Chapter 118: Believe It or Not, I’ll Snatch Your Village Chief Position

Chapter 118: Chapter 118: Believe It or Not, I’ll Snatch Your Village Chief Position

Zhang Ronghui was clearly angry when he asked that question. Normally, even if one didn’t agree to buy something, they would still explain it amicably.

Zhang Youcai, for instance, was already standing by, preparing words to smooth things over. No one expected Zhang Yun to talk back so directly!

Zhang Ronghui was also stunned. Zhang Yun was actually showing disdain and targeting him!

Ouyang Mingruo was a little surprised as well. She didn’t know the whole story, but it didn’t seem like a big deal. She hadn’t expected Zhang Yun to be so uncompromising. Amused, she watched him with great interest.

"Out of all those things you have, only two or three are of any value. However, since you were the first person to come to me, I was willing to pay you twenty thousand yuan as a gesture of gratitude," Zhang Yun said. "And you? You simply set those two or three valuable items aside and tried to give me the worthless junk!

"After watching what I’ve been doing these past two days, you should know that I was giving you a preferential price. Yet, you’re trying to force the rest of that junk on me for another twenty thousand."

The onlookers hadn’t been clear on the situation, but after hearing Zhang Yun’s words, they got the gist of it. Logically and emotionally, they felt Zhang Yun was in the right. However, Zhang Ronghui was the village chief and carried a certain authority. Since there was no conflict of interest for the crowd, they naturally wouldn’t support Zhang Yun to Zhang Ronghui’s face.

Zhang Ronghui’s face darkened, and he sneered. "You make it sound like I’m so desperately poor that I’m trying to scam you out of twenty thousand yuan! What do you know about appraising? What can you even appraise? Aren’t you just finding some unique items and making up stories to scam people?

"Think about the things he’s collected! Is there really a difference between the ones he bought for five hundred, one thousand, or ten thousand? No! None of us can tell the difference! A Compass? He can just make up a story about it being consecrated by some grandmaster. Combs and hairpins? He can claim they were robbed from an Ancient Tomb. And that Divine Master Card doesn’t even have a name on it, so he can make up whatever he wants!"

Zhang Youcai frowned as he listened. This was indeed their strategy, but he believed that Zhang Yun actually knew how to appraise things. With Zhang Ronghui exposing it in public like this, it made them look like swindlers!

"None of your damn business!" Zhang Yun laughed. "Did I sell any of these items I collected to you? Or to any of our fellow villagers? We’re selling them to collectors in big cities. Whether it’s just a story or a real antique, do you really think they aren’t smarter than you?"

The villagers were quite easily swayed. When Zhang Ronghui made his speech, they thought he made sense; but when Zhang Yun spoke, they felt he had a point too.

"You... you’re so smart! Heh, you’re brilliant! I’m going to report your little operation!" Zhang Ronghui said, his tone turning severe as he unleashed his ultimate threat. "Let’s see if this is legal! Let’s see if you have the proper qualifications and if any of these are cultural relics that should be handed over to the state!"

The crowd immediately went into an uproar. Some of them had already made a profit with Zhang Yun, while others were just hoping to get a piece of the pie. How could he just flip the table like this?

"We don’t know if it’s legal or not, but reporting him is just plain wicked, isn’t it?"

"People who report others at the drop of a hat are going to have sons born without assholes."

"Hey? Wait a minute! What did Zhang Yun just say? His first transaction was with the village chief! He sold over a dozen items for twenty thousand yuan!"

"Haha, if there’s really a problem, he’ll be the first one to get locked up!"

Those standing nearby remained awkwardly silent, while those further away started openly criticizing the village chief.

Zhang Youcai walked over, slung an arm around his shoulder, and offered him a cigarette. "Ronghui, don’t be mad! We’re subsidizing this to find a way for everyone to make some money. We’ll take those items of yours..."

"Don’t! I’m not worthy!" Zhang Ronghui pushed him away. "My things are all trash. I won’t get in the way of you getting rich!"

"Ignore him!" Zhang Yun said loudly. "Everyone here is my witness today! If anyone comes looking for trouble with me, it’s definitely him playing dirty tricks. Everyone, feel free to curse him behind his back!"

"I haven’t even done anything yet, and you’re telling people to curse me behind my back?" Zhang Ronghui thought, nearly coughing up blood.

