More than a hundred people surrounded the gate of Chen's mansion.
Several servants stood on the steps, brooms in their hands, looking at the surging crowd with nervous faces.
Ouch!
A piece of dirt flew out from the crowd and hit the butler Chen Xiaofu on the forehead.
Blood flowed from between Chen Xiaofu's fingers and filled his eyes.
At the bottom of the stairs, a fat and big-eared middle-aged man, with one hand on his waist and the other holding up the account book, sneered and said loudly: "Butler Chen, don't talk nonsense. If you don't settle the bill for us today, we will tear down your house!"
"Yes, settle the bill. We won't leave if you don't settle the bill!"
"Butler Chen, our small business can't afford it. Please forgive us!"
"Don't listen to his nonsense. His bank is about to go bankrupt. If we don't get our money back today, it will be a waste!"
More than a hundred people refused to give in and shouted loudly, holding account books in the air, which made a rustling sound, which was very frightening.
Chen Xiaofu was so angry that he jumped up and down, shouting at the top of his lungs: "Everyone calm down, my master will be back soon, and you won't lose a penny!"
The incident happened suddenly, and Chen Xiaofu was a little confused at first, but now he has come to his senses.
It was obvious that someone was deliberately causing trouble. Among the more than 100 people, at least half were irrelevant.
But even if he saw that someone was deliberately causing trouble, he couldn't give money to these businesses.
He didn't even dare to send anyone to the money house for help. Every ounce of silver in the money house was crucial now.
It would be fine if the Chen Mansion was smashed, but if the Chen family's money house was run and collapsed, the consequences would be unimaginable.
The master is currently stationed in Furong City, trying his best to stabilize the situation and deal with the King of Shu. Nothing serious can happen in Meicheng.
It's not that the Chen family is without silver, it's just that there isn't that much.
If you marry this family and not that one, it will cause trouble.
So Butler Chen had no choice but to repeat the same thing over and over again.
The crowd seemed to be getting more and more impatient, and finally someone shouted, "If the Chen family doesn't give us money, we will move their furniture and antiques!"
The crowd suddenly surged, and the fat man standing at the front sneered and deliberately gave up his position to make way for the people rushing up from behind.
At this critical moment, Chen Ke walked out of the gate and said in a cold voice: "Let's see who dares?!"
Tie Niu took the lead, holding a wooden stick, and more than a dozen servants behind him also held sticks in their hands and lined up behind Chen Ke.
The surging crowd suddenly stopped at the steps, and everyone looked at Chen Ke in surprise and doubt.
Chen Ke was wearing a loose pair of pajamas, his hair was messy, and he looked as if he had just woken up, with his eyes still a little sleepy.
He looked at Chen Xiaofu, frowned and asked, "What's going on? Why is there so much noise so early in the morning? Can't we sleep?"
Chen Xiaofu looked at the young master in astonishment. He just remembered that the young master did not stay overnight in the mansion last night.
Without having time to think, Chen Xiaofu lowered his voice and said anxiously: "Young Master, these people are here to collect debts. Why did you come out? Take Tie Niu with you and go out the back door!"
A hundred Chen families are not as good as one hair of the young master.
If this group of people started a fight and accidentally hurt the young master, he, as the butler, would be doomed to death.
"What, you want the money back?!"
Chen Ke yelled exaggeratedly, spitting all over Chen Xiaofu's face.
The fat man standing at the front of the crowd, the owner of Ruyizhai Dan Medicine Shop, Feng Ruhai, had a hint of sarcasm in his eyes and said in a sarcastic tone:
"Master Chen, you came at the right time, please settle our bills."
"Yes, Master Chen, it's unacceptable to owe you a debt."
"Your Chen family is wealthy and powerful, you wouldn't be so short of money as to ask for our help!"
"Master Chen, we give you a discount every time you come to eat. It won't be difficult for us to borrow money and pay it back amicably."
Chen Ke glared at the restaurant owner who was talking to him, and said in a cold voice: "How can you talk like that? Who are you? I lend you money and go to your place for dinner to give you honor!"
