Unexpectedly, Dr. Tong remained silent for a long time before finally shaking his head.
“I’m too old to go with them. This is my family’s traditional Chinese medicine shop, and skillful hands and benevolent hearts are also our family’s ancestral teachings. If I leave now, what will happen to the people who come to see me for treatment?”
Nowadays, people outside say that the Chinese medicine sold in their pharmacy is expensive, but Dr. Tong knows very well that Miaorentang has always acted with conscience, always giving discounts to poor families and setting aside a few days each month for free medical consultations.
It's just that the Chinese medicine sold on the next street is so cheap, and it can even cure diseases on the spot, which makes their medicine seem very expensive.
In reality, the medicinal materials are all the same. How many Chinese medicines are effective on the spot? Dr. Tong always felt that something was strange about this. What if something happened to the people after taking these medicines, and they couldn't find her when they came to see her for treatment?
"Grandma!" The girl next to her exclaimed anxiously.
“Look outside, are there any more patients coming to you for treatment? Everyone is laughing at us! Besides, it doesn’t matter where we seek treatment, we can open another Miaorentang in this remote county. How can that be considered a break in our tradition?”
“The family precepts must indeed be passed down, but you also have to be alive to get involved in these things! Didn’t you say that traditional Chinese medicine shop might be connected to evil spirits…”
"Yiwen, shut up!" the old doctor snapped.
Tong Yiwen then shut her mouth, but her expression still showed resentment.
"Madam An, let me see what medicinal herbs you brought." Doctor Tong glanced helplessly at his granddaughter.
Lin Anniang had already taken the basket from behind her back, and she handed the whole basket directly to the old doctor.
Doctor Tong looked at the top few century-old ginseng plants, then at the woman's casual demeanor, and couldn't help but twitch his lips.
This is a century-old ginseng! Why are you treating it like a cabbage?
However, when she took all the medicinal herbs out of the basket, she realized that she had misunderstood him. The basket was full of precious medicinal herbs, half of which were century-old ginseng. It was no wonder that he treated them like cabbages.
"The roots of these ginseng roots are very well preserved. Each one can sell for at least five hundred taels. Do you want to sell them all?" Doctor Tong asked solemnly.
"Sell them all, and getting more money is the most important thing." Actually, what Lin Anniang wanted to say was that getting more grain was the most important thing.
But since Dr. Tong was unwilling to go back with her, there was no need to say anything more to avoid causing unnecessary trouble.
“These medicinal herbs are estimated to sell for eight thousand taels. I can buy them all and give you ten thousand taels. How about that?” Doctor Tong said thoughtfully.
Lin Anniang looked up in surprise.
Before leaving, Old Madam Gongsun estimated that she could get six or seven thousand taels of silver, but who knew that she could actually raise ten thousand taels.
The ten thousand taels of silver felt like it was just a windfall, giving her an unreal feeling.
"Dr. Tong, is there anything else you require?" Lin Anniang didn't think that the extra two thousand taels were given to her for nothing out of kindness.
Miaorentang is very famous throughout the provincial capital. It is said that even the emperor wanted to invite the old lady over, but she refused. Why would anyone give her money for nothing?
“Madam An, you and Sister Gongsun are both very intelligent people. Let’s be frank. Although I’m not leaving, I would like to ask you to take my little granddaughter back with you.”
“She has exceptional talent. At such a young age, she has already inherited part of my legacy. I will give her all the books passed down from my ancestors and take them with me to the desolate mountains.”
Although Dr. Tong herself did not intend to leave and wanted to stay here, she did not want her daughter's only child to suffer here.
"Grandma, I don't agree! If you stay here, then I'll stay here too! If you're not willing to leave, what's the point of me going to the wilderness alone?" Tong Yiwen protested.
"Since you're not leaving with me, I'm just going to stay here and not leave!"
Dr. Tong: "..."
She sighed again and took two boxes out of the cabinet.
She handed one of the large boxes to Madam An, saying, "There are ten thousand taels of silver in here. Take this silver with you and go back quickly."
She placed another small box in her granddaughter's hands: "This is the family property I prepared for you. Keep it safe. I'll move the books from the backyard over here."
"Grandma, I will never go alone unless you come with me!" The girl's eyes reddened.
"Silly child, take a close look at what's inside the box," Doctor Tong said kindly.
Upon hearing this, Tong Yiwen was quickly drawn to the small box in front of her and looked down at it.
The old man gently patted her shoulder from behind and skillfully pressed an acupoint, causing the girl in front of him to faint.
"Alright, Madam An, my granddaughter is willing to go with you. I will prepare enough dry food and a carriage for you. I just hope you can take care of my little granddaughter when you have time."
Lin Anniang: "..."
As expected of someone who addresses Old Lady Gongsun as a sister, her actions were swift and decisive, without any hesitation.
Not long after, a very simply dressed servant drove a dusty carriage out of the back gate.
Although the carriage looked unremarkable from the outside, it was very well decorated inside. The old doctor even placed two soft blankets on it to take care of his unconscious granddaughter.
Finally, the old doctor stood in the backyard of Miaorentang, watching Lin Anniang get into the carriage and the servant drive it away slowly.
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