Chapter 228
After Shopkeeper Mei finished shouting, she realized that her previous occupational disease had come back, but the players were already cooperating, and cooperating very well. She simply went along with it and pretended that all she wanted to do was to form a team. Then she stood straight in front of the team and gave someone a murderous smile: Forget it, let's give these people some shock from the Chinese military training.
The natives were genuinely frightened: "Is our relationship so bad that she would bring the returning soldiers to fight us? No? Anyway, that person can't be me...so who among us is it?"
The people opposite Shopkeeper Mei had come from a different road. That road had narrow stone steps and stone pillars blocking carriages, making it generally accessible only to pedestrians. The person Shopkeeper Mei was waiting for joined the others on that mountain path, blocking the already narrow path. After complaints from the pedestrians behind them, they moved to the front of the pavilion, facing the group of women soldiers standing with Shopkeeper Mei.
I don’t know if it was specially selected by Shopkeeper Mei, but all the players who came to help were women, ranging in age from young adults to middle-aged people. There was also an old lady with a peaceful face but a back as straight as a mountain. Her posture and spirit seemed to be more energetic than those of young people.
There were many people coming and going on the mountain. When they saw the two groups confronting each other, some people quickly walked away for fear of something happening, while others quietly approached and tried to join in the fun. After being glared at by the parties involved, they reluctantly walked away a little, and then continued to stretch their necks to watch the fun.
"Shopkeeper Mei, what are you doing blocking the road?" After waiting for a while without seeing Shopkeeper Mei speak, someone in the crowd opposite couldn't help but ask, "If there's nothing wrong, then..."
"Of course." Shopkeeper Mei interrupted the other person with a stern face: "Regarding the rumor you and that bastard spread about him and me being in love with each other, I want to clarify it in front of all of you. From now on, if anyone in the county talks nonsense again, it means that one of you did it on purpose, and I will report it directly to the police!" The word the man used when spreading the rumor was mutual affection, but Shopkeeper Mei didn't want to say this word at all.
So it's you... Everyone else looked at someone with a blank expression: You've been bragging about how popular girls are all day long, but it turns out you were just bragging!
Shopkeeper Mei's original name was Shopkeeper Mei. This resident ID was the ID she used when she was serving in the army and came to another world to perform missions. Since she had always been lucky and had a good relationship with the natives, this resident ID was accidentally changed to a different name and retained. The name she chose to save trouble was finally changed to Mei Qianzhang, which was taken from the homonym of "no debt".
Among the group across the street, the jerk who'd been spreading rumors that Shopkeeper Mei had a crush on him was wearing a moon-white robe, hat, and shoes, looking quite flamboyant. Shopkeeper Mei didn't care what his name was, nor did she intend to commit it to memory. Anyway, when she issued the task, she'd labeled him the rumormonger.
Finding themselves in the thick of gossip, and not in immediate danger, the locals descending the mountain quietly inched closer, intending to eat the melons before leaving. A few players who hadn't secured a quest but had still managed to arrive took the opportunity to sell melon seeds, peanuts, and candy among the crowd, earning a profit while observing the situation. If things were going badly for Shopkeeper Mei, they would stand by and offer their support, resolutely refusing to let the atmosphere and public opinion be swayed by that despicable father and son.
Since open flames are prohibited on the mountain, the player's tea stall couldn't be moved up the mountain. However, the player had plenty of strength, and since open flames were not allowed, he brewed tea at the foot of the mountain and carried the teapot up the mountain to sell it. After all, when watching the fun, people's mouths can't be idle, and they always want to eat or drink something.
"Qian Zhang..." The old man, who had just spoken when he was confronted, looked around and saw that more and more people were gathering to watch the fun. Worried that his son's reputation in the local area would be affected, he quickly softened his tone and tried to argue.
"No, it sounds unlucky. Call me Mei Qianzhang." Shopkeeper Mei pinched his waist and rolled his eyes in annoyance: You come up and ask people to pay you a debt. Are you polite?
"Uh... Mei Qianzhang, look at this matter, aren't you making a big deal out of nothing..."
"Bah! You're not the one being slandered, and you think it's okay, right?" This wasn't said by Shopkeeper Mei, but by the players standing behind her. Their mission was to help Shopkeeper Mei argue. Swearing or not didn't matter; the key was to show off their power and convince the surrounding locals that they were in the right.
Shopkeeper Mei: It sounds cool to argue with a group of scholars, but since we can fight in a group, why should I fight alone?
"Hey? You're just a little girl, why do you talk like that? We..." The old man felt embarrassed and couldn't help but put on an attitude as if he was teaching the younger generation a lesson.
