Zheng Lun finally managed to save up enough money, but the pharmacy refused to accept payment, claiming the manager was not present. If this dragged on, the five taels would become six taels and five mace next month, and Zheng Lun would be unable to pay again.
This is a disguised form of usury.
What's most infuriating is that even though the debtor is already able to pay back the money, the pharmacy finds all sorts of excuses not to accept it, making the debt even greater.
She was angry inside, but didn't show it on her face. She simply stretched out her hand and said, "It's okay, I'm right here now. You don't need to give the money to the pharmacy anymore, just give it to me."
Zheng Lun was overjoyed and quickly tried to put the wallet in Su Wan's hand.
Su Wan pulled her hand back: "No need to pay any late fees, just the original three taels."
Zheng Lun shook his head repeatedly, stuffed the money into Su Wan's hand, and said, "Dr. Su, you are a miracle doctor who heals the sick and saves lives. We ordinary people are still counting on doctors like you to save us. This money is all for you."
He handed over the money and ran away. Su Wan couldn't catch up and had no choice but to accept the money.
She left the alley, called over a guard, handed him the extra money for the medicine, and said, "Follow that man to his house and put the money in a conspicuous place."
Firstly, she wasn't obligated to accept this three taels of silver, and secondly, she didn't particularly need it. But for a poor man like Zheng Lun, it represented three months' worth of food expenses for his family. She chose to return the money to Zheng Lun.
She had a pretty good impression of Zheng Lun. She had given him the medicine privately before, and Zheng Lun never went to the pharmacy to repay the money, so the pharmacy didn't know. He was an honest person who wouldn't do anything against his conscience, except for being a little slow-witted.
After the guards left, she arrived at the entrance of the pharmacy.
She hadn't looked closely before, but now she noticed a notice posted next to the pharmacy's door. The five-foot square yellow paper had black characters as big as a fist, which read:
"Medicines can be purchased on credit at Baohetang. Interest is 3% per month for each month of outstanding payment, and the interest will compound every month thereafter."
When Wei Jingzhuo set up checkpoints to collect taxes, he only collected a single sum of money each time.
She took out her calculator and pressed a few buttons. If she owed ten taels of silver... and paid three percent interest each month... with compound interest, she would have to pay back two hundred and thirty taels of silver after a year, twenty-three times the initial cost of the medicine.
This isn't opening a pharmacy; this is outright robbery.
I can't take it anymore.
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