Before leaving the border town, Lu Qiqi went to two places.
The first place was the residence of the medicine merchant Zhang.
Madam Zhang organized the noble ladies of the border town to donate medicinal herbs to the soldiers guarding the frontier, specifically requesting that the village head of Kangle Township donate them.
The reason was clear to both parties, but Lu Qiqi's visit this time had another purpose.
At Chen Shi (7-9 AM), almost an hour after Madam Zhang finished her breakfast, a servant came to report that the Lord of Kangle Township had not sent a visiting card to her door.
Because of his status, the servants had already arranged for him to wait in the side courtyard.
Madam Zhang looked at the servants, suppressed her surprise, and said softly, "Well done. Have them serve you well. I'll be there shortly."
When the head of Kang Le Township arrived, Madam Zhang thought it over and over and concluded that it was nothing more than the matter of gifting medicine to the army. She tidied her appearance slightly to ensure that she would not make a mistake in front of others, and went to the side courtyard with her maid.
At that time, Lu Qiqi was wearing a red cloak and holding a hand warmer, sitting in the side courtyard of the Zhang residence.
The servants in wealthy households were also very attentive, serving the best tea and water, and the rooms were even decorated with bright red charcoal.
Before long, the chill on her body gradually faded, and a sense of warmth enveloped her.
"This humble woman greets the Lord of Kangle Township."
Upon hearing this, Lu Qiqi looked up and saw Madam Zhang approaching gracefully with her maid.
She stood up and smiled, "Madam Zhang, there's no need for such formalities. I've come here specifically to thank you for your compassion in showing consideration for the soldiers and for gifting them medicinal herbs to keep them warm in winter."
Mrs. Zhang had already guessed her purpose, and once the matter was clarified, she felt completely relieved.
She stepped forward and gestured for them to sit down.
Wu Guangping's persecution was widespread. Surprisingly, none of the families who had come to Wu's residence to demand money that day were implicated. The reason for this was obvious to anyone with a brain: the help of the Kangle Township Lord and the Crown Prince.
Therefore, Madam Zhang did not mention this matter, but she did express the gratitude of all the ladies to Lu Qiqi.
After exchanging a few pleasantries, Lu Qiqi finally changed the subject and explained the purpose of her visit.
She took out a celadon rouge box, placed it on the table, and slowly pushed it toward Madam Zhang.
"This contains a kind of ointment called frostbite medicine. It has the effect of promoting blood circulation, removing blood stasis, and relieving and treating frostbite in winter."
Madam Zhang looked at her with a suspicious expression. She picked up the rouge box, opened it, and brought it close to her nose to sniff it gently. The faint medicinal fragrance carried a hint of coolness.
The frostbite ointment was placed back on the table. Madam Zhang asked, "I wonder what the Princess of Kangle meant by sending this?"
This ointment made her think. If the Princess of Kang Le and the young master were to become greedy, then Zhang's Pharmacy would likely be doomed.
Lu Qiqi said, "The heavy snow in winter is the perfect time to sell this frostbite ointment. I've come here to discuss a business deal with Madam."
Upon hearing the word "business," Mrs. Zhang's eyelids twitched three times; she was practically allergic to those two words.
The reason is simple: Aunt Ning had tricked her in the same way before, saying she would take her to do rouge business, and even the porcelain box was exactly the same!
Seeing her hesitation, Lu Qiqi continued, "Zhang's Pharmacy has been rooted in the border town for many years, purchasing medicinal materials from all over the Great Jin Dynasty and selling them. It has produced many famous tonic pills."
The wound ointment I made was very effective in the military camp.
If I provide the prescription, and Zhang's Pharmacy manufactures the medicine, we can cooperate and make a fortune.
Hearing that the frostbite medicine had been effective in the army, even Madam Zhang, who had been bitten by a snake, couldn't help but be tempted.
She had heard that during the great battle, Doctor Luo, despite his advanced age, personally went to the wounded soldiers' camp to treat the soldiers.
If this medicine is indeed effective in the army, it may have been tested by Physician Luo.
Thinking of this, Madam Zhang's slightly furrowed brows relaxed a little. "Does the village head mean that the army will purchase frostbite medicine from Zhang's pharmacy?"
Upon hearing this, Lu Qiqi was stunned for a moment, then she realized that her words had caused Madam Zhang to misunderstand.
She said, "To be honest, Madam, the Imperial Physician Ren from the wounded soldiers' camp knows about this prescription."
While I cannot guarantee that the army will purchase medicine from Zhang's Pharmacy, frostbite medicine is not within the scope of military supplies.
The implication is that the soldiers will naturally purchase from nearby sources.
The nearest place would undoubtedly be Zhang's Pharmacy.
“However,” Lu Qiqi continued, “I hope that with this cooperation, Zhang’s Pharmacy can lower the price so that soldiers and civilians can afford it.”
This frostbite medicine has been modified, and the ingredients used are not expensive.
Zhang's Pharmacy sources medicinal herbs from various places, so the prices of the herbs are naturally cheaper.
Most of the money was spent on hiring people to purchase and transport the medicinal herbs from various places. If I could solve the transportation problem for Zhang's Pharmacy, the price of the herbs would naturally decrease significantly.
These words struck a chord with Madam Zhang. Although she wasn't the one running the pharmacy, she wasn't completely oblivious to what was happening around her and unaware of her own business.
Lu Qiqi is right. The amount of medicinal herbs that can be collected locally is limited, and besides, the border town is an excellent place for foreign trade.
Salt merchants gathered here, transporting essential goods to various places, which further boosted the development of other industries. The reputation of "Little Night Town" was not given lightly.
Although the cooperation has not yet been finalized, Lu Qiqi did not hide it at all. After all, in her opinion, if the Zhang family refused, she could simply go out and find another one.
Moreover, she was determined to win this time, and she didn't believe anyone would give up such a great opportunity to make money after hearing her conditions.
Seeing a glimmer of hope in Madam Zhang's eyes, Lu Qiqi knew that the matter was mostly settled.
So she continued to add weight to the deal, "Before coming to the border town to treat wounded soldiers, the emperor gave me a fiefdom of Heshun Prefecture, which has five villages in total."
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