Chapter 4 It's time to leave
After following those people for a while, a very luxurious house appeared in front of us.
A striking plaque hangs on the vermilion gate, with two large vermilion characters "Li Mansion" written on it. This is the home of Li Fu, the owner of Huichuntang and the mortal enemy of Renjitang.
The waiter led Bai Qingchen in through the side door, and after several turns, they entered a study with a fireplace.
A middle-aged man dressed in silk and slightly plump was already waiting there. It was Li Fu.
When he saw Bai Qingchen come in, he immediately stood up with a warm smile of a businessman on his face: "You're finally here! Please sit down! Bring me some tea!" He bowed.
Bai Qingchen nodded, with the hood of his cloak still on and his face mask still on, revealing only a pair of calm eyes.
He sat down in the guest seat and didn't touch the hot tea that was served.
After a few simple pleasantries, Li Fu got straight to the point, keeping a very humble attitude: "Sir, your medicine for treating colds is truly amazing. It has helped the people of the entire city a lot. I admire you!"
"I invited you here today to discuss a business matter." He paused, and seeing that Bai Qingchen didn't respond, he continued, "I'll offer you fifty low-grade spirit stones for your cold medicine prescription. Is that okay with you?"
Fifty low-grade spirit stones is definitely a huge price in this small place. Ordinary people would definitely feel their heartbeat quicken when hearing it.
But Bai Qingchen just shook his head slightly, and the corners of his mouth under the hood seemed to move.
He stretched out his finger and tapped the tabletop lightly. His voice was hoarse but clear: "One thousand taels of silver, plus one hundred low-grade spirit stones."
"What?!" The smile on Li Fu's face froze.
One thousand taels of silver was already a huge sum, and adding another hundred spirit stones? This was simply an exorbitant price. The enthusiasm on his face faded, and his brow furrowed.
"Sir, this is outrageous. I really want to buy it, but your price is really not negotiable."
The air in the study suddenly became tense.
Bai Qingchen seemed to have expected this. He calmly took out two small medicine bottles from his arms and placed them on the table.
"A cold prescription alone is naturally not worth it." His voice was still flat. "What about adding these two?"
Li Fu looked at the two inconspicuous bottles in confusion: "What are these?"
"The one on the left is called the Nine-Transformation Life-Sustaining Pill." Bai Qingchen pointed at one of them. "As long as you still have a breath left, take this. It will keep you alive for ten days, enough time to find a doctor."
He pointed to another one. "The bottle on the right is Blood Coagulation and Muscle Regeneration Powder. For ordinary sword wounds, sprinkle it on them and the bleeding will stop immediately. A scab will form in half a cup of tea, and it will be 70% to 80% healed in two days."
When Li Fu heard this, his eyes suddenly widened. He had been running a clinic for so many years and had seen that even the best wound medicine took half an hour to stop bleeding and it would take even longer to heal.
Life-saving medicine? He had never heard of it before. He was very worried. Could it really be so effective? Could it be a scam?
Just as he was hesitating and the atmosphere in the study was tense, there was suddenly a flurry of footsteps and crying voices outside the door: "Master! Master is in trouble! Second Young Master... Second Young Master is dying!
"What?!" Li Futeng stood up suddenly, his face turning pale.
He has two sons. The eldest son, Li Yun, has three spiritual roots. He entered the immortal sect twenty years ago and rarely came back.
The youngest son, Li Jun, is capable and is the pillar of the family. This time he went to Luocheng to buy precious medicinal herbs. How could he be seriously injured?
Li Fu had no time to talk about business and stumbled out of the study. Bai Qingchen's eyes flashed and he followed him out.
The front yard was in chaos, with several carriages covered in mud and dark red blood parked there. Most of the guards were injured and looked sad and angry.
The most eye-catching thing was that next to a carriage in the middle, two guards were carefully carrying down a young man covered in blood.
That was Li Jun. His face was as white as paper and he was almost out of breath. There was a big gash on his chest so deep that the bone was visible. Blood was still flowing, staining half of his body red.
