Chapter 199 The Appearance of All Living Beings (2)
In just a few steps, we arrived at the Lotus Hall.
The long street was crowded with people and there was a buzz of people. Zhao Shi and his book boy looked at the scene in front of them in surprise.
"Why is this...pharmacy shop so crowded?" Zhao Shi asked doubtfully, "What's there to grab? Medicine is not an auspicious thing, either?"
The book boy laughed and said, "Master, you don't understand this. Since ancient times, medicine shops and coffin shops have been the most profitable business. Think about it, people don't want to get sick when they are alive, and they want to be buried when they die. Isn't this right?
!”
Boom, Zhao Shi knocked the boy on the head and cursed with a smile, "You are the only one who knows more! Lead the way!"
~~
"I'm talking to you guys!"
Lianhuatang is a large pharmacy that covers an area of 13 rooms and has 120 clerks and 18 gentlemen. It can not only seek medical consultations, but also sell patent medicines.
The front of the street is the store, the back yard is the warehouse, the dormitories of the clerks, and the office rooms of the shopkeeper and others.
There was a banquet table in the official room. Zhang He, the head shopkeeper of Lotus Hall, was sitting at the main seat, smiling and speaking to his peers at the table.
These colleagues are all shopkeepers and owners of major pharmacies in the capital. It is said that there is no rule without rules, and medicine shops have special characteristics and are independent businesses. In order to exchange their needs, they organized a medicine shop chamber of commerce. The president is composed of people with strong financial resources.
The shopkeepers and proprietors of major pharmacies with wide connections take turns to serve.
This year's president of the Medicine Stores Association is the chief shopkeeper of Lotus Hall.
Lianhuatang is also a time-honored brand in Beijing. It has been open for at least 20 years. This year, I don’t know who it is, and it is getting more and more famous.
"Everyone!" Zhang He held the wine glass and said with a smile, "I have invited you here today to discuss something!"
"You're welcome!" Everyone smiled and cupped their hands.
"This is a great thing, a great thing that involves our business!" Zhang He was in his forties, with a scholarly appearance. He smiled before speaking and seemed very easy-going. He whispered, "Everyone, listen to the letter.
No, there is a disaster in Huaibei!"
Everyone nodded. These big businessmen were always paying attention to the situation.
"It's such a disaster at this time of year!" Baoshengtang's old boss Zhong Zhensheng, who was in his early sixties, sighed and said, "It's just been March and the cold spring has just passed, and it will be Yanyang again soon. When the cold and hot alternate, it is easy to breed diseases.
The floods in Huaibei have caused the victims to feel disgusted, cold and afraid. Strong people may just have cold air entering their bodies, but the elderly and children should not be careful!"
"As expected of a family of medicinal practitioners with a century-old heritage!" Zhang He said flatteringly.
The Zhong family is a family of imperial doctors. The previous two generations were palace physicians and their family knowledge was profound. Zhong Zhensheng often provided free consultations and medicines to poor people, and he had quite a good reputation.
Afterwards, Zhang He looked around again and said with a smile, "Logically speaking, I shouldn't say this. After all, people must have some compassion. But business is business and cannot be confused!"
Everyone had different expressions as they listened to what he was going on to say.
"There was a flood in Huaibei, and the court was afraid of a plague. The Ministry of Industry has been ordered to start purchasing medicinal materials. Among them are raw and cooked medicines, as well as various patent medicines!" Zhang He glanced at the crowd and said, "Come, drink!"
Among the people at the table, someone was already laughing out loud.
The fastest and safest way for the imperial court to purchase medicinal materials is to purchase them from pharmacies like these. You can't just go out of your way and find drug dealers from various places. If that is the case, I am afraid that before the medicines from various places can be shipped, diseases in Huaibei will start.
.
"Purchasing patent medicines? I'm afraid it's not necessary, right?" Zhong Zhensheng said, "The so-called prevention of epidemics is the main thing. Diseases are accumulated. Now there is no chance to prevent minor diseases and serious diseases!" He said, pondering.
He said, "If the imperial court purchases it, the price of the patent medicine will be too high, and the price of the cooked medicine will inevitably increase. Well, in fact, in the current situation, there is a safe way that does not cost much money and effort!"
