Chapter 587 - 589: The Neighbor Complains, The Officer Arrives
Bai Ruozhu suppressed her laughter and continued speaking, "Second Brother, have you heard any rumors?"
"If it really is as you imagine, that Turkic prince has many skilled subordinates and knows how to use poisonous insect poison. It would be incredibly difficult to apprehend him. I dread the thought. Each time I recall the night when they stormed into the main house and took Mother, and brutally beat you and Xiaosi, I simply cannot rest easy."
While speaking, Bai Zepei let out a heavy sigh as if burdened by enormous distress.
"Fortunately, on that day, we were lucky to have the city lord’s guards nearby, but we can’t always count on such good luck, Perhaps you should return to Anyuan Town with our parents."
"Absolutely not! How can we leave you alone in Beiyu City to study? We wouldn’t feel easy about it. Additionally, our family has accrued a mountain of debt for our expansion in Beiyu City. What could we possibly use to repay our debt if we return? Must we sell off our family lands?"
As she spoke, Bai Ruozhu narrowed her eyes. The Old Master was timid and would surely want to flee at the first sign of danger. However, she was also greedy and had designs on the money from the Second House. The Old Master would only truly let go if she believed that the debts from the Second House could burden her.
"The Turkic prince is no ordinary man. Even if we were to hide in Anyuan Town, he could still seek retribution. Returning to our home village is even more out of the question. We mustn’t implicate the villagers. If anyone were to spot him or discuss his affairs, he might wipe out the entire village." Bai Ruozhu continued.
Bai Zepei glared at her and motioned for her to stop talking. Bai Ruozhu stuck out her tongue and fell silent.
"Ah, if only I could become an officer." Bai Zepei made this wishful statement with a sigh.
Outside the yard, the Old Madam Bai didn’t know how she had managed to return to her room. All she could feel were her icy hands and feet, and she couldn’t fall asleep for the rest of the night. She was so scared that she didn’t dare to extinguish the candlelight. Any slight noise would lead her to believe it was the Turkic prince coming for her.
Finally, just as she was about to drift off into sleep, she had a nightmare. In her dream, a burly man with a rugged face full of scars grabbed her by the hair, lifted her up, and then decapitated her with a swift swing of his knife. Seeing her own body collapse slowly, she woke up in a massive fright and began to scream.
In the dead of night, the Old Master’s screams echoed sharply, akin to a pig being slaughtered. Everyone in the yard was startled awake and thought that something had happened. Bai Ruozhu knew that Li Yi was dead and that his subordinates had been arrested or killed, so she wasn’t worried.
Bai Zepei gave a meaningful look to his parents and then rushed out of the yard, shouting, "Are the villains here? Quickly, inform the authorities!"
The Old Master was shivering uncontrollably in fear. Even as Bai Zepei rushed into the main house, she kept screaming in terror. Bai Zepei felt a bit guilty for scaring her so much, but recalling the Old Master’s restless nature, he quickly brushed off the guilt.
"Granny, did you have a nightmare?" Bai Zepei asked as he approached her.
The Old Master started to rant loudly, "You crew of heartless ingrates! You would use me as the scapegoat! I gave birth to your father, you unfeeling lot! Heaven has no justice!"
Because of her intense panic, the Old Master spoke incoherently as she berated them.
After her rant, everyone in the yard knew that all was well. The Zhang and Lin families didn’t crowd forward, choosing to stay in their rooms instead.
However, Niuniu, who was easily frightened, woke up from the Old Master’s loud ruckus and started sobbing loudly. Dengdeng followed suit, crying out in dissatisfaction after being awakened.
Bai Ruozhu cooed Dengdeng to calm her down. She hadn’t expected the Old Master to be so timid. She had thought that the Old Master would only start to fuss and express her desire to leave at earliest tomorrow morning. She hadn’t anticipated the Old Master becoming terrified today.
The Old Master cursed, all the while crying. Her continuous cursing made it impossible for anyone to fall asleep. Bai Zepei, with a stern face said, "Granny, where did you hear that? Don’t speak unfoundedly, lest you attract unwanted trouble."
"You thought you could fool me? I heard everything you and Ruozhu were talking about!" As scared as she was by Bai Zepei’s words, the Old Master no longer dared to mention the villains. However, she continued to accuse and berate the Second House for their filial impiety and plotting to take her life.
At that moment, there was a bellow from next door, "It’s you, you old hag, making a racket again! I am going to report you to the authorities – disturbing people’s sleep in the middle of the night! See if you’re still so lively after a visit to the government office!"
Bai Ruozhu recognized this voice as the slightly temperamental old man who lived next door. The night her grandmother had arrived, demanding hot water to wash her feet, he had raised his voice and threatened to report it to the authorities.
Bai Ruozhu couldn’t help but laugh, shaking her head. Throughout her time living here, she had not found the neighbours to have any problems. It seemed that her grandmother had stirred up too much trouble and finally annoyed them.
What surprised Bai Ruozhu was that the old man had seriously reported her to the authorities. Maybe he had some connections in the government office, as officers had indeed come knocking on their door in the middle of the night.
Just before the officers arrived, the Old Master had not ceased her cursing. Since she planned to leave tomorrow anyway, she was not afraid of the old man from next door. However, when the officers called at their door, informing her that she was disturbing the peace and would have to go to the government office to answer for her actions, she lost her nerve.
"What? I can’t even scold my own grandchildren? That man really reported me? Why is he so nosy?" The Old Master was taken aback. Her voice softened as she hid behind Bai Zepei and, nudging him, said, "My grandson is a scholar and the top student. Don’t bully our house for not having anyone influential."
Bai Zepei became solemn, as his grandmother had already started causing trouble in his name as a mere scholar. When he became an official in the future, he would certainly need to manage his grandmother’s chatter.
"So what if he’s a scholar? Even if you were the wife of the city’s lord, you cannot disturb the peace in the middle of the night. If you wish to scold your son or grandson, feel free to do so, but don’t go doing it loudly during the night. Beiyu City’s regulation states that if two neighbouring households jointly file a complaint, the government will deal with the matter. So, stop making a fuss and come with me to the government office first." One officer said loudly.
"Just because that old busybody next door lodged a complaint, other people have lodged complaints, too?" The Old Master retorted.
"The house beyond his also sent people to complain about you. They all find you annoying. Now, enough with the prattle. Come with us and spend the night at the government office. We’ll deal with your case tomorrow morning. Don’t delay us any further. We still need to sleep once we’re done with our assignment." The bailiff said, yawning: "People just can’t have peace even in the middle of the night. What kinds of people are these?"
Bai Yihong stepped forward and said apologetically, "Officer, my mother has a bad temper. I am willing to apologize to our neighbours. Please, for the sake of her old age, do not arrest her. I promise that she will not disturb anyone else’s rest in the future."
As he spoke, he hinted to the Old Master, who, out of fear of jail, hurriedly said, "I realize my mistake. I won’t speak anymore."
"No, we have our own rules in Beiyu City. Can each person disturb the tranquility, then casually apologize and it’s settled? Won’t things be in chaos then?" The officer glared at the Old Master, asking, "Did you decide to go with me voluntarily, or do you prefer to be brought in in binding?"
Bai Ruozhu feared that the Old Master would really be taken into prison and then fall ill from fright, jeopardizing her plan. She hurriedly came forward, bowed to the officer, and said, "We are willing to compensate our neighbours. We beg you, officer, to compromise. You can take my grandmother to the government office during the daytime, but please not so late at night the elderly might fall sick from the cold."
The officer scanned the Old Master and said: "Aren’t your children and grandchildren very filial? What can be bothering you so much that you can’t stay quiet?"