Farm Girl's Manor

The lead government officer hadn’t expected that, despite her young age, she would act with such maturity. Thinking of how the second master of the Han family seemed to especially value this family, he found it less surprising but became even more reluctant to accept the purse. "This is within our duties, Miss, you are too kind."

Since Mo Yan had offered the purse, she had no intention of taking it back. After she urged him once more, the lead government officer reluctantly accepted it.

On their way towards the front yard, Mo Yan spoke as if it were an offhand comment, "As I mentioned before, there is no wild beast in our home. Yet Wang Dali has framed and slandered me, not only with foul language but by stirring up trouble at every turn, which is truly hateful."

The lead government officer’s eyelid twitched, and he ventured, "If Miss wishes to pursue this matter, we are willing to assist and take Wang Dali back to the Government Office, and lock him up for a few days as a lesson."

Mo Yan’s eyes lit up, but then she hesitated and asked, "Would that complicate things for the officials? After all, Wang Dali has merely defamed me, resulting in a wasted trip for the officials. If we were to imprison him, I’m afraid his family might not accept it."

The lead government officer scoffed, "Just for spreading false news alone, he can be locked up for a year or two. Moreover, he defamed Miss’s reputation. If Miss were to report this to the Government Office, giving him ten lashes would be considered light. Miss need not worry."

Hearing this, a smile crept across Mo Yan’s lips, and a cold glint shone in her eyes, "Then let’s lock him up for a while. Such malicious people who dare to deceive the government should be imprisoned and suffer. Perhaps they might then repent and return to the righteous path. In that case, it would indeed be a stroke of fortune for him!"

She was never one to repay kindness with malice. If people didn’t bother her but sought her help in hardship, she was more than willing to lend a hand. However, for greedy and narrow-minded individuals like Wang Dali, it was best to teach them a harsh lesson, so they understand whom they cannot afford to provoke. Otherwise, having them pop up now and again to cause annoyance was truly exasperating.

The lead government officer wiped the cold sweat off his forehead and nodded, "We shall follow Miss’s suggestion."

In just a few words, Wang Dali’s fate was sealed. When the government officers recounted Wang Dali’s crimes and locked him up with the chains meant for the wild beast, Wang Dali could hardly believe his ears. He struggled desperately, insisting that the officers were mistaken and that, having reported the beast, he deserved a reward instead.

The government officers were only following orders to apprehend someone, and they cared not for the intricacies involved. Even if you were indeed innocent, if someone more powerful was intent on making trouble for you, you had no choice but to endure.

This was the advantage of power and the impetus for so many people desperately clambering their way up the ranks.

Wang Dali, no matter how capable, couldn’t resist the dozen or so government officers. Amid a cacophony of curses, he was quickly dragged out of the Mo Family compound.

That one troublemaking "bad apple" received his deserved punishment, and everyone present felt joy. Word spread quickly.

This time, Wang Dali’s attempt to cheat the Mo Family backfired, landing him in jail instead. Given that his crimes were real, no one could argue otherwise. Even Wang Dali’s own family, upon learning the reasons for his arrest, dared not utter a peep or make a fuss at the Government Office, fearing they might get themselves in trouble too.

Even though Wang Dali wasn’t in Liu Yang Village, he quickly got wind of the Golden Beast entering the Mo Family’s home; the Wang Family certainly had a hand in it.

Having dealt with the troubling matter and repelled those who schemed against her family, Mo Yan felt a significant lift in her spirits that had been dampened by her father’s injury. Aside from taking care of her father, whenever she had free time, she would venture into the mountains to pick wild fruits with Liu Tinglan, who was adamant about not returning home, and her siblings.

It was harvest season, and the wild fruits were ripe, hanging plump and plentiful on the branches, their red and yellow hues irresistible. Just a casual picking could fill several baskets. In seven or eight days, they had gathered nearly half a cellar’s worth, roughly a thousand pounds.