Chapter 23: Chapter 22 Confrontation_1
Ever since Xinglin Hall introduced Chun Yangsheng, the name of Chun Shui Sheng gradually became less and less mentioned.
First, Chun Yangsheng and Chun Shui Sheng were only different by one character, so it was inevitable that people would mix them up when listening. Second, since Xinglin Hall was undoubtedly a major medical establishment with old doctors in charge, when people came to West Street, they saw the impressive Xinglin Hall first. Once they went in and bought Chun Yangsheng, who would still know about Chun Shui Sheng?
So the front of Xinglin Hall grew busier by the day, while the medicinal tea at Renxin Medical Hall found no takers.
Seeing this, Du Changqing was despondent, but Lu Tong remained as unflappable as ever, doing what needed to be done each day without showing the slightest hint of worry.
Before long, several days had passed, and on this day, close to noon, a carriage stopped by the riverbank near Luoyue Bridge. Someone was helped off by servants, trembling as they made their way down the embankment toward a pavilion where scholars gathered to enjoy the cooler air.
This person appeared to be around the age of sixty, dressed in a robe of lotus root silk, with a neatly combed topknot and a very long black beard, giving off an exceptionally dashing air. Upon seeing him, the scholars who were discussing tea over drinks called out, "Elder Master Chen Si, what brings you here today?"
Elder Master Chen Si, named Chen Xian, originally started out with a fan shop and as the business grew, he left it to his children to handle. He himself adopted the lifestyle of an elegant scholar, spending his days wandering scenic spots, appreciating poetry, and discussing philosophy, determined to become Shengjing’s most renowned scholar.
However, even Shengjing’s most renowned scholar had no solution for the troublesome willow flowers of spring.
Of all his scholarly friends, Chen Xian detested the old-fashioned Official Hu the most, yet he suffered from the same blocked nose as Official Hu did. Come spring, he was utterly miserable.
Some days before, Chen Xian had been surprised to hear that Official Hu Bravo had attended the Peach Blossom Festival. Official Hu’s nasal congestion was even worse than his, and with the pollen flying at the festival, how could he have withstood it? Later, he heard that Official Hu had been promoting a medicinal tea called Chun Shui Sheng among his friends, claiming it alleviated nasal blockages. Official Hu was able to attend the Peach Blossom Festival precisely because he had been drinking this tea.
Chen Xian knew Official Hu was prone to exaggerating and that nasal congestion was notoriously stubborn and difficult to treat. He was initially skeptical but after inquiring around the market, he indeed heard that the medicinal tea had remarkable effects. Thus, Chen Xian felt relieved, sent his servant to buy a few packets, and after brewing it carefully, he hoped that in a few days, he too would enjoy the thrill of spring unfettered.
After drinking it for five days straight, Chen Xian felt it should be working by now, so he put on a set of freshly prepared clothes, wore a sachet, and even applied a bit of peach blossom powder, intending to show off the literary skills he had sharpened over the winter at the poetry gathering.
He smiled and cleared his throat, ready to reply, but unexpectedly, a gust of wind brought a familiar itching sensation that suddenly arose, causing him to involuntarily open his mouth wide.
"Achoo—"
An earth-shattering sneeze erupted, and under the watchful eyes of all, a torrent flowed from beneath Elder Master Chen Si’s nose, with tears flying and a cluster of mucus even landing on the hair of a young scholar nearby.
The onlookers stared at him in stunned silence.
"Achoo—"
"Achoo—"
"Achoo—"
One sneeze after another uncontrollably burst forth from his mouth, and amidst the varied gazes of the crowd, Chen Xian backed away clumsily, then ran towards the carriage.
"Master—" The servant called out urgently from behind.
Tears and mucus streaming, Chen Xian was a mix of rage and sorrow. To hell with that charlatan Hu; he truly had no good intentions! This Chun Yangsheng had not worked at all after five days, and he had just made a spectacle of himself in front of friends. How could he face anyone in the future?
Talking about a miraculous cure for nasal congestion, it was clearly a fraud!
He hurried onto the carriage, and the servant followed, eyeing his master’s complexion cautiously, "Master... "
"To the Hu Residence!" Chen Xian barked, teeth clenched in anger, "Today, I must seek an explanation from this Hu!"
