By daybreak the next morning, Gu Pingyuan was still nursing a headache from last night’s heavy drinking, but concerned about the caravan, he struggled to get up. When he lifted the tent flap to look outside, he was immediately shocked.

He saw sentries posted every three steps and guards every five steps. Overnight, the caravan camp had transformed into a military encampment.

There were also two soldiers guarding his tent who crossed their long spears when Gu Pingyuan emerged, indicating he wasn’t permitted to move freely. Gu Pingyuan looked them up and down and noticed the soldiers wore Mongolian military uniforms. Since he couldn’t speak Mongolian, he was at a loss for what to do. Then he heard Liu Heita’s gruff voice shouting from the neighboring tent: “What the devil! Which army are you from? We’re here on business, not staging a rebellion! Why won’t you let us move around?”

Gu Pingyuan quickly called out, “Brother Heita, don’t be rash! Let me talk to them.”

“Wait, wait!” Old Qi came running over from the left, wiping sweat with his sleeve and waving his hands repeatedly.

Gu Pingyuan felt relieved. Old Qi was accustomed to traversing the western passes and dealing with Mongolians. With him here, everything would be easier to handle.

Sure enough, Old Qi immediately said, “Master Gu, don’t be alarmed. This is good news.”

An army surrounding the caravan hardly seemed like good news, but Gu Pingyuan didn’t question him. He knew Old Qi must have his reasons, so he would just listen.

“I just spoke with the commander, a Zuoling officer. They’re soldiers under Prince Ke’erke of the northern Mongolian territory. The Master Batu who’s buying our goods sent them to escort our caravan so we can reach the northern territories more quickly.”

“So that’s it! That’s excellent. Old Master Qi, please tell their leader that I’d like to treat all the men to food and drink as a gesture of appreciation.”

The Zuoling commander was right behind Old Qi. He understood some Chinese and, hearing Gu Pingyuan’s words, stepped forward and stiffly said, “Your food, we not eat. Your caravan, quickly get on road.”

“Yes, yes,” Gu Pingyuan nodded repeatedly in agreement.

After the Zuoling commander turned away satisfied, Old Qi approached and said, “Master Gu, something doesn’t smell right about this.”

“You mean…”

“Look at how these troops are positioned—they don’t look like an escort, they look like prison guards. That commander just said we need to travel quickly with minimal rest. Most suspicious of all, when he mentioned Master Batu, he didn’t say he ‘requested’ or ‘hired’ the troops—he used the word ‘dispatched.’ Don’t you think that’s problematic?”

“So this Master Batu must be someone important,” Gu Pingyuan’s brow furrowed.

“Never mind that for now. I think we need to obey these soldier-lords and get moving quickly. Otherwise, angering them could be dangerous.”

“Yes. Please explain the situation to everyone—first, reassure them not to be afraid, and second, tell them we need to move quickly and avoid any complications.”

Old Qi went to deliver the message while Gu Pingyuan beckoned Liu Heita over. “Brother, you’ll need to keep that fiery temper of yours in check these next few days. These soldier-lords don’t listen to reason and they’re armed. We shouldn’t confront them directly.”

Liu Heita’s eyes widened. “What do you mean? They have weapons, but don’t I?” He touched the nine-section steel whip wrapped around his waist.

“That’s not the point. We’re merchants—we travel to make money, not to make trouble. Harmony brings wealth, you know.”

Liu Heita rubbed his big head, looking a bit embarrassed. “Brother Gu, my father used to say the same thing, but I’m thick-headed and forget when I get worked up.”

He lowered his voice: “But Brother Gu, don’t let your guard down. These troops aren’t here for anything good. They’re all too aggressive.”

Gu Pingyuan nodded discreetly. “Don’t worry. We’ll make the best of the situation. If they try anything underhanded, I have my methods.”

Despite these reassurances, once they were on the road, even the most obtuse worker in the caravan sensed that these troops had intentions far beyond simply protecting them. They traveled from Black Water Marsh toward Wukeduo City near Bayanlege, quickly reaching the Onan River where Temujin had once held his assembly. Though nomadic tribes typically settled near water, and they passed several large market towns along the way, the Zuoling commander strictly forbade anyone from the caravan to approach the towns. All supplies had to be purchased by the soldiers using money from the caravan.

This made no sense. Even when escorting prisoners, guards would allow them to stop at inns for meals and rest. There was no precedent for cutting prisoners off from the world. Due to the Mongolian troops’ strange behavior, rumors quickly spread through the caravan, causing widespread anxiety.

“Brother Gu, what kind of game are these Mongolians playing?” Liu Heita brought Old Qi to Gu Pingyuan’s tent to discuss the situation.

After contemplating for a while, Gu Pingyuan turned to Old Qi. “This is my first time traveling through the western passes. Have you ever encountered something like this before?”

Old Qi clenched his dry pipe and spat out a mouthful of smoke forcefully. “Never. Not only have you never seen it, but I’ve traveled the western passes my entire life and haven’t encountered anything this strange.”

Gu Pingyuan thought for a moment, then asked, “We have many workers who understand Mongolian. Have they figured out where these troops came from?”

Old Qi shook his head again. “Their military discipline is strict. Except for the Zuoling commander and the quartermaster, the rest of the soldiers are like mutes—they won’t answer any questions. But we’ll reach Wukeduo tomorrow, and I’m sure we’ll get some answers there.”

“I feel like continuing this way is even riskier than navigating through Black Water Marsh,” Liu Heita scratched his head.

Gu Pingyuan agreed and had developed a deep sense of vigilance. This was his exceptional quality—he always had a premonition when danger approached. Gu Pingyuan mentally prepared himself, waiting to adapt to the situation once they reached Wukeduo.

Wukeduo was a garrison city for Bayanlege, the largest market town in the Chaketuo League of northern Mongolia. Since Bayanlege was Prince Ke’erke’s residence, garrison cities were built at all four corners—north, south, east, and west—to station troops and store military provisions in case the royal city needed protection during an emergency.

Wukeduo was located in the southwestern suburbs of Bayanlege. It was surrounded by earthen walls, with military camps inside. Where there are military camps, there are naturally taverns, opium dens, brothels, inns, and warehouses to provide soldiers with food, drink, and entertainment. So despite its small size, Wukeduo was quite lively.

The Mongolian soldiers escorted Gu Pingyuan’s group to a medium-sized inn in the city. The caravan workers entered through the side door led by Sun Er, the lodging manager, to tie up the camels and unload goods. Meanwhile, Gu Pingyuan, accompanied by Old Qi and Liu Heita, entered through the front door.

“Master Gu, you’re very punctual. I admire that,” said Batu in stiff Chinese as he lifted a curtain to welcome them.

Gu Pingyuan quickly exchanged glances with Old Qi, both showing unexpected surprise. Previously, Gu Pingyuan and Old Qi had discussed and believed that given Batu’s extraordinary behavior, they probably wouldn’t be able to complete the transaction smoothly even after reaching Wukeduo. Unexpectedly, Batu was already waiting at the inn before the caravan arrived, seeming very attentive to this business deal.

Without time to think more, Gu Pingyuan stepped forward, cupped his hands, and smiled. “Master Batu, we’ve kept you waiting. Please forgive us.”

“Not at all, not at all. Master Gu, I’m extremely impressed that you managed to bring the caravan through Black Water Marsh. Please, come inside and sit. I’ve prepared a feast specially to welcome you. Also, your caravan has quite a few people, and there won’t be many vacant rooms left in this inn once you all settle in, so I’ve taken the liberty of reserving the entire inn for you to ensure everyone can rest comfortably.”

This was another surprise. When they first met Batu in Taiyuan City, he had seemed gloomy and arrogant, but now he was being extremely attentive. “Could this be an ambush?” Gu Pingyuan remained extremely cautious inwardly while maintaining his smile. When they entered the inn’s main hall, he realized he had been overly cautious—the “welcome feast” consisted of ten complete tables of food in the main hall, with everyone from the caravan included.

In such a public setting, no foul play could occur. The caravan had been eating dry flatbread and jerky for many days, so everyone drooled at the aroma of fresh food. The workers ate and drank heartily, occasionally coming to Gu Pingyuan’s table to toast him. Gu Pingyuan signaled to Old Qi and Liu Heita to help him handle the toasts while he focused all his attention on dealing with Batu.

During that evening’s feast, Batu didn’t mention a word about their business. When Gu Pingyuan tried to probe and ask questions indirectly, Batu used drunkenness as an excuse to evade them. When he could no longer dodge, he suggested gambling and called for several popular girls from Taohuaju near Changxing Inn. With women on each arm, he effectively played deaf and mute. Chang Yu’er avoided the banquet, but listening from her room, she frowned deeply and found an opportunity to have an inn worker summon Liu Heita to her.

“Sister, why don’t you come out and eat something?” Liu Heita was already somewhat drunk.

“Brother, don’t be foolish! How could I appear at such a gathering?” Chang Yu’er’s displeasure was written all over her face, but Liu Heita didn’t notice and just grinned stupidly, holding his wine cup.

Chang Yu’er snatched the cup from his hand. “First, you can’t drink a single drop more from now on. I’m here to make sure you don’t get drunk and mess things up. Second, those women outside… those women…” As a proper young lady, Chang Yu’er knew exactly what those cooing women outside were, but she couldn’t bring herself to say it. After hesitating, she finally said, “Anyway, you’re not allowed to touch them even once, or I’ll tell Father when we get home.”

“Hmm?” Liu Heita shook his big head. “It’s easy for me not to touch them, but look how Batu keeps pushing women into Brother Gu’s arms.”

This was exactly what angered Chang Yu’er. From her room, she had heard Batu laughing loudly outside, constantly urging the girls to toast “Master Gu.”

“Don’t worry about that. Brother Gu is a proper man. He would never engage in such filthy business.” Chang Yu’er was speaking more to reassure herself than to inform Liu Heita.

After many rounds of drinking, Batu announced that the caravan needed rest after their long journey, and he would take his leave but return early the next morning. Gu Pingyuan considered that it was already late and there was no reason to insist Batu stay, so he rose to see him off. Outside the inn, he watched Batu’s carriage disappear in a cloud of dust.

“This Batu is not a legitimate businessman,” Old Qi frowned as soon as Gu Pingyuan returned. “I’ve sent those whores away. We Shanxi merchants have a rule—we never touch women when traveling for business. Mongolian merchants all know and respect this rule. But this Batu deliberately brought prostitutes, which means he’s either never dealt with Shanxi merchants before or he simply doesn’t respect business etiquette.”

“I noticed too. There’s a hint of deceit in his eyes, showing his dishonest intentions. But let’s not dwell on that. He said he’ll come tomorrow, so let’s try to complete this transaction then. Once we’ve exchanged goods for money, it’ll be over.”

