Jiang Yimian pointed to the basket on the ground not far away and said helplessly, "This young woman didn't give us money for the cloth. We came here to ask for money back, but we didn't expect to run into this."
Widow Cheng was taken aback. She looked at the cloth haphazardly stuffed into the basket and said apologetically, "I forgot. I heard there was an accident at the tofu stall. I was in such a hurry that I forgot to pay. I'll pay you right now. How many copper coins?"
As he spoke, he hurriedly reached into his pocket for his money pouch.
Liu Dayong quickly replied, "Forty coins."
Widow Cheng then responded, counted out forty coins from her purse and handed them over. Her gaze fell on the kitchen knife, and she paused, as if she wanted to say something, but in the end, she kept quiet.
Ma Ming handed over the money bag left by Xu Yongfeng and instructed, "If anyone causes trouble again, go find the constables. Don't brandish a knife to scare people. If you really hurt someone, you'll be going to jail."
Widow Cheng nodded repeatedly, took the money bag, and thanked her, but she was still a little scared.
Everyone else thought she was just bluffing, but she knew that in the heat of the moment, fueled by anger, she really did try to slash Xu Yongfeng's neck. By the time she realized what was happening, it was too late; she couldn't stop herself.
Just as the knife was about to pierce the other person's neck, something seemed to hit the cleaver, causing it to deflect and break off with a large gash.
She was completely bewildered, her mind was still spinning, and she didn't know who had helped her.
If that knife really went into Xu Yongfeng's neck, he would definitely die, and then she would have no way to explain herself.
Seeing that the matter was settled, Ma Ming greeted Jiang Yimian and the others, and said with a smile, "Brother Zhao and Brother Zhang are not around recently. If you need anything, you can come to me. I'm patrolling Qinghe Town right now."
After saying that, he left because he had other things to take care of.
Seeing the soldiers leave, Widow Cheng looked at Zhao Dashu apologetically, "I accidentally broke that knife. I was just trying to scare people. I'll buy you a new one."
As she spoke, she reached for the money in her purse.
Jiang Yimian simply said, "That knife was already broken, no need to pay for it, let's go."
After saying that, he left directly.
Zhao Dashu and Liu Dayong quickly followed.
Xu Xiaotao looked at Jiang Yimian's back and hesitated, knowing that in her current state, the other party definitely wouldn't recognize her.
*
When the three returned to the stall, Gou Sheng was already tidying up the things on the table, and the konjac that was originally half full was now empty.
Upon seeing that the group had returned safely, Gou Sheng immediately breathed a sigh of relief and hurriedly asked, "I heard someone say that someone was attacking people with a knife on that street. Is that true? Are you all alright?"
He was terrified.
As Zhao Dashu helped clear the table, he said indignantly, "Absolutely! It's outrageous that a group of men would threaten a young woman into marrying an old widower."
If Liu Dayong hadn't held him down so firmly, he definitely would have rushed up to help.
Gou Sheng was also filled with anger, and the two of them packed their things while cursing each other.
Jiang Yimian felt somewhat helpless, but was glad that Zhao Dashu wasn't the only one who went to ask for the money. Otherwise, who knows what might have happened. That guy really acted impulsively.
When Zhao Dashu and the other two rashly followed Old Man Liu back to Xiaowadi, it was actually quite impulsive.
Zhao Dashu is prone to impulsiveness when she gets angry, so she should have a good talk with him when she gets the chance.
After packing their things, the group went to a liquor store. Jiang Yimian bought several jars of liquor with a relatively high alcohol content and planned to go back with the others.
On the way, I saw a stall selling fish fry and loach fry.
It was called a stall, but it was just an old man with several buckets in front of him, filled with various fish fry and loach fry.
Perhaps because it was a bit cold, the old man wrapped his thick padded jacket tightly around his body and wore a thick hat on his head. When he saw Jiang Yimian looking over, he quickly said, "You gentlemen want to buy fish fry, then you have come to the right place. I am the only place in Qinghe Town that sells fish fry."
Jiang Yimian's expression brightened, and she walked over directly, asking curiously, "How much are these fish fry and loach fry?"
Although there are fish in the lotus pond in the small depression, they are wild and there aren't many. In addition, since there is no railing at the bottom of the pond, many fish have flowed away to other places along the river.
As a result, it's become so difficult to catch more than a few fish these days.
It's enough for several families on a normal day, but not enough to sell in town.
If she raises fish and loaches in the lotus pond, she can exchange them for money in town.
This type of fresh fish is still very popular in every restaurant and inn.
Having another way to make money is always better than sitting around and running out of money.
Even if they can't be sold, the small depression can still enjoy fresh fish and loach.
The old man quickly replied, "Fish fry are seventy coins a pound, loach fry are fifty coins a pound, I estimate there are about two hundred of them."
Liu Dayong was shocked. "So expensive."
In the past, fish were raised in Xinghua Village, but they were really difficult to raise. In addition, the cost was high. Although there were two hundred fish fry per pound, only a little over one hundred would survive. Furthermore, they had to take good care of them every day. If the fish fry got sick, all the previous efforts would be wasted. As a result, that family stopped raising fish and sold the lotus pond.
This story spread widely in the village, to the point that no one bothered with fish farming anymore.
Most farming families are struggling financially. They can barely afford to buy fish fry for a few dozen coins, but then there's the food the fish need to eat, which adds up to quite a bit, costing at least a hundred coins.
If you use 100 coins sparingly, it can last a family of three for two or three months. No one dares to risk 100 coins, in case the fish fry get sick and die. Not only will you lose money, but you'll also have wasted your time.
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