Chapter 7

Li Ang hurriedly walked through the neighborhood, and as he just emerged from the alley, he saw two middle-aged men standing at the entrance of the Security Hall pharmacy, about to knock on the door.

One of them had slightly dark skin, a small mustache, and was holding a paper fan. The other was somewhat overweight, with a kind and benevolent appearance, playing with two walnuts in his left hand and carrying a wooden box tied with a thin rope in his right hand.

Yu Miaoshui, and the head of Yizhou City’s Apricot Grove Association, Ai Rong.

Li Ang narrowed his eyes, tucked the scroll of the "Shangqing Linggan Chapter" under his arm, and walked forward, bowing in greeting, "Doctor Yu, President Ai, what brings you two here..."

"Risheng, we’ve been waiting for you."

Ai Rong chuckled, waved his hand, and extended the wooden box, "This is a set of Xuan pens and an inkstone I bought in Xuancheng recently. I heard you are also going to take the provincial exam this year, so I wish you success."

"Thank you, President Ai."

Li Ang glanced at the wooden box but did not take it, saying calmly, "However, if you two are here for the Security Hall, then there’s no need.

Although I am not talented, I have no intention of selling our family home."

"This..."

Ai Rong frowned, while Yu Miaoshui snapped his fan and rubbed his mustache, saying coolly, "Whether it is your family home is still uncertain.

President Ai?"

Ai Rong sighed lightly and said to Li Ang, "Risheng, please lead us inside first. This matter... is a bit complicated."

Li Ang glanced at the smug expression on Yu Miaoshui’s dark, thin face, frowned slightly, and turned to lead the two men to the back door of the Security Hall.

Shops like the Security Hall, which have a front store and a back yard, usually do not lock the front door from the outside, but only secure it with a bolt or lock from the inside. When the front door is not open, the owner and guests enter through the back door.

Li Ang unlocked the back door and led Ai Rong and Yu Miaoshui into the Security Hall.

These two clearly had malicious intentions, so he had no mood to ask the maids to boil water. He moved the bolt himself, let the sunlight in, and poured some warm water from the kettle into a cup, adding a couple of tea leaves as a makeshift welcome drink.

"Huh."

Yu Miaoshui took a casual sip of the warm tea, placed the cup lightly on the wooden table, and cleared his throat, saying, "Risheng, your father and I were old acquaintances. Over the years, he worked diligently, saving lives and healing the sick, setting an example for the doctors in Yizhou.

And our Apricot Grove Association has always had the principle of mutual assistance and solidarity.

To put it simply, I am willing to offer 180 guan, plus a house on Anlin Street in the eastern part of the city, and 10 acres of farmland outside the city,

to buy the Security Hall and the three acres of medicinal fields under its name.

The 180 guan will cover your living expenses, the house will be for you to live in, and the farmland can be rented out to tenant farmers, with annual rent."

Yu Miaoshui smiled, closed his fan, took another sip of tea, and said smugly, "All of this will be enough to support you for the next ten years. I even brought the land deeds. Just sign, register with the government, and you can move into the house on Anlin Street tonight..."

Li Ang narrowed his eyes slightly, "I refuse."

"That’s right... what?"

"I refuse."

Li Ang repeated, saying calmly, "Since Doctor Yu is willing to offer such a high price, it’s clear you don’t intend to continue operating the Security Hall smoothly.

If my father were to see the Security Hall turned into a place for selling your ‘Wanling Green Bean Soup’ or other ‘Fuyi Divine Medicines,’ he would not rest in peace."

Li Ang emphasized the terms "Wanling Green Bean Soup" and "Fuyi Divine Medicines," and Ai Rong looked embarrassed, while Yu Miaoshui’s eyes narrowed, and a hint of hatred appeared on his dark face.

He hated nothing more than being called a "Fuyi" doctor.

"Hmph."

Yu Miaoshui’s eyes were cold as ice. Recently, he had cunningly obtained a prescription from an old Taoist in the countryside, half buying and half stealing it, called Black Tiger Pill. Made from herbs like Pinellia, Ligusticum, and Eucommia, it could treat limb pain, joint swelling, and restricted movement.

