Some people held shoulder poles, some held hoes, and some held iron shovels.
Each of them glared fiercely at Lou Chengye and his party.
A tall, middle-aged man holding a shoulder pole rushed to the front of them, angrily demanding, "Where are you from? What are you doing here?"
Lou Chengye slightly furrowed his brow, about to speak, but the Second Young Master Lou spoke first, "Uncle, we are merchants passing through, stopping here for a rest."
He politely clasped his hands in greeting to the people.
The middle-aged man waved his hand at everyone, "Our village does not welcome outsiders, you'd better leave quickly."
A Deputy from the Prefecture Government Office, Liu Tongzhi, emboldened by his fifth-rank official status, did not take these villagers seriously. He sneered, "Though this road passes by the village, it is a government road, and this bridge is also built by the government. How can outsiders not pass?"
