“What arrogance!” Lin Feng said with a look of disdain.
But Chen Fan couldn’t be bothered to engage with him any further. He simply gave an order, and the shadow guards left immediately. Chen Fan remained where he was, waiting, and said nothing more.
However, Leng Hanshuang, standing to the side, watched Chen Fan with deep confusion in her heart.
What did this prescription have to do with Chen Fan?
Why had Chen Fan been in such a hurry earlier?
Was he afraid that if she died from the poison, she wouldn’t be able to protect him for a year?
Meanwhile, Lin Feng, seeing Chen Fan standing there, was also puzzled. “Chen Fan! What are you doing here?”
“You’ll find out soon enough!” Chen Fan replied coolly.
Hearing this, Lin Feng grew even more confused but didn’t dare ask further.
Soon, several shadow guards arrived, carrying a table, along with writing brushes, ink, paper, and inkstones. They were accompanied by a group of laborers pushing wheelbarrows.
Seeing this, Lin Feng’s confusion deepened.
But Chen Fan walked straight over and instructed the shadow guards to set up the table right next to the Lin Family’s grain collection stall. He then took a seat.
“Everyone! I’m also buying grain! Forty wen per jin!” Chen Fan announced loudly.
At these words, everyone’s expressions changed, especially Lin Feng’s.
His family was buying grain, and now Chen Fan was doing the same. Moreover, while his family’s price of thirty wen per jin was already considered high, Chen Fan’s price was ten wen higher!
Wasn’t this blatantly stealing business?
“Chen Fan! What do you mean by this? What are you buying grain for?” Lin Feng snapped angrily.
“What? Is only your Lin Family allowed to buy grain, and not me?”
Chen Fan retorted impatiently before continuing, “Everyone, forty wen per jin—a fair price. Limited quantity available, so don’t delay!”
Hearing this, the farmers wasted no time and hurried over to sell their grain to Chen Fan.
Seeing this, Chen Fan didn’t hesitate either. He quickly directed the shadow guards and laborers to help with the grain collection.
In an instant, the entire line of grain sellers shifted to Chen Fan’s side, leaving the Lin Family’s stall completely empty!
Witnessing this, Lin Feng’s face darkened further. It was clear that Chen Fan was deliberately provoking his family, yet there was little he could do about it.
He knew that Chen Fan had a million taels of silver, more than enough for this profligate to squander!
“The Lin Family offers fifty wen per jin!” Lin Feng said helplessly.
Hearing this, the grain sellers were taken aback and considered rushing back to the Lin Family’s line. But Chen Fan calmly countered, “I offer sixty wen per jin!”
“Seventy wen!”
“Eighty wen!”
“Ninety wen!”
“One hundred wen!”
As the two continued to raise their bids, the merchants were left stunned. Selling grain for one hundred wen per jin was something they had never even dared to imagine. Some even regretted selling their grain too early.
Seeing the two engage in this bidding war, the farmers were in no hurry either. It seemed they all wanted to wait and see who would offer the highest price in the end!
Chen Fan didn’t seem bothered by this, but Lin Feng’s expression grew increasingly grim.
“One hundred wen per jin of grain—Chen Fan, have you lost your mind?”
“What’s it to you? I have money, and I’m doing as I please! What business is it of yours?” Chen Fan retorted.
“You!”
“Just you wait!”
Lin Feng’s face darkened as he hurried back toward the Lin Family estate. At one hundred wen per jin, this was no longer a decision he could make on his own!
Chen Fan didn’t mind and simply waited. The farmers also waited, eager to see the final price!
A short while later, inside the Lin Family residence, Lin Sanqian listened to Lin Feng’s words, his face turning extremely grim.
“Chen Fan! How dare you!”
Yet Lin Feng wore a worried expression. “Father! What should we do now? Chen Fan has a million taels of silver, and he’s a profligate who has no concept of money. He might really keep challenging us!”
How could Lin Sanqian not know this?
At one hundred wen per jin, with a million taels, Chen Fan could buy a full ten million jin of grain.
Currently, the Lin Family’s grain shortage was already severe. If Chen Fan bought ten million jin, the Lin Family would have no chance of recovery!
“Father, perhaps we should give the prescription to Leng Hanshuang! Chen Fan is after the prescription!” Lin Feng said.
