Chapter 128: Delivering Justice for the Commoner
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The moment Shopkeeper Xu finished speaking, Inugami Shunji’s face became even more miserable than if he were about to cry.
He had come to offer an apology of his own accord precisely to resolve the misunderstanding between the two countries.
But who could have imagined that, despite humbling himself and apologizing, Shopkeeper Xu would still demand compensation for Drunken Immortal Tower’s lost business?
And the compensation was no small sum—it amounted to a full one hundred and sixty thousand taels of silver!
To Inugami Shunji, Shopkeeper Xu was shamelessly climbing higher once he had gained an inch, pushing his demands further and further.
Inugami Shunji was therefore furious on the spot.
Yet after Shopkeeper Xu said those words, Inugami Shunji immediately fell silent. He stared fixedly at Shopkeeper Xu, his mouth opening and closing, closing and opening again, but no matter how hard he tried, he could not utter a word.
One hundred and sixty thousand taels! That was no trivial sum!
How could Inugami Shunji possibly afford to pay it?
But only moments earlier, in front of Ambassador Inugami and Deputy Envoy Hui Ri, he had declared that he would personally bear full responsibility for any mistake he had made.
Now that he recalled those words, Inugami Shunji felt an overwhelming urge to cry.
“Damn it!”
With a gloomy expression, Inugami Shunji cursed Shopkeeper Xu inwardly.
What he did not know, however, was that from the moment he had stepped forward of his own accord, he had already fallen into the trap Li Yi had designed…
The atmosphere suddenly fell silent for a long while.
“Shopkeeper Xu, the amount of this compensation is simply too great. I do not have enough money with me. How about this?”
After pondering for a long time, Inugami Shunji finally spoke.
He wore a bitter expression and clenched his back teeth before fixing his gaze on Shopkeeper Xu.
“Come with me to see the Tang officials and the ambassador of my country. Let us hear how they intend to decide this matter. What do you say?”
Inugami Shunji truly had no other choice. Helplessly, he could only resort to this and seek the assistance of Inugami Mitaaki and the others.
He secretly prayed that once they stood before everyone, Shopkeeper Xu would show some consideration for the ambassador’s sake and voluntarily abandon his demand for such an enormous sum.
Upon hearing this, Shopkeeper Xu narrowed his eyes slightly. He sensed that the situation might not be favorable and found himself unable to make up his mind.
Thus, he deliberately put on a thoughtful expression and glanced in Yue’er’s direction.
Seeing this, Yue’er calmly nodded at him. Only then did Shopkeeper Xu’s confidence rise once more.
“In that case, so be it.” Shopkeeper Xu nodded with a smile. Looking at Inugami Shunji, who stood not far before him, he spoke in an unhurried tone. “Then I shall accompany you.”
“Thank you.” Inugami Shunji forced a smile, the corners of his mouth twitching.
But inwardly, his heart was more bitter than if he had swallowed coptis root.
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He even felt like killing Shopkeeper Xu.
“Then let us go now, Japanese envoy,” Shopkeeper Xu said with a smile as he walked out from behind the counter.
“…” The corners of Inugami Shunji’s mouth twitched. Still forcing a smile, he nodded and said, “That would be best.”
Afterward, Shopkeeper Xu followed Inugami Shunji out of Drunken Immortal Tower, and together they proceeded slowly toward Li Yi and the others.
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On the avenue where the Tang court envoys and the Japanese embassy delegation were gathered.
Everyone had already been waiting for quite some time, yet Inugami Shunji still had not returned. Inugami Mitaaki and Hui Ri gradually developed an ominous feeling and exchanged a glance.
The other Japanese envoys also sensed that something might be wrong and began to worry secretly about Inugami Shunji.
By contrast, Li Yi and the group of Tang officials behind him did not seem anxious at all, despite the freezing winter air. Their faces wore warm, harmonious smiles as they stood quietly in place and waited.
After a short while, they finally saw Inugami Shunji returning.
He was not alone, however. Shopkeeper Xu was accompanying him, leaving everyone utterly bewildered.
“Isn’t that the shopkeeper of Drunken Immortal Tower? Why has he come too?”
“That’s right. Wasn’t the Japanese envoy supposed to apologize to him?”
“Something seems wrong…”
Zhang Yuxuan and the others began muttering inwardly, unable to understand the situation.
Only Li Yi and Yue’er, who had returned ahead of them, wore increasingly radiant smiles when they saw what was happening.
