Chapter 19: The Black-Hearted Barefoot Doctor

Chen Xie really had something to do when he went to Huichun Hall. The blue pills he left for Mr. Yu last time had sold out. Mr. Yu was a notorious black-hearted merchant. He dared to sell one blue pill for two taels of silver. Yet, people were so base; even with such expensive pills, there were still those willing to buy them.

When Chen Xie arrived, a middle-aged man with a potbelly was whispering to Mr. Yu.

"Brother Yu, I have a date with Cui Cui from Chunxiang Building tonight. Please don't let me lose face. I must have a few of those pills," the man pleaded. Mr. Yu spread his hands, indicating helplessness, "I can't guarantee anything. We have to wait for the divine doctor to arrive. If he has them, I can sell them to you. If not, you won't find a single pill even if you tear down the shop."

The effectiveness of the pills was something Mr. Yu had tried from the beginning. After taking one pill, his wife was so satisfied that she called him "darling" all night, and her voice was hoarse in the morning. When he had some free time, he even secretly took the maidservants, pretending he didn't know.

Unfortunately, the blue pills were in short supply. The divine doctor had only given him 200 pills. Mr. Yu privately kept over ten for himself, refusing to sell them no matter what.

Seeing Chen Xie, the fat middle-aged man immediately saw a savior, rushing forward and bowing repeatedly, "Divine Doctor, save me!"

Chen Xie, seeing the man's ruddy complexion, which didn't look like that of a sick person, laughed, "Sir, apart from your kidney deficiency, I don't see any other problems."

The fat man wasn't angry, smiling and saying, "You are truly a divine doctor, able to see through my hidden ailment at a glance."

Chen Xie smiled and took out a large glass jar from his bag, placing it on the table. The transparent glass bottle looked very high-end. He said, "Mr. Yu, they're all here. The 200-year-old wild ginseng from last time only produced 1,500 pills. You should buy them sparingly. Wild ginseng is rare, and if you want more of these pills, you'll need to get another wild ginseng."

The wild ginseng from last time cost Mr. Yu 1,000 taels of silver. Hearing that Chen Xie used it to make these pills, he immediately smiled, "Divine Doctor, the caterpillar fungus you asked for last time, I had it acquired from Sichuan merchants. They said it was obtained from the Tibetans. I also prepared two wild ginseng roots for you, both of which are as good as the one from last time."

Chen Xie was pleased to hear this. The caterpillar fungus was just something he mentioned casually, but he didn't expect Mr. Yu to actually get it.

"Good, keep the items for me. I'll come to get them when I need them. Is there anything else?"

Putting down the blue pills, Chen Xie made a show of leaving. This was just a performance to make it seem busy. The busier he appeared, the more valuable his time seemed.

"Wait a moment. The pills you consigned to me, I sold them all at two taels of silver each. Should I settle the silver now? By the way, I forgot to ask if this price is reasonable?"

"These pills are made according to an ancient recipe, using many ingredients. I haven't calculated the exact cost. If you hadn't insisted, I wouldn't have had the time to make them."

Chen Xie said this to justify his high prices. The genuine blue pills only cost over 100 silver coins each, including customs duties. In the Ming Dynasty, selling them for two taels of silver was equivalent to over 2,000 yuan per pill. This was not just a high price; it was almost inhumane.

Learning that all the pills had sold, Chen Xie couldn't help but marvel at the wealth of the people in the Ming Dynasty. Ironically, the imperial treasury was so empty that rats could run around freely. Despite this, the civil officials still opposed lifting the maritime ban and opposed commercial and mining taxes. As the Jurchens grew stronger, military expenses could only be covered by increasing land taxes.

Chen Xie didn't think Emperor Chongzhen was unaware of the wealth of the people; the secret police wouldn't be just for show. So, he could only sigh.

To be honest, the fat man's constitution might not be suitable for the pills. The pills weren't without side effects. However, this was something that couldn't be explained in the Ming Dynasty. Chen Xie had no good feelings towards these wealthy Ming people and felt no psychological pressure in deceiving them. If they really died from it, their families would likely blame some fox spirit, not Chen Xie.

The fat man immediately felt he had discovered a significant secret: the divine doctor made these pills at Mr. Yu's request, and the despicable Mr. Yu profited from them. If Mr. Yu could trade wild ginseng for the pills, why couldn't he do the same?

Being a powerful or wealthy man in the Ming Dynasty was truly a blissful experience. The fat man immediately stepped forward, his large body blocking Chen Xie's path, and said with a smile, "Divine Doctor, I don't have much money, but I have a few ships trading with Japan and Korea. I can get wild ginseng and even caterpillar fungus."