“Master Gu, I don’t mean to be pessimistic, but I fear this transaction won’t be that simple,” said Old Qi.

“Oh? What concerns you, old master?”

“Many things. Most likely, Batu will try to force the price down. Since he’s not a proper businessman, he probably doesn’t value the concept of ‘integrity’ either.”

Liu Heita’s eyes bulged when he heard this. “If he dares, I’ll twist his head off!”

Gu Pingyuan’s expression changed several times as he considered the situation. After thinking hard, he sighed heavily. “I’ve decided that if that happens, we’ll have to accept it. We were expecting double the normal profit anyway. At worst, we’ll earn 20% less. The key is to complete the transaction.”

Early the next morning, Batu arrived as promised. Gu, Qi, and Liu invited him to the largest guest room, labeled with the “Tian” character. After serving tea and exchanging pleasantries, Batu got straight to the point: “Master Gu, since you’ve traveled such a long distance, I won’t waste your time. Here’s the bank note. Please check it, and then I’ll go downstairs to inspect and collect the goods. That will conclude our transaction.”

No one expected him to be so straightforward. As Batu handed over a bank note, Old Qi quickly reached out to receive it, saying, “We should inspect the goods first, then pay. You trust us too much.” He passed the note to Gu Pingyuan.

Gu Pingyuan took the note and unfolded it. His smile instantly froze on his face. Qi and Liu didn’t understand and were just leaning over to look when Gu Pingyuan quickly folded the note and handed it back to Batu, saying, “Master Batu, you must be mistaken. The goods have already been delivered. Why are you still paying a deposit?”

Batu stared intently into Gu Pingyuan’s eyes with an inscrutable smile and slowly shook his head. “No, this is the full payment.”

Gu Pingyuan’s expression immediately changed. His smile vanished as he said seriously, “Did Master Batu give me the wrong bank note? This is only fifty taels.”

“That’s correct. I’m only paying fifty taels,” Batu’s tone had no hint of joking; he spoke with complete seriousness.

They had expected Batu might try to negotiate the price down, but no one imagined he would cut it so drastically!

Fifty taels! The price agreed upon in Taiyuan City was six thousand taels. This wasn’t even one percent of the original price. If they accepted such a deal, Manager Wu would commit suicide by jumping into the river when he found out.

By now, Gu Pingyuan realized that he and the caravan had fallen into a carefully woven trap. Old Qi, despite his extensive experience, was equally pale-faced but remained silent. Liu Heita, however, jumped up instantly, shouting, “You bastard! Playing dirty tricks with us! This merchandise—I won’t sell it anymore!”

Ignoring Liu Heita, Batu addressed only Gu Pingyuan: “Master Gu, business conditions change rapidly. I have unavoidable constraints. I’ve brought the payment—will you accept it or not?”

Gu Pingyuan replied coldly, “I’m sorry, but I cannot sell at this price.”

“Very well,” Batu stood up decisively. “Whenever you decide to sell, just inform the innkeeper and have him find me. I’ll take my leave now.” With that, he left the inn without looking back, taking his two attendants with him.

A deathly silence fell over the guest room. The three caravan leaders sat like wooden statues. Only after the steam from the mare’s milk tea on the table had completely dissipated did Old Qi speak hoarsely: “Sigh, we’ve fallen into their trap!”

Liu Heita had been watching Gu Pingyuan, waiting for him to speak, but could no longer contain himself. “What trap? We just don’t sell, and that’s that.”

Old Qi gave a bitter laugh without responding. Liu Heita’s eyes widened. “What? Am I wrong?”

Gu Pingyuan also felt a bitter taste in his mouth and shook his head. “Brother, you’ve been doing business with Old Chang Si for so long—haven’t you heard the saying ‘goods die when they reach their destination’? We’ve painstakingly transported our goods to Mongolia. If we simply say ‘we won’t sell,’ how will we pay for the caravan’s expenses on the return journey? How will we handle the medicinal herbs if we take them back to Taiyuan? What about the house Old Chang mortgaged? Have you considered any of this?”

“I, I, I…” Liu Heita was rendered speechless. After a long pause, he slumped down dejectedly, holding his head without speaking.

“I think we have no choice but to accept our losses this time. Damn it! I’ve been trading through the western passes for so many years, and this is the first time I’ve encountered such deceitful Mongolians,” Old Qi cursed in frustration. “Ah, I was blinded by greed. Where in this world could there be such a profitable deal?” Saying this, he slapped his own face hard with both hands.

“Old master, don’t do that. Let’s think of a solution calmly,” Gu Pingyuan quickly stopped him.

“Solution? Master Gu, you’re a clever man. This pit was dug long ago, just waiting for our caravan to travel thousands of li to jump into it. Now they have soldiers but no money. We can’t reason with them, we can’t sue them—what else can we do? Ah, I was only thinking about earning money for my two grandsons to marry and build houses. The older I get, the greedier I become. I deserve this, I deserve this!” Old Qi couldn’t stop berating himself.

“Actually, I suspected something was wrong from the beginning,” Gu Pingyuan had calmed down by now. “I just didn’t expect Batu’s methods to be so vicious, wanting us to lose everything. Old Master Qi, listen to me. The situation isn’t hopeless yet. We mustn’t panic. We must find a way to survive this crisis.”

Despite these words, who could immediately devise a solution? For several days, the three men were trapped in a cycle of anxiety. Fearing that the caravan workers would cause trouble if they learned the truth, they kept the matter secret, gathering daily in Gu Pingyuan’s room to discuss options but failing to find a good solution.

“Bah! Isn’t this like being in prison?” On the fourth day, Liu Heita stormed in angrily.

Old Qi couldn’t be bothered to speak. Gu Pingyuan frowned and asked, “What happened?”

“It’s those soldiers again, blocking the door and refusing to let me out!”

“Where were you trying to go? Were you planning to cause trouble like when you smashed Wang Tiangui’s bank?” Chang Yu’er had also entered the room. Gu Pingyuan had asked the other two to keep this matter secret from everyone in the caravan, but while they could hide it from others, they couldn’t hide it from Chang Yu’er. She was clever and had grown up with Liu Heita. She immediately noticed something was wrong with her brother’s face and after questioning him a few times, he gave in and told her everything.

Chang Yu’er was greatly shocked when she found out. Though clever, she wasn’t experienced in business matters and had no good ideas to offer. She could only come by occasionally to comfort everyone. Today, as soon as she arrived, she heard Liu Heita wanted to go out and couldn’t help but warn him.

“I’m not in the mood to cause trouble. I just wanted to go out for some fresh air,” he replied.

“Strange!” Gu Pingyuan suddenly exclaimed, causing everyone to look at him.

“Why do you think Batu stationed troops to watch us?” Over the past few days, Gu Pingyuan had kept a package of eleutherococcus in front of him, occasionally picking up a piece to examine. Now he placed the herbs on the table, staring at the door.

“Isn’t it obvious? He’s afraid we’ll run away,” Liu Heita said dismissively.

“What do you think, Old Master Qi?” Gu Pingyuan asked.

“I think… that’s probably it?” Old Qi replied hesitantly.

“I’m not so sure. I feel something is odd about this, but I can’t put my finger on it,” Chang Yu’er pondered.

“There must be something strange going on. Let me explain,” Gu Pingyuan said. Everyone leaned in closer. “Think about it—eleutherococcus is an obscure medicinal herb that’s hard to sell. If we don’t sell this batch and take it back to Taiyuan, considering the caravan expenses and the premium Manager Wu paid to acquire it, it might be more economical to dump the herbs into the Onan River.”

“That’s right. Taking them back to Taiyuan would result in an even greater loss,” Old Qi nodded.

“Exactly. Since Batu knows we definitely won’t transport the goods back, what is he afraid of? And why does he insist on keeping us under such tight surveillance?” Gu Pingyuan asked. The others looked at each other, unable to answer.

“Unless…” Chang Yu’er’s mind worked quickly. “Unless he’s not worried about us going out, but about someone else coming in!”

“That’s it, exactly!” Gu Pingyuan clapped his hands. “We’ve been thinking in the wrong direction. We assumed the soldiers outside were keeping us from leaving, but they’re actually preventing others from entering.”

“But why?” Liu Heita was completely confused and eager for clarity.

“Let me ask you, why would Batu pay such a high price for an herb like eleutherococcus?”

“I don’t know.”

“I suspect he doesn’t want outsiders coming in because he’s afraid we might ‘find out’ something.”

Old Qi caught on: “So in Master Gu’s opinion, this batch of herbs could bring Batu substantial profits?”

Gu Pingyuan nodded firmly. “The problem is that until we discover exactly what these herbs are used for, we can’t identify Batu’s weakness and will continue to be led by the nose. Knowing both yourself and your enemy leads to victory in every battle. But right now, we’re completely in the dark—we can’t win and will lose in confusion.”

The group fell silent again. These past few days, everyone had clearly seen that the inn had been arranged by Batu in advance. From the innkeeper to the attendants, they would bring whatever was requested but spoke very little. Ask ten questions and they wouldn’t answer even half of one. It seemed impossible to extract any information from the inn staff.

Gu Pingyuan thought and thought, secretly making a decision, but didn’t share it with the others. He only asked Old Qi, “Does the caravan have all the necessary medicinal herbs?”

“Yes. Caravans traveling long distances often have workers who fall ill, so we always carry common medicines. Didn’t you bring along a pharmacy worker who knows Mongolian—what’s his name, Qiao Songnian? I gave all the medicines to him for safekeeping.”

“Ah, I’ve been feeling a bit dizzy these past few days. Please ask the old master to call him in to prepare some medicine for me.”

“Of course, I’ll go call him right away.” Old Qi rose to fetch him. Seeing that Gu Pingyuan wasn’t feeling well, the Chang siblings also stood up to let him rest. Chang Yu’er hesitated repeatedly before finally saying, “Brother Gu, solutions come from people. Don’t rush yourself too much. Your health is more important.”

This Miss Chang ran hot and cold toward him, and Gu Pingyuan didn’t know what to say in response. He simply nodded to acknowledge that he had heard her.

Outside the door, Chang Yu’er saw the pharmacy worker Qiao Songnian enter the room. Still concerned, she looked around to ensure no one was watching, then stood by the door pretending to brush dust from her clothes while listening with her ear turned toward the room.

She could hear the two men talking inside, but their voices were too low to make out clearly. Just as Chang Yu’er was growing anxious, Qiao Songnian suddenly raised his voice: “That’s absolutely not possible! It violates the Eighteen Incompatibilities!”

