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

Chapter 22 How could a mere maid be so precious?

The news that Old Mrs. Fang had spent a fortune to buy thirteen heart-saving pills quickly reached the ears of Tong Zhao'er and Fang Chengxu.

Upon hearing this, Tong Zhao'er immediately questioned Fang Chengxu: "You keep saying that the Fang family is struggling financially and can't afford my betrothal gifts, but now you're spending a fortune to buy a few pills. To put it bluntly, you just think that now that I've given birth, I can be easily manipulated."

Fang Chengxu had vaguely guessed the old lady's intentions and felt a bad premonition rising in his heart.

Fucheng is not far from the capital. A day's journey by fast horse is more than enough. If this medicine is really that valuable, the pharmacy owner is a shrewd person. Would he let you make that much profit?

Where did the silver come from?
Thinking of this, he lost interest in arguing with Tong Zhao'er: "I'll go ask."

Despite her grumbling, Tong Zhao'er still got down to business: "Remember to ask your mother for a few pills to keep on hand; our child might need them to save his life."

Fang Chengxu answered casually and went to find his mother.

Upon seeing Fang Chengxu, Old Mrs. Fang immediately beamed with joy and presented the pills as if they were a precious treasure.

"Tomorrow morning, you should make a trip to the capital and sell these pills."

Fang Chengxu asked in surprise, "What A-Zhao said is actually true? Where did you get so much money?"

"I've put all our land and shops on a lease. Once you get your money back, you can redeem them immediately."

Fang Chengxu's heart sank immediately, and he couldn't help but complain, "Why didn't you discuss such a big matter with me? What if something unexpected happened? Wouldn't our family be ruined?"

"Didn't I tell you to find out everything? This deal is a sure thing for us! Otherwise, why would I dare to take such a gamble?"
Do you know that you went to the capital yesterday, and today people begging for the medicine are crowding your door, demanding two thousand taels of silver! Do you think I'm worried about not being able to sell it? Tomorrow you'll have to raise the price even higher.”

The medicine has already been bought, so there's no use in rushing. Fang Chengxu replied, "To avoid any unforeseen complications, I'd better make a trip to the capital tonight and sell it for money as soon as possible before I feel at ease."

Then he brought up Tong Zhao'er's request.

"Zhao'er said that this medicine is effective for children, so we should save a few pills for later."

"A thousand taels of silver for one grain? I can't even bear to eat it. I'm just a little girl, how could I have such a precious blessing?"

“Mother, what are you saying? This child is, after all, our flesh and blood.”

"If you don't have money, would Tong Zhao'er still be willing to marry you? If she wants it, she can use these pills as a betrothal gift, and I can agree to that."

Fang Chengxu was caught in the middle, torn between two options. Back with Tong Zhao'er, he surprisingly repeated the old lady's words verbatim.

Upon hearing this, Tong Zhao'er immediately became angry.

"Is this how a human being talks? It's as if this child isn't her own granddaughter. She haggles over every single pill, trying to negotiate with us. I must have been blind to have chosen you! Poverty makes everything miserable for a couple!"

Fang Chengxu sided with the old lady and said, "My mother is so stingy, isn't it all to save up for your betrothal gifts? Otherwise, why would she take such a big risk?"

Tong Zhao'er was both angry and furious: "Your Fang family is so poor that you can't afford to pay, yet you're blaming me! Let me tell you, Fang Chengxu, I'm not the kind of person who swallows her pride and uses her dowry to help her husband's family. What's rightfully mine, I will absolutely not give up. Your Fang family can figure it out themselves."

Neither Old Madam Fang nor Tong Zhao'er would give in, leaving Fang Chengxu caught in the middle, torn between staying or leaving, and he no longer wanted to go to the capital.

Feeling upset and unwilling to stay in Yixiang Garden, she stormed out to vent her anger.

After wandering around for a while, I unknowingly found myself at Tingzhu Garden.

Liang Jiang, who had just made a windfall, was grilling meat over charcoal in the yard.

She stood by the charcoal fire, her face flushed red from the heat, and glistening beads of sweat glistened on the tip of her nose. Her eyes were pure and bright.

At our first meeting, her elegance and grace remained undiminished, untouched by the mundane affairs of the Fang family. She was still as pure and refined as a lotus after dehydration, or a pear blossom in the rain.
Several servants from the Fang family were also present, chatting and laughing with Liang Jiang and her mother without any attempt to hide it.

