CH 70

Aug 07 2023

Settling Privately or Publicly

Upon seeing Boss Wang faint, Dr. Li, with a compassionate heart, quickly administered a shot to revive him.

As a result, Boss Wang slowly regained consciousness.

When he woke up and realized that the white fungus soup was toxic because he had used fresh white wood ear fungus, he felt a deep regret, his throat filled with a sweet and bloody taste, wishing he could faint again. However, seeing Dr. Li holding a needle and squatting next to him, he forced himself to endure and suppress the taste of blood.

Even if he fainted, he estimated that Dr. Li would revive him again.

His wife glanced at him and initially wanted to ask why he didn’t know that white wood ear fungus needed to be dried and soaked before consumption. But then he thought, since things had already turned out this way, what’s the point of asking?

Boss Wang looked at Yu Qingze and asked, “Boss Yu, how did you know that dried white wood ear fungus is safe to eat, while fresh ones are toxic?”

Upon hearing this, everyone turned their heads to look at Yu Qingze. Dr. Li was also curious about this question.

Yu Qingze glanced at Boss Wang and replied, “Hasn’t today’s incident already proved it? If you don’t believe it, we can try it out ourselves. We can soak dried wood ear fungus and make another batch of the same white fungus soup to see the results.”

Upon hearing this, Dr. Li said, “Okay, that’s a good method. When should we do it?”

Yu Qingze looked at Dr. Li and smiled, “Dr. Li, it may not be suitable to do it today since we still have matters to attend to here. How about you come to my small shop tomorrow, and we can do it in front of everyone? Honestly, white wood ear fungus has a great taste, especially when used in desserts. It’s incredibly delicious. I have tried it myself, as well as many others who enjoyed it without any issues. But if people don’t believe it, let’s confirm it. If we can prove that dried and soaked white wood ear fungus, when cooked, does not contain harmful substances to the human body, we can restore its reputation, and we’ll have another food item to enjoy. Who knows, it might even have medicinal properties?”

Translated on ho lo lo novels dot com.

Dr. Li’s eyes lit up when he heard that it could be used as medicine. He nodded and said, “Okay! I’ll come to your shop tomorrow, and we’ll give it a try!”

Yu Qingze smiled and nodded, saying, “Alright.”

At this moment, someone nearby asked in confusion, “Dr. Li, Boss Yu, so many people had the White fungus soup in the morning. According to logic, if the White fungus soup was poisonous, then the others should have fallen ill as well. But it seems that only these three brothers came over. What’s going on?”

Dr. Li pondered for a while and shook his head, saying, “I haven’t figured it out yet. It might be related to individual constitution.”

Yu Qingze thought for a moment, casually found a plausible excuse, and took over the conversation, explaining the scientifically verified principles from his previous life to them.

He said, “Dr. Li, a similar incident happened in my hometown. Many people had it during a banquet. Some people had no problems, but some people, like these three brothers, developed swollen and red skin, with severe blisters and even ulcers. Based on our later observations, most of the poisoning occurred in children, the elderly, and some weak adults. It’s possible that these people had weaker bodies and lower resistance, making them more susceptible to poisoning. Moreover, among the poisoned individuals, those who had been exposed to the sun for a long time had more severe symptoms, while those who had less exposure had milder symptoms.”

Upon hearing this, everyone suddenly realized the reason behind it.

The wife from the Hu family also said, “I played with Xiao Wu in the yard for a long time in the morning, under the sun for about an hour, and then my skin turned red.”

The young boy from the escort agency, upon learning that his face could be cured, stopped crying and replied with a sob, “I went out in the morning and enjoyed the flowers for a while, and I also stayed under the sun for a long time.”

Dr. Li nodded and said to the two gers, “Your bodies are indeed slightly weaker than others. Do you often feel dizzy and more sensitive to cold?”

The two gers nodded.

“That’s it. In the future, you should pay more attention to strengthening your body and replenishing your vitality.” After Dr. Li finished speaking to the two boys, he turned to Yu Qingze and said, “Boss Yu, when you have time, can you tell me more about this white wood ear mushroom?”

