The bearded farmer, Zhang San, held his chest with a pained expression. However, he glared at Wu Fang and said fiercely,
“Bastard! Come, hit my head. If you can’t kill me, you’re a coward!”
Wu Fang got furious when he heard his insult,
“Since you’re courting death, I’ll fulfill your wish!”
He raised his staff, about to strike down.
At this moment, Zhou Jing took the opportunity to step out of the crowd. His large hand grabbed the staff that was about to strike down like a hammer to the anvil.
Wu Fang exerted all his strength, but he could not shake it at all. He was shocked and quickly let go of the staff, taking two steps back and standing beside his servant.
He sized up Zhou Jing and confirmed that he was an unfamiliar face.
“Sir, what can I do for you?”
“I’m just watching the show.” Zhou Jing weighed the staff in his hand, before letting it drop on the ground. He looked around at the people present and asked, “What happened here?”
Realizing that he was a busybody, Wu Fang could not help but feel annoyed. He cursed under his breath. However, seeing that Zhou Jing was not someone to be trifled with, he could only suppress his anger and explain.
“I’m the third young master of the Wu Village here, Wu Fang. These villagers took a loan from my family and set up a loan receipt. Now that the date has arrived, I asked them to return their debt. Who knew that these unruly people would throw a tantrum and only want to renege on their debt? In my anger, I couldn’t help but be a little too harsh.”
Before Zhou Jing could speak, Zhang San spat out and said hatefully,
......
“Your Wu Family’s debt is simply just exploitation! With an interest going up every few months, how can we afford to pay you back?”
Wu Fang looked at him coldly, “Then who asked you to borrow money?”
“We can’t survive. If we don’t borrow money, our family will starve to death. What can we do?” A whipped farmer couldn’t help but say.
Wu Fang shook his head and snorted, “Since you’ve borrowed money, what else is there to say? If you don’t work hard at farming and the harvest isn’t good all year round, you won’t be able to survive. That’s your business. Who can you blame?”
Hearing this, another farmer who had been whipped could not help but cry out in grievance,
“With the annual harvest, the taxes paid by the Imperial Court, and the land rent of your Wu family, how much do we have left? If not for the high rent, how could we not be able to survive?”
Wu Fang was impatient and shouted, “This has been the rule since ancient times. Don’t say anything unrelated! It’s only right and proper to repay a debt. No matter what you say today, you won’t be able to escape this logic! Either hand over the rent, or use the cattle produced in the fields as compensation!”
Zhang San forced himself up and pointed at Wu Fang.
“Bullsh*t! Your Wu family collects such a heavy rent. Every winter, if we don’t borrow money from you, we won’t be able to live. Do you dare to say that this isn’t intentional and that you’re blocking our way out? Your Wu family only allows farm cattle to be used as collateral for your debts. You’re clearly trying to swallow our farmland. How many people in the village don’t owe your family now? By using such methods, you’re clearly trying to turn us into tenant farmers who don’t have any assets left. We’ve always owed you money and have been farming for your family for generations.”
Wu Fang glared at them and shouted angrily, “Nonsense! You’ve all set up an IOU. Even if you report it to the government, it’s just you being unreasonable!”
Zhang San said hatefully, “F*ck the government, they’re jackals of the same tribe! If not for the fact that we have no way out, who would be willing to borrow your family’s money? You’ve taken our lifeline, so naturally, everything is reasonable!”
The villager who had been whipped was also angry and could not help but agree.
“I borrowed a field from your Wu family to farm, and your grandfather wanted me to pay the rent for a fertile field, but in fact, he only lent me a field that had been exhausted. Back then, I wanted to reason with him several times, but I was chased out by your family’s guards. Now, you’re using this contract to bully me!”
“That’s right. This fellow is setting up a trap to harm us!” Zhang San pointed at Wu Fang angrily and said loudly, “Once a year comes where the harvest is not good, it will be the time for your Wu family to succeed. First, you take away our surplus food, then you take away our cattle, and finally, you annex our farm property and make us sell our bodies. With the deeds in your hands, even if we make a fuss in the government, you will have your own excuses. If we are unwilling to hand over the fields, we can only sell our sons and daughters and send them to your Wu family’s residence to be slaves. There are even some daughters who are your masters’ mistresses! I’ve had enough of this dogshit life!”
Wu Fang trembled in anger.
“You’re rebelling! You’re rebelling! My Wu family is willing to give you money to eat and drink, but you’re here to slander me like this! You should be left to starve to death!”
“Isn’t your Wu family’s harvest still planted by us? Pui!” Zhang San spat at his face.
Wu Fang hurriedly dodged, but a mouthful of blood still stained his clothes.
“You really are courting death!”
Wu Fang’s eyes turned red with anger. He picked up the whip and was about to crack it ruthlessly at Zhang San.
However, halfway through, Zhou Jing grabbed his palm and stopped him.
Having been stopped by this person both times. Wu Fang was now completely pissed off.
He pointed at Zhou Jing’s nose and shouted angrily, “You! What does it have to do with you if I teach my own villagers a lesson? Get out of my way! Know what’s good for you!”
Hearing this, Zhou Jing slapped him without another word.
Pak!
There was a sharp cracking sound.
Wu Fang was sent flying like a spinning top. He spat out a mouthful of blood, and his cheek was swollen. Half of his teeth had been knocked out, and he fell to the ground unconscious.
Everyone present was stunned.
No one expected this burly man to suddenly attack.
“How dare you point at Grandpa. You must be tired of living.” Zhou Jing waved his hand.
The dozen or so Wu Family Guards were stunned for a moment before they suddenly reacted. They picked up their own staff and roared as they rushed forward.
“Deceitful man!”
“Beat him up!”
Seeing this, Zhou Jing’s expression did not change. He held a staff and his walking stick in both hands and barged into the crowd, smashing them in the face.