PFC Chapter 36 Selling Medicinal Herbs
Chapter 36 Selling Medicinal Herbs
The oxcart swayed and rattled for two hours, and the group arrived outside the county town near noon.
There were many people and vehicles queuing at the city gate. Meng Wenbai got out of the car to ask and learned that there were imperial criminals roaming around their area in recent days. The higher authorities had ordered a strict investigation, and the guards at the gate were checking very carefully.
In addition, the county magistrate recently ordered that people must pay an entrance fee to enter the county town: one coin per person, two coins for carrying a basket, and three coins for driving into the town. With both matters delayed, long queues formed.
"What kind of nonsense is this? I've lived most of my life and I've never heard of having to pay a fee per person to enter the city! Aren't those officials just greedy for money?"
Although Zheng Yi was outspoken, he knew that if the guards heard him, he would be punished, so he spoke softly.
As the village chief, Meng Bochang knew a lot about what was happening outside. He said with great concern, "The world is in chaos. The Xie family, who were guarding the border, have been summoned back to the capital. The Hu people in the north are starting to stir. Coupled with the floods in the south and the drought in the north, we don't know how many more days of peace we can have."
"Just wait and see, war will break out again on the border. Buy grain as needed, so that we won't go hungry when things get chaotic."
Hearing his old friend speak with such certainty, Meng Bochang pondered for a moment and asked, "Do you really think so?"
Zheng Yi snorted coldly, "Without the Xie family guarding Yongcheng, the city gates are more fragile than paper. How long can those useless people hold out? I used to be a military doctor in Yongcheng, and I know the situation there better than you do."
Along the way, Meng Fuqing sat beside the two old people and listened to them talk. After being closed off for so long, he finally gained a general understanding of the Great Yan.
In general, the emperor was stubborn and self-willed, the ministers were obsequious and sycophantic, and good generals were not given important positions.
As the two elders said, the Great Yan will not enjoy peace for long.
Qingping County is only two hundred li away from Yongcheng. If Yongcheng falls, Qingping County will not fare much better.
Looks like I'll have to buy a lot of things this time.
When the oxcart arrived at the city gate, Meng Fuqing saw that the guard was holding three portraits. One of the portraits had a mask on the left half of the face, while the right half looked familiar. It was the scarred man she had seen at the Sifang Restaurant.
The imperial court has ordered the arrest of a criminal, and a reward of one hundred taels of silver will be given.
Meng Fuqing was somewhat tempted, but then she thought that the two people didn't look like easy targets just by their demeanor. It wasn't worth it to go up against such people for a hundred taels of silver. So she had no choice but to give up.
As she looked away, she suddenly noticed that Doctor Zheng, who was half-reclining, had been staring at the portrait for a while, and his face suddenly turned pale. He quickly pretended to be fine and closed his eyes, but upon closer inspection, his hands were trembling.
Meng Fuqing withdrew his gaze, pretending not to have seen it.
After paying the entrance fee and undergoing a thorough inspection, the oxcart was finally allowed to enter the county town.
Only after they were far from the city gate did Zheng Yi whisper to Meng Bochang, "Do you know why the Xie family became wanted criminals?"
Little did Meng Bochang know that he hadn't been to the county recently.
"You're saying those three people in the portrait are members of the Xie family?"
"It's the Xie family," Zheng Yi said anxiously, slapping his thigh, but still keeping his voice down, "What happened? Why are they wanted?"
Meng Bochang also frowned, "Don't worry, I'll go to the county government office to inquire."
Zheng Yi had no choice but to suppress his worries and remain silent.
Meng Fuqing listened to the two talking, her eyes darting to both sides of the street. After they finished, she asked Doctor Zheng, "Doctor Zheng, do you know which pharmacy in the county town is the most honest?"
Zheng Yi was preoccupied with something and didn't want to talk to her. "Why don't you just ask if I'll get my money?"
"How about one copper coin? Consultation fee."
The old doctor was so angry at Meng Fuqing that he forgot his worries for a moment. He pointed at Meng Fuqing and said, "You little brat, even if you beg me to become your apprentice, I won't accept you. Staying with you is like asking for trouble!"
Despite grumbling, Zheng Yi still told Meng Fuqing what he knew.
Meng Fuqing kept his promise and gave Zheng Yi a copper coin. Zheng Yi, who had just been complaining, accepted the coin and chased Meng Fuqing off the carriage, showing a practiced ability to discard someone after they have served their purpose.
