Splendid Twins

The village chief came over panting and looked at Old Man Si with a frown:

"What's wrong with you guys?"

Mrs. Si coughed up a mouthful of phlegm, turned her head and spoke quickly:

"What's going on? Don't think I don't know that you ate and drank yesterday and then wiped your mouths and started to act unreasonable. This is my son's home and my granddaughter's home. Why can't I live here?"

The village chief was so angry that he pointed his finger and said he had no right to talk to a woman!

"You can see that the second brother doesn't want us anymore."

Old man Si walked over and said with his head down. His pretending to be aggrieved look made the village chief's eyes flash with disgust!

"What do you say, Yao girl?"

The village chief looked at Si Yao, who had an expressionless face beside him. Seeing the coldness between her brows, he secretly cursed old man Si for being too greedy!

"Go report to the police."

Si Yao took two steps forward with a blank expression. The village chief was shocked that she had made up her mind.

"what about you?"

"Just go, who is afraid of whom?"

Mrs. Si wiped her face roughly, stood up and interrupted again. Old Man Si didn't say anything but his meaning was very clear.

"Okay, then I'll go with you. You take the severance letter, the family division document, and the two hundred taels of silver!"

The village chief reminded Old Man Si that it was not too late to stop, but Old Man Si could no longer listen to anything. He just wanted this magnificent new courtyard...

Seeing that things had come to this point, the village chief had no choice but to arrange a car to go to the county government office. Si Yao's family of three, the old man Si and his wife, and the village chief, a total of six people went together, while Wang stayed at home to watch over the door.

The villagers already knew that Si Yao failed the high school entrance exam again. The aunts who were reluctant to speak before now had no scruples and spoke without any reservation:

"Is your brother Yao still ready to study?"

"If you ask me, just forget it. What's the point of reciting it if you fail at the critical moment?"

"Your mother-in-law is counting on your Yao brother the most. She has bullied every child in this village. Humph, now she turns around and causes trouble for Yao girl."

"It's because of the red eye disease. The village chief said that the old couple asked for 200 silver coins to break off the engagement, but now they regret it. How greedy they are..."

Wang was so angry that her face turned red and her neck became thick. She raised her voice and fought back:

"What does it have to do with you? Just mind your own business. I think you are just trying to take advantage of me, so you are making sarcastic remarks."

"Humph, do you think everyone is like you and your mother-in-law?"

"No wonder Si Yao failed the exam, maybe his ancestors didn't do good deeds..."

This completely angered Wang. She rushed forward and beat the aunt who had just spoken. Several aunts surrounded her and started to pinch and beat her. Wang was beaten so badly that she collapsed on the ground and cried. Several people looked at each other and turned away, leaving Wang alone crying with tears and snot. Looking at the locked door, a trace of malice and resentment flashed in her eyes...

An hour later, the village chief led a few people out of the car and came to the outside of the county government office. Si Yao impressed the clerk with his outstanding appearance. He came over with a knife and asked politely:

"Miss Si, is there something wrong?"

After the girl left last time, her parents told them to be more polite when meeting people in the future.

"Please inform me, I want to file a complaint."

The yamen official glanced indifferently at the slightly nervous Old Man Si and Mrs. Si. The village chief next to them respectfully stated his identity and took out the sealed household deed and documents.

The clerk took it, took a look at it, and said softly to Si Yao:

"Wait inside for a moment."

"It's troublesome."

Si Yao walked into the lobby of the county government office with confidence. Mrs. Si and Old Man Si became very nervous. It seemed that this little bitch had someone in the government office!

The two followed the village chief into the hall. Above the hall hung four large and solemn characters: "A Clear Mirror Hangs High". Old Man Si suddenly felt inexplicably nervous.

Magistrate Li was in the back hall when he heard Si Yao coming. He asked the people around him about the situation before putting on his official robes and coming out. He sat on the armchair without looking around and slammed the gavel:

"Who is down there and what are they doing? Tell us one by one."

The village chief knelt down first and said in fear, "I am the village chief of Sijia Village, Yong'an Town. The villagers are having a dispute over the division of the family. I hope you can understand."

Old Man Si and Mrs. Si also knelt on the ground. Upon hearing this, Old Man Si glanced at Si Yao who was standing next to him and a hint of resentment flashed in his eyes!

"Sir, I have something to say."

Si Lao Er knelt beside him, cleared his throat and began to tell the whole story, telling the whole story in detail since he could remember, making people sigh that this person has a really good memory...

