Chapter 0002: I Am a Prodigal Son

Continuing to feign madness and act foolishly is not a solution; one must strive for independence and self-reliance. Only by being independent can a person, for instance, possess wealth and avoid being controlled by others, thus preventing the risk of being easily manipulated or coerced.

As usual, carrying the medicine box, he came with a smile to pay his respects to Young Master Fang: "I have met Young Master Fang, and you look much better. Allow me to take your pulse first, Young Master."

Yang's first reaction was surprisingly not one of worry, but rather a slight raising of his eyebrows and a glance exchanged with Liu, the accountant beside him. "Ah, the young master's illness...! ... Indeed, he has recovered greatly, how fortunate for the Fang family!"

"How much silver can it sell for?" The next sentence from Fang Jifan nearly choked Manager Yang to death

"Renovation... renovation of the house..." Deng Jian exclaimed in surprise

The treasure notes... Fang Jifan understood that this was the unique paper currency of the Ming Dynasty. Unfortunately, the court printed too many of them, and in reality, they are not worth much.

But what to do if there is no money

The doctor was beaming with joy, his face glowing with color. Upon hearing that the young master’s brain ailment had improved significantly, everyone in the residence referred to him as a miraculous physician. Although he spoke humbly, he was secretly overjoyed.

Fang Jifan squinted his eyes and suddenly became excited

Deng Jian shuddered and looked at Fang Jifan in panic: "There shouldn't be much left, at most just a few hundred taels of silver, young master, you... you want to..."

Under the service of Xiao Xiangxiang, Fang Jifan rinsed his mouth after having just eaten breakfast, and then the renowned physician arrived

How much land is there in the residence

Fang Jifan slapped his head and said: "You wretched thing, the reason the young master is ill must be because this house is too old. It needs renovation, do you understand?"

Half a month later, Fang Jifan vaguely recalled that the local chronicles of Tongzhou had recorded that dozens of ships carrying ebony had sunk in North Tongzhou. Moreover, as ebony became increasingly esteemed by the nobility during the Hongzhi period, its price continued to rise, and Fang Jifan remembered that the price of ebony had skyrocketed to an unprecedented height

But... where is the silver... Even before the price doubled, the price of this ebony was already frightening. He squinted and asked, "How much silver is left in the accounts of the manor?"

Fang Jifan's eyes lit up, and a thought emerged in his mind: to hoard ebony

With renewed spirit, he followed Deng Jian out of the bedroom, and at that moment, he truly witnessed the grandeur of the Nanhe Bo Mansion, leaving Fang Jifan in awe.

There is a way to wealth

Oh... prodigal son...

Fang Jifan raised an eyebrow and said, "Does the prestigious Nanhe Bo mansion still lack silver?"

This ebony is already rare, and typically, large quantities of ebony are shipped together. The sinking of these dozens of ships signifies that there will be an extreme shortage of ebony in the market in the future

It is now the 17th day of the 3rd month in the 11th year of the Hongzhi era

Haha ... ... Haha ... ... The doctor chuckled awkwardly. As a healer, being insulted as an old dog is indeed a disgraceful matter. However, despite a slight displeasure, the doctor still revealed a gratified smile and remarked: "Indeed, young master, your illness has truly improved greatly. I am very ... ... very ... ... "

He could not help but say: "This house needs repairs"

He suddenly recalled that the economic characteristics of this era were indeed like this. Although the value of land was high, most wealthy households rented it out to tenant farmers for cultivation, and what they received in return was grain. This grain was stored in granaries, and while it could be exchanged for money, the Southern and Bo families, with their vast estates, had significant expenses. Naturally, one could not expect to see much cash on the books.

Fang Jifan felt a certain instinctive fear towards this doctor, but after a moment's thought, he looked down his nose at him and, with his legs crossed, said: "This young master is already quite well, what pulse are you checking, you old dog, get lost."

Fang Jifan sat with his legs crossed. Although he was seated, the two individuals before him did not dare to stand taller than him, thus they bent their bodies. This, in turn, made Fang Jifan appear even taller while sitting with his legs crossed, looking down at them from a position of superiority, which indeed gave off a somewhat masterful air.

Deng Jian once again revealed a smile and said: "The young master speaks well, is the young master saying that the house has a heavy aura? I understand, I understand, but... renovating the house requires a lot of money"

Fang Jifan stood up and said: "Little Deng Deng ... ... "

Alright. Deng Jian hurriedly went to fetch a Xiangfei fan and a rather ostentatious fragrance pouch, and with a sense of pride, said: "Young master loves to take this when going out..."