He turned to the crowd and said: "Remember this, if anyone goes to his restaurant to eat again, I will break his legs!"
Tie Niu and others shouted in a loud voice: "Remember this!"
Chen Ke turned around again, pointed at the restaurant owner, and said impatiently: "Bring the account book here, get the money and get out!"
The restaurant owner's face turned blue and purple, he walked forward embarrassedly and handed the account book to Chen Ke.
Chen Ke flipped through it and sneered, "Eight thousand taels of silver is worth your shouting and screaming. I am ashamed for you!"
Without even turning his head, he said, "Li Qiu, go get the box next to my bed!"
Liqiu nodded, ran into the gate in a flash, and when he came back, he was holding a box half a person's height, panting.
Under the nervous gaze of countless people, Chen Ke opened the box, reached inside, and grabbed out a handful of silver bills.
After shaking it twice, Chen Ke counted out eight thousand taels of silver notes in his hand and stuffed them directly to the restaurant owner: "Get out!"
The restaurant owner was intimidated by Chen Ke's voice. He felt angry and scared, but it was too late to regret.
He had no choice but to put on an awkward smile, cross out the account in the account book, and walk away in shame.
Chen Ke looked at Feng Ruhai coldly.
This bastard made the most trouble and acted so righteous. He is most likely the mastermind.
Let me kill you first.
Chen Ke said coldly to Feng Ruhai, "Bring your account book here too!"
Feng Ruhai looked at the banknotes in Chen Ke's hand, hesitated for a moment, and then sneered.
He stepped forward, handed over the account book, and said sarcastically, "Master Chen, I know you won some money at the academy yesterday, but I'm afraid this amount is not enough to settle our bill, right?"
Chen Ke flipped through the account book calmly, his heart aching.
Damn it, the amount of mind-concentrating pills he consumed these days cost as much as 120,000 taels of silver!
Chen Ke looked up and curled his lips with disdain: "It's just 120,000 taels of silver. You are rushing to the front for such a small amount of money. I'm afraid your Ruyizhai is about to go bankrupt!"
Counting out twelve silver bills in front of him, Chen Ke handed them to Shopkeeper Feng and said coldly:
"Shopkeeper Feng, settle the bill!"
Shopkeeper Feng sneered, counted the silver bills, and then crossed out Chen Ke's account.
Before Shopkeeper Feng could speak, Chen Ke looked at the people below with cold eyes and shouted, "Two things!"
"First, today you guys squeezed my Chen family, and my Chen family will remember it. When we meet in the future, don't mention the word friendship again. I can't afford to lose this person!"
Everyone could hear the threat from Chen Ke, and for a moment they felt nervous and uneasy.
Most of them joined the debt collection team on impulse.
Now that they have come to realize it, they feel a little regretful.
After all, the Chen family is an imperial merchant family, and Chen Baiwang is the president of the Shuzhou Chamber of Commerce. Their foundation is so deep, how could they collapse just like that?
Look at the young master of the Chen family again. He acted as if nothing had happened and casually took out a large box from the bedside. The box was full of banknotes.
He gave 120,000 taels of silver to Manager Feng without even blinking an eye. Does this look like he is short of money?
In comparison, what does their account matter?
If I offend the Chen family and the big money sponsor Chen Ke for this little money, it will not be worth it.
The previous restaurant owner is the best example.
Many people had their own ideas in mind and secretly put away the account books in their hands.
"The second thing,"
Chen Ke swept his gloomy eyes over the crowd, "My Chen family has been imperial merchants for two generations. Although we are not a wealthy family, you can't just block or smash things up as you please. Uncle Chen is the butler of my Chen family, and you can't just beat him up as you please."
"When the retired emperor toured Shuzhou, he praised Uncle Chen highly. Who do you think you are? How dare you attack him?!"
Chen Ke said sternly, "Hand over the people who beat him. Otherwise, I, Chen Ke, swear as the third-generation heir of the Chen family that I will not be named Chen unless I destroy your family and your loved ones!"