Chapter 81 Proving the Dao
Chen Yi was definitely not crazy.
He wasn't crazy at all; on the contrary, he was calmer than ever before.
Since learning last night that Xiao Dongchen was a member of the Hidden Guard and deducing the role he, the "young bird," played in the Hidden Guard, he knew he needed to develop some camouflage for himself from now on.
The pharmacy owner and the idle son-in-law of the Xiao family were his first layer of protection, and also his public disguise.
Wang Ji and Boss Yan are the second layer, which can be considered as his backup plan for the future.
As for the third level, it is his martial arts cultivation and the progress of his techniques.
Of course, this is also the most important layer of protection.
If he possessed martial arts skills comparable to Lady Xiao Jinghong, those hidden guards would certainly not have underestimated him so much.
That's right.
In Chen Yi's view, he, this "young bird," was just an insignificant pawn in the hands of the Hidden Guards.
He may seem important, but in reality he is insignificant.
Otherwise, why would those hidden guards have allowed him to elope?
Knowing that the original owner was a frail scholar, they didn't protect him, but let him grow up unchecked...
I reckon he'll be treated as a mere side piece at most.
If he succeeds, he will make a fortune; if he fails, it won't affect the overall situation.
The hidden guards, or rather, the ministers in the Kyoto Prefecture court, had already drawn their bows and shot arrows at the Xiao family.
"If the original owner were still alive, I'm afraid he would also hold a grudge against the hidden guards."
With that in mind, Chen Yi took Wang Ji to the inner room of the pharmacy to discuss the arrangements for the future.
In summary, it boils down to just a few sentences.
For example, they still maintain the old practice of having patients consult doctors and get prescriptions at the pharmacy and then having them go to other pharmacies to get their medicine.
For example, the location of that herbal medicine shop needs to be changed; it can't be next to Jishi Pharmacy anymore, it's too conspicuous.
"And we need to move to a bigger store. Business should be scaled up; what's the point of small-scale operations?"
"From now on, we will not only do business with Jishi Pharmacy, but also with other pharmacies of the Xiao family and medical clinics of all sizes in Shuzhou City."
"In addition to medicinal herbs, we also need some prescription drugs for treating specific ailments, which can be sold in cooperation with pharmacies, and some profits can be shared."
After listening, Wang Ji understood Chen Yi's plan.
After thinking for a moment, he asked, "The prescription is a closely guarded secret in any pharmacy or clinic. Ordinary prescriptions can be concealed by the price."
"If it's discovered that I used a prescription from some pharmacy, then..."
Chen Yi nodded, "I'll figure out the prescription. You just need to get the shop up and running."
As he spoke, he looked at Wang Ji and said with a smile, "From now on, you will be the owner of that shop."
Wang Ji naturally understood the implication. After pondering for a moment, he asked with a complex expression:
"There is something I don't understand. Why did you do this?"
Chen Yi's smile remained unchanged, but his tone couldn't help but carry a hint of regret: "It's better to be safe than sorry, otherwise I won't be able to enjoy a few days of leisure in the future."
Although Wang Ji probably still didn't understand after hearing this, he didn't intend to explain too much.
"Just remember, I'm just like you, only thinking about making some money so I can help those in need later."
Upon hearing this, Wang Ji's expression softened considerably.
Then he stood up, bowed solemnly, and said, "Since you don't mind, I, Wang Ji, will go all out to do something great for you."
"If Lao Yan and I ever have any disagreements in the future, we'll be at your mercy!"
Son-in-law?
Chen Yi thought to himself that he still considered himself a member of the Xiao family, so let's just say he was a sentimental person.
If he had someone else available, he wouldn't have made Wang Ji and the others sign and seal the agreement as a bargaining chip.
To make a kite fly high, it needs a long enough string.
After all, he wasn't Xiao Wan'er, and naturally lacked trust in people like Wang Ji.
"You will be in charge of taking care of those doctors, apprentices, and accountants. Make sure they keep quiet about what happened today."
"And that sum of money, once collected, will be used as the principal for the pharmacy."
"But remember, this money will have to be returned to Miss Xiao sooner or later..."
Chen Yi gave a few more instructions and then sent Wang Ji out to appease the people in the pharmacy.
He simply watched from the sidelines, occasionally adding a few words to comfort these people.
After Wang Ji left the pharmacy, Liu Si'er and Ge Laosan came in and looked at the doctors, apprentices, and accountants who were ready to open for business, all of them puzzled.
The two looked at each other.
Liu Si'er gestured for him to step forward and ask.
Ge Laosan scratched his head and then leaned closer to Chen Yi, asking, "Young Master, has everything been resolved?"
As Chen Yi looked at the ledger, he nodded: "They agreed to return the money they embezzled, so let's let this matter rest."
As for when to repay it, that's up to him.
Therefore, he reminded them, "And you two, don't gossip in the mansion, lest someone overhears and causes trouble for your elder sister."
Ge Laosan looked at Liu Si'er and, seeing that he understood, stopped asking questions.
Now that the son-in-law is the manager of Jishi Pharmacy, he is naturally in charge of everything here.
However, as the manor's personal guards, the two of them couldn't say anything that would damage the young lady's reputation.
Especially since they all knew that Xiao Wan'er was in charge of the household's finances, the second and third branches of the family were somewhat dissatisfied.
Chen Yi didn't care what Liu Si'er and Ge Laosan were thinking. Even if Liu Si'er reported the matter, the hidden guards wouldn't know what he had done in a short time.
Even if we assume the hidden guards found out, so what?
Perhaps they will even be pleased with his growth as a "fledgling".
