Zhou Ligen first sought out the Zhang family, the patriarch of which controlled the village's only water well, thus holding the village's fate in his hands.
Although the village head held the most nominal power, it was actually Patriarch Zhang who possessed the greatest prestige.
The Zhang family was greatly shocked upon hearing Zhou Ligen's words.
That wolf cub, Lu Ye, where had his family gotten so much money? Was the matter of digging a well true? In years with good harvests, digging a well cost three to four hundred taels of silver, and after such a long drought, it would cost even more than that. Could Lu Ye's family really produce so much money at once?
Zhang Jiawang remembered that Granny Chen had told him that Lu Ye's mother, Madam An, possessed a purple jade pendant that was worth quite a lot. Had they perhaps sold that jade pendant?
"Digging a well and building houses, can a mere jade pendant be worth so much money? If it were truly that valuable, why would Madam An prefer to starve and die of thirst rather than sell it?" Zhang Jiawang's wife said with a pout.
Patriarch Zhang stroked his long beard, narrowed his eyes, and nodded slightly. Then, he turned his gaze to Zhang Jiawang and asked, "Jiawang, have you personally seen that jade pendant?"
Zhang Jiawang shook his head. "No, but Granny Chen said that when Lu Dajiang brought Madam An home, he hadn't noticed any jade pendant yet. It wasn't until Lu Ye was eight years old that Madam An gouged it out from her own thigh. The jade pendant was actually hidden within her flesh!"
"She actually did that, it's utterly disgusting," Xue Shi said with disgust. This Madam An was a vixen. If she hadn't kept a close eye on her, her husband would have been like other men in the village, already ensnared by Madam An's charm.
"That's understandable. Madam An was a slave. She wouldn't be able to keep a valuable jade pendant. She could only hide it like this," Patriarch Zhang said slowly.
Zhang Jiawang's face was etched with worry, and he sighed, "Father, what should we do? If Lu Ye's family truly succeeds in digging a well, this desert will be their dominion. Where will our Zhang family have any place? Moreover, the thought of him rejecting Lan Lan in front of the entire village, disgracing our Zhang family, fills me with hatred... I won't be at peace until I crush them."
Xue Shi also gnashed her teeth and said hatefully, "Lu Ye had better die soon, then Lan Lan won't keep thinking about him." Back then, Madam An, relying on her looks, had caused unrest among all the men in the village. Now her son, Lu Ye, was trying to charm Lan Lan. As long as she, Xue Rujuan, was alive, she would never allow such a thing to happen.
Patriarch Zhang closed his eyes in contemplation for a moment and then said to Zhang Jiawang, "Don't be impulsive. Let's first ascertain their situation. How about this, Jiawang, send someone to ask at the jewelry shops, pawnshops, or even brokerage houses in town. See if Lu Ye has sold or pawned any jade pendant. Find out what that jade pendant looks like."
Zhang Jiawang looked troubled. "There are so many people coming and going from these jewelry shops, pawnshops, and brokerage houses. Who would remember him, Lu Ye?"
Xue Shi said, "Master, you wouldn't know this. Lu Ye's slutty wife clings to him so tightly; wherever Lu Ye goes, she follows. Last time, Lan Lan and I went to the town yamen and ran into them. Others might not remember Lu Ye, but can they forget her?"
Zhang Jiawang clapped his hands. "That's right, wife. What you said is true. I overlooked that. Anyone who sees that ugly creature's face will remember it for a lifetime."
Xue Shi looked smug.
Patriarch Zhang also said, "In times like these, there aren't many people going to jewelry shops or pawnshops in town. If Lu Ye had sold a jade pendant, the shopkeepers would surely still have an impression."
"Yes, Father is right. I'll send someone to inquire tomorrow," Zhang Jiawang nodded with a serious gaze.
Xue Shi suddenly remembered something and cautioned Zhang Jiawang, "Master, you must keep these matters from Lan Lan first. I see that she hasn't given up on that wolf cub, Lu Ye."
