"Okay, okay, I'll get a copy for my husband later."
Xue Bizhu seemed to understand her husband's thoughts, and nodded with a smile.
"Okay, I'll get it for you when we get down there."
After the couple arrived on the first floor, Xue Bizhulian walked lightly behind the counter, leaned over and casually pulled out a copy of "Mencius" from under the counter and handed it to Mr. Liu.
"Husband, is Mencius okay?"
Liu Mingzhi took the book from the beauty's hand and nodded with a smile.
"Okay, let me go to the backyard first for my husband."
"Okay, let's go."
Young Master Liu breathed a sigh of relief and walked towards the backyard of the restaurant with a calm expression.
After passing through the curtain leading to the backyard, Liu Mingzhi looked at the situation in the backyard calmly, nodded and walked toward the pavilion in the southeast corner.
Young Master Liu walked to the steps of the pavilion, sat down on the ground, and opened the book in his hand with a sad expression.
With the arrival of Young Master Liu, the discussion in the backyard suddenly stopped.
More than a hundred people, men, women, old and young, subconsciously set their eyes on Young Master Liu.
Liu Mingzhi noticed everyone's gaze, glanced nervously at the group of people around him, and leaned on the steps behind him with his eyes wandering.
"Everyone, please be polite.
This is me, I was arranged here by shopkeeper Xue."
After hearing Mr. Liu's explanation, the expressions on the faces of the people around him suddenly relaxed.
On Young Master Liu's left, a man in his thirties put his hands on the ground and slowly moved to Young Master Liu's side.
"Brother, do you also have any grievances?"
Liu Mingzhi's face suddenly became nervous when he saw the curious look on the man in front of him.
"Brother, I don't know what you are talking about.
I...I'm going to read a book first."
As soon as Mr. Liu finished speaking, he looked directly at the book in his hand regardless of the reaction of the man in front of him.
Seeing Young Master Liu's nervous expression and his fear of saying anything, the man shook his head, sighed, and returned to his original position.
"Brother Zhuzi, what's going on with that scholar brother?"
"Alas, he is probably another poor man who has suffered an unfair injustice!"
"Huh, I didn't expect that even scholars would end up like this."
Liu Dashao pretended not to hear the whispers of several people, and still looked at the books in his hands with a blank expression.
"Uncle Luo, there is another poor person over there. I don't know which state he is from."
"You brat, don't talk nonsense."
"Uncle Luo, do you think we can really get justice this time?"
"Uncle Luo, I also want to ask the same question as Brother Shunzi. Can we really get justice this time?
What if the officials in the capital are like our Lord Sima and the County Magistrate, and they protect each other?"
"Uncle Luo, I am also worried about this situation.
We have all been staying in Shopkeeper Xue's restaurant for more than ten days, but there has been no movement at all.
The high-ranking officials in the capital either come to us to take statements or inquire about the situation.
He keeps leaving us here without asking anything, which makes the boy feel completely unsure.
If the situation of officials protecting each other happens again, we will die here in the capital, but there will not even be anyone to collect the body.
If my mother knew about this situation, she would not be able to..."
The man who spoke last could not help but choke up in his voice as he spoke.
"You bastards, shut up.
Have you forgotten what Muramasa-sama told us before we were brought to the capital by the imperial guards?
The officials who came down to investigate our case this time are not the high officials in the imperial court.
But our current prince and princess.
What are the identities of His Royal Highness the Prince and His Highness the Princess? They are the biological children of His Majesty the Emperor!
These two nobles are here to uphold justice for us old and young gentlemen, no matter how big or small they are, they have to listen to them."
"Uncle Luo, that's what you said, but who knows if it's true or false?
It's been more than ten days, and no official has come to ask what's going on with us. I don't have any confidence at all."
"Oh, just keep waiting.
As long as the injustice can be redressed, we can be innocent.
Not to mention waiting more than ten days, even two or three months is still worth it.
Besides, since we moved into the restaurant, Shopkeeper Xue and Shopkeeper Huang, two good-hearted sisters, haven’t even taken a single copper from us.
Not only did they not charge us for accommodation, but they also took care of our three meals a day.
If such kind people like these sisters don't complain, what else do we have to say?"
"Uncle Luo, I know everything you said, but..."
"Xiwazi, shut up.
Let’s not think of anything to say now. Let’s listen to what the adults have to say before we go to bed in the evening.”
"Uncle Luo."
"You bastards, if you still recognize me as your uncle, you must stop complaining.
It’s time to chat and stop complaining.”
"Yes, yes, can't we just listen to you?"
Young Master Liu glanced blankly at the seven or eight people under the eaves in front of him on the left, and silently turned the page of the book in his hand.
Putting the book on his knees, Young Master Liu hesitated for a moment before taking out the tobacco pouch from his waist.
After a while, as soon as Young Master Liu exhaled the light smoke from his mouth, seventeen or eight people came towards Young Master Liu.
"This brother, in order not to cause trouble to shopkeeper Xue, I have been on hiatus for five or six days.
Brother, I will be so shameless as to lend you some tobacco, and I will return it to you when I have a chance later, okay?"
"Brother, I've been thinking about this for several days, do you think?"
"Brother, when I regain my innocence, I will double the amount.
No, no, no, I’ll pay you five times the price and give you some fine cut tobacco.”
Liu Mingzhi raised his eyes and scanned the people in front of him. Seeing the longing in their eyes, he directly picked up the tobacco bag and poured all the shredded tobacco into the palm of his hand.
"We are both fallen people at the end of the world, so why should we meet before?
Dear brothers, please."
"Brother, thank you very much."
"Brother, thank you so much. I will definitely return it to you in the future."
"Brother, thank you very much. I still said what I said before.
If I am lucky enough to survive this time, I will definitely repay you double the amount."
"You're welcome, you're welcome. All you gentlemen, young and old, please come and have some."
Although everyone in the group of people in front of Young Master Liu was swallowing saliva, no one came forward to grab them. Instead, they picked up a handful of shredded tobacco in his hand in an orderly manner.
After a while, waves of smoke filled the area around the pavilion.
"Brother, you are a good person. You are as good a person as Shopkeeper Xue and Shopkeeper Huang."
To be continued...