Hundred Herbs Hall Medicine Boy, Scouting Li Laocai's Home for Recommendation Votes

Go find Zheng Kecheng himself?

Granny Yan knew perfectly well that even if she was willing to offer money, Zheng Kecheng would not accept it.

With no ties of kinship or friendship between them, he would worry that she might turn around and report him. Li Laocai was his brother-in-law, so Zheng Kecheng naturally had no such concern.

"Zheng Kecheng should be arriving soon. Once he gets here, we'll pay Li Laocai a visit!"

Granny Yan made up her mind, thinking to herself.

She still wanted to draw closer to Zheng Kecheng.

Hundred Herbs Hall.

It was the only medicinal hall in Qingniu Town. The resident physician, Bai Mingliang, possessed superb medical skills, as everyone in Qingniu Town knew.

Besides.

Doctor Bai had excellent medical ethics. If an illness could be treated, he would do everything he could to save the patient. If it could not, he would explain it clearly rather than let them waste their money.

Because of his advanced age, Bai Mingliang only began seeing patients at nine in the morning.

There were only three people at the medicinal hall: Doctor Bai, his granddaughter Bai Fenghuan, and a pharmacist. Since Doctor Bai was old and his legs were no longer convenient, he could not go into the mountains to gather herbs. That was why he had decided to find another disciple to inherit his mantle.

"Grandpa, someone came by outside asking whether we're hiring medicine boys. He seems to be from Third Master Qin's family at the east end of town."

Bai Mingliang was lean, with more than half his hair turned white. Dressed in a pale robe, he was eating in the back hall when his granddaughter Bai Fenghuan came in.

"Oh?"

Bai Mingliang thought carefully for a moment, then remembered.

Qin Sanhuai from the east end of town had suffered from chronic dizziness, palpitations, and severe anxiety. Back then, Bai Mingliang had prescribed medicine to keep it under control and told him to return home and rest quietly. Unexpectedly, Qin Sanhuai had died of illness half a year ago. Before his death, he had borrowed usurious interest from Li Laocai. With interest piling upon interest, the debt had grown considerable, and his three large tiled houses and three mu of poor farmland had all been taken to repay it.

He had left behind a son and daughter with no way to survive.

His daughter had willingly sold herself to enter the city in order to save her younger brother. Bai Mingliang had heard about it.

"Have him wait a moment. I'll come out shortly."

Bai Mingliang put down his rice bowl and spoke.

"Alright."

Bai Fenghuan nodded and turned to leave.

Morning.

Three or four patients were waiting in the medicinal hall.

Qin Wang smelled the dense medicinal fragrance wafting through the air, his heart uneasy. At that moment, the twelve- or thirteen-year-old girl who had greeted him earlier came out from the back hall and smiled at him. "My grandpa will be out soon."

"Mm, thank you!"

Qin Wang thanked the girl. The little girl was quite warm and welcoming.

Hundred Herbs Hall had two rows of door panels and covered an area of around ten zhang square. In the middle stood a row of U-shaped wooden counters. Behind them, against the wall, were rows upon rows of wooden drawers, labeled with medicinal herbs such as "fo-ti," "cassia seeds," "solomon's seal," "smoked plums," and "lygodium spores."

The pharmacist in his thirties was preparing Chinese medicine for one of the patients.

"Child, I remember you're from Sanhuai's family. Your name is Qin Wang, right?"

Before long, Bai Mingliang came out and gave Qin Wang a kind smile.

"Yes, Grandpa Bai."

Qin Wang nodded. He remembered that the original owner had addressed him this way before.

"It's like this. The medicinal hall sometimes needs someone to enter the mountains and gather herbs. I'm already old and cannot manage it, so I'm planning to hire a medicine boy. Food and lodging are included, with wages calculated separately. If you can endure the hardship, why not try it for a while first?"

Bai Mingliang looked Qin Wang over. The child was far too thin and frail, and he worried that he would not be able to endure it. His ultimate purpose was to find a disciple to inherit his mantle.

"Grandpa Bai, I can endure hardship."

Qin Wang nodded.

"Mm. If it's convenient, start today. First, familiarize yourself with the medicinal herbs!"

Bai Mingliang nodded and called to Bai Fenghuan. "Fenghuan, take Qin Wang to familiarize himself with the herbs first."

"Alright, Grandpa!"

Bai Fenghuan nodded and beckoned Qin Wang. "Big Brother, come with me."

Noon.

Bai Fenghuan cooked while Qin Wang helped out.

Though Bai Fenghuan was only thirteen or fourteen, her Culinary Arts were quite good. She made a plate of vinegar cabbage, a plate of five-spice dried tofu, a plate of dried bamboo shoots stir-fried with meat, and a fish head soup. Doctor Bai, Bai Fenghuan, Qin Wang, and the pharmacist Yu Hai all ate together.

Qin Wang ate a full two bowls of rice.

I came to the right place. I've finally seen meat.

As long as I can eat my fill every day, this body can fill out too.

