Chapter 12: Ximen Village Panics

Zeng Kuan was not made proud by Gao Zhi’s flattery; on the contrary, he became increasingly vigilant as other men from Zhongmen Village gathered around one after another.

Gao Zhi’s expression shifted, and he hurriedly stated his position, "We are here today to offer congratulations, not to pick a fight."

"Congratulations? Are you really that kind-hearted?" Relying on his seniority, Father Han spoke to Gao Zhi with little courtesy.

Gao Zhi’s face twitched, and he forced a smile. "We don't have any bad blood between us, do we?"

Zeng Kuan waved his hand impatiently. "Just say what you came here for. There’s no need for all this empty talk."

Gao Zhi immediately took the opening, pulling Zeng Kuan aside to speak in a low voice.

"You must know that our village is having trouble getting water! Everyone wants to dig a well now, but we simply can't find anyone who knows the trade!"

Zeng Kuan chuckled. "Then keep looking! Do you think just because you don't know how, I do? If you ask around, you’ll know that the well in our village was dug with the help of Uncle Han’s son-in-law from Dongmen Village. Who told you people from Ximen Village to offend the entire Dongmen Village? Especially that Xiong Kai—he was so reckless as to call off the engagement with the Su family, making them a laughingstock."

"When they were causing such a scene, you didn't step in to manage it or show any concern. Now that you need a favor, you come to me? Is my face really that important?"

Gao Zhi’s old face turned beet red. If it weren't for the sake of digging the well, he wouldn't have wanted to stay a moment longer. "Village Chief Zeng, what happened before was indeed the fault of our villagers. I will definitely discipline them later and make them properly compensate the Su family and apologize to Dongmen Village. Look, could you..."

"Sigh!" Zeng Kuan let out a long sigh, feeling a bit of sympathy for Gao Zhi. "If it were only the Su family's matter, I could think of a way to mediate for you, but the problem is that the Su family doesn't know the trade either!"

"What do you mean?" Gao Zhi’s expression changed. Thinking Zeng Kuan was playing him for a fool, he glared with wide eyes.

Zeng Kuan teased, "The one who knows this trade is Shen Yi, the river-crosser from Dayun River! Do you know Shen Yi? He was originally the prospective son-in-law of Mo Laotian from your village, but didn't Mo Laotian break the engagement? You know more about the affairs between the Shen and Mo families than I do. If you ask me, Mo Laotian is truly heartless, and so are you! As the village chief, you didn't manage it, and now you have the nerve to go ask Shen Yi for help?"

Gao Zhi’s expression was one of shock and uncertainty; the last shred of hope he held had finally been extinguished.

"There must be someone else besides Shen Yi!" This was Gao Zhi’s final stubborn stand.

Zeng Kuan acted as if it were none of his business. "That I don't know! Why doesn't Village Chief Gao go ask around? Maybe you really can find another expert?"

Gao Zhi had come for nothing, and on top of that, he had been teased and mocked by Zeng Kuan. His heart, liver, spleen, and lungs ached with anger, and he returned with a sullen face.

When he passed by Mo Laotian’s house, he suddenly stopped and shouted curses from outside the fence, "Not doing a single good deed all day, only causing trouble for me everywhere!"

Mo Laotian and his wife were stunned and hurried forward, but Gao Zhi didn't give them a chance to ask, instead shouting even louder, "I didn't ask you to contribute to the village, but you can't even teach your own daughter well! I don't know what you've been living for all these years!"

"Chunxiang?" Mo Laotian subconsciously assumed Mo Chunxiang had caused trouble and hurriedly looked at Guan Shi.

Guan Shi shook her head vigorously. "Your daughter hasn't even been out!"

The couple pondered for a moment and guessed the reason, both turning pale.

Mo Laotian wanted to say something, but Gao Zhi had already left in a huff with his men. Other villagers also began to harbor resentment toward the couple.

It was originally a simple matter, but because of their ungrateful behavior, the village was being put through all this trouble. How could they not be resentful?

