CHAPTER 197: CHAPTER 195 UNBELIEVABLE

"Mr. Xu, Liangchen, you’re back."

"Miss Chen, you seem to have lost some weight on this trip."

"Mr. Xu too, in the coming days, don’t do anything; be sure to have a good rest."

The people of Chen Family Village spoke all at once.

Grandpa Sun also smiled and stepped forward, "After the people who went to help at the Official Medicine Bureau returned, the youngsters were going daily to ask when you two would be back home.

Yesterday, the old man guarding the entrance of the Official Medicine Bureau said that the stockpile of finished medicine is temporarily sufficient, so Mr. Xu and Liangchen would return today."

Xie Liangchen saluted the elders like Old Mrs. Chen and Grandpa Sun.

Grandpa Sun quickly moved aside, saying, "No need, no need, we still have to thank you and Mr. Xu for saving our lives."

Next to Grandpa Sun were several village chiefs from nearby villages.

Xie Liangchen didn’t expect so many people to come, which involuntarily reminded her of the fish soup presented to her yesterday.

The chef who brought the meal instructed her, "Even though you’ll be leaving the Official Medicine Bureau tomorrow, there are still many things waiting for you when you get back. Eat more and get some rest to replenish your energy."

The wild astragalus root in that fish soup was at least five years old and of superb quality, just one thought, and she could guess whose doing it was. If everyone in the Official Medicine Bureau ate that well, Song Xian would have to cut the Song Family’s House General’s military supplies.

Old Mrs. Chen held her granddaughter’s hand and invited everyone, "Let’s go into the village and talk."

In Chen Family Village, cooking smoke curled up, and the fragrance wafted from the kitchen.

Old Mrs. Chen said, "Yesterday, the prefecture sent some things, food and supplies, saying it was a reward from the court for Chen Family Village. Knowing you’d return today, your second aunt and everyone started busying early in the morning."

Lowering her voice, Old Mrs. Chen continued, "The government office also sent a few silk quilts. Your aunt and sisters didn’t want them; they left them for you."

Chen Zigeng said, "Perhaps that box of things was specifically given to you by the government office. They just couldn’t say it publicly. Besides the silk quilts in the box, there were materials for sleeve arrows, dresses, embroidered shoes, a few medical books, who else but you could use these things?"

Old Mrs. Chen also thought it reasonable when her grandson said this.

Old Mrs. Chen gazed deeply at her granddaughter, making Xie Liangchen feel a bit uneasy.

"Miss Chen, did you ask the government office for sleeve arrows?" Old Mrs. Chen pondered as she spoke.

Xie Liangchen silently breathed a sigh of relief, "I did, only the government office’s crafts can make such items. I needed it for self-defense."

Xie Liangchen herself wasn’t sure why she let her grandmother mistakenly attribute this to the government office. She actually asked Song Xian for it, and now it became the government office’s doing.

Let it be the government office; if someone else were guarding Zhenzhou, she might have asked too, wouldn’t she?

Old Mrs. Chen, suspecting nothing, nodded, "It’s good to be prepared."

Xie Liangchen thought this matter was over, but Old Mrs. Chen continued, "What about those materials for clothes and embroidered shoes? Who thought it out so meticulously?"

Xie Liangchen remained silent, unsure if she should voice her suspicion. She had just muddled through, wouldn’t changing her words now seem inappropriate?

Old Mrs. Chen thought of someone, "Could it be the wife of County Magistrate Qu?"

Xie Liangchen was startled, then smiled, "Perhaps so!"

Old Mrs. Chen said, "We should remember this. Next time, make something and send it to County Magistrate Qu’s family to properly thank them."

As they talked, they arrived at the Familiar Medicine Institute, where Chen Yongsheng, with a team, had refurbished the house in front of the institute, adding a few tables and stools, allowing for more people to sit.

Fan Lizheng was the first to smile and say, "The finished medicine from the Official Medicine Bureau cured the epidemic. My in-laws in Qi State heard that I also helped at the bureau and sent a message asking if it was true."

Hearing this, Grandpa Sun laughed, "His in-law, a scholar by birth with some good fields, always looked down on him, yet this time sent twenty taels of silver, giving him a start-up and helping him collect more medicinal herbs."

