Chapter 9 Kick Them When They Are Down

  Today at midnight

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  "It turned out to be Old Man Huang, please come in quickly."

  Fan Peilan was annoyed that Huang Bai refused to lend money to bail out Shi Wei, but now that Shi Wei has been released from prison, she didn't bother to hold it against him.

  Moreover, Huang Bo is after all Shi Wei's future father-in-law, so he still has to show some respect, hence the forced smile in greeting.

  Huang Bo walked into the Ping'an Hall with his hands behind his back, swaying from side to side. He stroked his eight-shaped beard and scanned the hall with a cold gaze. "It's been seven or eight years since I last came here, how come this place still looks as shabby as it did back then? Brother and sister, why don't you spend some money to renovate and tidy it up?"

  As soon as Huang Bai entered the door, he sarcastically said that Ping'an Hall was shabby. Fan Peilan felt unhappy in her heart, but she couldn't say anything.

  "The clinic's business has never been good, and when my ex-husband left, he spent another sum of money. Where would I have the extra money to decorate the place?" Fan Peilan sighed, handing a cup of tea to Huang Bai.

  Huang Bo picked it up and took a shallow sip, his eyebrows slightly furrowed as if he felt the tea was not going down well, and then put the cup back down.

  Fan Peilan sat down beside him and asked: "Mr. Huang hasn't visited for many years, what brings you here today?"

  Hearing Fan Peilan's words with a hint of resentment, Huang Bai sighed: "I know you're still angry about what happened last time, but you should also consider my difficulties. Although I, Huang, have some money, all the spare cash is invested in business and I really can't afford to give Shi Wei money to throw into the water."

  Fan Peilan's face changed upon hearing this, and she said displeased: "Old Master Huang, these words are not right. Yuan Zhi has a marriage agreement with your daughter, he will eventually become the son-in-law of the Huang family. How can spending money to save him be called 'throwing money into the water'?"

  Outside the window, quietly listening to Shi Wei, he had already guessed the purpose of Huang Bai's visit at this time, but he didn't rush to show up.

  As expected, Huang Bo hummed and said: "Sister, don't talk nonsense. Shi Wei has committed the crime of treason, how much money can save him? Every penny I, Huang, have is earned through my own hard work. Let alone Shi Wei hasn't married my daughter yet, even if he were already my son-in-law, I wouldn't spend a single penny to bail him out."

  "Old Huang, you——"

  Fan Peilan grew more and more indignant as she listened, but being a woman of few words, she was momentarily at a loss for how to respond.

  At this time, Huang Bai took out a written document and placed it in front of Fan Peilan, tapping his finger on the table and said: "Since you mentioned this marriage, I might as well speak clearly. The purpose of my visit this time is precisely for this matter. This document, please sign and stamp your seal."

  Fan Peilan's face showed a look of doubt, she picked up the document and took a look, her face suddenly showing surprise: "Old Master Huang, what do you mean by this?"

  "What does it mean? Isn't it written clearly on the document? I want to dissolve this engagement for my daughter." Huang Bo said with a cold smile.

  Bang!

  Fan Peilan slapped the document on the table and said angrily, "It was Old Man Huang who begged my late husband to arrange this marriage back then. Now you're bringing up canceling the engagement at this time, isn't that a bit like kicking someone when they're down?"

  "It's really a case of 'one time, one place', who would have thought that my brother Du Xian would turn out to be so unimpressive? For all these years, the Ping An Tang is still in such a state of disrepair. The door doesn't match, the house doesn't face the right direction... actually, I've always felt that this marriage was not suitable."

  Huang Bai paced back and forth in the hall, as if he were in his own home. Before Fan Peilan could speak, he said: "At present, Shi Wei is about to be executed, I don't want my daughter to become a widow before she even gets married, so it's better to take advantage of Shi Wei still being alive and dissolve this engagement early."

  Fan Peilan was already furious and her face turned red: "Old Master Huang, you're doing this, it's too unfaithful."

  Huang Bai saw that Fan Pei-lan was not convinced, so he called the family servant who was waiting outside to bring in a sack. He opened it and poured its contents onto the table, whereupon a large number of copper coins clattered down.

  He pointed at the money on the table, sneering: "There are sixty taels of silver here. Consider it as me buying this painting from you. Sixty taels is neither too much nor too little. In the future when Shi Wei leaves, you can use this money to do some small business or as a dowry to remarry someone else. I think it's enough for you to live on for the rest of your life."

  According to the Southern Tang's law, a county magistrate of the 8th rank like him should have a monthly salary of 15 guan. The 60 guan on the table is equivalent to more than four months' worth of his salary as the county magistrate of Dangtu.

