Chapter 227: Sealed Off
Shopkeeper Qi was sleeping in the room, still a bit unhappy after being woken up by Madam Qi.
He went to the front hall with a sullen face and kicked the welcoming shop assistant.
The shop assistant dared to be angry but didn’t dare to speak, lowered his head and told what happened at the apothecary.
Shopkeeper Qi choked on a mouthful of tea in his throat and almost choked to death.
After finally catching his breath, he rushed outside, his fat body bumping solidly into the shop assistant.
The shop assistant was forced to spin in place, wagged his head, and hurriedly chased after him.
By the time Shopkeeper Qi arrived, the doorway of Ji Min Apothecary was already crowded with people.
The three unlucky guys were finally let down by the arriving constables, excited with tears in their eyes.
The constables were all fierce-looking, clearly coming with ill intent.
Shopkeeper Qi wiped the sweat from his forehead, didn’t care about losing one shoe while running, and hurriedly went forward with a smiling face.
But the constables ignored him completely, grabbed their official sabers and rushed inside, turning the entire shop upside down, and really found quite a few moldy medicinal herbs, as well as some worm-eaten ones.
The powder grinding tools placed nearby still had some unground medicine in them; picking up a piece to look, there were actually quite a few wormholes on it.
The crowd exploded at the sight; it turned out that the medicinal powder they bought at Ji Min Apothecary was all ground from this rotten medicine.
Shopkeeper Qi wanted to explain, but no one listened to his explanation; if not for the officials holding the crowd back, he would definitely get a good beating.
The officials didn’t find the account book in the apothecary, so they grabbed the people and went to Qi Residence.
After searching inside and out, they finally found the account book in a hidden compartment on the wall of Shopkeeper Qi’s bedroom.
Everyone in the Qi Residence was panicked, unclear about what happened and why these constables had the posture of raiding the house.
The constables looked around and asked, “Who is Li Ping?”
Li Ping’s heart skipped a beat, he stepped back and shrank, wanting to use the crowd’s cover to slip away.
But with everyone not moving, him slipping back alone looked quite suspicious.
“Grab him!”
Li Ping panicked and pushed through the crowd to rush out.
But with his flowery fist and embroidered leg moves, how could he escape?
The constables guarding the door teamed up to capture him, and together with Shopkeeper Qi, escorted them to the court hall.
An hour later, the door of Ji Min Apothecary was sealed with a strip bearing a large official seal.
Shopkeeper Qi was guilty of tax evasion, with irrefutable evidence; his family property was confiscated as fine, and he was sentenced to exile.
Li Ping, as the accomplice, was also sentenced to exile.
As for those three unlucky eggs, they happily got a month in prison.
Because of the Ji Min Apothecary incident, the county magistrate ordered a strict investigation of all merchants’ tax payments in the county.
Not knowing until checking, this check really found quite a few who slipped through the net.
Spiritual Medicine Pavilion, which had just opened for three days, also welcomed the officials.
It was Shang Wan who exposed the matter, and being fully prepared, she naturally wasn’t afraid of the inspection.
Niangzi Lou was still shaken, standing beside Shang Wan and rubbing her chest, muttering softly, “Good thing I’m timid and didn’t skimp a single coin on taxes owed.”
Shang Wan poured her a cup of flower tea, “To calm the mind and spirit.”
“Smells better than what I brew myself.”
The faint floral scent entered her nose, and Niangzi Lou really felt less panicked.
She looked down at the tea in the cup with a faint rose red hue, and asked curiously, “What’s your recipe?”
“Added two lily petals to the rose flowers; if you like it, you can add two when brewing flower tea.”
Niangzi Lou sipped lightly from the rim of the cup, shaking her head, “I also put lily when I brew tea, but it doesn’t taste like yours.”
“The roses outside can’t compare to those in my Spiritual Medicine Pavilion.” Shang Wan beckoned to Yuan Qiao, and the little girl immediately ran to the medicine cabinet, wrapped two taels of dried roses, and brought them over.
Shang Wan pushed the paper packet to Niangzi Lou’s hand, “Share with the sisters in the association; the first batch isn’t much, don’t mind if it’s little.”
Niangzi Lou certainly didn’t mind, accepted it with a smile, already pondering in her mind how to share the good stuff with the sisters.
Shang Wan had a premonition that these few days would bring another wave of new customers.
She had just learned that the members of Lancang Association were not only the boss ladies of various shops, but also the trendsetters for women’s shopping in the city; many things became popular starting from them.
Jade Visage Powder and White Jade Paste sold so well thanks in no small part to the boss ladies’ support.
Shang Wan was also thinking of finding a day to treat people to a meal.
·
Mid-Autumn Festival arrived, and the festive atmosphere had been thick since yesterday, with many shops setting up flower stands at the doorway to attract customers.
Qionghua Restaurant directly set up a rabbit as tall as a door at the entrance, holding a full moon, looking adorably silly and attracting many passersby to stop and watch.
Shang Wan didn’t plan to join in the fun.
She ran an apothecary, not a restaurant; those who wanted to buy medicine would come in naturally, no need for fancy gimmicks.
But she couldn’t resist Xiao Huan’s persuasion; after some nagging, Shang Wan agreed.
Xiao Huan worked with the people in the shop: some set up the frame, some tied the flowers, all busy and happy.
Shang Wan had no interest in participating, beckoned Chu Xu and Yuan Yuan over, and said to everyone, “We’re going out to stroll; you all watch the shop.”
Xiao Huan agreed, lowered her head and continued working.
Xiao Hei wagged its tail and trotted behind the three people; Shang Wan simply placed the baby in her arms on its back, and Xiao Hei’s tail wagged even more happily.
The three people and one dog walked, strolled, and ate along the way; probably no need for lunch.
Passing by the bookstore, they happened to run into Lu Chengjing coming out after buying books.
Shang Wan picked up a piece of fried tofu and fed it to him, her eyes glancing at the paper bag in his arms, “Did you buy the Rabbit God?”
Lu Chengjing nodded.
“Daddy.” Yuan Yuan stretched out her small hand to see; Lu Chengjing took the Rabbit God clay figurine from the paper bag and handed it to her.
There were all kinds of Rabbit Gods on the market; Lu Chengjing visited many shops to pick this one.
The rabbit wore a flower wreath and divine robe, feet on auspicious clouds with fluttering clothes. An arm held a small flower basket, bottom covered with fresh flowers, topped with a few delicate mooncakes. Behind it a full moon, symbolizing reunion.
Yuan Yuan stared at it for a while, seemingly very fond, and rubbed it against her chest.
Chu Xu also came over to look, a bit of envy in his cat-like eyes.
Suddenly, a large hand with distinct joints reached in front of him, holding a clay figurine, also a Rabbit God.
This Rabbit God had a different style from the one in Yuan Yuan’s hand: armored, holding a long spear, feet on auspicious clouds, long rabbit ears standing proudly; at a glance, it was a majestic war god.
Chu Xu liked it at first sight, looked up at the hand’s owner, “Bought for me?”
Lu Chengjing nodded, “Take it.”
Chu Xu happily took it, said crisply, “Thank you, Uncle Lu.”
Shang Wan glanced at the two children and reached out to Lu Chengjing, “Where’s mine?”
Lu Chengjing had naturally bought one too; not only for Shang Wan, but also for Xiao Huan and Shi Tou; he bought one for each, all with different styles.
Shang Wan poked the clay figurine and suddenly had an idea, “No business this afternoon; let’s go home and celebrate the festival.”
The shop could open anytime, but this was her first Mid-Autumn Festival after transmigrating; she just wanted to spend it with her family.
