Courtyard House: Drunk and tipsy, the whole courtyard exposed at the start.

When Zhang Banxian was young, he learned some skills from an old Taoist priest and worked as his assistant, so he lived a decent life.

But later the old Taoist priest went on a journey, and Zhang Banxian only occasionally took on some jobs near Zhangzhen.

In the 1940s, he had a conflict with a local landlord who wanted him to choose an auspicious burial site. But Zhang Banxian made a mistake, or perhaps it was intentional, because the landlord had a bad reputation in the area and was not a good person.

He wants to bring blessings to his descendants for a hundred years, but won't the farmers of Zhangzhen suffer and be oppressed for another hundred years?

The most crucial point is that the landlord's family used the excuse that Zhang Banxian was just an apprentice and not skilled enough, so they didn't pay him after the job was done and even beat him up.

Zhang Banxian was furious; he had never suffered such humiliation in his life! How dare you steal a Taoist's money? Even though Zhang Banxian was a "fake" Taoist.

So Zhang Banxian did something underhanded, and the landlord's family started having one mishap after another.

The landlord, realizing what had happened, beat Zhang Banxian half to death. His manhood was also injured that time. After it was healed, he could still use it, but he couldn't have children.

Zhang Banxian was a ruthless man. He chose a dark and windy night, unleashed his "physical" magic weapon—a woodcutter's axe—and killed the landlord. The landlord's long-term laborers who had previously crippled him were also crippled by Zhang Banxian, who broke their legs and severed their tendons. Then Zhang Banxian ran away.

The landlord's family reported it to the police station, but it was during the Liberation War, and who had time to care about such things?

So the landlord's son vented his anger on Zhang Erda's family, demanding they pay with their lives. Erda's eldest son was beaten to death on the spot. And Maosheng and Maoshan, by all accounts, are Zhang Dabiao's second and third elder brothers.

Moreover, other relatives of the Zhang family, including the branch of Zhang San's uncle, were also implicated to some extent. The farmhands whose legs were broken and tendons were cut off were not of the same surname, but they had considerable influence in the local area, and one of them was a member of the Zhang family.

Anyway, things escalated into a large-scale brawl, resulting in the deaths of several members of the Zhang family, as well as heavy casualties among outsiders. The landlord's house was completely burned down by Zhang Erda and his men, although the women and children were released. However, because of this momentary leniency, the landlord's men hired the White Dogs from the city to hunt down Zhang Erda.

The Zhang family received word of the plot and prepared to flee to the mountains for safety, but they never expected this—

We're liberated?

The landlord's family and the white dogs were captured by our team halfway through their journey.

After our team took over Zhangzhen, the nature of the matter became simpler: landlords oppressed the working people, and the working people rose up in resistance, although the methods used were a bit too harsh.

But life isn't a dinner party!

Not only was Uncle Zhang innocent, but a whole box of land deeds and IOUs with exorbitant interest rates were burned by the comrades in the ranks. The landlord's grain, houses, and property were confiscated; what was due was distributed, and what was due was confiscated. From then on, the people were the masters of their own destiny.

Uncle Zhang Er was inexplicably fine again.

But that's how the feud between those outsiders and the Zhang family began.

Moreover, during the subsequent land reform, several landlords who had committed egregious acts, as well as troublemaking village bullies, were selected by the authorities and branded as heinous criminals. After a public trial, they were executed. The blood debts on their hands far exceeded those of Zhang Banxian and his ilk.

Zhang Banxian's incident was defined as eliminating a scourge for the people, and the subsequent large-scale armed conflict was defined as the working people rising up in resistance, and it occurred before liberation—so the authorities did not file a case or intervene.

But if you cause any more deaths because of these things, the higher-ups won't be so lenient. So although there are still grudges between the villagers of the different villages, Zhang Town is still under control on the surface.

But the root of all this was the landlord and Zhang the fortune teller. The landlord is dead, but what if Zhang the fortune teller returns to Zhangjiatun...?