“Of course. Dr. Li, would you like to take a look at the injuries of these three boys and Boss Wang first?” Yu Qingze glanced at the three victims and Boss Wang and asked.

Dr. Li snapped out of his thoughts and said, “The three poisoned individuals have already applied ointment. They just need to continue applying it and taking medicine on time. As for this gentleman, his bone is fractured and needs to be set. It would be better to go to the pharmacy for treatment since we don’t have the tools here.”

Boss Wang immediately said, “Let’s go to the pharmacy. I’ll go now! Let go of me!”

The man from the escort agency immediately objected, saying, “No, you can’t leave. The matter hasn’t been resolved yet, so you’re not allowed to go! Why are you in such a hurry? Didn’t you say you would report to the officials? The officials haven’t arrived yet, and the compensation hasn’t been paid. How can you leave?!”

Yu Qingze watched from the side, raising an eyebrow. He had just heard outside that this man from the escort agency asked someone to find his cousin. It seemed they were not afraid of the “Registrar.”

He had a feeling that there would be a good show. Yu Qingze crossed his arms and watched the drama unfold.

Boss Wang felt dizzy, and upon hearing about reporting to the officials, he suddenly remembered that his wife had asked their son to find his younger brother. He vaguely felt that it might not be a good idea, but now he was in danger himself, and the pain made his mind less clear, so he didn’t stop it.

After a while, the officials arrived, and everyone made way for them.

The Registrar, the county magistrate, and about ten yamen runners entered the room.

The Registrar entered and saw Boss Wang and his older brother (Boss Wang’s wife), one spitting blood and lying weakly on the floor, and the other tied up and sitting on the ground. The room was crowded with people, and he even spotted Yu Qingze among the crowd.

He immediately frowned and asked his brother, “What’s going on?”

As soon as Boss Wang’s wife saw his younger brother, his eyes lit up, and he hurriedly shouted, “Little brother, these people say our White fungus soup is poisonous. They broke your brother-in-law’s bones and tied me up. Take them back to the yamen and deal with them properly!”

The Registrar furrowed his brows, looked around, and said to the county magistrate beside him, “What’s happening?”

“Registrar, please don’t rush.” The county magistrate scanned the people in the room and finally asked, “What’s the matter? Let someone speak on behalf of the others.”

The man from the escort agency stepped forward, glanced at the Registrar, and then clasped his fists, saying to the county magistrate, “Please, sir, these White fungus soups sold at Wang’s Noodle House are poisonous. My younger brother, the madam from the Hu family, and this gentleman’s child all got poisoned after consuming them. Just look at their faces, necks, and arms. They are completely disfigured. The poisonous White fungus soup is right here on this table. Dr. Li has confirmed that this substance is indeed toxic. I implore you, sir, to make a fair judgment on behalf of us commoners.”

Upon hearing this, the Registrar glanced at the three individuals and then looked at the poisoned White fungus soup and the injured couple. He let out a sigh deep in his heart.

The evidence was conclusive.

The county magistrate also examined everything and questioned the three victims and Dr. Li one by one, getting a basic understanding of the situation.

He glanced at the Registrar, who said, “Let me ask first.”

The county magistrate nodded.

They asked Wang Ming to help Boss Wang up, and the Registrar untied the rope from Boss Wang’s wife and led him to the kitchen.

The man from the escort agency raised an eyebrow and said, “Sir, there are matters to be discussed here, and we have the right to know.”

The Registrar replied, “It won’t take much of your time.”

Saying that, they entered the kitchen, and he asked in a low voice, “How did you end up selling this thing?”

Boss Wang sighed and hummed.

Boss Wang’s wife answered quietly, “I heard from Madam Huang and A-Hua that Boss Yu made this dish at the Cai Mansion and thought it could make money, so we started selling it.” A-Hua is the Registrar’s wife.

The Registrar furrowed his brow again and asked, “But how come you didn’t figure out that the fresh one was poisonous before selling it?”

Boss Wang’s wife said, “They didn’t mention that it had to be made with dried ones. They just said it was made with white fungus, and Madam Huang didn’t say that white fungus was poisonous.” Boss Wang’s wife also felt unlucky. Madam Huang didn’t speak clearly, and he didn’t hear everything. Now he’s in big trouble.

