A moment later, the Shopkeeper smiled cheerfully and gave him a cupped-fist salute. He took the silver note and IOU, then led his men away on horseback.
He'd come to establish good relations. Since that didn't work out, he couldn't afford to make an enemy either.
The people from the old house only came running over after the group had left.
When the old madam and old master heard Chen Lin had taken out a high-interest loan and already spent eighty taels of silver, the old couple were so frightened their legs trembled, their faces as pale as ghosts.
The old madam rushed in and pounced on Chen Lin, slapping him again and again. "You beast! How are your son and I supposed to survive?"
Meanwhile, Chen Dachang ran to the woodpile, grabbed a stick, and started beating Chen Lin with it without saying a word.
Chen Lin screamed and wailed from the beating, his face a mess of snot and tears, much to the amusement of the gawking villagers.