Si Yao regretted coming here. She forgot that the rule of this dynasty was that common people had to kneel when meeting officials. She was too careless. Her knees were too stiff and she couldn't bend!

After hearing what Si Lao Er said, Magistrate Li remained silent. Si Lao Tou thought he was avoiding people and quietly pushed Si Po Zi. Magistrate Li was sitting upstairs and saw everything clearly. He asked Si Lao Er with a sullen face:

"You said your family has severed ties, do you have any written evidence?"

"Here is the document, please have a look at it, sir."

Liu Niang took out a document, and the village chief also took out a document. The two looked at Old Man Si. Mrs. Si reluctantly took out the document from the lawyer next to her and compared them one by one. After a moment, she nodded to Magistrate Li. The village chief added:

"It's called a division of the family, but in reality, Si Lao Er's family was driven out of the house, and Si Changsheng even asked for 200 taels of silver as retirement money."

Magistrate Li slammed the gavel and asked, "Is this true?"

Mrs. Si was startled by the sudden shock, and when she came to her senses, she quickly spoke:

"He owes us what he owes us, so he should give it to us. This bitch has been trying to split up the family since she came back. She kicked my wife out and moved into the big brick and tile house. My Lord, you have to make the decision for me."

Si Yao took two steps forward, bowed, and saluted County Magistrate Li before speaking:

"Sir, I will sue them for hiding the palace silver."

"What? What are you talking about, bitch?"

Even though Mrs. Si was ignorant, she knew that common people would be punished if they took the money from the palace!

"Sir, I am innocent. It is my granddaughter who is holding a grudge and deliberately taking revenge on us!"

Old Man Si was shocked and kept shouting that he was wronged. No wonder she gave him two hundred taels so readily!

"Whether there is injustice or not, I will know it clearly once I see it!"

Old Man Si glared at Si Yao fiercely and then turned sideways to take out the silver bills from his inner lining. Seeing this, Si Yao curled the corners of her mouth slightly and looked calm.

Magistrate Li took the banknote in his hand, folded it in half, and saw the imperial seal at the seam. A flash of understanding flashed in his eyes, and he looked up at Si Yao:

"Miss Si, do you have anything to say?"

"Sir, I don't ask for much. I just ask them to fulfill the contract they signed in black and white, and that the two families break up cleanly and not disturb each other."

Magistrate Li nodded meaningfully and looked away. He looked at the five people kneeling in the hall, slammed the gavel and said in a deep voice:

"Ordinary people are not allowed to privately store palace silver, otherwise they will be punished according to the law. The director has a bad attitude and even concealed it. Now I will punish you with five strokes of the cane as a warning to others!"

"What? You want to hit someone? You didn't take advantage of that bitch and deliberately targeted us, did you?"

Mrs. Si shouted on the spot, saying that this cheap girl was seducing people at such a young age, and even the county magistrate defended her.

"presumptuous!"

Magistrate Li scolded Si Pozi coldly. He had seen through the character of this family a long time ago, and felt a little sympathetic towards Si Yao...

Old Man Si was pulled aside and restrained by two strong yamen officials, one on each side, while he lay on a stool and was beaten with a stick. Mrs. Si did not dare to curse anyone and just pinched Liu Niang's arm tightly, causing her to burst into tears in pain. Seeing this, Si Yao walked over, picked up Mrs. Si and pulled her aside:

"You want to be beaten too? Why don't you try it..."

Mrs. Si did not dare to fight back and could only watch Old Man Si being beaten. Magistrate Li looked at Si Lao Er and Liu Niang who had been kneeling. Seeing that they were honest and timid, he raised his hand:

"You guys get up."

The two men stood up and stood in front of Si Yao. Old Si was quickly beaten with five boards and lay there groaning. County Magistrate Li looked at the village chief and ordered:

"Go back and teach the villagers to follow the written instructions and not to cause trouble after the division. If they dare not change their ways, I will show no mercy!"

"Yes, I will keep it in mind."

"Return the item to its original owner. I hope Miss Si will keep it well."

"Thank you, sir."

Si Yao took the two hundred taels of silver from the lawyer and put it into her pocket. Old man Si was already sweating after being beaten with five sticks at his age. Si Yao raised her eyebrows and thought, this is just the beginning. This is for outsiders to see. It will be the night when Old man Si will atone for his sins!