Xiao Yuxi’s heart was sinking rapidly. She snatched her younger sister as the people were trying to drag them away. Alas, there were too many of them and they were also no match against adults.

These people were determined to get their justice today, hoping they could get at least a few copper coins of compensation.

The discomfort in their stomach had made them unable to do daily activity like usual, causing some people to miss good opportunities to earn money.

A few of them were working as pole carriers. They had to carry heavy loads and walk a long distance every day.

"Yan’er, don’t let go of me." Xiao Yuxi really wanted to kick these people away. Xiao Yuyan nodded, clutching her sister’s hand and refused to be separated from each other.

Meanwhile, Chen Huayun and Liu Hua’s situation was no better. They needed at least two adult men to drag them toward an ox cart, which would escort the four of them to the yamen today.

"Elder Sister, it’s better if we don’t struggle," Xiao Yuyan whispered to her sister, feeling pained when she saw her taking the brunt of these people’s harsh tugging.

She continued to persuade her. "We have done nothing wrong, Elder Sister. Believe in the new magistrate. The yamen will definitely uphold justice for us."

Chen Huayun was the first one to be shoved into the ox cart, followed by Liu Hua. They both struggled and wanted to escape. Panic painted their faces, full of desperation. 𝚏𝕣𝐞𝗲𝐰𝕖𝐛𝐧𝕠𝕧𝚎𝚕.𝐜𝚘𝗺

Along the way, they didn’t stop cursing.

"You all useless people, can’t even differentiate between right and wrong. Take these wretched brats away instead of us!" Chen Huayun shrieked in her shrill and unpleasant voice.

"Yes, yes, they are the ones at fault, not us! Just wait until Merchant Yang comes back, and he will definitely agree with us once he finds out the truth." Liu Hua threatened them with Merchant Yang’s name.

Alas, these people weren’t deterred. Compared to Merchant Yang, they believed the yamen more. On the other hand, if they let go of them today, they might have suffered for nothing.

Now, it was the twins’ turn to get on the ox cart.

"Don’t shove, don’t shove!" Xiao Yuxi warned anxiously, afraid they might hurt her sister.

She was prepared to go up to the cart first so that she could pull her sister up from above. However...

"I heard that someone mentioned Merchant Yang’s name just now." Shun Zi suddenly appeared, and there was also Han Tingxun beside him.

Xiao Yuxi’s eyes lit up. She eagerly climbed back down. "Old Shun! Tell us the truth. Did Merchant Yang sell the recipe to them?"

She pointed at two women on the ox cart aggressively, whose faces suddenly turned pale with fright and their shoulders trembling.

"I-I didn’t..."

No one paid attention to Chen Huayun’s low and hesitant voice. Instead, the people turned to Shun Zi, their eyes full of scrutiny.

Shun Zi introduced himself. "I am Shun Zi, the shop manager assigned by Merchant Yang to be stationed here."

These people glanced at each other with skepticism brimming within their eyes. Although Merchant Yang was quite popular, he had many workers under him.

"Merchant Yang’s shop has just opened today, located in the previous shop with a willow tree in front of it," he explained.

Someone among them seemed to recall something and asked in an unsure tone, "The shop selling paddy rice seed?"

Another one mumbled, "I noticed there is Merchant Yang’s name plastered on it. It should be his."

They whispered among themselves. "It should be true. The twins couldn’t possibly hire people to be Merchant Yang’s people, could they? We have been watching their move the whole time."

At this moment, they seemed to reach a consensus that Shun Zi was indeed Merchant Yang’s worker.

They didn’t beat around the bush and directly asked, "So, did you really sell the soy milk recipe to these two women?"

Shun Zi’s eyes swept over the panicking Chen Huayun and Liu Hua, and then he shook his head. "We already have an agreement with the twins’ mother that we aren’t going to sell the recipe to anyone here. How can we break it?"

The words matched exactly what the twins had said.

Countless pairs of eyes stared at Chen Huayun and Liu Hua, making their scalp tingle. Although they were usually such tyrants within the Hejia village, in front of so many strangers, they still began to feel fear.

Even so, they also didn’t want to back down just like that. Like a drowning person, they still made an attempt to turn the tides over.

"How can you prove that your words are true? You sold the recipe to us and don’t even want to admit it!" Chen Huayun snapped, still wanting to argue.

Liu Hua nodded. She opened her mouth before she could even think properly. "Or, is it you who had given us the poisoned recipe? Zhou Anran sold the soy milk for so many weeks without anyone getting poisoned. But..."

She was getting more agitated with each passing second. "Since you have an agreement with her, you don’t want to break it. But, you are greedy and you want the money too!"

The twins twitched their mouths. This aunt of theirs was getting too deep into her delusion. However, they were also feeling bad that Shun Zi was getting dragged into this trouble.

"Does Merchant Yang know about your treacherous action?" Liu Hua pointed at Shun Zi. She didn’t even feel it when Chen Huayun twisted her wrist hard.

She turned to the people who had been trying to arrest them. "You should take him to the yamen instead, and not us."

Shun Zi glanced at the two women coldly, and he also somewhat felt pity for Zhou Anran and her children. Xiao Yuxi had made a slip up that the new stall selling soy milk was their relatives, grandmother and the eldest uncle’s wife.

He turned to Han Tingxun respectfully. "Mr. Han, please."

Han Tingxun nodded and turned to his people. "There is no need to go to yamen. We have people from the yamen here."

Two people stepped forward from behind him.

Chen Huayun and Liu Hua looked as if they were struck by lightning.