Chapter 249: Forced Hospitality

He Lingchuan did not waste time dancing around the issue. “Exactly. This is the title deed for the sale of field bones, and the provincial government recognizes it as such. Which means the tenant farmers who work the land will continue to do so. As long as they pay rent on time, they won’t be evicted.”

The village elders exchanged glances and nodded one after another.

“Now, let’s get to the real matter.” His tone sharpened. “By law, any villager selling farmland must obtain approval from the township. Where exactly does that rule come from?”

Whoever held the field bone, and thereby the ownership of the land, was entitled to collect rent from the tenant farmers. But if these old men insisted on blocking the transaction, then Xin Township’s government office, even with the deed in hand, might never see a copper coin in rent.

Most villages would never dare oppose the authorities. But Shuangyu Village, it seemed, was an exception.

Village Chief Liang spoke slowly, “That’s the way it’s always been. This practice dates back to before Great Yuan was even founded. It’s not just our Shuangyu Village, even Xin Township has always done things this way.”

“Thirty years ago, twenty years ago, Great Yuan issued repeated decrees abolishing all customs and traditions that contradict state law. Such old habits are null and void.”

Village Chief Liang only smiled. “But all of Xia Province has always followed this rule, not just Xin Township. Surely, Young Master He knows the saying that the law does not punish the masses. If the provincial government wants to make trouble for us, then they’ll have to punish dozens of townships and thousands of villages before they reach us!”

He Lingchuan folded his arms, his expression almost amused. “Are you saying that you plan to test the law with your own heads?”

Village Chief Liang flapped his hands. “Ah, no, no, that’s not what I meant! We’re not challenging the authorities. We’re just upholding local custom. It’s how things have always been done here for generations.”

Anyone who had never lived in the countryside could not imagine how heavy local custom and village rules truly weighed.

From outside the hall came a shout, “That’s right! Even if you punish us, the other villages won’t follow your way either!”

A chorus of voices followed, loud and full of defiance.

He Lingchuan sneered. What did the other townships and villages have to do with him? His father had assigned him this one errand, so he just had to finish it and be done with it.

But underneath their rustic faces and bluster, their meaning was perfectly clear: if he wanted their consent, he would have to pay for it.

Whenever a villager sold land to outsiders, the village would collect an additional “nod fee”—a bribe dressed as tradition.

And these fools had the gall to demand it from the government itself.

He Lingchuan understood the picture well enough. Not every village had such nerve. Most were either docile or terrified of officials. That was why the bureaucracy could exploit them so easily.

But Shuangyu Village? They boasted of families who had once produced war heroes and Daoist sect elders. Perhaps they even had some influential backer whispering in their ears. It would then be nothing but expected for them to dare test the mettle of the new provincial administration.

The four great families of the province had already been hammered by He Chunhua several times in the past month. There was no doubt their pride was still smarting, and it could then be anticipated that they wanted a chance to strike back, even if only through such petty obstruction.

And all the surrounding townships and villages were watching closely. If even the new provincial government had to bow to “local customs,” this wind of disregard, or perhaps even rebellion, would only spread.

He Lingchuan rose sharply to his feet. The seven men behind him moved in unison, hands falling onto their blades. Shan Youjun even drew half his blade, the cold glint flashing across the village chief’s face like a promise of blood.

The elders’ complexions changed.

Outside, the crowd surged forward in alarm, ready to storm the room.

Shan Youjun shot them a sidelong glance, his lips curling.

A pack of insolent peasants.

Then the rock wolf suddenly stood up and growled deeply.

The sound was like thunder cracking open the earth. The shock alone made hearts lurch, and lungs seize.

With its fur puffed up, it looked larger than a lion, and its growl rolled through the rafters like waves crashing onto shore. The villagers recoiled, faces blanching, until the nearest ones had retreated several paces.

Human fear of monsters was instinctive and bone-deep. In sheer intimidation, the wolf alone outmatched all seven guards combined.

Someone shouted, “What are you trying to do? Do you think you can kill us just because you’re the provincial governor’s son?!”

Despite that man’s bravado, no one dared advance another step.

“Which of your eyes saw me kill anyone?” He Lingchuan scoffed. He turned his gaze on Village Chief Liang. “Well? What’s your final word on the sale?”

Pinned by the wolf’s unblinking stare, the village chief’s spine stiffened like frozen bark, yet he forced himself to answer, “L-local regulations cannot be abolished! Young Master He, you’re threatening us with a monster and blades. We’ll take this to the provincial government and file a complaint!”

Another village elder cried from behind him, “Right! And if the provincial government protects you, we’ll take it to the capital and appeal directly to His Majesty!”

Township Steward Zhou became frightened at their threats. Trembling, he stammered, “My lord, p-please. Let’s talk this out peacefully!” The wolf’s jaws hung open, saliva glistening, and he dared not step closer.

He had requested a mediator from the provincial government, so how had he ended up having to mediate between a wolf and the villagers instead?

“You’re going to appeal directly to His Majesty?” He Lingchuan blinked, then burst out laughing. He clasped his hands behind his back and waved lightly to his men.

Shing!

With a metallic clang, Shan Youjun kept his blade. The others loosened their grips and straightened, their menace fading as quickly as it had flared.

“Village Chief Liang misunderstands me. When did I ever try to threaten you?” He Lingchuan picked up the bowl of cold water on the table and drained it in one go. “We’ve finished our discussion. Can’t I at least stretch my legs afterward?” He rolled his neck, and several crisp pops cracked the silence.

The elders traded wary glances.

“Finished?” asked the village chief suspiciously.

“Of course. You refuse to agree, I refuse to yield. We’re in a deadlock. Conversation’s over.” He Lingchuan smiled pleasantly. “I’ll go home and make my report.”

