The legal troubles at Xinlin Hall took only the time it takes to burn an incense stick to reach the ears of Renxin Medical Hall.

Du Changqing nearly put his hands on his hips and laughed heartily, his eyebrows almost flying to the sky. After pacing around the medical hall twice, he said excitedly: “Truly satisfying, truly satisfying!”

Seeing that Lu Tong, who was arranging medicine jars, showed no ripple of emotion, he shamelessly approached to flatter: “Doctor Lu, you truly have divine foresight. Now that old bastard Bai Shouyi doesn’t even dare open Xinlin Hall’s main door and is hiding in his room playing the grandson. Serves him right! That kind of evil-minded bastard deserves to suffer!”

A’Cheng blinked: “I heard many people went to Xinlin Hall to curse about fake medicine and demand Xinlin Hall refund their silver.”

Du Changqing sneered: “The little silver he earned probably isn’t enough to compensate. With Xinlin Hall’s reputation damaged, this time he truly lifted a rock only to drop it on his own feet – losing both his wife and his soldiers.”

Yin Zheng walked in from outside, approached Lu Tong, and said quietly: “Miss, everything has been arranged.”

Lu Tong nodded.

These past few days, she had A’Cheng pay attention to the situation of scholars gathering by the riverbank. When A’Cheng returned with news, he learned that recently those scholars were constantly arguing, the reason being Chunshui Sheng.

For instance, two refined gentlemen who were originally good friends – one said the medicinal tea had remarkable effects, while the other said the medicinal tea had no effect whatsoever. They argued endlessly on their own. The better cases could discover that the two had bought different medicinal teas, but in worse cases, even after severing ties they still didn’t know where their problem lay, each thinking the other was full of lies.

This couldn’t be blamed on these scholars for being single-minded. The truth was that under Xinlin Hall’s deliberate guidance, Chunyang Sheng and Chunshui Sheng had become extremely similar, making it difficult for others to distinguish clearly. If there were these two types of medicinal tea on the market, they would inevitably cause confusion.

Therefore, Chunyang Sheng had to completely disappear from the capital.

Du Changqing had given Lu Tong some silver. Seeing that the time was about right, Lu Tong had Yin Zheng find a farm woman at the temple entrance to cause trouble at Xinlin Hall’s door, and also bribed several idlers to mix in the crowd and stir up trouble. Sure enough, this caused Xinlin Hall’s reputation to plummet.

This was also Xinlin Hall’s own doing.

Xinlin Hall’s Chunyang Sheng had been sold for so many days – whether it had miraculous effects or not, those who bought the medicine should have been clear in their hearts. Those praises about Chunyang Sheng in the marketplace had elevated Xinlin Hall to an extremely high position. When common people spent silver but bought medicinal tea that didn’t live up to its reputation, they naturally felt resentful. Once enough public anger accumulated, only a light provocation was needed for plenty of people to rush forward demanding explanations.

Finally, she had those idle men take advantage of the situation to speak about Renxin Medical Hall’s Chunshui Sheng, promoting Chunshui Sheng once more. People most fear comparison – one was genuine goods that were slightly expensive but immediately effective, the other was cheap but completely ineffective counterfeit. The superiority was immediately apparent. This way, not only Xinlin Hall, but presumably after this, other medical halls and medicine shops wouldn’t dare overestimate themselves and try to replicate this medicinal tea.

It was both making an example to warn others and taking this opportunity to gain fame.

Du Changqing was beaming with joy, grinning from ear to ear, only saying: “That surname Bai wanted to take advantage of us, but ended up being too clever for his own good. I’m afraid he’s now hiding in his room with his intestines green with regret—”

…

Whether Bai Shouyi’s intestines were green or not was unknown, but his face was certainly green at the moment – from anger.

Xinlin Hall’s main door was already closed, lights were lit in the inner shop, and one could faintly hear the shouting voices of people who had come to cause trouble outside.

Bai Shouyi used a handkerchief to wipe the filth from his face, seemingly still able to feel the sticky sensation of that thick phlegm covering his face earlier, causing another wave of nausea.

Wen You looked at him trembling with fear: “Manager, what should we do now?”

In the past, because Xinlin Hall charged more for medicine than other medical halls, the patients who came to see doctors were from wealthy families who always maintained some dignity. But those common people were different – for the sake of silver they could risk everything. Once someone started causing trouble demanding the medical hall compensate with silver, a group of people would immediately swarm up wanting a piece of the action.

Bai Shouyi had no idea there were so many common people who had bought the medicinal tea. A few days ago when Chunyang Sheng became famous throughout the streets and alleys, he had been secretly pleased. Now he truly regretted his actions.

Bai Shouyi’s expression was gloomy as he looked toward Zhou Ji, who was crawling out from under the medicine counter: “Zhou Ji, what exactly is going on here?”

Zhou Ji was crying bitterly in his heart and said with a forced smile: “Manager, I don’t know.”

“You don’t know?” Bai Shouyi had long lost his kind smile and stared at him expressionlessly: “You were the one who said you could prepare the same formula. How come the medicinal tea made now has greatly reduced effects? Letting those lowly people come to our door!”

Zhou Ji was also puzzled: “The formula isn’t wrong. Chrysanthemum, gardenia flowers, mint, scallion whites, honey…” He recited in detail, still seeming unwilling to believe: “Besides these, I couldn’t identify any other medicinal materials. How come the medicinal tea made isn’t as good as before?”

Seeing him like this, Bai Shouyi cursed under his breath: “Idiot.”

Quite a few people were crowded in front of the door. If he hadn’t decisively had Wen You quickly close the main door, the people outside would have torn down Xinlin Hall today. Those lowly people were all like hungry wolves, clearly determined to use this opportunity to extort people.

Bai Shouyi’s eyes were dark and heavy.

He had operated on West Street for so many years. Though his medicinal materials and consultation fees were a bit more expensive than other medical halls, because of his great reputation and long history, Xinlin Hall’s position was unshakeable. Except for a small portion of poor people, most people seeking medical treatment and medicine would choose to come to his Xinlin Hall.

Just when Renxin Medical Hall was about to close down and he was about to become the only medical hall manager on West Street, he suffered this setback at this crucial moment.

Now because of this Chunyang Sheng incident, Xinlin Hall’s reputation was damaged. Once word spread, not to mention how others would view him, just the shop’s income alone would definitely suffer significant damage.

After all, when operating a medical hall or medicine shop, sometimes reputation was as important as medical skills.

Those lowly common people had loose tongues – who knew what ghost stories they would tell. If it reached the medical circles and caused some trouble…

Bai Shouyi gritted his teeth.

This matter not only concerned the current turmoil but also related to Xinlin Hall’s future prospects. How to handle it required careful consideration.

The commotion outside continued without end. The assistant Wen You asked carefully: “Sir, how long do we need to stay here?”

Bai Shouyi spoke with disgust: “Naturally until these lowly people disperse.”

These common people usually had nothing to do, so having gotten an opportunity to extort people, how could they not take full advantage? If he returned to his residence today, he would probably not be able to go out for several consecutive days, and Xinlin Hall temporarily couldn’t continue operating. Otherwise, as soon as the main door opened, those lowly people would swarm over.

It seemed they couldn’t open for business these next few days.

Not only could he not go out, but he also had to avoid others’ gossip.

Bai Shouyi’s eyes were sinister, his tone chillingly frightening as he instructed Zhou Ji and Wen You beside him: “In another half hour, open the door and you two lead the people away.”

“Don’t come to the medical hall for the next few days. Stay home and wait.”