Chapter 90

The four men on the street looked up at the four men leaning against the railing.

“On such a cold day, fanning yourselves like this, are you afraid others won’t recognize you as scholars?” Ling Ran scornfully shouted.

Zhao Fugui and his companions’ faces immediately changed.

With a snap, they folded their fans and gripped them tightly behind their backs.

Fan He and Hu Wenhua immediately sided with Ling Ran!

Anyone who stood with them, helping them, was considered their ally!

“Well said!”

Ling Ran raised an eyebrow. This family was truly united.

Previously, he had thought Hu Wenhua was Fan Jin’s eldest son, seeing him responsible for the crucial task of collecting money, assuming he was the one in charge at home. But it turned out he was just a younger brother-in-law.

However, the fact that a younger brother-in-law could be entrusted with such important financial matters indicated that his brother-in-law indeed trusted him greatly. Now seeing this, that trust was based on mutual respect.

Hu Wenhua also vigorously defended his brother-in-law, Fan Jin!

Not only Hu Wenhua, but Fan He also staunchly defended his father.

This family had a strong family ethos, a completely different atmosphere from his own…

“Hey! Upstairs! What are you yelling about? If you’re so brave, come down and fight!” Hu Wenhua stood with hands on hips, shouting.

He alone could take on these four weaklings!

Seeing the robust figure of Hu Wenhua, Zhao Fugui and Zheng Pingsheng naturally wouldn’t dare to come down.

“How crude! Only knowing violence, what ability is that?” Zhou Wenzhang spat and mocked.

Fan He and his companions simultaneously showed expressions of disdain.

“If you won’t come down, then we’ll leave.” Hu Wenhua continued to shout.

They couldn’t keep bickering with these upstairs dogs.

He also had his dignity.

“Are you feeling guilty? Fan Jin, don’t you plan to explain your dealings with the Bai family?”

“A scholar making wine can be understood; drinking wine is also a refined activity. But when you take that wine and sell it for profit, don’t you think it diminishes the dignity of scholars?” Zheng Pingsheng sternly declared.

Fan Jin furrowed his brow.

Qin Wanyue had mentioned the family’s poverty, and Zheng Pingsheng didn’t consider earning more silver to buy a bigger house and improve the family’s diet. Yet he criticized others for earning money?

How could he say such things with a straight face and still boldly criticize those who earned silver?

Hu Wenhua thought he had hit a sore spot for his scholar brother-in-law and continued, “It’s not my brother-in-law who sells the wine, it’s me! What, do you want to argue with me?”

He stood with hands on hips, looking fierce. Even Zheng Pingsheng alone wouldn’t dare argue with such a tough-looking person, let alone all four of them.

“Brother Fan, aren’t you on the Bai family’s side? If the Bai family invites you to be a tutor in their mansion, you could easily earn a hundred and eighty taels of silver a year, right?” Zheng Pingsheng sarcastically remarked.

At the same time, Fan Jin must have been quietly involved in some business to earn some small silver, without actually being involved with the Bai family.

If he had joined the Bai family, there would be no need to earn a penny or two by selling rice wine.

The Bai family was wealthy and powerful. Even if they just loosened their purse strings a little, it would be enough for Fan Jin’s entire family to live comfortably without worrying about wind or sun. It would also be respectable to say out loud. Would he really ignore the Bai family’s benefits and resort to selling rice wine?

That would truly be foolish.

Zhao Fugui sneered, “Brother Pingsheng, you think too highly of him! Do you think he’s like you, who passed the scholar’s exam early?

A person who isn’t even a scholar, would the Bai family hire him as a tutor?

Although the Bai family is in business, they are extremely wealthy businessmen. Even the retired scholars from the Imperial Academy who return home to the capital can be hired to educate their only son. How could they let a young scholar jeopardize their son’s future!”

He hadn’t tied himself to the Bai family, but he still knew a fair amount about them.

Fan Jin thought back to the young man who had helped him study. It turned out that he was a retired scholar from the Imperial Academy in the capital. It was no wonder his insights into scholarly matters were so unique.

Ling Ran had already more or less understood Fan Jin’s situation from the conversation of the men above.

Unexpectedly, a person who repeatedly failed to pass exams didn’t show any signs of despair. Instead, he exuded a refined air of optimism.

Just this attitude alone was something the four men above couldn’t compare to.

He looked up and preemptively said to the four men, “Mocking others isn’t what a true man does. You four have disgraced scholars everywhere!”

Zheng Pingsheng and the others were stunned.

In the past, it had always been them accusing others of disgracing scholars everywhere. Today, they were unexpectedly criticized by a ragged beggar?

“You little beggar!”

“This is not your place to speak!”

“Who do you think you are? Keep talking nonsense, and I’ll have the constables come and chase you away!”

…

Fan He, feeling uncomfortable, defended his brother: “Who are you calling a beggar? This is my elder brother!”

“Come on, call the constables. Let’s see if people who wear ragged clothes like you can still walk on the streets. Is this street only for you?”

Fan Jin looked at his irritable second son, a smile playing on his lips, and in a deep voice said, “Let’s go, we still need to help Yan Qiu wash and sort the rice at home.”

Shuiqing is right; earning money is important.

Keeping the family fed, clothed, and sheltered is more important than anything else.

As Fan He was pulled away, he kept turning back to shout at the four men on the second-floor balcony railing: “My father is much more capable than you!”

“You can’t compare to my father!”

“If you dare, come down!”

The four men on the second floor of Shanhai Tower were visibly upset.

They couldn’t really be considered losers, so why were they so angry?

Was it because they saw someone who was once down and out potentially turning things around?

Or was it because someone who had always seemed to have a tough life suddenly seemed to be doing better and more comfortably than them?

But it didn’t matter. Fan Jin hadn’t really turned things around!

He was still selling wine; how could his days be better than theirs…

The door to a side room slowly opened, and out came a furious-looking young man.

Zhao Fugui squinted, feeling that this young man looked familiar, but he couldn’t quite remember where he had seen him before.

Following him out of the side room were two middle-aged men and women dressed simply yet with an understated elegance, accompanied by the manager of Shanhai Tower bowing respectfully behind them.

Zhao Fugui’s face changed.

Shanhai Tower belonged to the Bai family, and the manager was always courteous to the people of Guangning Prefecture, never so humble.

At this moment, the manager introduced each of the four individuals one by one.

A kind smile appeared on Bai Manshan’s face as he carefully confirmed with the four: “Are you from the Zhao family in the west of the city?”

Zhao Fugui realized this man was no ordinary person and nodded hurriedly.

“The scholars from Tianhong Academy, Zheng Pingsheng, Zhou Wenzhang, Sun Qiang?”

Zheng Pingsheng and the other two nodded hastily.

Feeling flattered to be recognized by a nobleman, Zheng Pingsheng quickly asked, “And you are?”

Bai Manshan still smiled warmly, waving his hand, “No hurry, no hurry. You’ll find out in due time, or perhaps never.”

He then said to the manager, “The expenses of these four gentlemen today are on my account.”

After all, in the future, they would have no money to spend at Shanhai Tower, no, no money to spend on meals outside.

Zheng Pingsheng and the others were delighted, once again impressed by the businessman who had succumbed to the talents of the scholar.

Only Zhao Fugui felt a sudden and inexplicable panic, as if his days of wealth and prosperity were slipping away…