Old Master Qiu had taken to the clinic the moment he arrived and had a tea room set up by the window on the second floor, complete with a low couch that could be used for both tea and the occasional rest.
“No,” Old Master Qiu said decisively.
Back in Sizhou, she had not even bothered with you. Now that she had become a general, she was even less likely to pay you any attention.
Qiu Tai: “…”
Although he had thought the same thing, hearing such a definite rejection from his own grandfather left him feeling even less confident.
Remembering something, he added, “I ran into Lady Mo a few days ago—the Mo family’s daughter who’s very close to Lady Hua.”
Mo Susu had rented a mountain in Xianglu County to grow tea and stayed in the county town whenever she had free time.
Old Master Qiu’s heart jolted, and he became even more certain of his guess.
He looked at his foolish grandson. “Did you take care of the matter of renting land to grow medicinal herbs?”
Qiu Tai hurriedly nodded. “I did. I rented a hundred mu and hired experienced farmers to clear and cultivate it.”
Then, remembering something else, he said, “The newspaper said there’s a kind of fertilizer that can help crops grow better. Should we consider buying some to try on our medicinal herbs too?”
Old Master Qiu frowned. After a moment, he shook his head. “Let’s grow them according to our old methods for now.”
As a physician, he knew very well that different environments could affect the medicinal properties of herbs. Until he knew what this fertilizer actually was, he had no intention of changing their cultivation methods.
Medicinal herbs were different from food crops. It was better to be cautious.
Qiu Tai, however, had his own ideas. “Grandfather, I think we could go to Gefeng and ask about it when we have the time.”
“The newspaper said there are scholars there who specialize in researching fertilizers and crops. We can ask them about it then.”
He had been in the area for some time and understood many things about it better now.
This time, Old Master Qiu did not object. He was not someone who refused to accept new things. If there was a better way to grow the herbs, he was willing to give it a try.
If this had been before, he would not have believed it. But after seeing the large quantities of high-yield crops in Xianglu County, he had changed his mind.
A cool breeze drifted in through the open glass window, stirring the white curtains and bringing with it a pleasant chill.
Qiu Tai let out a comfortable sigh. “Grandfather, do you think Father should come to Fengzhou as well?”
Old Master Qiu froze, then gave a bitter smile. They held no official positions, so leaving would have been fairly easy for them.
But Qiu Dao was the Imperial Physician Director of the Court of State Revenues. How could he leave so easily?
Still, when he thought of their fields, shops, and other properties in Sizhou, he felt that they could perhaps dispose of some of them first.
They could not buy land in Fengzhou, but they could buy houses, which were still fixed assets.
He had heard that shops might also be available for purchase after some time. The exact details were still unknown and would depend on the policies from above.
He lowered his head and continued reading the newspaper, but his mind was elsewhere. The First Prince was now like the setting sun, while the Princess was at the height of her power. Coming to Fengzhou had indeed been the right decision.
Just then, a young pharmacy apprentice came to report, “Old Master, Young Master, a physician surnamed Suo requests an audience.”
Old Master Qiu paused. He did not know anyone in Xianglu County, so who could be looking for him?
Then his eyes flickered. He had not spent all this time in Xianglu County idly; he had managed to gather quite a bit of information.
It was said that among the physicians under the Princess was one surnamed Suo.
“Invite him up at once.” He hurriedly rose and was about to go downstairs to welcome the visitor himself.
Although Qiu Tai did not understand what was happening, he was perceptive. “Grandfather, I’ll go.”
With your old arms and legs, those stairs aren’t easy to manage. You might fall.
Before long, Qiu Tai brought up a spirited-looking man.
Old Master Qiu wore a courteous smile and cupped his hands in greeting. “Are you Physician Suo, who serves under the Princess?”
Suo Qian returned the greeting. “That is correct. I hope you’ll forgive me for coming uninvited and disturbing you.”
Old Master Qiu grew even more cordial. “Not at all. Please, have a seat.”
The two of them sat down on opposite sides as host and guest.
Qiu Tai served them tea from the side.
Suo Qian did not bother with pleasantries. “I’ve come today because of medicinal herbs.”
Old Master Qiu understood at once and said with a smile, “Anything our clinic has is yours.”
