Chapter 111 Confiscating the Teahouse I don't need you to teach me how to be a...
Inside the Sanqing Hall, Emperor Qing's voice was indifferent, with a hint of mockery: "According to you, it would be petty of me to pursue this matter."
Li Zhen hurriedly knelt on the ground, "Father, I dare not. But that tea lady is quite popular now, and besides, her actions are costly and laborious, so they are a good deed and have also solved a problem for the court."
As he spoke, he observed the emperor's expression. "Therefore, her actions have been used as a pretext for criticism. I believe that the court should instead reward her at this time to demonstrate the magnanimity of our dynasty."
Listening to Li Zhen recount his words in a roundabout way, Emperor Qing couldn't help but laugh in exasperation. But upon closer reflection, it was indeed the best solution at the moment.
Firstly, since the teahouse lady currently enjoys popular support, it's not advisable to do anything to her.
Secondly, while the nursery rhyme was indeed despicable, it was not written by the teahouse lady. If she were punished because of this, it would make the emperor appear magnanimous.
Moreover, when the officials argued endlessly and not a single one offered a solution to the disaster, they watched helplessly as the victims flooded into the capital. This young lady's generous donations actually helped him relieve the suffering of his people, thus buying him time to allocate funds to the disaster areas one by one.
Of course, Zhen'er just said that this woman is Chen Junbai's wife. Chen Junbai has donated money to the court many times, and the war in the south was still being supported by the donations from the salt merchants of Lianghuai. To punish his wife for this matter shows that the emperor can distinguish between what is more important and what is less important.
However, no matter what, Emperor Qing felt that he had been somewhat coerced into making this decision, and he was quite upset.
Seeing his own son bring the matter to the forefront, he couldn't pretend to be stupid at all. With nowhere to vent his anger, he lashed out at his son.
"Get out, get out, get out!" He smashed the paperweight on the table onto Li Zhen's forehead, causing blood to gush out. Li Zhen felt a burning sensation before his eyes and his vision became blurry.
"I don't need you to teach me how to be an emperor. Get out!"
Upon seeing this, Emperor Qing couldn't help but regret hitting someone so hard. He had only wanted to vent his anger, but he ended up hitting someone instead. After scolding the person, he ordered them to leave.
After Li Zhen left, Xu Fangtong bowed and entered the room. After receiving some instructions, he withdrew.
Before the news could even get out, the teahouse in Liyang had already been raided by government officials.
"Go, go, go!" The yamen runners rushed in, shooing away the tea drinkers.
"Sir," Youfeng mustered his courage and stepped forward, "Sir, what is the matter?"
The leading constable glared at him with disdain, "Who are you?"
Youfeng swallowed hard. "I'm the manager of this teahouse."
To everyone's surprise, the constable's eyes flashed, and he glanced at her, "So you're the manager of this teahouse?"
"That's right..."
The constable lowered his gaze and gave his reason: "Someone reported that your shop is harboring a murderer!"
Upon hearing this, the onlookers who were still stunned in the store rushed out like a tide.
Who would dare stay in a place where someone has a life at stake? It's just a tea break; it's not worth risking your life.
"Sir, sir, could there be a misunderstanding?"
The man snorted coldly, shoved Youfeng aside forcefully, and rushed into the shop.
Caught off guard, Youfeng was knocked to the ground by a blow.
When Li Yang and Chen Junbo were heading back, they saw that their shop was full of people running out. Some had lost their shoes, some were pushing the people in front of them straight out, and some women and children were even pushed to the ground.
The two rushed back into the shop and saw Youfeng lying on the ground, her head seemingly hitting the counter. She was clutching her forehead, looking pained.
Many of the tables, chairs, and dishes in the shop were overturned, and the yamen runners, dressed in official robes, rampaged through the shop.
"Youfeng!" Li Yang shook off Chen Junbai's hand, stepped forward to help Xiaolu up, and carefully checked her for injuries. "Are you alright?"
"It's nothing." Youfeng hissed in cold air. "Young Madam, these officials said someone reported that our shop is harboring a murderer. I told them I didn't, but they wouldn't listen." She pointed at the leader.
Li Yang's eyes were bloodshot. He strode forward and rushed to the man. "You're their leader?"
"Who are you?" The constable's face was cold. He seemed to be amazed when he saw Li Yang, but quickly regained his cold expression.
"You're saying there's a murderer in this shop?" Li Yang's words escaped between his teeth.
The constable seemed unwilling to speak to her further, turning his face away from her.
"Speak!" Li Yang shouted at the man, not knowing where the courage came from.
The man seemed to have found something interesting, and sneered at Li Yang, "Young lady, I advise you not to meddle in other people's business."
Li Yang was so angry he laughed. "Then I should thank this official."
The man simply smiled.
"If the murderer is not found today, what will the officials do!" Li Yang shouted these words at the top of her lungs, raising her voice and causing the onlookers at the shop entrance to shout as well.
"That's right!"
"They smashed so many things in someone's store, what is this?"
Seeing the crowd of people surging towards the gate, the constable glared at Li Yang and said, "Madam, don't cause trouble here!"
"Who is causing trouble? Why doesn't this official dare to answer? If the murderer isn't found here, what will happen to him today?!" Li Yang blocked his way, preventing him from leaving.
The people at the gate, who had been terrified by the yamen runners, were now filled with indignation after they came to their senses.