Fang Chengxu hesitated, gazing at the joyful and peaceful scene in the courtyard. Recalling the chaos in Yixiang Garden, he raised his hand to pinch his brow, feeling a pang of sadness in his heart.

When the people in the courtyard saw him, their laughter stopped abruptly, and an awkward atmosphere filled the air, making him seem out of place.

Fang Chengxu couldn't help but feel annoyed and coldly mocked, "Hanging out with a bunch of servants, a female doctor is just a female doctor. She willingly debases herself and will never be as noble as Ah Zhao."

Liang Jiang turned the lamb leg in her hand, roasting it until the skin was golden brown, sizzling and dripping oil onto the charcoal fire, which then exploded with a fragrant aroma. "Just because you've climbed into a general's mansion, you don't think you're superior, do you? They don't steal or rob; they work hard to make a living. They're much more noble than some people who resort to any means to steal other people's money."

"My Fang family is only temporarily strapped for cash!" Fang Chengxu said angrily. "Now so many people are vying to curry favor with me. If I want to make money, it won't take a second."

"So powerful?" Liang Jiang sneered inwardly, but showed no disdain on her face.

"One must look forward and not just focus on the present hardships. When I, Fang Chengxu, married you, I said that one day I would achieve my lofty ambitions."

Unfortunately, you are blind and fickle; you will never have a chance to enjoy my future wealth and honor.

Liang Jiang scoffed lightly, "How could someone as brainless and foolish as you manage to achieve merit on the Xiliang battlefield? Is there no one else capable in Xiliang now?"

"What do you mean?"

Liang Jiang sniffed the aroma of the roasted lamb leg: "If I really had a lover, would your mother, who's so stingy, need to spend money to hire Li Sheng to frame me? Did you lose your head on the battlefield and come back with a ball?"

The servants behind him couldn't help but chuckle.

Fang Chengxu was furious and embarrassed: "Don't you all have anything to do? You're taking my Fang family's monthly allowance and running around here slacking off."

The servants looked at each other, and one of them couldn't help but say, "Young master, we servants have all seen how hard Miss Liang has worked in the Fang family this past year."

She had to manage the business, handle social obligations, serve the old lady, and worry about the second young master and young lady; she was overwhelmed with work, how could she possibly have any shady dealings?

"That's right, how could you listen to that guy Li Sheng spewing nonsense and wrongly accusing an innocent girl without even knowing the facts?"

The servants chattered amongst themselves, leaving Fang Chengxu speechless.

There were things he could see clearly, but he just wanted to find a legitimate excuse for his ungrateful behavior.

Therefore, he kept deceiving himself.

He asked Liang Jiang in a hoarse voice, "He who eats another's food is bound to do so. Did you tell them to say that?"

Liang Jiang nodded: "Yes, I taught them all."

Don't argue with a fool; you can never wake someone who's pretending to be asleep.

Fang Chengxu felt much better: "In the end, you still can't bear to part with the Fang family."

It's disgusting; even the lamb leg in my hand doesn't taste good anymore.

Liang Jiang raised her face, her expression serious: "Give me back my silver, and I'll show you with my actions what I really think."

Fang Chengxu choked: "Besides money, what else do you see? Tomorrow, I'll show you that a mere few thousand taels of silver is nothing more than a drop in the ocean for the Fang family."

Liang Jiang replied casually, "Is that so?"

Fang Chengxu felt that these two casually uttered words were clearly an insult and a questioning of him.

He angrily turned and left.

The next morning, Fang Chengxu, feeling uneasy, took some heart medicine and, after much advice from his grandmother, set off for the capital.

Fang Yuan went to attend the coming-of-age ceremony of her close sisters. After dressing up carefully, she went out with her maid.

Old Mrs. Fang eagerly awaited Fang Chengxu's return, secretly calculating that this round trip would net her a net profit of seven thousand eight hundred taels of silver, enough to secure Tong Zhao'er's betrothal gifts.

Once the house in Fucheng is sold, Fang Yuan will go to the capital with Fang Chengxu to enjoy a life of luxury. As for Fang Yuan and Fang Chenghao's marriage, there's no need to worry; matchmakers will naturally be knocking on the door.

Unexpectedly, Fang Yuan at her coming-of-age ceremony caused her trouble.

(End of this chapter)