As late spring arrived, the weather warmed up, and traveling merchants coming to the capital for business began to increase. Laiyi Inn was packed with people every day.

Lu Tong no longer continued borrowing the inn’s back kitchen to process medicinal materials.

First, after the number of lodging guests increased, there were all sorts of people from all walks of life, and it was ultimately dangerous for a young woman to move around the inn late at night. Second, borrowing the back kitchen daily – even the most good-natured innkeeper, though he might not say anything, would probably develop dissatisfaction in his heart.

Fortunately, the silver from selling the pollen typhae carbonisata earlier could sustain them for another half month, so they hadn’t reached a desperate situation yet.

Yin Zheng lay sprawled at the table, boredly dipping her finger in tea water to write characters on the table.

Her writing was very beautiful – dignified, elegant, and graceful decorative small script. Lu Tong couldn’t help but look a few more times.

Seeing Lu Tong’s gaze, Yin Zheng froze for a moment, quickly wiped away the water traces on the table with her sleeve, and said: “Miss, I…”

“Very beautiful,” Lu Tong said softly.

Yin Zheng’s face reddened: “Originally in the brothel, all the girls had to learn music, chess, calligraphy, and painting. I didn’t learn the others well, only writing was barely presentable, but…” She didn’t continue.

Lu Tong understood in her heart. Customers who visited flower houses for pleasure might spend a thousand gold pieces for a single pipa tune, might offer a hundred bushels of bright pearls to battle with a courtesan over a chess board, but they might not be willing to pay silver to watch a girl write.

Great scholars and famous literati could command a thousand gold per character, while a prostitute’s ink and brush were worth nothing. The social hierarchy – rich and poor, noble and base – people had long since clearly distinguished these categories.

Yin Zheng loved writing very much, so when Lu Tong had her write on the white oil paper wrapping the medicinal tea, she always wrote with special care. She asked Lu Tong: “But Miss, why write on the white paper wrapping the medicinal tea?”

Lu Tong thought for a moment: “When you and I entered the capital, tea houses and tea stalls could be seen everywhere on the streets. The people of the capital love drinking tea.”

Yin Zheng nodded.

“And even in front of the smallest tea stalls, there are always fresh flowers displayed, the tea snacks are refined, and there are scholars reciting poetry and discussing literature, showing their elegant refinement.”

Yin Zheng seemed to understand: “So Miss chose to make medicinal tea.”

Lu Tong smiled faintly.

She hadn’t made medicine pills or medicine powder, but medicinal tea. She also had Yin Zheng write poetry on the paper wrapping the medicinal tea. This emphasized ritual, music, and elegant refinement, making the appearance better – there would always be someone willing to try it.

As long as someone was willing to try, the rest would be much easier to handle.

Yin Zheng understood somewhat in her confusion, but still felt some worry, sighing: “I wonder when someone will come looking for us to buy medicinal tea.”

Lu Tong looked toward the window.

At the wine shop across the way, wine banners were fluttering in the wind, willow catkins drifted through doorways, and swallows circled low. Among the crowds of people coming and going, she wondered which one would come knocking at their door.

She withdrew her gaze, the corners of her lips curved slightly, revealing a hint of very light smile.

“Soon.”

…

While Yin Zheng worried about not getting a response to the medicinal tea Lu Tong had sent out, at Renxin Medical Hall, Du Changqing, the young proprietor, was also not having an easy time.

In front of the long counter, the account book was only a thin volume. This thin volume, from New Year until now, had only a few pages written in it – the income was truly pitiful.

Du Changqing held the account book, flipping through it back and forth. As he looked, he let out a heavy sigh from his throat: “We’re finished!”

A’Cheng was used to this – the boss would calculate how many days were left until bankruptcy every month. From when the old master died until now, the countdown was getting closer and closer. He estimated that after calculating for another month or so, there would be no need to calculate anymore.

Du Changqing was also somewhat troubled.

Renxin Medical Hall currently had no doctor, and to save expenses, he had even sent away the assistants who prepared medicines, keeping only A’Cheng and himself. However, relying solely on a few old customers to maintain business wasn’t realistic. Moreover, when people left, the tea grew cold. After Old Master Du passed away, he, this wastrel dandy, showed his true colors. As the family property became increasingly thin, those fair-weather friends of the past no longer bought into his act and no longer flattered and approached him.

