Pharmacy Apprentice

Qingyang Town, Hundred Herbs Pharmacy.

At dawn, as the sky just began to lighten, Yang Heng opened his eyes. The scene that greeted him was unfamiliar; this was not his usual dwelling, not the sun-deprived, closely packed buildings of the urban village.

It was a large communal dormitory, spacious enough.

Seven or eight people were sound asleep, with room for four or five more.

However, the living conditions were exceptionally poor.

A faint smell of mildew permeated the air, and the plaster on the walls peeled like dry, cracked skin, revealing the brown mud beneath.

Beneath him was a cold, hard wooden board, covered by a straw mat less than a centimeter thick. It offered no warmth and was uncomfortable to sleep on, feeling rather poky.

The quilts were made of some unknown material, stiff as iron blocks, like a giant chunk of ice. Their insulating effect was negligible, providing only a sliver of psychological comfort.

Cobwebs filled the corners of the room, clearly indicating a lack of cleaning.

Seeing this, Yang Heng was utterly bewildered, clueless as to what had happened.

Suddenly, a sharp pain shot through his head, as if an iron spike had been forcibly driven into his skull. His face instantly turned ashen, his lips devoid of color, his features contorted in a grimace, like a demon from the deepest hell, utterly terrifying.

He let out a series of piercing screams, the commotion loud enough to wake everyone else sleeping in the room. They jolted upright, looking around wildly, searching for the source of the noise.

Upon realizing it was Second Fool Yang Heng causing the disturbance, they became furious, their eyes blazing with anger, wishing they could teach Yang Heng a harsh lesson.

When Yang Heng was a child, he had a high fever that was not treated promptly, leaving him with after-effects. His reactions were slower than normal, and he often did things that drew ridicule, leading to him being nicknamed Second Fool.

Shortly after joining the pharmacy as an apprentice, this peculiarity was discovered. Within a day, the news spread throughout the entire pharmacy, and all the apprentices began calling him Second Fool. They assigned him all the dirty and strenuous tasks, and often beat him.

Day after day, within half a year of joining the pharmacy, Yang Heng collapsed from illness and injury. Last night, he had breathed his last, which was why he had transmigrated.

Sorting through the jumbled memories in his mind, Yang Heng understood his current predicament. It was a disastrous start, and a wry smile involuntarily appeared on his lips.

He had transmigrated!

And it was a soul transmigration.

He couldn't fathom how he, a miserable wage slave, had the good fortune to join the ranks of transmigrators.

Could it be his ancestors' blessings?

After all, he had returned home to pay respects to his ancestors not long ago.

With a slight sigh, he continued to sift through his memories, discovering that this body's parents were both deceased.

His mother had died of a cold shortly after his birth. His father was a Xiucai scholar who repeatedly failed his examinations, depleting their once comfortable family fortune. To secure a livelihood for himself and his son, he had opened a private school in the countryside, barely making ends meet through tuition fees.

When Yang Heng turned fifteen, his father fell gravely ill. Knowing his end was near, he entrusted someone to find Yang Heng a position at the Hundred Herbs Pharmacy, so he could pass away with peace of mind.

Only three days after Yang Heng joined the pharmacy, his father passed away.

At that time, Yang Heng's reaction time was slower than normal, and he didn't know how to express his emotions.

Upon hearing of his father's death, he appeared indifferent. Those who didn't know the circumstances thought he was naturally cold-hearted, which led to his poor reputation at the pharmacy and his ostracization by the others.

Before long, everyone noticed his abnormality. His speech and actions were slower than normal, and those who worked with him often suffered greatly. While kind-hearted people didn't bother him, those with short tempers would resort to physical violence.

When they witnessed such scenes, the masters at the pharmacy would loudly reprimand the aggressors, asking if they would pay for the medical treatment if they injured someone.

As for beatings in secret, they wouldn't intervene. They only cared if the work was done properly.

Though called apprentices, they were essentially laborers. Before entering the pharmacy, one had to sign an apprentice agreement stating: "During the apprenticeship, the pharmacy is not responsible for life or death."

Apprentices had a three-year probationary period to temper their character. Those who performed exceptionally well had a chance to be taken on as disciples by the masters, taught medicinal principles, and eventually become village doctors, earning a living.

However, the reality was that not even one in ten apprentices who endured the three years were taken on as disciples.

It was like a company leader dangling a carrot – big and round, nice to hear, but don't take it seriously.

The apprentices' daily tasks primarily involved cleaning, moving medicinal ingredients, and delivering medicine.

There were also different ranks among the apprentices.

Apprentices serving the masters directly held the highest status, responsible for cleaning the masters' rooms and managing their affairs. If they performed well, they might occasionally receive money or provisions, and if a master took a liking to them, they might even be accepted as a disciple, which would drastically change their status.

Apprentices who delivered medicine were second-class. If the customers were pleased, they might offer some reward money. Of course, ordinary apprentices wouldn't get such opportunities; only those with close relationships with the masters could.

