The old doctor looked at them, then at the calf. Knowing they weren't locals but from a nearby county, he said, "My friends, I advise you to try selling elsewhere. You likely won't be able to sell it here in Hexinzhou. The medical halls in this area are controlled by others, and you can't just buy these things freely. They need to be reported to higher authorities, otherwise, my clinic could face trouble."
After saying this, he stroked the deer. For years, he hadn't encountered such fine medicinal ingredients. "What a shame, what a shame! I don't want to die yet!" With that, he walked back into his clinic.
Seeing the old man's attitude, Fan Zehao's heart grew colder. Did the officials he punished years ago not care about their own positions? Or had corruption between officials and merchants become so blatant here, with the local yamen being mere extensions of these businesses, where they could do as they pleased? This was an outright insult. He felt compelled to deal with a few people to quell his anger.
Zhao Jiaqi knew he was angry, but the old doctor had made things clear enough. It was best to leave soon. "Let's go. Don't cause trouble for them!" Seeing him lost in thought, Zhao Jiaqi tugged at the deer and him.
"I refuse to believe that in this vast prefecture, I won't find anyone brave enough!" Fan Zehao grew increasingly irate, determined to find someone willing to buy in the prefecture. From noon until evening, they finally found a buyer who purchased it for forty-five taels of silver. However, the buyer repeatedly warned him not to speak of the transaction to anyone, or he risked losing his head.
Fan Zehao initially dismissed the warning. A private transaction, what could happen if people found out? Would they come to kill him? "Don't worry, brother. If anyone tries to harm you, I'll be responsible for your safety. I won't let them hurt you!" The man who bought their goods nervously waved his hands at him. "Please don't say such things; it can invite disaster. You should leave quickly, preferably tonight!"
With a slam, he shut the door. It was as if they were being treated like a plague. Looking up at the sky, it was getting late. They couldn't leave the city, and they still had the calf to sell. However, selling the calf was something he wasn't worried about at all.
They found the restaurant they owned. Since this was their first visit as owners, the manager and the waiters had never seen them. They didn't recognize him as the boss or her as the boss's wife. They boldly entered the establishment and saw it was packed, indicating good business.
The waiter, seeing two people who looked like beggars, didn't bother with them. Regardless of whether they were beggars, they certainly had no money to spend at this restaurant. "Out, out! Don't you know your place? How dare you enter this restaurant! If you want to beg, see that wall over there? Wait by it. If there are leftovers tonight, you can fight with the dogs. If you win, you're lucky. If you lose, go somewhere cool!"
Fan Zehao immediately grabbed the waiter by the collar. This scoundrel dared to tell him to fight with dogs? It was practically asking for death! In contrast, Zhao Jiaqi almost burst into laughter. If they could snatch food from dogs, they'd be more formidable than beasts. If they couldn't, they'd be worse than beasts.
The waiter, seeing someone daring to provoke him, showed no fear. Instead, he pointed at Fan Zehao's nose and shouted, "You dare to lay hands on me here? Are you tired of living, or do you think your neck is too strong?"
"This shop is owned by the Prince and Princess. Our masters are extremely protective of their subordinates. If you dare to touch me, the prefect will skin you alive!"
Fan Zehao and Zhao Jiaqi protected their people, but they didn't protect just anyone. They rewarded merit and punished demerit; they would absolutely not allow their subordinates to act recklessly. Yet, they were surprised to find their own establishment in such a state, with people acting this way, emboldened by their status.
Zhao Jiaqi noticed the many patrons in the restaurant looking their way. She didn't want to escalate the situation, at least not now. "Husband, forget it. Let's ask elsewhere. We can deal with them later!"
Hearing his wife mention dealing with them, Fan Zehao reluctantly released the waiter's collar. He gave the arrogant waiter a fierce glare, "Live well, I will deal with you!" The waiter spat on the ground as the departing couple walked away, scoffing, "What sort of people are they, coming here to cause trouble? They're asking for death!" He didn't take the matter seriously. However, Fan Zehao took it to heart. Furthermore, he didn't intend to let the medical hall incident slide either.
They found another restaurant. The waiters there were all very friendly. Such arrogance and looking down on people were rare. They only sold the calf for ten taels of silver. It should have been a happy occasion, but holding the money, there was no smile on their faces. They, husband and wife, had always been diligent and never lost their temper with people, treating their subordinates kindly. Yet, these scoundrels, relying on their influence, had acted with such impunity! If they weren't taught a lesson, if they weren't shown some authority, they'd truly believe him to be a nobody!
Zhao Jiaqi saw he was quite upset and tugged at him, "Let's find an inn to stay first. We can discuss things at the inn!" Fan Zehao led the horse with one hand and held her with the other, finding a smaller inn. It was clean, and the price was reasonable, so they chose it. They ordered two small dishes and asked the waiter to send them to the room.
Inside the room, Fan Zehao sat by the round table, tapping his fingers on its surface, contemplating where to start the next day. Should he first deal with the medical hall, then the restaurant, or perhaps deal with the prefect first? As he pondered, the waiter brought the food, along with a pot of warmed white wine. After setting everything down, he smiled and greeted them, "Your ordered dishes are all here, esteemed guest. If you need anything, just call for me!"
Fan Zehao looked at how polite and accommodating this waiter was and felt a pang of envy. It was true, comparison highlighted differences. "I know. I'll call you if I need anything!" The waiter thoughtfully closed the door behind him as he left. Soon, his footsteps faded into the distance.
Fan Zehao gestured towards the departing waiter and said, "See? This is how someone who works should be. Look at the people at our restaurant; they act like emperors!" Zhao Jiaqi raised an eyebrow. "Alright, stop with the sarcasm. Let's eat!" She picked up a chopstickful of meat and put it in his bowl. "Don't keep going on about it. We own so many restaurants; they can't all be the same. Some of the managers here are inactive, and with the secret backing of the local government, these people have become overly bold!" She understood these matters well but didn't condone them. "Tomorrow, you first investigate who the owner of this Desheng Hall medical clinic is. I'll handle the restaurant matters. We'll divide the tasks and strive to resolve this mess quickly!"