Xiao Yingtao never minded trouble, especially when it came to making money. Whatever task she was given, she threw herself into it more eagerly than anyone else.

She had followed Feng Jiu’er for a long time now, and she had picked up a fair bit of medical skill herself. Still, the front-of-house work mattered, and she wasn’t comfortable leaving it entirely to the brothers.

Today she had brought several women who used to work at Tianji Hall, and together they were stationed at the shop.

No matter what questions the common folk brought, the women treated them with courtesy and answered with patience.

Behind the shop was a courtyard house they had bought just the night before. Yu Jingfeng had torn down one side of the original courtyard wall and hastily built a new one in its place.

The new wall clearly hadn’t dried yet, but once fresh flowers and greenery were arranged in front of it, no one would think to look closely at such an unremarkable spot.

The shop and the courtyard house were now connected, and the whole place had grown considerably larger.

Inside the courtyard, the main hall faced the shop directly, with two smaller buildings on either side. At the moment, every building had a different sign hung over its door — even the main hall.

The common folk entered through the shop’s enlarged back door and split off along several paths, each path separated from the next by potted flowers and plants.

At the back door of the shop, two brothers stood to either side, controlling the flow of people.

“What would you like to ask about?” the brothers guarding the entrance would ask whenever someone approached.

“I’ve caught a cold. I’ve taken medicine for days and it hasn’t gotten any better,” said the person at the front of the line.

“For colds, take the first path. This way, please.” The brother waved a hand.

The person at the front stepped forward, and immediately the person behind surged up to take their place.

“My hands and feet have been numb for a long time now. I’ve seen physicians, but it hasn’t helped,” said the next person, glancing at the brother and rising up on their toes to peer inside.

“Third path, please.” The brother waved a hand again.

Treating patients by specialty was one of Tianji Hall’s hallmarks. Under Feng Jiu’er’s training, several physicians had emerged from the hall who could handle most ordinary illnesses without difficulty.

Although none of them had come from formal medical backgrounds, the physicians at Tianji Hall who could take a pulse were sharper than many wandering healers out in the world. That was exactly why Tianji Hall had been able to establish itself in the imperial capital back when they were in the Beimu Kingdom.

Of course, all of that credit belonged to Feng Jiu’er. Without her medical skill, Tianji Hall would never have grown so strong.

Feng Jiu’er sat in the main hall, which was itself divided into three sections. Patients who took the third path were led straight to the main hall.

Inside, Feng Jiu’er sat in the center, separated from the people on either side only by a folding screen. The two physicians beside her were, aside from herself, the two backbone members of Tianji Hall.

Anyone with a difficult or stubborn illness was directed along the third path to the main hall.

Two brothers stood guard in front of the main hall. For now, those who entered could only walk into the consultation rooms on the left or right; the middle room had not yet been assigned anyone.

One patient stepped into the consultation room to Feng Jiu’er’s left and sat down.

“How can I help you?” the physician asked gently.

“Doctor, my hands and feet have been numb for a long time. I’ve seen many physicians and nothing has worked. Do you have anything special here?” the patient replied.

The physician patted the cushion on the table, and the patient rested their hand on it. The physician extended a long finger and pressed it against the pulse point on the patient’s wrist.

After a moment, the physician said quietly, “Your condition isn’t hopeless, it’s just that it may take some time.”

“As long as it can be cured, I don’t mind how long it takes. Once autumn winds pick up, the numbness and pain get worse,” the patient said, brows furrowed, shaking their head. “Sometimes when it flares up, I can’t even sleep at night. It’s exhausting.”

“Don’t worry.” The physician stood and turned. “Come lie down, let me examine you more thoroughly. This condition is fairly common, but rest assured, we can treat it here.”

“Really?” The patient stood, taking several difficult steps. “If you can really cure this, then you truly are miracle doctors.”

The patient lay down carefully on the small bed, legs placed with care.

“I’m no miracle doctor. Our master is the real miracle doctor,” the physician said, standing beside the bed and taking hold of one of the patient’s legs. “Your condition has become rather serious. If you’re willing, come back for three days in a row and I’ll use acupuncture to relieve the pain.”

“Who is your master? Is she really a miracle doctor?” the patient asked, somewhat excited. “If she can cure my illness, I’d give up everything I own for it. Look at me — I’m not even that old, and I’ve been tormented by this pain for so long. It’s worse than death.”

“Don’t get worked up.” The physician pressed down on the patient’s legs a few times, then reached for the needle case. “My master is right there in the middle consultation room. She doesn’t usually see patients herself, unless it’s a case even we can’t manage.”

“Today’s consultation is free, and I won’t charge for the acupuncture either. If you feel it’s working, come back tomorrow.”

As the words left the physician’s mouth, a silver needle was already sliding into the patient’s ankle.

“You’ve worn your body down through years of hard labor. If I’m not mistaken, you’ve spent your whole life farming, haven’t you?” the physician asked softly.

“That’s right.” The patient nodded. “Doctor, how could you tell?”

“Farmers spend all their time in the fields. The damp in the soil is heavy, and if you don’t take care, it’s very easy to develop this kind of illness,” the physician said, applying another needle. “This condition won’t kill you easily, but when it flares up, it really is unbearable.”

The physician finished applying the needles to one of the patient’s legs, then held the leg and looked up at the patient’s face. “How does it feel now?”

The patient frowned, so startled that they nearly sat up.

“Don’t move!” The physician pressed down on the patient’s ankle.

The patient lay back down obediently, though still visibly excited.

“Doctor, I really don’t feel the numbness anymore. How did you do that?”

“This is a needling method our master developed. For now it’s only easing your pain — a full cure will still take some time,” the physician said. “Don’t worry. With our master here, as long as you cooperate with the treatment, this illness is no problem at all.”

“Incredible! I really can’t feel the numbness anymore. Your master truly is a miracle doctor!” the patient kept marveling.

The physician only smiled and shook their head, saying nothing more.

Sitting in the middle consultation room, Feng Jiu’er had been quietly listening to both sides the whole time, saying nothing.

In just one morning, Longying Pharmacy had already made a name for itself on this street. Many of the people who left were saying the physicians inside were highly skilled, and that there was even a miracle doctor listening in from behind the screen.

Of course, half of what was being said was true, and half was exaggeration. To make sure the news traveled faster to the Yue family, two or three li away, the brothers who had just arrived in Feng territory mixed in among the crowd and helped spread the word along.

Just past noon, a carriage pulled up in front of the pharmacy. A young master, pushing an old man in front of him, approached the shop. Behind the two of them followed four tall, sturdy men.