Thank you MengPo’sMapoTofu for the coffee treat! 
A chapter will be released early for each coffee treated as a thank you gift. Thank you everyone for the support and comments!
As the head of the Mo family, Mo Dali was the first to speak: “Bai Laoda, what do you want this time?”
“What do I want? You broke my leg, and I demand compensation!”
Bai Laoda grinned, but Mo Chunhua, seeing his demeanor, spat: “Bah, you have no shame. You were fine when you left that day. What does your leg have to do with us?”
Seeing this scene, Mo Yi silently thought to himself: actually, it does have something to do with us, but they have no evidence!
Furthermore, if they really knew it was him, they would have come knocking long ago, not wait until now.
Showing up now, they must have failed to catch the culprit after reporting to the officials, so they decided to pin it on the Mo family. They are shameless indeed.
Mo Yi’s thoughts were echoed by Bai Lin, who directly said, “Since you claim your leg is our responsibility, do you have any evidence?”
Bai Laoda, upon hearing this, glanced around and said, “Evidence? Why would I need evidence here? My son is a scholar, doesn’t that count for anything?”
Bai Kaicheng, standing beside him, lifted his head even higher upon being mentioned, straightened his clothes, and looked self-important.
Feeling emboldened with Bai Kaicheng by his side, Bai Laoda declared, “Anyway, if you don’t admit fault today, don’t think you’ll get off easily! At the very least, you’ll have to compensate me with ten taels of silver!”
“Bai Laoda, you’re out of your mind. Keep dreaming!” Mo Chunhua retorted, hands on hips.
That night, Mo Yi had heard it was five taels. How come he brought two more people and increased the price now?
Upon hearing Mo Dali’s words, Mo Yi couldn’t help but quip, “I see you’re really good at imagining things.”
The youthful voice was clear and distinctive, and Mo Yi’s voice wasn’t quiet. Behind him, Bai Lin, who had been angry, couldn’t help but chuckle at the remark.
Wang Shi, however, remembered how strong Mo Yi was, sat on the ground, crying and accusing him of being a demon, saying that it was Mo Yi who injured her husband.
She was accustomed to using such theatrical tactics.
The Mo family was annoyed by this scene, and neighbors who heard the commotion came over, pointing and gossiping about the Bai family.
But the members of the Bai family, with skin as thick as walls, paid no heed to the stares of others.
The situation escalated quickly, and soon, the village chief of Mojia was alerted.
“What’s going on here again!” Mo Qingniu heard the villagers reporting and hurried over, seeing it was Bai Laoda’s family again, instantly feeling a headache.
After briefly listening to the neighbors, he knew it must be another unreasonable disturbance caused by Bai Laoda’s family.
But as soon as he opened his mouth, the neighboring village head Bai Tiezhu pulled him aside and whispered, “Brother Niu, why did you come here?”
“You mean I shouldn’t come over for matters concerning my villager? What about you? I followed you along last time, but this time I can’t let Dali’s family be wronged again.”
We’re sorry for MTLers or people who like using reading mode, but our translations keep getting stolen by aggregators so we’re going to bring back the copy protection. If you need to MTL please retype the gibberish parts.
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Hearing this, Mo Qingniu hesitated. He wasn’t afraid of ordinary people, but who wouldn’t be afraid of offending their side’s officials? That would mean inviting trouble.
But before they could finish their conversation, they heard a voice nearby: “Oh? Why haven’t I heard of this?”
“How do you not know?”
Bai Tiezhu said casually, then realized the speaker wasn’t a villager. At some point, a dignified middle-aged man, stroking his beard, stood not far from them. Beside him stood an old man in gray clothes.
The attire and demeanor of the two were clearly not those of village farmers, showing sophistication and distinction.
Bai Tiezhu quickly shut his mouth, frowned, and looked at the two. He whispered to Mo Qingniu beside him, “Who are they?”
Mo Qingniu looked puzzled: “If I don’t know, how would you know? I have no idea who they are! But, Lao Bai, don’t you think the man with the beard looks familiar?”
Bai Tiezhu nodded: “Now that you mention it, he does seem familiar, like I’ve seen him somewhere. Where could it be?”
“Oh? Right! Brother Niu, do you remember the last time we went to the county government office to submit the village records, and we met the county magistrate. I think this person looks quite similar to the county magistrate.
I reckon if the county magistrate were to shed his official attire and dress like this, he would look exactly like this man!”
Exactly like…
As they spoke, the two village heads exchanged a glance, panic evident in their eyes.
In ancient times, there was a strict hierarchy between ruler and subjects, with the ruler holding a high position. Who wouldn’t fear officials?
