That woman struggled desperately, "Let me go, let me go, you beast!"
Then she turned and screamed, "Help me, please save me, my husband is dead, Hu Lazi wants to bully me, please save me!"
At this time, the people from Dahu Village also rushed over, led by Chief Hu, with Hu Sanier and twenty or thirty men by his side.
Oldest Xie was not clear what had happened in Dahu Village. Although the woman looked quite pitiful, he did not speak rashly.
The woman struggled free from Hu Lazi, crawled to Oldest Xie, and pleaded, "Village Chief Xie, Village Chief Xie, please save me. My parents-in-law and husband were all washed away by the flood. They want to bully me, a widow. If you don't save me, they will violate me to death..."
Hu Lazi felt a little guilty but did not dare to snatch the woman from Oldest Xie. He shouted, "Village Chief Xie, don't listen to Mrs. Fu's provocation. She is a cruel woman. Just because she was dissatisfied with her husband, she aborted two pregnancies in a row. She can even kill her own children. Would you dare to shelter her and risk her causing trouble for you?"
Mrs. Fu turned abruptly, her eyes like those of a ferocious wolf, "Why would I kill two bastards if not because their father is a villain! I was a good person, but you beasts abducted and sold me here. Why should I give birth to children for those who abducted me? I want them to have no descendants!"
Gu Jiu sighed from the side, "This woman has such a fierce temper. In general, when encountering this situation, most people would have no choice but to submit, even losing their conscience and becoming part of the abductors, turning pitiful women into the same as them. But this woman has never given up. Whether it's aborting her own children or resisting tonight, she has preserved her dignity."
Chief Hu said from the side, "Village Chief Xie, no matter if she was bought or how she came here, she is now a member of Dahu Village. We are taking our Dahu Village person, do we need your permission from Huaishu Village?"
If it were in the past, Chief Hu would never have been so soft in reasoning with others. He must have been scared by the previous beating and softened his bones.
"I won't go, I won't go, Village Chief Xie please save me, I will be killed if I go back!" Mrs. Fu clung to Oldest Xie's clothes firmly.
Gu Jiu saw the scars on her arm exposed as her sleeve slipped down and felt a tinge of pity.
For someone with such an unyielding heart, in an age where people would sell themselves for a loaf of bread just to survive, it was so difficult to maintain one's integrity!
She tugged at Xie Zhan's clothes with her little hand, "Xie Zhan, save her!"
These days, she had noticed that Xie Zhan was someone who could make decisions.
Before Xie Zhan could answer, Mrs. Fu changed who she was begging, facing Mrs. Gao and shouting loudly, "Mrs. Gao, save me, I'm Fu Rong's Mom from Taikang Hall in Jingzhou City!"
Mrs. Gao was stunned, repeating the words "Jingzhou City Taikang Hall" in her heart. She walked a few steps hastily and examined Mrs. Fu in the torchlight. "You're Fu Rong's Mom? From Taikang Pharmacy Hall in Jingzhou City? You've grown so much, how did you end up here? What about your grandfather?"
When Mrs. Gao first met Fu Rong's Mom, she was only six or seven years old. Over a decade had passed, and although her appearance may not have changed much, Mrs. Gao did not recognize her. However, Mrs. Gao felt that it was unlikely someone was impersonating her, as not many people knew about her family's connection to Taikang Hall.
"It's me, it's me. Grandfather passed away four years ago. I originally wanted to return to the countryside to find my uncle, but I was drugged by Hu Sanier on the way and woke up sold to my husband, wuu wuu..."
Mrs. Gao just glanced at Xie Zhan, reached out, and helped Fu Rong's Mom up.
Xie Zhan understood his mother's gaze and said, "This person is our family relative, we'll keep her. You all go back!"
The people from Dahu Village were almost amused. They thought it would be so easy to dismiss them with such a light remark.
"She is clearly a member of our village, what right do you have to keep her?"
Xie Zhan raised his eyes, his gaze indifferent as he said, "She is my Xie family's relative who has lost her husband and come to seek refuge with us. Of course, we must keep her. She married into your Dahu Village, not the entire village. Just because her husband died, she can't leave? What kind of logic is that?"
Chief Hu said, "Her husband was from the Hu clan. After he died, the Hu clan can still manage her affairs. Even if she wants to remarry, she needs the Hu clan's approval."
Xie Zhan was too lazy to continue this verbal argument. He looked over indifferently and said, "I've decided to keep her, what can you do about it? Get lost!"
The people from Dahu Village: ...
"Damn, this is too much bullying!"
"Too unreasonable, he's even an educated person, but he doesn't make any sense at all."
"All these years we've bullied others, but we've never been bullied like this. I've never received such treatment. Brothers, grab your weapons, attack!"
The people of Dahu Village were used to bullying others. For a while, they could not accept being treated this way. At someone's shout, a few men quickly became enraged and charged forward with sticks and cudgels.
Lu Aniu was the first to confront them, snatching a stick and kicking away the fastest one with a flying kick, sending him tumbling back.
Xie Zhan whispered an instruction, "Break Hu Sanier's two legs."
Since it was this person who abducted Fu Rong's Mom, he should pay the price for his actions.
Lu Aniu nodded and charged into the fray like a fierce tiger.
Xie Zhan did not advance or retreat, merely observing the battle from the side.
Fifth Xie let out a howl and rushed in as well, as he loved fighting too much.
The men from Huaishu Village did not idle either, each grabbing sticks and cudgels to join in.
Lu Aniu shook his head at the chaos before him. It would be easier for him alone, with these additional people only adding to the disorder.
He searched through the crowd for Hu Sanier, quickly locating his target and making his way through the melee, effortlessly defeating any opponents in his path.
Hu Sanier had one eye injured, affecting his vision. He was currently being beaten down by Zhou Hu. Lu Aniu did not hesitate, swinging his stick at Hu Sanier's legs.
A blood-curdling scream rang out, like a pig being slaughtered. Hu Sanier, oblivious to Zhou Hu still straddling him, curled up and howled in pain.
The chaotic fighters all froze for a moment, then the two nearest men attacked Lu Aniu from left and right, only to be struck down, wailing on the ground.
Lu Aniu's imposing figure stood there, his eyes cold like a ferocious beast, seemingly about to pounce and tear them all to shreds.
The people of Dahu Village were bullies who only preyed on the weak. Faced with such a tough opponent, they immediately softened. Seeing Lu Aniu's appearance, they shuddered collectively, their will to retreat rising.
Chief Hu saw the situation was not favorable and bit down hard, waving his hand, "Retreat!"
He called someone to help carry the injured Hu Sanier and turned to leave.
Halfway out, he looked back, his gaze flickering with a wolf-like, sinister chill.
Lu Aniu turned to Xie Zhan, "They seem to have harbored a grudge against us."
A hint of coldness flashed in Xie Zhan's eyes. Even if they did not hold a grudge, he would not allow them to live much longer.
Previously, bound by the law, he could do nothing to them. But now, in this ancient forest full of venomous snakes and ferocious beasts, it would be quite normal for a few dozen people to die.
