After expressing her thanks, Qi Zhenzhen pulled Zhang Xiaoniu back.
"Brother Li, why are you so polite to them, two children?" another yamen runner asked, puzzled.
"You wouldn't know, kid. That person has been brought in, but whether they've committed a crime is anyone's guess. Besides, that little girl is from the same village as our sister-in-law, so we have to show some respect, right? What if she's a relative of the boss? It's good to be friendly, not bending the law!" the yamen runner surnamed Li said.
"Brother Li is indeed experienced."
"Alright, alright, stop flattering me, kid. Go inside and tell the brothers to be polite to that person. The boss will be back tomorrow, and he'll make the final decision on this matter."
Qi Zhenzhen and Zhang Xiaoniu walked side by side, neither of them speaking.
Qi Zhenzhen was deep in thought. Last time in the village, Li Shan had caused trouble but gained nothing. Was he certain he would benefit this time? If he used his and her aunt's affair as an excuse, it wouldn't hold water, because Wen Cen was present last time, and Wen Cen had revealed his identity then, stating he was a constable at the county yamen. Therefore, Li Shan must have a backup plan, otherwise, he wouldn't be so blatant.
"Zhenzhen?" Zhang Xiaoniu tugged at Qi Zhenzhen.
"No eyes, walking without looking where you're going?" a hawker pushing a cart said fiercely.
Qi Zhenzhen came back to her senses. If Zhang Xiaoniu hadn't pulled her, she would have crashed right into it.
"I'm sorry, young man," Qi Zhenzhen apologized to the hawker.
The hawker grunted and left, not causing further trouble.
"How many days of leave do you have?" Qi Zhenzhen asked Zhang Xiaoniu.
"Two days."
"You have to rush back tomorrow night?"
"It should be fine to leave a bit later, the young prince is always reasonable," Zhang Xiaoniu said after a slight hesitation.
Reasonable or not, his second brother was in jail, and as a younger brother, he couldn't just ignore it. And then there was Li Shan; if he came to cause trouble again, he could help out here. Although Zhenzhen's combat skills were not low, as a young lady, it was still inconvenient.
Reasonable? Qi Zhenzhen's mind flashed with Gu Sinian's cold and distant face. She didn't think he was reasonable at all.
However, at this moment, it was better for Xiaoniu to stay than to leave.
"If you're sure it's okay, stay. This matter is still unclear, and we don't know what Li Shan is planning!" Qi Zhenzhen said, feeling a bit agitated.
After they returned, Lin Ruixue anxiously asked how things were.
"Constable Wen Cen is handling a case in the neighboring county and will return tomorrow or the day after. The case hasn't been tried yet, so visits are not allowed. The yamen runners there said they wouldn't make things difficult for Brother Zhang the second," Qi Zhenzhen replied. "The county yamen said that although a report was filed, the trial hasn't begun, and they would notify us when it does."
Lin Ruixue breathed a sigh of relief. She had gone to the yamen several times but was always brushed off, getting no useful information. The yamen runners were so fierce that she thought Zhang Erniu was having a hard time inside and was worried sick.
"Are we just waiting now?"
"There's nothing else we can do but wait."
Lin Ruixue furrowed her brow slightly. "What about the noodle shop's business? Since we're waiting anyway, why don't we keep the shop open?"
Qi Zhenzhen instinctively wanted to refuse. Who would come at this critical juncture? However, if they opened for business, those with ill intentions might not let them operate smoothly. Da Feng Novel Network.
"Alright, since we're idle, it's better to open," Qi Zhenzhen agreed to Lin Ruixue's suggestion.
The next day, around mid-morning, Mianmian Jubao opened its doors to welcome customers.
As it neared lunchtime, Uncle Tang Duo was the first to arrive.
"Girl, you're back?" Tang Duo greeted Qi Zhenzhen.
"Uncle, you're not coming to eat noodles every day, are you?" Qi Zhenzhen walked over and sat down in front of Tang Duo.
"Why wouldn't I eat if it's delicious? I eat here every day, and I haven't tried all the different kinds of noodles yet," Tang Duo smiled. "Today, I'll have the Golden Silk Jade Noodles."
"Someone ate at our noodle shop and felt unwell. Because of this, my second brother was arrested and taken to the yamen. Aren't you afraid our noodles are unclean?" Qi Zhenzhen was very curious. Under normal circumstances, after such an incident, no one would come.
"Felt unwell? Who can be sure it was because they ate your noodles? I eat here every day, don't I know? Besides, people's hearts are unfathomable. Who knows if that person just wanted to get a free meal and deliberately extort you? Or perhaps someone came with the intention to make trouble for you?" Tang Duo said with a half-smile, appearing nonchalant. "Whether it's good or not, I'll experience it myself."
Not blindly following others, judging right from wrong with one's own eyes. If only everyone were like Tang Duo.
Unfortunately, people like Tang Duo were very few. Even if they ate at the noodle shop and felt no discomfort, now that Brother Zhang was in the yamen due to the commotion, in the eyes of others, something was wrong. They gathered at the entrance and refused to come in, as if entering the shop would make them unwell.
"Sir, you have quite a lot of courage. Their Mianmian Jubao is black-hearted and unscrupulous, using spoiled ingredients to make noodles. A young woman ate their noodles, and her unborn child was almost lost. The shop owner has been arrested and taken to jail. Everyone saw it with their own eyes!" a young man from the crowd said.
"Exactly, exactly. I ate noodles here that day too, and my stomach hurt all night after I went home."
"Such black-hearted and unscrupulous shop owners should be smashed. They shouldn't be allowed to continue harming people."
Qi Zhenzhen watched the crowd calmly. Two or three people were particularly active.
Public opinion was easily swayed, and soon, more and more people were accusing them, with some even throwing rotten cabbage into the shop.
"Whether our shop has any problems will be decided by the esteemed officials at the county yamen. Are you people trying to replace the government?" Qi Zhenzhen said calmly. "Do you believe I'll report you to the county yamen for gathering and causing trouble? Xiaoniu!"
Qi Zhenzhen gave Zhang Xiaoniu a look. Zhang Xiaoniu understood, gripping a rolling pin as thick as a child's arm. Without even exerting much force, he broke the rolling pin into two pieces.
The scolding stopped abruptly.
If something could be settled by action, there would be no need for arguments.
Zhang Xiaoniu's action perfectly illustrated this saying.
This was a rolling pin, a sturdy object, and it was broken so easily? How much strength did that take? What if he hit someone? Everyone thought this.
"The noodle shop is open. We welcome you if you wish to eat, and we won't force you to come in if you don't. Why cause trouble here when incited by others? The county yamen hasn't even concluded the trial yet. If it's proven that we are innocent, will everyone be able to rest easy?" Qi Zhenzhen stepped forward, speaking neither servilely nor arrogantly.
Her words brought some reason back to the crowd, and they dispersed in twos and threes.
Once everyone left, the two instigators who remained would not be able to achieve anything. Muttering curses, they also left with the crowd. Qi Zhenzhen nodded to Zhang Xiaoniu, who made a gesture and followed the two men from a distance.