This was a blatant attempt to poach. Mr. Yu's eyes were almost on fire. However, he wasn't very worried. Chen Xie didn't seem to be very profit-driven. Last time, he even waived the consultation fee after performing surgery. Such a person couldn't be bought with just a bit of wild ginseng. He had initially used the pretext of his son's apprenticeship to build a relationship.

Sure enough, Chen Xie's reaction was exactly as Mr. Yu predicted. The divine doctor didn't even look at the fat man, brushing him aside. The fat man stumbled back several steps and fell on his butt. Chen Xie was a bit surprised by his own strength, which seemed to have increased. Looking at the fat man on the ground, Chen Xie said coolly, "Mr. Qian, not only do you have kidney deficiency, but your heart is also not in good condition. I suggest you use the pills sparingly and drink ginkgo water daily. This could help you live a few more years."

The fat man sat on the ground, stunned, thinking that this divine doctor was truly remarkable, able to see his hidden heart ailment at a glance. He was incredibly skilled, but the thought of not taking the pills made him wonder what life would be like without them.

Just as the fat man was struggling with the decision to give up his newfound sexual happiness, Chen Xie, who had walked out the door, returned with a small porcelain bottle and handed it to the fat man, "This is a life-saving pill. If your heart pain becomes severe, take this immediately and have your family send you to Huichun Hall. This pill can only alleviate the condition; whether you can survive depends on your fate."

If this were modern times, such a statement might lead to a doctor being beaten. However, in the Ming Dynasty, Chen Xie's actions were seen as very noble.

"How much silver?" the fat man asked instinctively. This was a life-saving item, so it must be expensive. Unexpectedly, Chen Xie sighed, "I regret giving you this pill. You are so vulgar, truly vulgar!" With that, he turned and walked away.

Seeing the fat man being helped up by his servants, Mr. Yu gloated, "Mr. Qian, the divine doctor has left. Why don't you chase after him?" The fat man immediately put on a smiling face, fawning, "Brother Yu, why be so petty? Those pills, I..."

"Sorry, no more stock. I'm keeping these pills for myself," Mr. Yu said, showing no interest in the fat man.

A thousand and five hundred pills, keeping them for himself? Do you think this is a pancake with scallions? Realizing he was unwelcome, the fat man quickly apologized, "I was foolish, Brother Yu. Considering our long friendship, could you..."

A hand appeared in front of him, and Mr. Yu calmly said, "Sorry, the pills now cost five taels of silver each."

"Why don't you just rob me...?" The fat man promptly shut his mouth, his voice turning into a sincere and self-reproachful tone, "Brother Yu, it's all my fault. How about this, I'll treat you at Chunxiang Building tonight. Please do me the honor."

"Five times!" Mr. Yu firmly stated, his hand not moving. The fat man stepped forward, pressing a finger, and Mr. Yu immediately lifted it. After a series of negotiations, they finally agreed on three times.

"Cui Cui from Chunxiang Building plays the flute beautifully..." The conversation quickly turned into a lewd discussion between two middle-aged men. "Vulgar, isn't it? Xue Dajia is the real star of Chunxiang Building. Haven't you seen those scholars swarm like flies to honey... I was fortunate to see her from five steps away. Her small mouth, her small hands, her..."

The black-hearted barefoot doctor Chen Xie was on his way back. Just a few steps out, he was stopped by a man who looked like a secretary, accompanied by several constables.

"Is this the divine doctor?" the secretary asked, bowing. In the entire Dengzhou, only Chen Xie dressed so uniquely, making it hard to mistake him. The secretary's pretentious manner didn't sit well with Chen Xie, who found it easier to talk to the fat man earlier.

"Yes, what's the matter?" Chen Xie's tone was direct, even rude. However, remembering that he was a "sea turtle," the secretary didn't mind, smiling and continuing, "My master has caught a cold. Hearing that the divine doctor has returned, I have come to invite you."

Chen Xie took out a bottle of unmarked fast-acting cold capsules (other cold medicines were too expensive) and handed it to the secretary, "Fifty taels of silver. Give it to the patient. Take two capsules at a time, three times a day. I'm very busy, so that's it. Remember to send the silver to Huichun Hall."

The divine doctor walked away without even asking who the patient was. The servant, Changsheng, felt it necessary to show his familiarity with the city, stepping forward and saying, "Young master, this is Mr. Mo, the secretary of the governor's office."

Chen Xie replied calmly, "I know."

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