Chapter 53: Who has the guts to try? Take one step forward!!

Chapter 53: Who Has the Guts? Try Me! Step Forward One Step!!

"Ladies and gentlemen, uncles and aunts, please quiet down for a moment. In front of so many people, I have a few questions I'd like to ask Old Man Zhu," Yue Feng asked with a calm expression.

Instantly, the crowd of onlookers fell silent.

Yue Feng gave a slight nod of thanks to the crowd, then asked in a resonant voice, "Now that the truth has come to light, Old Man Zhu, let me ask you: did my Yue family steal that goose from your house?"

At this moment, Old Man Zhu had lost all face. He couldn't win in a fight, and he had no logic on his side. His cloudy old eyes darted around frantically, praying that Wang Jianguo would provide him with a way out.

"I'm asking you! What's the matter? Do you dare to do it but not admit it in front of all these fellow villagers? I'll ask you one more time: did my family steal that goose from yours?" Yue Feng's tone grew heavier.

"No... no! My wife and I made a mistake!" With no way out, Old Man Zhu had no choice but to grit his teeth and admit his error.

"Fine. Then let me ask you: you took advantage of the fact that my brother and I weren't home—while my father was home with a leg injury from working for the brigade—to come to my house to bully my mother and hit my sister, and you even called your three sons and two grandsons! How do we settle this account!" Yue Feng continued.

"I... I..."

Old Man Zhu was usually sharp-tongued and never lost an argument, but under Yue Feng's questioning, his mouth hung open several times, unable to find any words to soften the situation.

"I gave you a chance, but you won't give me an explanation, right? Then I'll seek justice for myself in front of all these men!"

The moment the words "seek justice" left his mouth, Yue Feng lunged forward, swung his right hand in a wide arc, and slapped Old Man Zhu right across the face.

*Slap!* With a crisp sound, Old Man Zhu was sent staggering by the blow!

"Damn it!"

Seeing their father slapped in public, the three Zhu sons could no longer hold back. They grabbed sticks, intending to continue the fight.

At that moment, Xiao Tao, who had long since received Yue Feng's signal, stepped forward from the granary carrying a sharpened hunting knife.

"Motherf***er! Who has the guts? Try me! Step forward one step!!"

With bloodshot eyes, the tough guy Xiao Tao stood his ground with the knife. The three Zhu brothers, who had been itching to fight, immediately froze in place, no longer daring to act out.

Xiao Tao had already proven his combat prowess during the earlier scuffle; at least three of the five Zhu family members had been knocked down by him. Yue Feng and the others, who had been a half-beat slow to react, hadn't even gotten a chance to join the fray.

Now, he was holding a sharpened knife. These were made of tool steel, ground sharp with blood grooves. Even a hundred-pound, thick-skinned wild boar wouldn't last many strikes, let alone a hundred-pound human. One solid stab would result in death or severe injury.

"Xiao Tao! What are you doing? Put the knife down!"

Seeing that weapons were being drawn, Wang Jianguo feared things would spiral out of control and lead to a death. He immediately stepped between the two hostile groups.

"Heh, Uncle, I wouldn't actually stab anyone. I'm just putting on a show!" Xiao Tao reacted quickly, giving Wang Jianguo a half-serious, half-joking grin as he moved the knife behind his back.

"Today's matter—the fighting is done, and the commotion is over! Let's end it here. Do either of your families have any objections?

If anyone feels they've been wronged, we can go somewhere else to settle it logically. Then, we'll judge according to the law, and whoever is at fault can go sit in a cell for a few days!"

Wang Jianguo's gaze swept over Yue Feng and Old Man Zhu. Although he used an inquiring tone, his attitude left no room for debate.

After this interruption, the anger of the Zhu brothers, who had witnessed their father being slapped, dissipated significantly. They no longer had the courage to fight.

Yue Feng immediately stated, "Secretary, I resolutely obey the leadership of the village committee!"

Wang Jianguo nodded and looked to the other side, "And you? Old Man Zhu?"

Having lost both face and dignity, Old Man Zhu saw that Yue Feng had backed down. He nodded without speaking and turned to walk out of the courtyard.

Seeing the old man leave, the rest of the Zhu family lost the motivation to continue the chaos. They left sullenly, bruised and battered, leaving nothing behind but a courtyard covered in goose feathers.

Once the Zhu family departed, the onlookers quickly dispersed as well.

It wasn't even noon yet. Since they were heading back down the mountain, and it would be midday by the time they arrived—a time when prey is less active—they decided to give everyone a half-day break. They would rest in the afternoon and gather everyone at Yue Feng's house in the evening for a grand celebration.

Yue Feng tallied the morning's harvest: about a dozen Sand-half chickens, over thirty Flying Dragon birds, and four grey dogs. He set aside a few to enjoy that night, and the rest he delivered to the canteen on his bicycle.

Regarding today's clash with the Zhu family, Yue Feng felt everyone had performed well. Xiao Tao went without saying; if that guy joined the army, he would undoubtedly be a god of war.

Aside from the Li father and son, Xiao Wen and Xiao Wu also performed exceptionally well.

The Zhang brothers had been quiet, but from the moment they heard something happened to the Yue family on the mountain to the moment they returned to grab their tools and fight the Zhu family, they were never hesitant when it came time to act.

To hunt large game on the mountain, one needed brothers like this. When people and hearts are in sync, they can overcome dangers together. Xiao Wen and Xiao Wu had once again passed the test of reality, firmly binding themselves to the Yue family's new vessel.

After delivering the wild game to the canteen, Yue Feng went to the supply and marketing cooperative with money in his pocket to go on a shopping spree.

Five-kernel mooncakes, canned goods, candied fruits, roasted peanuts, melon seeds, snacks, and even bottles of 55-degree Baishan Daqu with red and white labels—he bought a whole sack of the most sought-after goods from the shelves.

Despite buying so much for the bicycle's back seat, it only cost a little over ten yuan. Money in this era truly went a long way.

By the time Yue Feng finished his shopping and returned home, his household was already busy.

Old Lady Ma hadn't been able to take the goose after all. The troublemaker, the large white goose, had been slaughtered by Meng Yulan after lunch to prepare it for the feast.

Next, all the various ingredients bought from the market that morning were being processed.

As Yue Feng returned with the supplies from town, people began to arrive. The Li family of five from next door came to the Yue house, and Xiao Wen's mother had arrived early to help.

Even Grandma Li from the house behind had come over early after lunch. Although she didn't say a word, her presence was a practical demonstration of her support for the Yue family.

Today's menu was quite impressive

Stewed Sand-half chicken with mushrooms, clear Flying Dragon bird soup, catfish stewed with eggplant, crayfish with tofu, iron-pot goose stewed with potatoes, braised pork, sauerkraut stewed with ribs, braised tofu, and a three-and-a-half-pound braised red carp.