Bai Tiezhu and Mo Qingniu immediately bowed to the ground before Magistrate Wu: “Greetings, Your Excellency!”
Thinking back to what he had just said, Bai Tiezhu’s heart skipped a beat. He turned to see Wang Shi still causing a scene, and cold sweat covered his back.
Although Bai Tiezhu had believed Bai Laoda’s constant assurances that their Bai Kaicheng would surely rise to high office and might even become the county magistrate here, the key point was that, at present, Bai Kaicheng was still just a scholar.
Currently, being in a position of power was better than potential future power. Even if Bai Kaicheng were to become a prime minister in the future, offending the current magistrate could make life difficult for him.
Magistrate Wu naturally noticed Bai Tiezhu’s fearful expression but said nothing. Back then, being marginalized to the county had shattered his aspirations. However, his performance in recent years had caught the attention of superiors who were considering promoting him. Even his teacher from the capital had sent letters, inquiring about his intentions.
However, he was no longer the spirited young man he once was. Having seen too much, he just wanted to return to his hometown and live out the rest of his life peacefully, without any desire for promotion.
He had already declined his teacher’s offer in his letter and would most likely remain here in the future. As for the future prospects of Bai Kaicheng, he had not heard of any connections within that family and suspected it was all just boasting.
Magistrate Wu maintained a smiling demeanor, but the scholar beside him remained cold throughout.
Originally, they had no intention of leaving the Mo family’s house, but the commotion outside was too loud, and it seemed to involve their student from the academy, prompting Master Yu to want to see what was going on.
They circled around from the backyard, deliberately avoiding the crowd. Little did they know that this detour would lead them to witness quite a spectacle.
Bai Lin had already noticed Magistrate Wu and Master Yu’s movements, so when Mo Chunhua was about to retort angrily, he quickly pretended to cough violently, feigning weakness to attract the Mo family’s attention.
“Bai Lin, what’s wrong with you?”
Unaware that his partner was acting, Mo Yi immediately rushed over, concerned, while Mo Yi, who was about to speak, also hurried over, asking, “What’s wrong? Come back inside and rest!”
Bai Lin shook his head at their words and whispered softly in Mo Yi’s ear, “I’m fine.”
Mo Yi noticed Magistrate Wu and Master Yu not far away and understood what was happening.
Seeing this, Bai Laoda thought he had intimidated the Mo family, and Wang Shi smugly spoke up, “Enough with the act, hurry up and hand over the money.”
“Otherwise, my son will make you all regret it! He’s a scholar and will become an official in the future. Who knows, he might even become the magistrate here!”
As she spoke, although Bai Kaicheng remained silent, his expression and attitude clearly showed his support.
Master Yu couldn’t stand by and watch his favorite student being bullied like this. He walked over and glared at Bai Kaicheng. “Who do you think you’re threatening?”
Seeing an unfamiliar old man approaching, Wang Shi didn’t hesitate to insult him. “Old man, what nonsense are you spouting? Who do you think you are?”
However, Bai Kaicheng widened his eyes in shock. “Teacher! What are you doing here?”
Upon seeing the man, Bai Kaicheng’s expression couldn’t hide his surprise. He wondered why he was so unlucky to receive a letter from his parents asking him to come back and support them.
“Humph, I don’t buy into your teacher nonsense,” Master Yu snorted coldly.
Bai Kaicheng quickly apologized, “I dare not, Teacher.”
“Oh? Is there anything Bai Kaicheng the Scholar dares not do? I think you’re quite audacious,” Magistrate Wu interjected.
Having participated in the provincial examination, Bai Kaicheng naturally knew who the county magistrate was. Hearing Magistrate Wu’s calm words, he felt even more overwhelmed. It seemed that everything that had just happened was clear to him.
“I dare not, I dare not!” Bai Kaicheng stuttered, his face turning red with embarrassment.
After witnessing the scene, Bai Tiezhu, who had been following, heard Magistrate Wu publicly refer to himself as a magistrate and immediately shouted, “Stop making a scene! This gentleman here is our county magistrate. Why aren’t you all kneeling down and showing respect?”
This left everyone from Bai’s family dumbfounded. Even the fiercest Wang Shi, who had been making threats earlier, collapsed to the ground, trembling with fear.
Magistrate Wu didn’t waste any time and continued, “I’m aware of this case. Previously, the teacher informed me that constables have been dispatched to search for the culprit who committed the crime that night. However, the thief is too cunning, and there are still no leads.”
“The case at the yamen has not been settled yet, so why have you come to the Mo family and assumed it was them who did it?”