Fan Lizheng, unashamed, replied, "The twenty taels of silver won’t be taken for nothing. I’ll return twenty-five taels to my in-laws after the autumn harvest."

Grandpa Sun nodded, "It shows that one must have skills to straighten their back."

Everyone laughed and turned grateful eyes towards Xie Liangchen.

Chen Yongsheng said, "Everyone came, perhaps you also want to ask about the situation at the Official Medicine Bureau from Liangchen?"

Grandpa Sun considered, "Many outside are now mentioning the finished medicine from our Zhenzhou. While others might be unaware, we know this wasn’t the Official Medicine Bureau’s method but the work of Mr. Xu and Miss Xie.

After this epidemic, will Miss Xie’s Familiar Medicine Institute continue to make finished medicine?"

Xie Liangchen wanted to gather everyone to discuss these things to prevent baseless rumors from unsettling them and clarify what’s to come.

During the epidemic, several villages patrolled together, supporting one another, and strengthening their bonds. The road ahead had to be traveled together with united effort.

With everything clarified, their hearts would be clear.

Xie Liangchen glanced at Mr. Xu, who nodded, and she continued, "Our Chen Family Village will not manufacture finished medicine, certainly not for consumption."

Previously, she gave medicinal pills to the Tian Family Trading Team, hoping to showcase the utility of finished medicine and fearing Mr. Tian would encounter the epidemic on the road.

But whether it was giving finished medicine to the Tian Family Trading Team or helping at the Official Medicine Bureau later, she never intended for the Familiar Medicine Institute in Chen Family Village to produce medicine.

Grandpa Sun exclaimed in surprise, "Such good medicine won’t be made?"

Xie Liangchen calmly replied, "Chen Family Village won’t make it, but the Official Medicine Bureau should, especially now that the court is aware of the benefits of finished medicine, it should implement this method throughout Daqi."

Everyone exchanged glances, and Fan Lizheng from Beishan Village frowned, "Isn’t this the court prohibiting Chen Family Village from making it? We’ve suffered before, before Song Xian came, the government office did many things oppressing the people, is this happening again?"

Sun Lizheng said, "Otherwise, shall we seek County Magistrate Qu? If that doesn’t work... isn’t there also General Song?"

Xie Liangchen shook her head, "Even if the court allows us to make finished medicine, we still won’t. We’ll only present the recipe and method to the court."

Fan Lizheng was puzzled, "Why is that?"

Xie Liangchen explained, "Does everyone know how this finished medicine is effective? It’s because General Song led a team to escort the pills; when delivered to the Yingzhou epidemic prevention station, officials guarded every usage heavily. Even the finished medicine from the Official Medicine Bureau was handled with such caution, fearing anyone would misuse it and harm lives. If this responsibility is ours, can we ensure no errors?"

Xie Liangchen’s words left everyone breaking into a cold sweat.

Seeing everyone looking solemn, Xie Liangchen smiled, "No matter if it’s finished medicine or herbs, they are meant to benefit the people. The more good things are distributed, the better, and no one in Daqi is better suited than the court’s Official Medicine Bureau.

Moreover, we won’t suffer for it either."

Sun Lizheng asked, "What do you mean by that?"

Xie Liangchen answered, "The Official Medicine Bureau’s staff is limited. The court can’t possibly relocate the entire Imperial Hospital to send all its medical workers to Zhenzhou.

Once they begin making finished medicine, they’ll need abundant medicinal herbs, not to mention the preparation of these herbs before they’re turned into finished medicine. Who will handle this?

The Official Medicine Bureau still needs people to escort the finished medicine; the government office’s current officials aren’t enough."

Xie Liangchen paused momentarily and continued, "We’ve already signed a document with the government office to take control of the surrounding mountainous land suitable for growing herbs.

The villagers will continue selecting and preparing herbs. Recently, several villages sent people to patrol alongside the government office’s officials, they’ve gotten familiar. With the shortage of officials, the government office has even selected some of them to help out together. I can’t promise they’ll surely remain in the government office later, but it’s not impossible.

Although we aren’t making finished medicine, the收益 it brings is already sufficient for us."

As Xie Liangchen finished speaking, silence fell around. All eyes were on her, filled with astonishment and disbelief.

It seemed everyone had been stunned.