Today is November 28th, and not only is it Mo Qingze’s day off, but it is also the day Manager Gou and the Zhang Family mother and son were convicted.
Mo Yan had Lizhong go to the Governnt Office as the victim, while she herself stayed at the shop to calculate the month’s account. The shop had been open for a full month, and she wanted to see exactly how much silver they had earned.
When she finally finished the calculations, to her surprise, they had made nearly seven hundred taels of silver! Since food is a necessity for the people, running a rice shop really is a profitable business. Of course, that was under the premise that the cost was almost negligible, coupled with a surge in grain prices due to the outbreak of war, otherwise, they wouldn’t have made so much.
Even so, Mo Yan was very happy. If they continued at this rate, making five thousand taels a year from the rice shop would be no problem, which was much easier than standing in the cold selling vegetables.
By noon, Lizhong returned with the Governnt Office’s verdict for the Zhang Family mother and son and Manager Gou. As the mastermind, and being the scapegoat offered by the Xue Family to quell Young Master Yan’s anger, Manager Gou received the harshest sentence—he would rot in jail indefinitely. Unless there was a general amnesty for the coronation of a new emperor, he would never see the sun again.
As accessories to the cri, the Zhang Family mother and son were sentenced to ten years. If, after ten years, Zhang Fugui and the Hu family matriarch could co out alive, there was a chance for the family to reunite. However, with the poor conditions in prison and both of them being over fifty without any relatives to look after their interests, no one knew if they could survive the ten years.
This verdict was within Mo Yan’s expectations. In any case, neither the Zhang Family nor the Xue Family would trouble her anymore. Especially the Xue Family, their fear and compromise made those who heard the rumors and even harbored thoughts about the quality grains, dared not to act rashly.
As long as the banner of Young Master Yan was there, Mo’s Fragrant Rice could operate smoothly. This was the most important thing!
With the Zhang Family in such a bleak situation, nearly all of Lizhong’s resentnt had dissipated, and the gloom in his expression had mostly faded, making him appear much more at ease.
The evil had received their retribution, and both Tie Tou and Wang Pangtou were overjoyed. They would be able to go ho every day without having to guard the shop.
In the afternoon, guessing the ti when Changshan Academy would let out, Mo Yan personally drove the carriage to pick up Mo Qingze from Changshan Academy. Lizhong and two others closed the shop, and the group of five returned to Liu Yang Village together.
Upon arriving ho, before they even had ti to drink hot water, Wang Dali burst into the hall, unable to be stopped by Lixiu and a few others. Not only did he bring several kids this ti, but he also brought his bedridden elderly parents, carried on a door plank.
When Wang Dali saw Mo Qingze, his eyes suddenly lit up. Scholars highly value reputation, and more so, this man was known as Mo Shanren—Mr. Mo the Good Samaritan—it seed unlikely that he would drive them out.
With this thought, he rushed to Mo Qingze, pleading with a grief-stricken face, "Mr. Mo, for the sake of my elderly parents and small children, please have compassion and allow us to keep staying here. Just get us through the winter, and we will surely move out after the spring."
"Yes, Mr. Mo, you have sons and daughters too. If you were in our situation, could you bear to watch your own children freeze to death outside?" Sister-in-law Wang had also thought of this and pretended to wipe her eyes, appealing to his emotions.
The children also joined in begging, and even the two elderly people lying on the door plank started wiping their tears.
Mo Qingze put down his teacup, looking at Mo Yan with confusion, asking with his eyes what was going on.
Mo Yan was extrely annoyed and explained the situation in a few words. Then, looking at the Wang Family people, she said loudly, "Father, since this was the village chief’s decision, we should not interfere. Otherwise, if others follow suit and do not listen to the village chief, how will he manage village affairs in the long run?"
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