556 Stealing the Decoction

The next morning, as soon as the sun came out, Wang Yao lit the firewood to brew decoctions. He thought, The ancient spring water and multifunctional pot make such a big difference. If this equipment would have been available in Dali a few days ago, it would have been much easier to brew the decoctions, and the decoctions would have been more effective.

The cottage was filled with the crackling sound of the firewood. The smell of herbs drifted out. Wang Yao put herbs into the pot one by one. The color of the decoction gradually changed, as did the taste.

Wang Yao made himself a cup of tea. He then sat down to watch the pot on the fire. Time gradually passed as the flame danced.

Meanwhile, Wang Zecheng arrived at Wang Yao's clinic again.

"How come he's still not back yet?" Wang Zecheng had been to the clinic twice that morning. If he didn't know Wang Yao so well, he would have gone to his house right away.

"The decoctions are already very expensive. How come he also has no idea of time?" Wang Zecheng murmured as he walked back home.

"Have you bought more decoctions?" his wife asked.

"No, he's not at the clinic," Wang Zecheng said.

"You've already been there twice. Try again this afternoon," his wife said.

"OK," Wang Zecheng said.

On Nanshan Hill, Wang Yao had finished brewing the first decoction. He poured it into a white porcelain bottle. He tidied up the cottage before leaving.

He planned to brew the other decoction for calming the mind at night. Therefore, he went to his clinic after lunch. Soon after he sat down, he heard someone knocking at the door. Wang Zecheng pushed the door open and entered the clinic.

"How can I help you?" Wang Yao asked.

"Well, my dad has taken all the decoction. Can you brew another one for him?" Wang Zecheng asked.

"Oh, sorry," Wang Yao said. He had completely forgot about it. "Let me see… I'll brew the decoction for your dad in the afternoon and deliver it tonight."

"You are gonna bring it to my house?" Wang Zecheng asked with surprise.

"Yes, and I can take a look at Uncle Yilong," Wang Yao said.

"Great! Well, there is something else," Wang Zecheng said.

"What is it?" Wang Yao asked.

"Could you please not to mention how much the decoctions cost? I told my dad one dose only cost over $100. If he knew it cost so much, he wouldn't continue to take it," Wang Zecheng said.

"You are quite thorough. I'll remember," Wang Yao said.

"This is the deposit for the decoction." Wang Zecheng place $5,000 in cash on the table and left the clinic.

He suddenly remembered he forgot something. Damn it! I forgot to negotiate the price! He didn't know why he was always nervous when speaking to Wang Yao. I have to talk to him about the price next time!

He cared about money, but he cared more about his father.

Wang Yao though, It looks like he has completely changed. I'll brew another decoction for his dad.

He didn't return to Nanshan Hill. Instead, he brewed the decoction in his clinic. Apart from Bajiaotong, all the other herbs used in the decoction were common ones. Of course, they were not exactly common herbs since most of them were grown by Wang Yao on Nanshan Hill. The herbs were nurtured by the aura accumulated by Spirit Gathering Battle Array day and night. They were much more effective than those artificial cultivated ones, even the wild ones.

…

Meanwhile, in Dali, Han Zhigao sneaked out of a room with sweat all over his head.

"How did it go?" asked Han Zhiyu, who had been waiting outside.

"I got it," Han Zhigao said.

They stole a small portion of each of the three decoctions left by Wang Yao when their elder brother was distracted by other businesses.

"Is this all you've got?" Han Zhiyu asked as he looked at the tiny little bit of decoction in the small plastic bag.

"I'm afraid our brother will find it out if we steal too much," Han Zhigao said.

"That's fine. We just need a little bit. Are you going to see the King Pharmacist?" Han Zhiyu asked.

"Yes, I'll go see him," Han Zhigao said. "I'll leave immediately."

"Good. Wait a minute, wrap the decoctions with ice blocks. The quality needs to be good when you deliver this to the King Pharmacist. Otherwise, we'll be in big trouble," Han Zhiyu said.

