Chapter 79: 'Talent' Is Hard to Come By

Chapter 79: Rare "Talents"

Chen Yi held his oil-paper umbrella aloft, walking slowly through the rain.

He cut through the lane of fireworks, turning north into Bashan Street, before hanging a right at the prefectural magistrate's yamen in the center of the city.

Along this spacious thoroughfare known as Wudong Street, he strolled and paused as the whim took him.

Before they left that morning, Liu Sier had wanted to drive the Marquis's carriage, but Chen Yi had stopped him.

Apart from his intention to visit the pleasure quarters, he had also harbored a mind for a covert investigation, wishing to see the true state of that apothecary with his own eyes.

Yet as he walked along the reasonably bustling Wudong Street, Chen Yi's mind was actually dwelling upon Liu Lang, the "Saber Madman."

What concerned him was not Liu Lang himself, but rather that phrase: "man of the martial world."

The climate of martial arts in the Great Wei Dynasty could still be considered robust; whether among the aristocratic clans, the imperial court, or the military ranks, practitioners of the martial path were many.

However, in terms of sheer renown, the names most familiar to the common folk on the streets were mostly those of vagabond wanderers.

Presumably, Liu Lang’s title of "Saber Madman" was a moniker he had won for himself after roaming the rivers and lakes.

"Just a single encounter's worth of information could yield an Earth-grade cultivation technique as a reward. I reckon he must possess real capability, though I know not just how mad his saber truly is."

Even as these thoughts turned in his mind, Chen Yi idly scanned his surroundings.

Compared to his previous superficial glance, looking closely now allowed him to gain a deeper understanding of the situation in Shuzhou's eastern city.

To broadly categorize this place as a mere gathering ground for the mountain tribes and the foreign people of Posuopo would be inaccurate.

In truth, the shops flanking the street were still predominantly run by the people of Wei.

Judging by the accents of the shop boys at the entrances and the proprietors inside, most were natives of Shuzhou.

Yet there was no shortage of merchants who had come from the various provinces of the Central Plains to do business here.

Jingzhou boasted the highest number, while visitors from Yanzhou, Jizhou, and Youzhou likewise claimed a certain proportion, their accents mostly retaining their respective regional dialects.

"Fine sable pelts from the northern provinces, come have a look! Forged in the rugged mountains, tough as they come!"

"Shears to grind, kitchen knives to sharpen! Rusty blades and blunt scissors made slick and bright in a flash!"

"Passersby, don't miss out! Powdery gastrodia from Mount Wumeng, Sichuan Fritillaria carried in by pack salt—absolutely superb for stopping coughs and dissolving phlegm..."

Superb or not, after the time it took a stick of incense to burn, Chen Yi finally caught sight of the signboard for the Jishi Apothecary.

The storefront was quite grand, with four three-foot-long door panels swung wide open, partitioning into a central entrance and two flanking doors.

To the left and right hung a couplet—*May all souls under heaven be free of sickness, what care we if the medicine in the shop gathers dust?*—with a horizontal scroll that read: *The Benevolent Heart of Heaven and Earth*.

At first glance, it did indeed look the part.

Yet there was a pocket of stillness amidst the clamor.

Amidst the hawking cries of the adjacent shops selling medicinal herbs, several pale and sickly patients could be seen shuffling in and out.

Only, most of them did not hold bundles of medicinal herbs in their hands; instead, they clutched a slip of prescription and turned into a neighboring, much smaller herb shop.

Chen Yi surveyed the scene, secretly amused.

It appeared that Master Wang Ji, the manager, had not merely been lining his own pockets, but had also cultivated a secondary herb shop next door to pass goods through.

Could this be considered a proper way to generate wealth?

"So it wasn't that those managers lacked agile minds, but rather that they directed all their wit toward wicked and crooked paths."

After a moment's thought, Chen Yi did not enter the Jishi Apothecary directly, but walked instead toward that small herb shop.

Liu Sier and Ge Lansan exchanged a look, faintly sensing something amiss.

Even if they were not well-versed in business, seeing those patients bypass the apothecary to fetch their medicine from another herb shop made it clear to them that a trick was afoot.

"Honored customer, what manner of medicine would you like weighed?"

"Deer antler, or perhaps... epimedium? That stuff is quite favored by wealthy young gentlemen like yourself."

Chen Yi was struck dumb.

Had he not read medical texts and possessed those inherited teachings of the medical path in his mind, he truly would not have known what epimedium was.

"I am not buying medicine. I am inquiring about a matter."

To his surprise, the shopkeeper, who had been all smiles, suddenly changed his countenance and waved his hand impatiently:

"Off with you, off to the side. Can you not see that I am busy?"

Chen Yi shook his head with a smile; the people of Shuzhou were truly fierce.

