Dare to shirk responsibility? This adorable little one will tear down your military district!

Just as dawn was breaking, the barking of dogs outside the Meng family's courtyard startled the chickens awake.

The broken wooden door was slammed so hard it made a deafening noise.

Meng Jianjun's booming voice pierced through the morning mist, drilling straight into people's ears: "Third Grandfather! You have to do us justice! We can't live like this anymore, my sister-in-law is trying to drive her own mother-in-law to her death!"

Lin Wanrou shuddered on the kang (a heated brick bed), nearly dropping the sewing basket in her hands.

She instinctively hugged Meng Yaya tightly in her arms.

Meng Yaya opened her eyes, yawned, patted Lin Wanrou's back with her little hand, and scrambled up from the kang (a heated brick bed).

Put on your shoes and get out of bed.

"Mom, the stage is set up, we should go out and support the show."

The courtyard was packed with people.

In the very center was a grand armchair, and sitting on it was a gaunt old man.

The old man was dressed in a long robe in the style of a black satin funeral garment, and he was leaning on a dragon-headed cane. His face was slender and wrinkled, with skin so deep that it could trap a fly.

This is the third great-grandfather, the most senior member of the Meng family, a notoriously stubborn old man in the village.

Wang Guifen was lying on a dismantled door panel, covered with a tattered cotton quilt, and a white cloth wrapped around her forehead, faintly revealing the color of red medicine.

She was whimpering, only taking in air and not exhaling.

"Grandpa... I'm dying..." Wang Guifen pointed to the east room, her fingers trembling as if she had Parkinson's disease. "What a misfortune for our family! Changhe has only been gone a few years, and this daughter-in-law is already defecating on her mother-in-law's head! Look at all these injuries I've sustained, they were all inflicted by that little bastard!"

The surrounding villagers, who were watching the spectacle, pointed and whispered among themselves.

"They really fought? I did hear quite a commotion last night."

"No way, a three-year-old can't hit an adult, can they?"

"Didn't you see how miserable Granny Wang was? The threshold was even broken. The eldest son's family is heartless."

The Third Grandfather slammed his dragon-headed cane on the ground.

"Thump!"

The once noisy courtyard became quiet.

"Bring Lin out." The Third Master's voice was hoarse, like two pieces of torn sandpaper rubbing together. "I want to see what kind of first-rank noblewoman dares to lay a hand on her elders."

Meng Jianjun, with an arrogant and domineering air, shouted at the east room, "Come out! Did you hear me? You need Third Master to invite you, right?"

The broken door to the east room creaked open.

Lin Wanrou led Meng Yaya out.

The mother and daughter, dressed in brand-new floral blue cotton-padded jackets, stood out conspicuously in the drab crowd.

Especially Lin Wanrou, although her face was pale, her new clothes accentuated her slender figure. She didn't look like an abused widow at all, but rather like a respectable person from the city.

At that moment, the way the surrounding villagers looked at them changed.

That was jealousy, and also suspicion.

These days, who can afford such fine fabric? And two sets, one big and one small?

Lying on the door panel, Wang Guifen saw the two new sets of clothes and could hardly hide the greed in her eyes.

"Kneel down!"

The third great-grandfather didn't even lift his eyelids, sitting as steadily as Mount Tai in that grand chair.

Lin Wanrou's body trembled, and her knees went weak, almost causing her to kneel.

A pair of warm little hands supported her knees.

Meng Yaya stood in front of Lin Wanrou, looking up at the aloof old man.

"On what grounds?"

The three words, spoken in a childish, innocent voice, landed clearly on the ground.

Third Grandfather seemed to have heard a joke; his cloudy eyes darted around as he stared at Meng Yaya.

"Because I am your great-grandfather, and because this is the rule of the Meng family," the Third Great-Grandfather pointed at Wang Guifen. "Of all virtues, filial piety is paramount. Your mother condoned your violent acts, injuring your own grandmother—this is utterly rebellious! According to clan rules, you should be stripped naked and displayed in public, and given thirty heavy lashes!"

A gasp rippled through the crowd.

To strip them naked and parade them in public?

This is worse for a widow than death.

Lin Wanrou's face turned deathly pale, and her lips bled from being bitten: "Third Master, it's not like that! It was Grandma who stole our things and even tried to sell Yaya..."

"shut up!"

The third grandfather slammed his cane heavily onto the ground once more.

"If your elders want something, it's because they think highly of you! As a junior, you should only offer it with both hands; there's no rule against keeping anything for yourself."

The third master's gaze fell on Lin Wanrou's new cotton-padded jacket, and his withered fingers tapped in the air.

"Changhe's wife, it seems you've got ulterior motives. This outfit, and the white flour the child is eating—it's probably not from a clean source, is it?"

This accusation of "not being a virtuous woman" is enough to drive someone to their death.

Meng Jianjun fanned the flames from the side: "Grandpa, you're truly insightful! That mother and daughter came back from outside yesterday carrying a huge bag of things! They probably got it from an affair!"

"fart!"

Sun Shouzhen rushed out of the house, still holding a fire poker in his hand. "I can testify, that was the money from selling herbs!"

"You stinking outsider, what right do you have to speak here?" Meng Jingui stepped forward and reached out to push Sun Shouzhen.

Third Grandfather waved his hand.

Two burly men dressed in black cloth jackets walked out from behind him, carrying jujube wood sticks as thick as a thumb.

"Since you won't admit your mistake, then we'll deal with it according to family rules."

Third Grandfather picked up his teacup, blew away the tea leaves, and said, "First, strip off these dirty clothes and confiscate all their property. Then tie them up and take them to the ancestral hall so our ancestors can judge this."

"Jianjun, go help your sister-in-law undress." Wang Guifen lay on the door panel, letting out a vicious laugh.

Meng Jianjun rubbed his hands together, a lewd smile on his face, and strode towards Lin Wanrou.

"Sister-in-law, I'm sorry. We dare not disobey the old master's orders."

His hand reached towards Lin Wanrou's collar.

Lin Wanrou retreated in fear, but the two burly men blocked her way.

Despair overwhelmed her like a tidal wave.

Just as Meng Jianjun's dirty hands were about to touch the blue fabric...

A small foot wearing a new cloth shoe suddenly appeared on his kneecap.

A straight kick.

"Click."

The crisp sound of bones cracking was even more piercing than the dog's bark from before.

Before Meng Jianjun could even let out a scream, he knelt down straight down.

The knees bent backwards at an odd angle.

"ah--!"

A belated scream echoed through the sky.

Meng Yaya withdrew her foot and patted off non-existent dust from her trouser leg.

She stood in front of Meng Jianjun, who was writhing in pain, her small frame shielding him from all the malice.

The teacup in Third Grandfather's hand fell to the ground with a "crash" and shattered into pieces.

Meng Yaya tilted her head, looking at the old man who was so frightened that he stood up from the armchair.

"Old man."

She pointed to Meng Jianjun, who was rolling on the ground, and then to the burly man who was about to attack.

"Do you want to kneel down and speak like him, or do you want to lie down in that unpainted coffin?"