In fact, Liu Si'er did have a similar thought at that moment.
Although he was unaware of what had just happened in the pharmacy, Chen Yi's cover-up led him to guess that this "young bird" must have made a move.
It's just unclear what he plans to do with this pharmacy.
I suppose he'll eventually go back to being an official or join the Dingyuan Army.
After resolving Wang Ji's matter.
Chen Yi stayed at Jishi Pharmacy until it was almost evening before heading back.
During this time, he took money from the counter and asked Liu Si'er to run to the restaurant next to the East Market to bring back food, so that the doctors, apprentices and accountants in the pharmacy could eat together.
This finally put their minds at ease.
In the afternoon, Chen Yi did nothing but sit next to the doctors and watch them diagnose patients, prescribe medicine, and perform acupuncture.
When a patient comes, he will give a diagnosis in his mind based on the medical books he has recently studied and the medical principles in his mind.
Sometimes, when the diagnoses of several doctors are consistent, even the prescriptions they give are almost identical.
Sometimes they are inconsistent.
In the end, he was mostly wrong in his diagnosis.
"Of the four diagnostic methods in medicine—observation, auscultation, inquiry, and palpation—I only master the first three. I haven't mastered the most crucial one, pulse diagnosis, so it's normal to make mistakes."
Chen Yi comforted himself in this way.
Fortunately, regardless of whether the result was correct or not, his medical skills had at least made some progress.
[Successfully completed medical studies - four diagnostic methods, Level: Beginner]
[Successfully completed medical training - acupuncture, Level: Beginner]
These two are merely the practical skills one can acquire in the field of medicine.
In fact, the entire diagnostic process is roughly to collect patient information through the four diagnostic methods and then apply the eight principles to determine the "exterior syndrome".
The so-called Eight Principles are exterior and interior, cold and heat, deficiency and excess, and yin and yang.
The final prescription, as well as acupuncture and other treatments, were all based on the "exterior syndrome" and were used to "relieve the exterior syndrome".
And these are only a small part of the introductory content of medicine.
Others include Yin and Yang, the Five Elements, the internal organs and meridians, and medicinal herbs.
If Chen Yi hadn't recently read several medical books, as well as the book "Miscellaneous Treatise on Injuries," simply figuring out the whole process would have been a huge effort.
"Fortunately, I have the guidance of the profound mysteries of medicine, otherwise this path would probably be even more difficult than the path of martial arts."
On the way back, the rain had just stopped, and Wudong Street was bustling with activity, filled with a fresh fragrance.
However, this period of good fortune did not last long.
Before Chen Yi, Liu Si'er, and Ge Laosan had even returned to the mansion, dark clouds gathered again.
Fine raindrops fell.
As soon as they returned to Chunhe Garden, Chen Yi asked Xiao Die to fetch water for a bath.
Besides being soaked by the rain, the smell of herbs that had clung to him from the pharmacy was even more pungent.
Xiaodie went to do her work.
Xiao Wuge ran over, his little face full of resentment: "Brother-in-law, you're finally back, but you didn't even take me out to play."
Chen Yi didn't explain, but simply covered his face with the sleeve that smelled of medicine.
"Smell it?"
Xiao Wuge frowned. "What's that smell? It's awful."
"It's good that you know it smells bad. Let's see if you still want to come to the pharmacy with me next time."
"Go, if my brother-in-law can go, so can I..."
Inside Jiaxingyuan, separated by only one wall.
Hearing the laughter and chatter around her, Xiao Wan'er felt a sense of relief.
She knew that Chen Yi had gone to Jishi Pharmacy today, and she was worried that he wouldn't be used to the environment there.
Hearing him laugh like this now is at least a first step.
"My second sister said before that if he behaves well, she will arrange for him to go to another place..."
Looking at the drizzle outside, Xiao Wan'er unconsciously pulled her cloak tighter around her, a complex expression appearing on her pale face. She murmured softly:
"Alright."
...
At this moment, in a tavern east of Wudong Street, near the east gate of Shuzhou Prefecture.
Liu Lang remained as unrestrained as ever, sitting alone in the corner by the window, with a pot of wine and two plates of mutton on the table, eating by himself.
The long sword that was originally hanging at his waist was now lying flat on his left side, with the hilt facing outwards. It was wrapped with fine silk threads, and the scabbard was simple and unadorned.
About an incense stick later.
After finishing the pot of wine, Liu Lang let out a burp before speaking, "You didn't send me all this way just to treat me to a meal, did you?"
The sound was faint, almost inaudible.
Unexpectedly, a voice rang in his ear: "There must be something you need to be here for."
"Someone offered a high price to rob a batch of goods."
"Robbery?"
Liu Lang frowned. "What kind of person do you take me for?"
The voice remained unmoved and continued, "It's from the Xiao family."
Liu Lang immediately became interested. "Is it Xiao Jinghong who is escorting them?"
"Although not, the people escorting the goods are from a prestigious school."
"oh?"
“Shen Huatang, the direct descendant of the Tianshan Sect, has already achieved some success in swordsmanship. He should be able to let you show him a few moves.”
Upon hearing this, Liu Lang looked disappointed and smacked his lips, saying, "After I finish, may I go and find Xiao Jinghong?"
"I heard that she is unparalleled among her peers in both sword and spear, and it just so happens that she and I are skilled in both sword and spear techniques."
A moment of silence.
The voice drifted back: "Whatever you want, as long as you're not afraid to die."
Liu Lang grinned, "People in the martial arts world don't talk about death; they call it 'proving one's way.'"
The winner lives, the loser dies.
Is this not the way to prove one's faith?
(End of this chapter)
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