"I see, talk to you later," Han Zhigao said.

"Be careful on your way," Han Zhiyu said.

Han Zhigao drove out of Dali with the three decoctions he stole from home.

Inside Han's family house, Han Xing went to check the decoctions, which were sitting there quietly.

"Aye!" He breathed a big sigh after a while. He placed the decoctions there himself, but he couldn't tell someone had touched them.

I hope they will work!

Things had come to this stage. He wouldn't do anything if he knew his brother had stolen the decoctions. After all, they were brothers.

On the other side, Han Zhigao was driving extremely fast. He arrived at a small town before evening. The road was uneven, so it was not an easy drive for him.

"Damn it! What a weird person! Why doesn't he live in the city? Why does he have to live in such an isolated village?" Han Zhigao murmured while he was driving.

The King Pharmacist of the Miao area continued to live in his hometown even after he became well-known. He barely left his home village. He had lived in this village for decades. A lot of people living in Miao wanted to invite him to see patients. However, only a handful of people could make him come out of his home village.

Han Zhigao arrived at the village late, so he couldn't find a vacancy in any of the hotels in the village. He had to spend the night in his car.

There were three hotels in the village, which were always fully occupied. People from different places came to the village every day to see the King Pharmacist. There was a waiting list. Han Zhigao heard from a villager the last time when came that the longest waiting time was over two months. A few people might have to wait even longer. If the King Pharmacist was not in a good mood or away, patients had to wait even it was their turn to see him. If they chose to give up, they would be put in the cue again. The cue was like those in the bank. A patient could lose his or her position if they didn't want to wait.

"What nonsense!" Han Zhigao complained.

He was not the only one having to spend the night in the car. There were at least 60 cars parking in the village.

…

It started to get late. Wang Yao was brewing the third decoction. This one was for Chen Ying's brother. It could calm his mind.

Wang Yao chose to brew it at night because it was peaceful at night. He didn't go to sleep until late night. The sun rose as usual the next morning.

…

Residents of the village where the King Pharmacist lived started working early. They were very grateful to the King Pharmacist because he never charged a penny to see any of his fellow villagers. He also brought a lot of business in the village. It was much easier to earn income from visitors than farming and picking herbs on the hills.

After spending a whole night in the car, Han Zhigao felt sore all over his body. He carefully took out the box containing three sample decoctions and got out of the car. He then carried the box carefully to an old building located at a corner of the village. The building had two-stories and was built with bamboo. There was a courtyard attached to the building. The fence was only as tall as a human being. It was not difficult to jump over the fence.

Quite a few people had been waiting outside the building. They were all very quiet. Every one of them held a bamboo card with a number on it.

"I hope the King Pharmacist is in good mood today," a person in the cue said.

"Yeah, I've been waiting five days," another person said.

The door of the bamboo building didn't open until 9 a.m. A man in his 30s came out of the building. He was not tall, very thin, and had a long face. He looked energetic.

"The King Pharmacist will see six patients today. Come in one by one." The man's voice was not very loud.

"What? We are left behind?" The people in the cue complained.

"Stop complaining. He hasn't seen any patients for days," another person in the cue said.

After the man in his 30s had made the announcement, he turned around and was about to go back inside the building.

"Please wait!" A voice came from behind.

"What?" The man in his 30s stopped.

Everyone looked at Han Zhigao, who didn't have a bamboo card. The rule was he was supposed to wait for at least 10 days.

"I want to see the King Pharmacist," Han Zhigao said.

"Do you have any idea what you are talking about?" the man in his 30s coldly asked.

"Well, can I have a word in private?" Han Zhigao asked.

The man in his 30s stared at Han Zhigao for one minute and then nodded.

"Thank you." Han Zhigao went into the courtyard with his precious box. He walked into the bamboo building and talked to the man in his 30s for a short while. The man allowed him to go further inside after Han Zhigao had shown him what was inside the box.