Chang Yu’er was startled. Even people with no medical knowledge had heard of the “Eighteen Incompatibilities.” Anyone who had ever visited a pharmacy had seen the rhyme “The Eighteen Incompatibilities clearly state: half-summer herb, Tricosanthes, clam shell, Fritillaria…” posted on the walls of every pharmacy. It reminded pharmacy workers never to mix medicines with opposing properties in the same prescription. Otherwise, at best the medicine would be ineffective; at worst, it could cause poisoning and death. Every pharmacy in the world regarded the “Eighteen Incompatibilities” as a major taboo. Once a medicine was incorrectly compounded, it was equivalent to destroying the pharmacy’s reputation.

How did the “Eighteen Incompatibilities” come up? Chang Yu’er wondered, but frustratingly, the voices of the two men in the room dropped again, and she could only wait anxiously. When she heard the worker’s footsteps approaching the door, she quickly moved aside.

Seeing that Qiao Songnian was about to go downstairs, Chang Yu’er finally couldn’t resist stopping him quietly.

“Please wait a moment.”

Qiao Songnian was indeed as Manager Wu from Xuanjitang had described—somewhat unsociable. Throughout the journey, he hadn’t interacted with others. During rest periods, he would simply read medical books, so he had never spoken with Chang Yu’er. Hearing her call him, he was startled. “Oh, Miss Chang, do you need something?”

“May I ask, how is Master Gu’s condition?”

When Qiao Songnian heard this question, his expression immediately became strange. He stammered, “This… possibly… probably… I can’t really explain clearly.”

“Are you going to prepare medicine for him?”

“Yes.”

This didn’t make sense—preparing medicine without clearly diagnosing the illness? Chang Yu’er looked at Qiao Songnian, who became extremely uncomfortable under her gaze. He gave an awkward smile. “It’s nothing. I need to go downstairs to prepare the medicine now.”

Watching the pharmacy worker head downstairs, Chang Yu’er unconsciously bit her lower lip.

“What’s wrong?” Liu Heita approached from behind.

“Nothing.” Chang Yu’er was lost in thought for a moment, then shook her head wordlessly, unable to hide the worry in her eyes.

That night, Gu Pingyuan indeed fell ill. The illness came on fiercely, causing him to vomit and have diarrhea. He developed a high fever and suffered through most of the night, leaving him completely exhausted.

“You damned bastards! I need to go out and find a doctor!” Old Qi realized they couldn’t delay any longer. At daybreak, he asked Liu Heita to go find a doctor, but the soldiers at the door still wouldn’t let them out. Liu Heita was furious, and if Chang Yu’er hadn’t held him back, he would have charged out with his chain whip. At that moment, the innkeeper approached, whispered something to the soldiers, then turned to the caravan members and bowed.

“Everyone, please wait a moment. I’ll go find a doctor for you.” Then he disappeared in a flash.

“Hmm, he’s sick?” The innkeeper didn’t immediately go looking for a doctor but went to report this to Batu, who listened with some skepticism.

“He’s definitely sick, and seriously so. If we don’t get a doctor to treat him soon, I’m afraid he won’t make it.” Innkeepers generally disliked having people die in their establishments—not only was it considered unlucky, but it also affected business. So the innkeeper exaggerated Gu Pingyuan’s condition even further.

“Very well.” Since Gu Pingyuan was supposedly at death’s door, he couldn’t be faking. Batu nodded. “Go find a doctor to examine him.”

The innkeeper truly brought a good doctor—a man named Sadura, a renowned physician in Bayanlege. When he entered Gu Pingyuan’s room, Gu Pingyuan struggled to ask everyone to leave. Chang Yu’er was the last to exit. After seeing everyone leave, she quickly and quietly closed the door but remained hidden behind a flower stand. Neither of the two men inside—one focused on the patient, the other weakened by illness—noticed someone hiding behind the flower stand.

“Please allow me to check your pulse,” said Sadura. Unlike typical Mongolian doctors, he had studied Chinese medical texts and had some of the scholarly physician’s demeanor. He also had a favorable impression of Han Chinese.

“That won’t be necessary,” Gu Pingyuan said weakly, though his tone was unmistakably firm.

“That won’t be necessary?” Both the visible and hidden occupants of the room thought they had misheard. What kind of response was that? After calling for a doctor, and being so ill he couldn’t get out of bed, how could he refuse to have his pulse taken? Had Gu Pingyuan become delirious from his illness?

“I can diagnose this illness myself. Please don’t trouble yourself, sir,” Gu Pingyuan explained when he saw Sadura was stunned.

Perhaps the words doctors least like to hear in the world are these. Sadura’s face darkened: “If you can diagnose yourself, why did you summon me? Are you mocking me?”

Gu Pingyuan needed to catch his breath after each sentence. He fumbled under his pillow, pulled out a paper package, opened it, and pushed it toward Sadura.

Sadura blinked several times before finally understanding what was happening. Before him was a fifty-tael silver ingot with the imperial treasury seal!

“What is this…” Sadura charged five qian of silver for a consultation. This fifty taels was nearly half a year’s income for him. He couldn’t help but stare at Gu Pingyuan in surprise.

“I won’t deceive you, Doctor Sadura. This illness is self-inflicted. I did it just to meet you,” Gu Pingyuan said with difficulty.

“Meet me?” Sadura was bewildered. Behind the flower stand, Chang Yu’er nearly cried out, covering her mouth. Without much thought, she recalled last night’s conversation between Gu Pingyuan and Qiao Songnian. Thinking about how Gu Pingyuan had suffered through the night in such a terrible state, Chang Yu’er bit her lip hard as tears fell like pearls.

After she had somewhat composed herself, she heard Gu Pingyuan continuing his explanation to Sadura: “…that’s how things stand. If I can’t understand what Batu wants the eleutherococcus for, I won’t be able to rest even in death. I hope Doctor Sadura can point me in the right direction. These fifty taels are yours as compensation.”

Seeing that Sadura remained silent, he added, “As the saying goes, ‘a doctor has a parent’s heart.’ I believe this is true for both Mongolians and Han Chinese. I beg you to help us.”

The phrase “a doctor has a parent’s heart” moved Sadura. Instead of answering Gu Pingyuan’s question, he asked, “Do you know Batu’s background?”

“Well… to be honest, I don’t.”

“Hmph.” Sadura laughed, his face suddenly showing mockery, though not directed at Gu Pingyuan. “Young Han man, there’s no need to ask further. In Mongolian territory, you can’t defeat him. Take my advice—accept the fifty taels and return to Shanxi quickly while you can still save your life. If you anger Batu, your entire caravan will perish without proper burial.”

Such a severe warning made Gu Pingyuan’s heart sink. He was momentarily speechless. Meanwhile, Sadura pushed the silver ingot back toward Gu Pingyuan and stood up. “I won’t accept payment without rendering service. Since you can diagnose yourself, I won’t stay any longer. Farewell!”

“Doctor Sadura, please wait! I have more to say!” Gu Pingyuan was anxious but couldn’t get up. Though he strained to call Sadura back, it was too late.

Sadura had taken a few steps toward the door and was about to open it when someone emerged from behind the flower stand and, without a word, knelt before him.

Sadura was startled. Looking closely, he was even more surprised to see it was a woman.

“Oh, miss, you…” Sadura knew that Han Chinese observed strict separation between men and women, so he didn’t dare offer his hand to help her up. He fidgeted, unsure what to do.

Chang Yu’er looked up at Sadura with an imploring expression: “Doctor Sadura, you heard what Master Gu said earlier. This business truly involves the livelihoods and lives of many people. Taking fifty taels and leaving would be easy, but if we return home, countless families will be ruined, including mine. Doctor Sadura, you save lives for a living. I beg you, please show us the way!”

Gu Pingyuan hadn’t expected Chang Yu’er to be hiding in the room. Realizing she knew about his “illness,” and seeing her pleading like this, he felt uncomfortable yet also hopeful. He propped himself up on the bed, watching Sadura intently.

Sadura was stunned for a long while, then sighed deeply. “Very well, miss. Please stand up first.”

Hearing Sadura’s agreement, both Gu and Chang were overjoyed. Chang Yu’er quickly stood up, invited Sadura to sit down, and poured him a cup of fragrant tea.

After thinking for a while, Sadura said, “It’s not that I don’t want to tell you—I’m truly concerned for your welfare. There’s a Han saying, ‘an arm can’t wrestle a thigh,’ which makes perfect sense. What good would it do if you knew the truth?”

Gu Pingyuan asked, “From what you’re saying, this Batu must be quite important?”

“He’s the chief steward of Prince Ke’erke’s court.”

Sadura’s casual statement shocked both Gu and Chang.

“You mean the ruler of the northern Mongolian plains, Prince Ke’erke, who controls life and death for thousands of li?” Though this was Chang Yu’er’s first time in Mongolia, Shanxi merchants had been trading with Mongolia for a century, and street talk had informed her about Mongolian affairs. Prince Ke’erke carried more weight and authority in northern Mongolia than the Qing emperor. Herdsmen might ignore government officials, but they would bow and make way even for a dog from the prince’s court.

“Exactly. How could you possibly compete with the chief steward of the prince’s court, with all his power and influence?”

Gu Pingyuan felt the weight on his heart grow even heavier. His eyebrows furrowed as he thought for a moment, then said, “What I don’t understand is, why would someone as prestigious as the chief steward travel thousands of li to Shanxi to buy medicinal herbs?”

At this question, Sadura looked uncomfortable. Finally, after much internal struggle, he made a decision and lowered his voice: “Since I’ve committed to helping you, I’ll tell you everything. But you must not spread this information. Otherwise, all of us will face mortal danger.”

Gu and Chang exchanged glances and nodded simultaneously.

Liu Heita and the others were growing impatient waiting outside the door when they heard it open. Sadura stepped out and, half a step outside, turned back and said loudly: “This illness requires avoiding wind and complete rest. He shouldn’t get out of bed for several days.” Then he closed the door.

“Doctor Sadura, how… how is Master Gu’s condition?” Old Qi was genuinely anxious. With the caravan in such unfortunate circumstances and the owner of the goods now ill, the responsibility on his shoulders was tremendous. He hoped Gu Pingyuan would recover quickly.

Sadura frowned: “Don’t crowd around the patient’s room. Didn’t you hear what I just said?” He glanced meaningfully at the innkeeper. “His illness is serious. He needs several days of rest. One person bringing tea and water is enough. Set up a screen by his bed to block the wind. I’ve left the prescription in the room. Prepare the medicine according to it.”

“Yes, yes.” Both Old Qi and Liu Heita were anxious. After seeing the doctor off, they looked at each other and entered Gu Pingyuan’s room one after the other.

They were both surprised to find Chang Yu’er inside.

Without explaining, Chang Yu’er closed the door and pointed to the chairs: “Brother Gu has something to say. Please sit down first.”

