Amid the sound of abacus beads mingling with cheerful chatter at Qingniu Medical Hall, the managers of the three major pharmacies finally could no longer sit still. Crestfallen, they carried their gift lists inside, the abacus beads bouncing into the character for "defeat" on their mink-lined coats. Su Wanyue pinched an abacus bead and sneered, "Oh? Aren't these the honorable proprietors who wanted to cut off our supply sources?"
"You misunderstand, Miss Su!" a manager said with a flattering smile, the abacus beads bouncing into the character for "shame" on the tip of his oily nose. "We have come specifically to sue for peace today..." Zhang Yifan rattled the abacus beads as he toyed with a teacup, the beads bouncing into the character for "late" on the surface of the tea. "Sue for peace? Too late—" He chuckled softly, the abacus beads rolling across the gift list to form the character for "compensate." "According to the Tang Code, those who spread rumors must pay triple the damages for injury to business reputation. Can your abacus beads even reckon that?"
Su Wanyue tried hard to suppress a smile, the abacus beads bouncing into the character for "ruthless" in her sleeves. "Brother Fan, I'm afraid their abacus beads flew apart long ago—" Before her voice faded, a manager's abacus slipped from his robe, and the beads immediately bounced into the character for "scattered," prompting Huwa's little carved wooden figurine to raise its knife and flash a peace sign.
Chapter 172