Chapter 74: Chapter 56 Xianxian_2
Ah Cheng wiped the sweat from his forehead and trembled, "...how terrifying."
"What’s so terrifying?"
"I had just reached the well at the entrance to the street when suddenly a group of people came up to me asking how to get to Renxin Medical Hall. I thought I’d lead the way, but as I was leading them..."
Hearing this, Du Changqing grew even more puzzled, "Leading them and then what? Did you lose the people?"
No sooner had he spoken than a tumultuous roar was heard coming from the far end of the long street, growing louder as it approached. Everyone looked up to see a massive crowd suddenly appear at the previously deserted end of the street. The crowd of sturdy men and women seemed to shake the street as they ran, threatening to shatter the pavement. With the ground trembling beneath them, they ran madly toward the medical hall, shouting as they ran, "Xianxian, save two jars of Xianxian for me!"
"I was here first, I want it!"
"Go to hell, I was here first, Shopkeeper, serve me first!"
Yin Zheng was stunned.
Lu Tong acted decisively and simply said, "Close the door," then pulled the door shut.
With a "bang," there was a huge noise as if someone had slammed into the door, followed by a series of "ping pong" clattering noises, accompanied by the chaotic shouting, "We want to buy medicine! "
"Open the door! Why are you closing it?"
"Stop hiding, come out and do your business! Don’t stay silent inside!"
Countless people crowded the entrance to the medical hall, banging forcefully on the door. The transformation from serenity to madness seemed to happen in the blink of an eye.
Yin Zheng was somewhat taken aback, while Lu Tong remained calm.
Only Ah Cheng helplessly looked to Du Changqing for assistance.
Swallowing hard, Du Changqing uttered, "...indeed... quite terrifying."
...
The frenzy at the entrance of Renxin Medical Hall lasted for quite a while.
Lu Tong waited until the crowd outside had calmed down a bit before opening the door.
Nobody at Renxin Medical Hall had seen Dai Sanlang, the pork seller at the East City Temple Entrance, lately. But they figured he must have radically changed his appearance, for why else would so many people, upon seeing the current Dai Sanlang, rush here without hesitation to buy "Xianxian"?
The number of customers was even greater than Du Changqing had imagined. The "Xianxian" that Lu Tong had made over the past few days was quickly sold out, leaving only bare pomegranate branches swaying in the breeze.
A chubby man searched unwillingly among the pomegranate branches for a long time but couldn’t find an extra jar. He looked pitifully at Lu Tong, "Doctor Lu..."
Lu Tong said, "Don’t worry, I will make another batch of Xianxian in the next few days."
His eyes brightening upon hearing this, the man immediately responded happily. The customers behind him who hadn’t managed to secure a purchase instructed Lu Tong to make more, or they offered to pay in advance, ensuring they had their tea reserved before it sold out again.
With a mix of cajoling and deceiving, Yin Zheng finally managed to send the crowd away. Under the envious gaze of the West Street neighbors, she closed the shop early.
As the evening approached, the lanterns inside the shop were lit ahead of time, and Du Changqing cautiously brought out the iron box, cupping the day’s earnings in his hands. The silver coins slipped through his fingers, making him wonder if he was still dreaming.
Yin Zheng walked over and after a silent moment said, "I’ve counted three times already. Shopkeeper Du, we sold fifty jars of Xianxian today; here are two hundred and fifty taels of silver. Subtract the one hundred taels of medicinal material money you advanced to Miss Lu the other day, and we’ve earned a hundred and fifty taels today."
"A hundred and fifty taels..." Sitting in a chair, Du Changqing murmured a few times and then suddenly turned, grabbed a corner of Lu Tong’s skirt, and looked up at her as if gazing at a Wealth God idol in a temple, "Doctor Lu, you are truly the savior of Renxin Medical Hall, my Living Bodhisattva!"
Lu Tong reached out, pulling her skirt free from his grip, "It’s too bad we’re out of the tea today."
"No matter!" declared Du Changqing, slapping his thigh and pushing the iron box towards Lu Tong, "Take this silver and let’s make more. If it’s not enough, I have more! Let’s produce as much as we can while we can, and make a good profit during this period!"
Shedding the gloominess of the past few days, his eyes and brows now twinkled with joy.
Ah Cheng, staring at him, said, "Boss, didn’t you say we were out of money?"
Spitting out disdainfully, Du Changqing retorted, "What do you know? If I didn’t say that, all the silver would have been squandered, right? Someone in the house has to be the one who keeps track!"
Ah Cheng had no reply to that.
Yin Zheng couldn’t help interjecting, "But this morning you were advising Miss Lu to sell something else..."
"That was because I had ’eyes but failed to recognize Mount Tai.’ I lacked vision. Of course, Miss Lu won’t hold it against me," Du Changqing said, flexible in his pride, then he sighed and added, "Those people glorify Dai Sanlang to the skies. I’m curious to see him too. They say he’s as gallant as I am, making up nonsense. In just one month, could he really have slimmed down into a handsome man?"