Siheyuan: Relieve stress and relieve worries

Chapter 230 The Origin of Rumors
While Xu Delin and Qian Siwen were discussing, they didn't know that Jia Zhang and Jia Dongxu were walking behind them.

Hearing the conversation between the two, the mother and son looked at each other without saying a word, and followed the group of people home. After arriving home, the mother and son sat down. Qin Huairu and Jia Geng and his wife, who had been released earlier, surrounded them and asked how things went.

Jia Dongxu smoked a cigarette and kept his head down without saying anything. Jia Zhang asked Jia Dongxu, "Son, what do you think Yi Zhonghai is up to? He is your master, and you should know the most."

Jia Dongxu did not answer and was silent for a while. Jia Geng became anxious and asked his grandmother what happened to Grandpa Yi. Jia Zhang told her what Xu Delin and Qian Siwen had discussed on the way, and everyone in the family fell silent.

At this time, Tang Yanling said: "This is completely intentional, to lure the neighbors into a trap. I think he and Zhang Erzhu are in the same group."

Jia Geng glared at Tang Yanling. After all, she was his father's master. He said, "Impossible. Uncle Yi has always taken care of our family. How could he cheat us?"

Jia Zhang said at this time: "Son, do you think it is possible that Yi Zhonghai saw through Zhang Erzhu's scam and deliberately let us fall for it? He has advised you to invest everything more than once, otherwise our family would not have mortgaged the house."

Jia Dongxu's face was very tangled. He didn't want to believe that this was true. If it was true, what on earth was Yi Zhonghai trying to do? He said, "Impossible. What good would it do him?"

Qin Huairu was also struggling. She was still frightened and said, "If this scam really succeeds, our family will be left with nothing and be in debt."

Jia Zhang added, "Then we will have to beg him for help. Only he can help us get through this difficult time. After that, we will be controlled."

Jia Dongxu was stunned for a moment and sat there blankly. The cigarette in his hand suddenly burned his hand. Yi Zhonghai had done this kind of thing before, but he had not succeeded. Thanks to Yan Laosan's reminder, he did not fall for it.

Jia Dongxu stood up suddenly, his face showing his anger, and turned to walk outside. Jia Geng grabbed his father and said, "Dad, calm down. Uncle Yi hasn't come back yet. You won't find him if you go out."

Jia Dongxu sat down and said, "No, I must ask clearly to find out what kind of medicine this old man Yi is selling."

Jia Zhang also fanned the flames and said, "We must find out the truth about this matter. If it is true, he will have to pay the fine."

When Jia Geng heard that this grandmother was only concerned about money, he was speechless and hurried to comfort his father.

At this time, the conversation between Xu Delin and Qian Siwen had already fermented in the courtyard. Not only Jia Dongxu and his mother heard it, but all the households were discussing whether Yi Zhonghai was an accomplice or had other purposes.

The next day, people in the Siheyuan were already talking about it. Even the Yan family knew about it. Then the matter was not just discussed in the Siheyuan. There was little entertainment in that era, and the old men and women in the surrounding Siheyuans also used this matter as a topic of conversation after dinner.

At this time, Yi Zhonghai stayed in the police station for one night. After the confessions of Zhang Erzhu and the fake Hong Kong businessman, the police dispelled their suspicion of him. However, the police were also wondering what Yi Zhonghai was trying to achieve after working so hard but not getting any money in the end. But they did not ask any more questions and released him.

Xu Damao was not so lucky. He was the victim in this incident, but there was no way to explain the first incident of reselling. Although he was a bait for others, he did engage in reselling. However, in view of the complexity of the matter, he was asked to hand over his previous illegal gains and was fined one thousand yuan. Xu Wude hurried to raise money. His current money, apart from the money he mortgaged from the house and borrowed, was not enough.

