Chapter 135: You Are Colluding with Them!

What is bound to happen will eventually happen. The bandits had stolen from and plundered almost every household in Baiyue Village, yet they uniquely spared the Zhou family. Moreover, Zhou Zhi had heard the bandits say last night that they were forbidden to rob the Zhou family, which gave him a premonition that something was bound to happen.

When things are abnormal, there must be demons at play; the situation was far too suspicious. Zhou Zhi secretly thought that someone must be plotting against the Zhou family.

Although the Zhou family was spared by the bandits, the losses they might suffer could be even greater than those who were actually visited by them.

Perhaps because he was mentally prepared in this vague manner, Zhou Zhi remained calm at the moment. With a peaceful expression, he looked at the villagers and said, "Everyone, speak your mind if you have something to say!"

It had to be admitted that the nickname "Cold-Faced Butcher" carried quite a bit of intimidation. The villagers, who had just been chattering and clamoring incessantly, instantly fell silent upon hearing Zhou Zhi's stern voice. Everyone collectively cast their gazes toward Chen Deng, who was standing in the crowd with a smug look on his face.

Last time, as the steward of the Chen family, Chen Deng had come to the Zhou family to propose marriage for Chen Wen'an, the eldest son of the Chen family, but he had suffered a huge setback and thus experienced firsthand how formidable Zhou Zhi could be. Harboring a deep grudge, he had long been plotting to make Zhou Zhi pay one day.

As everyone turned their eyes uniformly toward him, Chen Deng couldn't help but tremble all over for a moment, but then his expression turned cold and gloomy as he slowly stepped out of the crowd.

Behind him were five or six house servants of the Chen family, whose expressions were equally indifferent at the moment.

Chen Deng did not speak immediately. It was as if he pondered for a brief moment before cupping his fists in a salute and saying, "Young Zhou Zhi, hehe! Since everyone is asking this old man to speak, I might as well take the lead and ask for a clear explanation on behalf of the many poor villagers of Baiyue Village, and demand justice!

"This old man asks you: for days now, every household in Baiyue Village has been plagued by thieves, and yesterday those bandits came even more fiercely, committing murder and arson. Why has your Zhou family been safe and sound throughout these days?

"Don't tell me that you, Zhou Zhi, are so ruthless that those bandits dare not provoke you! Hmph! That pack of thieves stole and plundered quite a few things from the Chen family yesterday, and this old man saw with his own eyes how immensely arrogant those bandits were.

"In this old man's view, although you, young Zhou Zhi, have some tricks up your sleeve, those bandits are not afraid of you.

"That leaves only one possibility: you are in collusion with them!"

"That's right! You must be in league with them! It was you who lured the bandits to our Baiyue Village!" a bold villager immediately chimed in to echo the sentiment.

Seeing Chen Deng step forward first, Zhou Zhi thought to himself that the Chen family's revenge had finally arrived, and this was the tactic they had chosen. Damn it! This move was vicious indeed. Accusing me of colluding with the bandits was clearly intended to throw me into the Qingdu county prison!

Very well!

This was a deliberate attempt to drive him, Zhou Zhi, to his death.

Thinking this in his heart, he nevertheless maintained a peaceful expression, cupped his fists toward everyone, and said, "Fellow villagers, everyone here knows what kind of person I, Zhou Zhi, am in Baiyue Village. Although this young man has some courage, my Zhou family consists of poor, honest, and law-abiding farmers. How could we possibly collude with bandits? Where these bandits came from, this young man knows nothing about; how could I have possibly lured them here?

"This must be the work of someone with ulterior motives who wants to harm the Zhou family and harm me, Zhou Zhi, which is why such claims are being made. You must not listen to one-sided stories, believe blindly, or make wild conjectures!"

By this point in his speech, Zhou Zhi's voice suddenly grew passionate, his expression turned correspondingly frosty, and two cold flashes shot from his star-like eyes, locking directly onto Chen Deng.

It had to be said that Zhou Zhi possessed a commanding presence at this moment. Chen Deng could almost feel the chill emanating from Zhou Zhi, and involuntarily took two small steps back.