After the meal, Bai Fenghuan went to wash the dishes. Qin Wang sorted medicinal herbs as he sighed inwardly. He was far too thin at present; every rib showed through his chest. If he wanted to grow properly, he needed more nutrition.

"Brother Wang, Grandpa said for you to come with us to Li Family Manor and help carry the medicine chest."

At around four in the afternoon, Qin Wang was sorting herbs when Bai Fenghuan walked over and spoke to him.

"Ah? Going to Li Family Manor?"

Hearing Bai Fenghuan's words, Qin Wang froze for a moment, then immediately nodded. "Alright! No problem."

He had not expected it.

On his very first day of work, he was going to Li Laocai's home. He had been worried that he would have no chance to scout out those 850 taels of silver.

At once.

Qin Wang followed Bai Fenghuan to the front of the medicinal hall, where he saw a tall Blue-Robed Man standing inside. The man looked around forty, his face sharply carved as if by a blade, with a short beard and eyes like lightning. A long saber hung at his waist, and he was speaking with Doctor Bai.

The man's face was filled with deep concern.

"I'm going to Li Family Manor. You'll come with me."

When Bai Mingliang saw Qin Wang emerge from the back hall, he immediately gestured for him to carry the medicine chest. He was old and could not carry things over long distances. That had been his original reason for hiring a medicine boy.

"Mm!"

Qin Wang nodded, stepped forward, and slung the medicine chest onto his back. Bai Fenghuan checked it over for him, making sure nothing had been left behind.

The Blue-Robed Man with the saber seemed to be in great haste and headed out of Hundred Herbs Hall first.

Qin Wang followed behind Bai Mingliang as they made their way toward Li Family Manor.

Could Li Laocai be about to die?

More than a quarter of an hour later, Qin Wang followed behind Bai Mingliang, looking at Li Family Manor in the distance with flickering eyes.

If he could personally witness Li Laocai breathe his last, that would be a satisfying sight indeed!

Before long.

Qin Wang and the others followed the blue-robed, saber-carrying man into Li Family Manor.

"Li Laocai, that old bastard, has done every evil imaginable. His manor is so huge, so luxurious! All of it is ill-gotten wealth!"

It was Qin Wang's first time entering Li Laocai's home. Looking around, he could not help clicking his tongue.

Ornamental trees, artificial hills, lotus ponds, koi, pavilions—everything was there!

It was too extravagant.

How much silver must this have cost?

Compared to his own drafty thatched hut, where heavy rain fell outside and light rain fell inside, this was the difference between heaven and earth!

And Li Laocai controlled hundreds of mu of fertile land in Qingniu Town, with shares in the fish market as well!

"Brother..."

"It's only been a little over a month since I last saw you. How did you become like this... Brother!"

Qin Wang did not look around further. Following Bai Mingliang to the outside of a side room in the second courtyard of the manor, he heard a woman's wailing from within. Several guards stood outside the room, along with more than ten maids and servants, all wearing grave expressions and silent as cicadas in winter.

There were also two richly dressed youths standing outside.

When they saw Qin Wang and the others arrive, one of the youths went into the room.

Not long after.

A woman in a yellow dress, who bore a three-tenths resemblance to Li Laocai, came out of the room and knelt before Bai Mingliang. Sobbing, she said, "Doctor Bai, you've finally come! Please save my brother! I'm begging you! We'll pay however much silver it takes!"

"Chunxia, get up quickly!"

"Let me examine him first."

Bai Mingliang waved for Li Chunxia to rise, then called Qin Wang into Li Laocai's room.

Bai Mingliang stepped forward and took Li Laocai's pulse, examining him.

Meanwhile, Qin Wang surveyed Li Laocai's room.

The doors and windows were open, and a brazier sat on the floor. Against the western wall stood an exquisite pale-red pinewood couch. Li Laocai lay on it with his head propped high, his eyes half-closed, his lips trembling open and shut as saliva continuously dribbled down.

His hands were clenched into fists, his body shuddering constantly as "uh... uh..." sounds came from his mouth.

"Chunxia, your brother's wound was too deep, and he has contracted metal-wound convulsions. You know about this illness too... sigh!"

"Generally speaking, minor wounds are normal and harmless. But the iron nail your brother encountered was not only rusty—it had also been deliberately soaked in filth. That is the root cause of his contracting metal-wound convulsions. Given his current condition, he only has a few days left. All I can do is use acupuncture and prescribe medicine to restore some of his spirits."

After taking Li Laocai's pulse, Bai Mingliang turned to Li Chunxia and spoke.

Tears fell like rain from Li Chunxia's eyes. She covered her mouth to keep herself from crying aloud, then nodded. "I'll trouble you, Doctor Bai!"

"Hand me the silver needles."

Doctor Bai gave Qin Wang an instruction. Qin Wang immediately opened the medicine chest and handed over the needles he needed. At the same time, in the instant he lowered his head, Qin Wang looked beneath Li Laocai's bed.