The books that were examined next opened the eyes of the examiners. The various counterfeiting methods were astonishing and at the same time extremely sad.
This is the number one bookstore in the capital. The head of the bookstore behaves so shamefully. One can imagine how filthy the bookstores under his leadership must be.
After checking the last person and book, Zhou Shancai had no more reason to refute that none of the books, calligraphy and paintings checked on the street were authentic, they were all fakes.
The county magistrate asked with a sullen face, slamming the table and demanding, "Zhou Shancai, do you have anything else to say?"
Since it was a done deal, Zhou Shancai naturally had nothing to say.
"Zhou Shancai, the evidence is irrefutable. How can you deny it?" Luo Yan smirked and shouted to the spectators, "Everyone has seen it all. Not a single one of these books is genuine! Jisheng Bookstore is selling inferior goods as genuine, defrauding people of their money and abusing their power to bully them. They are unworthy of being the number one bookstore in the capital. Zhou Shancai is even less worthy of being the head of the bookstore in the capital!"
"I was so upset just now that I was standing up for him. I didn't expect it was all fake! How disgusting!"
"Not only did they fabricate lies and deceive people, they also twisted right and wrong to gain sympathy. Bah! Filthy bastard!"
"The Zhou family is so rich, yet they still commit fraud and defraud money. How greedy! I think Minister Zhou is not a good person either. He might be even greedier than Zhou Shancai!"
Those who play with people's hearts will be bitten by their hearts.
The fraud was exposed to the world, and curses and suspicions immediately filled the air. The spectators who had just spoken up for Zhou Shancai felt deeply deceived, and the saliva they spit out almost drowned Zhou Shancai.
"You're such a ruthless swindler!" Someone threw a pile of rotten vegetable leaves from the crowd, hitting Zhou Shancai squarely. It was like a hole in the riverbank, and the people picked up whatever scraps were on the ground and threw them at the Zhou family, sending them fleeing with their heads in their hands.
Xu Jiang looked back at Dan Si, who patted the mud off his hands and smiled at her.
She gave him a thumbs up, well done!
The old vegetable seller who was watching the excitement on the side was indignant when he heard it. He generously distributed the rotten vegetable leaves to everyone. Finally, he couldn't help but grabbed a handful and threw it hard at the Zhou family.
"You damn liar!"
The county magistrate saw that the smashing was almost complete and was afraid that someone would be killed if it continued, so he ordered the officers to beat the gong to stop.
Zhou Huai was furious and couldn't help but yell, "Yes, we admit to forging the data, but we are not the only ones who forged it. Why are you arresting us and scolding us?"
Zhou Chengwen also said, "That's right." Then he pointed at Luo Yan and said, "Are you guys at Ban Dou Mountain clean? You want to test it? Fine! Then let's test everyone and see who can escape."
After the two boys shouted, Zhou Shancai came to his senses. Rather than let himself become the target of public criticism, it would be better to share the blame. So he said to the county magistrate: "Sir, I want to report it! This half-dou mountain is also fake!"
Then he looked up and pointed at the bookstore owners who had come upstairs with Luo Yan, saying, "And them! Who among them dares to guarantee their innocence? Who hasn't produced a forgery?"
The few people upstairs who were watching the fun were pulled into the water without any warning, and they immediately pointed at Zhou Shancai and cursed him.
If you overturn my stall, I will destroy your job. As he cursed, he exposed the crimes of Jisheng Bookstore, such as bullying the market and exploiting its peers.
Zhou Huai jumped up and yelled at them, "How dare a crow laugh at a pig? If you want to test everyone, test everyone. If you want to investigate everyone, investigate everyone. Let's see who has a clean bottom!"
He hurts the enemy by a thousand and hurts himself by eight hundred. He is a ruthless person who even scolds himself.
Xu Jiang watched them attacking and exposing each other, and couldn't help but look at Lou Yunchun.
Lure them with benefits and harm them with benefits.
With only Dong Shou and the support of Ban Doushan, he was able to hit the mark and destroy the book trading company in the capital without bloodshed. What a powerful tactic.
Lou Yunchun noticed her gaze and looked towards her. Seeing her eyes full of undisguised admiration, he coughed twice and raised his hand to cover the corners of his upturned mouth.
The gong roared wildly, and the county magistrate slammed his desk and roared, "Silence!"
Everyone fell silent.
This matter was no longer a simple gang fight. The evil deeds of bookstores committing counterfeiting and extortion, and bookshops bullying and monopolizing the market were exposed in public. He could no longer pretend to be blind.
However, this matter involved court officials and was beyond the ability of a single county magistrate to resolve. He had to report it to the prefect, who would personally conduct the trial.
Besides, Lou Yunchun is lying over his head now. He doesn't believe that this plague god really comes here to eat. He forces him to check the books on the street. He doesn't want to speculate, nor does he dare to speculate. He can only follow his wishes and do things according to the rules.
As long as he handled the matter properly and submitted it to the prefect, it would no longer be his business, and he would only have to deal with the case of the street fight.
He looked up at Lou Yunchun, then said to the victims who had come to examine the documents, "Follow me back to the county office to record your statements." He then instructed the officers, "Bring Zhou Shancai, Luo Yan, and the others upstairs back to the government office for questioning."
Finally, he pointed at Zhou Huai and the others and said sternly, "Throw all those involved in the fight into jail and don't give them any food. For those seriously injured, hire doctors to treat them. Record all the money spent and don't let me down a cent when I ask for it back later."
"Yes." The officers responded and took action, counting and sorting the relevant people, and then escorted them to the government office.
The chief clerk helped the county magistrate onto his horse. The two of them greeted Lou Yunchun and then led the deceived victim to the yamen to record his statement.
Some visitors who were still eager to watch the excitement also rushed to the government office. The rest went back to their homes, or went to other places in groups, eager to share what they had seen and heard that day.
The spectators dispersed, leaving only the mess on the ground. The waiters and waitresses from the restaurant, as well as the shopkeepers and their helpers from the neighboring shops, came out to clean up, and it didn't take long for the street to be cleared.
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