A Business War

"As for those who make excuses when asked to contribute, do as you please," the village chief declared sternly. "But let me make this clear: anyone who fails to pay this time will have their electricity cut off by the electrician. If you can't afford to pay, you don't use electricity. We will abide by this rule without exception."

Faced with the chief's uncompromising stance, the villagers eventually acquiesced. Those who were supposed to pay did so, and everyone returned to their homes. Remarkably, even those who initially claimed they couldn't afford to pay managed to do so by the end of the day.

Those who genuinely couldn't afford to pay quietly borrowed from their more affluent relatives and friends, ensuring their dues were paid on time. After paying on behalf of the Su family, Gu Zi climbed back onto the ox cart and returned home with Li Zhu.