Chapter Twenty-One: Procuring Medicinal Herbs

For Zhou Jinfan, who had aspired since childhood to revive the Benevolence Hall, this statement struck him with the force of an atomic bomb. His face darkened instantly with the blow, and he could only nod in resignation.

Yet at this moment, Xie Qingtang faced another dilemma: her grandfather in the backyard needed someone to care for him. If she accompanied Zhou Jinfan to purchase medicinal herbs, there would be no one left to look after her grandfather. Should Shao Siming seize the opportunity to take her grandfather away again, it would be difficult for Xie Qingtang to discover his whereabouts and rescue him.

Caught in a bind, Zhou Jinfan seemed to sense Xie Qingtang’s concerns. He patted his chest and assured her, “What’s so difficult about this? Let me handle the herb procurement alone. I’ve done this before; I’m actually pretty good at it.”

“Oh, pretty good?” Xie Qingtang arched her brow, walked over to the medicine cabinet, took out two herbs, and placed them in front of Zhou Jinfan. “What are the names of these two herbs?”

Zhou Jinfan answered confidently, “Isn’t this Half-branch Lotus and Half-stick Lotus? Though their names are similar, their effects are entirely different. I recognize them.”

“If you do, then why did you put Half-stick Lotus in the cabinet labeled for Half-branch Lotus?” Xie Qingtang’s expression was stern as she confronted him.

Zhou Jinfan was stunned, speechless for a moment. Xie Qingtang reprimanded him, “If a half-baked herbalist like you purchases herbs at random and places them carelessly in the cabinet, who knows how many people might be harmed?”

“So, if you go to procure herbs alone, I must go with you. Besides, you don’t have enough experience to distinguish genuine herbs from counterfeits. I’ve already seen that from how you manage the herbs in the cabinet.”

At this point, Zhou Jinfan’s face grew embarrassed. In fact, yesterday, when Xie Qingtang prepared the sachet for the man affected by evil spirits, she was shocked to find that most of the herbs in the cabinet were mixed up. She was now well aware of how lacking Zhou Jinfan’s knowledge of Chinese medicine truly was.

“Well, all right, since you don’t trust me to procure herbs alone, you can come with me. But who will take care of your grandfather in the meantime?” Zhou Jinfan inquired.

An hour later, Li Zhao stood respectfully before Xie Qingtang and said, “Miss Xie, please rest assured. I will protect your grandfather and take care of him without a single misstep.”

“Thank you, Assistant Li.” Xie Qingtang nodded. At this moment, the only person she trusted was Gu Xiujin, for the two of them were like grasshoppers tied to the same rope. Gu Xiujin needed her help to regulate his health and ease his symptoms, so he would certainly watch over her grandfather with utmost care.

With this matter settled, Xie Qingtang could finally take Zhou Jinfan to the herbal procurement market. As they entered, a familiar aroma of medicine washed over her, making her close her eyes contentedly. She stepped into her paradise and began selecting herbs. Watching the money steadily drain from her card, Zhou Jinfan felt as though his heart were being sliced, bit by bit.

“Boss, have you been to this market before? You seem so familiar with it—you find whatever herb you want in an instant.” Zhou Jinfan was surprised to see Xie Qingtang operate as if she’d frequented the herbal market many times. Whenever she murmured about needing a particular herb, she would find it the very next moment, and always of excellent quality.

“Every herb has its own unique scent. Good herbs emit a distinct aroma,” Xie Qingtang replied coolly.

Zhou Jinfan stood dumbfounded, twitching at the corner of his mouth. “Is that a human nose or a dog’s nose? You’re so sharp that you can distinguish exactly the herb you want among so many scents.”

“A human nose, but as keen as a dog’s. Didn’t you want to learn from me? Here are Pinellia and Water Pinellia—tell me, what’s the difference between these two herbs?” Hearing Zhou Jinfan’s muttering, Xie Qingtang stopped, glanced at a nearby stall, and pointed to the two herbs.

Ah, so she was testing him. Zhou Jinfan squared his shoulders and recited like a student, “Pinellia is warm in nature, spicy in taste, toxic, and is effective for cough suppression, phlegm reduction, detoxification, and alleviating nausea. Water Pinellia is used for cough with abundant phlegm and bronchitis, but it does not suppress cough. Their medicinal functions differ and one cannot replace the other.”

After finishing, he flashed a confident smile at Xie Qingtang, like a student awaiting praise.

But unexpectedly, Xie Qingtang merely glanced at him and said, “You pointed to the wrong herbs. You called Water Pinellia Pinellia.”

As her words fell, Zhou Jinfan, just moments ago so self-assured, froze on the spot. His smug expression cracked. “Boss, wasn’t it you who pointed them out to me?”

“Oh? So whatever I say is what you believe? You have no independent judgment? If you can’t even distinguish Pinellia from Water Pinellia, you’ll need to start from the basics,” Xie Qingtang shook her head in disappointment, as though he were hopeless.

Zhou Jinfan nearly spat blood in frustration, but could only resign himself once more, trailing behind Xie Qingtang as she intermittently tested his knowledge of medicinal herbs and made biting remarks.

The long journey of herb procurement finally came to an end. Zhou Jinfan felt as if half his life had been drained—not only had his bank card shrunk dramatically, but his spirit had been thoroughly battered.

Upon returning to the Benevolence Hall, seeing Li Zhao and the bodyguards standing guard with utmost diligence, Xie Qingtang finally breathed a sigh of relief. “Thank you, Assistant Li.”

“No need for thanks, Miss Xie. This is our duty. President Gu said that if you need anything else, please don’t hesitate to ask,” Li Zhao replied respectfully.

Xie Qingtang shook her head, indicating that she needed nothing further for now. She walked to the medicine cabinet, took out three doses of medicine, and handed them to Li Zhao. “Boil this with three bowls of water down to one bowl, simmer gently for at least five hours, and drink it hot. It must be drunk while hot.”