Once the villagers left, Guan Shi panicked. "What do we do, husband? Does the village chief hate us now? Will he make things difficult for us? Why don't you go ask around and see if you can help?"

The couple knew clearly that Gao Zhi was not a broad-minded man.

Mo Laotian’s expression was dark and uncertain as he hurried to catch up with Gao Zhi’s group.

Guan Shi waited for a long time before Mo Laotian returned, but seeing his grim expression, her heart sank. "What did he say?"

Mo Laotian sighed repeatedly and told her the whole story.

Guan Shi hadn't expected that their breaking of the engagement would affect such a major matter for the entire village, and for a moment, she was at a loss.

It was Mo Chunxiang who grew anxious first. "Father, Mother, Shen Yi isn't the only river-crosser in the ten miles around. We don't have to beg him; we can find someone else."

"Right, right! Our daughter is right! Husband, hurry and go look. If you really find someone, you can make up for your mistakes, and the village chief surely won't take his anger out on us anymore." Guan Shi urged Mo Laotian, as if grabbing onto a life-saving straw.

After Mo Laotian left, Guan Shi couldn't help but complain to Mo Chunxiang, "How can that Shen Yi be so petty? Breaking the engagement was our Mo family's business; how can he take his anger out on the whole village and cause the villagers to curse you?"

Mo Chunxiang was also furious, but as a young woman, she really had no way to go and argue with Shen Yi, so she could only aggrievedly go to Xiong Kai to complain.

Perhaps Mo Laotian was lucky, as he really did find a master who knew how to dig wells.

The master looked around Ximen Village and shook his head repeatedly, saying to Gao Zhi, "Your village is too dry, and the terrain is too high. You won't find water."

When Gao Zhi heard this, he panicked. "Impossible! Zhongmen Village dug up water, and they are right next to us. If they can dig up water, why can't we?"

"Is that really true?" The master was somewhat surprised. He went to Zhongmen Village to take a look himself and kept exclaiming, "It really is strange. Who is so capable that they knew water could be found here?"

After sighing in admiration, the master admitted he was not as skilled and left.

Gao Zhi’s heart turned cold, and he returned to Ximen Village in low spirits.

Within an hour, the whole village knew about it, and some people even ran to the Mo house to find Mo Laotian.

"Laotian, this concerns the future of the entire village. You can't let your daughter be so willful!"

"That's right! It was agreed that you would marry your daughter to him to repay a debt, but you went back on your word just like that—it's too unprincipled! In my opinion, your family should fulfill the marriage."

"I agree! Hurry and let Chunxiang marry Shen Yi so he can help us dig the well."

"Exactly, exactly..."

The villagers chattered away, and Mo Chunxiang was so frightened she didn't dare to go out.

At the critical moment, Xiong Kai arrived.

"Fellow villagers, the Dongmen and Zhongmen villages are waiting to see us make a fool of ourselves! I know everyone is anxious, and I am too, but we must not be chaotic in such matters. Instead, we should unite. That Shen Yi is cursed to bring misfortune to his relatives; if something happens to Chunxiang after she marries him, who will take responsibility?" Xiong Kai’s sharp gaze swept over the villagers one by one.

Those he looked at averted their eyes in unison.

Xiong Kai paused and continued, "I heard that Shen Yi is not a petty person. When Uncle Mo broke the engagement, he also provided compensation. Logically, he shouldn't take his anger out on the whole village over this. How about I take some gifts and make a trip to Shen Family Village myself to invite him?"

Once they heard that Xiong Kai was willing to step up, the villagers stopped harping on the Mo family’s broken engagement.

As soon as the villagers left, Xiong Kai immediately turned to comfort the Mo family. "Don't worry, Uncle Mo. I will definitely bring him here."

He had wanted to go find Shen Yi when Mo Chunxiang complained to him earlier, but that was to warn him. Now that he needed a favor, he had to endure it for the time being, at least until the village dug up water.