"What Mr. Zhong said is true!" Li Jinnan, who is in his forties and the owner of Jishitang Pharmacy nearby, echoed, "There are many cheap prescriptions that are easy to use and easy to obtain!"
When it came to these recipes, Zhong Zhensheng couldn't hold it any longer. He clapped his fingers and said with a smile, "I'll tell you a few, and you guys can see if you missed any." Then, he paused and continued, "Well...
.After the flood comes exposure to the sun. The easiest way to get rid of poisonous heat is to add cabbage root and chrysanthemum, and take it while it’s hot and cover it up to absorb the sweat!”
"If there is wind and cold, boil nightshade in water. If there is phlegm, use orange peel, red astragalus..."
As he said that, he paused again, "If it's more serious, you'll need to apply Bupleurum and plaster. If the old fever doesn't go away, honeysuckle and forsythia..."
"Actually, if it's ginger water for young and strong people, that's fine!" Someone next to him laughed.
"If a child has a fever!" Li Jinnan said, "cilantro roots and leaves, ginger and white radish. Children will get sick quickly, but they will recover quickly. And for children, if you can do without medicine, don't use medicine. The medicine is 30% poisonous.
..."
"Ahem!" Zhang He coughed a few times when he saw that they were talking more and more outrageously.
Suddenly, several people who had just been discussing the prescription looked over in confusion.
"As the president of the Medicine Store Chamber of Commerce, I have to think about our entire medicine shop!" Zhang He said with a smile, "The prescriptions mentioned by the old gentlemen just now are still slow to take effect and high risk. Think about it, if it is true
After using these prescriptions, if someone is not cured and someone dies...the saying is cheap but not good..."
"Shopkeeper Zhang's words are different!" Zhong Zhensheng said dissatisfied, "Medicines are not goods! We, the founder of the medicine shop, left a wise saying, we would rather put medicines on the shelves to produce dust than see patients in the world. When treating diseases, we must not only consider
The patient's disease must be treated according to the patient's needs. The treatment method for the rich and the way to survive for the poor. Although these prescriptions are inconspicuous, are they not just earthly prescriptions that are thought of on the forehead? "
"The Treatise on Febrile Diseases, Shen Nong's Materia Medica, and the Yellow Emperor's Internal Classic have all the evidence to rely on. If the imperial court wants to purchase medicinal materials, it will naturally be quick, economical, and able to cure diseases. If I buy the medicine as you said, isn't that not looking for the far away instead of the near?"
"You old fool!" Zhang He cursed in his heart.
But there was still a smile on his face, but the smile became intriguing, "You know these recipes, we all have a few of them here, but the court doesn't know about them?"
When he said this, Zhong Zhensheng, Li Jinnan and others suddenly changed their expressions.
"In order to prevent the plague after the flood, all the princes in the court must have spared no expense. The sooner the disease is cured, the faster it can be cured. It concerns our people, the Ming Dynasty, and we cannot tolerate the word "take your time"! We, the Ming Dynasty, are
Your Majesty, the most important thing to say is the four words of being vigorous and resolute!"
After hearing this, everyone understood.
Zhong Zhensheng sneered, "What do you mean? Ah, I understand." He said, and sneered, "But all the gentlemen in the court must buy our patent medicine?"
"You're right to ask!" Zhang He said with a smile, "I am the president of the Medicine Dealers Association, so I naturally heard the news from everyone. So..." After saying that, he took a sip of wine and continued.
He smiled and said, "Whether it's patent medicine or cooked medicine, each company only has so much inventory. If the imperial court purchases it, we won't have it in our hands."
"There is a saying that things are more valuable when they are rare. I have summoned you all today just to talk about, is this price worth mentioning?"
Speaking of this, he smiled and said, "In the year of the great disaster, the price of rice and noodles has increased. The medicinal materials for our living people cannot be priced at the same price as burning matches, right?"
As soon as the words fell, there were already people on the table with smiles on their faces.
The medicine store is an independent business, and no one else has access except them, so this money... isn't it going to be a huge profit?
"It is the duty of a medicine shop to treat illnesses and save lives and injuries!" Zhong Zhensheng stood up tremblingly and said, "Besides, in the year of great disaster, it is the time for us to accumulate bad virtues, so raise the price?"
