As Su Jinli and her family's carriage slowly reached the borders of Suzhou Prefecture, the warm autumn sun shone across the earth, casting a golden veil over this ancient land. The carriage slowly moved along the official road, its wheels chugging against the solid ground, making a rhythmic "gurgling" sound, as if humming a travel ballad. However, this tranquility was short-lived. A sudden, jarring clamor, like a sudden, harsh cacophony, shattered the harmony and reached everyone's ears.
Su Jinli had been leisurely admiring the scenery through the car window when she heard the commotion, her brow furrowing slightly. She instinctively opened the curtains and peeked out to see what was going on. Not far ahead, she saw a large crowd gathered. In the center, a burly bully was violently and forcibly grabbing a woman. The woman's face was pale, a look of terror frozen in place. Her eyes were wide, filled with endless fear and helplessness. She struggled desperately, trying to free herself from the bully's iron-like grip. She cried out, tears thick in her throat, but the bully's brute force ruthlessly suppressed her.
Seeing this, Su Jinli's sense of justice instantly ignited. Without hesitation, she lifted her skirt and swiftly leaped from the carriage, her movements as smooth and swift as a swallow. Her eyes revealed a firm and resolute expression, as if declaring to the world that she would not allow such evil to continue unchecked before her eyes.
Siyan, sitting in the car, witnessed his mother's actions, his blood boiling. He clutched his beloved abacus tightly, like a warrior gripping a weapon, and rushed over with the speed of an arrow. In the blink of an eye, he was in front of the bully, his small body standing fearlessly, shouting, "Bad uncle! You owe me three hundred taels of silver!" His voice, though childish, was full of power, resounding through the crowd like a bell.
The bully, immersed in his own evil deeds, was startled by the sudden shout. He abruptly stopped what he was doing and looked down at Si Yan, his eyes full of disdain. The fat on his face twitched as he said contemptuously, "What do you know, little brat! Get out of here!" After that, he waved his hand impatiently, as if to drive away an annoying fly.
In the moment the bully was distracted, Nian Li, like a nimble little monkey, quietly circled behind him. Her bright eyes fixed on the bully, a look of courage and cleverness gleaming in them. She quickly pulled out pepper spray from her pocket and, without hesitation, sprayed it forcefully into the bully's face, shouting, "I told you not to bully me!"
The bully was caught off guard, and instantly, a wave of intense, acrid pain washed over him like a surging tide, instantly engulfing his entire face. His eyes felt as if they were on fire, a searing pain, tears streaming uncontrollably. He couldn't help but scream, his hands instinctively covering his eyes as he thrashed around frantically, cursing nonstop. His former arrogance vanished in an instant, replaced by a look of utter disgrace and misery.
At this moment, Jiang Yan slowly emerged from the carriage with steady steps. He held a ledger in his hand, its slightly yellowed pages seemingly filled with hidden secrets. He walked slowly before the group, his gaze calm and dignified. He spoke, "This is the money you owe the silk shop and the gambling house... a total of eight hundred and sixty-seven taels." His voice was deep and powerful, resonating through the crowd like a bell.
The surrounding people, previously indignant at the bully's misdeeds, were afraid to speak out. Seeing someone step forward, they gathered around him. Like a flood, they accused the bully of all his daily misdeeds. Some accused him of seizing people's land, others of bullying the weak, and even others of cheating in the gambling den. Every word was like a sharp dagger, piercing the bully's evil deeds.
Su Jinli put her hands on her hips, her expression serious, and said righteously: "Either pay back the money or turn yourself in! It's your choice!" Her voice was firm and loud, exploding in the bully's ears like a bolt from the blue. The bully looked at the clear numbers on Siyan's abacus with difficulty through his eyes blurred by tears from the spiciness, and then caught a glimpse of the pepper spray still tightly held in Nianli's hand, and a strong fear suddenly surged in his heart. He knew very well that the group of people in front of him were by no means easy to deal with. If he was turned in, he would be in big trouble. Thinking of this, his legs softened, and with a "thump", he knelt heavily on the ground, kowtowing and begging for mercy: "Auntie, uncle, I pay back the money, I pay back the money! Please don't turn me in!" His servile appearance was in sharp contrast to his previous arrogance and domineering behavior.
"You're smart," Su Jinli snorted coldly, a flicker of disdain in her eyes. She swung the account book in her hand, and it drew an arc in the air, as if declaring the victory of justice over the bully. Seeing this, Si Yan immediately began to fiddle with the abacus with skill. The abacus beads danced rapidly between his nimble fingers, making a crisp sound. After a while, he calculated the interest and shouted, "Including the interest, the total is nine hundred taels!"
Nian Li walked up to the girl and gently put the pepper spray into her hand. With an innocent smile on her face, she said in a baby voice, "Sister, this is for self-defense!" The girl was so excited that tears came to her eyes. She took the pepper spray with trembling hands and thanked them repeatedly, "Thank you, thank you..." The words of gratitude seemed to carry endless affection, echoing in the air for a long time.
The surrounding civilians witnessed this scene and applauded. Their applause was as loud as thunder, as if cheering for the righteous act of Su Jinli and his family. Their actions not only saved the girl but also gave the people a chance to vent their long-suppressed anger.
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