After hearing what Tao Dasheng had to say, Wang Meilan knew full well why the five of them were there, so she didn’t say anything more.

She could see it clearly now. Whether it was Qin Qiang on the stretcher or the four Tao Family Siblings, their intentions were obvious. More words would be pointless.

So, Wang Meilan turned her head to Li Ruhai, who was standing beside her, and said, "Ruhai, go get your uncle."

Li Ruhai acknowledged her and hurried into the Zhao Family Courtyard.

Wang Meilan turned back to Tao Hehua. "Tao Hehua, don’t put on this show. I don’t understand the business of hunting, and I can’t make the call. Wait for my Zhao Youcai to come out and talk to you."

"Aunt Zhao, look at this mess..." Hearing Wang Meilan’s words, the color instantly drained from Tao Hehua’s face, going from red to pale.

"Don’t say anything pointless," Wang Meilan replied coolly, then said to the crowd, "Looks like there’s some dispute over this meat, so we can’t distribute it just yet."

No one present had any objections to this.

People love a good spectacle. On the surface, it looked like the Qin and Tao families were just making trouble for no reason.

But they were all neighbors. Unless they were relatives or very close friends, no one would get involved. They just gathered in groups of two and three, gossiping amongst themselves.

Just then, Li Ruhai entered the Zhao family’s house.

The moment he stepped inside, he was met with Li Baoyu’s hostile glare, but Li Ruhai wasn’t scared this time.

"Uncle, oh, Brother Lin is here too." Li Ruhai first greeted Zhao Youcai, then quickly added the second part when he noticed Lin Xiangshun sitting cross-legged on the kang.

"What’s wrong?" Seeing Li Ruhai in such a panic, Zhao Youcai knew the boy had something to report.

Li Ruhai quickly explained what was happening outside to Zhao Youcai and the others. Upon hearing it, Li Baoyu shot to his feet.

"Who are they looking down on?" Li Baoyu raged. "What do they mean, ’we brothers took advantage of him’? I..."

"Shut up," Zhao Youcai snapped. He got down from the kang and said to Lin Xiangshun, "Shunzi, you stay here. I’m going out to take a look."

"Second Uncle, I’ll go with you."

Lin Xiangshun also got down from the kang, but Zhao Youcai stopped him with a hand. "We don’t need all these people. Zhao Jun can go with me."

At this, Zhao Youcai pointed at Li Baoyu, then at Li Ruhai, and said, "You two stay in the house as well."

After speaking, Zhao Youcai glanced at Zhao Jun and walked out without another word.

Zhao Jun stood up, patted Li Baoyu on the shoulder, and gave Lin Xiangshun a nod. "Brother Lin, you rest up." With that, he followed Zhao Youcai out.

Ever since changing out of his mountain gear at home, Zhao Youcai had reverted to his usual lazy demeanor. With his hands behind his back, he shuffled out of the courtyard in his cloth shoes.

The moment he stepped out, he saw the crowd gathered around. Zhao Youcai raised an eyebrow and said, "Is the meat all distributed? Well then, the rest of you can help us move what’s left into the courtyard!"

As soon as Zhao Youcai spoke, those who had already received their share of meat but hadn’t left yet all stepped forward. They worked together to haul the butchered Black Bear into the Zhao Family Courtyard.

Meanwhile, those who hadn’t gotten their meat and were still waiting grew anxious. But when they saw Zhao Youcai standing at the gate, his cold gaze sweeping over them, not a single person dared to speak up.

When Zhao Youcai’s gaze landed on the Tao Family Siblings, even the sharp-tongued and fiery Tao Hehua couldn’t help but feel a flicker of apprehension.

The Tao Family Siblings were momentarily speechless. Zhao Youcai walked a few steps to stand before Qin Qiang, looking down at him on the stretcher. "Qiangzi, you’re pretty badly hurt, huh?"

"Ah..." Qin Qiang didn’t know how to respond for a moment and just let out a grunt.

Zhao Youcai continued, "If you’re this injured, shouldn’t you be at home resting? What are you doing out here causing trouble?"

