Cooperation

Xu Lewu naturally did not dare go himself. With his old bones, he would probably be buried before he even got near the Black Market. Still, splitting the profits fifty-fifty truly pained him.

"What is the cost of one packet of medicine?"

"O... one tael."

Zhong Lin's face darkened as he glared at Old Man Xu. A medicine packet that cost one tael of silver was sold to him for three taels—an entire twofold profit. This old bastard really had some nerve!

Zhong Lin snorted. "If you are unwilling to split the profits fifty-fifty, then we can change the arrangement. I'll buy each packet of your medicine for two taels of silver, and then sell it myself. How much I sell it for will have nothing to do with you. You will not need to bear any risk either. How about it?"

Simply put, the cooperative model had become a supply-and-demand model.

Xu Lewu pondered for a moment before finally nodding in agreement. He would earn one tael of silver per packet. Though it was less than before, fools like Zhong Lin did not come along often, and there was no danger whatsoever. Why not?

"Go prepare the medicine! The Black Market is only open for seven days at the start of each month. This is already the second day, so we need to hurry."

"Alright, I'll go right away. Close the door. We will not be seeing patients for the next few days."

Xu Lewu hurried back to the rear courtyard and told Zhong Lin to shut the main doors.

With nothing else to do, Zhong Lin found a chair and sat down. A faint smile appeared on his face as he watched Xu Lewu bustle about.

Zhong Lin had specifically looked into Xu Lewu. His family had practiced medicine for generations. His son and daughter-in-law had been murdered by villains while traveling to treat patients, leaving behind only a grandson whom he treasured like a jewel. By coincidence, the boy was also classmates with Little Shi.

Xu Lewu was over fifty, highly skilled in medicine, and somewhat hot-tempered, yet he possessed a sense of righteousness. One could see it from how he had just raised Zhong Lin's banner to save someone.

Working with someone like that was most convenient, and easy to keep in hand.

As he thought, Zhong Lin noticed a stack of books on the examination table. His heart stirred, and he rose to walk over.

"Treatise on Cold Damage."

Thanks to his diligent studying lately, Zhong Lin had long since learned the commonly used characters and could easily read the title of the book before him.

He picked one up, returned to his seat, and began to read it carefully.

A book Xu Lewu kept on his examination table for casual reading could naturally not be some miscellaneous work. It was a medical text devoted specifically to cold damage.

Zhong Lin had already intended to study medicine. Since he had time, this was the perfect opportunity to examine it properly.

An hour later.

Footsteps from the inner hall interrupted Zhong Lin's reading. Xu Lewu emerged carrying five packets of medicine in each hand. Weariness covered the face of the man over fifty; it was clear that producing these ten packets had been no easy task.

Zhong Lin lowered his head and glanced at the System Panel, a smile appearing on his face.

Host: Zhong Lin

Skills: Archery (max level), Flying Locust Stone (max level), Three-Dimensional Painting (max level), Calligraphy (max level), Cooking (max level), Iron Mountain Skill (max level), Instant Kill Technique (max level), Black Tiger Fist (max level), Willow Catkins (max level), Wind Breaking Saber Technique (max level), Treatise on Cold Damage (beginner)

Skill Points: ∞

Treatise on Cold Damage had formed into a skill and been recorded on the System Panel. Once it became a skill, for Zhong Lin, it was merely a matter of a thought.

With a thought, the "∞" behind Skill Points blurred, and Treatise on Cold Damage immediately became max level. A flood of memories then poured into Zhong Lin's mind.

In those memories, Zhong Lin studied this book painstakingly every day. More than a decade later, he began seeing patients and specialized in cold damage. Another decade passed before he finally absorbed and thoroughly mastered the entire book.

Zhong Lin slowly opened his eyes, a flash of understanding emerging within him.

"Kid Zhong, time is limited, so I only made ten packets. Tomorrow, I can make thirty packets. The day after, I can make even more."

"No need for too many. Thirty packets a day will be enough. Any more, and the Black Market may not be able to take them." Zhong Lin waved his hand.

"Fine."

Zhong Lin rose and weighed the ten packets of Eight Treasures Blood Nourishing Soup in his hand.

"I'll settle the silver with you tomorrow morning. I do not have any money right now either."

The smile on Xu Lewu's face froze. Suddenly, he had the illusion that he had been led into a trap.

"This book is not bad either. Let me borrow it to read."

Before leaving, Zhong Lin took another medical book titled Materia Medica Primer from the stack.

On his way past the butcher's stall, he carried the meat he had bought home. As the sky gradually darkened, fewer pedestrians remained on the streets, making the growing number of refugees all the more conspicuous.

"I'll ask Old Zhou tomorrow what exactly is happening outside."

At dusk, Little Shi returned from school. He tossed his sewn bookbag onto the bed and scurried toward the kitchen, drawn mainly by the delicious smell.

Zhong Lin untied the apron around his waist and said with a smile, "Go wash your hands."

"Mhm, mhm."

Dinner was Braised Pork, cold mixed shredded pig ears, and a plate of minced meat sauce mixed with freshly cooked noodles. It was so delicious that one could eat three huge bowls without stopping.

Zhong Lin had also rendered three jin of fatty pork into lard. Adding some when stir-frying could instantly multiply the fragrance severalfold. The cracklings were stored separately in a jar and could be taken out as snacks whenever they wished—fragrant and crispy.

After dinner, Little Shi conscientiously scrubbed the pots and washed the dishes, then lay sprawled in the study practicing his calligraphy.

Zhong Lin picked up Materia Medica Primer and read until the sun had fully set and the last trace of light vanished.

There was no habit of lighting lamps to read at Zhong Lin's home. It was not because they lacked the money; the main issue was that the light was too dim. Reading and writing in such conditions would damage the eyes, and there was nowhere to get glasses fitted in this era. Zhong Lin did not want Little Shi to grow up unable to distinguish men from women beyond five meters, or people from animals beyond ten.

"Go to bed early."

"Mhm. Second Brother, you should go to bed early too."

Little Shi obediently took off his clothes and climbed into bed. Zhong Lin also closed the book in his hands. Looking at the skill that had already appeared on the System Panel, a smile curled at the corner of his lips.

"Add points."

After a while, Zhong Lin slowly opened his eyes. He opened a packet of Eight Treasures Blood Nourishing Soup on the table, first picking out a little with his fingernail and bringing it to his nose to sniff, then swallowing it.

"Angelica, Rehmannia, Poria, Cistanche, Raspberry, Dodder Seed, Privet Fruit, Polygonatum, and Deer Antler."

"Good heavens, is this meant to nourish the blood or strengthen the kidneys? It only lacks Goji Berry and Chain Fern." Zhong Lin grumbled.

With only that, Zhong Lin had identified nine medicinal ingredients in the packet. There were still several he did not recognize, but there was no need to rush. Once he worked through a few more books, he would surely be able to identify them.

As time passed, at the hour of Xu, Zhong Lin changed into gray clothes once more, covered his face with a black cloth, hung a bow and arrows at his waist, strapped a bulging cowhide pouch to his left side, and carried a Ghost Head Saber in his right hand. Concealed within the darkness, he swiftly left the County Town and ran toward the dense forest.

"Market entry fee: one Big Coin."

At the dark entrance stood the same bearded man. When he saw Zhong Lin, his eyes brightened somewhat. His expression changed even more when he noticed the Ghost Head Saber in Zhong Lin's hand.