Chapter 64: Are You Guys Fake?

Winter in the countryside is the most desolate time of year.

Right now, it was high noon, and the warm sunlight bathed everyone in a cozy glow.

At the entrance of the village.

A group of idle villagers were gathered by the roadside, chatting and gossiping.

Even Old Madam Han, who had not been seen for a long time, had come out.

Ever since Qin Dongzhi was driven away, the nearly seventy-year-old woman truly could not afford to raise Cheng Xiaoyuan, a half-grown boy, so she had found her eldest grandson, who was learning carpentry in town, and sent the boy off to live with him as well.

Originally, she had been unwilling to come out and endure the scornful looks of others.

However, over the past few days, she had heard that the little brat from the third branch of the family had run into one misfortune after another, and just two days ago, he had even been dragged off by the officials to suppress bandits...

Sending a mere child to suppress bandits—wasn't that just sending him to his death?

It was retribution!

This was the end result of not being filial to her!

Right now, Old Madam Han was sitting here not out of concern that her son and grandson might face danger, but because she wanted to wait for the government to send the compensation money so she could rush ahead and intercept the funds!

It would be even better if both father and son were dead!

In her capacity as the matriarch of the Cheng family, the wealth that the third branch had accumulated in recent years would undoubtedly belong entirely to her!

Of course, the villagers were not fools.

Therefore, everyone kept a wide berth, and no one was willing to go near her.

"This old hag..."

"Her heart is truly vicious!"

"Coming out at a time like this, is she planning to profit off the corpses of her own son and grandson?"

"Pui!"

Hearing the murmurs of the people around her, Old Madam Han quietly tightened her grip on her walking stick.

Had it been in the past,

just based on those few remarks, she would have long since picked up her walking stick and beaten them.

But she couldn't do that now.

Although her sharp-tongued little grandson was now even more promising than her eldest son had been back in the day, and even the Assistant Prefect had praised him as a child prodigy,

she couldn't claim even a shred of that glory!

To put it in Cheng An's exact words...

Since she had already played favorites for a lifetime, she might as well keep it up to the bitter end; otherwise, when she died, there wouldn't even be anyone to lead the funeral procession for her!

"They're back!"

Someone suddenly shouted.

Hearing this, Old Madam Han instantly perked up, her hunchbacked posture snapping straight in an instant.

In the distance,

a group of people were walking briskly toward the village entrance.

Because Cheng Dashan was genuinely terrible at buttering people up, none of them wore much of a smile.

As the group drew closer,

Aunt Niu hurriedly asked with concern, "Are you alright, Dashan?"

"Huh?"

Cheng Dashan was momentarily dazed, and casually replied, "I'm fine, these few officers are just—"

"Fine my foot!"

Old Madam Han spoke coldly, rushing over with her walking stick at a flying pace, her words spilling out in a rapid-fire rush, "Yaoliu is a child of the Cheng family. Even if he's dead, this compensation money belongs to everyone in the Cheng family! You unfilial beast, don't even think about swallowing it all by yourself!"

"..."

A dead silence fell over the surroundings!

Xing Yusen wore a dazed expression and asked in astonishment, "And this elder is?"

"This old woman is the matriarch of the Cheng family, and furthermore, Cheng An's own grandmother!"

"Ah!"

Xing Yusen hurriedly cupped his fists in salute and smiled, "So it is Elder Madam Cheng..."

"You can dispense with the formalities,"

Old Madam Han said impatiently, "However, since my boy is dead, the government surely owes us an explanation, right?"

"This..."

Xing Yusen was too embarrassed to open his mouth, and could only turn to look at Cheng Dashan.

By now, even a fool could see it!

The old matriarch of the Cheng family had deliberately waited here not to welcome her son and grandson, but to divide the money!

To eagerly wish for her own grandson to die just for that bit of compensation—

could a person really be shameless to such a degree?

Cheng Dashan was speechless.

Had there not been so many people present, he truly might have struck her!

"What?"

Seeing that none of them were speaking, Old Madam Han grew anxious, "My grandson is a scholar-candidate! And he died while suppressing bandits! Could it be there isn't even a single bit of compensation?"

"Old Madam..."

Xing Yusen endured his rising anger and said, "Brother Cheng, you had better explain it to her."

"Mother!"

"I'm afraid you're going to be disappointed this time..."

With a calm expression like a tranquil lake, Cheng Dashan said, "Not only is Yaoliu completely fine, but he also received a reward from Assistant Prefect Wang! He has already returned to the city in the company of these two officials."

"That's right!"

