Rich Peasant Girl: The General's Wife Has Space

Seeing this, everyone quickly reminded the Xiao family how could they let people go so easily, otherwise anyone would be able to covet their workshop in the future.

The Xiao family members remained calm. Xiao Wan had a slight smile on her face and looked at Manager Ren who was about to leave leisurely without saying a word.

Seeing this situation, Manager Ren began to show a smug smile on his face. They were just peasants. No matter how powerful they were, they would not dare to fight with him, a city dweller.

Humph, when he gets the chance to report to his master, he will come back to deal with this family, and then the workshop will be handed over to him.

When everyone saw that the Xiao family remained silent, they became anxious. What was going on?

Just as Manager Ren was about to walk out with the silver bills in his arms, suddenly, a group of yamen runners came in from outside, led by Zhao Wenqing.

Seeing this, Xiao Wan was delighted, thinking that he had finally arrived.

The person she was waiting for was Zhao Wenqing!

When Zhao Wenqing entered the house, the village head hurried to greet him.

Oh my God, this is really a mixed blessing. In the past, it was rare to see the mayor, but since the Xiao family workshop was established, I have to see the county magistrate several times a month.

He never thought that he would be able to sit at the same table with the county magistrate for dinner in his life!

Seeing that they were acquaintances, Zhao Wenqing asked them to excuse themselves. Everyone looked at Zhao Wenqing in surprise and fear, wondering what had happened that required the county magistrate to come in person.

Zhao Wenqing coughed a few times and asked, "Who is Manager Ren of Baili Tower?"

Manager Ren didn't expect that he couldn't leave, and the county magistrate actually came to such a small village in person, so he had to pay a visit with everyone else.

Although his master was the eldest prince, as he thought, he could not get a number after all, so he had to pay his respects to the county magistrate obediently.

Hearing Zhao Wenqing calling his name, he hurried forward.

Zhao Wenqing's expression suddenly changed, and he said coldly, "You are Shopkeeper Ren? But you ordered people to steal the potato recipe from the Xiao family workshop? Huh?"

"Sir, I, I, I didn't do that... I..." When Shopkeeper Ren heard Zhao Wenqing's sudden outburst and pointed out this matter, he suddenly became flustered and looked at Zhao Wenqing's face with fear.

"How dare you! Is that right?" Zhao Wenqing shouted.

Shopkeeper Ren was startled and hesitant. Xiao Wan stepped forward and said, "Sir, this shopkeeper Ren instructed Zhao Cuihua from our village to team up with Yao Linlin from another village to sneak into my workshop and steal the secret recipe for the powdered products. Fortunately, I was well prepared and didn't let them succeed."

"Because of this, Shopkeeper Ren paid a lot of money and went to Zhao Cuihua to demand compensation. Just now, Zhao Cuihua's husband compensated Shopkeeper Ren with three hundred taels of silver, signed the document, and put his fingerprints on it. The village head and the villagers were all watching."

"Yes, that's right, sir."

"That's right. We testify that we did sign the document."

Perhaps because the villagers saw that Zhao Wenqing was quite kind to them, they dared to speak loudly and testified one after another.

Xiao Tiequan, the victim, also spoke up at this time: "Sir, I am Zhao Cuihua's husband. I can testify that it was indeed the shopkeeper Ren who asked my wife to steal the secrets of the workshop of the second brother Xiao. I just gave the money and signed the documents."

"Besides, my wife can also testify, right?" He looked at Zhao Cuihua with a warm face.

Zhao Cuihua didn't mind her husband asking her in such a gentle tone, and nodded quickly in response.

After Xiao Tiequan finished speaking, he presented the document to Zhao Wenqing.

Zhao Wenqing took the document, looked at it carefully, and nodded.

He turned around and asked, "Manager Ren, do you have anything else to say?"

Manager Ren was shocked and didn't know how to respond. After all, his fingerprints were pressed on it, and he couldn't make excuses in front of so many people.

He could only lower his head in shame and replied weakly: "Yes, sir."

However, he did not cause any actual harm to the Xiao family, and he even paid compensation, so he should not be punished too severely.

Thinking of this, hope rose in his heart again, and he asked Zhao Wenqing to give him a lighter punishment.

He could apologize to the Xiao family, or pay some money as compensation for their mental damage.

After begging Zhao Wenqing, he turned around and smiled flatteringly at the Xiao family: "It's all my fault. I won't dare to do it again. Please spare me this time."

His round, fat face and flattering tone made the Xiao family feel uncomfortable.

Zhao Wenqing looked at Shopkeeper Ren and slowly uttered words that made him despair: "Shopkeeper Ren of Baililou coveted the Xiao family workshop and ordered people to steal the Xiao family workshop's secret recipes, seriously affecting the interests of the court. Now there is witness and evidence. Come, confiscate his stolen money, take him away, put him in jail, and return him to the palace for retrial!"

The yamen runners stepped forward, arrested the shopkeeper Ren, and found Xiao Tiequan's three hundred taels of silver. Zhao Cuihua was frightened when she saw this. Why couldn't she live in peace?

Zhao Lizheng was also stunned. The interests of the court? What did this mean?

The villagers were all confused.

Seeing this, Zhao Wenqing explained, "Last month, Xiao Wan, a daughter of the Xiao family, reported her potato planting method to the court, and the court was very commendable. Large-scale potato planting will meet the food and clothing needs of more people. This is a major event that benefits the country and the people, and it is also a matter of public welfare!"

"What's more, the Xiao family's workshops and shops have made a significant contribution to the imperial court's tax revenue and are a role model. The Xiao family has made contributions to the imperial court, and the imperial court will reward them accordingly. Therefore, this shopkeeper dared to go against the imperial court, and I have the right to arrest him!"