The scheming within Jishitang was naturally unknown to everyone at Huichun Medical Hall.
The reputation of Bibo Qi was becoming increasingly renowned. Whether scholars and poets or peddlers and porters, anyone who had tasted this medicinal drink could not, in good conscience, say a single word against it.
People came in an endless stream to buy the medicinal drink, but only Lu Li personally prepared it, making it difficult to attend to everything. Often, before the shop boards of Huichun Medical Hall were even taken down, there were already people waiting outside at dawn seeking medicine.
One morning, a young servant arrived at West Market Street, muttering to himself: "The master wants to buy Bibo Qi? No, is it Bihua Qi? What exactly is 'Bi-something-rising'?"
That troublesome orifice-clearing medicinal drink had been in the spotlight lately, highly praised among the scholarly community. His master had suffered from nasal congestion and sinus issues for years, and hearing of this miraculous medicine, had specially sent him to purchase it. But this servant had a poor memory—he remembered the beginning and the end, but simply could not recall the middle character.
Upon reaching West Market Street, with its dense array of shops and bustling crowds, the servant was nearly dazzled. When he looked up again, he saw not far ahead a large medical hall standing tall, with carved beams and painted rafters, quite magnificent. Above it hung a gold-lettered sign: "Jishitang."
The servant wanted to ask for directions, so he approached a middle-aged man at the medicine counter and asked: "Excuse me, is there a medical hall on West Market Street that sells an orifice-clearing medicinal drink?"
The middle-aged man turned with a smile and asked: "Is the guest referring to Chunyang San?"
"Chunyang San?" The servant looked bewildered. Was that the name? It sounded somewhat similar, so he asked: "Does it treat nasal congestion and sinus issues?"
"Exactly!" The man enthusiastically pressed a jar of medicinal drink into his hands, speaking in a merchant's friendly manner: "It relieves nasal congestion and sinus issues with remarkable effect. Three taels of silver per jar—would you like to take one back to try, young brother?"
Three taels per jar—the servant found this strange: "Isn't it four taels per jar? When did you change the price?"
The man smiled without answering, only his eyes shifting slightly.
"Never mind." The servant pulled out several ingots of silver from his bosom and handed them over. "I'll buy five jars first." He secretly rejoiced—the medical hall lowering its price was a good thing. The silver saved would go into his own pocket. Heaven knew, earth knew, he knew, and the medical hall knew—but his master would never find out.
The servant paid his silver and walked away happily. Qian Shouyi watched his retreating figure, his fingers lightly tapping the counter as he smiled to himself: "The sun hangs in the sky, water lies beneath the earth, and I stand above you—naturally I press you down. Chunyang San..."
He sighed softly: "Truly a fine name."
...
While Jishitang gradually grew busy, the entrance of Huichun Medical Hall on West Market Street lost its former bustle.
Apart from Member Zhao occasionally coming to buy some medicinal drink to support their business, few new customers came to the door. Seeing the jars of Bibo Qi piling up on the table like a display shelf, Du Zian could no longer sit still.
He leaned half his body on the table, watching Lu Li sorting medicinal drink into jars, and asked: "Doctor Lu, do you think something went wrong during the preparation of your medicinal drink? The batch we sold before was indeed effective, but perhaps the later batches aren't as potent as before. Otherwise, how could the customers drink themselves into disappearing?" He spoke tentatively, "I certainly don't mean to doubt your skill, but is there a possibility that your technique in preparing medicine still lacks some refinement?"
His tone of suspicion immediately angered Qingluan, who retorted sharply: "The proprietor's words are rather strange. If my young lady's medicinal drink were truly ineffective, why would Member Zhao continue to buy it? Even if to support the medical hall's business, he wouldn't come so frequently."
Du Zian was momentarily speechless. This was true—while Member Zhao would occasionally buy some medicinal materials out of respect for his father every couple of months, he would never have shown such particular interest in the medicinal drink as he did now. In recent meetings with Member Zhao, he hadn't seen him covering his nose with a handkerchief either—his nasal congestion must have improved.
If the medicinal drink's efficacy was not the problem, why were fewer and fewer people coming to buy it?
While he was puzzling over this, Xiao Fu ran in from outside, panting: "Proprietor, proprietor, something terrible!"
Du Zian asked impatiently: "What is it now?"
Xiao Fu glanced at Lu Li, who was earnestly sorting medicinal materials, before carefully speaking: "I just went around West Market Street and heard that Jishitang recently released a new medicinal drink. It only costs three taels of silver and can also relieve nasal congestion and sinus issues..." Facing the proprietor's increasingly dark expression, the young assistant stammered out a few words: "It's called 'Chunyang San.'"
Qingluan was stunned.
An orifice-clearing medicinal drink called Chunyang San—wasn't this plainly plagiarism? And priced one tael cheaper than theirs, it was clearly aimed deliberately at Huichun Medical Hall.
Du Zian immediately burst into curses: "Shameless! I knew there was a reason business has been so poor these past few days—it's all been intercepted by Jishitang. That Qian Shouyi is as shameless as ever, using such underhanded methods!"
Jishitang had a large and spacious storefront with a renowned reputation. Any stranger entering West Market Street would inevitably go to Jishitang first upon inquiry. With all the customers snatched away by Jishitang, no one would actively come to Huichun Medical Hall anymore.
Du Zian stormed toward the door, seemingly intent on confronting Jishitang, when Lu Li called out: "Manager Du."
Du Zian glared at her fiercely.
"You're not going to stop me?" Du Zian pointed outside, his hand trembling with anger. "This is a medicinal drink newly created by Huichun Medical Hall. Not only does Qian Shouyi plagiarize it, but he gives it such a name—who is he trying to disgust? We worked so hard to build this reputation, all to serve as a wedding dress for his Jishitang? How can I accept this? Since the medicinal drink business is being stolen and the medical hall can't survive anyway, I'll go shame him at Jishitang's entrance—at least I won't lose out!"
"And then?" Lu Li looked at him calmly. "After hearing a round of curses, the people buying medicine will still purchase the cheaper one. Jishitang's income won't decrease—what will Manager Du gain?"
Du Zian froze.
Qingluan and Xiao Fu looked uneasy.
Lu Li set down the medicinal drink in her hands, picked up a handkerchief to carefully wipe the medicinal residue from her fingers, and spoke indifferently: "New medicine is different from practicing medicine at a clinic. As long as one finds the formula, using the same materials and preparation methods, one can produce something with the same effect. Leaving aside Jishitang, in a few days, other medical halls will also sell identical medicinal drinks. Besides 'Chunyang San,' there will be 'Chunfeng San' and 'Chunhua San'—does Manager Du intend to go door to door shaming everyone?"
Du Zian was left speechless for a long while before saying grumpily: "Then what do you suggest? We can't just swallow this anger. Or—" he looked at Lu Li hesitantly, "we could