Chapter 320: This Time, I Will Ensure Your Mo Family Has No Chance of Recovery

Chapter 320: This Time, I Will Ensure Your Mo Family Has No Chance of Recovery

The construction of the Mo family's new residence was overseen by Hu Cong, and the house was already taking shape. The most labor-intensive phase had passed.

Although Hu Cong wanted to help the villagers, there was no shortage of manpower. If he hired people from Xiling Village, others would lose their jobs.

This put Hu Cong in a difficult position.

How could Mo Laojiu let him suffer such a dilemma?

Fortunately, they needed more hands to work on the farmland at home.

After discussing with the heads of both clans, twenty people from each clan were assigned to help, with a daily wage of thirty coins.

Such wages were even higher than those for building houses. The Zhao and Zhou clans understood that the Mo family was helping them, so they were determined to do a good job for the Mo family.

As for the Cui family, without Cui Wen’s support and many of their members in jail, the remaining clan members were mostly incapable.

When they heard that the Zhao and Zhou clans were working for the Mo family within the village and earning such high wages, jealousy arose in their hearts.

Not only did they earn thirty coins a day, but if not for the Mo family, their own support wouldn't have collapsed either.

Everyone could see that the new magistrate was close to the Mo family. If it weren’t for the Mo family, he wouldn’t have driven the Cui family to ruin.

Now, they had lost their backbone and sold most of their fertile land, leaving them with only a small plot of land and an insignificant courtyard.

The year had just begun, and some of them were already starving.

The Cui family felt increasingly bitter and gathered to discuss how to cause trouble for the Mo family.

They weren’t completely foolish; they knew that even if they begged, the Mo family wouldn’t hire them, so they gave up on that idea.

But they couldn’t swallow this humiliation.

After much deliberation, they finally agreed on the best method.

In short, the Cui family would use every means possible to cause trouble for the Mo family.

Hmph! So what if the Mo family has a good relationship with the magistrate?

So what if they have a constable in the family?

This time, I will ensure your Mo family has no chance of recovery...

The next day at noon, a man from the Cui family who looked very honest mixed in with the workers building the Mo family’s house.

The Zhao and Zhou clans were busy tending to the farmland and were familiar faces, so they couldn’t go. However, there were no issues here since the workers didn’t know who he was and would assume he was a newcomer.

Another benefit of working for the Mo family was getting lunch provided.

The Cui family sneaked over to the temporary stove and, when no one was looking, poured a bag of white powder into the pot.

He thought he had done it perfectly, but he was caught red-handed by Mo Laojiu, who hadn’t checked the construction progress in a while.

Mo Laojiu approached and saw someone following the workers suspiciously.

He originally came to check on the newly installed water closets, but instead, he noticed something amiss.

Unfortunately, he was too far away and didn’t want to reveal his martial arts skills in front of the commoners, so he followed quickly like an ordinary person, arriving a step too late to stop the act.

Even so, the Cui family member who tried to poison the food couldn’t escape.

Seeing the man trying to leave after committing the act, Mo Laojiu leaped forward and grabbed him by the collar.

"Who are you?"

The Cui family member, feeling guilty, trembled upon being caught.

He turned around and saw Mo Laojiu’s icy gaze fixed on him.

"Mo... Mo Laojiu, what are you doing?"

Mo Laojiu smiled coldly. "I should ask you what you’re doing."

The Cui family member couldn’t admit to poisoning the food.

He struggled to break free, but Mo Laojiu’s grip was far stronger.

The harder he struggled, the tighter the grip became, and eventually, he gave up.

"Don’t misunderstand. We’re all from the same village. I just wanted to help build your house."

Mo Laojiu couldn’t possibly believe such a flimsy excuse.

Even the man himself didn’t believe it.

Mo Laojiu didn’t bother arguing further and dragged the Cui family member towards the crowd.

Hu Cong had just finished assigning tasks when he saw Mo Laojiu dragging an unfamiliar face over.

He approached, "Young Master Nine, what is this?"

Mo Laojiu snorted and threw the Cui family member to the ground.

"This person was caught putting poison in the soup."

Hu Cong was shocked. In Imperial City, such poisoning schemes among wealthy families were not uncommon. But in Northwest, especially given that the person was dressed as a simple farmer, how could such a despicable act occur?

You must understand that there were over a hundred workers at the construction site. If this had been a potent poison, it would have claimed over a hundred lives!

Hu Cong grew increasingly agitated and even someone who rarely engaged in violence couldn't help but kick the Cui family member a few times.

"Speak! Who are you and why did you come here to poison the food?"

Seeing no hope of escape, the Cui family member tried to wriggle out of the situation.

"I didn't poison anything. I really just wanted to help. Your Mo family pays such high wages; who wouldn't be envious?"

Surprisingly, his words sounded quite reasonable. If not for being caught red-handed by Mo Jiuye, some might have believed him.

Mo Jiuye had no patience for such nonsense. He called over a few workers and instructed them to bring the pot of drugged soup. Then he said to Hu Cong:

"Brother Hu, please arrange for someone to prepare lunch again. I will take this person to the magistrate's office right now."

For someone raised in an official family, the first instinct when faced with trouble is to seek help from the authorities.

Especially since they wished to live peacefully in Northwest, it was necessary to follow proper procedures in public.

Hu Cong was efficient, especially given the severity of the incident under his watch. He needed to take it seriously.

Soon, Mo Jiuye brought their carriage over, accompanied by Brother Wu. Brother Wu collected some of the drugged soup in a small porcelain bottle, while Mo Jiuye tied up the Cui family member and threw him into the carriage.

He Zhiran also learned about the incident at home. Knowing that Mo Jiuye would handle things properly at the magistrate's office, she decided not to go along.

Besides, even if she wanted to join in, her husband, who constantly watched her and forbade her from moving around, would never allow it.

Many members of the Cui family peeked from their doorways, looking down the mountain. They wondered why the person sent to poison the food hadn't returned yet and whether something had gone wrong.

Just as the Cui family members were distracted, they saw the Mo family's carriage speeding towards the village entrance.