Wu Qingchuang eventually signed the agreement, and so did Dan Si. The situation was stronger than anyone else; unless they decided to quit, they had no choice but to surrender.
Xu Jiang Bookstore was guarded by security guards. Those hooligans peeked around a few times but ultimately did not dare to come forward.
However, they did not come to the bookstore to cause trouble, but stopped customers at the alley entrance. Once, they stopped Lou Yunchun who came back from court early, and he was taken directly to the Dali Temple. They never came back after that.
The ruffians don't come, but the unlucky boss Wu comes every few days.
"Do you think I'm willing to come?" Wu Zhangshi was full of resentment. He glanced at the two strong men behind Xu Jiang and said in a low voice with a panic: "If you save trouble, it will save trouble for all of us."
He is no longer the head of Wanjuanlou, but just a clerk who handles miscellaneous tasks. Zhao Xiu bought him from Zhou Shancai because he was familiar with the affairs of the building.
A new emperor appoints new ministers, and his status is no longer what it used to be.
Moreover, Zhao Xiu hated Zhou Shancai's old friends very much, so he was not welcome and could even scold a kid who had not even grown all his hair.
Now he was assigned to lobby Xu Jiang. If he failed, he would be scolded again when he returned.
Xu Jiang said, "Master Wu, we've been together so many times. I know what kind of person you are, and you should know what kind of person I am. I will not join this book club, and it is not my place to do so."
"What's the meaning?"
"I have been transferred to an official household, and both my bookshop and I are under the supervision of the imperial court. If you really want me to sign the alliance, please ask your shopkeeper Zhao to obtain the imperial edict. Once I receive the edict, I will naturally comply."
"Don't brag!" Manager Wu was skeptical.
"Manager Zhao is incredibly powerful and capable. Wouldn't it be clear if we just let him investigate?"
Manager Wu was really jealous now. How could such a woman and such a small bookstore be able to transfer their registration and ownership? He didn't know what means she used.
Seeing that his persuasion was fruitless, Manager Wu walked away angrily. The more he thought about it, the more unwilling he became, so he turned around and spat at the bookstore a few times.
"Pah, it's called a bookstore, but who knows what kind of shady den it is? What kind of shameful activities are they doing?"
He walked up to Shopkeeper Wang's rice shop, cursing and swearing, and Shopkeeper Wang overheard him. Shopkeeper Wang staggered around and tripped him, sending him sprawling.
"Ouch." Shopkeeper Wang also rolled to the ground and cursed, "Where did this dog come from? Why is it walking so blindly? Look at me bumping into you."
Manager Wu got up, his mouth full of dust and bloody cuts. He hissed in pain and wanted to curse, but the moment he opened his mouth, it hurt so much that he could only mumble a few curses.
Shopkeeper Wang stood up, grabbed him, and raised his fist as if to hit him. "You didn't look where you were going and bumped into someone, and you still dared to curse? I'll smash your mouth!"
Seeing his thick arms and waist, Wu Zhangshi quickly covered his face and howled twice, begging for mercy: "Don't hit me, don't hit me! I'm sorry! Please spare my life!"
He was scared of the beatings he had received in Wanjuan Tower these days. When he saw someone raising a fist, he became like a frightened bird, his whole body trembling.
Shopkeeper Wang just wanted to scare him, but seeing his appearance, he yelled at him in a rough voice, "Get out," and pushed him out.
Manager Wu ran away with his legs swinging like bamboo poles.
The two guards in front of Xu Jiang's gate were watching from afar. Seeing that Manager Wang was quite capable, they couldn't help but give him a thumbs up.
Shopkeeper Wang made a gesture of brotherhood with his hands, and said with a smile that was hard to hide: "No problem, no problem!"
This was something he learned after hanging out with two security guards for a few days.
Xu Jiang heard the commotion outside and came out, only to see the back of Wu Zhangshi running out of the alley. "What's going on?"
Shopkeeper Wang waved his hands proudly, "It's okay, I just chased away a mad dog that was biting people."
After this departure, no one came to Wanjuan Tower again.
The bookstore returned to normal and continued to trade and publish books as usual. Seeing that no one was causing trouble anymore, Xu Jiang wanted to dismiss the two guards, but the guards claimed that Lou Yunchun asked them to continue guarding.
This made her feel that something was wrong, and what was even more wrong was that Lou Yunchun had not been to the bookstore for several days.
She went to Nanshan Academy to ask Master Lin, and was shocked to learn that the imperial court had ordered all government offices to investigate old cases, and several old cases had been uncovered in the two counties.
When these old cases were concluded, they did not comply with the regulations, which implicated Lou Yunchun, the examiner, and led to his impeachment by the Censorate. He is currently under house arrest in the Dali Temple awaiting investigation.
No wonder he hasn't been to the bookstore recently, and no wonder he doesn't allow the guards to be withdrawn.
Xu Jiang was anxious.
Among these old cases, one was a kidnapping case involving Lu Zhen.
Master Lin was sorting out the homework handed in by his students and happened to come across the piece "There is a Fox" copied by Lu Zhen.
Xu Jiang forced herself to remain calm.
She knew Lu Zhen's case better than anyone else. According to the law, he was guilty of human trafficking and should be executed. The government had not made a wrong judgment. What was there to argue about in this case?
Master Lin explained to her, "In addition to the principal perpetrator of Lu Zhen's kidnapping, over twenty accomplices were also apprehended and sentenced to death. Recently, the imperial court ordered all government offices to address unjust, false, and wrongful convictions. However, some pointed out that this case did not conform to the laws of the Great Sheng Dynasty, that the punishments meted out to the accomplices were excessive, and that this was an act of quick success and instant gratification. Consequently, the Wannian County Magistrate, the Jingzhao Prefecture Governor, and the Dali Temple Junior Official who oversaw the case were all impeached by the Censorate."
Xu Jiang asked, "How should the accomplice be sentenced according to the law?"
"Exiled three thousand miles."
"Exile three thousand miles is not much different from the death penalty. Moreover, trafficking in human beings, destroying families and killing people, is a heinous crime. If we don't impose severe punishment, how can we deter those with evil intentions?"
Master Lin shook his head. "The root of this case isn't whether the sentence was excessive, but rather that they were simply looking for an excuse to eliminate dissidents. It's not just this case; all the recent unjust, false, and wrongful convictions uncovered by various government offices have been targeted. Most of the officials impeached were at odds with the Ministry of Personnel and the Ministry of Revenue."
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