The aroma of scallions, ginger, and garlic wafted out, and the smoky smell of fish skin lightly fried in hot oil filled the man's nostrils, instantly awakening his cravings.
His face remained disdainful, but he couldn't help but admire in his heart: "Hmph, this shop really has something special. I wonder if it tastes as good as it smells."
About ten minutes later, four of Tian Sangui's signature dishes were laid out on the square table in front of the man.
Spicy fried fish, braised young chicken, stir-fried bamboo shoots, and appetizing smashed cucumber, along with a bowl of rice.
The man's eyes were already fixed on the aroma, and he couldn't resist swallowing his saliva several times without realizing it.
With a skeptical attitude, he picked up his bamboo chopsticks and poked at the tender, jade-green bamboo shoots. He didn't recognize this dish at all and was sure it wouldn't taste good.
Picking up a piece and putting it in my mouth, the unpleasant expression appeared on my face before my taste buds even tasted it.
When your tongue touches the bamboo shoots, the saltiness, carrying the unique flavor of the bamboo shoots, stimulates your taste buds, and you instantly fall in love with this fresh and crisp sensation.
From the ingredients to the taste, the baby bamboo shoots were impeccable, which made the man very angry.
He glanced up slightly, seeing Tian Sangui's dissatisfaction, then turned his chopsticks to the spicy fried fish in the upper left corner. He knew this fish; he had made it before. The meat was tender, but it had many bones.
Ever since that incident, a customer accidentally choked on the food. He was so frightened that he couldn't speak while covering his throat and his face turned from white to liver-colored.
He never dared to make it again. This family was like a newborn calf unafraid of tigers, daring to make this dish in front of him. So they shouldn't blame him for finding fault.
He picked up a piece of fish belly with his chopsticks. It was crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, and smelled delicious. He carefully put it in his mouth, but as soon as he took a bite, it felt like he was pricked by a thorn, and he immediately spat it out.
Tian Sangui was stunned. Had he burned himself on the fish?
This dish was made first, and the temperature was just right when it reached him, not too hot. Why did he react so strongly? Is he allergic to hot food?
As a result, the man slammed the bamboo chopsticks on the ground, clutched his throat, and lay on the ground, writhing in pain.
Just then, the students finished school and quickly headed to Jueweizhai in twos and threes.
"Huh, what's going on?"
"Could it be an epileptic seizure?"
"Ugh...what bad luck!"
Tian Sangui's lips twitched as he listened, and he almost couldn't hold back his laughter.
The man lying on the ground also heard the students' words clearly, and he was so angry that his face turned pale. He secretly glared at those students who had such a foul mouth.
Then, in a hoarse, broken voice, he said, "The fish... is stuck... murder, report it to the authorities for me..."
The man clutched at one of the students' robes in anguish, his face flushed and his eyes pleading with them.
His pained expression inevitably evokes sadness in others.
Everyone then realized that the fish on the table was the culprit.
Some students began to criticize Tian Sangui to his face: "He's really doing a lot of harm. He uses everything as food. Now that people are sick from eating it, they'll be going to jail."
"They'll do anything for money; merchants are just cunning people."
The man secretly chuckled upon hearing this. He figured that once the authorities arrived, he could feign being half-dead, and the shop would be completely ruined. Anyone who tried to steal his business would suffer the same fate.
More and more students gathered at the entrance, all with the mentality of watching a good show. Not a single one ordered food, so Tian Sangui simply decided to enjoy some peace and quiet.
The family members behind her felt extremely aggrieved. They wanted to stand up for their daughter several times, but Tian Sangui saw through their impulsiveness and signaled them to keep their temper in check.
The saying goes, "Strike the snake where it hurts most," otherwise there will be trouble afterward.
Before long, two students who had come to report to the authorities brought two government officials into the shop.
"Who owns this shop?" the officer asked arrogantly.
Zhang immediately pushed Tian Laosi to step forward, but Tian Sangui stopped her and stepped forward himself, bowing and greeting the two soldiers with a smile.