The oxcart stopped at this moment, and Meng Fuqing looked up and saw that Baicao Shop was right on the side of the street.
She told the village chief not to wait for her when she got back, and after saying goodbye, she got off the cart with her basket and walked towards the pharmacy.
After Meng Fuqing left, the oxcart slowly made its way towards the county government office. Meng Bochang asked Zheng Yi, "Weren't you also going to the herbal shop to buy medicine? I was planning to have Wan'er accompany you inside. Why did you change your mind?"
Zheng Yi shook his head. "I'm worried. The Xie family's third branch has been kind to me. Now that their son is in trouble, I can't help much. I can only try to find out if they are safe and sound."
Meng Bochang nodded in agreement. The Xie family had been guarding the border for ten years without fail, and their loyalty to the Great Yan was evident to all the people. If His Majesty were to truly be ruthless and kill the Xie family, it would only show that the emperor was heartless.
Inside Baicaotang, just as Doctor Zheng had said, the shopkeeper was clearly a kind and benevolent man just by looking at his face.
Meng Fuqing laid out the contents of the two baskets one by one on the table, much to the surprise of the shopkeeper and the apprentice.
The more expensive ingredients are Polygonum multiflorum, Polygonatum sibiricum, Gastrodia elata, Poria cocos, and deer antler; the rest are nothing compared to these.
"I heard from Doctor Zheng that your Baicao Shop is the most conscientious pharmacy in Qingping County, so I thought I'd sell all the herbs I've collected here. I wonder if the shopkeeper would accept them all?"
Upon hearing the name "Doctor Zheng," the shopkeeper of the herbal medicine shop, who had been stunned into silence, hurriedly asked, "Is it Doctor Zheng from Mengjia Village?"
"Yes, I am also from Mengjia Village."
The shopkeeper was surprised that his shop could receive such high praise from Doctor Zheng, and his gaze toward Meng Fuqing became even more amiable.
"Since you were introduced by Doctor Zheng, our herbal shop will not let you down. I will take a look at these herbs and if they are suitable, we will buy them all."
Meng Fuqing thought to himself, "I never expected Doctor Zheng's name to be so useful."
She smiled slightly and said, "Thank you for your trouble, shopkeeper."
Next, she sat down to the side with a cup of tea in front of her, watching the shopkeeper and the apprentice set prices, weigh items, and calculate the bill. She would occasionally lower the price, and as long as it wasn't too outrageous, the shopkeeper would agree out of respect for Doctor Zheng.
Finally, the shopkeeper was so tired that fine beads of sweat appeared on his forehead. He wiped his sweat and asked Meng Fuqing, "These herbs look very fresh. Did you pick them by yourself, or did you pick them with others? Would you like to split the money?"
"No need, I picked them myself."
The shopkeeper was shocked again, thinking to himself that this girl was quite capable. He asked, "Are you related to Doctor Zheng, young lady?"
Meng Fuqing had already realized how useful Doctor Zheng was, and shook his head, "My surname is Meng, and my sister is Doctor Zheng's apprentice."
How can a disciple who hasn't yet formally become an apprentice not be considered a disciple?
The shopkeeper thought to himself: If the older sister is like this, what must the younger sister, who has been taken in as an apprentice by Doctor Zheng, be like?
"If the young lady is so capable, your younger sister must also be exceptionally intelligent."
Meng Fuqing accepted the compliment without any modesty.
In the end, the total cost of the medicinal herbs was 236 taels, 4 mace, and 65 wen.
As the shopkeeper counted the money, he said, "If you can process these medicinal herbs properly, you can sell them for dozens more taels than you are now."
"Yes, next time I'll ask Doctor Zheng to teach me how to process medicinal herbs."
As Meng Fuqing spoke, she saw the shopkeeper take out two one-hundred-tael silver notes. Recalling the conversation between the village chief and Doctor Zheng on the carriage, she said, "Shopkeeper, could you please exchange them all for silver?"
"You want silver? That's quite a lot!"
"It's alright, I'm strong, and just looking at the silver makes me happy."
The shopkeeper chuckled, "That's not wrong."
Before leaving, Meng Fuqing remembered the snake in the space and asked the shopkeeper, "Do you accept snake gallbladders? If so, I'll bring some next time."
The shopkeeper chuckled and said, "Yes, yes, you can bring any medicinal herbs you have to sell here in the future."
Meng Fuqing smiled and agreed, then left the pharmacy with a basket of silver on his back.