"Hmph... I initially thought you were gentle and lovely, and I could accept your status as a concubine's daughter, letting you be a concubine to Xu Bai. I never expected you to be so sharp-tongued! A woman like you will never enter my Sheng family's gates in this lifetime!"
This was the first time she had been so directly challenged by a junior, and by a concubine's daughter whom she looked down upon the most, leaving her utterly humiliated.
Madam Sheng's face turned from green to purple with anger, almost to the point of ordering them to be thrown out.
Feng Jin grabbed Ling Wan's hand, pulled her behind her to protect her, and directly confronted Madam Sheng.
"Madam Sheng, what my sister just said is also what I want to say to you. The daughters of our Ling family disdain marrying into your Sheng family. Even if you personally came to propose with a grand procession, we would never marry into your Sheng family!"
She had initially thought Sheng Xu Bai was a good man, a suitable match, and therefore intended to matchmake Ling Wan and Sheng Xu Bai.
Who would have thought that this Madam Sheng would be such... such a shrew, even more formidable than the fishwives in the marketplace when she lost her temper!
"The Ling family are martial generals from generation to generation. Our Sheng family doesn't want daughters from such families. Marrying one would simply tarnish our Sheng family's reputation!"
Madam Sheng, unwilling to be outdone, continued to belittle the Ling family while also boasting about the Sheng family's status: "Our Sheng family has been esteemed officials and noble scholars for generations, living in opulence. Our ancestors even produced Grand Tutors and Prime Ministers. My two sons..."
"Madam Sheng, you don't need to boast about your family's achievements. I have no interest in listening. You mentioned earlier that I cured young master Sheng, and you would give me any gold or jewels I desired. I won't be polite and will shamelessly ask for my consultation fee. Your Sheng family is so reputable, and Madam Sheng is a woman of her word. You won't go back on what you just said!"
Since they offered to pay for the consultation, it would be ungracious of her not to accept.
"That... that is only natural."
Madam Sheng hadn't expected Feng Jin to suddenly bring up the consultation fee. She had said it casually and hadn't expected Feng Jin to actually take her seriously. She was momentarily taken aback but still went along with Feng Jin's words.
Regaining her composure, she took a deep breath. Madam Sheng still maintained her dignified posture, sitting elegantly on the chair with an arrogant gaze directed at Feng Jin: "Speak, how much consultation fee do you want? My Sheng family can afford it, and we can even give you more."
"Madam Sheng, rest assured. I practice medicine with a clear conscience. My consultation fees are always fair and just, truly honest. I will list the prices of all the medicines used, and Madam Sheng can pay according to the bill."
Feng Jin took a piece of paper and a brush and meticulously listed everything before handing the bill to Madam Sheng.
Madam Sheng, with grace and elegance in every gesture, took the bill and glanced at it casually: "It's just a mere... What! Thirty-four thousand six hundred thirty-two taels and four qian of gold..."
After reciting the amount, Madam Sheng's shoulders trembled uncontrollably. Even all the money in the Sheng family's treasury combined wasn't this much.
Despite the Sheng family's large size and imposing presence, they were not particularly wealthy.
The Sheng family, in accordance with ancestral teachings, had always been incorruptible officials. The wealth accumulated over generations was modest. Madam Sheng couldn't come up with so much money on the spot.
"What is it, Madam Sheng... Do you have an objection to the bill, or... can your Sheng family not afford this money?"
Feng Jin directly pointed out the reason for Madam Sheng's embarrassment, clasping her hands and watching Madam Sheng's face with amusement.
"How could the Sheng family not afford this money? It's just that your consultation fee is indeed quite substantial... Are you perhaps intentionally overcharging to retaliate against our Sheng family?"
"How can you speak to my elder sister-in-law like that? My elder sister-in-law would never overcharge you. Every ingredient used for young master Sheng was of the finest quality, each one priceless. You simply don't know any better and are slandering someone and besmirching their name!"
She could endure any humiliation herself, but she couldn't stand by and watch her elder sister-in-law be slandered.
Ling Wan, usually good-tempered and not one to fuss, could no longer tolerate it and directly retorted to Madam Sheng without holding back.
"What right do you have, a mere concubine's daughter, to speak? You have no respect for hierarchy and no upbringing. Is this how the Ling family teaches you!"
Since she couldn't directly reprimand Feng Jin, she figured she could at least reprimand a lowly concubine's daughter. If she couldn't even do that, how could she maintain her standing in the capital, and how could the Sheng family's reputation be preserved?
Ling Wan was about to say more and argue with Madam Sheng, but just as she opened her mouth, Feng Jin pulled her behind her.
"Madam Sheng, your words are so harsh. My mouth has always been unrestrained. If word gets out, it will damage your Sheng family's reputation. It would be best to speak more politely in the future."
"Every item listed on this bill is genuine and accurate, without any falsification. The Amber Yangxin Pill that young master Sheng is currently taking is made from hundreds of medicinal ingredients, including thousand-year-old Polygonum multiflorum, red ginseng from Changbai Mountain, Angelica sinensis, amber... It takes ten taels of medicinal ingredients to produce one pill of Amber Yangxin Pill."
Feng Jin patiently explained each item to Madam Sheng. Accounting was her forte, and since Madam Sheng wanted to tally the costs, she might as well make it clear.
As Feng Jin spoke, Madam Sheng's complexion grew increasingly grim, the thick layer of powder unable to conceal her distressed expression.
"Then... it... it doesn't cost this much..."
She stammered weakly. It was extremely difficult for her to come up with this sum of money. Moreover, Sheng Xu Bai would need to continue taking the medicine, and the monthly cost of medication alone would be substantial.
Madam Sheng instantly regretted her impulsiveness in falling out with Feng Jin.
However, the words had been spoken, and they could not be taken back. How could she bow down for a pittance and lose the Sheng family's pride?
"Are you saying, Madam Sheng, that you intend to renege on your debt today? Or does your Sheng family truly not have this money? If that's the case, Madam Sheng needs to explain it clearly to me. I am not an unreasonable person who presses people relentlessly. Everyone faces difficulties, and I can understand. Does your Sheng family genuinely not have this money?"
Feng Jin was certain that Madam Sheng, with her inherent pride, would never admit to not having the money, and thus deliberately provoked her to agree.
"The Sheng family has accumulated wealth over many years. How could we not have such trivial sums of money? I will have my maid bring it to you."