Seeing the clothes he wore, the man still showed no fear—was he relying on someone backing him?

With that thought, Chen Yi gestured with his hand to Liu Sier and Ge Lansan behind him, commanding: "Invite him inside to speak."

Liu Sier paused, then stepped forward with a grim face, grabbing the shopkeeper and hauling him inward.

He had long grown accustomed to the eccentric behavior of this young master.

Fortunately, he was no longer the one responsible for the young master now, so he would not be punished for it in the future.

"You, you people..." Before the man could cry out, Liu Sier clamped a hand directly over his mouth.

Once Chen Yi stepped inside, Ge Lansan shut the shop door behind them and stood guard outside.

When it came to keeping watch, the second time was far easier than the first.

The passersby at the entrance who noticed the commotion here did not cause him much concern.

Such a minor scene was far tamer than the ruckus raised when the young master had "forcibly abducted a maiden" in Luoyi Lane last time.

As for the shopkeeper, he had never seen such a display.

Almost the instant Chen Yi opened his mouth, he confessed the honest truth.

"Manager, please show great magnanimity and spare this lowly one this once! This matter was entirely done at Master Wang's bidding!"

It was truly not that his eyes were blind, but rather that he had never expected people from the Marquis's estate to keep such a low profile.

Originally, upon learning that Wang Ji had been punished by the Eldest Miss Xiao, he had intended to close the shop and rest, waiting for further news.

Yet driven by insatiable greed, he had wanted to make a bit more profit.

No, it was not just him; Wang Ji too had wanted to seize these last few days to pocket a few more pieces of silver.

Only because of this had they been caught red-handed by Chen Yi, who had come with deliberate intent against their lack of suspicion.

Chen Yi sat behind the counter, flipping through the account ledgers and prescriptions on the desk, then pulled open a few drawers to inspect the herbs within before asking with a smile:

"How long have you been keeping shop here?"

"Two months... no, no, no... two years, two years."

"Two years? The age of those wild mountain ginseng roots you’ve hoarded is more than a hundred blocks of two years."

Chen Yi extracted three wild mountain ginseng roots, each a full two fingers wide, from the topmost drawer, and asked with a smile:

"Do you know the consequences of not speaking the truth?"

The shopkeeper’s face instantly crumpled into a weeping expression as he said, "I cannot hide it from you. This lowly one has done business here for five years."

"But I swear, it was all entrusted to me by Wang Ji. The medicinal herbs here and the pricing were all his ideas."

Chen Yì waved a hand, “I don’t care about any of this. I just want to know how much silver you made in five years?”

He was well aware that Wang Jì was also handling one share for the Xiao family in Shanghai.

Monthly, it should be four hundred taels.

Considering that, this pharmacy must have earned even more.

Roughly estimating, over five years, it should amount to at least two or three ten thousand taels.

Even if you deduct the cost of goods, profit-sharing, and bribes, Wang Jì’s family capital should still be considerable.

At this moment, the shop owner looked at his face, pale and trembling, and weakly said, “Not much, just two thousand taels…”

Chen Yì smiled and nodded: “Let’s say two thousand taels then. Once you report to the authorities, you’ll probably be sentenced to hanging after the autumn harvest.”

“If the magistrate is kind, perhaps you won’t have to wait until autumn.”

*Thud.*

The shop owner couldn’t withstand such a scare and directly knelt on the ground, trembling:

“Please spare me, please spare me…”

When Chen Yì saw his state, his smile faded, and calmly waved at Liu Si’er: “Get the details, have him sign and stamp.”

Liu Si’er saw his movement and hesitated.

Not because he was still upset with the odd methods of the fledgling official, but because the two orders from the fledgling had a certain air of a higher official.

Had he cracked under pressure?

Not long after.

Chen Yì and Liu Si’er left the pharmacy, and the shop owner, with a lingering sense of dread, respectfully escorted them.

In the next moment, he saw Chen Yì turn around and enter the Ji Shi herb hall, his heart filled with resentment.

He himself could hardly be certain, how could he manage Wang Jì’s affairs?

But it was clear that the shop owner had misunderstood.

Chen Yì didn’t intend to kill anyone; on the contrary, he felt that someone like Wang Jì, a “talent,” dying so easily would be a pity.

Thinking this, he calmly walked into the Ji Shi herb hall.

In the midst of two doctors, several apprentices, and the accountant’s astonishment, he directly ordered Guo Lao Three to close the door and bid them farewell.

“Fourth brother, please go to Wang Jì’s residence, reveal your identity, and bring him here.”

After Liu Si’er responded, Chen Yì sat inside the hall, watching Guo Lao Three “snorting” in a grin as he controlled the others, and said:

“I, however, am the new manager, Chen Yì.”

(End of chapter)