Qin Sang was preoccupied with thoughts of how to arrange things next, and didn't notice Daner and Caoer waiting anxiously at the village entrance. Granny Xia stood there, holding the hands of the two little ones with a look of urgent worry on her face. Hearing the sound of hooves, Granny Xia immediately gave the two children a push:
"Go quickly and deliver a message to your Aunt Tian."
When Caoer, pulling her younger brother, ran up to the mule cart and Tian Sangui made an abrupt stop, Qin Sang finally snapped out of her thoughts. Caoer quickly said:
"Aunt Tian, Mother said there are bad people at your house. She told us to wait here for you, and to deliver a message as soon as we saw you return."
Everyone jumped down from the cart. Qin Sang immediately thought of who it might be:
"Butcher Hu?"
Caoer nodded:
"Mother did mention that name."
Tian Sangui said urgently:
"Mother, get back on the cart quickly! Huan'er, Er Fu, and Eldest Girl are all women; they definitely can't win a fight."
Qin Sang nodded, pulled a handful of candies from her bosom and stuffed them into Caoer's arms, then turned to the villagers who had escorted them and said:
"Thank you all for escorting us today. The journey was nerve-wracking but ultimately safe. I'll have Da Zhuang and San Gui deliver your wages later. Now, there's a bit of trouble at home, so we must be on our way."
Hunter Xu spoke up:
"Da Zhuang's Mother, there's no need to be so formal. We're all from the same village. Your family's trouble is our trouble. How dare that Butcher Hu bully our Tianjia Village? If we let him succeed, where would the face of our Tianjia Village be?"
"Exactly, Da Zhuang's Mother, don't be afraid. He's just a butcher. We'll all go together."
"With so many of us, let's see if he's scared."
Seeing everyone was willing to help, Qin Sang felt grateful:
"Well then, I'll trouble you all. San Gui, hurry up!"
The mule quickened its pace. In just the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, they ran from the village entrance to the village end. Before they even reached home, Qin Sang could hear Da Huang's frantic barking from afar, along with a man's shouting:
"Tian Erfu, don't think hiding inside will make me let you off. I know you're home. If you don't come out now, don't you dare kneel and beg for mercy when I catch you."
The menacing threats grew clearer. Hearing them, Tian Sangui and Tian Dazhuang were filled with righteous indignation. They pulled the mule to a stop and immediately jumped down:
"Butcher Hu, try threatening one more time!"
A crowd of people, mostly village women, had gathered at the courtyard gate. The village chief and others were there too. Seeing Qin Sang and the others had returned, they made way.
Butcher Hu glared over with a fierce and malevolent look:
"Well, well, well, Widow Tian. Back then, I spent ten taels of silver to buy your daughter. You tricked her away, promising to send her back in three days. What day is it today?"
Finished speaking, Butcher Hu pointed with the Butcher Knife in his hand:
"Do you want to go back on your word? Have you asked if the knife in my hand agrees?"
The onlooking women were all frightened by Butcher Hu's terrifying aura and stepped back. Only Qin Sang showed no fear and did not retreat:
"Back then, I married my daughter into your family, but you didn't treat her well—beating and scolding her. If I didn't bring her back, was I supposed to stand by and watch you beat her to death?"
Butcher Hu sneered coldly:
"Ha! So you really regret it. Fine then. Your daughter ate and drank in my house for over half a year. You pay me fifty taels of silver, and I might consider giving her back to you."
Tian Sangui said angrily:
"You're dreaming! You beat my second sister so badly. My sister served you for over half a year, and you still want money? It's only good that we haven't sent you to the authorities yet."
Butcher Hu himself was a tough, slippery character, a man who slaughtered pigs all day. His eyes were filled with cruelty and brutality:
"So you plan to leave me with neither the person nor the money? Aren't you afraid my knife will go in white and come out red?"
Tian Dazhuang, holding an axe, stepped in front of his Mother and third brother:
"You dare?"
The villagers also drew the kitchen knives and wood-cutting knives from their waists, surrounding Butcher Hu. Hunter Xu and Xu Hu even pulled the bows and arrows from their backs, drawing the bows and aiming the arrows at Butcher Hu's face and heart:
"Butcher Hu, don't you dare throw your weight around here. This is Tianjia Village, not your pork stall. If a fight really breaks out, even if we shoot you dead here, it would be your own fault."
Surrounded on all sides and facing the cold arrowheads of Hunter Xu, Butcher Hu finally showed a trace of caution:
"My own fault? I came looking for my wife, Tian Erfu. Widow Tian has her locked up at home, not letting her out. What's wrong with me coming to fetch her?"
Qin Sang looked at him coldly. It was good that he knew fear:
"Consider that ten taels of silver as compensation for the injuries Er Fu suffered from the beatings during her over half a year at your house. Er Fu will not go back with you. Put that idea to rest.
In the future, don't set foot in our Tianjia Village again. Otherwise, you'll be responsible for your own life or death."
Butcher Hu's eyes were bloodshot, clearly furious. Yet, Hunter Xu stood right behind Qin Sang, his arrowhead pointed directly at him.
Butcher Hu knew well that if he made a move, that arrow would definitely fly straight at him.
Butcher Hu had no choice but to look at the village chief and say angrily:
"You're the chief of Tianjia Village. Aren't you going to manage this? Widow Tian cheated me out of ten taels of silver. If your Tianjia Village bullies people like this, don't blame me for going back to report you to the authorities and having you all arrested."
The village chief had been mediating here for most of the morning and had witnessed Butcher Hu's utter viciousness. Hearing this threat, he couldn't help but hesitate.
"Da Zhuang's Mother, causing such a commotion isn't a solution. The villagers are definitely on your side and won't let Er Fu be bullied by him again. But if he reports it to the authorities, the Magistrate might..."
Qin Sang knew what the village chief was worried about. In this era, the County Magistrate was practically like an emperor to common folk.
Qin Sang looked at Butcher Hu and said:
"With so many people around, this isn't a place to talk. Follow me."
Qin Sang knocked on the courtyard gate. Her two daughters-in-law, Eldest Girl, Er Fu, and Si Jin were actually all waiting by the door. Seeing their Mother/grandmother had returned, they immediately felt reassured. They removed the bar blocking the gate and opened it:
"Mother..."
"Grandma..."
"Woof woof woof..."
Qin Sang acknowledged with a hum:
"San Gui, Da Zhuang, take your wives, sisters, and daughters to Osmanthus's house for a while. I'll talk things out clearly with Butcher Hu and call you back when it's over."
The girls obediently acknowledged. Under the protection of Da Zhuang and San Gui, they slipped away from the house, keeping close to the wall.
Watching Tian Erfu slip away right under his nose, Butcher Hu instinctively reached out to grab her. Qin Sang said coldly:
"Come in. Let's finish talking sooner, so you can go back, right?"
Only then did Butcher Hu spit and, shouldering his Butcher Knife, step forward.
"Put down the knife."
Tian Yougen stepped forward and said.
Butcher Hu glanced at Qin Sang standing in the courtyard—just a frail woman—and sneered coldly, curling the corner of his mouth:
"What if I put it down? With Widow Tian's build, I could crush her with one hand."
Tian Yougen looked at Qin Sang with some worry. Qin Sang slightly shook her head, giving him a look to reassure him.
Butcher Hu thrust the knife hard, stabbing it into the Yellow Earthen Wall of Qin Sang's house. The blade sank in more than halfway. Only then did Butcher Hu sneer and step through the courtyard gate.
Qin Sang closed the gate, cutting off the view from outside.