Chapter 39: Crush Their Feet
"Two uncles, our agreement was to pay the debt by the start of the sixth month. It is still the third month now, so we have not gone back on our word." Mei Li stated.
Sheng Bao was having none of it. "Nonsense! If you have the money, then you should pay us now!"
Mei Li and Weimin were left speechless by this uncle's unreasonable demands.
Sheng Bao then looked around the courtyard and pointed at the plants. "What are these? Why did you buy so many of these plants?"
"They're strawberries and tomatoes." Mei Li answered.
"What strawberries and tomatoes? What are you talking about?"
Mei Li sighed. "You call them decorative berries..."
Before she could finish, Sheng Bojing shouted at her again. "What do you need decorative berries for?! Could it be that you would rather decorate than plant something edible? Did you force the brothers to buy these? You shameless, spendthrift woman!"
"Uncles, stop shouting at my wife!" Weimin couldn't take it anymore. He balled his fists and glared at the two uncles.
Before they could continue arguing, Shufen and Longwei walked in from the outside together with Aunt Li.
Shufen and Longwei went out that morning to visit the village doctor. It was yet another day for Longwei's regular health checkup and Shufen also went to receive his master's teachings.
They were not supposed to go home until that afternoon. However, when Sheng Bao and Sheng Bojing arrived and started shouting, Aunt Li snuck out of the back gate and rushed to find Shufen for backup.
Shufen was a clever young man with a sharp tongue and Aunt Li always looked to him for help in case Mingyu wasn't around to deal with the Sheng family.
Shufen walked to Mei Li's side and gave her a reassuring look.
"First uncle and second uncle, what seems to be the matter?" Shufen asked the two men.
Sheng Bojing spluttered and pointed, "Fourth Jin, we are here to collect your debt payment. You obviously have money now so how dare you hide it from us!"
"You even spent money on these useless decorative berries!" Sheng Bao added while kicking one of the seedlings, which infuriated Mei Li.
"Uncle, that seedling is worth 300 coppers. If you ruin it, you have to pay for it." Shufen calmly told Sheng Bao.
Sheng Bao almost vomited blood in anger. How could these little plants cost that much? Looking at the number of plants in the courtyard, the value could easily exceed 50 taels. The Jin brothers obviously had enough to pay off the debt.
"You wastrels! Pay the debt now or give us your farmlands. Otherwise, I'll destroy all of these seedlings!" Sheng Bao hollered.
Shufen sneered. "If the two uncles insist on destroying these seedlings, then we cannot do anything about it. However, if you do, please be prepared to face the owner of Xintang Medicine Hall and the county magistrate. Destroying others' property is a crime."
"What do you mean?" The two uncles asked simultaneously.
Shufen proceeded to tell them the story he came up with just now. He told them that these plants were from foreign countries that the Xintang Medicine Hall wanted his master to check. That the medicine hall recognized his master's skills and that they sought his advice on growing these plants and extracting their medicinal properties.
Everyone in Shenghuo Village knew that their village doctor is no ordinary person, so the two uncles didn't suspect Shufen's story so far.
"Since my master doesn't have a large plot of land to cultivate these plants, he asked me and my brothers to help him take care of these," Shufen added. "So, uncles, these plants aren't actually ours. They are owned by the Xintang Medicine Hall and master, and if you destroy them, then you'll have to face the consequences."
The two men's hearts turned cold. They had been to town many times as well and knew that Xintang Medicine Hall was the largest and would definitely be owned by people they could not afford to offend.
"What you say is true?" Sheng Bao was half believing, half doubting. "How can decorative berries be used for medicine?"
"Of course, why would I lie to the two uncles?" Shufen answered calmly. "As for these plants, only master can tell for sure regarding their medicinal properties."
"Then what about the meat and food you bought yesterday?"
"Those were, of course, given by the medicine hall shopkeeper to us as thanks for taking care of these plants. We also gave most of the food to the master this morning as these plants were intended for him to make medicine."
"If you don't believe me, then feel free to go to the village doctor's house and inquire," Shufen added. He was confident that his master would cover for him as this was not the first time he used his name as a shield to deal with these pesky Sheng uncles.
The two uncles harrumphed but their bluster has died down.
"Hmph! You should have told us this right away. Second brother, we're leaving." Sheng Bao said mightily as if he owned the place.
But Mei Li was not going to let them leave just like that. They destroyed one of her seedlings! "Two uncles, please give us 300 coppers. The seedling you kicked is now ruined."
Before Sheng Bojing could refuse, Shufen cut him off. "Uncles, if you do not pay us for the destroyed seedling, all we can do is tell the matter to the shopkeeper at Xintang Medicine Hall. Please expect their visit soon."
Sheng Bao was livid. But there was nothing he could do. His Sheng family is not strong enough to face the trouble from Xintang Medicine Hall. He fished out 300 coppers and the two men left in a huff.
They came to the Jin residence to demand money but they ended up forking 300 coppers instead. Truly like raising a stone to crush their own feet!
Mei Li gave Shufen a grateful look. If it was up to her, she would have paid the debt already. But since they discussed yesterday to hold off on the payment for now, she wasn't going to counteract her husbands' wishes.
Thankfully, the two Sheng brothers finally left and Mei Li could now proceed with her garden plans.
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