Fang Fuguai was in a good mood and, seeing his sons-in-law arrive and pay respects, smiled and asked: “Where’s Chengyun?”
Fang Xingye’s face was ashen, and he mumbled softly: “Father, Xingye… Xingye has caused trouble…”
Fang Fuguai was stunned, then asked: “What trouble?” Among his four children, Xingye was the most humble and well-behaved.
Besides his frail health, he had never given Fang Fuguai cause for concern. But from Xingye’s expression, it seemed this trouble was not small!
Chapter 113 Old Husband, Young Wife (10)
Fang Xingye explained how he wanted to do business, borrowed money to buy a large batch of wild ginseng, only to discover when selling that the so-called wild ginseng was actually Commercial Bindweed meticulously forged to look similar but with completely different medicinal effects and vastly different prices, and that the person who deceived him had disappeared.
Although angry with Fang Xingye, Fang Fuguai’s mood was different today after reconciling with Xue Siniang, so he merely frowned and said: “How much did you borrow? Let’s first find a way to repay.”
Fang Xingye looked up at Fang Fuguai and whispered: “Fifteen hundred taels…”
“How could it be so much?” Fang Fuguai shouted.
Fang Xingye hurriedly said: “Father, I’ve already borrowed over four hundred taels. We just need to raise another thousand or so to repay.”
Fang Fuguai raged: “You did business behind my back, and that’s fine, but you clearly don’t understand medicinal herbs. How could you borrow so much money and buy so much stock? Do you have any brains?”
Fang Xingye lowered his head silently, filled with regret. He was not typically a foolish person. Before this, he had taken the drug samples to pharmacies to inquire, and confirmed that the samples were indeed wild ginseng.
The pharmacies told him that ginseng of this grade could sell for fifteen to sixteen taels per jin, and even wholesale prices were over ten taels per jin.
The swindler claimed to have two hundred jin of wild ginseng, but typical pharmacies would only stock ten or more jin. So he offered to sell the entire batch to Fang Xingye at seven and a half taels per jin. If Fang Xingye bought less, he wouldn’t offer such a low price.
Fang Xingye calculated that selling all this ginseng would earn him over a thousand taels. Driven by potential profit, he impulsively agreed to buy the entire batch. But lacking the fifteen hundred taels himself, he secretly used the rice shop’s deed as collateral.
He didn’t expect that while the sample was genuine wild ginseng, the large batch delivered was actually Commercial Bindweed.
After hearing Fang Xingye’s explanation, Fang Fuguai was both angry and hateful: “You unfilial son, how dare you use the rice shop as collateral? Your father has worked hard for decades, and you’ve destroyed it in one day! You’ll figure out how to repay this debt yourself.”
Fang Xingye knelt and cried: “Father, I know I was wrong.”
You can’t abandon me. Wen Da took out his own private savings and ran all over the city with me, but we’ve only borrowed just over four hundred taels. If you don’t help, the rice shop will be seized by the bank.
Fang Fugui became even more angry upon hearing this: “You bring back the deed to the rice shop! If the rice shop is taken by the money house, I’ll break your legs!”
Fang Xingye looked worried and said, “Father, if there’s not enough money, how can I get the deed back…”
Fang Fugui was so angry he was gasping for breath. Xue Jinsong, who had been listening, advised, “Fugui, Xingye has made a mistake, but as his father, you still need to take care of him. No matter what, pay back the money first. We can’t let the shop be taken away. Then you can punish him as you see fit.”
Fang Fugui sighed heavily, “That’s all we can do. But the ready cash from the shop and our family savings is only a few hundred taels. We can’t leave no cash, or the rice shop business will be impossible.”
Xue Jinsong said, “Xingye, my family isn’t wealthy, but the martial arts school has been running for so long. I think we can come up with a few hundred taels. The school is now managed by your uncle. Let him calculate how much cash we can provide to help you through this difficult time.”
After visiting the rice shop and learning his father was at the martial arts school, Fang Xingye had considered asking his grandfather for money.
But Xue Jinsong wasn’t his biological grandfather, and if he made excuses about not having money, Xue Jinsong might refuse. Now, hearing Xue Jinsong actively offer to lend him money, he was overjoyed and quickly bowed deeply in gratitude.
That evening after dinner, Xue Yipeng placed a stack of silver notes in front of Fang Xingye. As Xingye was about to take them, Xue Yipeng placed his hand on top of the notes and looked at Xingye without speaking.
Fang Xingye understood that neither Xue Jinsong nor Xue Yipeng were his biological relatives. They were helping because of Xue Sifang. He quickly said, “I will definitely repay the money as soon as possible.” He then asked Xue Yipeng for writing materials, wrote a promissory note, signed it, and handed it over.
Only then did Xue Yipeng remove his hand from the silver notes.
That night, Fang Fugui and his wife, along with Fang Xingye, returned home. Yu Yi and Meng Qing naturally went back to the Fang residence with them.
Entering the Fang gate, Meng Qing gently pulled Yu Yi’s hand. Yu Yi glanced at him and deliberately slowed down. The two fell behind the others, gradually distancing themselves.
Meng Qing whispered, “How did you persuade him today?”
Since Hong Lan and Fang Bao were still present, Yu Yi explained using Fang Hanchu’s voice about asking Zheng Tianrui for help.
Correction Report
Father rushed over in a panic, stuffing a bucket lid in his clothes, probably afraid of being beaten by Mother. Just thinking about Fang Fugui’s state made her want to laugh.
Meng Qing chuckled softly: “As children, we shouldn’t mock our parents’ faults, yet you dare to laugh at Father.”
Yu Yi retorted, “Fourth Brother, aren’t you laughing too?”
After whispering and laughing for a while, Meng Qing leaned close to her ear and said, “Young Master Zheng seems to be of good character and suitable to marry my sister.”
Yu Yi agreed but couldn’t nod in front of Hong Lan and Fang Bao. She said, “But what about Second Brother’s situation now?” Until Fang Xingye’s problem was resolved, they couldn’t return, and if the Zheng family came to propose marriage before their mission ended, it would be complicated.
Meng Qing said, “Starting tomorrow, I plan to leave home for a few days to find that fraudster.”
Yu Yi desperately wanted to go with him, but she felt that chasing a fraudster would be too scandalous and might affect her future marriage prospects. So she could only give up. She felt resentful about why he chose such a task now, leaving her confined to the inner chambers or relatives’ homes.
Seeing her expression, Meng Qing teased, “Wasn’t it you who was eager to come? And now you’re the one who’s unhappy?”
Yu Yi complained, “It’s all because of your choice… not good.”
“What’s not good?” Meng Qing didn’t understand.
Yu Yi looked back and saw Fang Bao and Hong Lan’s confused expressions. She glared at Meng Qing: “I won’t discuss this now. We’ll talk when the matter is resolved…”
Meng Qing didn’t tell Fang Fugui he was going to find the fraudster. He just said he was traveling with friends to visit scholars in a neighboring county and would return in a few days.
Fang Fugui approved of studying abroad, saying, “Wendao, it’s good to go out occasionally, even if not for studying, just to travel and play.”
Xue Sifang suggested, “Let Mother accompany you.”