“Master, are you hungry?” Yue’er suddenly beamed, revealing two rows of white, rabbit-like teeth. “Would you like to eat something first? Yue’er bought some food for you.”
Li Yi raised his brows slightly in surprise, then nodded with a smile.
“That would be good. Bring me the wine so I can have a sip. The weather is terribly cold in the middle of winter. Yue’er, you should drink some as well to warm yourself. Our bodies are not as sturdy as theirs.”
“You are right, Master. You are sensitive to the cold and cannot be compared with them.”
As she spoke, Yue’er opened the food box and took out a bottle of Wuliangye, handing it to Li Yi.
She then took out another bottle of Wuliangye.
Master and servant smiled at each other, opened the bottles, and drank in full view of everyone.
Glug!
After swallowing a mouthful and breathing out a puff of cold air, Li Yi handed the bottle back to Yue’er. He nodded contentedly and praised it with a smile.
“The flavor of this Wuliangye is indeed quite good. Just one sip, and I already feel much warmer.”
“Heehee, Master, if this Wuliangye did not taste good, you would never have ordered Yue’er to buy it…”
Yue’er laughed happily.
However, the performance of Li Yi and his servant was seen clearly not only by Zhang Yuxuan and the other Tang officials, but also by Inugami Mitaaki and the entire Japanese delegation.
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“…” Everyone’s mouths twitched speechlessly, and they looked at Li Yi and Yue’er with considerable disdain.
“Our physiques are much stronger? Are we not human? Do we not feel cold?”
“This is blatant flaunting…”
“You two knew perfectly well that the weather was freezing, yet you deliberately drank wine in front of all of us to warm yourselves. Is provoking everyone really a good idea?”
They were all seething inwardly, with words they did not know whether they ought to say.
Then, suddenly, Inugami Mitaaki and Hui Ri noticed the food in the box Yue’er was carrying. Its colors were vivid and its texture tender, while a tantalizing fragrance drifted faintly through the air. Unable to resist, they swallowed hard.
Recalling that the fine wine they had just tasted was called Wuliangye, they did not even need to guess. The food in that box had to be Drunken Immortal Tower’s signature dish—the New Orleans set meal!
What they could not understand was why Li Yi’s maid had gone to Drunken Immortal Tower only a short while ago and had already managed to buy it.
Yet Inugami Shunji, whom they had sent there, had been forced to wait in a long line.
As they puzzled over the matter, Inugami Mitaaki suddenly thought of something. His face turned as dark as the bottom of a cooking pot, and Hui Ri’s expression became equally grim.
“Fool! That physician, Li, clearly brought out this food deliberately to flaunt it before us and humiliate our people!”
Even as the two men seethed with anger, Shopkeeper Xu and Inugami Shunji arrived before the group.
“This humble man greets Physician Li and all the imperial envoys.”
The moment he saw Li Yi, Shopkeeper Xu first bowed to him with an obsequious air, then bowed to the Tang officials.
As for the Japanese delegation, Shopkeeper Xu merely swept them with a glance before turning away, pretending not to see them.
This gesture made Inugami Mitaaki and the others look even more livid.
“You may rise,” Li Yi said, waving his hand with a smile.
Only then did Shopkeeper Xu straighten up with a foolish grin.
Yet in the very next moment, just as Inugami Shunji slowly stepped forward, preparing to explain what had happened, Shopkeeper Xu, whose heart was as clear as a mirror, folded his hands and put on a bitter expression.
“Physician Li, and honored imperial envoys, I beg you to uphold justice for this humble commoner!”
As his voice rang out, a loud thud sounded.
Shopkeeper Xu solemnly dropped to both knees.
In an instant, not only were the Tang officials stunned, even the Japanese envoys were rendered completely speechless.
Inugami Shunji was especially dumbfounded. He stood there with his eyes wide, unable to recover his wits, utterly incapable of understanding what Shopkeeper Xu intended by kneeling.
“Shopkeeper Xu, what are you doing?” Li Yi pretended to be astonished and hurriedly spoke up. “It is the dead of winter. Why are you kneeling on the ground? Get up and speak!”
“Yes. This humble man thanks Physician Li and all the imperial envoys.”
After expressing his gratitude, Shopkeeper Xu slowly rose.
One update for now—a substantial chapter of 2,634 words. Everyone, go to sleep. Read it tomorrow morning; I will continue writing slowly.
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