Xing Yusen truly could not hold back any longer, and delivered the final blow, "Young Master Cheng is exceptionally bright at a young age, with brilliant strategic insight! This time, he even helped us wipe out the Black Wind Fortress in one fell swoop! Assistant Prefect Wang has already decided to report this to the provincial government in the next few days to request official merit for Young Master Cheng!"

"..."

Thud!

The walking stick slipped from her hands and fell to the ground.

Old Madam Han stood frozen in place, all expression completely vanishing from her face.

"Uh..."

She opened her mouth as if trying to speak,

but it felt as though a fishbone was lodged in her throat, leaving her only able to glare with wide, unblinking eyes.

"Assistant Prefect Wang also said..."

Xing Yusen must have been someone who held an inherent hatred for evil, utterly unable to tolerate even a shred of injustice.

He deliberately paused, then sneered, "Cheng An possesses extraordinary literary talent, and the Assistant Prefect is planning to secure an official post for him in the county yamen!"

Boom!

A devastating strike from the void exploded violently.

Old Madam Han abruptly sucked in a breath, her body instantly stiffening before she slowly began to tip backward.

"Oh, heavens!"

"This..."

Everyone around them was dumbfounded.

Aunt Niu and a few villagers hurried forward to catch Old Madam Han and prop her up.

After all, she was an elder.

If she were to actually drop dead right here, everyone present would inevitably shoulder the blame.

Lifting Old Madam Han with frantic, bustling hands,

they then shared a tacit, knowing look as they glanced at Cheng Dashan.

"She is no mother of mine..."

With lifeless eyes, Cheng Dashan said, "Take her wherever she belongs!"

"..."

Complex expressions flickered across the crowd, yet no one dared to say he was in the wrong.

A short while later,

Cheng Dashan called out to Aunt Niu, who was walking at the very back, and said, "Sister-in-law, please hire a physician if she needs one, and tell everyone outside that you paid for the expenses. Thank you."

"Dashan!"

"Such filial piety! If I were stuck with such a vicious old mother..."

Words like these could only ever be half-spoken.

Aunt Niu sighed, shook her head, and walked away.

At the Cheng residence,

Liu Cuiyun, whose heart ached with longing for her son, had no idea that Old Madam Han had crawled out once again to stir up trouble.

Otherwise, given the venomous curses the old woman was capable of spewing...

she might have genuinely dared to grab a chopper and hack her to pieces!

"Is he really alright?"

Looking at the yamen runners, Liu Cuiyun spoke with a hint of cautious restraint in her voice.

In the past, she had only ever seen the petty runners from the town.

Though they held the same occupation, the aura these men exuded carried a formidable presence!

Especially the one leading them...

A brand-new official saber was tucked at his waist, and his uniform was exceptionally refined!

"Rest assured, Madam Cheng!"

Xing Yusen cast aside any airs entirely, speaking with a deferential respect, "Young Master Cheng is doing wonderfully, not even a patch of skin was scratched! Just wait with peace of mind, you'll be reunited in just a few days!"

"I wouldn't dare, I wouldn't dare!"

"You flatter this lowly person, Officer; what kind of 'Madam' am I?"

With a look of sheer panic on her face, Liu Cuiyun repeatedly waved her hands.

Instead, Xing Yusen smiled and said, "If not for Young Master Cheng's divine resourcefulness today, the rest of us might not even have kept our lives, let alone achieved such great merit? This bow is one you fully deserve, Madam!"

As he spoke...

Several runners cupped their fists in unison and bowed deeply toward Liu Cuiyun.

"Many thanks, Madam Cheng!"

"If not for you giving birth to such a genius of a young master, we would scarcely have escaped this calamity today!"

It was no wonder they were being so courteous.

Deep down, everyone knew clearly that the reason they had all returned safely—and even earned merits and rewards—was entirely thanks to Cheng An!

Besides, the boy had saved the lives of over a hundred of them!

So what was wrong with showing respect by bowing to his mother?

Was it not entirely fitting?

Yet Liu Cuiyun was utterly bewildered.

She stared blankly at her husband, her face a picture of sheer helplessness.

Had this group of yamen runners lost their minds?

What had happened to their usual fierce and domineering demeanor? What about their haughty, condescending attitudes?

"You..."

She opened her mouth, almost failing to stop herself from asking, 'Are you lot imposters?'

Even Cheng Dashan felt himself floating a little on air.

"You are too kind, Chief Xing!"

Suppressing his pride, he politely replied, "Since it's nearly mealtime, if you gentlemen don't mind, why not stay and share a simple meal with us?"

"Ah!"

"Yes, indeed!"

Only then did Liu Cuiyun snap back to her senses, adding with warm hospitality, "Since you've already come all this way, how could you leave without eating? Please wait a moment, gentlemen, I'll go prepare things right away!"