You expect me to serve your mistress? The mistress is driving this scumbag and his entire family cra

Chapter 20 I Only Recognize Money, Not People
Grandma Fang said politely, "Shopkeeper, may we speak in private for a moment?"

The shopkeeper, believing that harmony brings wealth, immediately invited Old Madam Fang into the inner room and ordered the waiter to serve tea.

Grandma Fang then spoke up: "Liangjiang is a filial child, but I can't let her spend so much money on me. I'll pay for the medicine myself from my own savings."

“You two are truly exemplary in Fucheng, a model of filial piety and mother-in-law. I will send someone to get you your medicine right away.”

"No rush," Old Mrs. Fang advised the shopkeeper who was about to get up, "I wonder if you have any more here? I'll take them all."

Shopkeeper Qian was taken aback: "I do have a few pills left, but you may not know this, but I am the only one who sells this medicine, and I will not budge on the price."

Hearing his certainty, Old Mrs. Fang didn't haggle much: "This medicine is my life-saving medicine. Even if it's a bit expensive, it doesn't matter. My Fang family isn't short of money. I'll take all the money you have."

Shopkeeper Qian leaned closer and lowered his voice: "To be honest, I still have fifteen pills of this medicine on hand. They were hard to come by, and I need to keep a few for relief purposes. I can give you ten of them."

"Thirteen grains, you keep two."

Manager Qian pretended to be in a difficult position.

Grandma Fang pressed her advantage: "If that's alright, I'll deliver the money in two days, cash on delivery."

Shopkeeper Qian hesitated for a moment, then finally gritted his teeth and stamped his foot: "Fine, it's a deal. I'll refuse your daughter-in-law then. Do you keep your word?"

"Are you kidding me? What kind of family is the Fang family? It's a general's mansion! My son is about to be appointed as a fourth-rank general. How could we possibly be short of a few thousand taels of silver from you?"

"Well then, I don't have enough silver with me today. I'll give you four hundred taels first. Sell me one pill so I can verify if it really works."

Shopkeeper Qian reluctantly nodded: "Alright, let me make this clear from the start. I'll only give you two days. Also, medicine is different from other goods; once sold, it cannot be returned or exchanged. Madam Fang, please think it over carefully."

Old Mrs. Fang is now blinded by greed and won't listen to anything else. She only dreams that she can make a fortune by reselling these pills.

He immediately and readily took out some silver, took a heart-saving pill, and returned to the Fang residence, eager to find Fang Chengxu.

Fang Chengxu was in a terrible predicament over the betrothal gifts. He went to Tong Zhao'er with high hopes to discuss it, but Tong Zhao'er not only refused to budge, but also felt wronged and told Fang Chengxu to go all the way to the capital to find out whether the betrothal gifts she wanted were too much or too little.

Grandma Fang called her son aside, mysteriously took out some nitroglycerin pills, and handed them to Fang Chengxu:
"Go to the capital immediately on horseback and ask that doctor you saw last time. He said he could buy these heart-saving pills for a thousand taels of silver each. Does he still stand by his word?"

Fang Chengxu asked in confusion, "Where did you get this?"

"Don't ask anymore, just go and inquire, but don't sell. It's best to ask at several pharmacies, just in case."

Fang Chengxu was quite filial: "Didn't the herbalist say that he could save lives in critical moments? You should keep it for yourself, and I'll figure out the dowry myself."

Grandma Fang didn't tell the truth: "Don't worry about these things. Just go and ask, and don't tell Tong Zhao'er. If I weren't so old and unable to handle the journey, I would definitely make this trip myself."

Upon receiving his mother's order, Fang Chengxu immediately rode to the capital at full speed, traveling for a whole day on the way there and back, and did not return until almost midnight.

He told Grandma Fang the results of his inquiries.

"I took the pills to the doctor and he said they cost a thousand taels of silver per pill, and he needed them urgently. He needed at least three to five pills."

