Chapter Nine, The Heart of Alleviating Suffering
The young girl has a delicate appearance, with very fair skin and a head of black hair that is loosely tied up. Her two eyebrows resemble the shape of a silkworm, arching over her round, large eyes. She has a charming nose and soft pink lips. When she speaks, a pure fragrance wafts from her mouth, which even the strong scent of medicinal herbs in the shop cannot mask. It is evident that she often bathes with special spices or carries a sachet of fragrance.
Beside the tall counter, an elderly man rested his chin on his hand, dozing off, seemingly unaware that business had arrived at his shop. The atmosphere in this store exuded a sense of lethargy; if it were in the market economy of a previous era, it would not be long before it would have to close its doors for good
The elder clasped his fists and said: "Little old man, Li Yide."
The fusion of cooking smoke and rain mist, the ancient and elegant architecture, and the hurried figures of passersby in the rain weave together a beautiful tapestry reminiscent of ancient times
The clamor of the taverns and tea houses, the barking of dogs in the homes, the cries of infants, and the sounds of a man quarreling with his wife over gambling all conveyed to Feng Jueyu that this was a different world
Feng Jueyu walked out from the main gate of the Shangguan family, holding an oiled paper umbrella, and took measured steps along the wide street towards the southern part of the city
This was a very normal transaction, but unexpectedly, Li Yide exchanged a glance with Tong'er and shook his head. Tong'er said, "Young Master, this may not be possible."
Oh? There is a pharmacy here, this will do. While pondering, Feng Jueyu, walking in the rain of Tiannan City, finally found his destination
"Young master, what is this..." The old man looked at Feng Jueyu with confusion
However, business is currently very poor. Rather than losing everything, it would be better to transfer the shop and leave some money for Tong'er for her studies and living expenses, so that she can sustain herself in the future. Therefore, I sincerely apologize for declining the young master's request. After Li Yide finished speaking, he coughed twice urgently, indicating that his health was also not good
In front of him was a small pharmacy, approximately twenty square meters in size. Shaking off his oiled paper umbrella, the Wind Killer swaggered into this small pharmacy named "Jishi Fang" with a pure and carefree demeanor.
"That is Mr. Li, a pleasure to meet you." Feng Jueyu inquired, "Mr. Li, there is a matter I need to trouble you with, if I may ask."
The old man was startled awake, and the young girl simultaneously turned her head. Upon seeing a customer, her large, watery eyes, resembling copper bells, naturally revealed a hint of joy. Without waiting for the old man to speak, she approached, accompanied by a fragrant breeze.
Follow the quantities specified in this prescription, and do not make any mistakes
Therefore, nothing is more important than one's own body, no matter how significant the matter at hand may be
In Feng Jueyu's evaluation and perception of beauty, this young girl is undoubtedly a beauty in the making. She lacks the heavy scent of cosmetics typical of daughters from affluent families, which makes her appear exceptionally pure and refined, evoking a sense of pity and admiration in those who see her
Feng Jueyu nodded, took out a string of copper coins from his sleeve and handed it over, then received the medicinal herbs. Suddenly, he said: "May I ask your esteemed surname, old sir?"
However, Feng Jueyu has always held himself to extremely high standards. Merely widening his meridians is far from sufficient. Therefore, Feng Jueyu recalled the medicinal bath method taught to him by his master in his previous life, preparing to conduct a thorough conditioning of this body, its texture, flesh, and even its bones
Ding Qing looked at the poor pair of grandfather and grandson, and suddenly had an idea. Feng Jueyu interrupted, saying: "Is the old gentleman suffering from tuberculosis?"
Although the old man had been prescribing medicine and practicing as a doctor for many years, he did not understand the intentions behind Feng Jueyu's actions. When he reached out to take the prescription and examined it closely, his brows furrowed in surprise, for the prescription contained a deadly poison
Feng Jueyu has thoroughly understood that this is a tragic drama of human existence; the monopolization of the industry and the suppression of small businesses will lead to the displacement of a certain grandfather and grandson, along with a fifty-year-old man suffering from tuberculosis. They are truly a pitiful pair of grandfather and grandson
Feng Jueyu understood clearly that this is the result of industry monopoly. The three major families in Tiannan City, the Shangguan, Chen, and Xu families, primarily operate in the medicinal materials business, implementing a monopoly within the city. This easily leads to small businesses in the industry being unable to sustain themselves, a typical case of taking the meat for oneself while not allowing others to drink the soup. However, it cannot be considered immoral, as the marketplace is like a battlefield; those with means can survive longer.
This young gentleman, what medicinal herbs do you need? Is there a prescription from a doctor?
Feng Jueyu said: "It is like this, I have a long-term need for these medicinal materials, but due to certain reasons, I cannot purchase them all at once. Therefore, I plan to come and collect them periodically. Would it be possible to set up an account for me? I will pay a deposit first and come to collect them at any time. Also, I kindly ask Mr. Li to keep this confidential for me, how does that sound?"
However, at noon, light rain began to fall over the southern city, with raindrops resembling pearls initially falling sporadically. Within a quarter of an hour, the rain gradually intensified, resembling a natural curtain descending from the sky.
Existing in a different plane from the original world
The key lies in the girl's eyes, which are clear and devoid of any hint of power or superfluous flavor; at a glance, they reveal a person who is innocent and pure-hearted, untouched by the complexities of the world.
It seems that Li Yide has discerned Feng Jueyu's thoughts, and he sighed, saying: "To be honest, young master, the herbal medicine business is currently difficult to manage. Most of the business in Tian Nan City has been taken over by the three major pharmacies. Their doctors possess exceptional medical skills, and coupled with a wide variety of quality medicines, a small shop like mine simply cannot sustain itself for long, so there is no need to continue operating."
