Chapter 68 Ji Yushu
The scene fell silent instantly, and Manager Ji's expression changed several times. Finally, almost gritting his teeth, he asked Zhu Erhou San, "I don't understand, why won't we be allowed to set up a stall? We've paid the rent in full! On what grounds! Why won't we be allowed to set up a stall at the dock!"
Hou San snorted and was about to speak when Zhu Er crossed his arms and sneered, "Ha, you're doing just fine at Linjiang Tower! Why would you need to set up a stall? I think you're trying to steal business from small vendors at the docks, aren't you? Manager Ji, you can't be so greedy. We're all from the same village. It's not right for you to steal other people's business like this."
Manager Ji's face flushed red and then turned pale with anger, his mustache trembling. Everyone knew that just yesterday, these two men had prevented the villagers from setting up their stalls over a pair of walnuts! And now, they were acting like saints and sages, accusing them of insatiable greed!
"Zhu Er, you can't just eat whatever you want! You say you have to pay rent! So we'll pay rent! But I didn't know that we can't even set up a stall to pay rent now! How are we supposed to live?!"
A number of onlookers chimed in, their voices neither too loud nor too soft, but Hou San heard them clearly. He frowned, instinctively sensing something was amiss. But before he could pinpoint what was wrong, Zhu Er spoke to Steward Ji in a disdainful tone: "Paying rent? That's something we should be collecting. We don't want to collect rent from your Ji family right now!"
"You! Zhu Er, don't push your luck! When the Huang family took the position of town mayor, they made it very clear! If you set up a stall, you have to pay rent! If you pay rent, you can set up a stall! Are you going to break your promise?!"
Hahahahahahahahahaha.
Zhu Er laughed so hard he almost fell over, as if he had heard the funniest joke in the world.
Manager Ji's face darkened, and he felt as if blood was gushing from his mouth: "What are you laughing at! These are the rules set by the Huang family themselves!"
Hou San frowned, about to speak, but Zhu Er, quick to speak, interrupted him: "Rules! Old man, rules are made by people! You yourself said that these are the rules we set! So we are the rules! You have to do as we say, how to implement them! That's the real rule!"
When he finished speaking, the surrounding crowd stirred slightly, seemingly discussing something noisily. However, the noise was too chaotic and numerous, and Hou San couldn't make out what they were saying at all, but the ominous feeling in his heart grew stronger.
"Zhu Er! That's enough, you..."
"Alright, then we'll follow your rules and not set up a stall."
Hou San's words were interrupted once again, but this time it wasn't Zhu Er.
Ji Yushu listened in the crowd for an unknown amount of time before emerging from the crowd, fanning himself with a paper fan, to stand before Zhu Er.
"My lord!"
Ji Yushu waved his hand at the anxious-looking Steward Ji, snapping his paper fan shut with a snap. He looked at Zhu Er with a smiling expression, seemingly without any concern about the other's comments about not being allowed to set up stalls.
Zhu Er frowned slightly. He hated the cunning young man from the Ji family the most, and nothing good ever happened whenever he ran into him.
"Hmph, you'd better keep your word! Don't let us catch you stealing business from others at the docks!"
"Heh, Zhu Er, you're overthinking it. Even if my Ji family doesn't set up a stall, we won't starve! But you, don't you dare interfere with Linjianglou's affairs! Don't forget, this place isn't under your Huang family's jurisdiction."
Zhu Er laughed out loud upon hearing Ji Yushu's words. Everyone knew that since the old man of the Ji family died, Linjianglou's business had plummeted and was nowhere near what it used to be. Now that they were in control of the market and the docks, Linjianglou was finding it even more difficult to operate.
Zhu Er's eyes were full of disdain.
"Even if the sky were turned upside down, your dilapidated building would still be the same."
Ji Yushu's eyes flickered slightly, and he slapped the fan in his hand into his palm.
"Alright! Steward Ji! Take the goods back. Since the Huang family doesn't allow anyone to set up a stall now, then we won't set up a stall! We'll find our own way to make a living."
Having said that, he told his workers to carry the pot back. Outside Linjiang Tower, a crowd surged. Zhu Er snorted coldly, his gaze sweeping over the group of people who had come to watch the commotion early in the morning. He cursed in a somewhat unfriendly tone, "What are you all looking at! Get back to your stalls! Ha, do you think you're like them? You think you can eat if you don't set up a stall? Get lost!"
As soon as Zhu Er finished speaking, surprisingly, the surrounding crowd didn't immediately disperse. Instead, they glared at Zhu Er and Hou San with extremely angry eyes. Zhu Er, feeling irritated by their stares, kicked the nearest man and yelled, "You dare glare at me like that! Get lost!"
Uncle Wang was very close to the man, and his subordinate quietly pulled the man back, preventing him from being kicked to the ground by Zhu Er.
But Zhu Er wasn't so lucky. He kicked at nothing and was thrown backward, landing hard.
The surrounding crowd erupted in laughter, and Zhu Er's face turned pale with anger. He struggled to his feet, intending to go forward and beat the man again. Hou San, however, grabbed him and shouted, "Enough! Go back!"
Zhu Er flung his hand away, wanting to say something more. But Hou San didn't give him the chance. Hou San grabbed Zhu Er by the back of his collar and dragged him out. Zhu Er wasn't paying attention and was pulled forward, forced to follow him out of the crowd.
"Hou San! Hou San, you son of a bitch, let me go!"
Zhu Er lowered his head and tried desperately to pry Hou San's hand away. But Hou San didn't give him the chance and continued to pull him forward.
He found everything strange, inexplicably so. The Ji family's words seemed deliberately orchestrated.
"Enough! I feel something's very wrong! The Ji family has been here for so many years, do you think they're the kind of people who would do meaningless things?"
After hearing Hou San's words, Zhu Er also began to understand the situation. He stopped struggling, panting heavily, and asked, his throat choked, "Then tell me, what should we do!"
Hou San suddenly released Zhu Er's collar, patted his hands to remove non-existent dust, and glanced back at the people surrounding the Linjiang Tower.
"I think those people not setting up their stalls must be related to the Ji family! Let's go back and tell the town mayor about this now, and let him make a decision. Remember, don't bring up what happened the other day! If you do, neither of us will get away with it!"
"Hmph, I would never do such a thing!"
"That's good! Hurry back! That merchant ship will stay for three days! If it doesn't get into town by half a day, each shop will lose half a day's worth of money!"
"What about the merchants?"
Zhu Er had calmed down by now, and he gestured with his lip towards the people who were watching the commotion in front of Linjiang Tower.
"If they don't set up stalls now, how will they attract the caravans from the docks?"
Hou San glanced at the crowd, his eyes icy cold. He scoffed, "Ha, a bunch of clowns, not worth mentioning. You..."
(End of this chapter)
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