Chapter 60: Teasing
Hearing the scholar’s question, Xiao Yanci’s face showed bitterness and unwillingness.
“Brothers, you may not know, my family was once well-off, but we encountered a bully who rampaged arrogantly, not only seizing our industry but also trying to sell us as servants. My parents died by hitting a pillar in prison, and I cling to life not out of fear of death, but because I bear a blood feud; without avenging it, I have no face to see my relatives who died with eyes wide open.”
“Who is that bully to be so lawless, treating the king’s law as nothing?” Several scholars were filled with righteous indignation.
“I haven’t told anyone outside about today’s matter, so I ask all benevolent brothers to forget it here after hearing it, and not tell others. That bully has someone behind him, people we common people can’t afford to provoke. If these words reach their ears, I’m afraid it will bring disaster upon you benevolent brothers.”
The several scholars’ faces changed greatly, not daring to continue the topic.
Su Yaoguang had good hearing and heard their conversation clearly.
As his legal wife from his previous life, Su Yaoguang had no idea Xiao Yanci had such a deep blood feud. Whether it was true or just deceiving others, she couldn’t know.
Zhang Zhaodi divided two chicken legs to Su Yaoguang and Zhou Wangshu, and gave the duck leg to Jiang Jing.
Jiang Jing immediately gave the other duck leg to Zhang Zhaodi, and said sweetly: “Godmother, if you don’t eat, none of us will eat.”
Zhang Zhaodi said loudly: “Eat, all eat, so much meat, let’s all eat more.”
Those several scholars listened to the lively noise here, their eyes full of disdain.
“This first restaurant now really serves anyone.”
From their perspective, Zhou Wangshu was just blocked, so they didn’t see Zhou Wangshu’s figure.
Xiao Yanci had actually seen him since just entering the door. However, when those several scholars turned the topic to Zhou Wangshu, he didn’t stop them.
“That surnamed Zhou is from the same village as you, heard he sold himself to a village girl as a son-in-law who lives with the wife’s family, tsk tsk, really lost us men’s faces. Such a person actually dares to come to the academy, become classmates with us, to be with such a person, I feel ashamed to lift my head. Brother Xiao, he really has a vast difference with you, you are the cloud, he is the mud.”
“Heard he was only worth ten copper coins, haha… in the end, is that village girl too poor, or is he too worthless, ten copper coins can’t even buy a catty of meat, yet bought a big living person.”
“A few days ago I wasn’t here, when I returned to the academy I heard that village girl came, have you all seen her?” That person saw the others shake their heads, and asked Xiao Yanci again, “Brother Xiao, you are from the same village as him, you must have seen that village girl, what does she look like?”
“Haven’t paid attention.” Xiao Yanci said indifferently.
“How many good-looking village women are there in the countryside? No need to say, definitely ugly as unseasoned salt. That surnamed Zhou only has a face that’s passable, relying on that face to coax women to spend money on him.”
Zhang Zhaodi slapped the table and stood up.
Zhou Wangshu pulled Zhang Zhaodi, and said mildly: “Mom, don’t be angry, not worth it.”
As soon as Zhou Wangshu’s voice came out, those several scholars were immediately stunned.
But upon hearing his peacemaking persuasion, each one’s gaze became even more contemptuous, and they didn’t take him seriously at all.
“Some people are guilty!” The tall and thin scholar with a horse face said sarcastically.
Jiang Jing said angrily: “What kind of scholars are these people, simply insulting refinement. Who do they think they are, mouthing disdain for villagers, in the end they are even worse than those gossips.”
At this time, a tall and sturdy strong man passed by from the front. When that strong man passed by Xiao Yanci’s table, his knee hurt, and the whole person pounced toward Xiao Yanci’s table.
Crash, the meal on the table was swept off by that strong man, all those soups and liquids spilled on Xiao Yanci and the several scholars.
The matter happened too suddenly, several people had no time to react. Those dishes were just cooked and served, the soups and liquids spilled on the body, scalding them to cry out loudly.
The shopkeeper and shop assistant heard the noise here and hurried over.
“Distinguished guests, are you all okay?” The shopkeeper and shop assistant helped Xiao Yanci and the others get back up.
That strong man got back up, grabbed one of the scholars’ clothes collar, glaring with a pair of fierce eyes and roared: “You fucking tripped my foot?”
“I didn’t, clearly you overturned our table. How can you be so unreasonable?” That scholar said angrily.
“I was walking fine, if not for you tripping my foot, would I fall?” That strong man wouldn’t let go, “What, want to extort me?”
“I didn’t, I… Brother Xiao, you can prove it, I didn’t trip his foot.” That scholar looked toward Xiao Yanci.
Xiao Yanci’s newly changed clothes were ruined like this, his mood was very bad. Plus those soups and liquids were too hot, he had scorch marks in several places on his body.
At this moment, of course he would stand with the scholars in righteous indignation, even if he didn’t know if that scholar tripped the strong man, at this time he could only say he didn’t trip.
“This brother, we were sitting fine here, both feet under the table, how could we trip your foot?” Xiao Yanci said solemnly, “You overturned our table, this table’s meal we didn’t even touch, so this money can only be paid by you. Additionally, each of us has scald burns, so the medical fees and medicine costs must also be paid.”
“Still saying not extorting me?” That strong man let go of the scholar’s clothes, and swung a fist at Xiao Yanci, “Dare to extort me, today I’ll teach you how to be a man.”
The shopkeeper and shop assistant hurriedly tried to dissuade him.
“Master Li calm down, Master Li calm down, let’s talk it out nicely. How about this, this table’s meal is free, free.”
“Why free?” Su Yaoguang pointed in that scholar’s direction and said, “I saw with my own eyes it was him who tripped.”
That scholar glared and cursed: “You’re talking nonsense, I didn’t trip him. You this woman are really vicious, actually wronging people here.”
That strong man surnamed Li saw someone testify for him, his voice even louder: “I knew it was you boy up to tricks. What, can’t pay the bill after eating, want me to take the blame?”
“I didn’t trip you, it’s that woman talking nonsense. She has a grudge with us, deliberately adding insult to injury here. Shopkeeper, you must uphold justice for us!”
The shopkeeper couldn’t afford to provoke that strong man, but several poor scholars still weren’t in his eyes.
He said displeased: “I say Student Zhang, you have to pay after eating, you can’t use this method to extort others just because you don’t want to pay! Boss Li is a prominent figure here, you wrong him, don’t ask if the dozens of people under his hand agree.”
“I didn’t, I didn’t…” That scholar was exasperated, looked toward Xiao Yanci, “Brother Xiao, I’m really wronged!”
The people around all crowded over to watch the lively scene. Xiao Yanci saw the shopkeeper and the surnamed Li both holding onto them, plus a cunning and insidious woman deliberately slandering them, today even if the case went to the yamen they wouldn’t get any cheap, could only accept it.
“How much money? I’ll pay.” Xiao Yanci said with a cold face.
