They've all separated, so what does it matter to me if they get poorer and poorer?

Chapter 231 Robbers
Zeng Xiaoyan sneered: "You've mistaken me for someone else. There's no third young lady from the Zeng family here."

Cuiqiao was taken aback, her eyes becoming even more contemptuous, and her expression even more smug. "Oh dear, I misremembered, Sister-in-law Liang, please don't mind! Our young lady invited the three of you to have a chat, surely you won't even give her this much face?"

In Cuiqiao's view, Zeng Xiaoyan was kicked out of the house by the madam. Without the identity of the third young lady of the Zeng family, she was just a village woman and did not even have the right to sit on equal footing with her.

Should a village woman, who is the trusted maid of the dignified Miss Zeng, be treated with courtesy?

They're just a few village women. For the young lady to speak to them is a sign of respect!
Liang Mingliang flicked the whip in his hand and said irritably, "I've decided that I'm not going to be lenient today. Women can be hit too."

Too cheap.

Zeng Xiaoyan sneered: "So what if I don't give it to you?"

Xu Zhichun: "Sister-in-law Liang? Who are you calling that? You're just a slave whose indenture is in someone else's hands, nothing more than an object that can be bought and sold at will. You're not even a normal person. How dare you call my Xiaoyan 'sister-in-law'? Do you deserve it?"

"you--"

"Is this how your Zeng family trains its servants? You have absolutely no manners!"

Zeng Xiaoyan laughed loudly: "Sister-in-law Zhichun is right, isn't that how they always are? Hey, a good dog doesn't block the way, get lost."

Cuiqiao's face flushed red and then turned pale: "You didn't go when my young lady called you? Think it over! If you offend my young lady, do you still want to run your stall in the city peacefully?"

Speaking of Cuiqiao, she scoffed again. A few people setting up a shabby little stall—business was probably terrible. They'd only been there half a day before hastily packing up; they certainly wouldn't have a single customer by the afternoon. They'd worked so hard all day and barely earned a penny, yet they dared to act so arrogantly in front of the Zeng family's eldest daughter!

The Zeng family could crush them with a flick of their fingers.

Zeng Xiaoyan raised an eyebrow, but before she could speak, Xu Zhichun laughed and said, "We've already thought it through. If your young lady wants to smash up our stall tomorrow, let her do it."

Zeng Xiaoyan and the other two were taken aback for a moment, then immediately laughed.

Zeng Xiaoyan: "That's right, you'd better get out of here!"

Aunt Pearl: "Are you Zeng family bandits? How domineering!"

Liang Mingliang shook his head. "Idiot, idiot."

He's even dumber than him.

No, he's smart, he's not stupid!
Still trying to sabotage things? That Fang Zhengduan, isn't he still in jail? Hmph, he's not going to kindly remind that brat.

Cuiqiao was furious: "Fine, fine, I've got your words in mind. You just wait!"

Cuiqiao angrily ordered the driver to turn around, and then ran off to complain and instigate the matter.

Xu Zhichun and the other three looked at each other and smiled before heading home.

As Zeng Mingzhu listened to Cuiqiao's words, her face grew increasingly grim. "Did they really say that?"

"How could this servant dare to lie to the eldest young lady? This servant is almost driven mad with anger! Third young lady—no, that Liang family daughter-in-law is just throwing caution to the wind and holds a grudge against the eldest young lady."

"Hmph!" Zeng Mingzhu said viciously, "You're asking for it!"

Xu Zhichun had arranged with the Qin family steward to go to Loujia Village the next day at noon. Xu Zhichun would still go to the city with Zeng Xiaoyan and the others to set up a stall.

To guard against Zeng Mingzhu, Liang Chunfen was specially brought along today.

Spring Equinox was overjoyed; her smile never faded the entire way. It had been quite a while since she had been to the city.

Sister-in-law Zhichun said that we can have lunch in the city at noon, which makes me even happier!

Xu Zhichun and the others did not expect Zeng Mingzhu to be in such a hurry.

Early in the morning, before they even entered the city, as they were passing through a relatively remote section of road, seven or eight men suddenly jumped out from the side of the road, wielding sticks and with their faces covered by cloths, startling the group into screaming.

Xu Zhichun once again unleashed her chili powder technique, her counterattack instantly disrupting the opponent's rhythm. After Liang Chunfen finished off the two with a kick and a punch, Liang Mingliang also mustered up the courage to crack his whip fiercely.

"It must be that bitch Zeng Mingzhu!"

Enraged, Zeng Xiaoyan's courage surged, and her aunt, Zhu'er, also emboldened. The two sides fought fiercely. The battle ended quickly.

When Chunfen managed to snatch a wooden stick, Xu Zhichun had already anticipated it.

"Bad people! Bad people! They're all bad people!"

The eight robbers were beaten so badly by Chunfen that they were rolling on the ground, unable to get up. Several of them had some chili powder in their eyes, which were red and watering.

Enraged, Zeng Xiaoyan went up and kicked him, yelling, "Did that bitch Zeng Mingzhu hire you? Did she? Did she?!"

Fortunately, there were quite a few of them; fortunately, Sister-in-law Zhichun reacted quickly; fortunately, she brought Chunfen (Spring Equinox). Otherwise, otherwise...
Otherwise, Zeng Xiaoyan herself doesn't know what will happen.

Anyway, otherwise nothing good will happen.

Xu Zhichun quickly pulled her back: "Xiao Yan, don't be impulsive."

"I'm so angry!"

Zeng Xiaoyan's eyes reddened again, and she bit her lip, tears welling up in her eyes: "It's my fault for dragging you all down, I almost ruined you."

"Don't say that!"

"You can't say that!"

How could Xu Zhichun and Aunt Zhu'er possibly blame her for this?
“Whoever does evil is at fault. Brother Liang, could you please tie them all up?”

"Row."

Using what was available, they untied the straps from the robbers, tied two straps together, and used them to bind two people.

The oxcart was a complete mess because of them. Luckily, we didn't have to deliver tomatoes to the Lotus Restaurant today. We were out of strawberries, but the jar of ice jelly was fine because it was sealed well.

The konjac tofu and konjac noodles were ruined, and they can't be sold today.

They were all heartbroken to see this and couldn't help but scold Zeng Mingzhu again.

After tidying up the oxcart, Chunfen and Liang Mingliang threw the men onto it, and Xu Zhichun and the others followed behind.

They went into the city and reported to the authorities.

Zeng Mingzhu was smug and somewhat impatient, gloating at home, waiting to see Xu Zhichun and the others look so miserable and pathetic.

They will certainly be unlucky.

Since they're so shameless and arrogant, how could she swallow this insult without giving them a good lesson?
She'll let them know that if they don't give her face, they can forget about selling their little trinkets properly in the city in the future.

She waited for them to come to her.

When the time comes, she will have the final say on how to set the terms.

Zeng Mingzhu suddenly felt enlightened: That's right, whether they want sweet potatoes or potatoes, why bother talking to them? Why make things so complicated? Just deal with them directly, isn't that enough? If they're so capable, let them confront her head-on.

Are they worthy?

Zeng Mingzhu then became somewhat impatient and said to Cuiqiao with a smile, "Do you think they might not realize that the people I sent today were hired by me?"

Cuiqiao smiled as well: "This—you should be able to figure it out, right?"

Zeng Mingzhu scoffed, "That's hard to say!"

After all, they're so stupid, they might not even think of that? Wouldn't I have hired people for nothing?

"Go and tell them."

"Yes, Miss!"

(End of this chapter)