Chapter 4: Squandering the Family Fortune

Before Wang Jinyuan could recover from his shock, Fang Jifan seemed to have discovered a new world. He pointed at the table and chairs and asked, “How about this table and chairs?”

“Good, they’re made of chicken-wing wood. You can tell they’re the work of a famous craftsman. Although they’re a bit old, there are quite a few collectors in the market who love this kind…”

“How much silver?”

“This set?”

Fang Jifan said excitedly, “More than that. Come on, let’s go take a look. Our Fang Family has many good things. Come, come.”

He grabbed Wang Jinyuan by the arm and pulled him out of the main hall.

Deng Jian happened to be bringing in tea and almost bumped into Fang Jifan. Fang Jifan said, “Little Deng Deng, come, lead the way for this… this guy. Show him around our house.”

Wang Jinyuan felt like he was going crazy.

He was getting an eye-opener. This prodigal son was planning to sell off the entire Fang Family all at once. Was he that short on silver? Did he lose at gambling, or…

Before he could think further, Fang Jifan dragged him off to ‘appreciate’ room after room.

“This is the Autumn Mountain Painting. It’s quite valuable, probably worth three hundred taels.”

“This… there are so many chicken-wing wood furniture pieces! Young Lord, this bed is extraordinary. You can tell it was made by a skilled craftsman. Look at these mortise and tenon joints—they fit perfectly. This whole set probably costs no less than one hundred fifty taels…”

Deng Jian watched, dumbfounded. Young Lord, you’re even selling the bed…

Fang Jifan suddenly remembered, oh right, there was also a study…

So he immediately dragged Wang Jinyuan along again. When they reached the study, Wang Jinyuan’s eyes lit up, and his gaze stuck on the curio shelves in the study.

The curio shelves were filled with various bronze vessels and celadon vases. Wang Jinyuan, coming from a brokerage firm background, had some knowledge. He stepped forward excitedly, holding a celadon vase, and said, “This is a sky-blue glazed string-patterned Zun from the Ru Kiln of the Song Dynasty… Oh my, let me see…”

“Stop looking,” Fang Jifan pulled him back. “They’re all genuine. Would the Fang Family display fakes? Just tell me the price.”

Wang Jinyuan looked around, dazzled, and said, “If these are all genuine… then… then including the previous land, calligraphy and paintings, and furniture… at least… at least…” He swallowed and continued, “At least they could sell for one hundred ten thousand taels of silver. Among these, many are rare treasures—things you can’t even buy on the market. Young Lord… really… really…”

“Young Lord…” A mournful cry echoed in Fang Jifan’s ears. He saw Deng Jian throw himself to the ground, hugging his legs, and shouting, “Young Lord, you can’t do this! Young Lord, if you even sell the tables, chairs, and beds, where will you and the Earl sleep in the future? And these… these are the master’s beloved items! When the Earl is home, he carefully wipes them every day. These are heirlooms, passed down from our ancestors…”

Fang Jifan had long been fed up with Deng Jian. Before, he criticized Fang Jifan for not being scummy enough; if Fang Jifan acted even slightly normal, Deng Jian would report it and have people come to acupuncture him. Now that this young lord had returned to his wasteful ways, why was he crying!

Fang Jifan pointed at Deng Jian and asked, “How much is this one worth?”

“Ah…” Wang Jinyuan took a long time to snap out of it.

Fang Jifan then said through gritted teeth, “I mean this guy. Does the human trafficking market take him? How much can he sell for?”

Wang Jinyuan was, after all, a professional. He looked over Deng Jian, who was rolling on the ground, then patted his big belly and chuckled. “He’s still young, but unfortunately his skin is too rough. Probably no well-to-do family’s inner court would take him. He’s too skinny and likely lacks strength. Even for carrying bags or doing odd jobs, he wouldn’t be very useful. This one… aside from eating without working, he’s pretty much useless. Not worth much, not worth much. Three taels of silver at most.”

Fang Jifan immediately showed a disappointed expression. Only three taels of silver? Forget it. This young lord is someone who does big things. Selling him for three taels isn’t worth it. Might as well keep him around for use.

He soon smiled again. “Take a look, see if there’s anything else valuable. Don’t be shy, tell this young lord.”

