Chapter 1454 The Reason for the High Fees

As they spoke, the two had already entered the main room.

Since she didn't see anyone here, Shu Yu knew that her family was in the backyard.

She had tea served to Doctor Xu before sitting down opposite him, saying, "Doctor Xu, please feel free to speak your mind."

Dr. Xu took a sip of tea, seemingly organizing his thoughts, before finally speaking, "I'd like to collaborate with Dr. Zhao to open a clinic."

Shu Yu was taken aback, and subconsciously replied, "Don't you have a clinic?"

Dr. Xu sighed, "You've seen my clinic; it specializes in setting bones. I only see one patient every ten days or so. I'm practically rusting away from it all. If this continues, my bone-setting skills will be ruined."

Shu Yu was speechless. "That's because your prices are too high. If you lower them even slightly, with your medical skills, there would be plenty of people coming to you for treatment."

Speaking of this, Dr. Xu suddenly fell silent, his expression somewhat weary. "I didn't want to price it so high either, but back then, I had no choice."

Is there more to this story? Shu Yu leaned forward curiously.

Then Dr. Xu began to explain the clinic's difficulties. Years ago, he had offended the magistrate of Jiangyuan County. Oh, that corrupt official who was brought down by Xiang Weinan.

The county magistrate was a vindictive man and naturally did not want to let Doctor Xu off the hook.

Fortunately, Dr. Xu was highly skilled and had already built a considerable network of connections. He knew people not only in this county but also in other places. Otherwise, he wouldn't have been able to sell his scar removal cream all the way to the capital.

Someone intervened on behalf of Doctor Xu, and the county magistrate was able to prevent him from being thrown directly into prison.

However, it also caused Dr. Xu a great deal of loss, and it took him a long time to recover and reopen his clinic.

Even so, although the magistrate couldn't do anything to him on the surface, he secretly made frequent small moves, and the magistrate's eldest son would send people to cause trouble from time to time.

Dr. Xu was in great distress, and the patients who came to him suffered even more injuries, so much so that they dared not seek medical help from him again.

Over time, apart from wealthy, powerful, and influential people who had connections, ordinary people dared not come to Dr. Xu's clinic.

However, there are only so many wealthy and powerful families, and even fewer patients.

The clinic began to run into financial difficulties and gradually fell into disrepair.

Dr. Xu also considered leaving Jiangyuan County and starting over elsewhere.

Firstly, this was his ancestral home, where his parents and wife were buried. He didn't want to wander alone and end up dying far from home.

Secondly, even if he wanted to travel far, he would need a travel permit. With the county magistrate blocking his way, he couldn't go very far at all.

Dr. Xu had no choice but to gradually increase the fees, as life had to go on.

The people who come to him for treatment are wealthy people who come because of his medical skills. They don't really care about spending a little more money, as long as they can be cured.

With few patients and high costs, Dr. Xu's clinic is barely surviving, just enough to cover its expenses.

"When you approached me for a collaboration and sold me the formula for the scar removal cream, the money I had was all I had for household expenses."

The clinic needs maintenance, the young pharmacists need to be paid, and the patients need the best medicine, which he has to keep on hand at all times, costing him a lot of money.

Shu Yu was surprised, "What if I had asked for a higher price back then?"

"Then I'll have to borrow it. I can still borrow a hundred or two taels of silver."

(End of this chapter)