Making A Fortune Through Hunting To Support My Wife - Chapter 11

“I need to sell medicine, and you need to buy it, let’s head to the pharmacy together first.”

Xu Jing, carrying her back basket, glanced at the bustling street. During her previous visit to town, she had memorized the locations of several pharmacies, one of which happened to be the Baicao Hall that Song Yu intended to visit.

Hearing this, Song Yu nodded slightly. Though she stood beside Xu Jing, she maintained a distance of about half a shoulder’s width between them.

The two turned through a few streets and arrived at the road where Baicao Hall was located. Aside from Baicao Hall, there were several other pharmacies on this street, though their business seemed lukewarm. The shop was moderately sized, with medicine cabinets, counters, and furniture that looked somewhat weathered. A couple of young apprentices, under the direction of the attending physician, were busy weighing, packaging, and dispensing herbs for several patients.

Xu Jing observed everything quietly, taking in the details. At that moment, a clerk at the counter seemed to recognize Song Yu. Seeing her with Xu Jing, he waved them over.

“Oh, isn’t this the Song family girl? Are you here to get medicine for your mother, or for yourself?”

Song Yu pursed her lips, glanced around, and said softly, “For myself. I also want the doctor to take another look. Is Doctor Yu in today? I’m looking for him.”

“He is, he is! Doctor Yu is inside seeing patients. You’ll be able to go in after a short wait. I’ll put you down under his name.”

The clerk chatted with Song Yu with a smile before noticing Xu Jing standing beside her. He asked curiously, “And this young gentleman? Is he here for a consultation as well?”

Song Yu turned her eyes toward Xu Jing. After a brief hesitation, she spoke up: “My husband. His surname is Xu.”

The clerk froze for a moment, his expression turning subtle. He stole a glance at Xu Jing with a hint of scrutiny, but quickly masked it with a professional, hospitable smile. “So, it is Song Lady’s husband. I should address you as Master Xu then. A pleasure, a pleasure. Are you here to accompany Song Lady?”

Xu Jing nodded. Although she noticed the subtle shift in their expressions, she ignored it. Setting down her basket, she asked, “Brother, does your establishment purchase Poria cocos (Fu Ling)? What is the current rate?”

“We certainly do. Please wait a moment, Master, I’ll fetch the manager.”

The clerk hurried into the back and brought out a woman in her forties who looked quite capable and experienced. This was Manager Zhou.

Because Xu Jing’s Poria was raw and unprocessed, Baicao Hall offered a price of 14 wen per jin (approx. 0.5kg). After weighing the contents of the basket, it came to about 86 jin, totaling 1,204 wen.

Manager Zhou noticed that the Poria Xu Jing brought was well-cleaned and of good quality. She added with a smile, “Young Master, if you find other herbs in the future, please bring them to our Baicao Hall.” She handed over one tael of silver plus 210 wen, rounding up the change.

“Your prices are fair, Manager. If I find more herbs, I will certainly come back,” Xu Jing replied, accepting the heavy strings of copper coins with a polite bow. She then added, “My wife is still inside for her consultation. I’ll go check on her.”

The Diagnosis

“Your constitution is cold and weak, your innate foundation is thin. You must avoid overexertion and cold, as it damages your already deficient yuan qi (vital energy). Sigh, take the medicine I’ve prescribed for now. My skills are limited and I cannot fully root out this ailment. If you have the chance to visit the provincial capital in the future, it would be best to see a specialist there, lest it affect your lifespan or ability to have children…”

As Xu Jing reached the door, she heard Doctor Yu speaking softly to Song Yu. She hadn’t hidden her footsteps, so both looked up as she entered.

Doctor Yu frowned instinctively but kept a moderate tone. “Are you here for a consultation? You’ll have to wait. I am still seeing this lady.”

“No, I am here to accompany my wife…”

As Xu Jing uttered those last two words, her tongue felt a bit heavy. Calling someone “wife” behind their back versus to their face were two entirely different things. She paused briefly, her gaze landing on Song Yu, who was standing up, signaling her not to worry. “Doctor, how is my wife’s condition? Can it be cured?”

Doctor Yu looked at Xu Jing in surprise. He knew Song Yu, her mother had suffered from poor recovery after childbirth and came often for medicine. Song Yu herself had a frail constitution and visited occasionally. In this era, while there was some social distance between genders, it wasn’t as restrictive as some ancient periods. Especially among rural folk, the rules were more relaxed.

He had heard that the Song family was supposed to have a marriage connection with the wealthy Qi family in the county. Yet here was this Song girl, married to a seemingly destitute farmer. Though Xu Jing was dressed neatly and looked handsome, her hemp clothes were covered in patches.

Seeing the doctor staring, Xu Jing frowned. “What is it, Doctor? Can she be cured?” She didn’t like the overly inquisitive look in his eyes.

Doctor Yu regained his composure. “The Lady is weak, overworked, and suffering from ‘external heat but internal cold.’ I can prescribe medicine to treat the common cold symptoms, but…”

“Doctor, I heard what you told her,” Xu Jing interrupted his polite hedging. “If there is an opportunity, I will definitely take her to the provincial capital to find a better physician. For now, please give her the best medicine possible to treat her current symptoms. I will find a way to handle the silver.”

Song Yu, who had been looking down, looked up in astonishment. Over these past few days, Xu Jing had indeed changed a lot. But to say she would take her to the provincial capital? Song Yu found it hard to believe. They weren’t a “real” couple, they were barely more than strangers. Why would Xu Jing spend so much money on her?

“You have a good heart,” Doctor Yu said. “Treating a cold isn’t expensive. However, to truly nourish her body, she would need high-quality herbs, even ginseng wouldn’t be out of place.”

Xu Jing understood the subtext: right now, she couldn’t afford the “good stuff.”

Song Yu spoke up softly, “Doctor Yu, just use the usual prescription. My… my husband wants to help, but things aren’t easy at home.”

“Very well. But I will add a few more herbs to improve her strength. Is that alright, young man?”

“Doctor, please proceed as you see fit,” Xu Jing said, cutting in before Song Yu could object.

Even with the additions, the three doses of medicine cost between 200 and 300 wen. Song Yu only had enough for her usual cheap prescription, so Xu Jing used her newly earned money to cover the rest.

The First Investment

By the time they left Baicao Hall, Xu Jing was left with one tael of silver and about five or six loose copper coins.

Song Yu bit her lip. “When we get back, I will pay you back.”

Xu Jing had expected this. She stopped, looked into Song Yu’s eyes, and smiled. “Just consider it an act of kindness because I want you to get better. Don’t worry about me having other motives.”

Perhaps because Xu Jing’s eyes were as bright as the stars, Song Yu looked away uncomfortably. “I will pay you back,” she insisted stubbornly.

Xu Jing didn’t argue. Having finished the business of medicine, she headed to the market to sell the pheasants in her basket, while Song Yu went to a general store for small sundries.

Selling the two pheasants brought in another 94 wen. With her “hot” money in hand, Xu Jing went to a blacksmith. After some haggling, she walked away with a decent longbow and forty arrows for 950 wen.

If she had the time and tools, she would have preferred to make her own, back in the post-apocalyptic world, making bows and crossbows was second nature to her. In addition to the bow, she bought a hunting net and a fire starter.

As for specialized hunting bags, knives, or insect repellent? She was too “pocket shy” for those and decided to make do with a cloth bag and her wood cutting cleaver.

After this round of shopping, the one tael of silver she had just earned had dwindled down to only thirty-some copper coins.