Chapter 28: Got What He Deserved【VIP】
"Is Chef Ma here? I'm from Zeng's Tofu Shop, and I'm here to bring you some food."
Zeng Shiqiang followed his servant holding an oil-paper umbrella. As soon as he entered the yard, he saw Chen Yao hiding from the rain under the eaves.
Oh, what a narrow road for enemies to meet.
But today is a good opportunity for her to show off her skills. He can also make Ruyi dishes!
Through the rain, the two siblings naturally saw Zeng Shiqiang's arrogant look.
Huang Dongsheng gripped the carrying pole tightly in his hand, staring at the person coming. As long as Chen Yao gave the order, he would rush out and beat Zeng Shiqiang and his servant.
Chef Ma came out of the kitchen, lifted the straw raincoat covering the wheelbarrow, nodded to the waiter behind him, and two large baskets of bean sprouts on the cart were moved into the kitchen.
Pay the money and get the goods.
Zeng Shiqiang fished a handful of copper coins from his sleeve and stuffed them into Chef Ma's pocket with a flattering smile. "It's so cold out here, Chef Ma, you need a bowl of wine to warm yourself up after work. Consider it my treat."
Chef Ma wiped his greasy hands and took it. Naturally, he also saw the two siblings hiding from the rain. Not only did he not take them seriously, but he also reminded them to leave quickly if the rain subsided so as not to delay their work.
Huang Dong's cheeks puffed up with anger. How could Chef Ma do this?
"Oh, isn't this Madam Chen? Long time no see. Are you here to deliver goods to Shopkeeper Ren?" Zeng Shiqiang glanced at the siblings while holding an oil-paper umbrella.
Without waiting for Chen Yao to reply, he scoffed again, "It's raining so hard, I advise you to hurry home. My Zeng's tofu shop sells Ruyi vegetables every day, rain or shine. There's no need for you to bring them from the countryside."
"You..." Huang Dongsheng raised the carrying pole in his hand and was about to hit Zeng Shiqiang on the forehead.
Chen Yao reached out to stop him, looking at the string of copper coins in Zeng Shiqiang's hand with contempt in her eyes: "Shopkeeper Zeng is willing to lower the price and disrupt the market to do this business with Shopkeeper Ren. You are the one who suffers. I just hope that Shopkeeper can keep this business going for a long time."
"Hehe, I'm afraid you don't know, but other restaurants in Qingfeng Town have also signed contracts with me. Don't waste your time. Just go back and farm your land well." Zeng Shiqiang boasted arrogantly.
As soon as he finished speaking, he heard hurried footsteps coming from upstairs.
Everyone looked back and saw the waiter coming out to invite Zeng Shiqiang into the private room to talk, and handed an oil-paper umbrella to Chen Yao and her brother.
This is the principle of seeing off guests, how could the brother and sister not understand it.
Huang Dongsheng suppressed his anger, picked up his load, walked into the rain and strode away.
Chen Yao took the oil-paper umbrella and thanked the waiter, then caught up with her cousin and held the umbrella for him.
Zeng Shiqiang watched the brother and sister disappear, then followed the waiter into the private room to talk to Manager Ren.
"Cousin, how could Shopkeeper Ren do this? He clearly did the business with us first. If he wants more Ruyi dishes, just tell us. It's not like we can't make it for him."
Huang Dongsheng carried the load and left the alley side by side with his cousin.
Chen Yao took her cousin's arm to help him shelter from the rain. Seeing that there were few people walking on the street, she offered some comfort.
Merchants are profit-driven and naturally want to buy the same goods at the lowest price. What's more, Manager Ren did not break the contract with them and still accepted their Ruyi vegetables and bean curd sheets.
"Cousin, we've seen this happen before. The vegetable vendors in the East Market also compete with each other. Now it's just our turn."
He knew the reason, but he was still angry: "Then we have no other choice, then the Zeng family lowered the price of Ruyi vegetables, should we also lower the price?"
Chen Yao took Huang Dongsheng's arm and turned into Liushui Street. She handed the oil-paper umbrella and small bamboo basket to her cousin and stood under the eaves, looking at the burden. "Go to Zeng's house to buy some Ruyi vegetables. I'll wait for you here."
Although Huang Dongsheng was a little confused, he still did as he was told. He held up an oil-paper umbrella to shield his face and bought three pounds of Ruyi vegetables from the tofu stall for one cent. He was so angry that he almost scolded the Zeng family woman for being shameless on the spot.
The Ruyi vegetable costs one cent per pound, but they sell it for three pounds for only one cent. This is clearly targeting them. How can they do business in the East Market?
