Chapter 181: Money Can’t Buy Happiness
Translator: MangoCat Editor: DarkGem
Without a building, the building deed was useless.
At this time, a wild laugh was coming from one of the rooms of a large manor in Runan City.
“It was just a building. All that had to be done was to tear it down.” A middle-aged man was slapping his generous belly as he laughed loudly. “Let me quote a price, steal the land from me, didn’t even ask who I was.”
At this, he thought of something, then turned to look to Hu Gui standing next to him.
“Ey, did you tell her who I was?” he asked.
Hu Gui chuckled awkwardly with him.
“Master Yan, I-I didn’t say anything,” he stuttered.
The Yan Family were the noble local tyrants of Runan city. They had the money, the authority. After all, the feudal officials had many things they relied on the country gentlemen’s help for.
This eldest son of the Yan Family had started to manage the family wealth for his father. He thought about establishing a business to prove himself. The Jiuling Hall was located very suitably, and Hu Gui was of mind to sell it, soMaster Yan jumped on the chance to buy it.
Although the formalities had not quite been finished, Master Yan’s word was as heavy as nine cauldrons.
Hu Gui could have never imagined that someone from the Jun Family would return, but now that they had, he had no idea what to do. Of course he would go see Master Yan and ask what to do.
Who would have thought that Master Yan had such a big temper and would order people to knock down the building in the middle of the night.
Hu Gui wiped the sweat on his forehead.
Master Yan shook his head disapprovingly.
“This is your fault,” he said, squinting. “How could you not tell them that I was to buy this land. If they knew it was our Yan Family, they probably would not have said something that childish.”
His Yan Family lacked money? Just go ask around Runan.
How much is land, how much is his face?
Hu Gui smiled.
“However, Master Yan,” he said carefully. “You didn’t see this, but yesterday, this young miss from the Jun Family caused quite a stir with her arrival. All the neighbors came out to see. I’m afraid Miss Jun won’t just let this lie and cause some trouble…”
Master Yan tsk’ed.
“Miss Jun’s grandfather was a doctor, bringing good fortune to all. Miss Jun’s father was an official, loyal to the country. But Miss Jun cannot just bully people,” he said, slapping the deed on the table. “I have the deed, so shouldn’t she be unable to use her grandfather’s and father’s achievements to argue? Her grandfather and father cannot support her for life.”
The most crucial part was the last statement.
A person’s death was like an extinguished lantern. The descendants of good fortunes were their own people.
If the successor of the Jun Family was a scholar and were to become an official in the future, then naturally, his grandfather and father’s achievements would be his aid, and everyone would remember them continually.
But this descendant was not only not a scholar, but also just a girl. A girl who had married someone else and changed her surname.
Even if someone still remembered the Jun Family’s achievements, it would be useless.
If she really made trouble, the government office would be logical about this. They wouldn’t want to offend a family that has been entrenched here for generations, all for a married girl.
Hu Gui knew this, so he squeezed out an ugly smile.
“Go, go. However you say it, the building fell on your land. For Old Doctor Jun and Master Jun’s face, you give her some money so she can buy another building,” said Mater Yan. “This money won’t cause you to feel a loss; I’ll add it to the land price. This is me honoring Doctor Jun and Master Jun’s achievements.”
This really wasn’t bad.
Hu Gui sighed.
“Master Yan is benevolent, Master Yan is benevolent,” he thanked profusely.
Master Yan waved his hand haughtily and impatiently.
“Hurry along now.”
…….
Hu Gui awkwardly arrived at the street of the Jiuling Hall. From far away, he could see that the crowd had not dispersed; instead it had gotten larger.
“Miss Jun, you should come to my shop to rest your feet first.”
“Yes, child, don’t be in a hurry.”
People all around were trying to console Miss Jun, their faces uneasy.
“Who would do this?” Lei Zhonglian asked.
At this, they saw the people surrounding them take a step back uneasily.
“We don’t know,” said one woman. “The streets were unlit, and we were all sleeping.”
“Yes, yes, it was done while we were asleep.”
Other people corroborated.
They definitely knew who had done it.
Tearing down a building was such a large disturbance. These people could not possibly have not heard or seen it.
What person could have made them so afraid.
Lei Zhonglian was frowning and wanted to ask further, when the every silent Miss Jun finally spoke up.
“It’s pointless,” she said. “It’s not important who did it.”
Who did it is not important?
This wasn’t the gambling game at Yangcheng Lantern festival, where a loss is a loss, those who want to bet must also be ready to lose, and whom you lost to is not important.
This obviously was not a gamble. This was being robbed.
Probably it was better not to make a fuss, since now they were hiding from their enemy. It would not be good to make a fuss.
Lei Zhonglian did not say anything else, silently stepping down.
A poor man is not ambitious. They did not dare to question louder. On the side, Hu Gui sighed in relief. He gathered himself then straightened up.
“Out of the way, out of the way,” he said, pushing to the front of the ground. “What are you all looking at? Is it so beautiful?”
Indeed, it was an ugly sight.
The bystanders took several paces back. They saw Hu Gui stand in front of Miss Jun’s carriage.
Miss Jun was calm. She and her lame little husband were both silent and looking at the rubble curiously.
“I’ve never seen a building that suddenly collapses before.” Seeming to see through Hu Gui’s inner thoughts, the young man seriously explained his thinking to him. “It’s very interesting.”
‘What is so interesting about your house getting knocked down? I don’t understand you young people,’ thought Hu Gui.
“Miss Jun, you see, this really was too unexpected.” He ignored the young man and sighed.
“Yes, it really is too unexpected,” said Miss Jun with a smile. “I really never thought that this would happen. I thought I would just have to spend a little money; I didn’t think that even spending money would be useless.”
It sounded strange, but seemed normal.
She was to buy the land for the building, but her opponent had simply torn down her building. Obviously they were threatening her. More obviously, they did not agree to sell the land, so naturally, there was no use in her spending money.
But when she spoke, her expression seemed very happy.
‘Happy because you’ll be able to extort a large sum of money?’ thought Hu Gui wildly. He coughed lightly.
“Miss Jun, you see things are already like this. It would be better for you to find another house,” he said. He looked at her with sympathy and regret. “Miss Jun must have come here to live. This building was too close to the street. I know a better place that is more suitable for living. To show my regret, I will buy you a new house to make it up to you.”
She shook her head.
“Miss Jun, although I may have been too shameless when speaking, but I really am being considerate of you and your husband,” Hu Gui added. “You see…”
A young woman and a lame person and a dull servant. Clearly they had been driven to the wall and sought a living in Runan. If they wanted to live out their days peacefully, then some people could not be offended.
“You are too young. Personal feelings cannot always be brought in,” he said vaguely.
Miss Jun smiled.
“No, Uncle Hu, you are mistaken,” she said. She jumped off the carriage. “I did not come here to live here. I came here to revitalize the Jiuling Hall’s reputation.”