Shipin Dalizheng

Shopkeeper Xu was even more panicked, but he still had to bite the bullet and say, "What Madam Rong? I never knew her. Ever since I became the shopkeeper of this cloth shop, I've been handing over to Madam Jin. Madam Jin is the one who checks the account books every year. If Madam Rong is the one in charge of the mansion, why is she never seen? I don't care what troubles you have in your family, you can't blame us ordinary people for all the trouble. Don't let someone in your family sell the shop and then deny the debt and take it back. Isn't that bullying?"

What he said seemed to make sense, and the owners of the shops next door all pointed and expressed their support for Shopkeeper Xu.

Rong Tang now had an idea in his mind. It must be Yang who sold the shop secretly. It was true that she was bold and presumptuous, but she couldn't catch her right now if she wanted to settle the score.

Given his temper, he was too lazy to waste time talking to Shopkeeper Xu and was just going to beat him up and send him away. Rong An comforted him, "Sir, I'll take care of this matter."

Rong Zhan and Rong Wanli were the ones who beat people up, but logically speaking, he had to do it himself. There was no reason for a dignified prince to lose his reputation by arguing with a small person.

He clasped his fists and saluted, "Don't listen to his nonsense, everyone. The Madam Jin he's talking about is not our mistress at all. She has no right or qualification to sell the property of the Bo Mansion. Besides, if you want to buy a shop, don't you want to see the official deed in the other party's hand? Just give the other party the money based on empty words, without asking whether it's legal or not, and think the transaction is complete? If that's the case, then all of you neighbors should be careful about your shops. You never know, they might be sold by someone else one day. Who can you turn to for justice?"

When the neighbors heard this, they thought it made sense, so one of them asked Shopkeeper Xu, "Shopkeeper Xu, does Mrs. Jin have the original deed that sold the shop to you?"

Shopkeeper Xu hesitated, "Well, Mrs. Jin said the original deed was lost. But I've worked here for many years, you all know that. Mrs. Jin occasionally comes to check the accounts, and you've all seen it."

The neighbors were silent. They had seen the so-called Mrs. Jin, but this shop was originally the property of the Jian'an Earl's Mansion. They also knew that it was obvious that Mrs. Jin was not the real owner of the property. There must be something fishy about Manager Xu buying the shop.

Rong An sarcastically said, "What if this was a lowly woman from the mansion who came to secretly sell the master's property, and Manager Xu bought it without even asking any questions?"

Shopkeeper Xu became increasingly panicked, sweating profusely. Suddenly, he let out a fierce roar, "I bought it, and I bought it. Anyway, I have the sales contract with the official seal of the county government. This is my Xu family's shop. So what if he's the prince? How dare you bully me? Don't forget that this is a suburban county in Shangjing. Our Xu family... has relatives in Shangjing."

Rong Tang was shocked by the ugly appearance of a fierce but weak man. Just as he was about to make a sarcastic remark, the county inspector came over and asked, "Who is making a commotion here?"

Shopkeeper Xu hurried forward to complain about his grievances, pointing his finger at Rong Tang and accusing him of abusing his power and trying to seize his shop.

The patrol officer came over with a frown on his face. Rong An didn't want him to offend the prince with his words without knowing the true situation, so he stepped forward and explained the whole thing to him.

Shopkeeper Xu also showed the inspector the sales contract, which had been stamped by the county government two days earlier. Of the two contracts before him, one was the original owner, legitimate, while the other was the new owner. There were some issues with the transaction process, but once the official seal was affixed, it was legal.

The patrol officer was only one of the six offices in the county government, and this property rights dispute was completely beyond his ability to resolve. Moreover, any discerning person could see that when Manager Xu bought the shop, he had secretly exchanged money and power with a senior official in the county government.

"Prince Rong, I can't handle this. I will go back to the county yamen and ask the adults to come and judge the case. Please take a rest."

