Chapter 118: Three Hundred Taels of Silver

“How could it be ruined?” Li Qiao instinctively refuted.

The shop attendants also gathered around and said, “All the customers who bought the ointment from our store had their scars healed. How could it have ruined your skin?”

“That’s right!”

“Stop making nonsense!”

“Nonsense?”

The two women seemed to be enraged and immediately pulled off the black veils covering their faces.

A large patch of red skin was exposed.

Their cheeks were bright red, and upon closer inspection, there were small, dense bumps on the surface.

“Are we supposed to ruin our faces on purpose to slander you? Aren’t you the ones talking nonsense?”

Hearing the commotion, the other customers gathered around.

“Oh my, that’s terrifying!”

“Yeah, what happened to them?”

“Can it still be fixed? If it stays like this, how will they face others in the future?”

The crowd began to chatter.

The two women became more aggressive.

“Everyone, look clearly. The scars on our faces were caused by using their ointment. This isn’t a beauty product, it’s a disfigurement ointment!”

“But that doesn’t make sense. I saw the girl in their shop, the one with the peach blossom mark on her face. Her scar was almost gone, right?” A customer questioned.

“That’s their own person. Who knows what tricks they’ve played?” The taller woman responded.

“I also bought their ointment, and I’m fine!” Another person spoke up.

“Fine?”

“You think it’s fine now, but who knows what’ll happen later?

When I first used it, everything seemed fine, or I wouldn’t have used it over such a large area.”

The taller woman walked up to the customer who had spoken.

“You must have used a small amount. Let me see where you applied it?”

The customer pointed to their chin.

The woman looked carefully and said, “You should check it closely when you get home. I see some redness there. Be careful. Don’t apply it again. If it turns out like mine, you’ll regret it and it will be too late!”

Her words were so forceful that even those who initially didn’t believe her started to have doubts.

“You woman, stop spreading false rumors! Our ointment is made from a carefully crafted formula, and there’s no way such a problem could occur,” Li Qiao said angrily.

“You’re the shopkeeper, of course, you’d say your own products are good,” the tall woman retorted, hands on her hips as she stood in front of Li Qiao. “But you can’t be so heartless. Do you know how important a woman’s face is?

Now, look at my face. My husband refuses to even look at me, and he’s already asked the matchmaker to find him a concubine. You’re ruining lives!”

Li Qiao knew the woman was slandering his store, but he couldn’t find a way to defend himself.

It was obvious that her face hadn’t been damaged by their ointment, but how could he prove it?

Just as he was struggling, Li Mo finally arrived.

He had already heard the whole story from the shop attendant.

Seeing the crowd, he furrowed his brows.

He stepped forward and said, “Everyone, don’t listen to one-sided words. It’s very easy to prove the effectiveness of our ointment. I don’t know if the two madams are willing to stay and apply our Snow Cream to their faces for treatment.

Our shop is willing to treat you for free. You can come every day and apply the ointment until your faces are healed.

I only have one request. Once your faces are healed, you must clear our name and admit that your problem was not caused by Snow Cream.”

The two women were confused by Li Mo’s approach.

Weren’t they here to make trouble?

Now they were being asked to have their faces treated.

Was the shopkeeper not understanding what they wanted?

“You’re dreaming!” the tall woman exclaimed angrily. “My face is like this, and you still want me to use your ointment? Do you want to make it worse?”

Li Mo’s expression turned serious. “You two only brought two empty bottles and are accusing our Snow Cream of ruining your faces. May I ask how you can prove that, other than Snow Cream, you didn’t use anything else?”

The two women were speechless.

“Why should we prove anything? Your Snow Cream is the one that ruined our faces!” the shorter woman retorted.

“Stop making things up!” Li Mo’s tone became cold.

“Aren’t you here asking for an explanation? As I just said, our shop is willing to treat your faces for free.

If you’re unwilling, then you can go to the county office for a resolution. I am willing to go to the county office with you to confront this matter. Whether it’s our fault, we will let the county magistrate decide!”

As soon as the two women heard the mention of the county office, they hesitated.

They had never met an official.

They had heard that the county magistrate had a temper and was very strict with criminals, punishing them harshly.

The two women felt guilty and were afraid to go.

However, they wouldn’t admit defeat so easily. “If you want to go to the county office, let’s go! Do you think we’re afraid of you?

You sell harmful ointments. A clinic like yours should be strictly regulated by the county magistrate. You should be shut down so you can’t harm anyone!”

“Whether we’ve harmed anyone or not, the customers will judge for themselves. There’s no need for you two madams to come here to seek justice.

But I do have a question for you: Does your family know that you’re using such an expensive ointment for your faces?

Are there any familiar faces here in the crowd? If so, could someone help inform your families? Tell them to come and see what’s going on here, in case anything happens, and no one is there to take care of you.”

“Huh, the shopkeeper says it like that, but these two women are unfamiliar.”

“I’ve never seen them before.”

“Isn’t it normal not to have seen them? There are so many women in Yun Tong County, how could you have met them all?”

“Besides, if they could afford Snow Cream, they certainly aren’t people of our status. How could we possibly know them?”

The crowd continued to gossip.

The two sides were at a stalemate, and Li Mo’s expression grew increasingly unpleasant.

“Since neither of you is willing to let our Yong Le Hall treat your faces, nor are you willing to go to the county office for a resolution, then may I ask what exactly it is that you want?” Li Mo asked.

“We…”

“We don’t want anything, we just want justice!” the tall woman said.

“Yes, we just want justice!” the other woman echoed.

“What kind of justice are you looking for? Feel free to tell me,” Li Mo asked.

When the women heard Li Mo’s words, they thought he was backing down.

A look of joy appeared on their faces.

“What we want is simple. You need to apologize to us and then give each of us 300 taels of silver.”