After being jilted, the entire neighboring village was filled with deep regret.

Chapter 90 Street Vendors Encounter Local Thugs

After returning home, he gave the money bag to Su Tai and said, "According to the usual practice, there will be a small market in town on the evening of the 29th of the twelfth lunar month. Most of the goods that were not sold at the big market will be sold at the small market, and the prices will be cheaper. You can order some firecrackers then, and we'll sell all the goods."

Su Tai, puzzled, asked, "I rarely see you so angry. What's wrong?"

Shen Yi slammed his fist on the table, panting heavily. "The night Manager Li of Jixiang Inn set off a fireworks display, it even alarmed the county magistrate. Now everyone in the other towns of Zhaohua County knows that someone in Dahe Town is selling fireworks and firecrackers."

As a result, in the past few days, someone brought a batch of fireworks and firecrackers to sell in Moshi Town, claiming that they were the same fireworks and firecracker sellers from Dahe Town. They said that each firecracker cost fifty coins and a barrel of fireworks cost five ounces, and that this was the price they always had. A woman gritted her teeth and bought a firecracker, but it turned out to be a dud and couldn't be set off at all. When she went to find the seller, he denied it and even said that the woman had deliberately cheated him.

Those who bought firecrackers were also cautious. Several families tried setting one off, and half of them failed to go off. They gathered in a group and went to demand an explanation. Guess what the other party said?

"What do you mean?" Su Tai asked anxiously and angrily, leaning forward slightly.

Shen Yi slammed his hand on the table and said angrily, "They actually claim to be relatives of Master Ma. Tell those people to watch their step."

"Hiss!" Su Tai gasped. "They're even threatening them now! And the town magistrate isn't doing anything about it?"

Shen Yi sighed, “How can we manage this? These kinds of things are hard to prove, and who would want to waste so much money buying fireworks and setting them off randomly! Besides, the town official is the son-in-law of Master Ma. No matter what their relationship is, it’s not good to openly embarrass the father-in-law, is it? But we can’t let them impersonate us. We have to go to the market on the 29th of the twelfth lunar month to stand up for those people who have been cheated.”

"Okay! Go find my dad and the village chief first, and ask them to come and support us, so we won't be bullied by them!" Su Tai was really worried about Shen Yi.

Shen Yi knew he couldn't act recklessly at a time like this, so the next day he took his things and went to Dongmen Village.

He first went to see Su Chunlin, and then sat at Song Yongnian's house for a while.

The 29th day of the twelfth lunar month.

The young couple set off before dawn, and when they arrived in Moshi Town, they hadn't seen any other stalls selling firecrackers.

The two had barely set up their stall when someone approached them, asking, "Fireworks? Where did you get them?"

Seeing that the other party was hostile, Shen Yi shielded Su Tai behind him and asked, "Do you want to buy it?"

"I'm asking you where your goods came from, don't you understand?" Zhao Qiang suddenly raised his voice and slapped the stall imposingly.

Shen Yi narrowed his eyes, his face cold and stern. "It's none of your business."

"What? What did you say?" Zhao Qiang picked at his ear in disbelief, then laughed arrogantly, "Did I hear that right? You set up a stall here and don't even know who I am? Who gave you the guts!"

Shen Yi raised an eyebrow. "Master Zhao? Who's more powerful, Master Zhao or the town magistrate?"

Enraged, Zhao Qiang spat a mouthful of phlegm on the ground. "Kid, you think you can intimidate me with the town official's name? You're still too green! I, Zhao, have plenty of powerful backers!"

"Is that mountain so blind that you can lean on it?" A light, teasing voice came from behind Zhao Qiang.

"You're asking for death!" Zhao Qiang turned his head sharply, only to see Su Changfu leading a group of villagers from Dongmen Village staring at him menacingly.

His expression changed instantly. Feigning composure, he pointed at them and shouted, "What do you think you're doing? Rebellion? Be careful, or I'll report you to the town magistrate!" Su Changfu gave a mocking smirk. "Didn't you just ignore the town magistrate? Why are you suddenly bringing him up now? How about I get him to come and talk to you?"

"You...you just wait!" Zhao Qiang said fiercely, then ran away with a gloomy face.

Su Changfu then stepped forward and patted Shen Yi on the shoulder reassuringly, "Don't worry, we're here today, no one can do anything to you!"

"Uncle Su, thank you so much! Everyone who came to help today, please take a string of firecrackers home later, no money required," Shen Yi said loudly to the villagers of Dongmen Village.

Everyone was pleasantly surprised and worked even harder to get more drinks.

As soon as the villagers of Sangjia Village entered the town, they found a crowd surrounding a stall. They set up their fireworks and firecrackers and shouted for a long time, but no one asked the price.

"What's going on?" Sang Xingchang frowned and looked around. "Where's Zhao Qiang? Didn't Sang Yong say that Zhao Qiang had already cleared the area in advance, and that we were the only ones selling firecrackers today?"

Sang Xingwang also felt something was amiss. "Was it because those people caused too much trouble last time?"

"Impossible! No matter how much those people make a fuss, there are still people coming to buy from us, aren't there?" Sang Xingchang, his face ashen, tried to squeeze into the stall across the street to take a look, but after trying for a long time, it was all in vain. He was so angry that he turned around and went to find Zhao Qiang.

After searching around, he finally caught Zhao Qiang eating porridge on the street. "You really made me look for you!"

Zhao Qiang glanced up at Sang Xingchang and said before he could speak, "The other side came prepared, talking about town officials all the time, they're not afraid at all. My attempt to intimidate them won't work. You should hurry up and go to Township Chief Sang to find a solution. Tomorrow is New Year's Eve, if you don't sell all your fireworks today, they'll all be stuck in your hands!"

Sang Xingchang's expression changed drastically, and he could no longer sit still, so he rushed to the Ma residence.

Sang Yong and his son Sang Rong were waiting for news at the Ma residence, preparing to divide the money, but unexpectedly, they were greeted by a flustered Sang Xingchang.

"I told you to sell firecrackers, why aren't you at your stall? What are you doing here?" Sang Yong scolded him angrily.

The marriage he had arranged with the Su family had caused him to lose all his savings. After struggling for more than half a year, it still came to nothing. If it weren't for his son marrying his niece, his whole family would be starving.

This time, he used many tricks to get his brother-in-law, Master Ma, to help him purchase a large quantity of fireworks and firecrackers, hoping to make a fortune during the New Year.

At such a critical moment, how can the people under my command hold me back!

Sang Xingchang was so anxious he was jumping up and down. "Oh dear! Township head, what time is it and you're still so calm! A group of fireworks vendors came to the street. They're not afraid of Zhao Qiang at all, and they even brought out the town official. They outnumber us and we can't do anything about them!"
People all go to them to buy firecrackers; nobody comes to look at our stuff!

"How could this be!" Sang Yong's expression changed drastically. He hurriedly led Sang Rong to the street, but after seeing how booming the business was across the street, he was so angry that he rushed in without thinking. "Get over here, all of you! Their firecrackers are defective! Don't buy them! Don't buy them!"

His shout actually made way for the people.

Sang Yong stepped forward aggressively, only to find that the stall owner was an old acquaintance.

It's said that enemies are especially hateful when they meet, and Sang Yong wished he could tear Su Changfu and his brother apart on the spot. "Fine! I thought it was someone who dared to oppose me, but I didn't expect it to be you shameless dogs!"