Yao Yao looked up at her parents, shaking her head slightly and sighing softly, "So, Uncle Xu must have spread some lies when he ran away. How could a disgraced Prince Xiaoyao possibly become emperor!"
That's right, so these two brothers were deliberately putting on a show, just to invite him back to sit on that hot potato of a dragon throne!
Fan Zehao gritted his teeth, wishing he could beat these two to a pulp with a single blow. No... damn it, these aren't even human, no human would do such a thing!
On the verge of rage, Fan Zehao ate his steamed buns, taking large bites and chewing fiercely, not even touching the soup or pickles. His wife and son observed the situation and chose to remain silent.
These were tough people, the kind they couldn't afford to offend!
Not long after, more idle chatter drifted over from the next table.
A: "I heard the richest man in Yun Country has arrived in Jinzhou City and plans to establish a medicinal garden here. The garden is quite large and will be located in that big estate outside the city."
B: "That's not just hearsay. Yesterday, they were recruiting people at the estate outside the city. The plaque has already been hung, and it's called 'Medicinal Manor'!"
C, listening to the two seniors discuss this wealthy merchant, had also heard a little about him.
C: "Speaking of this wealthy merchant, his surname is quite unique, Ying. His given name is Xiong. He's over thirty and still unmarried, not even having any concubines. What do you think, is he... not functioning in that area?"
A curled his lip and said with a sarcastic shake of his head, "Who knows? Maybe he has other hobbies."
Listening to their conversation, Yao Yao was so angry he almost swung his fists again, but remembering they were outside, he held back.
Suddenly, the steamed bun in his hand didn't taste good. He threw it onto the table and said sullenly, "A bunch of gossiping old men, worse than shrewish women! Can't someone be clean and self-disciplined? If you can't compare to them, you just gossip and spread rumors. People with such petty minds can never get rich!"
"Hmph, a bunch of scoundrels!" Yao Yao finally spoke the truth indignantly!
Although his voice was low, the people at the next table weren't deaf and naturally heard everything he said.
The three men exchanged glances, then looked at the family of three, dressed so poorly, and dismissed them.
They all stood up and walked over, none of them looking them in the eye. They moved as if they had stepped on an electric wire, shaking all over, indistinguishable from thugs.
As if drinking fake wine, they drunkenly declared, "What, is your mouth still not fully grown, or did you just fart that out? You, a little brat, are going to teach us adults? Who do you think you are? Even the Emperor himself wouldn't dare to tell me how to behave, so who are you?"
C chimed in, cooperating with A's words, and said with a cold laugh, "Brother, why waste words on these people? Teach them a lesson, and they'll know how to behave in the future. They'll know what to say and what not to say, won't they?"
How many bowls of wine did they drink to talk like that, spewing expletives with every sentence!
Before Fan Zehao could get angry, Yao Yao stood up and retorted defiantly, "You are all adults. Should you not have the virtues of a gentleman? How can you slander others behind their backs, speaking with such filth, stinking and dirty, making people nauseous!"
A small child telling them how to be a person?
This was the first time ever. The three of them sneered, "Whose child is this, speaking with such arrogance? Gentlemanly virtues? In this world, without money and power, who are you lecturing?"
Yao Yao's face turned red with anger. Facing these scoundrels, he struggled to fight back!
Zhao Jiaqi remained silent, because although these men were giving the child a bad example, there was some truth to their words.
If you're incompetent, even a stray dog won't acknowledge you!
Without money, who would look at you with respect?
This was the vulgarity of the human world!
Not far away, at a table by the wall, a man in white moved. His guard behind him stirred.
"Master, shall I teach those people a lesson?"
Ying Xiong glanced at Yao Yao and his parents, then shook his head slightly. "No need!"
With that, he lowered his head and continued drinking his tea, as if nothing had happened.
As expected, these three men had just hit a nerve with Fan Zehao!
With a Lugou fist in his left hand and a Shadowless Kick in his right leg, and using both hands and feet on the remaining one, he incapacitated the three of them.
He looked down at the stunned trio, his hands behind his back, his knuckles cracking loudly as he said sinisterly, "So what if you have power? Is it amazing to have money? Let me tell you, in this world, besides these two things, there's one more: a fist. That's the real principle!"
Money and power are commodities; a fist is the hard currency!
"If you're not convinced, fight me. I'll fight until you are. Whoever comes, today I will show you whether money and power are powerful in my hands, or whether my fist is powerful!"
Before he could even fight, the three men scrambled out of the inn. Fan Zehao frowned. He hadn't even unleashed his full strength, why did they run away?
He hadn't had enough fun, hadn't vented his anger, and now he felt uncomfortable all over.
He had energy but nowhere to put it!
Shaking his head, he sat down again and watched Yao Yao pout, gnawing on a half-eaten steamed bun, silently making small movements.
"Hoeing the fields at noon, farmers work so hard. Are the grains they grow meant for you to waste like this?"
*Pfft... cough cough!*
Zhao Jiaqi couldn't help but spray out the soup in her mouth and quickly took out a handkerchief to wipe her mouth.
This man hadn't learned many ancient poems, but he had certainly altered this poem to rhyme!
Just those two sentences had amused the people sitting at the table by the wall.
Father was in a bad mood, Yao Yao was unhappy, and he had also been lectured by hypocrites. His mood couldn't be described as just not good; it was absolutely terrible!
Seeing this, Zhao Jiaqi decided that after they finished eating, they would go out and spend money, turning sorrow into strength, and go shopping!
Just as they finished eating, the three arrogant men, accompanied by bailiffs, entered the Welcome Inn.
A pointed at Fan Zehao and shouted, "It's him! He hit us! Bailiffs, look at our teeth, he knocked them out! They say the prefect of Jinzhou City is an honest and good official. A troublemaker like this, you can't let him get away with it!"
The guilty party complaining first, Fan Zehao witnessed this again today!
If he encountered more such incidents in a year, would he die sooner?
Oh well, his mood was bad today, so he would take his anger out on these three. Who told them to have such loose tongues and pass bad news to his ears?
Before Fan Zehao could get up, the bailiffs, their waists adorned with weapons, walked over with darkened faces.
They asked in a businesslike manner, "You hit them. Is this true?"
Fan Zehao nodded, "It's true. I hit them lightly for bullying me. They got off easy!"
These words were too arrogant!
Not only were all the onlookers astonished, but even Ying Xiong was surprised. He glanced over in their direction, scrutinizing Fan Zehao and his family with a keen gaze.
Before he could finish his appraisal, the bailiffs, hearing this, didn't say another word and directly took Fan Zehao away. "Whatever you have to say, go to the yamen and say it!"
They had seen plenty of arrogant people, and many daring ones too. To speak such words in front of the entire city government meant either the person was crazy or had a significant background!
As subordinates, they dared not offend people carelessly. It was better to avoid trouble. They would leave everything to the prefect to handle; that was always the right course of action.