Inviting the Moon to the Farmhouse

“I admit I stole the grain, but I did it with Xia Cheng,” Wei Liangxing said.

"Hey, don't talk nonsense! I didn't conspire with you, I didn't steal the grain," Acheng hurriedly defended himself.

"Stop making excuses. You'd better hurry up and persuade your cousin to let the two of us leave. Haven't you had enough of staying here yet?" Wei Liangxing said.

Acheng looked at Village Chief Zhao in a panic, then at Xia Yao, and was about to step forward to speak when he was stopped by the village security guard. "He's lying. I don't know what happened."

"Hehe, don't bother explaining, it's useless. Chief Zhao said that one person can't steal that grain. If you don't participate, how can I easily take it away?" Wei Liangxing's words were full of sarcasm.

"So, you admit it? How did you take the grain? Where did you take it?" Village Chief Zhao asked.

“That’s not important. Would you believe me if I said I didn’t steal it? You guys don’t believe me! Xia Yao just wants grain, right? Acheng and I will provide the grain,” Wei Liangxing said, looking at Acheng.

Acheng suddenly realized that Wei Liangxing was trying to drag him down with him.

“If Ah Cheng and I each pay half of those thirty bushels of grain, then you can let us go, is that alright?” Wei Liangxing asked Village Chief Zhao.

Village Chief Zhao looked at Xia Yao and asked, "What do you think, Mr. Xia?"

Xia Yao looked at Wei Liangxing, gave a cold laugh, and said nothing.

“I’m not in cahoots with you. I won’t give up the grain, I won’t leave, and I won’t admit to any crime,” A-Cheng said, then sat down on the ground and turned his face away.

As if he had guessed that Acheng would do this, Wei Liangxing said to Xia Yao, "If this matter cannot be resolved amicably, then go to the county magistrate. My words will remain the same: whatever suffering I endure, Brother Acheng will also endure. With him by my side, I will have company."

“I don’t admit it, Cousin Yao. Don’t worry about me. I didn’t steal it. I’m not afraid. I’ll keep him waiting. Anyway, I have nothing but plenty of time,” A-Cheng said to Xia Yao.

"You!" Wei Liangxing pointed at Acheng and shook his head helplessly. "How about this, I'll offer twenty shi (a unit of dry measure), twenty shi should be enough, and we'll call it even, okay?"

Xia Huifang quietly tugged at Xia Yao's sleeve, her eyes filled with worry.

Xia Yao lowered his head and considered for a moment, then turned to look at Xia Huifang. Xia Huifang nodded at him, indicating that she wanted Xia Yao to agree.

When Acheng saw this, he quickly said, "No, please, I'm not afraid of sleeping in a jail cell."

"Quiet down, everyone," Village Chief Zhao asked. "Xia Yao, you are the owner of the lost item. Do you think this is acceptable?"

Xia Yao nodded. "Okay."

“Alright, let’s write a written agreement, sign it, and that will close the case,” Zhao, the village chief, called out to the door. “Li Chuan, bring me paper and pen.”

Xia Yao said to Village Chief Zhao, "Village Chief, I have a condition."

"Oh? What are the conditions? Tell me about them," said Village Chief Zhao.

"We hope to release the people after Wei Liangxing has paid off the grain payment," Xia Yao said.

“Heh, I won’t renege on my promise,” Wei Liangxing said. “I’m here now, how am I supposed to bring the grain over?”

"To be honest, I'm really worried," Xia Yao said. "Your wife is here; she can handle this."

“How could a weak woman like her manage this? Transporting these twenty shi (a unit of dry measure) would take at least two days,” Wei Liangxing said.

“Yes, if Master Wei thinks transporting grain is too troublesome, he can give me the market price as compensation. Now it is…” Xia Yao looked at Xia Huifang.

“Ah, four hundred coins for a bushel of wheat,” Xia Huifang said.

“That’s the price of flour. Wheat isn’t worth that much. Besides, this wheat hasn’t been husked yet, so there are a lot of impurities mixed in, which increases its weight,” Wei Liangxing said.

"How does Master Wei know there are many impurities?" Xia Yao countered.

Wei Liangxing understood Xia Yao's meaning and snorted, "Mr. Xia is indeed a scholar."