It seemed like his stomach was pierced and he was about to die.
An old doctor with white hair and beard was frantically trying to stop the bleeding by giving him an injection. He was sweating profusely and kept muttering, "The wound is too severe. He has lost too much blood and his internal organs are damaged. I'm afraid..."
When Li Fu saw his son like this, he almost fell down, tears streaming down his face: "Jun'er! My Jun'er!"
"Get out of the way!" a hoarse voice sounded.
Bai Qingchen pushed through the crowd, squatted beside Li Jun, and quickly put his fingers on his wrist.
The pulse is weak and irregular, as if it will break at any time.
"What do you want to do!" A guard leader with red eyes shouted, trying to stop the person who touched his master.
"If you don't want him to die, shut up!" Bai Qingchen didn't even raise his head, his voice was cold, with an intensity that made people dare not refute.
He quickly took out the small bottle with the words "Nine-turn Life-extending Pill" written on it from his arms and opened it without hesitation. Inside were a few small golden pills.
He quickly took out a pill, and in front of Li Fu and everyone else's astonished gaze, he pried open Li Jun's clenched teeth, stuffed the pill in, and helped him swallow it.
"What did you feed him?!" Li Fu was shocked and scared.
Bai Qingchen ignored him and quickly took out the blood coagulation and muscle regeneration powder, tore open Li Jun's bloodstained clothes, revealing the terrible wound.
The skin and flesh were rolling up and blood was still oozing out. Bai Qingchen evenly sprinkled most of the bottle of light brown medicine powder on the wound.
"Stop! You..." Li Fu shouted anxiously.
But the next scene left everyone dumbfounded. As soon as the powder touched the turned flesh, it seeped in rapidly as if it were alive. The blood that had been constantly flowing out slowed down visibly.
Within a few breaths, a layer of light brown film with a strong medicinal fragrance condensed on the surface of the wound. The bleeding stopped completely, and even the edge of the pale wound seemed to have a faint trace of vitality.
Immediately afterwards, after taking the pill, Li Jun's face, as white as paper, miraculously showed a little bit of blood color.
The person was still unconscious, but his breathing, which was originally so weak that it was almost gone, became much clearer and steady, and his chest also had obvious rise and fall.
"This...this..." Li Fu, the old doctor, and all the guards and servants were all stunned. They watched Li Jun being dragged back from the gates of hell.
"His life is temporarily saved, but his internal injuries still need treatment. You can figure it out yourself later." Bai Qingchen stood up and said to Li Fu.
Li Fu suddenly came back to his senses. Looking at his son's unconscious but obviously improved complexion and the wound that was no longer bleeding, great surprise and gratitude overwhelmed him like a flood.
He turned around abruptly and was about to kneel down in front of Bai Qingchen: "Sir, you saved my life! The Li family will never forget it! Please accept my greeting!"
Bai Qingchen reached out and gave him a slight support before asking hoarsely, "Shopkeeper Li, does the deal just now still count?"
"Count! Count! One thousand taels of silver and one hundred low-grade spirit stones. Give it to me right away! Give it to me right away!" Li Fu was so excited that he couldn't speak clearly.
Now, let alone one thousand taels, he would be willing to pay even ten thousand taels. This is not just buying a prescription, this is like meeting a living god!
"Sir, how can this little money be enough to repay you for saving my life? I'll add another hundred spirit stones, a total of two hundred! Please accept it!"
Soon, a silver note and a bulging small cloth bag exuding spiritual energy were respectfully presented to Bai Qingchen. Bai Qingchen accepted them without refusing.
"Sir, what are your plans next? As long as you need the Li family, just let me know." Li Fu's attitude could not be any humbler.
Bai Qingchen had heard that the Li family caravan was going to Maple Forest City soon. He thought for a moment and said, "I'm going to Maple Forest City in the south."
