Volume One, Chapter Six: Even the Copper Coins Fallen to the Ground Must Bear the Fang Name

Fang Yang frowned as he looked toward the source of the voice.

It was none other than his rival, Xie Ping, the son of the Marquis of Yongping, a man who had frequently mocked his predecessor.

Seeing the man’s arrogant and swaggering demeanor, Fang Yang simply lifted his foot to inspect his sole, then turned to Lian'er and asked, "Lian'er, check your shoe."

"Huh? What is it, Young Master?" Lian'er asked, puzzled, though she obediently lifted her foot.

Fang Yang glanced at it, then stroked his chin in thought. "Strange, there’s no excrement here. Why, then, is there a dog barking?"

"You!"

As the dignified son of the Marquis of Yongping, being insulted so callously by this spendthrift sent him into a rage. He snapped, "Bah! You, Fang Yang, have you forgotten your place? Do you think I’m someone you can push around?"

"What’s this? Are you looking for a fight?" Fang Yang narrowed his eyes and immediately rolled up his sleeves.

Xie Ping was startled. He was happy to trade insults, but he dared not resort to physical violence; this spendthrift was notoriously unhinged and possessed a raw strength that made him practically invincible among the sons of the nobility.

"What? Already lost your nerve? A mere marquis's son dares to bark at me? I could beat you black and blue and face no consequences—let me tell you, my father is a Duke!" Fang Yang looked at Xie Ping with utter disdain.

"You!" Xie Ping’s hands trembled with fury.

After a long moment, he said coldly, "Hmph! What is there to be arrogant about for a Duke whose family is being sidelined? You want to do business here, right? Well, watch closely—my tavern is right in front. I’ll make sure you lose every penny you have!"

Fang Yang looked at the location Xie Ping pointed to and twitched his lips. "A tavern? What a coincidence. But Xie Ping, I advise you to change your profession early. My 'Celestial Drunkenness' tavern opens tomorrow, and you’ll be the one going out of business!"

"Ha! 'Celestial Drunkenness'? So you were the one behind those nursery rhymes outside? Fang Yang, how truly childish." Xie Ping’s lips curled in contempt. "Oh, right, I almost forgot. You were just dumped by the Song family's young lady. I suppose that must have driven you mad? You, making my family’s shop go out of business? Everyone in the capital knows the Xie family’s wine is a time-honored brand!"

Xie Ping laughed heartily.

Fang Yang frowned. "How did you know I was dumped?"

"Ha! Who doesn't know? Miss Song has been flirting with the top scholar, Cui, for a long time. When you were expelled from the Imperial Academy, she said she wanted to break off the engagement before your father left the capital. I suppose you have nothing to do with her now!" Xie Ping’s expression was full of mockery.

Fang Yang didn't care in the slightest. "Pfft, let her break it off. As the son of a Duke, I can find a woman anywhere I please."

"Fine, keep playing the tough guy. You want to run a tavern? I’ll be waiting to see you lose your last pair of trousers." Xie Ping finished with a chuckle and turned to leave.

Lian'er, standing nearby, knitted her brows. She looked at the three-story building not far away, her face filled with worry. "Young Master, the Xie family’s wine business is famous throughout the capital. When the Old Master was home, he often had the household staff buy their brew. Now that they are targeting us, shouldn't we do something else?"

"No need. I am determined to sell this wine. In a few days, I’ll show that dog why flowers bloom so red."

"But..."

"No more buts."

Fang Yang waved his hand, tossed the rent to the agency owner, and arranged for his servants to begin cleaning. After stopping to order a plaque, he took Lian'er home.

***

As night fell, Xie Ping gathered with a group of his debauched friends.

"Ha! Xie Ping, you’re late! Three penalty drinks for you!"

Xie Ping smiled, downed the three cups on the table without hesitation, and squeezed into a seat next to the person closest to him.

"Gentlemen, guess what interesting thing I encountered today?"

"Oh? Has Brother Xie found a lady who has stolen his heart?" one asked.

Xie Ping shook his head with a grin.

"Did you find money, Brother Xie? Then you’re buying tonight!" another joked.

"Something even more fun than that." Xie Ping gave a mysterious smile. "That spendthrift has started doing business again!"

The group froze. "The spendthrift? That Fang Yang? Doing business again?"

Xie Ping nodded. Then, with a mocking smile, he said, "This spendthrift, whom even dogs wouldn't bother to look at, is actually trying to sell wine this time. He truly knows no bounds."

"Tsk, Duke Cheng is truly unfortunate to have raised such a spendthrift." They all shook their heads, and though something felt off, their faces were filled with schadenfreude.

Xie Ping laughed, "Have you heard the saying, 'If you haven't tasted Celestial Drunkenness, even becoming a Prime Minister is in vain'?"

One friend replied, "I heard it. I’m quite curious, what kind of wine could make a Prime Minister’s life feel in vain?"

"Ha! No need to be curious. That wine is what that spendthrift cooked up," Xie Ping replied with a roar of laughter.

"Oh? It’s him? Then I’ll have to go and see the spectacle." Xie Ping’s friends all wore expressions of contempt.

Xie Ping drained his cup, a glint in his eye. "When it comes to wine in the capital, if my Xie family claims to be second, no one dares claim to be first. Tomorrow, we shall all go together. I intend to humiliate him properly."

They all agreed to go and watch the fun when Fang Yang opened his shop the next day.

***

At the Song Mansion:

"What’s wrong? Did something happen at the poetry gathering today?" Song Li asked, watching his daughter, Song Yiran, who was sitting gloomily and scribbling incessantly.

Song Yiran told her father what had transpired. Song Li glanced at the poems she had written, and his brows furrowed. "You say these two poems were..."

Song Yiran nodded.

After a long pause, Song Li said, "This Fang Yang... I fear he may have something up his sleeve..."

Song Yiran was unconvinced. "Father, he must have plagiarized these poems! If he truly had talent, why would he have been a spendthrift for so many years?"

Song Li shook his head slightly. "Even if he didn't plagiarize them, he must have bought them. A spendthrift like him, an incompetent who couldn't even stay in the Imperial Academy, could never write these two poems."

***

The next morning, the Duke Cheng mansion was unusually quiet. Fang Yang had tasked his outer-court servants with acting as tavern staff. Early that morning, they had all rushed to the shop in the Eastern Market to prepare. As for the tavern manager, Fang Yang had reassigned the household’s accountant, reasoning that a manager needed to know how to handle figures.

After finishing breakfast, Fang Yang stretched lazily, grabbed the folding fan by his side, and called out, "Lian'er, let's go. It’s opening day for the tavern; let’s go take a look."

"Young Master, we only rented the shop yesterday. Opening today feels a bit too rash. Plus, we haven't prepared anything for the opening," Lian'er said, full of concern.

"What is there to prepare? Tables and chairs are ready, the plaque is hung, and I’ve already had the household chefs bring the ingredients. Everything is ready," Fang Yang said with an air of nonchalance.

Lian'er remained worried. She had never heard of a business opening without even consulting a master for an auspicious date. It felt far too much like a child's game.

"Young Master, shouldn't we pick a date? Opening a business is no small matter."

Fang Yang smiled, looking as if he had everything under control. "Lian'er, rest assured. Seeking auspicious dates is merely a minor trick. As long as my product quality is solid and the advertising is on point, nothing else matters."

Lian'er was baffled; she had no idea where her Young Master had picked up such strange terminology. She stopped arguing and simply followed him out.

As they walked, Fang Yang boasted, "Lian'er, believe in your Young Master. From today on, I will make it so that every copper coin dropped on the streets of this capital will carry the name 'Fang'!"