bookrandom Chapter 2 This medicine must not be taken.
Chapter 2 This medicine must not be taken.
Luo Sifan cultivated in Yunzhou for a hundred years in his previous life. He had seen and heard so much about the vicissitudes of life and the stories of the people he had personally experienced. He could easily use these stories to deceive a country girl.
Seeing that Xiaozhu trusted him completely, Luo Sifan went along with it and asked her to guide him on his demeanor and tone of voice, which Xiaozhu naturally did her best to do.
In less than an hour, Luo Sifan, standing before Xiaozhu, was a spitting image of Lin Xiaozhi reborn, in every word, gesture, and smile. Xiaozhu felt as if she had helped her mistress regain her memories, and her face was filled with pride and joy.
"Xiao Zhu, where is the money in my room?" Luo Sifan asked after the two had chatted for a while.
The hidden compartment in Lin Xiaozhi's room was empty, which puzzled Luo Sifan.
“Miss, the day you fainted, Madam came over that very night with Aunt Zhao and took all the valuables from your room!”
Luo Sifan nodded, then asked about the pharmacy on Qiaoxing Street in Xifang. Lin Xiaozhi had been the manager of this pharmacy before her death, wielding considerable financial power. Luo Sifan had overheard several women talking about it while she was pretending to be asleep.
"I heard that the day after Miss fainted, the clan held a meeting and handed over the management of the pharmacy to the second branch of the family. Now, it should be your third brother, Young Master Yi, who is in charge."
"Master, Madam had a huge argument in the ancestral hall over this matter, and she still has a dark face every day, often beating and scolding the servants," Xiaozhu muttered to herself, but dared not say it aloud.
Luo Sifan frowned as he listened. With Lin Xiaozhi dead, the money was gone, the power was gone, and the entire Lin family seemed to be surrounded by lurking tigers, with no one easy to get along with.
The word "cultivation" is about fighting against people and contending with fate. Luo Sifan could no longer tolerate this; he slammed his hand on the table and stood up:
"Come on! Follow me to the pharmacy!"
"Good!" Xiao Zhu clenched her fist secretly, her face showing excitement. This is the strong young lady of the Lin family who is not afraid of anyone!
Lin Xiaozhi, a woman of delicate constitution, has managed to secure a stable position in the Lin family. Naturally, she is not weak or yielding in her daily actions.
The two of them, led by Xiaozhu, left the Lin family courtyard and headed towards the pharmacy on Qiaoxing Street.
Along the way, pedestrians pointed and whispered, and it seemed that quite a few people recognized Lin Xiaozhi. The news of her sudden death and resurrection had already spread like wildfire in the streets and alleys.
The Lin family's pharmacy is a two-story building with two courtyards, occupying two rooms on Qiaoxing Street. Both doors are wide open, with the pharmacy on one side and a doctor hired by the Lin family on the other.
As soon as Luo Sifan led Xiaozhu inside, he startled everyone in the pharmacy. The accountant, the waiter, and the pharmacist, all looking surprised, rushed over to greet him. The old doctor, who was taking someone's pulse, was so excited that he rubbed his hands together, leaving his patient aside and rushing over to examine Luo Sifan closely, even reaching out to take her pulse as well.
Luo Sifan slapped away the withered hand that the old doctor was reaching out with, and shouted:
Where is Lin Xiaoyi!?
The accountant pointed to the ceiling, "Manager Xiaoyi is up there entertaining our distinguished guest."
The second floor of the pharmacy mainly sells spiritual materials, and the customers are usually cultivators. Outside the pharmacy, more and more idlers are gathering, and their focus is clearly on Luo Sifan.
Luo Sifan gestured for Xiaozhu to stay behind and deal with the idlers gathered outside the shop, while she lifted her skirt and gracefully went upstairs.
"Sister Xiaozhi!" A pale-faced young man in a white robe with embroidered flowers and birds along the edges showed initial surprise, but then greeted him with a smile.
"Why aren't you resting at home? What are you doing at my shop?"
Lin Xiaoyi looked concerned, but Luo Sifan glanced at her sideways, ignoring her, and started strolling around the shop.
The second floor was twice the size, with shelves upon shelves displaying a dazzling array of spiritual materials. An elderly man and a young man, dressed in fine clothes and clearly customers, glanced up at Luo Sifan before continuing their discussion of the spiritual materials before them.
Lin Xiaoyi was ignored by Luo Sifan, snorted, and turned to walk towards the two customers with a smile.
