Lord of the Desert

Chapter 27
In the afternoon of the same day, the Hong Mansion collapsed in the courtyard.

The so-called inverted seat is a house facing south and north facing the main house, which is located at the southernmost end of Hong Mansion.

Because the doors and windows face north and the lighting is not good, it is used as a residence for servants.

As the head of the servants, the housekeeper naturally has his own small courtyard here.

At this time, Qiude with a goatee was sitting in the hall, with the door ajar, and was settling accounts.

These two days are when the monthly money is paid out every month. As the top executor, he has made a lot of money as usual.

That's why the more the jade beads on the abacus danced, the more beautiful the smile on Qiude's face was, as if he heard the jingle of gold and silver falling into the bag in the quiet hall.

Half of the accounts were calculated, and suddenly a servant came in and reported in a low voice, saying that the young master Hong Fan from the long house came to collect the monthly case in person.

Qiu De frowned when he heard this, and suppressed his smile.

As the head of the Hong family, he has always thought carefully, and he has long been prepared for Hong Fanjin's entry into the Tongtong Realm.

Opening the drawer, Qiude took out a cloth bag containing five taels of silver and handed it to the boy, asking him to send it to Hong Fan.

Among them, three or two are the monthly cases, and the rest are congratulatory gifts from him as the housekeeper.

Of course, if Aunt Liu came today, she would only get a cloth bag of three taels of silver.

But not long after the boy left, there was another sound of heavy footsteps at the door.

Qiude, who bothered others the most when settling accounts, was about to reprimand him, when he saw the half-hidden door pushed open with one hand.

The one who came in with the sun was a handsome young man.

It was Hong Fan who picked Jiang Youde the day before yesterday.

"Why did Young Master Fan come here? Did Ajie not send you the monthly case just now?"

Qiu De got up and asked with a smile.

"It has been delivered, please the housekeeper's kindness, I have also received it."

Hong Fan's hand behind his back lit up, and what he was holding was the cloth bag containing five taels of silver.

"Then Young Master Fan is still looking for me?"

Qiude said politely, thinking that the other party probably came to say thank you - the so-called reciprocity is to give respect to each other.

But he didn't expect that Hong Fan actually nodded in response: "I really have something to ask the housekeeper."

"What's the matter? But what's wrong with the servants?"

Qiu De was stunned for a moment and asked.

"No."

Hong Fan shook his head and said, took two steps forward, and walked up to Qiude.

"Hong Fan came here to ask the housekeeper, is it possible to pay back the 90 taels of silver that I owed me earlier?"

These words were unexpected, leaving Qiude stunned.

"90 taels of silver, begging someone to owe you?"

He repeated it in a low voice, and despite being puzzled in his heart, he still managed to force a smile on his face.

"Master Fan, don't be joking!"

"Such a large amount of money has been borrowed for so long, how can I be joking?"

Hong Fan looked serious and looked directly at him.

"Two and a half years, thirty months, three taels a month, didn't you borrow 90 taels from me?"

As soon as these words came out, Qiude suddenly realized what the other party said.

But how would he recognize it?

Not to mention that the monthly bills are still distributed to several hundred Wen and copper coins, but the part that has been withheld is not all taken by Qiude alone.

As a housekeeper, he certainly knew that once a child entered the Guantong Realm, regardless of his background, he would have a place in the Hong Mansion.

But this kind of thing without accounts, can it be traced back to the past?

It should be known that there are hundreds of people in Hong's mansion, and he is the only one who is the chief steward!
"Mr. Fan is right about what he said, but he is a little out of his head."

Qiude's face turned cold.

"If you say that someone else borrowed your money, you must have an IOU!"

"There really isn't an IOU."

Hong Fan replied, obviously he was stopped by the question, but there was a smile on his face instead.

"Absurd, without an IOU, you can still ask for money with empty words?"

Qiude sneered.

"This courtyard is not a place for the autumn wind!"

"It makes sense to ask the housekeeper."

Hong Fan nodded.

"But if I didn't get the 90 taels of monthly bills that I didn't get, if it wasn't borrowed, could it be that I was asking the housekeeper to fill my own pocket?"

As soon as this heartbreaking remark was made, it was to make clear what was going on under the table.

Qiude's face darkened, he glanced at the accountant sitting in the corner of the Ming hall, and motioned to get out quickly.

After the person left, he carefully closed the door and turned around to speak.

"Master Fan, I am not the only one responsible for the matter of the monthly routine, we cannot bring this matter to the fore!"

At this time there were only two people in the room, so Qiude let go of his words.

"Young Master Fan doesn't have to act like a lord to oppress me."

"It's not upright to beg someone, but Master Fan won't get the low-grade Tugong pills that are supposed to be distributed fairly every month. Let the children of the clan know, so there is no criticism?"

"You can't chase after the past. Young Master Fan might as well hold your hand high and make it easy for others and for yourself!"

After Qiude finished speaking, he looked at Hong Fan without any concession.

But the latter didn't say anything, and only gradually suppressed his smile.

In the dark room, Hong Fan raised his hands—the skin is fair, but the palms and fist peaks are full of thick calluses.

"Hold your hand high?"

he asked softly.

"I beg the steward, is this hand precious?"

Qiude was silent for a while.

Hong Fan withdrew his hand and continued: "The quality of Tuigong Wan is good or bad, of course I know."

"But from a large number point of view, the pills distributed to each person should be medium-grade on average. Why do we need to use monthly prescriptions to exchange?"

"If every Tuigong pill I got in the past two years was top grade, I would never come here today."

Hong Fan shook his head and said, his eyes fell back on Qiude's face.

"I beg the housekeeper to be the confidant of the eldest lady, so he should know what kind of life I have lived in the past two years."

"Now that you have seen my hands again, it should not be difficult to imagine how I exchanged blood and sweat for this penetrating state."

"Two and a half years have passed, it's all over, that's all..."

"But now, I only fight for the day and night!"

Hong Fan said these words calmly.

But Qiude really heard the headlines from it.

To be honest, if he took the 90 taels alone, he would pay it back now.

But let the miser Qiude fill in the holes for others, how can this be done?

Is it possible that you, Hong Fan, can still find a reason to fight with the housekeeper of the clan just like you did with Jiang Youde?
"Master Fan, please come back."

Qiude choked for a moment, but finally hardened his face.

"If you really want to make things worse, begging a certain servant has a better future than Young Master Fan. It's nothing more than losing face."

"Don't mention this matter again!"

After he finished speaking, he stepped forward to open the courtyard door and stretched out his hand to see off the guests.

Hong Fan didn't get angry, he just took a deep look at Qiude, bowed his hands and strode out the door.

He didn't think it was that easy at first.

There is a saying in the previous life that there are two kinds of things that are the most difficult in the world.

The first is to put your own thoughts into other people's heads, and the second is to put other people's money into your own pockets.

It's never easy to take out money, let alone the pocket of a miser like Qiude?
The battle with Jiang Youde did bring some fame to Hong Fan and frightened some young people.

But it is not enough to get to the bottom of the matter and go back to the past.

Those who seek superiors must have the guts, and those who seek inferiors must show their means.

Qiude's stubbornness is nothing more than treating him as a fledgling child with no means, so he can't count the pros and cons.

But it's okay.

Hong Fan will help him settle the pros and cons soon.

(End of this chapter)