webnovelfull Chapter 3: Paying Compensation, Going to Court, Your Choice
Chapter 3: Paying Compensation, Going to Court, Your Choice
His words seemed to give his fellow family members who were causing trouble a shot of adrenaline. They immediately became arrogant and thought they were in charge again, and started talking all at once.
"That's right, it's only natural for an uncle to visit his niece."
"But you, you ungrateful girl, have no conscience."
"You don't want our help when we're standing up for you, but don't come to us family members for help when you have nowhere else to turn."
Seeing their arrogant demeanor, Lin Chang'er immediately chuckled. What was that saying again?
A thug isn't scary; what's scary is a thug with education, a scoundrel who actually tries to reason with you about laws and human relationships.
The Gu family members also looked grim. They were naturally timid and fearful. After exchanging a few glances, Gu's mother, who was closest to Lin Chang'er, gently tugged at Lin Chang'er's sleeve, "Chang'er."
Lin Chang'er shook her head at her and smiled at the Lin family, saying, "I am an orphan girl whose family line has been wiped out. I have no maternal family left, so where would I get any uncles or relatives? If I really suffer a loss, I will naturally go to the yamen to ask the upright official for justice."
Uncle Lin was startled, his lips trembling as he was about to speak, but Lin Chang'er gestured for him to shut up. "Don't try to deny it. This matter alarmed the county government back then. You said that eating the childless was a family matter, and the county magistrate had no right to interfere, but breaking and entering to commit murder..."
Lin Chang'er stopped there, chuckled, and gave them a look that said, "I guarantee you'll have a lot to drink."
Although the original owner's father, Lin Xiucai, did not achieve anything in his official career, he did have some classmates who held positions in the imperial court. The newly appointed magistrate of Ninghai County, Wu, was a student of Lin Xiucai's classmate.
When the original owner of this body was wiped out and left with no descendants, people from that side did come to inquire about it. However, even a powerful dragon cannot suppress a local snake, and there was always a layer of relationship between them. Furthermore, Magistrate Wu was a newcomer who had not yet established himself, so in the end, the matter could only be dropped.
But having connections in the court makes things easier. With such connections, today's incident is enough to frighten the Lin family.
Just as Lin Chang'er had thought, the members of the Lin family who had come with her were already feeling uneasy.
Several people immediately surrounded Lin Houde and his family and questioned them.
"What do you mean now? You said we came because you offered us money."
“I have elderly parents and young children to support, I can’t go to jail. If anyone should go to jail, it should be your whole family.”
"Lin Er, you need to get Chang'er to give you a straight answer, otherwise who will dare to interfere in your family's affairs?"
Lin Chang'er twitched her lips. See? You don't feel the pain until the paddle hits you. Now you're panicking.
Lin Houde was indeed anxious, but not because he was afraid of going to jail. Rather, it was because he had told a big lie when the county officials came.
The truth is not what Lin Chang'er knew. If she really went to the yamen to see Magistrate Wu, the lie she told back then would probably not be able to be kept secret.
Lin Houde's eyes darted around, his annoyance with Lin Chang'er growing stronger.
That brat, I don't know what's gotten into her, she's suddenly become so eloquent. She definitely can't go to the county government office, she'll suffer a great loss there.
After thinking it over, Lin Houde reassured his relatives, saying, "How could a widow like her really dare to go to the county government to sue us?"
Besides, the eldest brother has been dead for so long, who knows if Lord Wu even remembers him? Even if she went, she wouldn't cause a ripple.
We can discuss other matters back home. I'll prepare a feast tonight; I don't want everyone to have made a wasted trip.
After saying that, he gave Yang Cuihua a wink, and the family gathered a few relatives and prepared to leave.
"Wait!" Lin Chang'er called out softly. They think they can just leave like that? What do they think this place is? This tourist village even charges an entrance fee!
Lin Houde turned around, glaring at her. "What else do you want?"
Lin Chang'er curled her lips slightly and glanced around the courtyard.
He couldn't help but frown again. Although the Gu family was hardworking, hard work didn't necessarily lead to wealth.
The Gu family home was just a dilapidated shell. The yard only had some firewood, bamboo strips, a few earthenware pots, and a few old chairs, which weren't worth much money.
But what's the point of reasoning with an unreasonable scoundrel?
Lin Chang'er lowered her eyes, her cold gaze locking onto Lin Houde, "You smashed our things and beat our family members, and you don't have to pay for the damaged items and medical expenses?"
Lin Houde stared wide-eyed at Lin Chang'er, as if incredulous. "You, what did you say?"
Lin Chang'er smiled and said, "It's not much, ten or eight taels will do."
"You're dreaming!" Yang Cuihua shouted angrily. "You also attacked Dashan, so how are we going to settle this score?"
"Yes, if anyone's going to pay for medical expenses, it's you who should pay me." As if reminded of this, Lin Dashan, who had already recovered, suddenly felt pain all over his body again.
Lin Chang'er knew they would say that, so she ignored Lin Dashan and just glanced at Yang Cuihua, asking in return, "You pushed my daughter, so I hit your son. Isn't that fair?"
If you insist on arguing, I'll play along. My child is only five years old, a crucial time for growth. Who knows if your push might frighten him and affect his future development?
"It's possible it could have grown to six feet five inches, but because of your push, it will only grow to five feet eight inches. How should we calculate the loss in that case?"
"You..." Yang Cuihua almost fainted because she couldn't catch her breath. Lin Houde and Lin Dashan supported her so that she wouldn't fall.
"Lin Chang'er, you shameless scoundrel!" Lin Houde shouted angrily, "You are simply..." an insult to civility.
Lin Chang'er raised her hand to interrupt, "Pay money or go to court, it's your choice."
"Impossible!" Lin Houde turned to leave.
Lin Chang'er calmly said to her mother, "Mother, the Lin family has openly smashed our door; they have no intention of giving us a way out."
The fourth brother helped the second brother push the cart, the eldest and second sisters-in-law packed up the remaining dry food, and the mother watched over the children.
"We'll take all our belongings and go to the county government to file a complaint, begging the upright and just official to help us."
The women named Gu's mother, along with Gu's eldest sister-in-law, second sister-in-law, Gu's second son, and the four others, all looked at Lin Chang'er with expressions of utter bewilderment, as if asking, "Are you serious?"
Lin Houde and the others stopped again and turned to look at Lin Chang'er.
Lin Houde said, "Don't bluff. Go ahead and sue if you want. You want money? No way."
He simply couldn't believe that a little girl would dare to go to court.
"Then you can just wait to go to jail!" Lin Chang'er retorted, then turned to Gu's mother, who was still standing there in a daze, "Mother, rather than waiting to be bullied to death, let's just go all out and at least stand up for ourselves for once."
Mother Gu seemed to wake from a dream, nodding blankly, "Okay, eldest daughter-in-law, second son, we'll listen to Chang'er."
After saying that, the Gu family immediately got to work.
Lin Houde panicked and glared angrily at Lin Chang'er, threatening her fiercely, "Lin Chang'er, don't say I didn't warn you, if you dare to take them to the county government to cause trouble today, your Gu family will never be able to stand in Linshui Village again."
"Wow, what a big mouth!" Lin Chang'er was so angry she laughed. Just as she was about to ask him who he was, a deep, steady male voice suddenly came from the air.
"I had no idea when it became your place to be in charge of Linshui Village, Second Master Lin!"
Lin Chang'er looked in the direction of the sound and saw her stepson, Gu Jingzhe, hurriedly pulling a burly middle-aged man into the courtyard from the gate...