CHAPTER 620: CHAPTER 620: LOOKING FOR A FIGHT?

Third Grandpa was reassured after hearing this: "Your families can live well now."

Third Grandma glanced at the sky and invited the Du Family People to stay for a meal: "Stay and have lunch before you leave."

The Du Family People had arrived early, and it was not yet noon.

Yet Du Qian and the others declined: "We won’t stay, it’s a long way to Chen Village from here; we need to get going."

Third Grandma tried to persuade them for a while longer. Seeing that Du Qian and his group were resolute in leaving, she said: "Wait a moment, I’ll get you some food to take with you."

With that, she went to the Qi Family with Mrs. Cui.

Before long, they returned with two baskets and three roast ducks for the Du Family People.

Du Qian was shocked to see the three roast ducks and the two baskets filled with meat dishes. He wanted to refuse, but could not withstand Third Grandma’s insistence and gratefully accepted, thanking the Gu Family People and Elder Qin once again.

Finally, he said: "Brother Luo Wu and his elder sister-in-law from the Luo Family were not at home, next time we will bring a generous gift to thank them."

Third Grandpa responded: "Tie Zhu and his wife are not the type to fuss over such matters, and Brother Wu is a constable Squad Leader. Saving people is part of his duty; you don’t need to worry about it."

After seeing off the Du Family People, Gu Jinli slipped back to his room and asked Gu Jinxiu: "Sister, what do you think of Du Fu?"

Gu Jinxiu, seeing his gossipy expression, smiled and replied: "She seems nice."

"Just nice?" Gu Jinli was somewhat confused: "Don’t you... have any opinions?"

Gu Jinxiu looked at him, puzzled: "What kind of opinion should I have?"

Gu Jinli bluntly said: "She’s taken a liking to Brother Luo Wu."

Gu Jinxiu: "It’s natural for her to fancy a young man when she’s of age. There’s nothing we can do about it. As long as she doesn’t harm us in her quest to get married, it’s fine."

After hearing this, Gu Jinli had only admiration for her response and said while staring at Gu Jinxiu: "Big sister, you’re very zen."

Gu Jinxiu didn’t understand: "Very zen, what does that mean?"

Gu Jinli explained: "It means you don’t go around yelling at people."

Seeing that Gu Jinxiu was not upset or saddened, Gu Jinli waved her hand and said: "I’m off, have to make Convenient Medicine, it’s been exhausting!"

Gu Jinxiu knew that she had been busy with this recently and smiled: "Go ahead, I’ll make something delicious for you tonight."

"I want iron pot stewed fish." The weather was cold recently, Gu Jinli had made iron pot stewed fish twice, and Gu Jinxiu had learned to make it even better than her.

Gu Jinxiu nodded: "Okay, I’ll make it for you. Hurry off to the workshop or else Grandpa Wu will scold you for being lazy again."

Gu Jinli felt it was unfair: "I’m diligent, not lazy at all."

Brother Cheng ran in and said: "That’s right, Second Sister is the most hardworking, I’m going to the workshop too."

"Good boy." Gu Jinli patted Brother Cheng on the head and took him with her.

"Wait a second, take your cloaks. It will be cold when you come back in the evening, wearing them will keep you warm." Mrs. Cui brought over their cloaks and stuff one into each of their hands, then with two thumps, pushed two straw hats onto their heads: "It’s drizzling outside, wear them to keep off the rain."

The two siblings headed to the pharmaceutical workshop with their strange attire of straw hats and cloaks.

It was incredibly busy in the pharmaceutical workshop. As soon as Doctor Wu saw her, he started scolding: "Little Xiao Yu, have you been slacking off again? Hurry up and get to work, in two days we need to deliver the Wind Cold Cough Relief Pills and Wind Cold Relief Pill to Yuanzi Pharmacy, we don’t have much time."

The Wind Cold Cough Relief Pills are mainly for treating cough, while Wind Cold Relief Pills are for treating the common cold. Both types of pills target specific symptoms and also have the effect of reducing fever.

"Here they come." Gu Jinli hurriedly took off his straw hat and cloak, washed his hands, and headed into the pharmacy to make medicine, then asked, "Have Manager Cheng and Manager Zhang sent any news? How’s the effect of the first batch of trial pills?"

They had supplied a large batch of pills to Yuanzi Pharmacy some time ago and were now waiting for feedback.