Third-class apprentices handled the moving of medicinal ingredients. This was slightly strenuous, purely physical labor, but far more comfortable than the fourth-class apprentices.

Fourth-class apprentices were responsible for cleaning. This wasn't just sweeping the floor; it was far more arduous than a school's major cleaning day.

The fourth-class apprentices' job was to clean the latrines. Early in the morning, while it was still dim, they would grab shovels and buckets, push a single-wheeled cart, and head to the latrines to start their work.

This task was done in groups of four, with rotations every half month. Yang Heng had been doing this job for five months, yet he had never been rotated out.

In his first month, his job was moving medicinal ingredients. During one such task, he accidentally stepped on and crushed a worthless herb. The master on duty seized upon this, made a big deal out of it, and severely punished him by assigning him to clean the latrines for a year without rotation.

The real reason was that on payday, Yang Heng had not given him a "tip." Meanwhile, the other apprentices, as if by prearrangement, had all offered him tips.

Apprentices received twenty copper coins each month. Giving three to five coins as a tip to the master, though a small amount, was a gesture of respect. Since he was the only one who didn't offer a tip, he naturally incurred the master's displeasure.

At that time, his slow reactions meant he didn't understand social niceties, and he was ostracized by the other apprentices, making him unaware of the situation. This angered the petty Master Zhang, who seized any opportunity to punish Yang Heng severely.

The other masters at the pharmacy, upon learning of this, remained silent. They wouldn't jeopardize their standing with Master Zhang, who was their equal, over a mere apprentice.

The status of apprentices at the pharmacy was low, and a single mistake could lead to scolding and beatings from the masters, or bullying from older apprentices.

Yet, even so, many families eagerly sent their children to the pharmacy, hoping they would become apprentices there.

The practical reason is that the world has been chaotic in recent years, with frequent natural disasters like droughts, floods, and locust plagues, leading to crop failures. It's difficult for ordinary families to raise a child.

As the saying goes, "A growing boy can bankrupt his father," and it's no joke.

Although the work at the pharmacy is tough, with constant scolding and beatings, it provides food and lodging, eliminating survival concerns. If one is lucky enough to learn some medical skills and become a local doctor, making a living won't be a problem. Where else can one find such a good opportunity?

Therefore, parents from poor and ordinary families have been sending their children to pharmacies, hoping they can become apprentices.

Pharmacy apprentices are subject to arbitrary scolding within the establishment, but outside the pharmacy, they hold some status in Qingyang Town.

These days, those who run pharmacies are from noble and powerful families, possessing extraordinary influence and strength.

They have formidable martial power to defend against risks, otherwise, the pharmacy couldn't operate.

Setting aside powerful individuals, even encountering some ruffians causing trouble and disturbing the pharmacy's peace would make it difficult to maintain business.

Martial power, formidable martial power, is the foundation of the Hundred Herbs Pharmacy's standing in this chaotic world.

Pharmacy apprentices represent the pharmacy's reputation, and ordinary people dare not provoke them.

Yang Heng's father, having taught for many years and having some connections in Qingyang Town, used his influence to get Yang Heng accepted as an apprentice at the Hundred Herbs Pharmacy. He did this precisely because he knew of the pharmacy's strength.

Although the apprentice's work is demanding, they are guaranteed food and clothing, and safety. While beatings and scoldings occur, deaths are extremely rare.

After all, the pharmacy has always upheld the principle of saving lives and healing the wounded, and it needs to consider its public reputation.

The death of the original Yang Heng was due to two factors: first, he was a bit slow-witted and slow to react, not knowing how to resist, which over time emboldened the bullies. Second, his father had passed away, leaving him with no relatives or friends to champion his cause, so his death went unnoticed.

His situation is dire.

Aware of the danger he faces from bullying companions and living in a lawless world where chaos reigns and danger lurks everywhere, Yang Heng sighed inwardly, his brows furrowed.

Fortunately, he had transmigrated, and he wasn't without his advantages.

Friends who have transmigrated often know that a transmigrator must have a cheat, be it a system, a status panel, a ring, a jade pendant, or something similar.

His cheat is a transparent bead named the Marrow Cleansing Pearl, covered in mysterious patterns and exuding an ancient aura.

Located at his navel, he could sense its presence with a slight thought.

As the name suggests, the Marrow Cleansing Pearl possesses the effect of cleansing the marrow and strengthening the bones, thereby altering one's physique.

It can absorb energy from daily meals, accumulating it slowly. Once the bead's energy is full, it releases a peculiar energy that improves the body, cleanses the marrow, strengthens the bones, and enhances the host's innate talent.

With the Marrow Cleansing Pearl's assistance, Yang Heng firmly believed he would achieve great things in the future and live a life superior to others.

However...

For now, his status is low, and he lacks the ability to protect himself. He decided to lie low and develop his strength, keeping past grievances in mind to settle them later.

But before he could continue to revel in the beautiful future life, a sudden gust of wind attacked him from behind.

A glance out of the corner of his eye revealed a calloused hand whistling through the air, aiming a fierce blow at his right cheek.