"Stop spouting your damn bullshit! You offended the people from Wa Village and Gao Village. You’re stirring up trouble everywhere you go! There are plenty of people who want to mess with you, and you want to pin it all on me? Bah!"

Seeing Zhang Ronghui so flustered and completely devoid of his usual dignity, Zhang Yun chuckled.

"Oh, so you know about that? When the people from Wa Village came to my house to start trouble, where were you, our esteemed village director? Let alone protecting me, did you even come out to mediate or say a single fair word?"

Although this incident had happened many days ago, everyone had witnessed the commotion, and Zhang Ronghui indeed hadn’t shown up.

"Many people in the village work at Uncle Cai’s factory, right? When Gao Village was playing dirty tricks on them, did you step up to help or take charge? You did absolutely nothing. What’s the use of having you as the village chief?

"When something happens, you shrink back like a turtle; but when there are benefits to be had, you’re the first one in line, thick-skinned as ever."

Zhang Yun’s scolding choked Zhang Ronghui. These things couldn’t strictly be considered his official duties, but logically and emotionally speaking, he should have stepped forward to help.

"You... you..."

"I don’t know if you threw money around to become the village chief, but when is the next election?" Zhang Yun said, looking completely nonchalant. "Believe it or not, I could drop five hundred thousand yuan on an election campaign and snatch your position right out from under you!"

Hearing this, the crowd burst into another uproar.

They had heard that in wealthy coastal areas, village officials had to spend money to canvass for votes. There didn’t seem to be such a custom here, but if Zhang Yun was really willing to throw five hundred thousand yuan at it, everyone present would get a share!

Buying votes was definitely illegal. But Zhang Yun was a nouveau riche now. What if he treated everyone to a meal? What if he lent a few thousand yuan to someone in need? What if he gave out massive red envelopes for weddings and funerals, or brought warmth and gifts to the village elders? There were just too many ways he could manipulate things.

Zhang Ronghui hadn’t expected Zhang Yun to say such a thing. His momentum instantly deflated.

In this small place, even a village committee member was still an official. It carried prestige and allowed one to learn about new policies earlier than anyone else. Being able to attend meetings in the village and the town was a matter of immense pride!

Moreover, even if there wasn’t much profit to be made, and even if he didn’t care about this petty vanity, stepping down had to be his own choice. If he was ousted like this, how could he ever hold his head high again?

"Is it really necessary?" he wondered. "It’s just twenty thousand yuan at most. If you didn’t want to buy them, you could have just said so nicely. Do you really need to spend five hundred thousand yuan to ruin me?"

Seeing the atmosphere turn tense, Ouyang Mingruo smiled and patted Zhang Yun. "Let’s go! Time to head back!"

Zhang Youcai hurriedly followed up to smooth things over. "Ronghui, come to my place for some tea!"

Zhang Ronghui originally wanted to push Zhang Youcai away, but he remembered that things had escalated to this stalemate simply because he hadn’t taken the graceful exit Zhang Yun had initially offered. If he refused to step down now, this brat might go crazy again!

"Let’s go! Getting angry is just bad for my health. The youth nowadays..." He shook his head, refusing to look at Zhang Yun.

Just as the crowd made way, an outsider called out, "Village Chief Zhang!"

Zhang Ronghui was in a bad mood and initially didn’t want to respond. However, upon looking over, he immediately put on a smile. "Boss He! What brings you to our neck of the woods?"

"Boss He!" Zhang Youcai also greeted him, as they had met before.

Zhang Yun looked closely and realized that the newcomer was He Xiong from Liu’s Restaurant!

He suddenly remembered. Earlier, when he was at the fish pond in the mountain hollow, he had felt like he was forgetting something. Right at that moment, Zhang Youcai had called, so he assumed it was about buying Ancient Artifacts. As it turned out, what he had forgotten was the ginseng he had promised He Xiong!

"He actually came looking for me?" he wondered.

"Boss Zhang," He Xiong said, greeting Zhang Youcai as well. "I came over to..."

Zhang Ronghui loudly interrupted, "If you need anything, just come to me! There is nothing in Tianxin Village that I can’t handle!" He deliberately cast a glance at Zhang Yun.

"A wet-behind-the-ears brat actually wants to steal my position as village chief?" he thought mockingly. "How many people do you even know?"

Following his gaze, He Xiong spotted Zhang Yun. He immediately bypassed the two of them and rushed straight over. "Boss Zhang! I finally found you!"