Chapter 195: Dodging Debts
Zhong Lanhua clung to the nearby pillar and wouldn’t let go.
She used her hands and feet, wrapping tightly around the pillar. In the end, four thugs used all their strength to pry her off.
“Are you all dead? Hurry up and report to the government office.” Zhong Lanhua shouted loudly at the shop assistants inside the shop, “If something happens to me, no one will pay your wages.”
The shop assistants, who originally didn’t want to get involved in trivial matters, heard this and thought of their unpaid wages, becoming a bit restless.
One of the shop assistants stepped forward to stop the brothel people from taking Zhong Lanhua away. However, there were too many thugs brought by the madam, and a skinny shop assistant couldn’t handle it.
The gambling house people started moving things from inside. They took everything even slightly valuable, emptying it all. Judging by the current situation, they would probably only leave Fenghua Pavilion with a few pillars.
Fenghua Pavilion, which had been bustling not long ago, turned into an empty shell in a short time. Shop owner Zhong Lanhua was also taken away by the brothel madam.
“Oh dear, are they taking Boss Zhong to the brothel to offset the debt?” The blacksmith shop owner, who had a bad relationship with Zhong Lanhua, said gloatingly, “Makes sense. She’s a widow anyway, no man for so many years. If sent to the brothel to offset the debt, she can not only save her son but also taste a man. Haha…”
The blacksmith was an honest man. Seeing his wife say such excessive things, he quickly pulled her inside.
The blacksmith shop owner cursed: “Are you feeling sorry for her? Don’t think I didn’t see it. That slut has been swaying in front of you lately, twisting her butt like a maggot.”
“Daughter-in-law, nothing like that. She just had me make some things, and we just talked normally a few words.” The blacksmith blushed and anxiously explained.
“Better not be. Otherwise, I’ll skin you alive.”
Zhong Lanhua couldn’t struggle free and was still taken away by the brothel madam. Before leaving, she shouted toward Fenghua Pavilion: “Yang Quan, Yang Quan, find Huan’er, bring Huan’er back.”
In the deep dead of night, Zhong Lanhua’s crying sound carried far, sounding eerie.
Yang Quan walked out from inside.
The other shop assistants saw the shop emptied, their hearts sinking halfway. It was too late now; even if they wanted to go home, they couldn’t. They could only stay here temporarily for the night and go home tomorrow.
“Luckily, the gambling house and brothel people didn’t trouble us shop assistants. If they caught us to offset the debt, we couldn’t resist either.”
“They won’t.” Another female shop assistant said, “The debt Fenghua Pavilion owes, the debt the young owner owes, that’s their own problem. We didn’t sell ourselves to them.”
“What about our wages?”
“That mother and son from the Jiang family owe so much money, Fenghua Pavilion might not even be saved, where would they have money to pay our wages? We’re just unlucky to have joined Fenghua Pavilion. If we had joined the Peach Blossom Workshop opposite, who knows how good our days would be. The boss of the opposite Peach Blossom Workshop is generous, and pays shop assistants well too.”
Several people sighed together, looking sympathetic.
Yang Quan went out the door and disappeared into the alley.
The next day, Peach Blossom Workshop continued to be busy without a moment’s rest, while Fenghua Pavilion opposite was sealed up.
“The government office awarded Fenghua Pavilion to the gambling house. The brothel madam sent people everywhere to search for Jiang Yihui, saying that if they see him, break one of his legs first. Jiang Yihui has never appeared.” Chun E brought the latest style of clothes and conveniently told everyone at Peach Blossom Workshop today’s news.
“Really don’t know how this guy’s brain is wired. Thousands of taels of silver lost just like that, without thinking if he could pay it back.” Jia Chunni said, “I thought I was dumb enough, but this guy studied for several years, how is he not as good as me, a little woman who knows only a few characters?”
“Chunni, you mustn’t belittle yourself.” Jiang Jing said, “You know more than a few characters now, and you’re very smart. Everything I taught you, you’ve learned.”
Jia Chunni felt a bit embarrassed.
She had just said it casually, not expecting Jiang Jing to care so much about her. However, Chunni, who originally had little confidence in herself, reignited burning fighting spirit after hearing Jiang Jing’s words.
With Fenghua Pavilion closed, things were much quieter at Peach Blossom Workshop.
Yang Quan had brought Jiang Yihuan back once. When Jiang Yihuan returned to the shop and saw it sealed by the government office, and heard from bystanders that Jiang Yihui owed too much money, and the government office had awarded their Fenghua Pavilion’s things to the gambling house and brothel. She was so angry she nearly fainted, but after sobering up, she regained reason and directly told Yang Quan that she had long had no relationship with this family. This family had directly driven her and her husband out the home door, so from then on, whether the family prospered or fell had nothing to do with her.
“A corpse appeared in the river, someone recognized it as Jiang Yihui.” Zhang Pandi returned from outside with a basket on her arm.
“Jiang Yihui died?” Su Yaoguang was surprised, “How did he die?”
In her previous life, Jiang Yihuan didn’t die and lived very well under Xiao Yanci’s support, not only marrying a beautiful wife but also having two concubines.
At that time, she was full of resentment, feeling Xiao Yanci was too good to Jiang Yihui. Those who didn’t know might think he was his own brother-in-law. Now it seems, he really wasn’t his brother-in-law, huh?
In her previous life, Jiang Yihui didn’t die, so why did he die so early this life? Could it be because of her change, so the plot didn’t follow the previous life’s path?
Jiang Yihui’s corpse was quickly claimed back by Zhong Lanhua.
These past few days, Zhong Lanhua had been living in fear in the brothel every day, also suffering humiliation from the brothel madam. She was physically and mentally exhausted, in complete despair, and at this time received the news of Jiang Yihui’s death.
“Hui’er, Mom will take you home, home…” Zhong Lanhua lunged onto Jiang Yihui’s corpse, crying in utter despair. “Wake up, son, don’t scare Mom. No matter how much silver you owe, it’s okay, Mom will help you pay it back together. Hui’er, wake up…”
“Madam Zhong, please restrain your grief.” Captain Qian beside her said, “We found his corpse by the riverside. The coroner has already examined the body; he died accidentally. If you want to take him back for burial, just sign your name and you can take him.”
“Mom…” Jiang Yihuan and Xiao Yanci walked over.
Zhong Lanhua saw Jiang Yihuan, grabbed her hand, eyes full of pleading: “Your brother is joking with us! He must have owed too much silver, afraid we wouldn’t care for him, using this way to scare me. Wake him up, tell him I’ll definitely help him pay the debt, tell him not to scare Mom.”
“Mom, accept reality. Brother is already dead.” Jiang Yihuan mercilessly shattered her illusion. “Mom, without brother, you still have me, and Xiao Gege. We will take care of you and be filial to you.”
“It’s you, it’s you this jinx who caused it!” Zhong Lanhua lunged over, biting fiercely at Xiao Yanci’s neck, “Give me back my son, you disaster star.”
