Chapter 495 [Crowd]
"No need to do this." Fang Chang shook his head and smiled at the young man, "There's nothing shameful in wanting to learn something. I'll teach you as long as you like. It's not a secret recipe anyway—what's your name?"
Seeing Fang Chang's sincerity, the young man couldn't help but agree.
He told Chang Fang that his name is Yang Yiyuan, he is from the city, and he usually makes a living by carrying goods in the warehouse, but this job is not common, and it has been very deserted in the past few days, and there is no harvest.
After talking for a while and agreeing to let the other party come here to study tomorrow, Fang Chang separated from Yang Yiyuan and prepared to go back to the mountain.
At this time, not far from the intersection, there seemed to be a dispute and a noise, and the people around were attracted and went to watch.
"...I didn't sell it! What the hell." Someone yelled.
"Hey, you still dare to speak hard, look at me calling someone." The voice was a little annoyed.
Fang Chang put away the stall, picked up the stove and materials for making pancakes with a load, and walked over curiously. The fire in the stove has been extinguished by him with a water can, and the stove wall and iron plates have also been cooled down so that they will not burn people nearby.
He walked over with a load, and found that the place was surrounded by people, unable to squeeze in, so he looked around.
The sun has already slanted to the west, and there are no clouds in the sky to cover it, so the unscrupulous sunlight illuminates the surrounding trees and houses brightly and brightly. Fang Chang found a low wall, stepped hard, and jumped up lightly. Standing here with a wide view, you can clearly see the situation inside.
His movements were not conspicuous, because there were people around who began to climb up the low wall, and it seemed that everyone liked to watch the excitement.
Among the onlookers on the third floor and the third floor outside here, there is a watermelon stall. The owner of the stall inside is a thick and big man, who is arguing with several yamen assistants. The two sides said something about each other, so the people around could hear it clearly, but it was because this watermelon stall, in addition to the roadside, took up one-third of the road in the middle, which was contrary to the regulations of the yamen.
Several assistants kept saying: "A few years ago, there was a decree, 'All ordinary people, etc., are not allowed to occupy the paved roads in the city to sell goods, and those who violate it will be punished'. You should have been corrected long ago!"
Regarding the assistants of the yamen, the big man was not afraid at all, and stubbornly argued: "Which eye of yours saw that I was 'selling'? Can't I pile up watermelons on the side of the road here? Put the things on the side of the road, and didn't let me give two melons to others, I think it's because you guys want to pick up money again!"
There were cheers all around, the assistants were flushed with anger, and their lips were trembling.
In the past, although the assistants did not have the power of arrest, the big man had already been taken down. However, in the new dynasty and the new atmosphere, the higher-ups are very strict about law enforcement indiscriminately, so they have become more disciplined. The old deputy felt ashamed and wanted to threaten him, but was held back by his colleagues.
The surrounding onlookers could tell that it was obvious that the watermelon seller had made a mistake first.
But everyone didn't speak out to uphold justice, but surrounded by three layers inside and outside, looking like they were watching a good show. The reason why I don't care about this matter is because they are all city residents, and they know the bad deeds of these assistants back then, so they don't want to get ahead.
"Wait, we've called for someone to come, and we'll be there soon!" shouted an elderly assistant.
"I'm waiting, just waiting here, so what if you guys come?!" The big man said disdainfully.
"What's the matter, what's the matter, get out of the way, get out of the way."
As a result, the police went in quickly, and after listening to the speeches of both parties, there was nothing they could do.
After all, there is no approval document above, and the police can't lock the big man back for this kind of dispute. They can only stand there and watch the assistants and the big man argue with each other.
The pace of life in Fucheng is leisurely, no matter whether it is the assistant policeman or the people around, there is no rush, so I continued to grind here. The onlookers applauded, as if they were under the stage of the township society and were watching the performance on the stage.
At this time, a younger member of the assistants suddenly said to the person next to him, who was buying watermelons when they came here just now:
"You can take all these watermelons without giving money. If he dares to ask you for money, it will prove that he has lied and is indeed selling things. Not only will he be punished as violating regulations, but he will also have to go to the yamen for a while. Fuck. If he doesn’t ask you for money, then he’s right, it’s a gift, not ours.”
So the surrounding assistants, police officers, and onlookers were all stunned.
Fang Chang reckoned that there are quite a few watermelons on the ground, more than a hundred catties. In this way, if he obeys this assistant, the stall owner will suffer a heavy loss.
As a result, this was not over yet, and the young assistant said: "The police officer is watching, this is not considered robbery, so don't worry about taking it."
The scene was stunned for a while, and then burst into laughter.
The big melon seller hesitated for a while, but after all he was reluctant to part with these melons, so he weighed the loss of the next two choices, and honestly confessed.
Seeing that there was no more excitement to watch, everyone dispersed, each preparing to tell this anecdote to the family. And the man who thought he was smart kept shaking his head and said: "This man really doesn't know anything. How can he have a good time with the people in the yamen? A few years ago, he would have been beaten."
The person next to him also bickered and said: "That was in the past, now you see, if it weren't for that young assistant's cleverness, he would really have made him."
"Well, maybe so." The former was choked speechless.
And someone next to him said: "I know this melon seller. He is Lao Zhao from Wicker Lane. He has always been an unreasonable person. He is stingy and never takes advantage of others. It is estimated that this time he was fined 20 yuan. I feel distressed, after all, I am a person who usually loves to be short-sighted."
...
The next day, when Fang Chang came to the corner with his load, a young man named Yang Yiyuan was already waiting here.
Seeing Chang Fang approaching, he ran forward excitedly, ready to help take over the burden.
"Master, you are here!"
"No, this is too heavy, I'll do it myself." Fang Chang waved his hand, and then lightly placed the burden on the ground. To him, the weight was insignificant, and it might shake the young man. After all, this stove is Made of iron and clay, very heavy, then he said to the young man:
"Don't call me master, I don't accept apprentices, just treat yourself as an apprentice, call me shopkeeper."
"Uh, good." Although this title feels a bit misplaced, Yang Yiyuan dared not correct it and accepted it honestly.
(end of this chapter)