Chapter 2: The Divorce

  On Thursday, Ping asked, and Hualang hurriedly said: "Coming to find County Master, it's really unavoidable. My father contracted a serious illness a few days ago, and now he urgently needs medicine for treatment. However, our family is very poor and can't afford the medical expenses. Thinking of the relationship between my family and County Master, I thought of borrowing some silver to treat my father's illness. After my father recovers, I will definitely find a way to repay it."

  After listening to Hua Lang's words, Zhou Si Ping slightly raised the corner of his mouth and said: "As long as my virtuous nephew can consider the request I made earlier, what's wrong with this county magistrate giving you some money?"

  "What request?" Hu Lang was startled in his heart, he didn't know what request it was?

  "The county magistrate said that borrowing money must be repaid, but I don't know what the county magistrate's requirements are?" Huā Láng knew that asking this question might reveal his ignorance, but if he didn't ask, how would he ever find out what Zhōu Sì Píng was planning?

  When Zhou Ping heard Hua Lang ask this question, his face suddenly changed and he angrily said: "Do you still want to insist on this marriage? Humph, I tell you, my daughter may not be a noble lady, but she is also a talented woman from a good family. I absolutely do not allow her to marry a bookworm like you."

  Thursday Ping was so angry that Flower Lang suddenly understood, originally Thursday Ping did not want his daughter to marry himself, so he thought of using this matter to make himself agree to divorce, in short, it was to use money to vent himself.

  According to Zhou Ping's words on Thursday, he had mentioned this divorce before, but the bridegroom did not agree at that time.

  Hualang sneaked a glance at the angry Zhou Ping, secretly laughing in his heart. Who cares about his daughter? Since she didn't want to marry him, he didn't want to marry her either. Anyway, they didn't have any feelings for each other.

  "County Master, please calm down. Since you've already made up your mind and insist on dissolving our engagement, I agree. But what about the money...?" Hualang was not one to eat losses easily. If Zhou Siping wanted to use money to get rid of him, then he would take advantage of it.

  "Money is no problem, just name a figure!" Zhou Ping knew that Hualang's family was poor and thought he wouldn't dare to ask for too much, so he let him quote his own price.

  Hualang smiled faintly and sat down opposite Zhou Ping, saying: "Six hundred taels of silver."

  As for the salary of a Song Dynasty county magistrate, Hualang still knew something about it. A clean and honest county magistrate's monthly salary plus other income was only about 90 taels of silver, but he asked Zhou Siping for 600 taels of silver, which was equivalent to Zhou Siping's annual salary.

  This was undoubtedly a huge expense for Zhou Ping, but what Hua Lang didn't expect was that Zhou Ping agreed very easily.

  "Alright, as long as you agree to divorce, I'll give you six hundred taels of silver. What do you say?" Zhou Si Ping said, pulling out a paper filled with writing from his sleeve. Hua Lang took a glance at it and knew it was the divorce agreement. Seeing this, he didn't hesitate either, directly picking up the pen to sign his name.

  There were no less than six hundred taels of silver, and after Hualang left the county government with six hundred taels of silver in his arms, he was overjoyed. With this money, he didn't have to worry about the cost of treating his father's illness, and it was even possible to buy some real estate. However, as Hualang walked, he suddenly felt that bringing so much silver back home might not be a good idea. If his father asked where the silver came from, what would he say?

  You say it's borrowed? But who would lend you so much? If the truth were to be told, wouldn't it kill your old father?

  Thinking of this, Hualang decided to hide the silver and take it out each time he needed it.

  The weather is scorching hot now, and there are not many pedestrians on the street. Even if there were, no one would notice Huā Láng. Seeing this, Huā Láng quietly slipped into an alley and finally arrived at a Guan Yu Temple. Because of the Song Dynasty's emphasis on literature over martial arts, the temple dedicated to the martial god Guan Gong was somewhat dilapidated and rarely visited. Huā Láng carefully hid his silver and left with only sixty taels.

  Hualang took the money to the pharmacy to grab some medicine, and then bought some supplements and food before hurrying home.

  Hualang's home was a small courtyard, located in a narrow alley on East Street. As he walked into the alley, he saw a woman rushing towards him with a tense expression. Hualang saw the woman and hastily called out: "Wan'er, what's wrong?"

  Wan'er suddenly stopped, looked up and saw that it was her own brother, so she hurriedly said: "Brother, Father's illness has worsened again. If we don't get him medical treatment soon, I'm afraid... I'm afraid he might..."

  The little girl couldn't say any more, and the flower boy hurriedly comforted her: "Don't worry, brother has already bought back the medicine, hurry up and boil it for father to drink."

  Nowadays, Hua Wanyu is already 28 years old. Although she can't be said to be stunningly beautiful, she has a pretty good appearance. However, in the past few days, she has been taking care of her father and now looks somewhat haggard. When she heard that Hualang had bought medicine, she hurriedly pulled him towards home and asked: "Brother, where did you get the money to buy medicine?"

  Hualang naturally couldn't mention the matter of breaking off the engagement, and only said: "Since it's borrowed from neighbors, don't worry about that much, go decoct the medicine first."

  Hua Xingyi lay on the bed, his robust body constantly sweating, while Hualang sat beside him fanning and wiping away, occasionally glancing around the house. The home could truly be described as bare and empty, with nothing left, and the heat was stifling. As Hualang looked on, he thought that after a while, he would go fetch some silver to repair the house thoroughly, purchase a few pieces of furniture, and let his father live more comfortably.

  Just then, Hua Wanyu had already brought the medicine. At this time, there was a cure for her father's illness, and she also felt somewhat at ease. The two of them took care of their elderly father together, which seemed to be a kind of familial bliss.

  After drinking the medicine and feeling a little better, Hua Wanyi persuaded him to go back to sleep.

  After Hua Xingyi fell asleep, Hua Wanyi pulled Hua Lang outside and said: "Brother, quickly tell me, where did you get that money from?"

  Hualang saw Yuanner ask like this and slightly smiled: "What, you suspect that this money was robbed by your brother?"

  After hearing this sentence, Hua Wanyou was shocked. This didn't sound like something Hualang would say in the past. If it were before, Hualang would definitely have explained politely and wouldn't have asked a question back. But now he actually did ask a question back.

  "Brother is a scholar, who would believe he's going to rob money? I'm just curious, if it was borrowed money, after buying medicine there wouldn't be much left. Where did the extra money come from for brother to buy so many supplements and food? I took a look, those supplements have quite a few high-quality medicinal materials, without tens of taels of silver it's absolutely impossible to buy them."

  Hualang thought to himself, he didn't expect his own sister to have such discerning eyes, she actually saw that he spent a lot of money on these things, it seems this little sister is not easy to fool!