Chapter 360 Farce

Qinggefang, Huichuntang Pharmacy.

At this hour, the shop was deserted.

The main customers are the singing girls and their patrons who party every night, and the lively time is at night.

A few days ago, due to Wang Chong's arrest and imprisonment for loan sharking, the shop closed and only reopened today.

Unexpectedly, not long after the door panel was removed, a noise approached like thunder.

"Give me back my hard-earned money!"

"Black-hearted pharmacy, get out of here!"

"Tell your shopkeeper to come out. He must give an explanation today!"

…

Angry roars accompanied by chaotic footsteps, and more than a dozen people rushed into the store.

Most of them were ordinary people struggling to survive, and were exploited by Wang Chong's usury and loan sharking, leaving them penniless.

The waiters in the store were so scared that they stepped back repeatedly. The young shopkeeper forced himself to remain calm and hurried forward.

"My fellow countrymen, calm down, calm down!

We really didn't know that Wang Chong had committed such a serious crime outside.

Huichuntang was only purchasing his medicinal herbs and refining his elixirs, and they knew nothing about his other activities!"

"Bah! I think you are in cahoots with each other, a nest of snakes and rats!" A man cursed with red eyes and spit flying.

"How can you slander me like this?" The young shopkeeper was also anxious and pointed outside the door.

“The neighbors are all here, you can ask.

Huichuntang has been operating here for many years, honest and trustworthy. When has it ever harmed any of our neighbors?"

How could the victims listen? Despair and anger had already broken through the dam of rationality.

They were only certain of one thing: Wang Chong was from Huichuntang, and the shop had to pay off the debts he owed.

Some people started pushing the shelves, and some picked up porcelain jars on the counter.

There was nothing valuable in front of him, so he rushed straight to the back.

"Why are you nagging him? If he doesn't pay me back, I'll just steal your belongings to pay off the debt!"

The chaos escalated in an instant, with the harsh sounds of pushing, shouting, and objects breaking mixed together.

The victim rushed into the backyard, knocked over the herbs that were drying on the ground, and trampled them into a mess.

The neighbors in front were startled by the noise, and more and more people gathered around.

After all, they had been friends for many years. An old man who couldn't stand it stamped his feet and said, "Go and call Fang Zheng! Go!"

In the backyard, Chen Yu was sitting by the window with the book half-closed in his hand.

Ever since she met the Sixth Princess Qin Zhaoyue, received the secret protection of the Xuanji Guard Captain, and even heard the news that her father and younger brother were properly settled, the tense string in her heart finally relaxed.

Now we just have to wait for the provincial examination to begin. As to whether the person behind the scenes can be caught, we can only do our best and leave the rest to fate.

The owner of the drugstore had tentatively asked her the day before yesterday if she knew about Wang Chong's usury, and she naturally denied it.

After that, everything was calm. The shopkeeper just said that it had nothing to do with her and asked her to stay and prepare for the exam.

At this moment, the noise outside the window came in, instantly breaking the tranquility.

Chen Yu's heart suddenly jumped. He put down the book and listened attentively.

The angry voices swept from the front hall all the way to the backyard, and the footsteps, crying and shouting were getting closer and closer.

Immediately afterwards, a group of people rushed into the backyard, and the bamboo racks used to dry medicinal herbs were pushed down and trampled by the angry crowd.

The carefully prepared herbs were scattered all over the ground, mixed with the dirt and filth.

At this moment, Fang Zheng arrived breathlessly with several Wuhou Fang soldiers holding short sticks.

"Stop! Stop it right there!"

Fang Zheng's hair and beard stood on end, and he shouted loudly.

The Wuhoufang guards quickly inserted themselves into the chaotic crowd and used sticks and their bodies to forcibly separate the two groups of people who were fighting each other, temporarily curbing the conflict.

"It's broad daylight, in a clear and bright world!" Fang Zheng's face turned pale, and his eyes swept across the group of victims like lightning.

"Gathering a crowd to cause trouble, breaking into people's homes, and destroying people's property, do you still respect the law?

If you make trouble again, we will lock you up and take you to the Jingzhao Prefecture jail!"

The name of the Jingzhao prefect "Fair Official" has been well-known these days. When these words were spoken, the victim's momentum was immediately stifled and the noise died down.

Fang Zheng snorted coldly when he saw this, pointing at the young shopkeeper.

"What are you making a fuss about? If Huichuntang was truly connected to Wang Chong's case, would Jingzhao Prefecture have released them that very day?

Lord Deng is very observant. How many major cases have been concluded in the past few days? How many people involved in the case have been arrested?

If they were truly guilty, how could they still be standing here and doing business without any harm? They would have been in jail with Wang Chong long ago!"

The victims were left speechless by the questions.

They may not have failed to think of this, but the people in the government office have not yet paid the compensation.

Wang Chong was beaten with a hundred boards and locked up. No one knew whether he was dead or alive.

Thinking of their hard-earned money, some people still grumbled unwillingly:

"Wang Chong earns money from this shop after all, so he should pay us back some of the money he owes."

"Bullshit! Jingzhao Prefecture has its own rules and laws.

Those who should be punished should be punished, those who should be compensated should be compensated, and those who should be recovered should be recovered.

What's going on? According to your twisted logic, just because Wang Chong is from a certain place, everyone in that place should pay him back?

Go back and wait patiently for the government's decision.

There are so many cases, we have to handle them one by one.

Today you rushed in without any regard, smashing, looting and destroying the medicinal materials in other people's shop.

If someone files a lawsuit with Jingzhao Prefecture, do you think you're still right?"

Fang Zheng waved his hand at Wu Hou, "Come on, keep making trouble! All of you go to the Jingzhao government office immediately and ask the officers to come and arrest him!"

The victims looked at each other in bewilderment, completely dejected. If they really met the authorities, their behavior would be completely wrong.

At this time, the young shopkeeper took a deep breath, straightened his back and stood up, saying loudly:

"I understand the urgency of the villagers.

But my Huichuntang was indeed implicated innocently, and my father was so angry about this incident that he fell ill in bed and has not recovered to this day.

I will not pursue any responsibility for the damaged medicinal materials and utensils caused by this unforeseen disaster today."

He changed the subject and glanced at everyone.

“However, if there is a next time, and I come to smash and destroy things without any reason, I would like to ask Grandpa Fangzheng to be my witness.

I will then combine the two incidents into one, and I will report this to the Jingzhao Prefecture, asking Lord Deng to impose severe penalties on both.”

"Okay, I'll testify for you." Fang Zhengzhong responded with full energy.

The farce finally came to an end.

Under the "escort" of the Wuhoufang Ding, the victims left unwillingly but helplessly.

The front and back yards of Huichun Hall were left in a mess, with broken earthenware jars, scattered medicinal herbs, and overturned shelves scattered all over the ground.

The young manager sighed and ordered people to start cleaning up the mess.

Chen Yu also walked out of the house and silently bent down to help pick up the scattered medicinal herbs.

"Miss Chen Yu, you can't do that. Put it down!" Seeing this, the young shopkeeper stepped forward to stop her.

"I've already disturbed you from your studies today, how dare I bother you with these rough chores?"

"Young Master, you are too polite. I have been bothering you for many days, so I think it is only natural that I can do my bit."

Chen Yu's tone was gentle, but his hands did not stop moving.

In the end, they couldn't persuade her, so they all worked together to clean up the mess on the ground.

Only after everything returned to normal did Chen Yu return to his little house.

The window frame moved slightly, and she subconsciously looked up. When her eyes fell on the desk, her heart skipped a beat.

A neatly folded piece of paper had been quietly placed next to her book at some point.