Village Chief Liang frowned. “What kind of game are you playing, Young Master He? How are we supposed to conclude the matter regarding the farmland?”

“Conclude it?” He shrugged. “There’s nothing to conclude. The knot’s tied too tight, so I might as well let someone else untangle it another day.” With that, he strode toward the door.

The wolf padded beside him, each step heavy as a drumbeat. No one dared bar their way.

The elders were left staring after him, uneasy. They had expected whoever the provincial government sent to bluster or threaten, not to withdraw so easily. Still, the stalemate worked in their favor. The longer things dragged out, the better it was for Shuangyu Village.

The fields remained under their control. For every day the provincial government delayed, they reaped another day’s profit.

But just as He Lingchuan reached the threshold, he stopped. “Oh, right, it’s already noon. Village Chief Liang, aren’t you going to feed your guest?”

The village chief nearly choked. He really did not want to host He Lingchuan. However, refusing would only make him look discourteous. After all, it was customary for villages to treat township officials to meals when they visited. So, he forced a smile and said, “Of course, but as we are but a humble village, I’m afraid that the food we can serve might not be able to satisfy Young Master He.”

“Nonsense. I’ve always liked the food from places like this.” He Lingchuan walked up to him, ignoring the stiff glares around them, and clapped him on the shoulder. “No need to be so tense. We’ve finished business. Off duty, I’m actually very easy to get along with.”

He was a full head taller, the gesture half-friendly, half-imposing.

Village Chief Liang did not believe for a moment that the discussion was truly over. If force did not work, this young master might now be turning to trickery. But He Lingchuan was still an official, the provincial governor’s own son, even. Manners demanded courtesy, especially when the wolf had quietly retreated to a corner, and the guards no longer looked so aggressive.

If this young master wanted to put on a show, then fine, he would play along.

The village chief squeezed out a smile and said a few words of agreement, then waved to the villagers, “Nothing more to see here, everyone. Go on home.”

Two of the oldest elders shuffled away first. The rest lingered, curious, but eventually dispersed.

He Lingchuan did nothing out of line. He merely strolled beside the village chief, touring the village lanes and fields, asking questions now and then. Behind them trailed a crowd of onlookers—half escort, half audience—making the scene look for all the world like an inspection tour by some visiting dignitary.

The sun hung warm overhead. A group of seven or eight children was chasing each other around the threshing ground, filling the place with laughter.

When He Lingchuan saw them, he smiled and reached into his sleeve, pulling out a handful of brightly wrapped candies. “Who wants some sweets?”

The wrapping gleamed red, gold, and green—eye-catching and rare in such a rural village. The children squealed and ran over, stretching out their hands.

He Lingchuan gave each of them two candies.

But then he frowned. There were five boys among them, three of whom looked nearly identical. They had round heads that were shaved bald except for two small tufts left on the crown and nape. Same haircuts, same age, same soft, cherubic faces. How was he supposed to tell them apart?

He glanced at Shan Youjun for help, but Shan Youjun only blinked back, equally lost.

So He Lingchuan peeled another candy himself and crouched before the youngest child. “What’s your name, little one?”

The boy, perhaps four or five, popped the candy straight into his mouth and mumbled, “Liang Yu.”

“Oh?” He Lingchuan turned to the next boy and personally handed him one. “And you?”

“I’m Liang Su.”

There we go.

He smiled more broadly. “And whose child are you?”

The boy pointed to Village Chief Liang. The village chief gave a small nod and said, “That’s my third grandson.”

He Lingchuan scooped the child up in his arms. “And how many grandchildren do you have?”

“Three grandsons, four granddaughters,” the village chief replied, watching warily.

“And your own sons and daughters?”

“Two sons, three daughters.”

He Lingchuan chuckled, jostling the little boy. “The village chief is truly blessed. Despite being so young, you’ve already got children and grandchildren.”

He seemed to take a real liking to Liang Su, holding him the entire way as they walked. The boy had already eaten both candies and began squirming in discomfort, unable to wriggle free.

The village chief’s anxiety only deepened. “The child’s naughty. You’d better put him down, lest he get mud on your clothes...”

“It’s fine. I like lively children.”

He Lingchuan caught the man’s expression and smiled as if unaware, brushing a bit of dust off his sleeve.

But after a few more steps, the boy suddenly burst into loud tears. His wails echoed across the quiet village lanes.

They were just passing the village houses, so the sound carried far. A woman emerged from a nearby house, wiping her hands on her apron. She quickened her pace. “What’s wrong? Why is he crying?”

She reached for the boy, and He Lingchuan obligingly handed him over. The moment she cradled him, he hiccupped twice, then stopped crying and buried his face in her chest.

He Lingchuan flicked a bit of dirt off his fingers. “And this lady is?”

Village Chief Liang answered, “My third daughter-in-law. She’s Little Su’s mother.”

The woman curtsied to both men, then hurried off with the child still clinging to her.

But He Lingchuan’s gaze lingered on her retreating figure.

To any ordinary father-in-law, such a look might have seemed improper, but Village Chief Liang had seen plenty of that sort before. He coughed twice, loudly, forcing down his disdain.

He heard He Lingchuan remark, smiling faintly, “No wonder your grandson’s so adorable. He takes after his mother.”

The village chief could only force another awkward laugh.

Just then, the daughter-in-law reappeared briefly at the doorway and called out, “Lunch is ready!”

The scent of cooked rice drifted through the air.

All across the village, the fragrance of food mingled with the sunlight.

He Lingchuan insisted on dining at the village chief’s home. With that, the elders and villagers, though still suspicious, had no choice but to withdraw and leave them to it.