By now, Gu Pingyuan’s condition had improved slightly, and he had regained some energy. Seeing Old Qi and Liu Heita looking panicked, he reassured them: “I took a combination of Asarum and Veratrum, which violated the Eighteen Incompatibilities. Once I take the appropriate antidote, I’ll be fine. Don’t worry too much.”

Old Qi and Liu Heita had been merely anxious before, but after hearing Gu Pingyuan’s explanation, they were completely confused. Seeing that Gu Pingyuan was struggling to speak, Chang Yu’er explained: “Brother Gu wanted to get information from a Mongolian doctor. As a last resort, he deliberately took medicine that violated the Eighteen Incompatibilities, making himself ill.”

Old Qi finally understood: “Master Gu, you really risked your life! How could you take medicine that violates the Eighteen Incompatibilities so lightly?”

Gu Pingyuan managed a weak smile: “We were previously at a loss because we didn’t understand the situation. Besides, the worker carefully measured the dosage. It won’t cost me my life—I’m just suffering a bit.”

Liu Heita stood with his mouth open for a while before saying: “Brother Gu, let’s agree that if this happens again, I must be the one to do it. I’m strong enough to handle a few more doses without problems.”

Chang Yu’er interjected: “Let’s not discuss this now. Doctor Sadura’s information could save our lives.”

Old Qi nodded eagerly: “Right, right. What did he say?”

After Chang Yu’er relayed Sadura’s information, Old Qi and Liu Heita looked at each other in astonishment, unable to speak for a long time.

It turned out that Batu traveled thousands of li to Shanxi to buy medicine on Prince Ke’erke’s orders. Just four months earlier, northern and southern Mongolia had clashed militarily when an epidemic suddenly broke out along the northern border of northern Mongolia. The epidemic initially infected only cattle and horses but gradually spread to the herdsmen, and once infected, people were difficult to cure.

With military affairs urgent at the front and an epidemic spreading in the rear, Prince Ke’erke was deeply worried. To avoid damaging morale, he ordered strict containment of information about the epidemic. Thus, even Shanxi merchants who frequently traded with Mongolia were unaware of this major crisis in northern Mongolia.

While the information was contained, the next step was to invite famous doctors to eliminate the epidemic. Initially, they used Mongolian doctors, but after finding their methods ineffective, they secretly sought physicians from Central China. Coincidentally, a descendant of a medical family who wanted to curry favor with the prince offered an ancestral “Thousand Gold Formula.” When tested, it proved miraculously effective. The prince was delighted, but of the eight herbs in the formula, one had to be sourced entirely from Shanxi—the eleutherococcus from Kelan that Gu Pingyuan had transported.

“The prince gave Chief Steward Batu ten thousand taels of silver to quickly purchase the herbs in Shanxi, which is why he approached Xuanjitang, the largest pharmacy in Taiyuan.”

At this point, Old Qi understood everything: “He only spent six thousand taels on the herbs. This scoundrel wasn’t satisfied with pocketing four thousand taels—he wanted to take all ten thousand. His heart is truly as black as it gets.”

“No, he wants to pocket nine thousand nine hundred and fifty taels, with fifty taels left for us,” Gu Pingyuan said with a slight quirk of his lips.

“Brother Gu, I can’t believe you can still smile. I’m about to explode with anger.” Liu Heita couldn’t bear this injustice. He jumped up and headed for the door. “I’m going to the prince’s court to complain to Prince Ke’erke!”

“Doctor Sadura said the prince is hundreds of li away commanding the war effort, not in Bayanlege. Batu must have returned to Mongolia, learned the prince had gone to the front lines to oversee the war, and then boldly carried out this greedy and vicious scheme.” Gu Pingyuan’s words stopped Liu Heita.

“Master Gu, I have a question. Could Batu be acting on the prince’s orders?” Old Qi had his doubts.

“No,” Gu Pingyuan answered decisively. “If it were the prince’s command, Batu wouldn’t be acting so secretively, fearful of us having contact with Mongolians all along the way. He’s afraid the news will leak out and the prince will punish him.”

“So this Doctor Sadura really is well-informed,” Old Qi said thoughtfully.

“Yes, he’s a renowned doctor in this area who once consulted with several doctors about the epidemic. However, he also received strict orders from the prince’s court not to disclose this matter. Otherwise, he would be charged with ‘disrupting military morale at the front’—a capital offense.”

“So we can’t use this information to force Batu to comply?” Old Qi asked.

“We certainly can’t tell the authorities,” Gu Pingyuan nodded deeply.

Old Qi shook his head: “This is difficult. Now we know why Batu wants the herbs, but we still have nowhere to file a complaint.”

“I’ve thought it over repeatedly. Though the journey isn’t short and might not resolve the urgent situation, we must send someone to the front lines to report this to the prince. Once this matter escalates, only the prince can help us.”

“I’ll go!” Liu Heita volunteered immediately.

“No!” Before anyone else could speak, Chang Yu’er shook her head. “Brother, with your temperament, you might not explain things clearly to the prince and might even start a fight. Besides, look at those Mongolian soldiers outside. If it comes to armed conflict, would your martial skills be of any use?”

Gu Pingyuan also believed Liu Heita was unsuitable for the task, but the caravan couldn’t function without Old Qi and Sun Er, and he himself couldn’t leave.

“I’ll go!” This time, Chang Yu’er spoke very calmly.

“You?” Everyone was quite surprised. No one had expected Chang Yu’er to volunteer.

Before anyone could object, Chang Yu’er held up three fingers: “Let me explain. First, I understand some Mongolian, so communicating with Mongolians won’t be a problem. Second, as a woman, it’s normal for me to stay indoors, so if I disappear without reason, it won’t raise suspicion from people at the inn. My brother, on the other hand, with his large build and habit of moving around, would be noticed within half a day if he suddenly disappeared. Third…” She turned to Old Qi. “I’ve heard that Mongolians are reluctant to conflict with women. Is that true?”

“That’s absolutely true. If a Mongolian man bullied a young woman, he would be despised for life. They’re extremely proud and wouldn’t do such a thing even if no one saw them,” Old Qi, who had dealt with Mongolians his entire life, knew their customs thoroughly.

“That’s settled then. So I’m actually the safest choice from the entire caravan.” Chang Yu’er was touched by how Gu Pingyuan risked his life for this business deal, which ultimately was for the Chang family’s benefit. That’s why she boldly volunteered.

After her explanation, no one had anything to say. Although everyone was extremely worried about sending her, they couldn’t refute the reasons she had given.

“Very well, then we’ll have to trouble Miss Chang.” Seeing that the other two were hesitant, Gu Pingyuan knew he had to make the decision, even if it meant shouldering an enormous responsibility.

Liu Heita puffed his cheeks silently. He worried about his sister’s safety but also knew that despite her apparent fragility, she possessed an inner strength that rivaled any man’s. Since childhood, once she made up her mind, no one could change it.

Old Qi, seeing they had decided, rubbed his hands and said, “If that’s the case, arranging for Miss Chang to leave secretly will require some effort.”

“Let’s not rush. We’ll wait two days,” Gu Pingyuan reconsidered and changed his plan. “Whether one person leaves or two makes little difference. In a couple of days when my illness improves, I’ll also leave the inn.”

Gu Pingyuan reasoned that rather than everyone being trapped in anxiety, he might as well go out and explore—staying confined in the inn would certainly leave them without options. Furthermore, he worried that Prince Ke’erke might be protective of his people. If the prince refused to help the caravan, they needed to prepare an alternative plan.

After further discussion, they decided to divide into three groups.

The first group would be Old Qi and Liu Heita, who would remain at the inn with the caravan, waiting for news. The heavy responsibility fell on Old Qi’s shoulders; he had to keep everyone in the caravan, including Sun Er, completely in the dark, only saying that the transaction was still in progress with some complications, but nothing serious.

The second group would be Chang Yu’er, who would disguise herself as a man, ride a horse directly to the battlefield a thousand li away, deliver a message to the prince, and hopefully obtain justice.

The third group would be Gu Pingyuan. He would take Qiao Songnian, the worker from Xuanjitang who understood Mongolian, and quietly leave for a few days. They would gather information around Wukeduo to see if they could devise a good solution.

“Master Gu, please go and return quickly. The important matters of the caravan still need your leadership,” said Old Qi, who had spent his entire life in the caravan business and was especially concerned about this situation.

“Don’t worry, I won’t waste time. Those words Doctor Sadura spoke before leaving were coincidentally perfect. This way, if the pharmacy worker who ‘attends to me’ and I don’t appear for a few days, people at the inn won’t be suspicious,” Gu Pingyuan told Old Qi.

After Liu Heita and Old Qi left the room, Chang Yu’er lingered behind. With a complex expression, she said to Gu Pingyuan, “Brother Gu, how could you take that kind of medicine? What if it permanently harmed your body…” Her eyes reddened, and tears fell. She quickly turned her head away.

“Oh.” Seeing her like this, Gu Pingyuan didn’t know how to respond. After some thought, he said, “When we’re in dire straits, without the will to risk death, how can we find a way to survive? What do you think, Miss Chang?”

“I, I…” Chang Yu’er had countless words in her heart, but a maiden’s modesty prevented her from speaking them. In the end, she just nodded silently. As she left the room, she secretly glanced back. If Gu Pingyuan had looked at her at that moment, he would have easily noticed the deep concern in her eyes.

Two days passed. At dinnertime, two workers from the caravan suddenly started fighting. They fought from inside the rooms to the courtyard, and then to the main entrance. Dozens of workers rushed over to stop them, sweeping past the door in a crowd.

The two Mongolian guards at the entrance hurried to block them but couldn’t hold back so many people. Fortunately, the workers didn’t go far—they were just trying to break up the fight. Soon after they separated the fighters, everyone returned to the inn, and the Mongolian guards finally relaxed. No one noticed that among those who had come out to stop the fight, three people had disappeared under the cover of darkness and the crowd.

“Miss Chang, having you risk this journey alone truly weighs on my conscience. Please be extremely careful,” said Gu Pingyuan after half an hour, by a stable in the city. The three of them each held a horse, and Gu Pingyuan repeatedly instructed Chang Yu’er, who was dressed as a man.

Although Chang Yu’er had volunteered, she couldn’t help feeling uneasy. Half her worry was for herself, but the other half was concern for Gu Pingyuan. With lowered eyes, she said softly, “Brother Gu, you must also be careful. Don’t let Batu’s people see you.”

Gu Pingyuan escorted her to the city gate and watched as her fragile figure urged her horse forward alone. Turning back, he looked at the dark city from the gate tower and gritted his teeth in anger: “You bastard, Batu! We risked our lives transporting herbs for you, yet you completely disregard business ethics. I’ll turn your schemes upside down!”