"My lords, I am the manager of this shop, and my name is Tian Sangui."
"You...?" The two men stared at the little girl in front of them, who looked only a few years old. Could she really be in charge? They must be joking.
"Go, go, go, call your manager here."
What can a little girl accomplish?
"That's me. Sir, you may not know this, but kids from the countryside learn to be independent early. If you have any questions, just ask me."
The two were still a little confused, but they had already accepted her explanation. Their ancestors came from the countryside, and it was true that children from poor families had to learn to be independent early.
"Alright, someone reported to the authorities that you murdered a guest. Is that true?"
"Sir, I am the guest she murdered! Look at the fish on the table, it's evidence! I have a bone stuck in my throat, I... I'm going to die..."
As he spoke, the man suddenly released his grip on the soldiers' robes and collapsed to the ground, unconscious.
Everyone's hearts clenched at the sight; could it be that he was truly dead?
"Murder! Soldiers, arrest them immediately! Someone has been killed!" This was a woman's voice from outside the door.
Everyone looked over and saw her standing on the square table, pointing at Tian Sangui's family with a face full of hatred.
"The evidence is conclusive, take them to the county government!"
The officers and soldiers said to their companions, and then the two of them took out hemp ropes and were about to tie Tian Sangui's hands.
The man on the ground suddenly curled his lips into a slight smile, unnoticed by anyone.
The whole family was on the verge of a breakdown, but Tian Sangui remained remarkably calm.
Just as the soldiers were about to touch her hand, she abruptly stopped them: "Wait!"
The officers and soldiers were taken aback, the students looked on with curiosity, the man frowned slightly, and the woman on the table stopped smiling abruptly.
All eyes were on Tian Sangui. What else could she say after all this?
But then she went straight to the square table, picked up her chopsticks, and split the plate of fried fish in chili oil in half, revealing the tender white fish meat to everyone without any concealment.
Her actions undoubtedly left the crowd completely bewildered.
What does this have to do with her plotting against diners? It's just adding fuel to the fire.
Everyone shook their heads. As expected, they were just children, only capable of making meaningless struggles.
Amidst the sighs of the crowd, Tian Sangui put down his bamboo chopsticks.
He boasted, "Everyone, please look carefully. I have already removed the bones from the fish on the plate. Please look carefully and see if there is a single bone that could get stuck in someone's throat."
As soon as she finished speaking, everyone crowded around, especially the two soldiers who were closest. They picked up bamboo chopsticks and repeatedly poked at the tender, white flesh, but couldn't find a single soft thorn.
Now who doesn't understand the reason?
"Impossible. I've cooked this fish before, and I don't believe it doesn't have a single bone."
The one speaking was the man who had been lying on the ground pretending to be dead. In a panic, he jumped up, squeezed to the front of the table, snatched the chopsticks from the soldiers' hands, and started rummaging through the food again.
He checked it over and over again, turning what was originally a whole fish into tiny pieces. Even so, he refused to believe that no one in the world could make a boneless grass carp.
"Damn it, are you trying to mess with me in the middle of the day?"
The officers and soldiers clearly lost patience, holding a knife to the man's sweating neck, their voices grim.
"Sir, I was wrong, sir. I was bewitched by my wife's advice and came here to cause trouble. This morning, I saw that their business was good, and my family hadn't sold a single steamed bun. In my panic, I came up with this terrible idea."
The man, trembling, took out an ounce of silver from his pocket and stuffed it into the soldier's chest.
"Please buy me some wine as an apology, gentlemen! Please forgive me!"
Even the toughest man would be afraid if a knife were held to his throat. If soldiers kill someone, they would only be convicted of manslaughter and get a few lashes before it's over. But if someone dies, everything is over.
It would be such a waste to risk one's life for this family.
After the man revealed the truth, the students exclaimed in shock. What seemed like a murder was actually a deliberate frame-up.
They almost wronged the shopkeeper's family and nearly sent them to jail. Oh, how shameful!
The students who had been shouting the loudest immediately turned and scurried away, their faces flushed with shame.
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