“Prescription? Our Lin Family has been merchants for generations—what prescription do we have? I lied to Leng Hanshuang about that! Moreover, the Profound Yin Cold Poison is the deadliest poison in the world, with no known cure!” Lin Sanqian replied.
Hearing this, Lin Feng was even more stunned. “Then what should we do? Should we forge a fake prescription for Chen Fan?”
“Do you think Leng Hanshuang is a fool? She has sought medical treatment for so many years—how could a fake prescription fool her?”
Lin Sanqian spoke with a grim expression, then added, “Go invite Chen Guogong!”
Time passed, roughly an hour later.
At the city gate, Chen Fan lay leisurely in his chair, eyes slightly closed as if dozing. Lian Yue fanned him gently from the side, the scene utterly relaxed.
But just then, Lin Sanqian and Chen Guogong arrived together.
Upon seeing them, the crowd immediately bowed and saluted, saying, “We commoners pay our respects to the Guogong!”
Hearing this, Chen Fan was not surprised, but he did not hesitate either, immediately kneeling and bowing along with the others.
Though he very much did not want to kneel, he did not wish to give Chen Guogong any grounds for fault.
Chen Guogong, however, waved his hand with a displeased expression and walked directly up to Chen Fan.
“Chen Fan! Come home with me!”
Hearing this, a faint smile suddenly curled at the corner of Chen Fan’s lips. “Go home? I beg the Guogong’s forgiveness, but this commoner does not understand what the Guogong means.”
“How much longer will you keep causing trouble? Hurry and come home with me. I can overlook all your past actions!” Chen Guogong said, his face darkening.
“Causing trouble? This commoner is confused. Nor do I understand what the Guogong means by going home with him.” Chen Fan replied.
“Chen Fan! Are you truly determined to oppose me?” Chen Guogong’s expression suddenly turned even more unpleasant.
“This commoner would not dare! Moreover, I do not know what I have done wrong. How could it be considered opposing the Guogong? I beg the Guogong to clarify.” Chen Fan said.
“You!”
Chen Guogong was momentarily speechless. “You, the third son of the Guogong Mansion, collecting grain on the streets, engaging in the work of peddlers and laborers—what kind of behavior is that!”
“The Guogong must have mistaken me for someone else. I am the son of a lowly servant, a mere commoner, not the third son of the Guogong Mansion.
Collecting grain on the streets is merely to earn a small profit. I neither steal nor rob, and I conduct myself openly and honestly. I do not feel ashamed.” Chen Fan said.
Hearing this, Chen Guogong’s expression grew even more grim. He had given Chen Fan such an opportunity!
Yet Chen Fan claimed he had mistaken his identity.
He even said he was the son of a lowly servant, a mere commoner!
Was he truly determined to oppose him, not giving him even a shred of face?
“Chen Fan! You!”
Chen Guogong wanted to say something, but he could not find the words. He had no idea what to say or what he could say.
Could it be that he, the esteemed Guogong, had to apologize and beg him to return to the Guogong Mansion?
“Chen Fan! I’m giving you one last chance! Will you go back or not? Will you pack up this stall or not?”
“As a commoner trying to make a living, the day is still young and customers are plenty. How could I possibly pack up? Unless you mean to say that setting up a stall to sell grain for survival is a crime?” Chen Fan replied.
Hearing this, Chen Guogong’s face grew even darker and more unpleasant, his eyes filled with rage. “Fine! Very well, Chen Fan! This is your own choice! Don’t regret it!”
With that, Chen Guogong flicked his sleeves and stormed off.
Seeing this, Lin Sanqian and the others nearby immediately changed expressions. “Your Excellency! Your Excellency, are we just going to let it go like this?”
“What else do you expect me to do? Continue to lose face here, or kill him in broad daylight?”
Chen Guogong angrily rebuked, shaking off Lin Sanqian’s hand. “Useless fools who can’t accomplish anything but only cause trouble!”
With that, he got into his sedan chair and left.
Lin Sanqian and the others looked even more displeased, clearly not expecting Chen Fan to show so little respect for Chen Guogong.
Lin Sanqian then glared coldly at Chen Fan. “Chen Fan! Are you really determined to oppose my Lin Family?”
“Hah!”
Chen Fan sneered directly. “What? You’ve already sent people to kill me, and I’m not allowed to oppose your Lin Family?”
With a look of disdain, Chen Fan sat back down in his chair and announced loudly.
“Everyone, I’m offering one hundred and twenty wen per jin here!”