“Master Gu, where are we going now?” Qiao Songnian asked beside him.

“To pharmacies. Not just in Wukeduo, but all pharmacies, large and small, in Bayanlege and its four garrison cities. This time you’ll take the lead, and I’ll just listen,” Gu Pingyuan had planned everything over the past two days.

“Me take the lead? What am I supposed to do?” Qiao Songnian was completely confused.

“We’ll ask if the prince’s court has recently purchased any herbs in bulk, and if so, what kinds?”

“Why ask about that?”

Gu Pingyuan had already told Qiao Songnian the entire story, so he explained directly, “I want to see if we can find out what herbs are in that Thousand Gold Formula. Think about it—the prince’s court surely doesn’t lack common medicines. If they’re buying in bulk, it must be related to this formula. Didn’t you say you’ve done business in northern Mongolia several times? See if you can find some pharmacy managers you’re familiar with.”

“I understand now. Mencius said, ‘Those who follow the Way gain many supporters; those who abandon it have few.’ I imagine this Batu is usually arrogant and domineering, so finding someone willing to oppose him shouldn’t be difficult. You can count on me for this,” Qiao Songnian said confidently.

Gu Pingyuan hadn’t expected a pharmacy worker to quote Confucian classics and speak with such insight and eloquence. He couldn’t help but look at him deeply. Qiao Songnian noticed and immediately put on a stern face, once again appearing distant and unapproachable.

Qiao Songnian proved to be capable. He had delivered medicinal herbs to all sizeable pharmacies in Bayanlege. Within a few days, he discovered that the prince’s court had summoned several pharmacy managers for private discussions.

“Master Gu, since these were confidential talks, they’ve surely been instructed not to disclose anything. Without deep friendship, we can’t extract this information, and we must avoid alerting them to our suspicions,” Qiao Songnian was quite astute.

“That’s correct. Since you say this, do you have a good approach?”

Only then did Qiao Songnian look pleased: “To be honest, the ‘Yanniintang’ pharmacy in the city has an old relationship with Xuanjitang. Starting from the previous generation of managers, they’ve been doing business together—always paying first and receiving goods later, without even requiring a deposit. Seven-tenths of their Central Plains medicines come from our store. Moreover,” he chuckled, “their head manager quite appreciates me and has even asked if I’d be willing to work for him.”

As Qiao Songnian spoke, Gu Pingyuan’s mind was turning. After listening, he knew they could inquire about this information at Yanniintang, both officially and unofficially, though some strategy would still be necessary.

“The friendship between your two stores is closer than some businesses that share the same brand. So tell him this: say that we’ve suffered a great loss this time, and if we can’t recover, Xuanjitang will have to close. This will surely make Yanniintang anxious, and then our inquiry will almost certainly succeed,” Gu Pingyuan instructed in detail.

Qiao Songnian understood perfectly. After finalizing their plan, they went to Yanniintang on Shunyi Street in Bayanlege. This was another well-established pharmacy in the area. The bluestone steps at the entrance had been polished smooth by the constant flow of customers. Business was clearly thriving. As they entered, they happened to see the head manager seeing a customer out, and he immediately noticed them.

“Oh, isn’t this Brother Qiao? Why have you come this month? Is any pharmacy short of urgent medicinal herbs? By the way, the rhubarb we purchased from your store last time was excellent—it worked miraculously in the Eight Corrections Powder,” the head manager thought Qiao Songnian had come to socialize during business hours. After inviting them to sit in the back room and hearing their purpose, his expression changed.

“Brother Qiao, are you… are you trying to get me killed?” The head manager sat leaning forward, saying repeatedly.

“Manager, what are you saying? With the friendship between our two stores, how could I harm you?”

The head manager waved his hands repeatedly: “Even my workers don’t know about this matter, let alone you. The prince’s court has issued a strict order—anyone who reveals information about the epidemic will have their family executed and property confiscated. Otherwise, how could such a major event remain secret until now?”

“Boils will eventually surface. An epidemic disaster like this cannot be concealed indefinitely,” Gu Pingyuan couldn’t help interjecting.

The head manager looked at him, and Qiao Songnian quickly explained, “This is our owner, Master Gu. He leads our caravan on this journey.”

“Oh, so you’re Master Gu. Your intelligence network is quite efficient,” the head manager, having just met Gu Pingyuan, showed a hint of caution in his expression. His tone was cool. “Of course, it can’t be hidden forever. The prince’s court is already working on solutions.”

“Unfortunately, someone’s greed is causing unnecessary complications. Medicine that could be prepared is being obstructed,” Gu Pingyuan said coldly.

The head manager was startled. “What do you mean by that…?”

“I’m talking about the court steward Batu. His greed knows no bounds—he wants to embezzle medicinal herbs worth ten thousand taels of silver,” Gu Pingyuan believed that to seek help, honesty was best. Plus, this was an old business associate of Shanxi merchants, presumably trustworthy, so he recounted the entire story from beginning to end. After listening, the head manager was quite shocked. He knew the prince’s court was seeking good doctors to treat the disease but had no idea they had already obtained a prescription.

“Oh my! So that’s why the prince’s court recently sent people to inquire about the quantity and price of several medicinal herbs in my store. So that’s what was happening!” The head manager grimaced. “You’ve really been taken advantage of! This is a complete loss, isn’t it?”

“Ah,” Gu Pingyuan sighed, looking up at the head manager. “To be honest, Batu is keeping us under tight surveillance. I had to take medicine that violated the Eighteen Incompatibilities to fake illness and sneak out to seek your help.”

When the head manager heard that Gu Pingyuan dared to take medicine violating the Eighteen Incompatibilities, risking his life, he was moved. But after consideration, he still waved his hands repeatedly.

“No, no, you’re asking too much of me. You’re traveling merchants in Mongolia—eventually, you’ll leave. But I’m a local merchant with all my business here. If Batu finds out, my family will be ruined.”

From that moment, Gu Pingyuan and Qiao Songnian took turns trying to persuade him, but despite talking until their lips were raw, it was useless. The head manager shook his head like a rattle drum, refusing to help.

Finally, Gu Pingyuan had no choice. He stood up, cupped his hands, and said, “Head Manager, if that’s the case, I won’t force you. But may I borrow a ladder?”

“A ladder?” The head manager thought he had misheard. Thinking carefully, he realized he hadn’t—Gu Pingyuan had indeed said “ladder.” Perplexed, he asked, “What do you need a ladder for?”

“To take down Yanniintang’s old sign,” Gu Pingyuan said calmly.

“What?!” The head manager was stunned, then angered. “Master Gu, because I won’t help you, you want to take down my sign?”

“You misunderstand! I know Yanniintang’s golden signboard won’t last—three months at most, half a year at the latest. Though we’ve just met, we’re acquainted now. I’m willing to do you a service and take it down today.”

The head manager angrily slammed the table. “This is becoming absurd! Master Gu, tell me, why wouldn’t my Yanniintang’s sign last? I’d like to hear your reasoning.”

Gu Pingyuan smiled impassively. “It seems the head manager truly doesn’t understand the situation. Let me explain.”

He sat down in the center seat and picked up a cup. “I believe you’ve understood the situation now. If Batu gets his way and we sell our goods for fifty taels, Xuanjitang will likely close when we return. Your Yanniintang gets seven-tenths of its herbs on credit from Xuanjitang—how can you not be affected? Every pharmacy in Bayanlege envies your business. Given this opportunity, they’ll surely gang up against you to force you out! Additionally, Batu will need to purchase herbs in bulk next. Given his greedy nature, he’ll certainly drive prices to the absolute minimum. Large pharmacies like Yanniintang will be the first to suffer severely. How can your business survive then?”

As he spoke, he threw the cup to the ground. The sharp “crack” startled the engrossed head manager.

“This is the result if I sell the herbs,” Gu Pingyuan said, picking up another cup. “Now, what if I don’t sell? As a man of integrity, if I were so insulted by Batu, I might rage and burn all the herbs, ending everything cleanly. But there’s one issue—the epidemic will eventually reach Bayanlege. Without the Thousand Gold Formula’s effective medicine, I fear the head manager’s family won’t escape destruction either.” With that, he threw down the second cup. Another “crack” made the head manager’s eyes widen.

“By your logic, whether you sell the herbs or not, my business is doomed?” The head manager drew a sharp breath, staring at Gu Pingyuan in shock.

“Not necessarily,” Gu Pingyuan, seeing the situation, knew the head manager had fallen into his trap. Adding pressure would be just about right. He turned with a smile, “Head Manager, don’t worry too much. Can’t bad situations turn good?”

“Well…” The head manager was usually shrewd, but today, encountering Gu Pingyuan, he had been manipulated to the point of confusion.

“Think about it—if you help us complete this transaction successfully, when we return to Shanxi, Manager Wu will hear how you helped and surely return the favor. Shanxi merchants value integrity above all. Then, even if Batu forces your prices down, with Xuanjitang supporting you behind the scenes, you won’t suffer greatly, right? Moreover, when Batu negotiates prices down, not just your pharmacy will be affected. Other pharmacies without this support will struggle, and then Yanniintang might even be able to acquire several more stores…” Gu Pingyuan used all his skills of persuasion, first explaining the harm, then the benefits.

Just listening to Gu Pingyuan’s words, the head manager felt like he had traveled from hell to heaven and back. Without realizing it, his underclothes were soaked with cold sweat.

Gu Pingyuan observed him coldly, watching him stand and pace around the room. Knowing that without a final strike, he wouldn’t make up his mind, Gu Pingyuan grabbed a third cup and smashed it forcefully on the ground.

This third crack froze the head manager as if he had been cast in a spell. His body trembled as he turned to look at Gu Pingyuan.

“For a head manager, you’re very indecisive. Hesitation in a crisis invites immediate disaster. If that’s how it is, I’ll take my leave. But when the time comes to take down your sign, if you need help, just call me!” With that, Gu Pingyuan signaled to Qiao Songnian, and they both headed for the door.

“Wait!” The head manager called out urgently from behind.

Gu Pingyuan had one foot already outside the parlor. Hearing the call, he stopped but didn’t turn around.

“All right,” the head manager’s mind was in chaos, looking ahead and behind, finding no perfect solution. Reluctantly, he said, “I’ll help you, but Batu must never find out.”

Gu Pingyuan was secretly overjoyed and turned back. “Head Manager, rest assured, I am willing to swear a solemn oath.”

The head manager gave a bitter smile. “Tell me, what do you want me to do?”

After leaving Wukeduo, Chang Yu’er urged her newly purchased dappled gray horse southward, along the edge of the Wugutale Gobi Desert, racing toward Niudu Valley where the two armies were engaged in battle. When leaving the city, she had inquired and learned that riding along the road with desert on one side and grassland on the other, she would reach Niudu Valley within five days.