That would only exacerbate the conflict between the villagers.

------------

After hearing all this, Zhang Dabiao was also at a loss.

He hadn't expected so much to happen. So many people had died in Zhangjiatun because of his father? Even the eldest son of Uncle Zhang Er was dead?

No wonder Dad didn't go back to Zhangjiatun. How could he face his fellow villagers if he went back?

Their conversation inside startled the neighbors who were eavesdropping outside the courtyard.

"My God! Is that fortune teller Zhang a murderer?"

"What are you talking about? Those were all anti-parliamentary elements, and the government publicly tried and executed them. Zhang the fortune teller was just doing a service to the people!"

"Zhang Dabiao's second uncle was also a murderer... he killed someone too?"

"Why are all the Zhang family members like this... Is this hereditary for Da Biao too?"

"What nonsense are you talking about? Da Biao was just having a fit of rage, he didn't kill anyone. Besides, he's adopted. If he were really of Zhang family blood, given the Zhang family's temper, wouldn't our yard have been a river of blood by now?"

"I was wondering why Jia Zhangshi didn't throw a tantrum when Zhang Bansian was around. I thought it was because of the relationship between Old Zhang and Old Jia, but I didn't expect there was another layer to it?"

"That Jia Zhangshi doesn't dare to make a scene! She's been keeping it from us!"

"Wait, if Da Biao agrees to give the workstation and apartment to the other party, and he goes to the countryside, his cousin will move in..."

Then, everyone panicked, and then they looked at Maosheng and Maoshan's sullen and clueless expressions...

Looking back at Qin Huairu and Yi Zhonghai, both of them were pale and sweating profusely!

They thought Zhang Dabiao was difficult enough, a jinx. Although Jia Dongxu's move was disgusting, if they could get Zhang Dabiao out of the countryside, they would breathe a sigh of relief.

But I never expected to attract such a jinx!

The two brothers, Maosheng and Maoshan, both looked to be around 30 years old. It's hard to say whether they participated in the large-scale armed conflict in Zhangzhen before liberation or whether they had any blood on their hands, but their father, Uncle Zhang Er, personally set fire to the landlord's family!

They're ruthless killers!

Ruthless!

What if his son is upset here, and that Uncle Zhang comes back with a knife again?!

Therefore, Zhang Dabiao absolutely cannot leave!

We absolutely must not give the house to his cousin!

No matter how Zhang Dabiao retaliated against them, his retaliation was justified, well-founded, and measured.

So Zhang Dabiao is a good kid!

But with other people, it's really hard to say.

Moreover, who can guarantee that Zhang Dabiao isn't using his family to retaliate against me?

When he leaves, his cousin will throw a tantrum...

Using someone else to do the dirty work?

Yi Zhonghai's heart skipped a beat!

Moreover, he suddenly remembered a few things. In the past, when he asked Jia Zhangshi about Zhang Banxian, Jia Zhangshi always looked panicked.

When asked why he didn't return to Zhangjiatun, Lao Jia just smiled and remained silent, keeping his mouth shut.

They all know that Zhang Bansian is a murderer!

Several members of the Zhang family are murderers!

Do they dare to say it?

What if I anger Zhang Bansian, or if someone from Old Zhang's family comes to visit?

They're people we can't afford to offend!

--finally--

Case solved!

At this moment, Zhang Dabiao, who was in the courtyard, pondered for a while and then said, "Third Uncle, Second Uncle, this matter is not unnecessarily negotiable. I can..."

What Zhang Dabiao actually wanted to say was—

If that doesn't work, I can lend you money to buy a workstation. The warehouse manager's salary is fixed and doesn't really matter.

But before he could even speak, Yi Zhonghai outside the courtyard became anxious—

"Zhang Dabiao! No way!"

"Your workstation and apartment are absolutely not to be given to anyone else!"