Although it was already the twenty-eighth of December (lunar calendar) and New Year was just two days away, many restaurants in the town were still open, their red lanterns hanging outside, making for a festive and joyful atmosphere.
However, their own tavern was deserted, with shut doors. Of utmost concern was the red, carved main door locked with an iron lock. It was chipped and kicked, with damage marks scattered all over.
"Emperor Bodhisattva, what happened?"
Lady Du was bewildered when she stepped down from the carriage and saw the damaged door. She couldn’t help shedding tears, "Who committed this offense?"
Mu Zhongqing also walked over and inspected the titling and damaged carved door. He couldn’t help asking in a deep voice, "Wei’er, have you offended anyone?"
Cai Wei lowered her eyes; a cold light flashed in them. For some matters, she was more than enough to handle on her own and didn’t want her parents to worry.
"I, a mere woman, neither drink, gamble, nor fight. How could I have offended others? It must be someone who is envious and jealous of our business’s success. That’s why they have committed such an act."
She hid her feelings well, with only a sense of grievance and fury being noticeable. No one was able to notice the killing aura emanating from her.
Originally, she planned to deal with Tianjizi first before heading to Bianzhou Prefecture on business. Even if she didn’t have time for them, it wouldn’t matter, because they had never really harmed her.
However, they couldn’t wait to bring death upon themselves by blatantly vandalizing her restaurant, as if making a bare-faced threat towards her!
She thought to herself.
At this time, she was financially stable and about to be part of the administration. The day she would be extremely wealthy was near. She didn’t mind the few taels of silver that Bafu Restaurant earned daily. However, the restaurant was an endeavor she had undertaken in this world, which carried a profound sentimental value for her. It was as though a mother who had borne a child for ten months; no matter what the child looked like, in the mother’s eyes, he was the best, unique, and inviolable.
Having her restaurant vandalized was just like her child being bullied. How could she possibly swallow this indignity?
"I wonder how Uncle Zhou and Jiujin are. I hope they didn’t get hurt!"
Lady Du was extremely worried, for she cared more about the people than the restaurant.
Cai Wei said to Zhang Bo, who was driving the carriage, "Master Zhang, could you make a trip to Uncle Zhou’s house and check whether Uncle Zhou and Jiujin are hurt?"
After everyone had gotten off the carriage, Zhang Bo whipped the reins and guided the carriage towards Jiujin’s house.
The children were furious when they saw their home had been wreaked upon getting off the carriage. Wen’er said indignantly, "Older sister, if we find out who did this to us, you must not show any leniency."
"Of course," said Cai Wei coldly.
Upon returning to the backyard, Aunt Zhang, Aunt Liu, Chun Liu, Zhu’er, and others came out to greet Mu Zhongqing while simultaneously reporting the incident of the vandalism to Cai Wei.
On the night that Cai Wei left, all the servants had been fast asleep when they were startled awake by a ’clattering’ noise from the front yard. Terrified by the commotion, they rushed to the front yard after dressing up hurriedly.
Once they entered the inn, they saw six or seven burly men wielding swords and clubs, causing chaos in the restaurant. The once neat and tidy inn was wrecked, with shattered tables, benches, cups, and bowls scattered around. None survived the onslaught, even the large jars filled with liquor were shattered, spilling the intoxicating contents all over the ground...