The Registrar sighed and said, “I’ll talk to the county magistrate. Prepare some money and settle it privately. This time, I can’t help you.”

Boss Wang stared at him and said, “I didn’t ask A-Ming to call you here for this. The Hu family and the escort agency are not big wealthy families. Can’t you exert some pressure and resolve it?”

The Registrar angrily replied, “If you don’t want to pay, they’ll take it to the yamen. So many people have witnessed it. When it goes to court, do you think you’ll be in the right? You won’t get away with it. Not only will you have to compensate, but you’ll also be punished! Moreover, whether they’re willing to settle privately or not is another issue!”

Boss Wang’s wife was very dissatisfied, but Boss Wang waved his hand and said, “Let’s do it as my younger brother suggested.”

Seeing that Boss Wang agreed, Boss Wang’s wife pursed his lips and stopped talking.

They went out again.

The Registrar said a few words to the county magistrate’s ear, and the county magistrate nodded. He spoke to the people from the escort agency and the Hu family, saying, “I received a report stating that there was a provocation and disturbance here, so I came specially to take a look. It turns out to be a case of food poisoning. Considering that this silver fungus dish is indeed problematic, Boss Wang is willing to apologize and compensate for your losses, as well as bear the medical expenses of the three victims until they recover. Are the three victims willing to accept?”

The three victims didn’t speak, but their family members spoke up.

The man from the escort agency angrily said, “Bearing the medical expenses is only natural, isn’t it? What about the rest? Is my brother suffering in vain? If his condition doesn’t improve fully and he’s left with scars on his face, ruining his marriage prospects, who will take responsibility? It’s not like us two families cannot afford these medical expenses.”

The man from the Hu family added, “Exactly. My son is still young, and his condition is severe. If his face is ruined, his whole life will be ruined!”

The county magistrate was about to ask how much money they would accept to settle the matter, but Boss Wang’s wife exploded.

He cursed, “What about the tables, chairs, bowls, and chopsticks in my house? Do you also want compensation for those? You’ve beaten my husband like this, and I haven’t asked you for money yet. If my husband becomes disabled, will you compensate me for that?!”

As they spoke, the two sides started arguing again.

The county magistrate had a headache. He had originally come with his men to maintain public order upon hearing about a fight, but he didn’t expect it to be this kind of situation. And with one side being entrusted by his colleagues and the other side having undeniable evidence, he was stuck in the middle. He had initially wanted to mediate and settle the matter by having the restaurant compensate with some money, but then there was Boss Wang’s wife…

After arguing for a while, the county magistrate suddenly slammed the table and said, “That’s enough, everyone stop! If you don’t want a private settlement, then all of you come to the yamen with me, and I will handle it in court!”

The man from the escort agency said, “Going to the yamen is not a problem for us.”

Upon hearing the mention of going to the yamen, Boss Wang’s wife immediately became timid. He didn’t want to face punishment.

Reluctantly, he said, “We won’t go to the yamen, we won’t go to the yamen. Tell me, how much money do you want?”

At that moment, a voice came from behind.

“We have plenty of money. Let’s go to the yamen and sit down!”

Everyone turned to look and saw Madam Zhao leading a young man in his twenties walking in.

When the man from the escort agency and the younger brother saw the two, their eyes lit up, and they immediately went over and called out, “Uncle, cousin.”

Madam Zhao nodded in response, looking at the young man’s face, he frowned and said with concern, “How did you get such serious injuries?”

The young man immediately complained, “It was so itchy, but I didn’t dare scratch.”

Madam Zhao asked, “What did the doctor say? Can it be cured?”

The young man nodded and replied, “He said it would take at least half a month to heal.”

“Good if it can be cured. Behave yourself and don’t be greedy in the future! Don’t you remember what Uncle told you?”

“Uncle, I was wrong.”

On the other side, the registrar and the county magistrate were dumbfounded, and the rest of the people were a bit stunned as well.

When did the Zhao family have a ger who got married and moved away? They hadn’t heard of any marital relationship between the Zhenwei Escort Agency and the Zhao family for so many years.