Upon hearing this, Bai Laoda defended himself with a guilty conscience, “Sir, we have long-standing grievances with the Mo family. Last time we came, that idiot from the Mo family…”
“Who are you calling an idiot? You’re the idiot!” Before Bai Laoda could finish, Mo Yi glared at him angrily.
Even if his whole life’s persona was that of an idiot, he didn’t want to be called that by such a despicable person. Besides, his current behavior wasn’t foolish at all; he was playing it smart!
If he wasn’t still supporting his partner, he would have already rushed up to beat someone.
Seeing this, Bai Lin patted Mo Yi’s hand to calm him down. Bai Laoda, seeing his appearance, recalled the brutality of the youth that day and quickly corrected himself, “Not an idiot, not an idiot, I misspoke. I meant, the young man from the Mo family, he has great strength. That day, he directly used force against us. Look, my wrist was squeezed by him.”
Bai Laoda raised his wrist, showing five dark bruises.
“Oh? Did you do this?” Magistrate Wu looked at the youth with some surprise, but he didn’t have any intention to interrogate, just pure curiosity.
Mo Yi nodded in confirmation, frowning. “He was going to hit my wife!”
It seemed the youth’s actions were provoked.
Not intending to further trouble Mo Yi, Magistrate Wu turned to Mo Dali and asked, “Do you know the cause of Bai Laoda’s leg injury?”
Mo Dali and his family all shook their heads vigorously. Mo Chunhua, looking at the guests who had just been entertained at their home and suddenly became the county magistrate, said anxiously, “If they hadn’t come to cause trouble today, we wouldn’t have known about this.”
Magistrate Wu nodded, having heard from Wu Zhengqing about Bai Lin’s situation. He had also heard about the actions of Bai Laoda and his family that day, and he had made judgments about the character of these two families.
“We saw clearly what happened just now. Bai Laoda, you have no evidence and yet you directly slandered and accused the Mo family. Out of consideration for your injury, I won’t punish you, but someone else will have to bear the consequences.”
After finishing his words, Magistrate Wu looked at Bai Kaicheng and asked, “Bai Kaicheng, do you realize your mistake?”
Bai Kaicheng was startled by the question and nervously shook his head, saying, “Sir, please, I haven’t said anything from beginning to end! It’s them, they came on their own…”
“Enough!” Magistrate Wu interrupted Bai Kaicheng and sneered, “Does keeping silent absolve you of any wrongdoing? You study the classics, do you still remember the Eight Virtues? Do you still know loyalty, filial piety, benevolence, and righteousness?
Today, your parents intentionally slandered the Mo family, and you knowingly followed them, which is unjust. Not advising your family members properly and failing to reflect on your own actions, then shifting the blame afterward, is unfilial.”
“A person like you, who lacks filial piety and righteousness, if you enter the court as an official in the future, you will likely bring disaster to the region!”
Magistrate Wu’s words were firm, and Bai Kaicheng understood his meaning, kneeling down with a thud, repeatedly kowtowing and begging for forgiveness.
Without his scholar status, he wouldn’t have the elevated position he had now.
Seeing this, Magistrate Wu relented, saying, “Considering your years of hard study, I’ll give you another chance. But this year, the land tax exemption due to your status will be fully compensated. This includes the Mo family’s land tax for this year, which you will pay as compensation to them.
If you offend them again, you, as a scholar, will not be spared.”
Mo Ye was secretly delighted upon hearing this, quickly telling 006 in his mind, “006, hurry up and record those words just now. Maybe I can use them in the future!”
The little dog nodded and recorded the words with a mix of amusement and exasperation.
Master Yu then added, “Bai Kaicheng, you won’t go to the academy for now. Go home and reflect for three months, cultivate your moral character, and think about your mistakes!”
Bai Kaicheng collapsed to the ground upon hearing that his scholar position was preserved, feeling like he had a new lease on life.
Bai Laoda’s family, however, felt utterly miserable. They had come to ask for money, but instead of getting any, they now had to compensate for their own land tax, not to mention the Mo family’s land tax. This meant they were going to lose a significant amount of money for nothing!
This isn’t just a case of “failing to steal the chicken and losing the rice,” it’s more like “failing to steal the chicken and losing your own chicken!”
With the county magistrate present, they dare not cause trouble, so in the end, they could only leave with their tails between their legs.
😑They’re shameless beyond help
Thanks for the chapter!
Deserved!
Thank you so much for the chapter!!<3
My goodness, they just keep making it worse for themselves!
Shameless family! Still trying?!