Little did she know that human habitation would become increasingly scarce along this route. On the first day, she could still see a few Mongolian yurts where shepherds lived. The owners were extremely hospitable, actively inviting guests to stay, and providing dry food and water when she left. But from the second day onward, she saw no one at all. Although Chang Yu’er could ride, she wasn’t like the merchants who traveled year-round. Unable to eat and sleep on horseback, after three days, she was utterly exhausted, persevering only through sheer willpower.

As noon approached, Chang Yu’er was completely worn out. Seeing a slightly denser patch of dwarf willows by the roadside that could provide shade, she dismounted, tied her horse to a tree, and spread her outer coat on the sand. She had intended to take only a short nap before continuing, but unexpectedly fell into a deep sleep.

When Chang Yu’er awoke with a start, before even opening her eyes, she felt sand painfully striking her face and neck. The wind howled around her. Alarmed, she turned over and looked—and was immediately terrified.

The weather that had been bright and sunny earlier had completely changed. Yellow sand filled the space between heaven and earth, and the wind roared like a fierce beast. Most frightening of all, mixed with the yellow sand were streaks of black sand that occasionally gathered to form countless human faces, sometimes ferocious, sometimes bizarre.

Chang Yu’er had never seen such a phenomenon and dared not look again after a single glance. The sand was striking her eyes so forcefully that she couldn’t keep them open. She didn’t know this was the relatively uncommon “ghost-face wind” that occurred at the intersection of grassland and desert. The wind blew from cracks in the sand, carrying black sand from below the surface. It came without warning and disappeared without a trace. Though less harmful than a sandstorm, it was terrifying.

Experienced herdsmen encountering this type of wind would stabilize their horses, make them lie down, and use the animals as shields. After enduring for half a day, the wind would pass.

Chang Yu’er knew nothing of this method. Following the customs of her hometown in Shanxi, she tried to find shelter from the wind, which proved to be a mistake. She reached for the reins—fortunately, the horse was still tied to the dwarf willow. With one hand shielding her face and the other barely managing to untie the reins, she freed the horse.

The dappled gray horse had already been suffering from the sand. As soon as the reins were untied, it began to move. Chang Yu’er dared not let go and stumbled along behind the horse. Fortunately, the horse was heading toward an area with less wind and sand, taking the brunt of the headwind.

Moving along in a daze, one foot sinking deep and the other shallow, she lost track of time. Suddenly, Chang Yu’er felt the wind diminish, and fewer sand particles struck her hands and forehead. Looking up, she could vaguely see a ray of sunlight through the yellow sand filling the sky. Her heart felt relieved.

By now, the horse was also exhausted and stood still, waiting for the sandstorm to pass. Chang Yu’er crouched beside it, occasionally looking up at the sky.

After perhaps another half hour, the wind finally stopped. When it ceased, not even a breeze remained, and the clouds had been completely swept away by the earlier gale. Chang Yu’er sighed, stood up, and brushed the sand from her body and head, then looked around. What she saw left her dumbfounded. She turned to look in another direction and was even more shocked.

Without realizing it, Chang Yu’er had wandered deep into the Gobi Desert. Yellow sand surrounded her in every direction, with no way to determine which way to go. Even if she wanted to turn back, she couldn’t find the path. Realizing her predicament, Chang Yu’er nearly burst into tears. She had never encountered anything so frightening in her life. If she became lost in the Gobi Desert, there wouldn’t even be a complete corpse to find—the yellow sand would bury her, and her family would never know what had happened to her.

Chang Yu’er was, after all, a woman with limited experience. Though she had boldly volunteered to ride and deliver the message in Wukeduo, when facing such danger, she was at a loss. She desperately wished she could turn back time to the inn, where she would never have volunteered for this mission.

Regrets aside, at this moment, Old Chang Si, Liu Heita, and Gu Pingyuan were nowhere near her. Heaven wouldn’t answer her calls, nor would the earth respond. Only the horse stood staring at her.

In her desperation, Chang Yu’er embraced the horse’s neck, her voice trembling with tears: “Horse, dear horse, how did you find your way here? Can you take us back? If you can lead us out, I’ll feed you the finest hay every day and never let you do heavy work pulling carts.”

Whether the dappled gray horse understood or was simply hungry, after Chang Yu’er’s words, it began to move its four hooves lightly and started walking. At this point, Chang Yu’er would grasp at any straw that might save her life. Not caring where the horse was heading, she simply followed behind.

After walking for most of the day, Chang Yu’er increasingly realized that the horse, too, was disoriented. Otherwise, they would have found their way back by now. It seemed they were only making things worse, going deeper into the desert. At this stage, praying to gods and Buddhas wouldn’t help. The dry food and water on the horse would barely last three days, and since the horse couldn’t find grass or water, she’d have to share half with it. Chang Yu’er was kindhearted and had no intention of keeping all the food for herself, let alone killing the horse for food.

Chang Yu’er had heard from her father that oases sometimes appeared in the desert, and lucky people could stumble upon them. Now, she could only place her hope in this possibility. With the bright moon illuminating the sky, Chang Yu’er dared not waste time and continued trudging forward step by difficult step under the moonlight.

In the vast desert, not only were there no mountains, but not even the shadow of a tree could be seen. No matter how far they walked, looking forward showed endless Gobi Desert, and looking back was the same. She didn’t even know how far they had traveled. After sleeping fitfully at one point, when she awoke, she could no longer distinguish the direction from which they had come.

Chang Yu’er’s heart grew increasingly desperate. During her next rest, she tore off a piece of her garment, bit her finger, and wrote her name and address in blood. This was a precaution—if she died in the desert and, heaven willing, someone found her, they might see the blood writing and inform her family of her fate, sparing them a lifetime of worry.

Lost in such thoughts, the woman and horse wandered through the desert sea for two days and two nights. Despite being frugal with their resources, the food and water were exhausted. Both were utterly fatigued. By now, each step Chang Yu’er took felt like a thousand pounds, and her throat was so parched it seemed to be cracking.

Finally, Chang Yu’er gave up. She knew that being buried in the vast desert was now inevitable. The only difference would be whether she was buried where she stood or after walking a few hundred meters more.

“Enough,” Chang Yu’er pressed her face against the dappled gray horse’s neck and said weakly, “You’ve accompanied me for so long. We should rest now. Let’s rest here.”

As she spoke, her body slid down until she lay on the ground. Looking up at the blue sky and white clouds, she thought of her childhood, days of playing in the Chang family courtyard, her father, her brother, and Gu Pingyuan, with whom she had shared one night of intimacy. Tears welled up in the corners of her eyes.

At that moment, she vaguely heard the sound of bells—a sound she had become familiar with over the past two months. Camel bells!

Camel bells? Chang Yu’er laughed self-mockingly. Was she hallucinating, imagining Old Qi’s caravan coming to rescue her? That would be a daydream.

She hopelessly closed her eyes. Her sorrow wasn’t just because her youth and beauty would be buried in the yellow sand, but also because she regretted that the mission entrusted to her by the caravan could no longer be completed. Without the prince knowing about this matter, Batu could do whatever he wanted, and the caravan would suffer greatly. Moreover, her father was eagerly waiting in Shanxi. In the end, not only would the old house be lost, but his only daughter would also disappear. Her father might not withstand such a blow, and the Chang family would be completely ruined.

The more Chang Yu’er thought, the more sorrowful she became, and she couldn’t help but sob. The dappled gray horse beside her suddenly neighed. Chang Yu’er looked up in surprise and said, “Do you also share my feelings, knowing we can’t escape this desert and feeling sad?”

The horse couldn’t speak but raised its head, looking south. Chang Yu’er struggled to half-rise, narrowing her eyes to look in the same direction. After a long while, she finally noticed several small black dots slowly moving on a distant sand dune.

“A caravan? It’s a caravan!” Chang Yu’er wanted to shout for help, but her voice had long since failed her. Even if someone were standing right in front of her, they might not hear what she was saying. Chang Yu’er’s heart raced anxiously as she watched the caravan moving into the distance. Using all her remaining strength, she mounted the horse and shook the reins vigorously. Her vision blurred, and she collapsed onto the saddle, losing consciousness!

“This plan is extremely risky!” To prevent leaks, the head manager had brought Gu Pingyuan to his small accounting room. The doors and windows were tightly closed, and he wouldn’t even allow anyone to bring water inside. He had already prepared a large pot of chrysanthemum tea. “For internal heat—you must drink some chrysanthemum tea.” The head manager was irritated; his business had been going well until Gu Pingyuan arrived and filled him with anxiety. Gu Pingyuan pretended not to hear the head manager’s complaints. The three men discussed privately in the accounting room from noon until lamplight time. Gu Pingyuan explained in detail what he wanted to do and how he planned to do it. After hearing everything, the head manager drew a sharp breath.

“Fortune favors the bold. Besides, Batu has cornered us to the point where we’re not seeking fortune but mere survival. We have no choice but to take risks,” Gu Pingyuan, having gained the head manager’s support, was now ready to act boldly, planning a counterattack from a desperate position to teach Batu a lesson.

The head manager frowned silently, holding his teacup. He knew that once he became involved, if Batu discovered it, he could never do business in Bayanlege again. “You need to find a way to keep me out of this. I’ll say it again—I’m a local merchant. There are risks I simply cannot take.”

“Yes, there’s no name of Yanniintang printed on the silver. Batu will never discover that I borrowed money from you,” Gu Pingyuan had to further reassure the head manager. “I only ask that after I purchase another herb from the Thousand Gold Formula—’maoweicao’—you lend me your warehouse to store the goods briefly. It won’t be for long, just three to five days.”

Gu Pingyuan had been contemplating how to turn defeat into victory these past days. In times like these, deeply buried memories often suddenly surface. This happened to Gu Pingyuan. At the inn, he had seen an attendant break a teapot lid and get scolded by the manager, who said, “What use is a teapot without a lid?” This suddenly enlightened him, reminding him of a well-known incident in the Huizhou business world.

It was said that during a provincial examination year in Huizhou, a brush and ink shop named “Tiandiji” obtained inside information and invested heavily to buy up all the finest lake brushes and Hui ink from the five prefectures and eighteen counties, planning to corner the market. Before the examinations, scholars would compare their writing, and they needed the best brushes and ink to produce work that was “black, large, round, and glossy.” Using worn-out brushes or poor-quality ink would damage their reputation. With all the goods prepared, the shop owner was ready to make a fortune.

