Chapter 109: Chapter 109: Thunderous Methods

"Exactly! And a fine? W-what’s all this about? Didn’t we just come here for a meal?"

The men on the ground had already started fighting amongst themselves before they even had a chance to turn on Ming Lingyi.

They had only come here to get a free meal; they hadn’t thought about anything else.

’What’s more, they knew nothing about the law. Was showing up with silver to pay for a meal illegal?’

The crowd erupted into an uproar.

After all, most people didn’t go around studying Dayan Law for fun. As long as you didn’t cause trouble, the government generally left you alone.

But someone like Ming Lingyi, who seemed to have the entirety of Dayan Law memorized, was a rare sight indeed.

"Y-you said before that if I told you who gave me the silver, you’d let us go and even let us eat here for a month. Are you trying to go back on your word in public? How can you do business without any integrity?"

Amidst the infighting, the lead beggar looked up and glared at Ming Lingyi, his words practically accusing her of having no credibility whatsoever.

If he was really going to jail today just because Ming Lingyi had tricked a confession out of him, he wouldn’t let her off easy.

At his words, Ming Lingyi laughed.

’What kind of logic was that? Making trouble for someone, only for them to turn around and reward you? Did she look like a pushover that anyone could just walk all over?’

"The offer of one free month is real, of course. But I also said that if you name who instructed you, you can come eat here for free for one month, starting tomorrow. The problem now is, my promise still stands, but will you people even be able to come? Regardless of how much silver you took from someone to cause trouble at Ming’s Restaurant, according to the laws of the Dayan Dynasty, the lightest punishment is one month in jail. This isn’t me breaking my promise, it’s that you..." Ming Lingyi paused, giving the men on the ground a meaningful look. "...won’t have the opportunity."

’This is what happens when you’re only interested in money and act without considering the consequences.’

’She felt no shame whatsoever in setting a trap for people like this—people who would harm others for ill-gotten gains and then act smug about it.’

As soon as Ming Lingyi finished speaking, the Patrols immediately moved forward and seized the beggars on the ground.

Ming Lingyi glanced at the Patrols, a little surprised. ’Was it her imagination, or had they arrived exceptionally quickly today? And they showed no intention of giving her a hard time at all.’

’Although she was just an honest commoner running a business, the Patrols weren’t typically all smiles and pleasantries with the citizens of Shangjing City.’

Ming Lingyi’s suspicions were correct.

Ever since the last Qingming Festival, Gongsun Liangce had vaguely sensed that something was not quite right.

He already had a very favorable impression of the young lady from Ming’s Restaurant. She ran the establishment all by herself, earned her own living, and even helped her neighbors—a feat few men could claim.

Later, he came to find out that the young lady he so admired seemed to have an extraordinary relationship with the current Crown Prince. Couple that with her calligraphy, which was a near-perfect imitation of the Holy Emperor’s, and it was no wonder he was a man of considerable skill—Gongsun Liangce had, after all, held his position as Prefect of the Jingzhao Mansion for several years without incident. 𝗳𝚛𝚎𝚎𝘄𝕖𝕓𝕟𝕠𝚟𝚎𝕝.𝗰𝕠𝐦

After that day, Gongsun Liangce had significantly increased the number of patrols assigned to the area around Huaided Fang.

He had also instructed his men to lend Miss Ming a hand whenever possible.

If one of his men could earn the favor of this enigmatic young woman, it could lead to great opportunities for them in the future.

Of course, Lingyi had no idea that the seemingly kind and elderly Lord Gongsun, who so enjoyed eating at her restaurant, was actually a cunning old fox with a few tricks up his sleeve.

’In any case, she had him to thank for how smoothly things had gone today.’

"Miss Ming... I know who put them up to it."

Just then, a timid voice spoke up from the edge of the crowd.

Ming Lingyi looked toward the source of the voice and saw a young beggar. He was holding a broken bowl and his face was grimy, but his eyes were bright.

"Miss Ming isn’t a bad person," the young beggar said, looking at the ruffian beggars now pinned by the Patrols. He seemed to gather his courage. "She often gives us the food that doesn’t sell. I saw a waiter from Wangxian Building go to them. It was people from Wangxian Building who gave them the silver. I saw it. That night, I was sleeping hidden inside a broken basket."

He knew he should have spoken up sooner.

But he was afraid.

Afraid that the troublemaking beggars would retaliate against him.

’Luckily, Miss Ming is so capable,’ he thought. ’That’s why they didn’t get away with it. Now that they’ve all been arrested by the government Patrols, they won’t be able to hurt me.’

Surprise showed in Ming Lingyi’s eyes. She’d only set up the station for free food next to the restaurant—telling Xiao Chun to manage it—because she thought it was a waste to throw away so many ingredients. She hadn’t paid it much mind since.

’She had never expected anything in return for her actions. To think someone would actually stand up for her now and expose the malice of her accusers.’

Ming Lingyi didn’t dwell on why he hadn’t spoken up sooner.

’It would be a cold world indeed if people were criticized for the timing of their good intentions.’

A warmth spread through Ming Lingyi’s chest. Whether this was an accidental kindness bearing fruit or not, she wanted to protect the boy’s good intentions.

The young beggar who acted as a witness would certainly be taken in for questioning by the government. Once he was released, if he was willing, Ming Lingyi decided she would offer him a job at Ming’s Restaurant.

Perhaps because the young beggar had suddenly come forward as a witness, the troublemaking beggars panicked.

Now that there was an accuser and an eyewitness, they could no longer hide the fact that they had been paid silver to cause a disturbance.

As the Patrols dragged them away, the beggars struggled, trying to appeal to Ming Lingyi. "I admit it, it was Wangxian Building! People from Wangxian Building found us, gave us silver, and told us to come eat here! We just wanted a meal, that’s all. We meant no harm! Boss Ming, y-you have to put in a good word for us! You can’t just abandon us to our fate!"

They were finally realizing their predicament and begging for Ming Lingyi’s help.

"We’ll never cause trouble again! Just... just put in a good word for us! We’ll even give up the month of free meals..."

But even with these "assurances," Ming Lingyi’s expression remained unchanged. She didn’t so much as raise an eyebrow.

’She couldn’t let people think they could bully her, discover she wasn’t a pushover, and then expect her to forgive and forget after a simple apology, could she?’

’The principle of making an example of one to warn a hundred was far more effective at deterring those with malicious intent than "repaying injury with kindness."’