As he spoke, he glanced at everyone and said, "Everyone, do you still remember what our ancestors said? In the world, there is a disease first before there is a cure, and there is a cure before there is a medicine. We sell medicine to make a living, but we must also know that medicine comes from
From the beginning, it was not for selling money!"
His words were loud and clear, and everyone was ashamed.
"Moreover, hum!" Zhong Zhensheng looked at Zhang He, "Why do we need to accumulate evil virtue? Because we exchange medicine for money and take advantage of other people's lives is an unethical business. Why did our ancestors teach us that if we encounter a widower and loneliness,
Why should we give convenience to the old, weak, sick and poor?"
"Why do our ancestors tell us to help the world with our hearts? Just because we are afraid of...retribution!"
"Mr. Zhong!" Zhang He stood up, "You are serious!"
"If you want to make a fortune from this, you, Lotus Hall, will do whatever you want!" Zhong Zhensheng picked up the walking stick, "I, Baosheng Hall, will never join in the slander!"
"The same is true for me, Jishitang!"
"And I, Tongdetang!"
Several people stood up one after another, surrounded Zhong Zhensheng and walked away.
There were about a dozen people at the table, some looked ashamed, some had cold eyes and angry eyes, and some sneered and remained silent.
"Shopkeeper Zhang...?" someone said, "They...?"
"Fake arrogance!" Zhang He said bitterly, "Whose family is not a bunch of gangsters to support, and who is not a benefactor behind the scenes who wants to share the profits. Your Baoshengtang family has a great cause, but we also have to live!"
As soon as these words came out, many people agreed.
"He doesn't know how to praise, so don't blame us for being rude!" Zhang He sneered, "He thinks he is noble, but he is actually blocking other people's way of making money. Who are we? There are plenty of people to rule them!"
"Yes, yes!" Everyone nodded.
"It's not just the imperial court that has to raise prices for purchases!" Zhang He added, "Huaibei is flooded during the change of seasons, and the capital and capital will not be more peaceful. So, from today on, the medicines sold in our store are also sold by Mr. Qing Pulse.
Everything has to go up!”
"Hey!" He said and raised his hand, "Besides, you can't sell it open because things are rare and valuable! Sell them with your arms stretched out."
Someone said with some thought, "Shopkeeper Zhang, if the disease doesn't come back...?"
"Don't worry!" Zhang He took a bite of coriander and stuffed his belly, and said with a smile, "I'll definitely get up!" He said in a low voice, "When the news of the epidemic after the flood in Huaibei comes, I don't have to panic even if I'm not sick!"
"What if he really didn't make a fuss?" the man asked.
"Stupid!" Zhang He laughed, "Did the people in the capital notice the trouble? The news is like a disease, not all people are scattered!"
After that, he raised his glass and said, "This means not opening for three years and opening for three years. If they don't come, it will save us trouble! Don't worry about them making trouble, just a few people talking about it,
If he doesn’t want to betray his relatives in the medicine shop and be shunned by every family, he can only tell those noble lies to himself behind closed doors! Drink!"
~~
Tengteng, footsteps came from outside.
The second counter of Lianhuatang stood outside the door, "Sir, the young master is here!"
"Which young master?" Zhang He was confused.
"Just my benefactor!" Er Ke said, just three words.
"Yo!" Zhang He stood up in a hurry, cupped his hands and said, "You guys drink first, I won't be with you anymore!"
"Who is it?" someone asked curiously, "Which young master?"
"Haha!" Zhang He smiled mysteriously, "You are the young master who can't afford to offend me anyway!"
After saying that, he walked out the door.
He glanced back behind him and smiled in his heart, "He is also the God of Wealth!"
Then he faced the second counter and asked, "How long have you been here? Who are you here with?"
"I just arrived, and I brought two followers with me, dressed in casual clothes!" The second cabinet said quickly, "I heard that this young master has a temperament of Xi Jing, so I quickly invited him to the back room!"
~~
At this moment, Zhang He just walked to the front yard.
Suddenly, a few stern military officers burst in at the door, shouting at the door, "Where's the shopkeeper?"
Zhang He didn't even look at it, but said to the second counter, "I'll call the young master first. Give these dogs two dollars and get rid of them quickly!"