Searching the Village

"Brother Hung, Brother Hung..."

The lackey rushed in hastily. The several branch leaders in the main hall, along with Duong Uy, all looked towards the incoming lackey.

Duong Uy's eyebrows shot up, and he slammed his palm on the table: "How many times have I told you? Address me as Gang Leader!"

The lackey who ran in was panting heavily, speaking somewhat breathlessly: "Gang... Gang Leader, it's not good! The men sent to find Brother Ho's group found their bodies on the road. From the looks of the scene, the money chest and horses are gone. We... we've been robbed and our men killed!"

As soon as these words were spoken, the main hall burst into an uproar.

Duong Uy stood up abruptly. The seven great branch leaders below also had drastically changed expressions.

In Binh Dinh County, this small territory, someone actually dared to kill Thanh Ha Bang members, and moreover, dared to rob the Thanh Ha Bang's money.

This was truly like eating a bear's heart and a leopard's gall.

A branch leader in charge of the city's casino business said, "Who did this?"

"Your subordinate... doesn't know. The snow was too heavy," the lackey said.

"Investigate! Send all your men out! Even if you have to turn Binh Dinh and Thanh Dinh counties upside down, you must investigate this matter clearly for me!" Duong Uy said icily. Although no anger could be seen on his face, those who understood him knew that the Gang Leader was truly enraged.

To have a branch leader killed.

The money chest and horses robbed.

This was equivalent to someone riding on their necks and defecating. If this wasn't investigated clearly, the Thanh Ha Bang would no longer be able to operate in the two counties.

"Brother Hung, what about the yamen's side?" The fat branch leader with large ears and a big face, in charge of the city's meat business, spoke up.

"I will make arrangements with the yamen. They won't interfere. Even if we have to dig three feet deep, we must find the culprit," Duong Uy said.

After all, more than half of the Thanh Ha Bang's silver revenue flowed into the pockets of those officials. This time, Tran Ho being killed also harmed their interests, so naturally, they wouldn't intervene.

"Yes!"

"Yes!"

...

Phuc Trach Village.

Tran Family Home.

The two were nestled together. Tran Mac looked at the slight look of grievance on Han An Nuong's face and whispered in her ear, "Sister-in-law, I really didn't lie to you."

Han An Nuong gently pinched Tran Mac's waist and mumbled, "Uncle, although I haven't read books, I'm not stupid. That thing... again... again... how could it be for beauty and skincare? Uncle is just bullying people..."

As she spoke, Han An Nuong's voice grew softer and softer, her face flushing red.

She finished the 'milky treat'.

Tran Mac caressed Han An Nuong's face, coughed lightly twice, and proactively changed the subject, saying, "I didn't expect this turtle to be so potent."

He glanced at his system panel.

[Name: Tran Mac.]

[Age: 16.]

[Cultivation Technique: Blood Nurturing Technique (minor success 418.1/500).]

[Realm: Skin Refining (ninth rank).]

[Strength: 40.]

[Skill: Demon-Breaking Dao Technique (intermediate 77309/200000).]

Excluding what Han An Nuong ate, nine-tenths of the entire Zi Yang Turtle was eaten by him; even the soup wasn't spared.

The Blood Nurturing Technique experience directly shot up to over four hundred.

An average of ten experience points per catty.

How terrifying was that?

A full ten times the effect of ordinary meat.

Perhaps it was also because the Zi Yang Turtle had died less than half a watch-hour (one hour) ago.

At this rate, he could break through to the eighth rank in at most five days.

"Then you ate so much of it right away..." Han An Nuong looked up at Tran Mac, her expression slightly resentful. It had been hard on her just now; her jaw even...

Tran Mac cupped Han An Nuong's face. He didn't know if it was a case of "beauty is in the eye of the beholder," but he indeed found that his sister-in-law's skin was much better, smooth and tender.

Tran Mac lowered his head, originally intending to taste her lips, but then thought of something, and very calmly kissed Han An Nuong on the forehead, saying, "The weather is getting colder and colder. Before early spring, I won't go out much; I'll stay at home to accompany sister-in-law."

Han An Nuong allowed the young man's intimacy. Although somewhat "fatigued," she also somewhat enjoyed the mental and physical soothing from Tran Mac. After a while, she took Tran Mac's hand that had been testing her resolve and said gently, "Uncle, the New Year is in two days. Do you want to eat dumplings? I'll prepare the dumpling wrappers tomorrow."

"Don't I eat them every day..."

Tran Mac almost blurted out those words. He then said, "Good, we can use the shrimp and small fish in the bucket to make the filling."

This world didn't have a Spring Festival, only New Year's Day. Moreover, there was a custom of exchanging New Year greetings and feasting. Every family also liked to prepare New Year's goods.

It was just that in the past two years, everyone's lives had been difficult. Last New Year, everything was simplified.

Although the villagers still exchanged New Year greetings, they no longer held banquets, replacing them with tea.

Of course, it wasn't any good tea; it was brewed from the leaves of a type of vine found on the mountains – bitter and astringent, but it had the effect of clearing heat and detoxifying.

"Oh right, sister-in-law, is there any wine at home?"

Tran Mac suddenly remembered that he hadn't drunk the wine of this world yet.

Han An Nuong shook her head, then said, "Before I came to Phuc Trach Village, I would make some sweet fermented glutinous rice wine every year. The taste was quite good. It's just that these past two years, grain has been precious, and I've almost forgotten the taste."

Hearing this, Tran Mac's eyes lit up.

Sweet fermented glutinous rice wine, also called rice wine, or sweet wine.

When he was young, he had watched his grandfather brew it. The taste was indeed not bad, and compared to distilled spirits, the method for making sweet fermented glutinous rice wine was much simpler.

If he remembered correctly, it seemed only glutinous rice and fermentation starter were needed.

"Sister-in-law, don't worry about wasting grain. I'll go into town tomorrow to buy some glutinous rice and fermentation starter, and we'll make sweet fermented glutinous rice wine."

Tran Mac hugged Han An Nuong's ample waist.

"Uncle..." Han An Nuong proactively kissed Tran Mac.

"..."

Tran Mac suddenly opened his eyes wide.

...

However, plans couldn't keep up with changes.

In the morning, Tran Mac and Han An Nuong were eating breakfast.

Han An Nuong had been eating relatively light meals recently. She was different from Tran Mac; eating meat and fish every day, her body wouldn't be able to take it.

Tran Mac was having meat and fish paired with fish soup.

Just as Tran Mac was enjoying the slight increase in his Blood Nurturing Technique experience.

"Brother Mac, not good..."

Truong Ha rushed into the small courtyard, anxious and flustered.

When men were discussing matters, Han An Nuong would usually leave, but hearing "not good," she didn't go.

Tran Mac glanced at Han An Nuong, then said, "What happened?"

Truong Ha understood his meaning and said, "Brother Mac, people from the Thanh Ha Bang have entered the village! They're searching houses as soon as they enter, don't know what they're looking for. My house was turned upside down.

Those damn bastards even wanted to search my wife's body! I had to give them all the spare money in the house before they stopped."

Truong Ha's expression was somewhat furious.

Tran Mac was startled.

Although he had long guessed that after such a major incident, the Thanh Ha Bang would definitely not give up, he hadn't expected them to act so quickly, coming to Phuc Trach Village to search today.

And they were searching so wantonly.

It was clear they were using this incident to extort money everywhere.

He had seen Truong Ha's wife; her looks were average, but her skin was a bit fairer than that of ordinary village women.

He glanced at Han An Nuong, then walked to the kitchen stove, wiped some pot soot, and smeared it on Han An Nuong's face...