Seeing how cunning this young lady was, and noticing the growing crowd at the door, the constable cursed inwardly, thinking he was having a really bad day. He shouted "Let's call it a day!" and prepared to lead his men away.
"You think you can just leave!" Li Yang still wouldn't let them go. "Sir, you and your men stormed into the shop and ransacked it, but you didn't catch a single criminal. Instead, the shop was ransacked like a robbery, and you even beat up our shopkeeper. Do you think you can just walk away like that?"
"What do you want!" The leader's expression was fierce, his words laced with threat.
Seeing this, Chen Junbo quickly stepped forward to stop him, half-dragging and half-pulling him, while saying to the yamen runner, "It's all a misunderstanding. Since there's no one to be executed, then we'll respectfully see you off, sir."
Li Yang was about to curse again when he was stopped by someone who covered his mouth and hugged him around the waist.
After the government officials had gone far away and the crowd had gradually dispersed, he released Li Yang. "What are you doing!" Li Yang looked at Chen Junbai angrily.
Chen Junbo tried to calm her down, but Li Yang wouldn't let it go, saying, "If you just let them go like this, who will compensate for the loss of this shop?"
"Zhaozhao!" Chen Junbo pressed her shoulder, trying to calm her down. "This is the capital city. These people have obviously come prepared."
Seeing that Li Yang had stopped muttering curses, he said, "I saw that these people are wearing the uniforms of the Imperial Guard. Why don't we ask my maternal grandfather? Maybe he can find out what's going on."
"Yes, yes, yes." Li Yang, having recovered his senses, tapped his head. "The store is smashed like this!" He added with a hint of regret.
Chen Junbo smiled and said, "It's alright, let them tidy it up, they'll make it back."
He then sent someone to the Zhuang residence to deliver the message.
The next morning at court, Emperor Qing was troubled by Miao Xiang's matter.
The Ji family accused the teahouse lady of stirring up trouble by spreading the "Shuoshu Song" and harboring malicious intentions. The Zhuang family said that yesterday, the Imperial Guards, under the pretext of searching for a murderer, stormed into the shop and vandalized it, causing a huge commotion between the two sides.
Emperor Qing: "Enough! This isn't a place for me to settle a case involving that teahouse!"
Xu Fangtong glanced at him, then silently lowered his head and remained silent.
"You!" Emperor Qing pointed at Li Zhen, "I'm entrusting this matter to you. Don't let the people's hearts be chilled, and don't let those who spread rumors get away with it."
At this moment, he regretted not listening to his son yesterday and ending the matter as soon as possible. Today, his courtiers, for some reason, seemed to have agreed to keep the conversation focused on the Miaoxiang Tea House.
He was getting a headache listening to this; his trusted advisors were talking about such trivial matters. He quickly passed the matter on to his second son, hoping to have some peace and quiet.
Li Zhen looked terrible today; he was wearing a headband, but the wound on his forehead was still half-exposed. Upon hearing Emperor Qing's words, he repeatedly agreed, "That tea lady is helping the disaster victims and relieving the court's burdens; your son will certainly live up to her expectations."
Emperor Qing's anger flared up again at his words: "Is that what I meant? You've failed in your mission!" But in the end, he just snorted coldly, glanced at him, and let it go.
The morning court session finally ended, and Lord Ji returned to his residence, only to find his two wives eagerly awaiting his letter. He took two deep breaths, then slapped Lady Ji across the face, shouting, "What's going on with the Imperial Guards!"
Mrs. Ji was caught off guard when her husband suddenly attacked her in front of her sister. She covered half of her face with a resentful expression.
He stammered, "W-what's wrong?"
"Hmph, what's wrong!" Lord Ji was still furious. "Stupid woman! Do you think I don't know? Didn't you contact the Imperial Guards? Today you made me lose face in the palace, and that Gao family got the benefit. I want to eat your flesh!"
Upon hearing this, Madam Ji was greatly alarmed and immediately cast a venomous glance at her sister.
Madam Zhang knew immediately that she had caused trouble.
It was precisely because she was resentful that Li Yang was able to open a teahouse in the capital and break free from her control that she instigated her sister to find someone to cause trouble at the teahouse so that it would be shut down.
He couldn't help but mutter to himself, "It was always like this back in Songshan Town..."
Lord Ji glared at her fiercely, but there was still a distance between them, and he only spoke with sarcasm, "Is the capital like Songshan Town? Don't bring the manners of Songshan Town to the capital. If Zhang Youdao doesn't understand this, there's no need for him to come to the capital."
Upon hearing this, Madam Zhang quickly knelt beside her sister, pleading, "Brother-in-law, brother-in-law, please don't be angry. Brother-in-law, please help us."
She was slightly less attractive than Lady Ji, and usually had a smooth life in the Zhang household. Her elegant demeanor was still evident on her face. But now, seeing the beautiful woman with tears in her eyes, Lord Ji's anger flared up. He snorted and left the two of them behind, heading to his concubine's room.
Madam Ji felt relieved to have escaped a calamity, but she was still furious that Lord Ji had slapped her in front of her sister. "I can't interfere in your family's affairs. You should go back to Songshan Town as soon as possible."
Madam Zhang panicked, "Sister, sister, it was my fault, I've implicated you. Sister, I bought the ruby headdress I saw at Cai Die Xuan that day, and I was just about to give it to you."
You can't get an official position without spending money. Madam Zhang's actions finally appeased Madam Ji's anger.
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