the town magistrate hadn't put down the wooden stakes, I wouldn't have known that anyone was causing trouble outside. You should be worried about Master Ma and his men. They seem to be badly injured, and I don't know if their lives are in danger."

If something were to happen to Master Ma, I'm afraid your cooperation with Ma Xingteng would have to end.

Shen Yi didn't care at all. He stepped forward and checked Su Tai and the child himself. He breathed a sigh of relief when he saw that they were really unharmed. "Our family is not short of money now. It would be best if we had it, but it's not a big deal if we don't. If you ask me, it would be better if Master Ma were gone. That way, the person threatening us would be gone."

Ma Xingteng and I are good friends. He's not an unreasonable person, and even if Master Ma really dies this time, he won't hold a grudge against me.

Su Tai was relieved. "But you still need to go to town, not to see Master Ma, but to seek justice for us. It would be best to make this a public spectacle. If Master Ma's injuries weren't serious this time, we should give him a good beating, otherwise he'll think we're easy to bully!"

“I would have done it even if you hadn’t said anything,” Shen Yi said, then drove the donkey cart to Moshi Town.

At this moment, Liu Tiechui also arrived at the clinic. As soon as he got off the carriage, he saw Ma Yujie with red eyes and immediately went up to her with heartache, asking, "How is your father-in-law?"

Ma Yujie sobbed twice, wiped away her tears, and said, "The head injury isn't serious, and his eyes can be treated. At most, he won't be able to see for a few days. But he's getting old, and his body isn't as strong as it used to be. This time, he broke his leg in the fall, and he also got a lot of rashes all over his body. It's painful and itchy, and he's suffering terribly!"

Upon hearing that the person was not in mortal danger, Liu Tiechui immediately regained his composure, glanced coldly at the backyard of the clinic, and said in a low voice, "Madam, I'm being blunt, so please don't take offense. This whole mess was brought on by my father-in-law himself, and he deserves a lesson so that I won't be able to clean up his mess if he makes a mess of things."

Ma Yujie immediately became annoyed, "What are you saying? I know you look down on my father's character, but he is still the father who gave me life and raised me. Even if he is biased, he still lets me make a fuss at my parents' house. Now that he is like this, can't you say something nice?"
Yes! My father was wrong in this matter, but that Su woman isn't innocent either! If she hadn't spoken recklessly, this trouble wouldn't have happened. Do you know how much impact her words had on our Ma family? Yesterday, as soon as the rumors spread, a bunch of people came to my father's door to demand answers, causing trouble outside our Ma family shop, refusing to let it go. Shouldn't my father be angry?

Liu Tiechui patiently looked at Ma Yujie intently, "How do you know that what the Su family said is just a rumor?"

Ma Yujie was stunned for only a moment before bursting into a rage. "What do you mean by that? Do you really think that some ignorant country bumpkin knows more than my father? That apple was brought back by my father from a long journey. There are very few people in the entire Langya Kingdom who know about it. If I'm not mistaken, that Su family member has never even left Zhaohua County. You believe what she says? I think you've been bewitched!"

Liu Tiechui's face turned cold when he was scolded like that. He took a deep breath to suppress his anger. "Regardless of whether what Su said is true or false, I only believe what I saw with my own eyes. The apples were planted in spring and are still just seedlings. You expect them to yield a bountiful harvest in autumn? That's just wishful thinking!"
"What if what Su said really comes true, and those people who planted crabapples get nothing this autumn? Have you thought about the consequences? If Su hadn't said those words beforehand, what would have happened to your Ma family? What would have happened to your father?"

As if someone had poured a bucket of cold water on Ma Yujie, her angry mind gradually cooled down, and reason returned.

Seeing her face turn from red to white and her eyes darting around, Liu Tiechui knew she already knew the consequences and was starting to get scared. He sighed helplessly, "I hadn't thought of all this before. It was only when Su brought it up with me that I had a sudden realization. The apples will most likely not bear fruit this autumn. With Su's words, even if those people make a fuss, you'll have an excuse and it won't be considered deceiving the people. If you wait three or four years and the fruit does ripen, this matter can be dropped. If it doesn't ripen, with three or four years to settle things, I believe your father will be able to handle this matter properly."

"If it weren't for Su's words, and everyone had nothing to show for it after the autumn harvest, the Ma family would have faced far more than just the wrath of one or two people. What do you think those people, driven mad by despair, would do?"

Ma Yujie could certainly understand, but she dared not think about it too deeply. Because of fear, she couldn't even stand up and collapsed limply into Liu Tiechui's arms, crying in terror, "Husband, what should we do? What will happen to my father? What Su Shi said isn't true, is it?"

Liu Tiechui did not nod in agreement with her.

Ma Yujie's heart felt as if it had sunk into an endless abyss. At this moment, all she could think about was protecting her elder brother, Ma Xingteng. She immediately shoved Liu Tiechui aside and stumbled into the backyard of the clinic, calling out, "Brother, brother!"

Ma Xingteng emerged from the private room where Master Ma was receiving treatment, his brows furrowed deeply. "What's wrong with you?"

Ma Yujie couldn't help but cry as she told him what Liu Tiechui had said.

Ma Xingteng's expression changed instantly, but he still comforted his sister first, "Don't worry, with me here, nothing will go wrong. If we really can't get a harvest this year, our family will open the granary to help the people get through the winter first, and then we'll think of other solutions."

If losing money can avert disaster, it's not a big deal. Besides, the autumn harvest hasn't arrived yet, and what Su said might not be true. Don't panic."

Ma Yujie wiped away her tears and felt a little relieved. Just as she was about to turn back, she thought for a moment and then turned back. She awkwardly said to Ma Xingteng, "Although I don't like what the Su family did or said, this matter is indeed Dad's fault. You should send some apologies to the Shen family and don't let it affect your business with Shen Yi."

She was so angry that she was blinded by rage, only thinking about settling scores with Su Tai, and didn't think about anything else. Now that she's sober, she can consider the matter properly.

Ma Xingteng rubbed his forehead, feeling a headache coming on. "Don't worry, I'll go to the Shen family later."

No sooner had the words been spoken than a servant of the Ma family rushed over in a hurry, “Young Master, Young Miss, Shen Yi from the Shen family has arrived, and it seems he has come with ill intentions.”

Ma Xingteng quickly told Ma Yujie to go inside and take care of Master Ma, while he went out to deal with the situation.

As soon as he entered the lobby, he jogged up to Shen Yi and spoke first, "Brother, I've been out all day and had no idea what my father did. The butler did try to stop him, but he was just a nobody, and with my stepmother fanning the flames, my father lost his mind and brought people to cause trouble without a care in the world."

I apologize on his behalf to you and your sister-in-law. Thankfully, your sister-in-law and child weren't seriously affected; otherwise, I would have been utterly culpable even if I died!

(End of this chapter)