He planned to follow the example of other medical families and have his own Jifu Hall sell only the Black Tiger Pill from now on, making a huge profit. Even if the name "Fuyi" doctor was no longer used, he would still have a steady stream of wealth.

The Security Hall, located near the Yishui River, could easily transport the finished medicine via the canal to any city in the Jiangnan region, making it an essential part of his plan.

He was determined to get this pharmacy and this land.

"Do you really think this Security Hall belongs to you?"

Yu Miaoshui sneered, "President Ai?"

Ai Rong sighed lightly and took out a piece of paper from his pocket.

"This is the deed and property description of the Security Hall, version B."

Ai Rong said, "I don’t know if your father ever told you, but 17 years ago, when he built the Security Hall, he borrowed money from the Apricot Grove Association’s public account.

At that time, the previous head of the Apricot Grove Association was not me, but a deceased old doctor in the southern part of the city.

The contract states that in the sixth month of Yongzheng’s third year, your father borrowed 150 guan from the Apricot Grove Association, to be repaid 50 guan after two years, 100 guan after five years, and 150 guan after ten years, totaling 300 guan.

If all the money is repaid, the Security Hall will belong to your father from then on.

If 150 guan is not repaid by the end of the 17th year, which is this June, the Apricot Grove Association has the right to reclaim the property and land of the Security Hall, without refunding the previous account."

Ai Rong placed the paper on the table, pushed it to Li Ang, and explained, "Compared to the high-interest loans from moneylenders and temples, the Apricot Grove Association’s ten-year one-to-one principal repayment is already quite fair.

This description, your father has a version A, the Apricot Grove Association has a version B, and the government has two copies, all of which can be verified."

Li Ang glanced at the signatures, fingerprints, and patterns on the paper, finding no issues. He also vaguely remembered his father, Li Hanquan, mentioning that a deed had been lost, but there was a version B at the government office.

He quietly put down the contract and looked calmly at Ai Rong and Yu Miaoshui, "Is this coercion?"

"Risheng, what are you saying."

Yu Miaoshui grinned, "We were just worried that you would be too grief-stricken during the mourning period to handle these trivial matters.

If President Ai had intended to coerce you, he could have waited until the last day of May to bring this contract and directly take over the Security Hall."

Li Ang completely ignored Yu Miaoshui and asked Ai Rong, "President Ai, I remember that the use of the Apricot Grove Association’s public account is decided by a vote of all members who pay membership fees.

Wasn’t this matter discussed at the last Apricot Grove Association meeting?"

"This..."

Ai Rong hesitated, turned to look at Yu Miaoshui, and Li Ang understood. It seemed that during the four months of mourning, Yu Miaoshui had already bribed all the other doctors in the Apricot Grove Association in Yizhou City.

No leniency would be given.

Li Ang slowly nodded, "I understand..."

"Finally understood?"

Yu Miaoshui sneered, "If it weren’t for the bad reputation it would bring, I would have planned to take over the Security Hall and its land on the last day.

20 days, 20 days from now is the deadline for the 150 guan contract.

I don’t think you have that much money, Risheng.

Ha ha,

The three acres of medicinal fields under the Security Hall can only be pawned for 30 guan. If you borrow from a high-interest lender, you might just barely cover the gap, but with compound interest, it won’t be long before the Security Hall falls into someone else’s hands.

It’s better to sell the Security Hall to me now and preserve some of the old clinic’s dignity.

Otherwise, when you end up on the streets, begging for food, it will be even worse."

Tap tap tap.

Footsteps came from the staircase, and Chai Cuiqiao, who had been eavesdropping at the top of the stairs, ran over, her face flushed, fists on her hips, and shouted at Yu Miaoshui, "You are too much!"

Yu Miaoshui and Ai Rong ignored her, staring intently at the expressionless Li Ang, waiting for his response.

Swish.

Li Ang stood up from his chair, pointed to the open front door, and said calmly, "Please leave, and come back in 20 days. By then, I will have raised the 150 guan."