I'll Hang Myself from This Tree Right Now

Zhou Wanwan took Cui Wenyuan and Zhao Tiangui to the manor.

Zhao Tiangui looked at the estate and said, "Hey! Boss, your estate is a bit different, isn't it?"

Zhou Wanwan looked at Zhao Tiangui and asked, "How is it different?"

"Anyway, it's different from my village. Nothing grows on my village at all. How come the crops grow so well on your village?"

Zhou Wanwan hadn't expected Zhao Tiangui to understand these things.

Zhao Tiangui laughed:

Hehe, you probably think I don't know any of this, right?

My family is in the grain business; we own many farms, and I have to spend some time there every year.

I just don't like studying, but I'm quite good at business.

The Old Scholar Tree next to it said:

"Zhao Tiangui does have a knack for business. He started doing business at the age of 6, and his talent for business is quite good."

"We could send him to our family's business school for some training; he'll definitely have a bright future."

Zhou Wanwan owns far too many businesses; she simply can't manage them all.

Then they heard a commotion outside. "Whose family are you? Hand over my son right now!"

The butler outside asked, "Who is your son?"

"Zhao Tiangui, get out here! I raised you all these years, and this is how you repay me?"

You've sold yourself out! What are we, the Zhao Family, supposed to do now? You're our only Zhao Family, do you want me dead?

I'll hang myself from this tree right now, are you satisfied now?

Zhao Tiangui grimaced and said, "Oh no, my old man is here."

Zhou Wanwan was also exasperated. "You're dead meat!"

Zhao Tiangui immediately grabbed Zhou Wanwan's leg and cried, "Master, save me, save me! If my father finds out I sold myself for a bite to eat, he'll kill me!"

Zhou Wanwan went outside, and Old Master Zhao had already started his tirade:

"You unfilial son! Get over here right now, or I'll break your legs!"

No, no, I will kill you! You have extinguished the lineage of my Zhao Family!

Are you out of your mind? Let's go home and see a doctor. I'll get you the best doctor in the whole Great Qi.

How am I supposed to explain this to our ancestors?

Zhou Wanwan looked at Old Master Zhao's obese body and twitched her lips. "Old Master Zhao, why don't we have some food first? It's getting late."

Old Master Zhao looked at him and said, "Who are you? Zhao Tiangui, who did you sell yourself to? Who is it?"

Zhao Tiangui pointed at Zhou Wanwan.

Old Master Zhao was so angry he almost fainted. "Are you out of your mind! This child is so much younger than you, what do you see in him?"

Zhao Tiangui chuckled and said, "Their food is delicious."

Old Master Zhao was so angry he almost vomited blood. "You good-for-nothing! How did the imperial examination go this time?"

Zhao Tiangui coughed and said, "I wrote it, I wrote four characters, but I don't know how."

Old Master Zhao really did bend over.

Zhou Wanwan was speechless. Zhao Tiangui looked at his father and said, "Dad! Don't die! I just think their food is delicious, I didn't mean anything else, wake up!"

Zhou Wanwan asked the Old Scholar Tree for help. The Old Scholar Tree took his pulse, examined his condition, and said, "Hey! This old man's illness is very serious! He's just hanging on by a thread."

Zhou Wanwan frowned and asked, "Is it that serious? Is there any hope of saving him?"

The Old Scholar Tree sighed and said, "It can certainly be saved, but it will require the roots of some Lingbao."

Lingbao popped out of the bag and asked, "Why do you want my roots?"

The Old Scholar Tree said, "Your roots have enough spiritual energy, which is why he can be kept alive for a few more years."

Zhou Wanwan nodded and said, "Okay, I'll cut some roots off first."

The Old Scholar Tree carrying out the medicinal herbs from inside the house said, "This old man will take a lot of effort. These herbs are worth quite a bit of money. We'll have to pay him back when he wakes up."

If the Old Scholar Tree hadn't intervened, the old man probably wouldn't have woken up.

Zhou Wanwan nodded and said, "Okay, let his son pay it back."

They quickly began surgery to remove all the toxins from his body.