However, he quickly regained his composure and said, "Fellow villagers, would you actually believe what this brat just said? Hmph! Do you take us common folk for children? Are we that easy to fool?"

Although no one echoed his words, the villagers looked over with intense anger and hatred.

Feeling the cold gazes of the villagers, Zhou Zhi remained unmoved.

He knew that the situation did indeed seem unreasonable, and any explanation at this moment would indeed appear somewhat pale and feeble.

After pondering for a brief moment, Zhou Zhi cupped his fists toward the crowd and said, "Fellow villagers, Zhou Zhi will do everything in his power to give everyone an explanation in a few days' time."

What Zhou Zhi had in mind was to rely on hoodlums like Liu Hui, who would surely be able to find out the origins of those bandits. Although Liu Hui had no dealings with the bandits, as local ruffians, with such a major incident happening in Baiyue Village these days, it should be quite easy for them to investigate clearly.

"An explanation? What kind of explanation can you give the people? The facts are plain to see: your Zhou family suffered zero losses precisely because you are in collusion with the thieves. Could this possibly be false?

"Young Zhou Zhi, don't think that just because you've read a few books, you can use a slick tongue to deceive the people. Do you take everyone for fools?" A very gentle voice drifted over, yet that voice was extremely instigative.

The speaker was that "Qingyun Taoist," Li Shun.

Clearly having just arrived and hearing Zhou Zhi's words, this fellow immediately strode up in front of Zhou Zhi and spoke in an overbearing, haughty manner.

After finishing, he flicked his horsetail whisk, narrowed his eyes slightly, made some calculations with his fingers, and continued, "Young Zhou Zhi, you just said you'd give everyone an explanation in a few days. This Daoist has just calculated it—bullshit! The only explanation you'll give everyone is bullshit! You're clearly trying to use these few days to escape and then split the looted goods from Baiyue Village with those vicious thieves."

Seeing Li Shun, Zhou Zhi felt an itch of hatred deep in his bones.

Damn it! This mangy-haired scoundrel had appeared again. He practiced charlatanism and swindling, yet he was able to hoodwink so many people. Especially the poor common folk of Baiyue Village; they were even more prone to believing the ghost stories this fellow spun.

Zhou Zhi understood more and more clearly that this time, Li Shun must have been the one pulling strings behind the scenes.

Though he was thoroughly certain in his heart, he had not a shred of evidence, leaving Zhou Zhi truly unable to say anything to refute it at the moment.

Li Shun naturally grasped Zhou Zhi's predicament. Looking extremely smug, he glanced sideways at Zhou Zhi, turned around, and said to the people behind him, "Did everyone see that? The person by young Zhou Zhi's side is a petty thief. If Zhou Zhi had no collusion with the bandits, why on earth would he be harboring a thief in his home?"

"Zhou Zhi, return our things! Return our things! You brought the thieves here, and you're in league with them!" Instigated and hoodwinked by Li Shun, the villagers began to shout in unison.

Qi Yanwu, standing beside Zhou Zhi, was so angry he was at a loss for what to do. With an innocent expression, he looked timidly at Zhou Zhi and said, "I'm not a thief. I'm not with them."

Zhou Zhi gently comforted him, saying, "Don't be afraid or panicked, Xiao Wu. I believe you!"

Someone shouted loudly, "That little thief knows martial arts! Let's all rush him, beat him to death, beat him to death first!"

Qi Yanwu panicked even more. Although he knew martial arts, he certainly couldn't fight these poor villagers.

Zhou Zhi shouted coldly, "Let's see who dares! I said I would give everyone an explanation, and I certainly will. Am I, Zhou Zhi, a man of broken promises?"

His stern and awe-inspiring shout actually worked for the moment, and the crowd hesitated once again.

Li Shun said, "There's no need for everyone to take matters into your own hands. The Chen family has already sent people to the county yamen, and the yamen's chief constable will be here right away!"

Hardly had his voice fallen when the sound of chaotic footsteps echoed from afar. Raising their eyes, the crowd saw a middle-aged man leading the way, riding a black horse and wearing bright red official robes, carrying a distinct air of majesty. Behind him followed more than a dozen bailiffs with curved sabers strapped to their waists, heading straight toward the Zhou residence.