Patriarch Zhang glanced at his son and daughter-in-law and frowned, scolding, "You parents should have paid more attention to Lan Lan's marriage long ago. Our Lan Lan cannot marry within the village. At least she should marry into a family in town, preferably in the county seat."
Xue Shi nodded in agreement. "I think that boy Li Xuanyi has always had ulterior motives towards Lan Lan. Although he studies martial arts at the academy, he is, after all, from a peasant background and is far from worthy of our Lan Lan. Father, Master, you should talk to the Li family later and tell them to stop bothering our Lan Lan."
Patriarch Zhang said, "In a few days, I will speak with the village head."
Zhang Jiawang said to Xue Shi, "Isn't your cousin the chief clerk in our town? If he has a chance to go to the county seat, take Lan Lan along. I've inquired, and the county magistrate's third son, the county assistant's eldest son, and the registrar's youngest son are all unmarried."
Xue Shi nodded. "Don't worry, I've already told Zhegui to keep this matter in mind."
Zhang Jiawang thought for a moment and then said to Patriarch Zhang, "Father, should we send someone to secretly investigate the Red Tree Slope area? No matter what, we cannot let Lu Ye's family have an easy time!"
Patriarch Zhang narrowed his eyes. "You handle that as you see fit. However, be careful. You have all witnessed Lu Ye's skills. Don't get yourselves hurt."
"Understood, Father," a sinister glint flashed in Zhang Jiawang's eyes. He wouldn't handle these matters himself. People like Granny Chen and Lu Jizu were very useful.
That night, the moon was hidden, and the stars were few. The entire desert was enveloped in the silence of the night, so quiet that a pin drop could be heard.
Everyone at Red Tree Slope had already fallen into a deep sleep.
Four shadows were stealthily approaching Lu Ye's house.
They first made their way to the temporary kitchen. As it was an open pavilion, with no obstructions around, the group easily reached the water缸.
The water缸 was heavy, and it contained water!
As the four were about to lift the lid, eager to drink their fill, they suddenly felt something tugging at their clothes.
Turning their heads, they saw a long white object standing behind them in the darkness. The object made no sound, merely standing there like a pillar as thick as a bowl. One of them boldly reached out to touch it.
Slippery, cold, and hard... scales?
It was somewhat like... a snake?!
"A snake!" the man shrieked.
"Help! It's such a big snake!"
The four men's legs went weak with fear. They scrambled and fled outwards.
Because these men were so dirty and smelly, Shandiań couldn't bring itself to bite them. After chasing them out, it first swept them all to the ground with its tail, then grabbed one and coiled its tail around him, throwing him high into the air before slamming him down fiercely.
It only reluctantly stopped when it was certain they were bruised and battered, with broken bones.
After Shandiań had taught the four men a lesson, the torches at Lu Ye's house were lit. The entire family, over 20 people, appeared in the firelight, all glaring at the four men on the ground with furious expressions.
Of course, Shandiań, the giant silver snake, was also coiled nearby, hissing and flicking its tongue.
Feng Pingyuan and Zhao Dazhuang brought the torches closer to their faces.
They were Lu Fengshou and Zhang Yijin from Yellow Sand Village, Li Qiang, and Zhou Ligen from Red Tree Slope.
Although the four men winced in pain, facing the collective angry stares of more than twenty people, they appeared panicked and at a loss.
Zhou Ligen saw Madam Liu staring at him coldly, as if she didn't know him at all. He immediately cursed at her fiercely, "You damned slut! Aren't you going to come and help me?"
Madam Liu remained deaf and blind to his words.
Zhou Ligen, enraged, spat at her fiercely. He had drunk his fill of water in Yellow Sand Village earlier, and now he had plenty of saliva.
Zhang Yijin, being more astute, immediately took the offensive to gain the upper hand. He wailed hatefully, "Good! Lu Ye, we were just going out hunting at midnight and passed by your house, and you actually set a snake on us! We're going to the authorities to report you!"
Lu Ye sneered, "Hunting at midnight? And you ended up in my kitchen?"