Then I went to several other pharmacies and asked around. When they heard that I had nitroglycerin pills, they immediately surrounded me and offered high prices. They asked for eight or nine hundred taels of silver right off the bat, and I guess they could raise the price even further.

It seems the doctor was right; such a small pill is in such high demand.

Grandma Fang was immediately relieved.

"That's good! Thank goodness, there's always a way out."

Fang Chengxu was puzzled and immediately pressed for details. Fearing that he might overhear and Tong Zhao'er might steal her money, Old Madam Fang pretended to be mysterious.

"You don't need to worry about this. Once I've taken care of things, your betrothal gifts will be settled."

Secretly delighted, he quietly took all the land deeds and contracts for several shops early the next morning and went to the pawnshop. After some haggling, he pawned five thousand taels of silver. Adding some of his gold and silver jewelry, he had mortgaged almost all of his family's property, waiting only to sell the heart medicine so he could redeem it at a higher price.

Then he went to Renhetang and bought the other twelve heart-saving pills from Manager Qian.

Once the money and goods have been exchanged, the agreement cannot be reneged upon.

Grandma Fang, clutching her nitroglycerin pills, returned to the Fang family home, beaming with joy.

Someone had been waiting at the gatehouse for quite some time.

Dressed in a short blue cloth shirt and a greasy straw hat, carrying a horsewhip, he immediately got up to greet Old Madam Fang's carriage with a broad smile.

The doorman introduced, "This young man came right after you left today. He's been waiting here for quite a while, saying he has important business to discuss with you or the young master."

Grandma Fang didn't recognize him and thought he was a poor relative from the village who had come to freeload, so she didn't give him a second glance.

"What's going on?"

The visitor said with a forced smile, "Yesterday I heard someone say that your eldest son has a heart-saving pill. My matriarch has been bedridden these past few days and is waiting for this medicine to save her life. That's why I've come to ask for it. I wonder if your family could be so reluctant as to part with it?"

Upon hearing this, Old Madam Fang was secretly delighted. These pills were indeed in high demand. There was no need to travel to the capital; as soon as word got out, buyers immediately came knocking on her door.

"You're from the capital?"

"Yes."

"Do you know the market price of these pills?"

The visitor was taken aback: "I came in a hurry and didn't find out clearly. However, if you're willing to part with it, a higher price is fine."

Grandma Fang was even more pleased with herself: "I do have the pills. My son went to the capital yesterday to inquire, and every pharmacy there can sell them for a thousand taels of silver per pill."

The newcomer immediately looked troubled: "One thousand taels! Is it really that expensive? I don't have enough silver on me."

"Then there's nothing more to say. Show them out!"

The newcomer blocked Old Mrs. Fang's way: "Saving lives is urgent! My old lady is in critical condition. A thousand is all you need!"
However, I only have three hundred taels of silver notes on me right now. I beg the old lady to give me the heart-saving pills so I can go back and save the person.

I'm leaving my sword here as collateral. I'll make up the difference once I return to the capital and retrieve the silver."

As he spoke, he pulled a dusty gray dagger from his pocket and handed it to Old Mrs. Fang.

Grandma Fang said disdainfully, "You think you can fool this old woman with a broken dagger? Do you think I've never seen the world before?"

"One thousand taels of silver, not a single tael less, otherwise there's no point in discussing anything."

He pushed the person aside and went straight back to the Fang residence.

The visitor was unwilling to give up and continued to plead, but was blocked outside the mansion by the servants.

"Our old lady is waiting for these heart-saving pills to save her life. If I go back to get the money, the city gates will be closed by the time I return. Please, old lady, have mercy! My household will offer double the reward! Triple will do!"

Grandma Fang's voice drifted over from afar: "Three times the reward, what a boastful tone! Don't you even look at yourself? You're obviously a swindler! I only care about money, not people!"

The visitor had a request, but the visitor dared not speak out in anger, and in frustration, smacked his own head.

Liang Jiang and Yu Ma happened to be returning from outside when they heard this man's words. They stopped in their tracks, turned around, and asked, "You want heart medicine?"

(End of this chapter)