Li Changming snorted. "From now on, every time they come, we'll chase them away. We have to chase them off until they're scared out of their wits. I think if our village dares to make a scene, the other villages will definitely follow suit—they're even poorer than we are, so life will only get harder for them."
He clenched his fists, his heart in turmoil. Yan was his younger cousin, and he had watched helplessly as she was taken away today. 'I wanted so badly to rush up and slaughter that dog of an official, but I was afraid of bringing disaster to my family and the village, so I held myself back.'
Qingmu thought for a moment and said, "One more thing. Everyone should save up your money and hide it. We'll have to endure some hardship for the next few years and just live like we did before. At the very least, starting right now, no more making new clothes." Everyone readily agreed.