"What's wrong? Do you think you can act like a father and teach people a lesson just because you're old? What's wrong with a little girl talking? You don't dare to intervene when a young man talks, right?" The player who spoke just now sneered.
"you……"
"What are you talking about? You pretend to be such a decent person, but I don't see how well you educate your son! Not only do you not have the ability to find a bride, but you even spread rumors and create trouble, using moral blackmail. You have to have both ability and character, tsk tsk tsk..."
The first player made a smooth appearance, rebuking the old man until he was pale and retreated. The other players applauded enthusiastically, their expressions serious, as if they were listening to a speech by a military leader. The natives standing opposite the old man's son were left bewildered, and some were almost led into applauding as well.
While some players felt the man's words were a bit too gentle, no one wanted to embarrass their teammates at this moment. After the applause, the player who had spoken first ran to the other end of the group with steady steps. The player standing next to her moved to her previous position and flashed a sharp smile at the old man and his son: "Wake up! It's hunting time!"
The old man and his son, who were being stared at, said: "What do you mean? Are you planning to have a round-robin battle? Is that really necessary? It's just a few boasts."
"You...you! How can that be called a rumor? My son is Xiao Qianzhang's savior..." The old man glanced at his son and was about to kick him, but suddenly remembered something and raised his voice.
"Ha, him? Save lives?" Without waiting for Shopkeeper Mei to answer, the natives who were watching the excitement on the side couldn't help but make a surprised sound: Him?
"You really believe it? They're both the same person. They have no real skills, but they love to brag. They say they saved a life, but it's probably just that they tripped over a rock while walking and stepped on an ant."
"Hey, you're right! It does smell like that!"
The roar of laughter nearly snapped Shopkeeper Mei, who was about to curse. He pressed down the corners of his mouth, sneered, and raised his voice again: "Don't flatter yourself! I've almost finished the job, and he's out to grab the head. Then he puts on this condescending air, calling himself the savior. And when I refuse to buy it, he spreads rumors that I have feelings for him... You family really want everything but face!" Wuxia novels certainly have those scenes where the savior shows off his skills, but is his son's actions the same? The protagonist eliminates evil, and his son steals heads; the protagonist comforts survivors, and his son spreads rumors; the protagonist doesn't demand the beneficiary's hand in marriage, and his son uses public opinion to force a robbery... Ha!
Shopkeeper Mei: I can save myself, and I know I have the ability to take revenge. Who asked you to be so hypocritical, to act like a condescending benefactor, to steal the credit and even the people? It's truly disgusting!
"Oh, now that you mention it, it seems like something they would do!" The player selling tea waited for an opportunity to speak.
The crowd nodded when they heard this: "Well, this makes sense." Although they didn't say this themselves, it sounded completely correct!
Shopkeeper Mei sounded the charge, and the players followed closely, attacking the old man and his son, who was the subject of the incident. Because too many people talking at once would be chaotic, everyone lined up and took turns speaking. The war of words the old man and his son had feared finally became a reality.
The old man's son's companion tried to mediate, saying that they could discuss the matter. However, when asked, "Do you support him because you have done the same thing before?", he suddenly didn't want to say anything: Forget it, he's just a drinking buddy. Don't let him ruin your chances of getting married.
The quarrel was not going away, so the natives, reluctant to leave, simply sat in the pavilion, drinking tea and eating while watching the fun. There were quite a few natives climbing the mountain, and the pavilion soon filled with people who pretended to enjoy the cool air but were actually watching the fun, including a few energetic children.
Because tea was so cheap, the teapots carried by the players quickly sold out. Seeing that no one wanted to leave anytime soon, the players simply went back down the mountain to fill another pot of tea and sell it. Seeing a business opportunity, a few locals also picked up some small items and snacks that could be sold and came to join in the fun, making a small profit.
Jinshan used to be mostly quiet and solemn, rarely seeing loud noises. But today, a quarrel erupted into a frenzy. An elderly man, who had just paid his respects at the general's grave, was unaccustomed to the scene and subconsciously poked the stone steps with his cane. "How disgraceful! How disgraceful!"
"Oh, mother, what's wrong with that? Maybe the general likes the lively and bustling atmosphere?" The daughter of the old man with white hair did not think there was anything wrong with the scene in front of her: Aren't the soldiers fighting outside just to allow their relatives in their hometown to laugh and have fun?
"Oh, you guys." The old man shook his head as he looked at the two groups of people quarreling, but the corners of his mouth rose unconsciously: "This is not the same thing..." General, Sijin County is also a peaceful and harmonious day today.
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