Wang Jinyuan was frightened. Actually, he wanted to back out. Although this deal could bring hefty profits, he had never seen such a prodigal son. He couldn’t help but wonder, was this prodigal son trying to pull a scam?

But Fang Jifan’s next words dispelled his doubts. “We can discuss the price further. Once it’s settled, just have people come to move the stuff. Tomorrow, I’ll have the clerks from the Capital Prefecture act as guarantors. We’ll sign the contract. You prepare the silver. This young lord knows that such a large sum will take time to gather. It’s fine, no rush.”

Wang Jinyuan let out a sigh of relief and forced an awkward smile. “Young Lord, you really are… a rare… a rare…” Usually smooth-tongued, he found himself struggling to find the right words. Finally, he managed to say, “A rare straightforward person.”

Fang Jifan smiled, playing with the Xiangfei Bamboo Fan in his hand, but he sighed inwardly. Well, the title of prodigal son was now solidified. “Straightforward person” it is, then. If he weren’t a prodigal son, he might feel some moral burden selling off the family assets. But now, he found himself feeling quite at ease.

After seeing Wang Jinyuan off, the steward, the accounts office staff, and Deng Jian all knelt in the hall with a thud and began to wail.

“Young Lord, please think twice.”

“Young Lord’s illness has just gotten better. We are overjoyed, but…”

Fang Jifan sighed inwardly, feeling a bit sorry for them. These people truly cared for him, and he really shouldn’t keep startling them like this. But just as he started to feel sympathetic, he saw that acupuncturist physician peeking in from outside.

The moment Fang Jifan saw the physician with the goat beard, his heart tightened. He slapped the desk and shouted sharply at him, “What are you looking at?”

The physician quickly forced an awkward smile. “This student was thinking… Young Lord has just recovered from a serious illness, and I was afraid it might relapse, so I…”

Fang Jifan felt a headache coming on. Memories of being needled in the back of the head flooded his mind. He took a deep breath. Damn it, are you determined not to let me be a good person?

Without hesitation, he grabbed the Xiangfei Bamboo Fan and threw it at the physician.

It hit the physician squarely on the forehead.

The physician touched his head; it hurt a little. Then tears started falling.

Fang Jifan was startled. He had only thrown it casually to show how ‘normal’ he was, but now he felt a bit guilty. He couldn’t help asking, “What are you crying for?”

The physician wiped his tears, filled with emotion. “No need for a check-up today. Young Lord’s illness has recovered very well, very well… This old man has received great kindness from the Earl, who took me in and allowed me to stay in the residence. I have often received favors. Now that I have cured Young Lord, it is truly a great fortune. Good, good, good. Heaven has eyes, the Imperial Ancestors of the Fang Family have virtue…”

Fang Jifan’s eyes widened in disbelief.

He thought to himself, if the Fang Family ancestors really had spirits, they would probably strangle this quack from Mongolia tonight.

The news that the Fang Family Young Lord had recovered became a hot topic among the neighbors.

Diagonally across the street was a tavern. The tavern keeper, who often clicked his abacus beads, besides making the beads clack every day, never tired of telling the drinkers about this.

“It’s true, he’s really better. No fake. Physician Zeng truly has miraculous skills! Really, really! Would an old man like me lie? Don’t believe me? Fine, I’ll tell you: yesterday, Broker Wang himself visited. Guess what? The Fang Family Young Lord wants to sell land! Not just land—he’s selling everything valuable in the house. Isn’t that exactly what our Fang Family Young Lord would do? You have no idea, this morning I even saw the Capital Prefecture clerk going with Broker Wang to the Fang Residence to act as guarantor. They say they’ve already signed and stamped the contract. Young Lord Fang was very happy. When they left, Young Lord Fang personally saw them out, waved at them, and even loudly shouted, ‘Next time you see anything you like, remember to visit!’ He was so cheerful that it actually scared Broker Wang and the guarantor. Even the usually thick-skinned Broker Wang seemed ashamed, as if he couldn’t face people, and looked very guilty.”

The drinkers listened and marveled. Those who knew the inside story quickly nodded. “Then it must be true, he’s definitely better. Physician Zeng is a miracle doctor!”

“Isn’t that right? Physician Zeng is all puffed up now. When he enters and leaves the Fang Residence, he does so with a swagger, looking very proud.”