Without exception, everyone is condemning Zhou Laocai.
The head constable put his index finger to his lips.
Get everyone to stop making noise.
Everyone was very accommodating.
“Everyone knows how safe and secure Shuangqiao Town is. We would never slander or wrong anyone! If Zhou’s shop dares to sell poisonous ice jelly, then his shop will definitely be shut down. We will also report to the magistrate for a decision. But things always need to be investigated. Manager Yan, could you allow us to investigate your backyard to see if Zhou’s ice jelly is the same as the one in your shop?”
A familiar-looking head constable walked up to Yan Xia.
It was obvious that he recognized Yan Xia as well.
He wore a friendly smile, as if afraid of frightening the poor woman.
“Yes! I have a clear conscience, officers. Please search us. We are all residents of Shuangqiao Town, part of this community. I trust you and will cooperate with you. You have always been fair and will surely restore my innocence! I have several children and run my business honestly. I never cheat or dishonestly. Go ahead and search us!”
These words made the officers feel very comfortable and brought them closer together.
So the officials first went to Zhou's shop, retrieved the ice jelly jar, and then went to the backyard of Yan's pastry shop.
Because the place was small, three officials were sent to the backyard to drag out the ice jelly vat.
Guihua and Jinfu followed with worried expressions.
"It's alright, Mother is here. You all just stay in the shop."
Yan Xia patted her daughter's hand, telling her to go back.
Then he walked back into the crowd.
The volume of the vat and the can varies greatly.
It's like ancestors and grandsons.
Open the two lids.
Yan's ice jelly and Zhou's ice jelly appeared before everyone at the same time.
One is brown granules, and the other is light beige powder; they are quite different.
The head constables each grabbed a handful and smelled them.
Yan's ice jelly has little flavor, while Zhou's ice jelly has a faint mushroom flavor and a sweet aroma; they are completely different things.
"Look, is this the same thing? How dare you frame me for poisonous ice powder and slander my precious daughter, saying she's impure? Ask the customers in my shop. My daughter Guihua comes to the shop every morning and never leaves. How is she impure? Why should a perfectly good girl be slandered like this? Sir, you must stand up for me! I can't bear the blame for every insult I receive! This isn't the first time they've done this. Last time, they tried to make my flower cakes, but they turned out terribly. People pointed fingers at them and demanded refunds. Everyone in the village knows this. You can ask them if you don't believe me."
As soon as Yan Xia finished speaking, many people around her began to echo her.
"Exactly, I also bought their flower cakes, they were awful, thank goodness I got a refund."
"The food at Zhouji Shop used to be quite delicious. But since Zhou Laocai came to manage the shop, not only have the prices increased, but the taste is also not as good as before. I don't know if they've cut corners."
"These are not the same thing at all! If you're going to frame someone, at least find a similar ice jelly. Don't make people laugh their heads off! Officer, the facts are clear, everyone has seen it. Please arrest this old bastard Zhou Laocai and throw him in jail! He poisoned the people, how can we let this kind of unscrupulous merchant get away with it!"
Zhou Laocai panicked completely.
"No, this really is the ice jelly from Yan's shop. How come it's different? Son, go find your little friend and let him explain."
As soon as Zhou Yiliu arrived at the shop, he found a crowd gathered there.
His own father was so frightened that his hair fell out.
I was just about to ask Dad what had happened.
Then he saw his father grabbing him like a madman.
“Sir, this ice jelly was given to me by my son’s friend. He is the lover of the Yan family’s daughter. Everything I said is true. He definitely gave me this ice jelly. It has nothing to do with me. I know nothing about this poisonous ice jelly. He said that the Yan family’s daughter gave him this jar of ice jelly. If you don’t believe me, arrest him and ask him.”
So the officials went to the brothel and arrested Zheng Yangliu.
This man was a habitual visitor to brothels and similar places. Zhou Yiliu only revealed a few locations, and they caught him very quickly.
Zheng Yangliu had been drinking and partying all night and was still in a daze.
He was only brought back to his senses after the officials poured a bucket of ice-cold well water on him.
"You audacious scoundrel, did you sell the poisoned ice powder to Manager Zhou? Tell me, where did the ice powder come from!"
When the head constable got angry, the scar on his face looked particularly frightening.
Zheng Yangliu had never seen such a scene before; her legs were trembling, and she was no longer sleepy.
"What poisonous ice jelly? This is edible ice jelly. I tasted it, and Manager Zhou tasted it too. We're both perfectly fine. It has nothing to do with me. I don't know anything. Manager Zhou sent me to seduce Guihua. I knew nothing about it. I was just following his orders. He told me to win over the daughter of the owner of Yan's Pastry Shop, to get the pastry recipes from her, and to take her virginity and get her pregnant with my child. He said he'd reward me with two taels of silver, but I can hardly even see Guihua's face. I bought this ice jelly in an alley. It was sold by an old woman. You can go and see for yourselves. But she said she'll only sell it on the 8th and 15th of each month from now on."
Ignoring Zhou Laocai's objections, Zheng Yangliu confessed everything.
On one hand, I was afraid, and on the other hand, I had drunk too much.
As the saying goes, alcohol emboldens the timid.
He felt that as long as he explained himself clearly, this matter would no longer be his concern.
"Is that so? Today happens to be the eighth day of the month. Come on, take us to the alley entrance."
When the officials left, they politely helped Yan Xia move the ice jelly jar back to its original place. They looked intimidating, but they were actually quite kind.
Yan Xia thought they were very cute.
Since the ice jelly is inconsistent, this matter is no longer her concern.
Yan Xia returned to the shop and began baking flower cakes and peach shortbread.
As usual, I sold ice jelly today, which took a long time; the shop didn't open until this morning.
Business is much better than yesterday.
There were also quite a few new customers, and a few familiar faces—the very people who had been watching the show in the crowd this morning.
It's practically free advertising for her shop.
Now everyone knows that her shop never sells leftover pastries, and that her products are clean and hygienic, and that the shopkeeper is a good person.
On the other side, the officials escorted Zheng Yangliu and his son Zhou Laocai to the alley and waited there for a day.
Of course, they didn't see the old woman.
Zheng Yangliu was so frightened that she trembled all day.
The three were imprisoned and awaited their fate.
Zhouji's shop was also forced to close.
Zhou Laocai's cousin was traveling in the next county when he heard about this and rushed back.
He brought a new accountant and checked the ledgers for three days.
I was furious.
"That son of a bitch, he actually embezzled so much money from my shop. No wonder he has money to buy a house. Does he really think I'll let this go? I'll make sure he pays the price!"
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