  The medical business of Ping An Tang, usually earns no more than two or three yuan a month. Huang Bo's single transaction was equivalent to the clinic's income for two or three years. This amount is already a considerable sum for Fan Peilan.

  Fan Peilan saw the money on the table, hesitated for a moment, but still firmly said: "This marriage was arranged by my late husband, I will never cancel it. Mr. Huang, please take the money back."

  Fan Pei refused to give in, and Huang Bo couldn't help but get angry, pointing at Fan Pei Lan: "I'm only being polite because of Du Zhong's face, don't think you can be arrogant, if you refuse a toast, you'll have to drink the penalty wine, if you provoke me, don't blame..."

  "You've been provoked, what can you do about it!"

  Shi Wei strode in from the back hall, his head held high, and cut off Huang Bo's menacing words with a stern voice.

  He heard from behind that this surname Huang actually dared to threaten his teacher's wife, and naturally he couldn't just sit back and do nothing.

  The arrogant Huang Bo suddenly turned his head and saw Shi Wei standing alive in front of him, which shocked him greatly.

  "You... you... aren't in prison, how can..." Huang Bai stuttered in shock, unable to utter a complete sentence.

  "I have been acquitted and released."

  Shi Wei stepped forward step by step, his aura was overwhelming, Huang Bo thought he saw a ghost and instinctively retreated several steps.

  Huang Bai looked up and down at Shi Wei, and after a while, his emotions finally calmed down slightly. He asked in surprise: "Weren't you sentenced to death for treason? How did you manage to be released not guilty?"

  Shi Wei sneered: "Isn't my good fortune and great fate enough? What, seeing me safe and sound, Old Man Huang, are you disappointed?"

  Huang Bai arrived in Dangtu County early today and didn't even have time to ask about Shi Wei's situation. He only thought about dissolving the engagement and didn't care about Shi Wei's life or death, which is why he was so shocked.

  He took a few deep breaths, and his face returned to its usual gloomy expression. He grunted: "Whether you live or die has nothing to do with me. In any case, this marriage must be annulled. Shi Wei, you also want your wife to have a good life, don't you? Here's 60 taels of silver. If you know what's good for you, go and advise your wife."

  "Huang Lao Bo is really generous, sixty taels of silver is not a small amount...” Shi Wei picked up a few taels of silver with his hand and weighed them in his palm, seemingly tempted.

  Fan Peilan saw this, her heart anxious, hastily said: "Yuan Zhi, this is the marriage arranged by your master before his death. If you agree to it, won't you be ashamed in front of your master's spirit in heaven?"

  Shi Wei put down the money in his hand and raised his head to look at Fan Peilan with a faint smile.

  He then picked up the document on the table, walked in front of Huang Bo, slowly tore it to pieces and slapped them hard on Huang Bo's face.

  Huang Bai was stunned, with scraps of paper falling all over his face. He finally came to his senses and burst into a rage, pointing at Shi Wei and scolding: "You little brat, have you gone mad? How dare you be so rude to me!"

  Shi Wei tilted his head, looking at him with a cold smile at the corner of his mouth: "Uncle Huang, this little money of yours, I don't even want it. You'd better keep it to buy your own coffin. As for your daughter, rest assured, I won't marry her either."

  Huang Bai was even more furious, but when he heard that he would not marry his own daughter, he thought he agreed to cancel the engagement and his anger dissipated a bit.

  At this time, Shi Wei said: "I won't marry your daughter, and I won't cancel the engagement either. Old Man Huang can prepare to raise his daughter for a lifetime."

  As soon as these words came out, Huang Bo was shocked and angry.

  Shi Wei's intention was very clear, he wanted to use this marriage contract to tie her down, not marry himself, and let her think about marrying someone else but couldn't.

  This move is quite ruthless.

  Fan Peilan was also stunned on the other side, and in her heart, she was not only surprised, but she never expected that Shi Wei, who used to be so weak and timid, would become so tough and strong after being imprisoned for a while, as if he had undergone a complete transformation.

  A hint of admiration flashed across her face.

  Since Du Zhong was born, Fan Peilan felt for the first time that this young apprentice in front of her was the one she could really rely on.

  "Kid, don't toast without drinking or you'll be punished with a penalty drink." Huang Bo angrily hummed, his tone full of sarcasm. "Shi Wei, if you dare to do this, don't blame me for tearing off the facade and taking you to court. At that time, whether the county magistrate will help you or me, you should be very clear."

  The words had barely fallen when a voice came from outside the door: "Who is so arrogant as to dare inform on us, Shi Langzhong?"