With nothing left to worry about, Jin Jianglang made his way through the forest with remarkable ease.
Whenever a few monsters too blind to know better blocked his path, his blade rose and fell, severing their heads.
After roughly four hours, Jin Jianglang had left the forest and reached the town.
The streets bustled with people in the early morning, though only a handful of boatmen were heading toward the docks.
He passed through streets and alleys and arrived at the Apothecary Residence. Fortunately, the apothecary was already preparing to open.
"Ah! Lord Jin Jianglang!" The apothecary bowed respectfully to him. "What brings you here, my lord?"
Jin Jianglang waved a hand. "The Shiranui Household doesn't serve the shogunate. There's no need to call me 'my lord.'"
"You're far too modest. Our town owes its prosperity to the Shiranui Household's protection. In our hearts, you are our lord."
Jin Jianglang let the matter drop and said instead, "I need some medicine. Frostbite Medicine and Wind-Cold Medicine."
"Of course!" The apothecary nodded. "Is someone in your household ill, my lord? Next time, you can send a chokuchō to collect the medicine. There's no need to come yourself."
"Mm." Jin Jianglang offered no explanation, merely nodding slightly.
The apothecary soon packaged a dose of Frostbite Medicine, but hesitated over the Wind-Cold Medicine.
"By the way, my lord," the apothecary said, turning toward him, "might I examine the patient suffering from wind-cold? There are many varieties of it. If I prescribe medicine blindly, I fear I may fail to identify the cause."
"Examine..." Jin Jianglang considered it briefly, then shook his head. "No need. Package one dose of every variety of Wind-Cold Medicine for me."
"Ah, well... very well, very well." The apothecary nodded. He knew someone of his station could not enter