On the same street, there was another brush and ink shop called “Qiwenge,” which had been a rival of “Tiandiji” for many years. This time, “Tiandiji” had acted first with inside information, conducting business secretively. By the time “Qiwenge” learned of the situation, it was too late to acquire any lake brushes or Hui ink. The owner of “Qiwenge” knew the situation was dire—if “Tiandiji” gained this advantage, his shop would fall behind for years and might even face bankruptcy.

The entire staff of “Qiwenge” brainstormed for three days and nights. Finally, a young apprentice who had worked in the brush and ink shop since childhood devised a plan. After hearing it, the shop owner immediately kowtowed to the young man.

“Tiandiji” remained unaware of this. However, when scholars gathered in the provincial capital and the fine brushes and ink were displayed, there were few buyers. After several days, the owner of “Tiandiji” became anxious. Upon investigation, he discovered what had happened: “Qiwenge” had bought up all the paper regularly used by the scholars and refused to sell a single sheet.

Without paper, who would buy brushes and ink? Moreover, paper was inexpensive—even if “Qiwenge” burned it all, they wouldn’t suffer much loss. But for “Tiandiji,” the situation was different. If the expensive brushes and ink remained unsold, the shop would certainly close.

At this point, the owner of “Tiandiji” realized his oversight. Focused solely on making a large profit, he had disregarded the less profitable paper, only to be defeated by it. He had no choice but to arrange a reconciliation banquet with “Qiwenge” and eventually paid a large sum to purchase all the paper from “Qiwenge,” finally selling his brushes and ink as a package deal.

In the end, the profits balanced out between the two shops. But in terms of business victory, everyone in Huizhou knew that “Qiwenge” had truly turned defeat into victory, winning cleanly and beautifully.

It was from this story that Gu Pingyuan drew inspiration, devising a brilliant counter-strategy against Batu.

As Gu Pingyuan narrated this story, the head manager listened in amazement. After a moment of stunned silence, he scratched his head and said, “What I don’t understand is how you guessed that Batu hasn’t yet purchased the other herbs for the Thousand Gold Formula?”

Gu Pingyuan smiled, with a hint of mockery in his expression: “I’ve dealt with Batu twice and can see he has the nature of a cunning fox. Based on this nature, I’m certain he wouldn’t purchase the other herbs before securing the eleutherococcus from Shanxi.”

“Oh, what do you mean by ‘the nature of a cunning fox’?” the head manager asked with interest.

“Two things: first, greed; second, suspicion. Batu’s reason for drastically undercutting the price to the Shanxi merchants is simply greed—wanting to keep for himself all the money the prince gave him for purchasing herbs. This means that after undercutting the price for eleutherococcus, he would also undercut the prices for all the locally available herbs. However, he also worries that if he can’t successfully purchase the eleutherococcus, even if he buys the other seven herbs, the Thousand Gold Formula would be ineffective without the complete set. He would then be punished by the prince for wasting a large sum of silver. Therefore, I’m certain he would wait until securing the most difficult-to-obtain herb, eleutherococcus, before dealing with local herb merchants.”

Gu Pingyuan paused, seeing the head manager listening intently, then continued: “As you said, you’re a local merchant and absolutely cannot offend the prince’s chief steward. Even if it means losing money, you would sell herbs to Batu without hesitation. Not just you, but all pharmacies in Bayanlege and its surroundings would do the same. He’s confident of this, which is why he acts so fearlessly.”

“Sigh, Master Gu, you see things clearly. Batu’s heart is truly dark. Not to mention anything else, the herdsmen on the grasslands are desperately waiting for effective medicine, yet he’s willing to delay again and again just to embezzle more money. How many people will die during this time!” The head manager shook his head and sighed.

“In ancient times, wise men knew that ‘the people are precious, the state comes second, and the ruler is least important.’ Now, not only is this reversed, but even a prince’s steward dares to exploit the people so ruthlessly. This world truly is…” Qiao Songnian, who had been listening, shook his head helplessly.

Gu Pingyuan’s face darkened: “That’s why I absolutely cannot tolerate this mad wolf of the grasslands! I must fight him to the end.”

The head manager nodded silently: “Your strategy is indeed risky—taking advantage of the interval while Batu waits for the eleutherococcus before purchasing local herbs, you’ll first buy up one of the herbs, making the Thousand Gold Formula impossible to complete. But there’s one thing I don’t understand: what’s your next step? Will you use the herbs to blackmail Batu?”

“Yes, after I purchase the maoweicao and hide it in Yanniintang’s warehouse, then…” In truth, Gu Pingyuan hadn’t fully decided what to do next. He only knew that buying up the maoweicao would be all benefit with no harm—at worst, he could use it to negotiate with Batu.

“Let’s take it one step at a time. Right now, we’re in the open while Batu operates in secrecy, so we’re constantly at a disadvantage. Once we have a crucial herb from the Thousand Gold Formula in our hands, the situation reverses—we’ll be in hiding while Batu is exposed, turning the tide in our favor.”

The head manager could think of no more objections to Gu Pingyuan’s plan. He took out his key and personally removed three or four bank notes from the money cabinet in the small accounting room.

“These add up to about five hundred taels of silver. Maoweicao is the cheapest herb in the Thousand Gold Formula. Five hundred taels is enough to buy up all the stock from every pharmacy near Bayanlege. The quantities in other areas aren’t worth mentioning.”

“Thank you, Head Manager.” Gu Pingyuan picked up a brush to write an IOU but was stopped by the head manager.

“No need. I trust Xuanjitang, and besides, it’s better not to leave a written record of this matter.”

Gu Pingyuan was quick-witted and understood that the head manager was more concerned with the latter point. He accepted this with a smile, knowing he would never keep the five hundred taels for himself.

In warfare, speed is essential. Gu Pingyuan would have preferred to send out Yanniintang’s workers, divided into more than ten groups to collect herbs simultaneously. However, the head manager was extremely cautious and wouldn’t allow any of his workers to be involved. After much discussion, he only helped Gu Pingyuan rent several large carts and drivers from an inconspicuous stable on the edge of the city.

“Master Gu, I’ve been more than generous. If my workers were involved, the entire Bayanlege would know that Yanniintang was buying up maoweicao. If this reached Batu’s ears, he would immediately tear down my pharmacy.”

Gu Pingyuan realized the head manager’s concerns were reasonable and didn’t want to force him. Instead, he devised an alternative approach. He and Qiao Songnian each led several large carts, following the head manager’s instructions to find pharmacies and purchase herbs. Fortunately, some of the cart drivers understood Chinese and could barely serve as interpreters for Gu Pingyuan. However, this approach caused delays. What could have been completed in two or three days dragged on for five or six days.

“Why has it taken so long? What kind of illness is it?” Batu was losing his temper in his newly built residence. Sitting on a wolf-skin chair in the center of the main hall, he glared at the kneeling innkeeper. Batu knew that before the prince left, he had ordered a several-hundred-li area of grassland burned in the north where the epidemic was spreading, causing massive losses of humans and livestock. This great sacrifice was made to buy time for preparing the medicine. If the prince returned and the medicine wasn’t ready, or if the epidemic crossed the uninhabited zone, given the prince’s explosive temperament, Batu would bear tremendous responsibility.

“According to Doctor Sadura, it’s a combination of being unaccustomed to the local conditions and taking inappropriate medicine, resulting in both internal and external toxins, making the illness particularly severe,” the innkeeper said cautiously.

“No matter how severe, surely he can at least see someone and talk? I’m waiting for him to sell the herbs, and now he’s the one taking medicine. Truly damned unlucky,” Batu said impatiently. He had sent people to the inn several times to urge action, but Old Qi always sent them away with the excuse, “The leader is ill and we dare not make decisions.”

“I don’t know. The caravan people all say they’re following the doctor’s orders to avoid drafts. Only one of their own workers is allowed in the room to care for him. Not just us—even their own caravan members aren’t permitted to enter.”

“Hmm?” Batu suddenly became suspicious. He had considered using his soldiers to seize the goods, but Wukeduo was still under Prince Ke’erke’s rule, and he worried about causing too much commotion. If the prince returned and heard rumors… Now, with the caravan leader ill and unseen, could there be some trick involved?

“There’s been no change,” the innkeeper, who had been instructed by Batu to watch these merchants, shook his head. “No, you needn’t worry. If these Han people had any sinister intentions, they would certainly make a big fuss. Right now, they’re all just waiting for that Gu fellow to recover so he can make decisions.”

“But we can’t keep waiting like this indefinitely. How long will it take? Let’s do this—wait two more days. If there’s still no improvement, we’ll invite a court physician from the prince’s residence to examine him.”

The innkeeper agreed and, seeing that Batu had nothing more to say, tactfully withdrew.

“Chief Steward, someone wishes to see you!” Just as the innkeeper withdrew, a servant came forward to report.

Upon hearing this, Batu’s eyes flickered. He stood up silently and walked around the servant, circling him before stopping in front. After a long moment, he let out a laugh. “Are you new here?”

“Yes, Chief Steward! My name is—”

“You bastard!” Before the servant could finish, Batu suddenly erupted in rage and threw a punch that made the servant stagger. The servant was terrified and glanced up furtively, becoming even more frightened when he saw Batu’s face twisted in anger, nostrils flared, eyes flashing with cold fury.

The servant quickly tried to recall his words, but couldn’t think of any mistake. What was wrong with Master Batu? He dared not defend himself and, already stooped over, immediately dropped to his knees.

“You ignorant son of a bitch! Do you know what you said wrong?” Batu snarled.

“I know, I know! Please forgive me, Chief Steward.” The servant swallowed hard and hurriedly admitted fault.

His response only enraged Batu further. He took a whip from the wall and lashed the servant mercilessly, beating him until he was rolling on the ground, crying for mercy.

When Batu tired of the beating, he threw the whip to the ground and shouted, “Get out!”

The beaten servant didn’t dare make a sound. He scrambled out of the main hall and only stopped after turning several corners, as if waking from a nightmare.

“What happened to you? How did you get so injured?” An older servant passing by asked in surprise.

The beaten servant complained miserably, “I have no idea. I simply reported something and got beaten for it.”

“Who beat you?”

The servant dared not say but glanced toward the main hall.

The older servant understood. After asking about what happened, he smiled bitterly. “You deserved that beating for calling him ‘Chief Steward.'”

“But isn’t he the chief steward of the prince’s court?”

“You’re still not convinced? Listen, let me tell you something to make you wiser. Our master was born a lowly slave. Through flattery and servility, kneeling to lick the prince’s boot soles, abandoning all dignity, he finally secured the position of chief steward at the prince’s court. Now that he has his own estate, he wants to regain all the dignity he once sacrificed, to be the master of his own domain. But you called him ‘steward’—no matter how high-ranking, a steward is still a servant, isn’t he?”

“So you’re saying I accidentally touched his sore spot?”