Worldly sentiment observes warmth and coldness; human faces follow high and low. Throughout ancient and modern times, everywhere, it was nothing more than this.

While he was sighing deeply on this side, A’Cheng, who was wiping tables over there, paused his movements and looked toward the door in surprise: “Master Hu?”

Du Changqing was stunned. He looked up and indeed saw the Hu family carriage parked outside, with Master Hu hurriedly getting down from the carriage and walking toward the shop.

Master Hu had just come five or six days ago – according to timing, he shouldn’t be coming at this time.

Though he felt suspicious in his heart, his face broke into a warm smile as he called out: “Uncle, why did you suddenly come?”

Master Hu strode into the medicine shop in two or three steps, his gaze wandering around the shop as he said: “Medicinal tea…”

Du Changqing was completely confused: “What medicinal tea?”

“You… the other day… in the spring gift you… packaged for me… that me-me-medicinal tea!” Master Hu’s stuttering problem acted up again when he got anxious.

Hearing this, Du Changqing’s heart sank with a “thud,” and he immediately thought that perhaps something had gone wrong with the medicinal tea. After all, medicine shops most feared things of unknown origin. That woman was someone he’d seen for the first time, three qian of silver for pollen typhae carbonisata was already unusual, and she had even given him two bonus packages – she must have had ulterior motives.

He shouldn’t have been greedy for the bargain and given the medicinal tea to Master Hu!

However… he and A’Cheng had also drunk the other package of medicinal tea for several days without any problems. Could it be that only one package was poisonous? Bah, if he had known this would happen, he and A’Cheng should have drunk the poisonous package instead. If someone really died from it, even selling his medical hall wouldn’t be enough to compensate!

While thinking this in his heart, Du Changqing said aloud: “Uncle, actually that medicinal tea was made by someone else. That person dropped off the medicinal tea and ran away. We were also deceived…”

“…That medicinal tea is excellent!”

The words at Du Changqing’s lips immediately stuck in his throat.

Master Hu took a sip of water that A’Cheng handed him, and his speech became more fluent: “I drank it for five days, and my nasal congestion improved greatly! I can even go to the river embankment without problems!” Master Hu was very excited. “Changqing, this medicinal tea of yours is excellent – it relieved my chronic condition of many years!”

Du Changqing stood there stunned.

Master Hu gripped his hand, and for the first time looked at him with eyes full of genuine affection: “I knew you, this child, always had a filial heart. But how can this old man take advantage of a junior? Here are twenty taels of silver.” He pulled out two silver ingots from his bosom and stuffed them into Du Changqing’s hands. “This old man wants to buy five more packages.”

A’Cheng stood behind Du Changqing, also dumbfounded at the scene before him.

Seeing that Du Changqing didn’t speak, Master Hu continued: “Oh right, what were you just saying about the person who sent the medicinal tea running away – can’t find them? Is there still medicinal tea available?”

Du Changqing snapped back to his senses with a start: “Yes! There is!”

His mind raced, and he immediately beamed with joy: “Of course there is. That person who sells medicinal tea has a peculiar and aloof personality. She was originally going to leave, but she got along very well with me. I’ve already become good friends with her, and she’s also agreed to supply medicinal tea to Renxin Medical Hall in the future.” He said: “Uncle, you really came to the right place at our medical hall. In all of the capital, only our Renxin Medical Hall has this medicinal tea. Please drink some water and rest for a while. She doesn’t live nearby, so delivering the medicinal tea will take some time. Please wait.”

As Du Changqing spoke, he tucked the silver ingots into his sleeve and grabbed A’Cheng, pulling him into the inner room.

Sweat was beading on his forehead and nose tip as he spoke urgently: “Do you still remember which inn those two people said they were staying at?”

A’Cheng looked blank.

Du Changqing was anxious as fire.

At the time, he hadn’t taken those two people seriously, so naturally when it came time to find them, he couldn’t remember the address they had mentioned.

“Laiqi Inn?”

A’Cheng shook his head.

“Caimi Inn?”

A’Cheng waved his hands repeatedly.

Du Changqing irritably scratched his hair, feeling regret for the first time in his life.

“Damn,” he said, both anxious and angry. “What inn was it called!”