Ji Dashan hesitated a bit and said, "Let’s just forget it. We’ve already asked for an extra 300 taels last time, and it’s only been a few days since then. To ask for more now..."
Lady Ding snorted coldly, "I told you that you’re too naive. Eight hundred taels of silver is enough to feed a beggar! Look at us, we only bought a few things and we’ve already spent all our money. If you don’t go ask the Wang Family, how will we get by in the future? Besides, it’s better to ask for the money sooner rather than later. Perhaps they will still care about you now, but after some time, they might just forget about you and getting the money back will be even more difficult!"
In these past few days, Ji Dashan had been living in a dream-like state. Now, after listening to Lady Ding’s words and thinking about how he could probably ask for some money that would suffice for a more comfortable life, his heart began to waver. Even his usual concern for his dignity and face seemed less important.
Is face worth money? Money is the real deal!
"Then I’ll go right away." Ji Dashan stood up and headed straight for the door.
Lady Ding quickly followed, "I’d better go with you. I’m afraid your blockhead brain won’t let you open your mouth when the time comes."
The two of them made up their minds, and with much pomp, took their two newly purchased maids, and boarded their newly bought horse carriage, heading majestically for the Wang Family residence.
Arriving at the entrance of the Wang residence, Lady Ding decided to put on some airs. She pointed at one of the maids and instructed her to knock on the door.
The little maid respectfully went to the entrance of the Wang residence.
The doorkeeper saw the unfamiliar carriage and maid, and guessed that they must be from some rich family in town and didn’t ask any questions, only saying, "Our master has given orders not to receive any visitors today."
Just having suffered a disastrous calamity, the Wang Family was in no mood to entertain guests.
The little maid hesitated for a moment before returning to the carriage to relay the message to Lady Ding, "Madam, the doorkeeper from the Wang Family said they aren’t receiving any guests today."
Ji Dashan said, "If they’re not receiving guests, then we’ll come back next time."
Lady Ding glared at him, "I told you you were too naive! What ’not receiving guests’? I think they just don’t want to see us. Now that they have the grape wine recipe, they want to get rid of us. But we can’t let them fool us so easily, can we? We are now people of status too!"
As Lady Ding spoke, she raised her head proudly, lifted her skirt up like a victorious rooster, stepped out of the carriage, and looked at the doorkeeper of the Wang residence with an air of arrogance, "We’ve come this time not to take up too much of your master’s time. It would not be good to let us make a wasted trip, after all, I did help the Wang Family out a great deal. It’s only been a few days, how could they have forgotten so soon?"
The doorkeeper saw her and his face changed, and without even listening to what she said, he exchanged a glance with another servant, and immediately said, "Since it’s you two, please come in. Our master has been meaning to see the both of you."
Lady Ding’s heart swelled with pride, thinking that these two formerly arrogant servants were now afraid of her, and that the Wang Family was intent on giving her face. They would not receive anyone else but her.
"Hmph! You know your place!" Lady Ding thought smugly, her face looking even more arrogant and aloof as she snorted and lifted her skirt to stride into the residence.
Ji Dashan, feeling quite proud of himself, hurriedly followed Lady Ding inside.
As for the two doorkeepers, their faces only grew more and more sullen, whispering to each other, "Go inform the master quickly, those two are here!"
----
Eunuch Lin, who had come to deliver the imperial edict, had just left without even drinking a cup of tea. People in the palace were always so snobbish. If the edict was to bestow rewards, Eunuch Lin would have had a meal with the Wang Family and exchanged pleasantries before leaving.
However, since it was an edict to punish, the eunuch delivering the edict naturally did not want to have any connections with the Wang Family for fear of being implicated.
After Eunuch Lin left, the Wang residence was in chaos. A doctor arrived and revived Master Wang, whose face was still pale and his body trembling, "Capital, capital, is there any accurate news yet?"
Lady Wang yelled and sobbed while leaning against the bed, "Master, our Wang Family, it’s all over!"
Behind Lady Wang stood a group of descendants and daughters-in-law of the Wang Family, also crying and wailing.
Master Wang felt that all hope was lost as the color faded from his face, gradually replaced by a grim expression. "Why did the grape wine go bad?"
The Wang Family relied on the wine business generation after generation, but they had never encountered a problem with their wine before!
Wine was supposed to improve with age, and although Master Wang had little experience with grape wine in the past, how could the wine go bad?!
As Lady Wang wailed, she said, "The winery in the capital followed the instructions step by step, and there was no room for mistakes. Manager Liu sent a letter last time saying there were no mistakes. Our Wang Family has been in the wine business for years, and this is something that’s supposed to be sent to the palace. How could we be careless? The only possibility is that the grape wine recipe is fake!"
Master Wang’s eyes grew darker, gritting his teeth and slapping the bed, "How dare those two rustics deceive me!"
Just as he spoke, a servant hurriedly entered, bowing and saying, "Master, Ji Dashan and his wife are here."
Master Wang laughed bitterly, "They’ve come? Are they here to see the joke my Wang Family has become?!"
"I don’t know, master, but the couple seemed quite arrogant this time, insisting on seeing you. I’ve already let them in. They’re waiting in the front hall."
Master Wang angrily climbed out of bed, "Take me to see them! I want to see just how audacious these scoundrels are!"
Lady Wang also gnashed her teeth in anger, "Our Wang Family, even a dead camel is bigger than a horse! Where do those two countryside people get off riding on our heads? They dare deceive us! Our Wang Family isn’t to be trifled with!"
Meanwhile, in the front hall.
Lady Ding and Ji Dashan were leisurely drinking tea while waiting, their faces full of joy and contentment as they thought about the silver they would demand this time.
Master Wang entered with a gloomy expression.
Lady Ding immediately stood up with enthusiasm, smiling like a flower, "Master Wang, you don’t look well. Are you feeling unwell?"
Master Wang glanced at her, not knowing if she was playing dumb or just clueless, and simply asked, "What are you here for?"
Lady Ding laughed awkwardly and said, "Since we’re all familiar, what’s the use of beating around the bush? We’re just coming by to see how you’ve been."
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