“Exactly. Even though everyone knows he’s just a fawning dog of a servant, now that he’s putting on airs, the servants must address him as ‘Master.’ Understand?”

The beaten servant finally realized how pointless his beating had been but dared not say anything. After a moment’s thought, he exclaimed, “Oh no!”

“What now?”

“There’s someone waiting in the front courtyard to see the master. I got beaten as soon as I opened my mouth and left without explaining properly. If there’s a delay, it will be my fault again!”

“Then go report it again!”

“I dare not go back. Please, good brother, could you go on my behalf?”

The older servant reluctantly agreed to help after getting the details.

By now, Batu’s anger had subsided somewhat. When he learned a pharmacy manager was waiting outside, he was surprised.

“Let him in.”

“Yes, Master.”

Soon, a tall, thin man entered, wearing a fur robe and a lambskin hat. He kept rubbing his hands together, his face plastered with a fawning smile so excessive that even Batu, accustomed to flattery, found it nauseating.

“What business do you have?” Batu asked indifferently, sipping his milk tea.

“Hehe, this humble one pays respects to the great master.” The man prostrated himself and kowtowed three times.

This truly pleased Batu. Generally, those who enjoy flattering others also enjoy being flattered themselves. He put down his teacup and asked carefully, “Who are you?”

“Me?” The man remained kneeling, his eyes shifting as he answered, “I am a dog!”

“A dog?” Batu was surprised but amused and couldn’t help asking, “Why do you call yourself a dog?”

“This humble one is a Han Chinese, surname Wu, given name Gong. I’m the third manager at Hongji Pharmacy, just across the street from your mansion. Isn’t that like being a watchdog guarding your gate?” Only Wu Gong could utter such shameless words with a straight face.

“Haha, good! You’re a Han dog who knows how to speak. So what brings you to my residence today? Do you want me to support your business?” Batu laughed.

Wu Gong straightened up, his face showing great concern: “Business matters are for the head and second managers to worry about. I don’t usually concern myself with such things, but matters related to you, Master, I cannot ignore.”

“What do you mean?”

“Master, may I ask if you recently sent someone to pharmacies with a prescription to inquire about prices and stock levels of certain herbs?”

Batu was startled. This was true—after learning that all herbs except eleutherococcus were readily available, he had gone to Shanxi to purchase that herb. However, he didn’t want to reveal anything about the “Thousand Gold Formula,” so he answered vaguely: “Hmm, something like that did happen. The prince’s court’s regular medicine supply is running low, and we plan to purchase more at an appropriate time. But we don’t need that much, and it’s not urgent.”

“That’s what I thought.” Wu Gong had a nickname in the pharmacy trade—”Centipede”—because he was known for finding any crack to squeeze through, any wall to climb. He particularly enjoyed using someone else’s power to his advantage. Even his desk and chair at the pharmacy were unique. While others preferred open spaces, he chose a corner with the back wall behind him, saying it gave him “backing.”

Wu Gong’s previous “backing” had been a government official stationed in the area who was from his neighboring province. Unfortunately, that official had recently been recalled to his original post, leaving Wu Gong desperate to find a new patron. After much thought, he decided on Batu, the prince’s chief steward. Coincidentally, when Gu Pingyuan’s people came to the shop to buy herbs, Wu Gong didn’t understand the cause and effect of the situation, but he was determined to curry favor with Batu, so he seized the opportunity without question. Little did he know that his mistaken action had actually hit the mark.

“Just yesterday, someone came with large carts and took all of one herb from your prescription. Fearing that your household might urgently need the medicine, I secretly kept ten jin and rushed to deliver it to you.” Wu Gong thought he had spoken appropriately. Even if Batu didn’t need these ten jin of herbs, he would surely appreciate his loyalty, thus securing his patronage. This was his plan, but when he finished speaking and glanced up, he was startled.

Wu Gong had never seen anyone’s expression change so quickly. Moments ago, Batu had been composed with a slight smile, looking ruddy-faced. In an instant, his face turned deathly pale, his eyes widened, and the finger pointing at Wu Gong visibly trembled.

“What did you say? Say it again!” Batu’s voice quavered. The Thousand Gold Formula required all ingredients—none could be missing. He had been confident that the other seven herbs weren’t in high demand and had ample stock, so he hadn’t bothered purchasing them, planning to buy them locally after securing the eleutherococcus. How could this happen at such a critical time?

Wu Gong, unsure if he had misspoken, courageously repeated himself. Batu jumped up and grabbed Wu Gong’s collar. “Who bought the herbs? Speak quickly!”

“This humble one doesn’t know. It was a simple transaction—money for goods. I’m only the third manager at the store. With the head manager in charge, even if I wanted to inquire…” Wu Gong trembled in fear, staring at Batu in terror, not understanding why the chief steward who had just claimed “it’s not urgent” was now as frantic as if half his backside had been set on fire.

“Get the hell out of here.” Batu viciously pushed him to the ground and shouted, “Someone come!”

After summoning his servants to gather information and reporting back, Batu sat in his chair, feeling as if he had fallen into an ice cave, speechless for a long time.

“Go invite the military commander from the main camp,” he finally managed to say after a considerable time.

Batu wasn’t acting alone in this matter. He needed the military’s power to escort and guard the Shanxi caravan, and possibly to enforce his will when collecting herbs later. So he had involved the local garrison commander, agreeing to split the silver equally. Now that such a major problem had arisen, he needed to consult with the commander.

Soon, a Mongolian military officer with a square face and tiger-like eyes, fully armored, strode into Batu’s residence.

“The troops are in training. Why such an urgent summons?” he asked.

The commander’s name was Duoshan. He was fierce in battle but had one serious flaw—he was obsessed with women. When stationed at the front lines, it wasn’t so bad, but since being transferred to Bayanlege, he had acquired seven concubines in just a few years and kept over a dozen prostitutes in various brothels. Even that wasn’t enough—each year, under the pretext of clearing out horse bandits, he would forcibly violate the wives and daughters of herdsmen. If not for Batu’s cover-ups, these matters would have been exposed to the prince long ago. Consequently, he and Batu had become friends who “wore the same pair of pants.”

His expenditures on women were enormous, and the money he embezzled from the military through ghost soldiers couldn’t cover his deficits. When Batu suggested making money from life-saving herbs, he had agreed without hesitation.

“Do you remember that Thousand Gold Formula?” Batu asked, his face grim.

Duoshan nodded silently.

“Someone has purchased all available stock of one of the herbs!”

Duoshan was slightly surprised: “That can’t be right. Didn’t you say these weren’t sought-after herbs and could be purchased anytime?”

“That’s indeed what I said initially. Who would have expected this?” Batu sat down and pounded the armrest heavily.

“Is this information reliable?” Duoshan paced back and forth before turning to ask.

“A pharmacy manager came to report it. I sent people to inquire at major pharmacies, and it’s true.”

“Who purchased them?”

“They paid cash, loaded the goods onto large carts, and left without leaving a name.”

Duoshan frowned, walked in circles, then suddenly stopped and turned around. “You didn’t leak information about the Thousand Gold Formula, did you?”

“You mean someone learned about it and is hoarding supplies? Impossible. No one would have the audacity. Even if they knew, how would they dare to go against the prince’s court?” Batu dismissed the idea.

“Not necessarily. Money moves people’s hearts. Look at the two of us—aren’t we risking our necks for this deal? To be blunt, aren’t we going against the prince?”

“Well…” Batu hadn’t considered malicious purchasing, assuming it was coincidental that someone needed the herbs. Now, with Duoshan’s suggestion, his heart began to beat anxiously. “What do you think we should do?”

“If someone is deliberately working against us, keeping these herbs far away is pointless and would only add transportation costs. They must be hidden nearby. Outside the city, we can use soldiers to search extensively, but inside the city is problematic—alarming the prince’s court would be disastrous.”

“I’ll handle that part; you just take care of the areas outside the city. Search anywhere that could hide several cartloads of herbs, including monasteries and nunneries!” Batu instructed.

“You don’t need to tell me that. Time is of the essence. I’ll go mobilize the troops immediately!” Duoshan said as he left.

After Duoshan departed, Batu urgently assembled his household servants. Although he was the prince’s chief steward, he had no authority to deploy the prince’s guards and could only use his own servants. Nevertheless, when gathered, they numbered nearly a hundred. He stood in the courtyard holding a string of the prince’s court tokens.

“Listen to me! Go search throughout the city immediately. Don’t bother with small households that can’t hide large carts, and don’t search military or official places. Search everywhere else. Whoever finds these cartloads of herbs will be heavily rewarded. If anyone tries to stop you, don’t waste words—show them this and say it’s the prince’s order.”

In truth, the tokens were mere passes for entering and exiting the prince’s court, not official seals. Batu was simply bluffing. However, he calculated that no one would dare obstruct a search conducted under the prince’s name.

Money makes the world go round, especially when supposedly working for the prince’s court. There was no risk, and it provided an opportunity to enter people’s residences legitimately—perhaps even to glimpse the women of the household. Thus, the servants were all enthusiastic. At Batu’s command, they hurried out to begin searching house by house for the herbs.

After they left, Batu called over two of his most trusted servants.

“Take a few more men. Don’t worry about other places—focus exclusively on searching pharmacies!” This approach was inspired by Commander Duoshan. Someone who could think of this strategy might well be in the herbal medicine business, so pharmacies needed special attention. Batu, however, didn’t suspect Gu Pingyuan’s caravan at all, believing that Gu was deathly ill and the caravan was under military guard, making it impossible for them to orchestrate such a major operation.

Gu Pingyuan never imagined that someone like Wu Gong would curry favor with Batu, nor did he expect that his strategy would be discovered so quickly. After collecting the herbs, he had stored them in Yanniintang’s warehouse, thinking all was well and planning to return to the inn that night.

Just as Gu Pingyuan was saying farewell to the head manager, a pharmacy worker rushed in with a panicked expression.

“Head Manager, I just went to exchange goods with another pharmacy on the front street when a group of people arrived and began searching the shop like wolves and tigers. From what I gathered, they’re searching every pharmacy. I didn’t understand what was happening, so I rushed back to report.”

“What!” Gu Pingyuan, the head manager, and Qiao Songnian were all shocked.

Gu Pingyuan exchanged a glance with the head manager, who quickly asked, “Do you know who these searchers are?”

“They’re carrying tokens from the prince’s court, but strangely, they’re not wearing official uniforms—they’re all dressed as servants.”

Gu Pingyuan felt his heart sink. Without asking, he knew that Batu had discovered the maoweicao had been purchased and was desperately searching everywhere for the herbs. At this rate, as soon as they entered Yanniintang, the herbs would certainly be found, and all his efforts would be in vain.