The brother and sister looked at the Ruyi vegetables in the bamboo basket and their expressions changed immediately.
This comparison shows that the two Ruyi dishes are very different.
A good Ruyi dish should be plump and bright, with a fresh bean aroma.
But the Ruyi vegetables sold by the Zeng family are not only of different lengths and thicknesses, but also have black spots on the bean curd. Most importantly, if you smell them carefully, there is a sour and smelly smell.
"Cousin, is the Ruyi vegetable sold by the Zeng family spoiled? Should we return it?" He spent a penny on it, and he couldn't let this black-hearted woman make a profit.
"It's not bad. I think he made too much and didn't soak it in water, so it piled up. If it's piled up for too long, people will get stomach upset if they eat it."
"They still sell it to people to eat. I'll go find them." Huang Dong angrily opened his oil-paper umbrella and went to find the woman to return the money.
Chen Yao did not stop him. The scolding from a distance and the support from the shop next door made Huang's penny come back.
"Let's go home."
Now that things have come to this, they should just do their own business.
The heavy rain lasted for three days, and the ground was filled with abundant water, so the crops sprouted.
On this day, the sky was clear,
Shen Qingshan leaned against the head of the bed, answering the villagers' questions one by one, and did not let his daughter speak up at this time.
To the outside world, it was his idea to plant winter wheat.
"Ayao's father, are you sure your winter wheat will have a good yield?"
"We'll see if it works next year. If it does, we can rent more land and won't have to worry about taxes next year."
Shen Qingshan's words touched everyone's heart. The main reason for their visit today was not this matter.
At this time of year in previous years, everyone would chop firewood and take it to the outskirts of Qingfeng Town to sell. They could buy a large bundle for one cent. Even if no one bought it, they could still take it home for their own use.
If they can plant winter wheat next year, they will have a bigger harvest.
You said let them go to the city to find work?
But in the hearts of these honest farmers, they are reluctant to even pay the entrance fee to the city. Even if they enter the city, no one will hire them without connections.
Chen Yao listened to the adults talking and could understand the helplessness of the tenant farmers from their words. Due to their limited knowledge, they were unable to break free from the shackles that bound them.
Chen Yao stood up and refilled everyone's cups with hot soy milk. "Uncle and aunt, if you don't have any heavy work to do at home this winter, you can let the children have supper and come to my house to learn reading and math. Maybe they will be useful someday in the future."
The neighbors sitting in the house were all surprised, and some even stood up and held Chen Yao's hand.
"Ayao, this is true. Uncle is incompetent and can't afford the salary for the time being. Can you let Maodan come?"
"Of course it's true, as long as the children in the village are willing to learn." Chen Yao replied.
"My daughter Hua Niu can even write her own name now. A Yao and Wen Ying are kind enough not to accept money, but we adults can't be shameless. Can't we give her some firewood and wicks?" Hua Niu's mother reminded everyone.
Shitou's father also said, "We have to let the children bring their own sandboxes and benches. The Shen family is doing business now, so we have to tell our children not to mess around."
These words made everyone present look at each other in bewilderment, and also made some people give up their shady thoughts.
"Yes, that's right."
The group sat in the room for a while and then said goodbye to Shen Qingshan.
Chen Yao stood up, collected the bowls and returned to the kitchen.
Yang Wenying was tumbling the dried bean curd sheets in the winnowing basket. Seeing her come in, she asked, "Are you really planning to let your cousin Dongsheng handle the business of the dried bean curd sheets and Ruyi dishes?"
Chen Yao nodded. It had been raining these days and they couldn't do business in the East Market, but they could still get some information by going into the city to deliver goods to the restaurant.
The Ruyi vegetables at Zeng's tofu stall have attracted more customers because they are sold at a low price.
In the past, she was afraid that others would guess that the Ruyi vegetables and bean curd sheets were made from soybeans, so she and her cousin sold them separately. Now that Zeng Shiqiang has disrupted the market, there is no need for her to hide them anymore.
It would be better to let her cousin carry it and sell it, so that she can have more time to reel silk and do other things at home.
"Just think it through." Yang Wenying gently kicked away the chicks following her. "I've moved all my bedding into your room. If too many people come tomorrow, there won't be enough benches."
Chen Yao has discussed the matter of setting up a school with everyone in her family. If the children in the village can learn to read and do math, they will need to recruit more people when their silk reeling business expands in the future.
Instead of recruiting unfamiliar people, it is better to help neighbors in the same village.
