NFBE Chapter 480 Breaking up
Chapter 480 Breaking up
Zhang Dashan's eyes reddened, and he immediately put on a pitiful look.
"Girl, this is a long story."
"I came to Shengjing hoping to make a big splash, but I ran into some unscrupulous merchants who cheated me. All my goods are stuck in my hands, and I'm now heavily in debt. I have no other choice but to go to Hongxiufang to borrow some money to tide me over, thinking I'll pay it back once business picks up."
"But who knew that the madam was so heartless, and with the interest compounding, it became such a large sum of money. I was all alone in Shengjing, with no one to rely on, and I had no other choice but to resort to this desperate measure, using Yun Shang's name. I was just trying to get through this difficult time first. Once I make money, I will definitely repay her double and I will personally go to Yun Shang's door to apologize."
Although Shen had doubts after hearing his explanation, she did not dare to make a move because of their past friendship.
Yunxi, standing to the side, was not happy about it and snorted coldly, saying, "Uncle Zhang, you should borrow money from a money exchange or a pawnshop, or at the very least, a loan shark. This is the first time I've ever heard of someone going to a brothel to borrow money."
Yunxi's words made Zhang Dashan's face stiffen.
He secretly resented Yunxi for meddling, but on the surface he had to pretend to be calm.
“My niece Yunxi, you don’t know this,” Zhang Dashan said with a wry smile, his eyes darting around. “I’ve been to several money shops before, but they wouldn’t lend me any money because they saw that I was an outsider and I didn’t have any decent collateral. I’ve pawned almost everything I could in the pawnshops, so I’m really out of options.”
“As for loan sharks, their interest rates are outrageously high. Borrowing money from them would be like driving me to the brink of ruin.” Zhang Dashan sighed as he spoke, his face contorted with wrinkles. “But my business is in dire need of funds. I happened to pass by Hongxiufang and thought that with so many people there, I might run into someone who could help me out. So I shamelessly went to ask, and who knew I’d fall into this trap.”
Yunxi didn't believe a single word Zhang Dashan said.
My sister-in-law said that she met Zhang Dashan at Hongxiufang.
It's obvious what this man was going to do by running into a brothel.
Zhang Dashan is really lying to both sides.
Yunxi wanted to remind the Shen family not to fall for Zhang Dashan's tricks.
But then Madam Shen spoke first: "Brother Dashan, I won't ask how you incurred the debt to Hongxiufang. But three thousand taels of silver is no small sum, and I don't have that much money to lend you."
Upon hearing this, Zhang Dashan's smile froze instantly. He hurriedly took a step forward, his hands unconsciously rubbing together.
"Sister, you really have to help me! I know this is a lot of money, but I'm desperate. If you don't help me, those people will definitely not let me off the hook, and they might even cause trouble at the Vice Minister's residence. That would be bad for Yun Shang's reputation!"
Yunxi almost rolled her eyes.
“It’s not that we can’t help you,” Yu Wan’s voice suddenly came from outside the door. “But we can’t just believe your side of the story. How about we send someone to the Red Sleeve Brothel to bring the madam back and ask her again?”
Zhang Dashan felt that the voice was both strange and familiar. He subconsciously looked up and saw a woman.
He stared at the other person's face, and when he saw something clearly, his eyes widened instantly.
Pointing at Yu Wan, his face filled with shock and disbelief, he stammered, "You, you—"
"Aren't you that kid from earlier?!"
"You're actually a woman?!"
“Who the hell are you?!
Zhang Dashan was emotional. Yunxi blinked, deliberately took a few steps over, and affectionately took Yu Wan's arm, "Sister-in-law, why did you take so long to come?"
Zhang Dashan: "Sister-in-law?"
"She...she's the wife of the Vice Minister?!"
Zhang Dashan was so shocked that he could barely speak.
The wife of the Second Grand Secretary, disguised as a man, was running off to a brothel. If word got out...
As this thought flashed through his mind, Zhang Dashan suddenly felt a glimmer of hope.
Shen's attitude just now clearly indicated that she didn't want to pay him the money, and he couldn't do anything about it. But now things are different.
He has their weaknesses covered!
A flash of greed crossed Zhang Dashan's eyes.
He quickly calmed down, a sly smile playing on his lips, and began to hatch a wicked plan.
"So you're the wife of the Second Grand Secretary. My apologies for not recognizing you."
"I never expected that I, Zhang Dashan, would have such a wonderful encounter today, witnessing my wife disguised as a man going to Hongxiufang."
"If this gets out, tsk tsk tsk, where will the Vice Minister's face be?"
As he spoke, he glanced sideways at the reactions of the crowd.
Shen's expression changed drastically.
She wasn't worried about herself or Yun Shang's reputation, but rather about Yu Wan's.
This world is always unfair to women. If word got out that Yu Wan had been to Hongxiufang, it would definitely be a problem for her.
She looked at Yu Wan, her eyes filled with worry and concern, mixed with a hint of disgust for Zhang Dashan.
If she had previously held onto some sentimental attachment to her childhood acquaintances, now that Zhang Dashan had actually threatened Yu Wan, even that last bit of sentimentality had vanished.
Yu Wan noticed the change in Shen's attitude and the corner of her mouth curled up slightly.
Things unfolded exactly as she had anticipated.
Shen was kind-hearted, but Zhang Dashan was a bottomless pit, and she was worried that Shen would help Zhang Dashan.
In her heart, she didn't want the Shen family to get involved in this mess.
However, she couldn't directly ask Shen to stop helping, so it would be best if Shen could see Zhang Dashan's true colors and give up the idea of helping him.
She deliberately changed into women's clothing to test Zhang Dashan.
If Zhang Dashan hadn't threatened her, perhaps she might have helped him out of consideration for his childhood friendship with the Shen family.
The result was obvious: Zhang Dashan was not someone worth helping.
Shen glared angrily at Zhang Dashan, "Brother Dashan, what do you mean by that?"
Zhang Dashan smiled broadly, "Sisters, I have no other choice. If you can pay off this debt for me, I promise I'll keep my mouth shut."
Meeting Zhang Dashan's dishonest gaze, Shen was greatly disappointed. "You owe him money, so figure out how to settle it yourself."
Upon hearing this, Zhang Dashan's smile froze, and a fierce glint appeared in his eyes. "Aren't you afraid I'll spread this around? I have nothing to lose, you can't afford to lose face like this."
These words completely severed all pretense of civility.
Yu Wan remained calm throughout, seemingly unconcerned about Zhang Dashan's threat.
Yunxi, standing to the side, was furious, her face flushed red. She stepped forward, pointed at Zhang Dashan, and cursed, "You scoundrel, how dare you threaten us! Believe me or not, I'll kick you out right now and send you to the authorities to be punished!"
Zhang Dashan, however, was not afraid at all. Instead, he sneered and said, "Niece Yunxi, have you thought this through? If you send me to the government office and I cry out that I am innocent, and spread the news that the Second Minister's wife disguised herself as a man and went to a brothel, then it's hard to say who will be criticized."