"Jiang Susu's mother held her daughter's body and wept, while her father took the opportunity to make a scene, saying everyone had to answer for his daughter's death and that he would report it to the Public Security Office in town."
"He actually just wanted to use the opportunity to extort some money."
"But that night, whether because the weather was particularly hot and dry or because the dogs at the foot of the mountain were barking too often, everyone became unusually irritable. Someone said a few words to stir them up, and they actually seized both of Jiang Susu's parents."
"Someone even said that since their family had broken the rules first anyway, they might as well bury them all, and then there would be no more trouble."
"At that point, someone looked toward the Zhang family. They were the only ones there who weren't from Qishan Village, and they were also closer to the Jiang Family."
"Seeing this, Zhang Qiang could only step forward with a shovel and volunteer to knock them over the head if they were going to bury them."
"Everyone thought that would work."
"Before they could make a terrible mistake, a highly respected clan elder stepped forward and said a few words that convinced everyone."
"The gist was that the Jiang Family had been in the wrong first, and under the old rules of the surrounding villages, there was nothing wrong with dealing with Jiang Susu this way."
"It was only abolished because it had become illegal in recent years."
"Since things had already come to this, they should treat it as following the village's old rules for once. Once they returned, the Zhou Family wasn't to demand the bride price back, and the Jiang Family wasn't to pursue the matter any further."
"Otherwise,