Fang Jifan said with a smile, "Come, accompany this young master for a stroll in the residence."

He suddenly changed his mind, no, no, selling land... This young master is well-versed in history; the thinking of ancient people is quite different from that of modern individuals. In the eyes of the ancients, selling land is an act only undertaken by the impoverished and prodigal sons, and it would be something that others would criticize behind their backs.

Get lost! Fang Jifan has come to understand his way of survival; the more arrogant and overbearing he is, the happier and more gratified others become. This truly is a... a god-like world

No way! Fang Jifan believes that in his previous life he was at least an academic elite, a model youth, and that he should strive for self-improvement and independence

It is not feasible; living like this is rather dull. One must accomplish a great undertaking. However, at this moment...

The poetic ambiance of this piece is indeed commendable, yet Fang Jifan is aware of the malicious interpretation that the owner of this fan has towards the poem, and he cannot help but curse inwardly, "Bah, filthy scoundrel"

Lacking! Deng Jian's response left Fang Jifan somewhat bewildered: "The young master usually does not concern himself with affairs. The estate in the suburbs of the capital covers thousands of acres of fertile land, but after all, what is produced is still grain. Although the uncle has his grants and rewards, the actual silver is not much; it is all the precious notes of our Ming Dynasty."

Having just escaped a calamity, Fang Jifan felt empty and lonely once again. Must he pretend to be a scoundrel for the rest of his life?

"Very well, very well." The doctor was not at all angry, but turned to instruct Deng Jian: "If the young master shows any signs of illness again, you must report it promptly. Young master... I take my leave, I take my leave.

This mansion covers a vast area, with at least 50 acres, featuring a continuous array of rooftops that are neatly arranged. It has three entrances and exits, with the main hall, front hall, back courtyard, wing rooms, and utility rooms totaling dozens of rooms. Fang Jifan felt quite satisfied, ... subconsciously waving the Xiangfei fan. The only drawback is that this residence ... is somewhat old, with at least a hundred years of history, giving it a rather mottled appearance

Am I not just a textbook example of a spendthrift? In Beijing, is there anyone more extravagant than Fang Jifan?

Fang Jifan had a look of disbelief on his face. Does the owner of this body really have such tastes? He smiled and skillfully had Xiao Xiangxiang tie a fragrant pouch around his waist, while playing with a Xiangfei fan in his hand, opening and closing it. To his surprise, there were even poems on the fan. When Fang Jifan glanced at it, he saw the following written on the fan: 'I advise you not to spare your golden-threaded clothes, I advise you to cherish your youth. When flowers bloom, you must pick them; do not wait until there are no flowers to regret picking the branches.'

Can you imagine, the young master actually thinks of selling land for money? In this city of Beijing, apart from our young master of the Fang family, who else can so casually utter such words? Our young master has truly returned

Fang Jifan's eyes lit up, and he shouted, "Bring the manager and the accountant here!"

Upon seeing the delighted expressions on the faces of the two individuals, Fang Jiban felt that the world had gone mad. He could only tap the table with the handle of his fan and said, "I am asking you a question. How much can you sell? Count it all for this young master. Send a message to the tooth shop. Sell the land; sell everything that can be sold. Not a single mu can be left."

Little Deng Deng is a special name for Deng Jian, but it is evident that Deng Jian is not very pleased with Fang Jifan calling him that, so he replied with a苦脸: "What orders do you have, young master"

The power of the young master Fang is still quite formidable. In just a moment, Manager Yang and Accountant Liu from the residence arrived, both panting and looking at Fang Jifan with wide eyes.

Although I feel disdain in my heart, life must go on

Moreover, does one truly want to be a spendthrift for a lifetime

Seeing the doctor leave in high spirits, Fang Jifan finally breathed a sigh of relief

Upon hearing several hundred taels, Fang Jifan felt deflated. However, he quickly had another thought: although there was no silver, the Fang family had land. If only...

The estate outside the city covers an area of 2,370 acres, and in addition, there are several mountains that occupy several thousand acres. Manager Yang spoke as if seeking credit, having heard that the young master was suffering from a brain illness. He had been undergoing treatment for some time, and Manager Yang was quite concerned. It is said that he has improved somewhat, which is why he was staring intently at the young master, eager to see if he had recovered.