Upon hearing this, Zhiyin's brows furrowed instantly. "What the hell?"
"I'm from out of town? So my paperwork is invalid and I have to pay a fee? What fee? I've never heard of having to pay a fee for opening a shop?"
Zhiyin almost laughed in anger as she spoke; she could tell just by thinking about it that there was definitely something fishy going on.
After all, there was no such requirement when I opened the dry pot restaurant and the milk tea shop, and I wasn't hindered by it.
Outsider?
Oh!
What a ridiculous excuse! If you want to make things difficult for someone, why don't you come up with a convincing one?
How come there's a problem right after I refused to offend Young Master Xiao?
She wouldn't believe it if you said that Young Master Xiao wasn't involved!
Upon hearing this, Young Master Xiao's face darkened instantly, and he frowned. He looked apologetically at Zhiyin and said decisively, "It must have been my second brother who did it. His uncle is a clerk under the prefect, so it's probably that clerk who did it!"
Having said that, his expression was full of anger, after all, his confidante had suffered this calamity because of him!
He absolutely couldn't stand idly by, so he looked at Zhiyin seriously and comforted her, "Shopkeeper Zhiyin, don't worry, no matter the cost, I will definitely help you!"
As he spoke, he himself was not really sure, after all, he was just a commoner and did not hold any official position.
Although they have a little money, how can ordinary people fight against officials?
Unless he asks his grandfather for help! If his grandfather goes to the prefect, the prefect will have to give his grandfather some face.
"It's okay, let me think about it!"
Zhiyin frowned, looking worried, and paced back and forth.
This is a really big problem!
I never expected that this second young master would have an uncle who is an official. It's just outrageous!
In an era where official positions were paramount, how could she, a mere ordinary, weak, pitiful, and helpless peasant girl, possibly fight against them?
Before, at least she had Magistrate Jun to protect her in the county, so she wouldn't make things difficult for others because of personal grudges.
In this unfamiliar provincial capital, she was truly helpless and desperate!
Holy crap!
That's really awful!
Is this really the end for me? I'm so unwilling to accept this!
The confidant was furious. At the same time, he witnessed the importance of power in ancient times for the first time and truly realized the power of aristocratic young masters. Power was deeply entrenched, and if one took the slightest wrong step or offended someone, one would be doomed and bullied to death!
That's just too cruel.
"My dear granddaughter, what's wrong? Why are you frowning? Did something happen?"
Just then, Old Huang's familiar yet worried voice rang out.
He patted Zhiyin on the shoulder, looking on with curiosity.
Hearing this voice, Zhiyin felt as if she had found a lifeline. Her eyes lit up instantly, and her anxious heart gradually calmed down.
She's not alone!
She still has her grandfather!
"My dear granddaughter, did someone bully you? Tell Grandpa, and Grandpa will beat him to death! Is it that Xiao Xiao'er again?"
As he spoke, a cold glint flashed in Old Huang's eyes.
Looking into Old Huang's sharp eyes, Zhiyin instantly smiled, her eyes sparkling as she grasped Old Huang's hand. "Hehe, Grandpa, is your official position higher than that of a prefect?"
After saying that, under Old Huang's questioning gaze, she explained the predicament she was currently facing.
Upon hearing this, Old Huang instantly flew into a rage, his entire being becoming extremely agitated. A cold glint flashed in his eyes, and his teeth ground together in a grinding sound. "Fine! Fine! Fine! Fine! Fine!"
"Ha! How dare a mere clerk of a prefect bully my precious granddaughter? He's practically asking for death!!"
After he finished speaking angrily, he looked at Zhiyin with affection, patted her head, and smoothed out her furrowed brows. Only then did he say with satisfaction, "My dear granddaughter, don't frown in the future, it doesn't look good."
"Grandpa is here for you, don't worry. Grandpa won't let you suffer any injustice! Just keep doing what you're doing, and Grandpa promises you, this matter will be resolved soon."
"Yes, Grandpa Huang!!"
Zhiyin nodded excitedly, her eyes filled with emotion, and she even wanted to shed tears, but she managed to hold them back.
I'm so lucky to have met such a lovely old man.
Although they were not related by blood, she knew that Mr. Huang genuinely cared about her, and she was truly touched.
"Hahaha, don't be obsessed with Grandpa, Grandpa's gone!!"
When Huang Lao saw the tears glistening in his confidant's eyes, his heart clenched for a moment, and he became even angrier.
How could his precious granddaughter be wronged? That damned prefect, his advisor, and that so-called second young master!
After he finished speaking with a laugh, he hurriedly took Ziyou away.
As soon as he stepped out of the theater, the smile on his face vanished, his sharp black eyes flashed with an eerie light, and his aura became terrifying.
He glanced at Ziyou, then shouted loudly into the empty air. Soon, dozens of men in black appeared before him like ghosts.
They all knelt on one knee in unison and respectfully called out, "Please give your orders, Master!"
"Go and break both of Young Master Xiao's legs, teach him a lesson!"
"Go and investigate whether that prefect has done anything that violates the laws and regulations of the imperial court."
"You, go and investigate the prefect's clerk..."
…
Old Huang pointed to four or five people in one breath and ordered them to thoroughly investigate everything.
He didn't believe that an ordinary clerk could have such great abilities!
They must have done this kind of thing many times before. He didn't believe that the prefect hadn't been pushing things along. He guessed that the prefect had used this excuse to make things difficult for people many times before!
Or they might use their position as prefect to bully and oppress the weak and vulnerable!
The thought that many people who had no money and could only make a living by doing small businesses were forced to hand over silver to the government every month would only make their already precarious families even worse off.
He was furious when the government used all sorts of fabricated charges to exploit the people's money, leaving them starving and resentful.
Officials should serve the country and the people, and work for the benefit of the people, not use their power to suppress the poor and ordinary people. Such corrupt officials deserve to die!
Dying ten thousand times wouldn't be enough!
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