Chapter 398: Chapter 398: We’ll Do as You Say

“Aunt San! Aunt San!”

Jinbao ran up the hill out of breath, shouting as he ran, “The village chief is calling everyone to the ancestral hall for an important meeting and sent me to fetch you!”

Earlier, Liu Qi had already taken the family’s broken gong and gone banging around the village, but fearing that Qin Yao’s distant home hadn’t heard clearly, he sent Jinbao as a backup.

Qin Yao’s family was having breakfast inside the house when earlier that morning, Sister-in-law Zhou let out a piercing scream that shocked the barely awakening Qin Yao wide awake, leaving her not in a good mood but rather extremely frustrated.

Everyone in the house moved quietly, speaking softly, fearing they might invite trouble.

At the sound of voices outside the courtyard, Liu Ji quickly stood up, rushed to the door, and made a hushing gesture.

Jinbao blinked his big eyes, tilted his head looking for his Aunt San in the courtyard, and quietly asked, “Uncle San, did you upset Aunt San again?”

Liu Ji gave the mischievous boy a tap on the back, “Nonsense, do I look like someone who would dare upset your Aunt San?”

Jinbao was speechless for a moment.

But he didn’t forget his task, stepping into the courtyard and into the main room to inform Qin Yao about the meeting at the ancestral hall.

The village chief and clan leader had specifically mentioned that while others might miss the meeting, his Aunt San must be present.

Even though Qin Yao was suppressing her anger, she wouldn’t take it out on a child, so with a mild nod, she said, “I’ll be right there.”

Having delivered the message, Jinbao didn’t leave, squeezing between Da Lang and Second Lang to tell them about the bloodied walls at Sister-in-law Zhou’s house.

“How do you think the wolf got in?”

All four of the Da Lang siblings shook their heads and curiously asked, “How did it get in?”

Jinbao sighed in awe, “The wolf jumped in over the fence, and seven or eight chickens, were all bitten to death. There were only a few feathers and bloodstains left on the ground, not even any bones.”

“And the scariest part is, the livestock pen’s fence is only half a person shorter than Sister-in-law Zhou’s courtyard wall. If the wolf jumps just a bit higher, it could get into the courtyard to eat people!”

Hearing the adults’ scary stories, Jinbao couldn’t help but shiver.

But despite his fear, the boy had the guts to come to Qin Yao’s house alone to call for people.

“You’re really brave, aren’t you afraid of being snatched by a wolf on the way?” Sanlang asked admiringly.

Jinbao patted his chest proudly, “What is there to fear? It’s broad daylight, and the wolf has already eaten the chickens at Sister-in-law Zhou’s house, so it shouldn’t be hungry now and won’t come out.”

He did have a point.

But Qin Yao grabbed him by the back of his collar and took him away.

“Aunt San, I’ll come back by myself later. Can I play at your place for a while?” Jinbao pleaded.

Qin Yao shook her head, “No.”

She would only feel reassured handing him back to his parents personally.

Seeing that the boy was about to argue, Liu Ji smacked him on the butt, “Be a good boy!”

One thing overcomes another, and Jinbao sighed, hoping that the villagers would kill off the wolf pack soon.

That way he could go out and play safely.

Passing by the old residence, Qin Yao and her husband thrust Jinbao inside and shouted to Mrs. Zhang and her daughters-in-law who were staying behind, and then hurried toward the ancestral hall.

He noticed Jinbao enter alone and guessed that he had been brought back by his grandfather and father, and couldn’t help cursing Liu Bai, the oblivious, in her mind.

Even though it was broad daylight, knowing there were wolves in the village, sending a child to deliver a message was just too careless!

“Don’t you dare leave the house, you brat stay home, read some books, practice writing, learn from Da Lang and Second Lang!” He ordered sternly.

Jinbao wanted to cry but dared not retort, mumbling as he burrowed into his room, deliberately closing the door to avoid his mother.

He seethed with anger; had the door not been shut, she would’ve definitely shown her son a thing or two.

Meanwhile, Liu Ji kept glancing back at the sounds coming from the old house as he walked with Qin Yao, unable to suppress his smirk, clearly taking delight in the situation.

They arrived at the ancestral hall.

Qin Yao wasn’t late; several more families came after her before the villagers were all present.

With everyone there, the village chief got straight to the point, discussing the matter of wolves showing up in the village and seeking advice from the group.

The elders preferred a cautious approach, suggesting each family sends someone to organize a patrol team to take turns patrolling the village.

But with Chinese New Year approaching, many were reluctant to go through such trouble.

Moreover, patrolling would be risky if they really encountered wolves, wouldn’t it?

“If you encounter them, just kill them, with so many grown men, are a few wolves that intimidating?” Liu Ji, unable to hold back, retorted with disdain.

All the villagers’ gazes turned to him, wondering how he ended up in the ancestral hall.

Liu Ji scoffed, standing tall behind the three people allowed to sit in the ancestral hall, including Qin Yao, “What are you looking at! They’re just a few wolves! I say kill them immediately, so we don’t have to worry over the new year!”

Qin Yao glanced at him, she was indeed thinking the same thing.

Liu Ji lowered his head and chuckled at her, it wasn’t a coincidence, he did it on purpose.

The other two, the clan leader and village chief who were allowed to sit in the ancestral hall were surprised and looked toward Qin Yao.

The clan leader asked, “Yao Niang, is that what you think?”

Qin Yao nodded, “I saw the alpha wolf of that pack yesterday. That beast is vicious; having tasted the good stuff, it will surely come back.”

“Wolf packs typically don’t come down the mountain easily, but once they do, they won’t go back so soon. Food is scarce in the mountain, and they’re all starving. Sister-in-law Zhou’s chickens were like bait, signaling there’s food in the village, they’ll be back tonight.”

It’s not the starved or the full that are fearsome.

But those hungry for long who suddenly taste sweetness without filling their belly.

Qin Yao’s certainty made the villagers uneasy.

“Then, what should we do?” Someone asked anxiously. His home was so poor it was only fenced with a wooden fence, it wouldn’t withstand a wolf attack.

At once, everyone was on edge, thinking about rushing home to secure their livestock to prevent the wolves from coming.

This mindset of hiding upon encountering problems triggered a debate.

Families with more people wanted to solve the problem once and for all, but seeing everyone aiming to protect their own without risking themselves was frustrating.

In the end, the village chief shouted, directing all eyes back to Qin Yao, the recognized martial prowess pinnacle in the county.

The group wanting to resolve the problem quickly expressed, “Manager Qin, as long as you lead, we’ll do whatever you say! We’ll follow you!”

The previously observant Liu Dafu also stood up and asked, “Miss Qin, what do you propose?”

Qin Yao pondered for a moment, stepped into the center of the ancestral hall, and addressed everyone:

“My suggestion is—to take the initiative and eliminate the wolf pack.”

“I need twenty volunteers, who wants to join me?” Qin Yao asked.

In a whizz, the strong young men of the clan raised their hands.

As long as she led, they had nothing to fear.

Everyone in Kaiyang County knew that when Miss Qin made a move, she never lost!

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep