Chapter 37 He's the epitome of a scumbag!
Li Shiyue and the others were working diligently to handle this important matter of buying salt for the whole village. But what about Li's father?
After straightening his clothes, Li's father left the alley and went to a small eatery to enjoy a delicious bowl of mutton soup noodles.
However, when it came time to pay the bill, Li's father never expected that a bowl of mutton soup noodles would cost so much, and the few copper coins he had in his hand were not enough.
Seeing Li's father's state, the restaurant owner had no choice but to explain to him with a bitter expression: "It's a small business. Recently, the city gates have been closed, so we have to buy sheep from people in the city. The price is very high, so we have to sell this noodle soup at a higher price."
Mr. Li had no choice but to take out more than ten copper coins from his purse to pay for the bowl of noodles.
After asking the restaurant owner for directions to the clinic, Li's father slowly walked out of the restaurant.
If it weren't for the fact that Li's father considered himself a scholar, he probably would have patted his belly contentedly a couple of times. This was the first time in over a month that he had eaten so comfortably!
Upon arriving at the clinic, Li told the pharmacist the prescription Qin Tao had given him. After listening, the pharmacist first stared at Li's father with a strange expression, then his eyes drifted towards Li's father's groin, making Li's father feel very uncomfortable.
Only then did the shop assistant ask, "How many sets would you like, sir?"
After Mr. Li said "five doses," the shop assistant clicked his tongue twice before quickly grabbing the medicine.
After reluctantly paying the bill, Mr. Li carried the bundle of medicines together and walked out.
As a result, as soon as he stepped out of the clinic, Li's father saw a pastry shop next to the shop across the street. After thinking for a moment, Li's father still stepped inside.
After buying a bag of maltose, Li's father looked up at the sun in the sky as soon as he left the shop, estimated the time, hesitated for a moment, and then did not return the way he came.
He walked on the street for about a hundred steps and sure enough, he saw several beggars lying on the ground at the street corner.
Father Li took two pieces of candy and walked over. He stood up and showed the two pieces of candy to the beggars who were looking over: "I'll ask you some questions. Whoever answers well will get this candy."
After asking the questions, he tossed two pieces of candy to the beggars, who scrambled for them. Li's father then quickened his pace and headed in the direction the beggars had indicated.
As they walked, Li's father headed towards a residential house. But Li's father had never been to the prefectural city before. Could he possibly have someone he knew in the prefectural city?
Looking at the lantern pattern hanging on the door, Li's father nodded in approval. He flicked his sleeves, lightly patted the hem of his clothes with his empty hand (not carrying the medicine bag), and then strode to the door and knocked twice.
"Who is it?" The voice that asked belonged to an elderly woman.
"I've come to find Meiniang."
The door opened, and an old woman with gray hair and a hunched back said to Li's father, "Oh dear, it's Wang Langjun who's back. Come in quickly, Meiniang has been waiting for him."
Li's father was not surnamed Wang, but Li. It turned out that this place was a brothel with its doors half-closed!
Mr. Li, having been holding back all the way, actually inquired his way here to have some fun.
As soon as Li's father entered, a little girl who looked about seven or eight years old came to lead the way. After passing through two gates, they arrived at the entrance of a courtyard.
Just as Li's father stood still, a heavily made-up woman walked out of the door.
As soon as she came up, the woman took Li's father's arm and said, "My lord has finally returned. Meiniang has been waiting anxiously for you."
Mr. Li lifted his foot to go inside, but the woman pulled him back with all her might.
"My lord, don't be impatient. This Meiniang won't get away."
"But if you wish to see Meiniang, sir, would you please..." The woman smiled and extended her hand to Li's father, palm up.
Everyone understands what this means.
Hiring a prostitute costs money, doesn't it?
Li's father understood what the woman meant. He reached into his chest, took out a small piece of silver, and placed it in the woman's palm.
But the smile on the woman's face vanished the moment she saw the small piece of silver that Li's father had.
"Oh, is this a reward for me, sir?"
Then I must thank you, sir, for supporting this humble woman.
With a flick of her wrist, the woman took the loose silver and continued to hold onto Li's father, preventing him from going inside. Her meaning was crystal clear: this little bit of silver wasn't enough to see Meiniang.
Mr. Li felt a pang of regret for that piece of silver. You see, in the past, when he was studying at the county school in the county town, he would go out drinking and playing with his classmates, and even if he stayed overnight in a brothel, he would never have spent such a piece of silver.
Just now, Li's father thought that since this was the prefectural city, it wouldn't be cheap, so he had already picked out a relatively large silver ingot and handed it over.
But judging from the woman's expression, this is far from enough.
Mr. Li was displeased. He forcefully shook off the woman's hand, his face darkening with anger: "Don't try to fool me. How much more do you want before I can come in and see Meiniang?"
The woman was shaken off, but she didn't seem to care. Instead, she raised her hand towards Li's father and held up five fingers.
Five taels of silver?
You might as well just rob it!
"Your Mei Niang is such a beauty, how could she ask for such a high price?"
Upon hearing Li's father's words, the woman knew that he was a man of influence. In the past, most of the men who would come to their half-closed place were poor scholars.
Poor scholars value their reputation above all else. Even if they know the price is high, they will grit their teeth and pay the money for the sake of their pride.
But there aren't many people like Li's father who are shameless enough to openly complain about the price. However, the woman has seen a lot of people, and she knows best how to deal with Li's father, who is all bark and no bite.
"Oh, sir, you're joking. It's not five taels; seeing my Mei Niang will cost at least fifty taels!"
Mr. Li was shocked; he had never seen fifty taels of silver in his entire life.
The woman could tell from Li's father's appearance that he wasn't just short of money; he was both short of money and outwardly tough but inwardly weak!
The woman clapped her hands twice, and a servant boy who looked about eleven or twelve years old came out from the courtyard gate. She bent down and looked down at him. The woman instructed, "My lord can't see Meiniang anymore. Take him to find Yingniang."
The woman turned around and looked Li's father up and down before continuing disdainfully, "My husband is only fit to date Yingniang."
After saying this, the woman went inside without even glancing at Li's father and closed the door.
Mr. Li's face was flushed, as if he wanted to get angry but dared not. The servant kept his head down and said to Mr. Li, "Young master, please come with me."
Li's father followed the servant to another large courtyard, where an elderly woman, not young at all, was lying on a reclining chair.
After hearing what the servant said, the old woman didn't even get up. She casually pointed to a place with only a straw curtain hanging to the side and said, "Yingniang is inside. Please make yourself at home, sir."
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