"Maple Forest City?" Li Fu's eyes lit up. "What a coincidence! The medicinal herbs my caravan bought this time will be delivered to Maple Forest City next! The caravan guards are all skilled and know the route well."
"If you don't mind, sir, you can go with the caravan. We'll have someone to look after you along the way."
This was exactly what Bai Qingchen wanted. He had originally planned to go to Yancheng, but deliberately said Fenglin City because it was only halfway there.
His cultivation level is too low now, and it is too dangerous for him to travel alone. It is much safer to travel with an experienced caravan.
He nodded: "Okay, when are we leaving?"
"The caravan will rest for two days, replenish some supplies, and set off early the day after tomorrow." Li Fu said quickly.
The deal was done, and the prescription was given to Li Fu, and Bai Qingchen didn't keep any more.
After returning to the Zhang family residence, Wu Yu saw Bai Qingchen who had been going out recently. The two looked at each other without saying a word.
After a long while, Wu Yu finally spoke: "Are you leaving?"
Bai Qingchen said nothing.
Wu Yu scratched his head. "Actually, I've long felt that this place can't keep you. You have your own path to follow. Have a safe journey."
Bai Qingchen accepted the blessing from his old friend.
For the next two days, Bai Qingchen's life in the Zhang family was the same as usual, but in Linshan City, there was an uproar because of Huichuntang's actions.
"Huichuntang has inherited the true teachings of a miraculous doctor! A miraculous medicine for colds, with immediate results!"
"Life-saving pills! Blood-clotting powder, a holy remedy for knife wounds! Huichuntang's unique secret recipe!"
Eye-catching signs were hung all over the door of Huichuntang. Li Fu priced Xinwensan at ten cents a bowl, but it still sold like hot cakes.
The Nine-Turn Life-Extending Pill and the Blood Coagulation and Muscle Regeneration Powder were regarded as the treasures of the store. Their prices were very high, but with the living example of the second young master of the Li family in front of them, their effects were said to be miraculous.
The rich people and wanderers in the city all rushed to buy it, and some even came from far away to see it.
Compared with the bustling Huichuntang, Renjitang is pitifully deserted.
Zhang Fugui and his son also wanted to learn how to make it, but they couldn't even get the ingredients for the most basic cold and flu-related decoction.
They wanted to discredit the Li family, but Li Jun's narrow escape from death left them speechless.
The entrance to Renjitang was so deserted that horses could run around. The Zhang family's decades-long fortune in Linshan City collapsed in just a few months. Zhang Peng's dream of joining the Qingmu Sect was also shattered. His father could not afford so many spirit stones now.
Two days later, early in the morning, outside the gate of Linshan City.
A caravan consisting of ten carriages loaded with goods was ready to set off, and the flags of the Li family caravan fluttered in the cold wind.
Bai Qingchen was wearing white clothes and an inconspicuous gray cloak that covered most of his face.
He rode on a spirited black horse, blending in among the caravan, not conspicuous at all.
Li Fu came to see them off personally. He solemnly instructed the caravan's escort leader, a calm-looking middle-aged man with bulging brows, "Captain Zhao, this gentleman is a distinguished guest of our Li family. Please ensure he is safely transported to Maple Forest City!"
Zhao Biaotou clasped his fists and said in a steady voice, "Don't worry, Boss. I, Zhao, guarantee with my life that I will protect you!"
"Sir, have a safe trip! If you have any mission in the future, the Li family will never refuse!" Li Fu bowed deeply in the direction of Bai Qingchen.
Under the cloak, Bai Qingchen nodded slightly without saying anything.
"Let's go!" With a command from Zhao Biaotou, the convoy slowly started moving. The wheels rolled, raising dust all the way, and they went farther and farther towards the south.
Bai Qingchen sat on his horse and took a last look back at Linshan City shrouded in morning mist.
The city that brought him endless humiliation and pain was shrinking rapidly behind him and eventually became blurred.
He tightly grasped the warm jade pendant in his arms, and the last trace of confusion in his eyes disappeared, leaving only a rock-like firmness.
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