Suo Qian shook his head. “That won’t be enough. I know you have connections in Sizhou, and I hope you can help us purchase medicinal herbs. We’re willing to pay the market price.”
Medicinal herbs were precisely what Jiang Jin needed most at the moment.
After years of warfare, the army alone required an astonishing quantity of medicine.
Then there was the sharp increase in population, which had caused demand for medicinal herbs to rise steadily as well.
Medicinal herbs were not vegetables. They could not be harvested after twenty days or a month of planting.
Although their Bureau of Medicine had already begun cultivating large quantities of various medicinal herbs and had sent many people into the mountains to gather wild ones, it was still far from enough.
Chen Xi had also helped purchase a large amount of medicinal herbs in Sizhou, but every trade had its own specialized knowledge.
As an outsider trying to enter the medical industry, it was extremely difficult for him to obtain a wider variety of herbs at lower prices.
When he learned that a medical family had arrived in Xianglu County, he knew an opportunity had presented itself.
That was why he had come from Feng’an County to Xianglu County. As for Li Chun and the other wounded soldiers, they were more or less recovered anyway.
It had to be said that after the establishment of maritime shipping, communication between coastal cities and counties had become remarkably convenient.
Old Master Qiu did not put on airs. After a moment’s thought, he said, “I do have a way. And there’s no need to pay the market price. I can obtain the herbs for forty percent less than the market price.”
The medicinal herbs held by his own family were limited, but he had connections in Sizhou and knew many fellow physicians and herb merchants. Through them, he could obtain the best herbs at the lowest prices.
Suo Qian’s eyes lit up. For such a large order, even five percent would represent a considerable sum, let alone forty percent.
As a fellow physician, he understood that at such a price, the Qiu family would essentially make no profit as an intermediary.
Suo Qian cupped his hands in thanks. “We’re deeply grateful. If you have any requests, please feel free to state them. As long as it is within our power, we will certainly do it.”
Old Master Qiu waved his hand. “There’s no need to be so polite. That said, there is indeed one matter I’d like to trouble you with.”
“I’ve rented some land to grow medicinal herbs, and I’d like to ask about that fertilizer. Would you be willing to explain it to me?”
Suo Qian smiled. “That’s simple enough. We grow medicinal herbs as well, and most of them can use the fertilizer developed by the Academy of Agricultural Sciences. I can take you there and have them explain everything to you in person.”
In Gefeng, Lu You listened attentively to the newspaper being read aloud.
Yes, he was listening to the newspaper.
He had only arrived in Gefeng recently and had not yet become fully literate.
But ever since he learned that Gefeng published a newspaper, he had not missed a single issue.
One of the main reasons he was working so hard to learn to read was so that he could read the newspaper himself.
Having someone else read it always felt like something was missing.
“Wonderful. Simply wonderful.”
He looked at the report about Jiang Jin leading people across the Xiling Mountains and bringing back tens of thousands of civilians.
Now that he had set aside his psychological burdens, he viewed many things more clearly, and his analysis of the situation had also become much sharper.
Sitting below him, Lu Chuxuan remained silent. Watching the Princess achieve one victory after another, he was envious and bitterly regretted that he could not take part.
Sensing his son’s frustration at being unable to fulfill his ambitions, Lu You carefully considered his words before speaking.
“Lord said that day that you were free to decide how you wanted to develop. Perhaps you should consider enlisting again.”
His son had always been deep-minded and kept too many things bottled up inside.
His daughter was doing somewhat better. Although she had never cared for studying and preferred practicing with weapons, she was now making an effort to learn to read, determined to enlist in the army once she came of age.
Lu Chuxuan hesitated for a moment before asking, “Father, do you really think the Princess won’t mind my enlisting?”
Lu You shook his head with a sigh. “I didn’t believe it before either, but now it seems I was simply too narrow-minded.”
He patted his son on the shoulder. “Your aptitude may be ordinary, but you’ve practiced martial arts since childhood and have a steady temperament. It would indeed be a waste for you to let your life pass by without purpose.”
“The Lord is in urgent need of capable men now. I think you should volunteer to join the army.”
A glimmer lit up Lu Chuxuan’s eyes. After a moment, he nodded solemnly.
Wenxia City.
When the battered and bruised Ji Duoyan was hoisted high upon the city wall, the Ji army attacking Wenxia City suddenly fell into disarray.