Yi Zhonghai came out with a gloomy face, wanting to go home directly, but when he thought about running into acquaintances, he would have to ask all sorts of questions. He was in no mood to chat with others, so he went to one of his apprentices' house first, borrowed a hat and a mask, wrapped himself up tightly, and then walked towards home. When he was about to reach No. 95 Courtyard, he heard a few aunties basking in the sun outside discussing the No. 95 Courtyard. The protagonist was still Yi Zhonghai, so he stood aside and listened with his ears erect. As he listened, he became more and more upset. Several aunties said that he and Zhang Erzhu had swindled the neighbors' money, and that he had a purpose, which was to make the neighbors become paupers so that he could dominate the courtyard.

Although the story sounded outrageous, Yi Zhonghai felt a pang in his heart. If all the neighbors thought this way, how could he continue to live in the courtyard?

Yi Zhonghai turned around and went to his apprentice's house without stopping. He thought that if this matter was not resolved, how could he dare to go back to the courtyard.

When he arrived at the apprentice's home, the apprentice entertained him warmly, but he looked unhappy. The apprentice noticed it and asked him the reason. Yi Zhonghai told his apprentice, and the two of them tried to find a solution together. However, they could not think of a good idea. Rumors are more ferocious than a tiger.

The apprentice looked at the master with a worried look on his face and said, "Well, Master, there is a master in our courtyard. It is said that he used to be an official, but was dismissed after liberation. This old man has many tricks. I will go and invite him."

Yi Zhonghai was desperate to find a cure, so he nodded. After a while, an old man with a white beard appeared. He looked very healthy, but he must be in his seventies.

Yi Zhonghai respectfully asked the old man to sit down. The old man looked up at Yi Zhonghai and said, "These are all neighbors. Your apprentice treats me well. Tell me what's the matter. I will definitely help if I can."

Yi Zhonghai told the whole story. After listening to it, the old man didn't say anything. He drank a cup of tea and said, "It's just this matter that makes you look so sad. This matter is very simple."

Yi Zhonghai's eyes lit up, and he looked at the old man. The old man said, "In order to quickly calm down one thing, another bigger thing needs to be spread. That is to say, the only thing that can defeat a rumor is another rumor. Of course, it must be related to the vital interests of your neighbors."

Yi Zhonghai frowned after hearing this, thought for a moment and said, "It's difficult. No one can believe the rumors I told you."

The old man smiled and said, "I have lived so long in vain. Haven't you heard the saying that money makes the world go round?"

Yi Zhonghai understood instantly and stepped forward to pour tea and hand the old man a cigarette. He was really grateful to the old man. This matter was really easy to do according to what the old man said.

Yi Zhonghai didn't go back at night. He didn't plan to go back in the next few days. He wanted to finish his work and wait for the rumors to ferment. He would then go back after he got rid of the rumors. At night, Yi Zhonghai wondered what rumor could overshadow his affairs. He first thought of Xu Damao, because Xu Damao was involved in the first incident. But then he thought it wouldn't work, because Xu Wude still owed a lot of debts outside, and no one could believe that he was a participant.

After thinking all night, he suddenly thought of Yan Bugui, who had initially responded actively but then suddenly withdrew. If it was said that Yan Bugui knew about it in advance but just didn't tell his neighbors, wouldn't this matter be a big deal? But after thinking about it, it was still not a big enough matter. He thought that since it was just a rumor anyway, he could just say that the batch of goods really existed and it was Yan Bugui who reported it. Wouldn't this matter be a bigger one and he could get away with it.

The more Yi Zhonghai thought about it, the more feasible it seemed to him. Anyway, the neighbors didn't know the truth of the matter, so he just said it wasn't a scam. That would make them even angrier. Whether this matter would succeed or not depended on finding Xu Wude first. He said he would do it, so he went straight to Xu Wude and promised to pay the fine. When Xu Wude heard this, he thought it was a good thing. After all, I wasn't the one who spread the rumor, and I still got some benefits from it. The two of them immediately became like-minded.

Afterwards, Yi Zhonghai asked his apprentice to find a few gossiping old ladies in Nanluoguxiang, gave each of them a hundred yuan, and asked them to tell the story.

Within two days, the news that Yan Bugui could not bear to see his neighbor getting rich and reported him spread throughout Nanluo Ancient Lane, and the matter thus fermented.

(End of this chapter)