Especially the brain— Zhou Wanwan listened for a moment and roughly understood: cerebral hemorrhage.

It took quite a while before Old Master Zhao woke up.

He opened his eyes, looked at Zhou Wanwan, and said, "Did you save me?"

Zhou Wanwan nodded and said, "Grandpa, your health isn't good!"

Old Master Zhao sighed and said:

"I know my body is really not up to par, but I have a bunch of relatives at home who are like wolves and tigers."

My child is such a disappointment. I know he's good at business and has a sharp mind, but what good is a sharp mind?

He's rich and powerful; if he wanted to take him down, it would be a piece of cake.

I'm doing alright as long as I'm alive, but what will happen to them, a widow and her children, if I'm gone?

But he was such a disappointment! I told him to take the imperial examinations, but he just sold himself into servitude.

I just want to ask, how can I get him released from his bondage? I'm willing to pay any price.

Zhou Wanwan looked at Old Master Zhao and said, "Old Master, I've already had someone help you recover your health. You can live for a few more years."

Old Master Zhao looked at Zhou Wanwan and said, "You... you're talking nonsense! A little boy, spouting such wild words! How exactly did you deceive my son?"

Zhou Wanwan is currently dressed in men's clothing, and Old Master Zhao Zhou Wanwan thinks she is a boy.

Zhou Wanwan smiled and said, "You should have a doctor with you, right? You can have him come and take your pulse."

Old Master Zhao snorted coldly and said, "Summon Doctor Ji."

Soon, Doctor Ji came over, took Old Master Zhao's pulse, and said, "Alas!"

Old Master Zhao turned pale with fright. "What's wrong? Has my condition worsened again?"

Doctor Ji quickly said:

"No, no, I'm just curious, who treated you?"

Your pulse wasn't like this yesterday.

There are some things I didn't explain clearly. Actually, what I diagnosed for you yesterday was a fatal blow.

If nothing unexpected happens, it should happen in the next day or two.

But things are different now; your pulse is alive again.

This is so strange. I've never seen anything like it before, unless it involves some very rare and special medicinal herb.

Old Master Zhao held Doctor Ji's hand and said, "You mean I can be saved? Does that mean I can live a few more years now?"

Doctor Ji nodded and said, "If you take good care of yourself, it's possible you could live for more than a decade, let alone a few years."

Old Master Zhao turned to Zhou Wanwan and kowtowed. "Do you still need people? Although I'm old and frail, I can still do the work."

Zhou Wanwan laughed heartily, "Of course I'll take it! Old Master Zhao, please get up!"

Zhou Wanwan does indeed need to cultivate relationships with many prominent families, as these families represent connections, resources, and wealth.

She needs these people to work for her.

Zhou Wanwan ordered some food; she was starving.

The family served the food quite quickly.

Steamed King Crab, Steamed Hairy Crab, Braised Abalone, Lobster Stuffed with Mushrooms, Braised Boneless Grouper with Fermented Rice Wine, Crab Roe Fish Maw, Braised Camel's Foot with Scallops, Honey-Glazed Roasted Wild Deer Ribs, Braised Frog Legs, Braised Matsutake Mushrooms with Chicken Oil, Pine Nut Milk Cake, Honey-Glazed Grapes, Chilled Fresh Lychees...

Where has Zhao Tiangui ever eaten something so delicious?

He wolfed it down, exclaiming, "Delicious! My God, how can there be such delicious food in this world?"

Zhou Wanwan looked at him and said, "Isn't it a good deal for you to follow me?"

"It's totally worth it! I've never eaten anything so delicious before."

Zhou Wanwan smiled and said:

"The things in my house are naturally different."

"But your family is quite impressive. You've dealt in grains before, and also medicinal herbs, tea, spices, and wine."

Old Master Zhao looked at Zhou Wanwan and said, "Hey! You've found out quite a lot. Yes, our family does all of these things."

Zhou Wanwan looked at Old Master Zhao and said:

"Actually, I also want to cooperate with you, because I know that your Zhao Family has quite a wide network of connections."

"It's not just through Great Qi's channels, but also through channels from other countries."