Chapter 305 — Driving a Hard Bargain: No Sooner Had Wei Zhao Spoken Than the Whole Room Erupted

Even Guan Xuemin stared at Wei Zhao in astonishment! If it was kept well under control, Old Master Liu could indeed live another ten years or eight, but only on the condition that his illness stayed controlled and his angina never flared up again!

For an old man of Liu Zhenhu's age, another eight or ten years would leave his lamp oil all but spent. Even Hua Tuo come back to life could not defy heaven and change his fate.

And how could that be called curing him for nothing? Birth, age, sickness and death were the natural course of life. If those who came after passed away within those eight or ten years, that too would be perfectly normal!

"Ha ha ha! The young man is right. If this old fellow has another eight or ten years, I will be going into the ground. That is only natural. But if you can spare me from torment by illness these few years, I shall already be more grateful than I can say!" At his age, Liu Zhenhu no longer feared death much, and what Wei Zhao said was true enough.

Most crucially, Liu Zhenhu knew perfectly well in his heart that his daughter-in-law had offended Wei Zhao from the very start, and her nephew had offended him again. Would the man still be willing to treat him?

"Treatment? Out of respect for you, old sir, I will reluctantly take it on. But I charge a fee!" The only one Wei Zhao thought well of was the old master, Liu Zhenhu.

Whatever else might be said, the old man knew how to repay kindness, and he had even invited him to visit Yanjing before, so Wei Zhao's impression of him remained favorable. Still, to simply agree to treat him left Wei Zhao feeling somewhat put out, so he hit upon a compromise.

"A fee? No problem at all!" The moment Liu Tianyi heard Wei Zhao's condition, he nodded hastily in agreement. Paying for treatment was only right and proper, and he had no objection whatsoever. "May I ask, young divine physician, how much will the medical fees be?"

"Ten million a year." Wei Zhao said.

"It takes a year to cure? But ten million... very well, no problem!" Liu Tianyi hesitated a moment, then nodded. Though ten million was no small sum, compared with his father's health it was nothing.

"Is something wrong with your head?" Wei Zhao frowned at Liu Tianyi's words. "I said it costs ten million per year, not ten million in total!"

"Ah?" Liu Tianyi froze, anger flaring in his heart. He guessed Wei Zhao was likely taking advantage of his plight, yet he was utterly helpless. They had already offended Wei Zhao to the core, and getting him to relent was all but impossible. He dared not show the least displeasure, lest the man refuse to treat at any price. "Then, how much will the total consultation fee be?"

"Did I not just say it? He can still live another ten years or eight. Can you not do the math yourself?" Wei Zhao shot Liu Tianyi a contemptuous glance.

"Then... then would that not be eighty million?" Liu Tianyi started. That was truly an enormous sum.

"Eighty million?" Wei Zhao could not help laughing. "Fine. If you want your old master to suffer a sudden attack after eight years, then make it eighty million. Either way, if he does not die within eight years, one attack will surely kill him."

"This..." Liu Tianyi could only smile bitterly at Wei Zhao's words. Wei Zhao was clearly asking him for a hundred million! If he wanted a hundred million, why not say so outright. Put like this, it sounded as if he begrudged spending money on his own father! He dared not guarantee his father would live only eight years. By Wei Zhao's reckoning, eighty million covered only eight years, and if his father died of a sudden attack after that, he would be branded an unfilial son!

By now Guan Xuemin understood too, and his expression turned odd. Just moments ago he had been telling Wei Zhao about having no start-up funds, and now here came the start-up funds? The way Wei Zhao was fleecing them rang loud and clear.

Although Guan Xuemin knew Wei Zhao was merely seizing on the pretext, who had told the Liu family to offend him? Guan Xuemin had remained silent all along, and in these circumstances he could hardly intervene.

"Old Guan, what do you think..." Liu Tianyi said helplessly. Ten million he could produce at once, but a hundred million would require some planning. Was that not a bit too much? So he hoped Guan Xuemin would put in a word for him.

"Mr. Liu, you really overestimate me." Guan Xuemin shook his head. "My relationship with Wei Zhao can only be described as half teacher and half friend! I have no way to interfere with him."

"Half teacher and half friend? Then you still count as half his teacher. If you spoke up..." Liu Tianyi said, then added helplessly, "To be honest with you, though the Liu family is a great clan, coming up with a hundred million in cash would be somewhat difficult..."

"Would you presume to demand anything of your own teacher?" Guan Xuemin said with a wry smile.

"Hmm?" Liu Tianyi froze, failing to grasp Guan Xuemin's meaning.

"Wei Zhao counts as half my teacher." Guan Xuemin felt not the least embarrassment. He was an upright man. He admired Wei Zhao's medical skill, so he spoke plainly and would not conceal anything for fear of losing face.

"What?!" Liu Tianyi started, staring at Wei Zhao in disbelief! Guan Xuemin actually called Wei Zhao his teacher? How... how was that possible?

Still, Liu Tianyi was a man who had seen the world, and in a flash he understood! Yes, even Guan Xuemin was powerless against his father's illness, so how could his student have a remedy? The only possibility was that Wei Zhao was even more formidable than Guan Xuemin!

"I have said all I can say." Guan Xuemin waved his hand. "I have already introduced Wei Zhao to you. Whether to seek treatment is for you to decide, but rest assured, even if you do not pay this hundred million, I will still do my utmost, and if possible, I will ask Wei Zhao to help..."

"A hundred million. Fine! No problem!" Having grasped the relationship between Wei Zhao and Guan Xuemin, Liu Tianyi agreed without hesitation! Although producing a hundred million in cash was difficult for the Liu family, selling off some stocks and property in hand could scrape the sum together. And the core figure of the Liu family, his father, could suffer no mishap. So long as his father lived on in health, the Liu family had hope!

"Then settled. When you have the money ready, call me." Wei Zhao nodded, wasting no words. "You can find me through Grandpa Guan. I will be going now. It is getting late today."

"Very well, Divine Physician Wei, shall I see you out?" Liu Tianyi had thrown caution to the wind, so his mind was at ease. It was only a hundred million, after all. Compared with his father's health, it truly was nothing. The Liu family was unlike those other newly risen houses. The reason they flourished now was entirely due to Liu Zhenhu's connections and standing.

Liu Tianyi wanted to see Wei Zhao off partly because he wanted to learn where Wei Zhao lived. Now it was no longer the pain of parting with a hundred million that troubled him, but the fear that Wei Zhao might change his mind.

"No need, I drove here myself." Wei Zhao waved his hand lightly. "Grandpa Guan, I will head back today. Please tell Guan Xin for me that I will come visit again in a couple of days."

For the fastest updates with no pop-up windows, please continue reading.