Li the butcher couldn't help but sneer, recalling the two times he had suffered greatly at Chen Qingqing's hands.
"I don't just know her, I'm practically very familiar with her. She's the woman I almost married."
"She's the village girl who absolutely refused to marry you? I never imagined such a coincidence could happen." Manager Li was first taken aback, then said with a smirk, "Luckily she didn't marry you, otherwise it would have been a beautiful flower stuck in cow dung."
Upon hearing this, Butcher Li's eyes widened in anger, his face trembling with rage. "Brother, what are you saying? Are you happy that I can't get a wife?"
"No, no, no, brother, that's not what I meant," Manager Li laughed awkwardly. "What I meant was, how could you let such a talented girl slip away?"
Butcher Li shook his head and sighed, "At first, everything was going so well, and it seemed like we were about to get married, but who knew she would refuse to marry me no matter what? Now I'm all alone, sleeping on a cold kang (heated brick bed), without even a woman to warm my bed. It makes me so angry just thinking about it."
"You're supposed to be the local tyrant of Taiping Bridge, yet you can't even handle a country bumpkin. If word gets out, it'll damage your reputation!"
"Don't mention it, brother. I wanted to force myself on her, but she had a letter of severance of ties."
"Why is there a document severing ties with a family? What's going on?"
"Sigh~~ Don't even mention it. You can only blame that old hag from the Chen family, who is also this girl's grandmother. She's a complete idiot. She accepted the bride price and agreed to marry her granddaughter to me."
But this girl has a fiery temper. When she heard that I was going to marry her, she refused no matter what. That old hag was really ruthless. She swung a stick and beat her senseless.
I even threatened to sever ties with her if she didn't agree to marry me, and the girl agreed without hesitation.
"Tell me, has this old woman lost her mind? Because of this commotion, my marriage is completely ruined."
"If you ask me, you can't just let this go like this. Since her grandmother broke off the engagement, you should make a scene, make a huge scene. If she doesn't give you an explanation, just stay at her house and don't leave. That old woman will have to serve you good food and drink."
“That old coffin is practically buried, it’s not worth me arguing with her,” Butcher Li continued with an air of magnanimity. “But then again, this girl surnamed Chen is quite shrewd. I heard her family built a new three-courtyard mansion before the new year. I wonder how much money she made from that.”
Manager Li's eyes turned red with jealousy, and a burning envy surged within him.
"I've made a fortune. I heard that brown sugar is a very profitable business. Old Wang, who often works for my family, said that a merchant from the south brings a batch of sugar beets over every twenty days."
She sold it to the man surnamed Chen for only three coins a pound, but that girl then processed it into brown sugar and sold it for eighty-five coins a pound. With that kind of profit, how could she not get rich?
I'll accept her getting rich, after all, sugar making was her exclusive invention.
But I just can't accept it. Why should Liu's Grocery Store be inferior to mine? You have no idea, since last year until now, Liu's has not only expanded its storefront but also opened several other shops. They're incredibly arrogant.
Seeing Manager Li's gloomy face, Butcher Li curled the corners of his mouth into a sinister smile.
"Brother, as the saying goes, rivals are enemies. Since that old bastard Liu is blocking your path to wealth, why don't we do something underhanded and kill him?"
Manager Li shook his head. "That's too risky. Brother, don't underestimate those old hands at Liu's. I heard his second sister's husband is a government official. If a murder happens, they'll suspect me first. It's better to be safe."
"Since you don't agree, then just wait to close down!"
"Brother, do you really want to help me get revenge?"
“Look at you, when have we brothers ever made empty promises? What I value most is brotherhood. As long as you respect me, I will go through fire and water for you.”
"Good, good, good, that makes things much easier." Manager Li was delighted, as he had been worried about not being able to find any help, but unexpectedly, it came to him.
Butcher Li patted his chest and said, "Brother, just tell me how I can help you. Should I cut off one of Liu's shop owners' arms or break off one of his legs? I promise I'll bring it to you first thing tomorrow morning."
"There's no need for fighting. As long as we cut off his source of income, we'll have achieved our goal."
"Bro, what do you mean? Explain yourself."
"As long as we can find a way to become partners with that girl surnamed Chen and become sellers of brown sugar, my crisis will be resolved."
"Your idea sounds good, but will she agree?"
"That's precisely why I'm asking you for this favor."
"How can I help?" Butcher Li was taken aback at first, then said fiercely, "Do you mean you want me to kill that little brat surnamed Chen?"
Manager Li waved his hands repeatedly, "I absolutely won't let you do murder. I just want you to back me up. I'm going to Nanshan Village in a few days to discuss this matter with her in person."
If she's sensible, we won't force her; but if she's truly born with a servile nature, then we'll bluff and threaten her—I don't believe she won't be afraid.
"So that's what you meant." Hearing this, Butcher Li frowned, recalling the beating he'd received last time, and felt a chill run down his spine.
That idiot was so reckless; he almost kicked me to death. My chest ached for a long time before it finally healed.
He had always wanted to find an opportunity to get revenge, but he knew his own limitations and knew that he was no match for a fool and would only get beaten up if he went.
Thinking of this, he pursed his lips with a troubled expression, "Brother, it seems I can't help you with this. I'm afraid it would be a waste of my time to go."
Shopkeeper Li chuckled dismissively, “Brother, what are you saying? With your looks, even a dog would tremble in fear, let alone those country bumpkins who have never seen the world. They definitely won’t go for nothing.”
"Brother, you don't know, there's a lot going on here!"
"What do you mean? You don't want to help anymore? We're really close relatives, you can't just come back empty-handed."
Upon hearing this, Manager Li's face instantly darkened, and he unconsciously began to churn.
"Let me tell you, Li San, if it weren't for my help as your older brother, and my initiative to give you five taels of silver to open a shop, would you be where you are today?"
You were just about to fight and kill to stand up for me, but when it comes to serious matters, you keep making excuses. Do you really think I'm a fool?
"Oh my dear brother, what are you thinking?"
Butcher Li was so anxious he stamped his feet and hurriedly explained.
"To tell you the truth, it's not that I don't want to go, it's that that girl has a dim-witted idiot by her side. Don't let his stupidity fool you, he's incredibly skilled. I've been burned by him before, so that's why I have these concerns."
"Why are you afraid of an idiot?"
......
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