Please speak, young master
Unexpectedly obtained the Hongyuan Heavenly Scripture, in just half a month, Feng Jueyu's body underwent a complete transformation. Not only were his meridians significantly widened, but even the old ailments that had plagued the deceased Feng Jueyu were entirely eradicated. The life and death energy of the Hongyuan space truly possesses the power to reshape the heavens and the earth. After seventeen years of a body as fragile as tofu, it took merely half a month to nearly restore it to its prime.
He walked straight to the counter, tapped on it, and said: "Shopkeeper, I would like to buy some medicine"
The medicinal formula used by Feng Jueyu was taught to him by his former master, consisting of a medicinal bath recipe. This formula not only has the effects of consolidating the foundation and nourishing the essence, as well as promoting blood circulation and relaxing the muscles, but it also contains a slight toxicity, which serves to stimulate the body's latent potential
Upon entering the shop, Feng Jueyu observed that it was rather desolate, with little business to speak of. On the left side, there was a row of baskets displaying a scant selection of inferior medicinal materials, while on the right side stood a cabinet reaching up to the ceiling against the wall, containing a limited quantity of goods, which were evidently not of high quality
Feng Jueyu's intentions are quite clear; the prescription for the medicinal bath is currently not meant for public knowledge. Originally, the Shangguan family was the largest medicinal herb center in Tiannan City, but that is the Shangguan family's territory. Before he possesses strong self-protection capabilities, he does not wish to attract the attention of the Shangguan family. Moreover, purchasing too many medicinal herbs would also draw the attention of those with ulterior motives. For this reason, Feng Jueyu deliberately traveled a long distance to the southern part of the city to choose a pharmacy with particularly low foot traffic, allowing him to operate without drawing any suspicion.
Feng Jueyu took just one glance and immediately felt a sense of fondness
At this moment, the old man also woke up, casting a dismissive glance at the young gentleman, who was dressed rather modestly, and scrutinizing him with the same gaze he reserved for a picture book, which was entirely different from the look he had given the young girl
Why? Feng Jueyu was taken aback. Why not earn money if you have it? Did I hear that wrong
Li Yide pulled Tong'er over, and at that moment, Tong'er's tears fell down in streams, filled with reluctance. Li Yide affectionately patted Tong'er's shoulder and said to Feng Jueyu: "We, grandfather and granddaughter, rely on each other for our lives. We originally planned to open a small shop in Tian Nan City to save up a dowry for Tong'er, so that she could find a good family. Then, this old man would have no regrets in this life..."
Tong'er quickly supported Li Yide, anxiously using her small hand to pat her grandfather's back, shaking her head vigorously: "Grandpa, please don't say that, your illness will definitely be cured. Tong'er would even sell herself to ensure your treatment..."
The old man was an ordinary person. Although he did not know what Feng Jueyu intended to do, he had no interest in getting involved. He sighed and handed the prescription to the young girl: "Tong'er, go and fetch it."
The street vendors had long set up their large umbrellas, some having concluded a day's business, returned home early to reunite with their wives and children. There were few people to be seen on the street. In such weather, however, the numerous taverns, teahouses, and places of entertainment lining the streets thrived.
In the shop, there was a girl who appeared to be around fifteen or sixteen years old, squatting and sorting medicinal materials in a basket that was larger than she was. Since she had her back to Feng Jueyu, her appearance was not clear, and Feng Jueyu did not pay much attention to her
Additionally, he harbored another thought; if it were inconvenient to take a medicinal bath at the Shangguan family, and if an agreement could be reached with Jishi Workshop, he planned to simply go to Jishi Workshop for the medicinal bath. Just like the rehabilitation centers in his previous life, aren't there such places?
Tong Er took the prescription, quickly gathered the medicinal herbs needed for Feng Jueyu, packaged them well, and walked over while holding them. With a giggle, she said: "Thank you, Young Master, for your generosity of 25 copper coins"
Li Yide felt a warmth in his heart and gently reproached, "Silly girl, always talking nonsense. I have little time left, and if I delay you, how can I face your deceased parents? Moreover, my illness..." As he spoke halfway, Li Yide suddenly coughed violently several times.
It is a rare occasion that Feng Jueyu feels like strolling in the rain, yet his seemingly leisurely pace carries an air of peculiarity. The Wind Assassin suddenly senses that there seems to be something important about today, though he cannot quite articulate what it is
Feng Jueyu smiled indifferently, as if he had known it would turn out this way: "No worries, just follow the instructions above and catch it."
Therefore, even if he does not wish to reveal his identity, he must still intervene
Since he wanted to strengthen his body, Feng Jueyu had naturally prepared the prescription long ago using the memories from his previous life. Moreover, over the past half month, he was worried that the medicinal materials in this world might differ from those in his previous life, so he spent a great deal of effort studying medical classics and pharmacological texts. Finally, he made a selection regarding the properties of the medicines and completed the prescription.
The air in the capital is permeated with a hazy mist of rain, shrouded in clouds and fog, adding a touch of subtle sorrow to the hearts of the people in Tian Nan City
In his previous life, Feng Jueyu could not bear to witness such scenes. Despite being an assassin, he harbored a heart dedicated to saving the world. He had once rescued many impoverished people in dire straits without accepting any payment. Moreover, when he was not taking on assassination missions, he held another identity in the martial world: a private doctor, known among the people as the "Divine Hand of Salvation".
Li Yide became increasingly sorrowful, conveying a sense of deep attachment and helplessness. Tong'er, in tears, tightly embraced her grandfather and cried out: "Grandpa, please don't say anymore. Tong'er will never marry in this lifetime; she will take care of you for the rest of her life."