Doctor Wu laughed and said, "Mu Tong just returned from Xuanhu Fang, Yanzi told him that the trial effect of both types of pills is very good. Five hundred beggars have tried them, and four hundred and five have been cured. The remaining ninety-five have all improved; no conditions have worsened, nor have there been any cases of incompatibility or other adverse effects."

"Now, both Manager Cheng and Manager Zhang’s shops have decided to distribute these two types of pills during charitable medical treatments. If the effects are good, they will start selling them next year."

The pills distributed during charitable treatment are free. They just have to explain clearly to the farmers, and if the farmers agree, they can use the medicine.

Doctor Wu became increasingly happy as he spoke and mentioned the use of Convenient Medicine at Xuanhu Fang: "The results are very good, not only are local farmers coming, but also farmers from other towns have heard and are coming to get medicine. Yanzi said there are only three hundred Convenient Medicines left at Xuanhu Fang, and has asked us to quickly send another batch over. But we don’t have any pills now, hurry up and make them. Don’t think about dealing with the soy sauce workshop!"

Gu Jinli’s ears were practically deafened by the shouting, and he quickly replied, "I’m working on it right now."

He added, "The soy sauce workshop will be taken care of by my elder brother. He’s grown up, it’s about time for him to practice and gain some skills."

Hearing this, Doctor Wu was reassured, as long as Gu Jinli could stay in the pharmaceutical workshop and focus on making Convenient Medicine.

"Brother Cheng, have you washed your hands clean? If you have, then go and wrap the pills." Doctor Wu was now grabbing anyone he saw to work on Convenient Medicine, not even sparing Brother Cheng.

"Grandpa Wu, Brother Cheng is already wrapping them." Brother Cheng sat on a high chair, continuously wrapping pills with his small hands. After wrapping, he placed them to one side, where Ah Chun and others would put them into bottles and seal them with wax.

In the following days, Gu Jinli and the others were busy in the workshop, sending two batches of goods to Yuanzi Pharmacy and another batch to Xuanhu Fang, truly bustling about nonstop.

Gu Jin’an, along with Wang Yongfu and Old Zhu and his son, also went to Songzi Manor to begin preparations for the soy sauce business.

However, this business was not urgent, as the soy sauce production needed to wait until the weather got hotter. For now, they were altering the houses in the manor to become more spacious places that could house many soy sauce vats.

Elder Mi and his wife were very happy that Gu Jin’an and his people came; nowadays, just the couple looked after the manor, and it was quite desolate. A few more people coming would liven up the place.

Gu Jin’an told them: "Grandpa Mi and Grandma Mi, the manor will open workshops in the future, and it will become lively. You won’t lack company then."

Old Lady Mi was very delighted and laughed: "Eh, the old woman is waiting. There are many rooms in our manor, don’t worry about running out of space no matter how many people come."

This was the Zou family’s manor. Previously, many servants lived there, apart from the main house reserved for the masters, there were quarters for the village chief and the rooms for servants.

After being so busy for a while, Brother Cheng’s birthday was approaching.

The family took his birthday very seriously and went to the town to shop two days in advance.

Gu Dashan, feeling sorry for Mrs. Cui’s daily cooking and recalling how she had almost lost her life when giving birth to Brother Cheng, suggested not preparing a birthday feast for Brother Cheng at home. Instead, the couple went directly to Yanfu Building to book a table to enjoy there.

They made the reservation two days in advance.

Seeing how her father was fussing over things, Gu Jinli secretly laughed. Was her father really going to book a feast for Brother Cheng, or was he looking for an excuse to take her mother out shopping?

She did not reveal the truth, letting them go. That same day, she went along with Mu Tong to deliver Convenient Medicine to Xuanhu Fang as well as toothbrushes made at home.

Master Shi had already returned, leading the Yuanzi Pharmacy’s carpenters in making toothbrushes, which were only enough to supply Linhe Prefecture. The toothbrushes for Tianfu County were still being made by Gu Dashan.

Gu Dashan and Mrs. Cui got off the cart once they reached the town, while Gu Jinli and the others hauled their goods towards Xuanhu Fang. However, before they reached Xuanhu Fang, they saw a group of people gathered around the entrance.

Onlookers outside said, "Wow, look at these big men, tall and strong, it looks like Xuanhu Fang is about to be smashed."

Mu Tong became anxious upon hearing this and hurriedly led Mai Dong over, seeing the crowd of big men surrounding the entrance to Xuanhu Fang, he scolded, "Who are you? What are you doing at Xuanhu Fang? And with knives?!"