Seeing this, Tao Hehua hurried forward to intervene. "Second Uncle, it’s not..."

"When men are talking, what business is it of yours?" Zhao Youcai suddenly threw out, cutting Tao Hehua off.

Tao Hehua immediately shut her mouth, her face flushing red with indignation.

To be honest, women in the Northeast held a high status in the family; they truly held up half the sky.

But that was at home. Outside, there were certain rules that had to be followed.

Seeing Tao Hehua had fallen silent, Zhao Youcai glanced at Qin Qiang and said, "Qiangzi, for so many years, there have been many things your uncle here doesn’t see eye-to-eye with you on. But let me tell you something..."

Zhao Youcai’s voice softened slightly as he finished, "...You need to have some shame!"

"You..." At his side, the hot-tempered Tao Ersheng flew into a rage at these words and was about to surge forward but was grabbed by Tao Dasheng.

Tao Ersheng and Tao Sansheng had been carrying Qin Qiang’s stretcher. His sudden, violent movement nearly sent Qin Qiang tumbling to the ground.

By now, Zhao Jun had caught up and was standing beside Zhao Youcai.

The surrounding crowd of onlookers surged in from all sides. Some wanted a closer look at the drama, while others were ready to break up a fight.

This left the Tao Brothers at a loss. According to the plan they had discussed at home, Tao Hehua was supposed to lead the charge.

The idea was for her to use the advantage of her gender to lament their family’s hardships in front of the Zhao family’s gate. But the moment she opened her mouth, Zhao Youcai had shut her down with a single sentence.

The second step of their plan was for the injured Qin Qiang to play the victim. But in front of Zhao Youcai, Qin Qiang was even less effective than his wife—he hadn’t managed to say a single word.

The plan they had so carefully crafted at home had completely failed to launch at the Zhao family’s gate. This put the Tao Brothers in an impossible position.

Especially now. Tao Ersheng and Tao Sansheng were still holding Qin Qiang. If they wanted to start a fight, they’d have to put him down first.

But with people crowded all around, where could they possibly put him?

For a moment, Tao Hehua and Qin Qiang were also stunned. ’The couple couldn’t help but regret their decision. If they had known it would turn out like this, they never would have started this mess. Not only had they failed to get the Bear Gall, but they had also completely burned their bridges with Zhao Youcai.’ 𝚏𝐫𝚎𝗲𝕨𝐞𝐛𝕟𝚘𝐯𝚎𝗹.𝕔𝐨𝗺

Surrounded by the crowd, Zhao Youcai remained unfazed. He shot a disdainful glance at Tao Ersheng, then looked back down at Qin Qiang. Just as he was about to say something more, he heard someone shouting from a distance, "What are you doing? What are you all doing?"

The crowd parted as a bald old man in black clothes pushed his way through. The moment he entered the circle, he roared at the Tao Family Siblings, "Elder San is this injured, and you’re still out here making a scene? Get home, all of you!"

The newcomer was none other than Qin Qiang’s father, Qin Dajiang.

After telling Qin Qiang the news that day, Qin Dajiang had returned to the mountains himself.

This morning, he heard from other Mountain Runners that Qin Qiang had failed in his attempt to hunt the Black Bear. Not only had three of his dogs died, but he himself was seriously injured.

Although his son wasn’t very dutiful, as a parent, he naturally wouldn’t hold it against his child.

Once Qin Dajiang got the news, he rushed down the mountain. But when he entered the village and got to the Qin Family home, there wasn’t a soul in sight, inside or out.

This made Elder Qin anxious. ’Logically, if he was mauled by a Black Bear, he should be at home recovering,’ he thought. ’Why would he be out and about? Could the injury be that serious?’

He asked around with the neighbors and finally learned that his son and daughter-in-law had gone to the Zhao family’s place to cause trouble.

When Qin Dajiang heard this, a chill went down his spine, and he hurried over to Zhao Jun’s family home.

And so he arrived right in the middle of this farce.