Xia Yao smiled and said, "I'll take that as a compliment. Wheat is four hundred cash per shi, which is eight guan in total."

Wei Liangxing sighed, "Fine, I don't care about that anymore," and turned to the woman, "A-Shuang, did you bring any money?"

Ashuang walked over and handed the purse to Wei Liangxing. Wei Liangxing took out eight strings of cash from it and placed them on Zhao Lizhang's table. "Please, Lizhang, bear witness and write a written agreement."

At this moment, Li Chuan came in with paper and pen, sat down at the table next to him, and waited for the village chief Zhao's orders.

“Li Chuan, you write it down and have them sign it,” Zhao, the village chief, continued. “Just write that Xia Yao lost thirty shi of grain, Wei Liangxing and Xia Cheng confessed to it, and the three parties agreed to a settlement. The result is as follows: Wei Liangxing will compensate Xia Yao for the loss of twenty shi of grain with eight guan, and Xia Cheng will compensate Xia Yao for the loss of ten shi of grain with four guan. This matter is settled, and there will be no further investigation.”

Li Chuan nodded, wrote down the instructions as instructed by the village chief, made four copies, handed them to Village Chief Zhao, and placed the inkstone on the table for everyone to sign.

After reading the paper, Village Chief Zhao said, "The three of you, come over and sign and put your fingerprints on it."

Wei Liangxing went over first, picked it up and looked at it, then compared it with the other three. He didn't see any problems, so he signed and pressed his fingerprint on each one.

Next, Xia Yao and Xia Cheng also came over to sign and put their fingerprints on the document.

Li Chuan distributed the written agreement to the three people, keeping one for himself as well.

"Alright, that's settled. Everyone, go about your business," said Village Chief Zhao with a smile.

Wei Liangxing put the document in his pocket, said goodbye to Village Chief Zhao, and then, holding his wife's hand, walked away with a limp.

"His leg?" Xia Yao looked at A-Cheng and asked, puzzled.

"It's nothing. He's been getting irritable these past few days, so he was kicking the wall. He accidentally kicked himself and hurt himself, hahaha," Acheng said, laughing as he spoke. But when he noticed Xia Yao staring at him sternly, he quickly stopped laughing and lowered his head.

Xia Yao turned around, picked up the eight strings of cash on the table, and said to the village chief, "Thank you for helping me resolve today's matter. However, I would like to have a private conversation with Village Chief Zhao."

Village Chief Zhao was a little surprised, then glanced at the others in the room and said, "Do you have anything else to do? If not, go ahead and get busy."

Upon hearing this, everyone headed towards the door, and Acheng helped Xia Huifang out as well.

Xia Yao walked over and closed the door.

"Is there anything else, Mr. Xia?" Village Chief Zhao asked.

Xia Yao returned to the table and placed two strings of cash on Zhao Lizhang's table. "You've worked hard these past few days, Zhao Lizhang. This money is for you to have some tea. I hope you don't think it's too little."

Village Chief Zhao was taken aback for a moment, then smiled and agreed, "Mhm."

"Village Chief Zhao, there's something else I'd like to tell you," Xia Yao said.

"What's the matter? Tell me."

"About Dai Xiyue..."

After a short while, Xia Yao came out of Zhao Lizhang's house and said to Xia Huifang in the courtyard, "Mother, let's go." Then, he helped Xia Huifang and left with Acheng.

“Cousin, I knew you wouldn’t abandon me, hehe,” A-Cheng said shamelessly.

Xia Huifang took his hand and said with concern, "Acheng has lost weight."

“Mom, he’s clearly gotten fairer and fatter,” Xia Yao rolled her eyes at A-Cheng.

"Hehehe, whatever my cousin says goes," Acheng chuckled.

Back at the Xia family home, Xia Huifang hurriedly called out to Acheng, "Stand here and wait a moment, step over a brazier to drive away bad luck." She then told Xia Yao, "Go inside and get some scrap paper you don't need." She then rushed into the kitchen, took out a charcoal brazier, and placed it at the door.

Xia Yao responded and entered the west room. He bent down to look at the wastebasket and took out several crumpled pieces of paper. However, one piece of paper caught his attention because of its different texture. He picked up the crumpled paper and unfolded it…