Moreover, regarding this matter, Chen Yao also asked her parents to reveal some information to Hua Niu and Shitou's parents in advance, otherwise they would not have cooperated so tacitly today.
"Don't worry, Stone Dad has already told everyone that they will bring their own benches and sandboxes."
"Okay, then it's a deal. I'll teach them how to read and you'll teach them math. You won't be lazy this time."
Chen Yao said yes three times in a row, and only then did Yang Wenying let her go.
When Huang Dongsheng learned that he was the only one to take charge of the family business, he was not afraid. Instead, he assured everyone that he could definitely do a good job in this business.
It’s just that the Ruyi vegetables he brought out every day could not be sold out, but this made him more and more courageous.
Now, the retribution for Zeng’s shop has come.
Just a few days after the weather cleared up, many people in the city suffered from diarrhea. At first, they thought they had caught a cold, but later they went to the pharmacy and found out that it was caused by eating rotten food.
At its root, the source of the problem was found.
On that day, many people who were suffering from vomiting and diarrhea came to Zeng's shop and made a scene. Some even reported the matter to the authorities. The government office also sent officers to seal up Zeng's shop and arrest Zeng Shiqiang.
Zeng Shiqiang avoided the main issue and only said in court that he was careless and sold the spoiled Ruyi vegetables by mistake. He also revealed the names of several restaurants he had cooperated with, and finally did not forget to blame Chen Yao and her brother.
When Liu Chuang was ordered to go to the East Market to find Huang Dongsheng, he told him about this matter. Huang Dongsheng was so scared that his legs went weak and he kept cursing, but he still carried his own burden and went there.
"Officer Liu, this matter has nothing to do with my sister and me. Long before, I warned the Zeng family woman that there was something wrong with the Ruyi vegetables she was selling, and she even teamed up with the owner of the neighboring shop to scold me."
Liu Chuang had known Huang Dongsheng for a while, so he was confident in what he said. He reminded him, "When we get to the court, tell the master everything. If you can prove that your Ruyi vegetables are different from those sold by the Zeng family, we can clear your name."
Huang Dongsheng's eyes lit up when he heard this, and he began to think: "Officer Liu, I can prove that my Ruyi vegetables are all in the basket."
When the two arrived at the court, Huang Dongsheng put down his burden, kowtowed to the chief official and stated his identity. He took out his own Ruyi dishes and stammered out the differences between the two families.
Manager Ren was kneeling by and listening with cold sweat. In order to protect the reputation of the restaurant, he also stood up to testify for Huang Dongsheng.
When Zeng Shiqiang heard that Manager Ren wanted to abandon him, his eyes turned bloodshot and he handed over the contract they had signed. Even if Manager Ren wanted to escape, he had no excuse.
The matter has been made clear. What the people ate was the Ruyi dish sold by Zeng's shop, and it had nothing to do with what Huang Dongsheng sold, so Huang Dongsheng was let go.
Huang Dongsheng was standing in the crowd with his load on his shoulder. When he heard that the officials had ordered the Zeng family to pay compensation to the people and give them twenty lashes of the cane as a warning to others, he was so happy that he clapped his hands along with everyone else.
As for the three cooperating restaurants, each was fined 20 taels of silver and the money was confiscated, and the government purchased medicinal materials to treat the people.
Several shopkeepers were not beaten with a stick. Although they were fined, they were already filled with gratitude and hurried out of the county government office with their tails between their legs.
As mere merchants, how could they dare to challenge the government? Naturally, they would just do whatever the government said.
"Nephew, nephew, wait for me!" As soon as Manager Ren came out of the county government office, he shouted Huang Dongsheng in the crowd.
When the remaining two shopkeepers saw what Shopkeeper Ren did, their eyes rolled around and they stepped forward to block Huang Dongsheng in place.
"Ren, Manager Ren, what are you doing?" Huang Dongsheng was carrying a load on his shoulder, looking puzzled.
Manager Ren took Huang Dongsheng's arm and said enthusiastically, "Nephew, since such a big thing happened today, you should come to my restaurant and have a seat."
"Come to my restaurant. We have the best tea and snacks." Shopkeeper Tong of Chunxianglou and Shopkeeper Li of Manjianglou each pulled one end of a carrying pole.
For a time, Huang Dongsheng became a hot commodity that the three of them were competing for.
When Zeng Shiqiang was beaten with a stick and was carried out by the waiter, he saw Huang Dongsheng holding his chin high and the back of Manager Ren leaving.
This made Zeng Shiqiang so angry that he vomited a mouthful of blood and fainted on the spot.
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