Chapter 294: Chapter 294: They’re All Black
"Whoa, this little white snake really understands people!"
Mrs. Qi watched the little white snake, which occasionally bobbed its head or flicked its tongue while following their mother-in-law’s conversation, with amazement.
She wanted to reach out and touch it but felt afraid.
After several failed attempts, it was Yi Meng who finally mustered the courage to pick it up by the head and let Mrs. Qi feel its cold body.
"Meng Niang, I won’t say much more, as long as you guarantee that this little thing won’t harm Manbao, do as you see fit with the rest."
Mrs. Qi was finally content after touching the snake, thinking she must show off to her husband later.
After all, she had touched a live snake!
Yi Meng nodded, "Mother, don’t worry! If I couldn’t guarantee that, I wouldn’t have brought Xiao Bai here."
With that, Yi Meng placed Xiao Bai next to Qi Manman, and the snake immediately slithered around Qi Manman’s neck.
Mrs. Qi watched, her heart pounding, until she confirmed that Xiao Bai was obediently wrapping around like a necklace and not strangling her precious granddaughter. Only then did she heave a sigh of relief.
Mrs. Qi Sr. was not the same as she used to be.
After experiencing famine, witnessing wolves, and growing vegetables in winter, in addition to her granddaughter’s other different performances, she had become much more accepting of a snake.
The day for the trial of Chen Xiaomei and others finally arrived.
The entire Qi Family set out for the city, including Yin Cheng and Qin Minglang.
The Liu Family did not go to the city, staying behind to help look after the courtyard.
Many villagers also went, partly to see the trial and partly to take the opportunity to shop in the city.
However, the only ones raising livestock were the Qi Family.
The Qi Family’s five carriages were all back, and since the elders were in the city, they didn’t have to squeeze in with the villagers.
So, Qi Quanjin directly converted all the horse carriages into wagons.
This way, they could carry more people.
Thanks to the fact that these horses were wild-born, nourished by the Space Spring Water, they had greatly improved endurance and strength, otherwise, there was no way they could pull the wagons.
With about an hour and a half until noon, the team from Yongping Village finally arrived in the city.
As soon as they entered, everyone got off the wagon, which was sent off to the second courtyard.
They walked towards the trial location on foot.
On arrival, the outer area was cordoned off by government officials, and in the center were ten or so people kneeling.
In addition to those taken from Yongping Village, there were another ten people whom they had never seen before.
But that "never seen before" referred to the people of Yongping Village.
Among those working in Yongping Village, there were quite a few people from other villages, and those who recognized them were shocked.
"Hey, isn’t that the family of the Weston Village head?"
"Weston Village?"
"Yes, Weston Village. It’s on the other side of Concord City, a day’s journey from Yongping Village!"
Someone recognized those kneeling, and the people around started asking questions.
The crowd was noisy in a moment.
When the Qi Family arrived, they didn’t need to ask actively; someone who knew them started introducing the identities of those ten or so people who were kneeling.
Yi Meng listened with furrowed brows and said to Qi Quanjin, "Weston Village? Wasn’t Chen Xiaomei’s family transferred from Weston Village to our Yongping Village?"
"Let me think, it seems so."
Qi Quanjin couldn’t quite remember.
Details like where these outsiders moved from were managed by the wives.
But if the wife said so, it must be true.
Yi Meng frowned and asked the person who brought the news, "Are all these people from Weston Village?"
"Aren’t they all from Weston Village?"
The messenger scoffed, "Weston Village is really nothing good, always heard they’re fierce and tough in their village, especially mean to outsiders."
The other person continued to chatter about newly heard information, but the Qi Family remained silent without saying a word.
They had never been to Weston Village, but among the workers there were some from Weston Village, all of whom were screened by Liu Qinghe before being sent over.
With Liu Qinghe’s screening, such actions intending to harm people from Yongping Village shouldn’t have happened.
But the fact was, they indeed intended to harm Yongping Village, or rather, the Qi Family.
Qi Manman was being held by Qi Dalang at the moment, with Qi Zheng and Mrs. Qi standing beside them.
"Dad, hug me!"
Qi Manman reached out to Qi Quanjin.
Qi Quanjin couldn’t refuse and quickly took his little daughter over.
Thus, Qi Manman, who was standing in the second row, immediately became a first-row spectator.
Although satisfied with being held by her father, Qi Manman wanted to wrap her little arms around Yi Meng’s neck.
With no options, Yi Meng took her daughter back.
Qi Quanjin frowned, "Manbao, your mother is still weak, she can’t hold you for long."
"Not long, not long, just for a little while."
Qi Manman hastily made a small gesture with her thumb and index finger.
Qi Quanjin, feeling helpless, could only look at his wife.
If his wife showed the slightest discomfort, he wouldn’t hesitate to take the child over.
Yi Meng shook her head and smiled, "Just for a little while, it doesn’t matter."
"Alright, let me know if you feel tired."
Qi Quanjin said, leaning closer to his wife for support.
Qi Manman, holding onto Yi Meng’s neck, whispered into her ear, "Mom, those people are black."
"Hmm?"
Yi Meng’s forehead twitched, her peripheral vision checking their surroundings and noticing no one was paying attention to them, except for her mother-in-law, she whispered back, "Why are they black?"
"Just black, like... like..."
Qi Manman scratched her chin, thinking for a while before saying, "Like when we killed a chicken at home, and the blood on the ground turned that color by the next day."
Black, but not purely black.
The little girl couldn’t describe it, so she used an example.
But this example made Yi Meng’s heart sink.
Yi Meng quickly said to Qi Quanjin, "Brother Jin, go find out what life is like in Weston Village, whether it’s difficult or if the households are well-off with plenty of meat and fish."
"Okay, I’ll go find out."
Qi Quanjin didn’t know why his wife said so suddenly, but he always listened to her.
Qi Quanjin gave Qi Ercai a signal, and Qi Ercai immediately followed.
When it came to gathering information, no one in the family could match Qi Ercai.
After stepping out of the crowd, Qi Ercai asked, "Fourth brother, what’s up?"
"Second brother, Meng Niang wants to find out how people in Weston Village are living, whether they’re poor or if every household is full of meat and fish."
Qi Quanjin quickly explained the task.
Qi Ercai frowned at first but then quickly nodded, "Alright, let’s split up and gather information, and meet back here later."