"Young Master Qin! Elder Jiao! This century-old Polygonatum rhizome in our shop is of high medicinal value and excellent quality! Are you satisfied?"
On the red silk cloth, a crystal-yellow plant tuber, about an inch long and shaped like a human, greatly appealed to the old man and the young man.
As Luo Sifan strolled along the side, his eyes scanning the surroundings, he naturally noticed it as well.
The old man brought his nose closer to sniff, his eyes widening slightly, and nodded, saying:
"Hmm, it has the same aroma as the Solomon's Seal I've eaten before, but it's even stronger and goes straight into the Qi Palace!"
"That's for sure. The old pharmacist at my Lin family pharmacy has been in this business for over twenty years. His skill in identifying medicines is second to none in Yongning Prefecture! There's absolutely no reason for him to make a wrong judgment."
Lin Xiaoyi raised her voice, grinning as she glanced at Luo Sifan.
"A century-old Solomon's Seal, soaked in the Spirit Pearl's Pure Liquid for three days, taken orally in one dose, is enough to increase the chance of a martial artist nearing a breakthrough by 90%! It has miraculous effects on all realms below the sixth level!"
Lin Xiaoyi continued speaking at length.
The young man surnamed Qin was intrigued. He exchanged a glance with the old man surnamed Jiao and said in a deep voice:
"Manager Lin, how much do you want for this Polygonatum?"
"Both the Qin and Lin families are renowned families in Yongning Prefecture, with centuries of history. How could I, Lin Xiaoyi, possibly make such a rash offer in front of Young Master Qin? No haggling, one thousand taels of silver, Young Master Qin!"
The two people, young and old, were startled by the price Lin Xiaoyi quoted, and their expressions turned somewhat unpleasant.
"Fifty-year-old Solomon's Seal is only worth thirty taels of silver. Young Master Lin, aren't you asking for a bit too much?"
The old man surnamed Jiao glared at him, displeased.
"A hundred-year-old Solomon's Seal has accumulated spiritual energy. It is all about fate, and it is both rare and precious. Its efficacy far exceeds that of ordinary years. My Lin family pharmacy only has one of these, which can be called the treasure of the shop. If Young Master Qin still thinks this price is too expensive, I, Lin Xiaoyi, will have to wait for someone else who is destined to be with us."
Lin Xiaoyi remained calm and spoke slowly. There are still seven or eight of these items in the warehouse. They all come from the same tree. When Lin Xiaozhi was the manager, she bought them from a mountain villager who had a stall. The cost was no more than a hundred taels of silver.
Qin and Jiao couldn't discern Lin Xiaoyi's background. The two whispered to each other for a while. Qin Shao's face was filled with anxiety, while Jiao Lao's expression was solemn, as if he was dissatisfied.
Lin Xiaoyi, confident and composed, stared at Luo Sifan, who was wandering around the shop looking around, and a mocking sneer appeared on her face.
If this deal goes through, the profit will be enough for Lin Xiaozhi to earn in a month. Lin Xiaoyi's status in the eyes of the clan elders will naturally rise. Even if Lin Xiaozhi realizes that her intentions are not good, the position of the pharmacy manager is already firmly Lin Xiaoyi's.
Qin and Jiao discussed the matter for a while before reaching a conclusion.
Qin Shao looked pained, took out a stack of silver notes from his pocket, counted them two or three times, and handed them over with a trembling hand:
"Lin Xiaoyi! If this century-old Solomon's Seal doesn't have the effects you claim, I'll make you pay!"
Lin Xiaoyi's expression turned solemn as she reached out to take the silver notes. In her heart, she thought, "With these silver notes in hand, as long as no one dies, why should my Lin family be afraid of your Qin family? Anyway, that's a headache for the elders."
Luo Sifan had already walked up to the two of them when he suddenly reached out and blocked them:
"Young Master Qin, wait, you can't take this medicine."
Qin Shao quickly took back the silver note in his hand, looking at the Lin siblings with suspicion:
"Miss, what makes you say that?"
Lin Xiaoyi's outstretched hand missed its target, and she trembled with anger, letting out a loud shout:
"Lin Xiaozhi! What are you up to?"
Luo Sifan chuckled:
"I am Lin Xiaozhi, the former manager of this pharmacy and the eldest son of the Lin family. This so-called century-old Solomon's Seal is highly problematic; not only will it be useless, it will cause far too much harm!"