The patrol captain didn't dare to be careless. He didn't even dare to let Rong Tang go back to the county office with him to complain. You must be kidding. The county magistrate was only a seventh-rank official, and only had the opportunity to report to the capital once every three years. This Rong Shizi was a close minister under the Emperor's nose. It was self-evident who had a more noble status.

He had a premonition that a certain official in the county government had hit a wall.

Rong Tang nodded in agreement. The other person was speaking politely, so he didn't intend to make things difficult for him.

The merchants in Yongning Lane were all alarmed and came out to watch the fun. Some who were on good terms with Shopkeeper Xu sympathized with him for being cheated. "It's obvious that this was a setup. He got ripped off."

Of course, there were also colleagues who disliked him and had other opinions. "What kind of scheme is this? You haven't met the original owner, and you haven't seen the original deed? You dare to buy the shop? Who among us doesn't buy a shop through a regular broker? And he dares to buy it from someone who doesn't even have a deed? He's just trying to get a bargain! I heard him brag that the total price of this shop is one thousand taels, and he only spent eight hundred taels. Not counting the cloth inventory in the shop, there must be at least three or five hundred taels. Such a controversial shop is listed in a brokerage, and the brokerage doesn't dare to take it over. Serves him right!"

Rong Tang had good hearing and after hearing their discussion, he had a better idea of ​​what was going on. He extended his hand towards Rong Wanli, who tactfully took out a gold-sprinkled folding fan and respectfully handed it to him.

In the long alley, the crowd of onlookers was three layers deep. A young man in black wore a lazy and carefree demeanor, waving a fan. Although he was not tall and was sitting, he had an air of contempt, looking down on the world and all living things.

This was the scene Cui Xian saw when he came over. For a moment he had an illusion. If someone didn't know, they would have thought he was a royal descendant, with the aura that only a crown prince could have.

He had heard of this man a few days ago, as Mayor Gao had mentioned him again and again. The last time Mayor Gao sent a whole family of troublemakers from Gaojia Village to him for punishment, his first impression was that Prince Rong was bullying others by taking advantage of his power.

After finding out the whole story, he realized that what the Gao family did was indeed inappropriate, but he also felt that the Gao family was just a victim of the conflict between the father and son of the Bo family.

He then investigated the Gao family's reputation in the village... well, they weren't wronged. He then exiled the family according to the law, as they wouldn't have a good time if they stayed in their hometown.

But privately, he didn't like Rong Tang, and it wasn't just targeting Rong Tang, he simply felt that few of the children of nobles in the capital were good.

He came forward and greeted people with a neither humble nor arrogant attitude. He had no intention of currying favor, and no one could find fault with him.

Rong Tang glanced at him and felt that his temperament was a little familiar, and his surname...

Rong Zhan whispered in his ear, "He's from the Qinghe Cui clan's branch, and he's from the same clan as that person."

"That person" is the hidden pain they buried in their hearts as they traveled thousands of miles north. Because it was such a pity and too hard to accept, no one wanted to mention it and add to the sadness.

Rong Tang's expression softened a bit because of "that person". No wonder he had a familiar temperament, a family of culture and purity! Although the people in their clan were worse than pigs and dogs in terms of business, the children of the clan had a strong cultural atmosphere and all had a refined and learned face.

"It turned out to be County Magistrate Cui."

Seeing Rong Tang's expression soften after the servant's reminder, Cui Xian was disdainful. Look, look, he looked down on him because he was a minor county magistrate, but now that he knew he was a descendant of the Qinghe Cui family, his expression changed immediately. How was he any different from those dandies in Shangjing?

But he was here to handle the case, and even if Prince Rong did not show any obvious signs of using his power to intimidate others, he still had to make a fair judgment.

With the two contracts in front of him, Cui Xian immediately saw the problem and looked up at Shopkeeper Xu, "How did you get these business contracts?"

Manager Xu fell to his knees with a thud.