Chapter 123: Suspicion

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Qin Huiyin rode in Tang Sanye’s ox cart back to the market. The mess left behind earlier had already been cleaned up, though many scraps were still piled in the corner—some food, some broken tables and chairs. Fortunately, when they chose bowls, they picked wooden ones, so the earlier chaotic smashing didn’t matter; they could simply wash them and reuse. The tables and chairs were somewhat damaged and likely needed replacing.

“We checked. The cart is made of iron and wasn’t damaged. The pots and pans are mostly fine, just a bit misshapen, but with some repairs, they can still be used. The only losses are the tables and chairs, which won’t cost too much. You managed to get twenty taels of silver from those ruffians; even if we replace everything, there will be some left over. We haven’t lost out,” Li Taohua said, glancing toward the ox cart. “Is your Uncle Tang still on the cart? If his legs are inconvenient, he shouldn’t come down. We can clean up and head home.”

“I left Uncle Tang at the clinic for treatment,” Qin Huiyin replied. “The doctor was confident he could restore Uncle Tang to how he was before the injury. I want to take that chance. Mother, if you think it’s not right, I can bring him back now.”

“The doctor said your Uncle Tang’s leg can still be saved?” Li Taohua hesitated. “Can we trust that? We’ve seen several doctors before, and none said his leg could be healed.”

“He said he came from the capital and that his family has been physicians for generations. He took a lot of silver from me and still kept Uncle Tang there. If he wasn’t confident, he wouldn’t make such bold claims. Their clinic just opened, and Uncle Tang is their first patient—they must be eager to build a good reputation and wouldn’t risk ruining it.”

“If it can really be healed, then of course it should be. Uncle Tang hasn’t said much, but I can tell it bothers him a lot. How much silver did the doctor ask for?”

“Ten taels. But only five taels have been paid as a deposit. He said the remaining five taels would be paid once Uncle Tang recovers.”

Tang Lüwu and Tang Yi exchanged smiles, their eyes shining with hope.

“Yinyin, we will work hard to earn money, earn a lot to cover that silver. Thank you for trying on behalf of my father,” Tang Lüwu said gratefully, holding her hand.

“What nonsense are you saying? Am I not your sister? Uncle Tang is your father, so he’s also my father. I may not have said it out loud, but I consider him a father in my heart,” Qin Huiyin said. “Let’s see if this doctor really has genuine skill. If he dares to deceive me—taking the silver but doing nothing—his clinic won’t last long. If he’s truly capable, let him treat my little brother’s minor ailment too; maybe it can be completely cured.”

“I’m fine as I am now,” Tang Yi smiled.

“If he can fully cure you, you won’t need to take medicine anymore. Do you want to take medicine for your whole life?” Qin Huiyin said. “These are just plans for now. We’ll see the results of Uncle Tang’s leg treatment first.”

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“The officials are here,” Li Taohua warned from the side.

Qin Huiyin looked back and saw Captain Feng with several subordinates approaching.

Captain Feng smiled. “Young lady, here is the full twenty taels of silver.”

Qin Huiyin handed one tael to Captain Feng. “Thank you, sir. You and your men have worked hard. This is for you all to have some tea.”

“Tea is fine, but your food really is delicious. Next time, just invite us for a meal,” Captain Feng declined politely, then continued, “By the way, I want to thank you. Those ruffians have always been a headache for us. They bully people everywhere, and the common folk complain endlessly. Thanks to your method, this county is much quieter now, and you’ve saved us a lot of trouble. Young lady, you’ve done a great service.”

“Bullies always prey on the weak and easy targets. Whenever someone dares to stand up to them, they get scared. Of course, I relied on having more people with me at the time—they wouldn’t dare do anything openly in broad daylight. It’s thanks to the county magistrate’s strict rule and the officials’ dedication that we had the courage to fight back.”

“Ha ha…” Captain Feng laughed heartily at her wit. “You’re quite clever, young lady. By the way, those ruffians, to reduce their punishment, told us something. They didn’t come to bother you by chance. Someone told them your business was doing well, making a lot of money, and that it was full of women and children who are easy to bully. That’s why they targeted you.”

“Did they say who it was?”

“They said they don’t know the person, but he’s thin and well-dressed, looking like someone who works for the wealthy.”

“Thank you, Captain Feng. We’ll keep an eye out.”

Captain Feng glanced at the cart. “Will you come to the next market gathering?”

“Yes, only a few chairs and stools were broken; we’ll have someone make new ones,” Qin Huiyin answered. “Please remember to come support us.”

After Captain Feng left, Li Taohua said angrily, “Who the hell is really against us?”

“I thought I saw Tang Jizu just now, but he moved so fast he disappeared in a flash. I’m not sure if I was mistaken,” Tang Yi said with a smile.

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“When did you see him?” Li Taohua asked.

“When we had just set up the stall,” Tang Yi recalled with a smile. “It was too busy then—I didn’t dare stop moving, so I didn’t look closely to be sure if it was really him.”

“Do you remember what he was wearing? Was it like the ruffians described—well-dressed, clearly working for the rich?” Li Taohua asked again.

“I only caught a glimpse. He moved quickly and vanished. I can’t be sure if it was Tang Jizu or if I was mistaken,” Tang Yi said uncertainly.

“I think it was him,” Li Taohua said. “Who else would have a grudge against us and be in town besides him?”

“We can’t be sure yet. The only certainty is that someone has their eyes on us. From now on, we need to watch out for any sneaky people around us.”

The market was managed by someone, and they needed to clean up the pile of debris. Without tools, it was difficult, so Qin Huiyin spent ten wen to hire the market supervisor to find people to clear the mess.

After everything that happened today, everyone was exhausted. On the way back, they lay quietly in the ox cart, too tired to speak.

When they got home, they first unloaded everything. Tang Sanye said he would take care of repairing the pots and pans, promising to restore them to their original condition.

“Momo” and “Baozi Mantou” wagged their tails and ran over, barking happily. Their short legs bounced about, lifting everyone’s spirits a little.

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