A Steady Supply

As an alchemist of exceptional skill, Lin Fan could tell at a glance whether medicinal herbs were young or mature, whether their quality was good, whether they had suffered damp or rot, and whether anyone had passed off inferior goods—or fake herbs—as genuine spiritual herbs.

After a careful inspection, Lin Fan found that every sample was in excellent condition. The spiritual herbs were rich in color, with sturdy roots and stems and abundant medicinal potency. The mineral spiritual materials were pure and had few impurities, while the prepared ingredients showed no signs of scorching or mold. Compared with the small quantities of high-grade herbs he had obtained in Green Mountain Town, these were at least as good, if not better.

Lin Fan slowly closed the brocade box and gave a satisfied nod.

"The herbs are of decent quality. Nothing inferior has been passed off as better stock. I'll take this shipment."

At those words, the great stone weighing on Manager Zhou's heart finally fell away, and delight surged across his face. The order was worth nearly a million taels of silver—one of the Ten Thousand Prosperity Medicine Depot's largest deals in the past six months.

The bookkeeper hurriedly picked up his brush and copied the calculated total onto the standard contracts. The two copies lay side by side on the wooden table, spelling everything out in black and white: the type, grade, and quantity of every herb, and a total price of 987,200 taels of silver. They also noted that the three spiritual herbs currently out of stock would be settled separately once they arrived.

Pointing to the clauses, Manager Zhou explained them to Lin Fan one by one. "Honored Guest Lin, the total comes to 987,200 taels. Will you send someone to collect the goods, or would you like