While Elder Master Chen Si was consumed with fury, the carriage raced away. At the gate of the Hu Residence, Official Hu was about to visit a friend with a scroll of poetry in hand. He hadn’t yet stepped out when he heard someone shouting aggressively, "Hu scoundrel!"
Official Hu’s complexion changed, and as he turned around, he saw Chen Xian alighting from the carriage, his beard nearly bristling with anger, he shouted, "Chen fan-seller, what nonsense are you spouting?"
Although looking frail, Chen Xian moved swiftly, approaching Official Hu in a few steps, grabbed his beard, and started shaking him wildly, shouting, "You swindler, full of nothing but lies! Talking about some tea curing nasal blockage, you made me lose face in front of friends. How much did that medicine seller pay you to deceive people like this?"
Official Hu struggled to wrestle his beard back from the other’s grasp and argued, "What swindler? That medicinal tea truly has remarkable effects. I’ve drunk several jars, and now I breathe freely every day. Just because you have a problem with your nose, why blame the medicinal tea? You must be sick!"
Elder Master Chen Si, seeing that the man had yet to show any remorse even now, and remembering his own snot and tears in front of everyone, grew even angrier. He suddenly yanked forcefully, ripping off a tuft of beard hair and cursed, "Old swindler!"
Official Hu, not to be outdone, grabbed his black beard in return, "Deadbeat!"
And with that, the two of them started to scuffle.
The nearby servants tried to pull them apart, but despite both men being somewhat aged, they were surprisingly strong. In front of the Hu residence, their shouts and curses at each other could be heard.
"Old swindler, colluding with the medical hall to sell medicinal tea and cheat money, it’s useless!"
"Deadbeat, calling a miracle cure a worthless thing, I think you just want to extort money!"
"Nonsense, I still sneezed incessantly after drinking that tea for five days!"
"Nonsensical chatter, I only drank it for three days, and I could face willow flowers without changing my expression!"
"Chun Yangsheng is completely useless!"
"Chun Shui Sheng is the best!"
"Huh?" Official Hu was stunned, instinctively stopping in his tracks and Chen Si took the opportunity to pluck out the last tuft of goat beard, causing Hu to cry out in pain, "Ouch!" But he still remembered what Chen Si had just said and only asked, "What did you just say, Chun Yangsheng?"
"Isn’t that so?" Elder Master Chen Si’s face powder was rubbed off a layer, his clothes and hair were in a mess, and holding a tuft of goat beard he still wasn’t appeased, cursing, "Chun Yangsheng? Clearly, it’s an excuse to insult those who buy the medicine by calling them ’ignorant fools,’ a downright malicious medical house!"
"That’s not right, is it?" Official Hu was puzzled and asked the nearby servant, "Go get the jar of medicinal tea from my room." Then he asked Chen Si, "You said the medicinal tea you bought is called ’Chun Yangsheng’?"
Elder Master Chen Si: "How many times do I have to tell you!"
Without saying anything, Official Hu waited for the servant to bring the tea jar back. He lifted the jar up high so Chen Si and the people who were gathered to watch could see clearly, "Look properly! The tea I bought is Chun Shui Sheng! You bought fake medicine and instead of settling accounts with the seller of the fake medicine, you come here and vent your anger on me, what kind of reasoning is that!"
Upon hearing this, Chen Si was momentarily stunned, instinctively moved forward wanting to see the jar clearly, "Chun Shui Sheng?"
"Elder Master Chen, your nose had problems before, now even your eyes have failed you?" Official Hu scoffed coldly, "Open your eyes wide and look carefully, what exactly the words are on this jar!"
Elder Master Chen Si was also in disbelief.
This jar looked very similar to the one he had bought the medicinal tea in, small and exquisitely made, with a tiny white paper stuck on top, on which a little poem was written with ink brush, very elegant. He had admired the clever design when he first saw this jar.
However...
The words written on it were indeed "Chun Shui Sheng."
Not "Chun Yangsheng"?
Could it be that he really bought a counterfeit?
Elder Master Chen Si abruptly turned to the servant beside him, demanding loudly, "You good-for-nothing! Where did you buy this fake medicine to deceive your master?"
The servant was so startled that he immediately knelt down, pleading innocence, "Impossible, my Lord, I bought the medicinal tea from Xinglin Hall on West Street. Xinglin Hall is a time-honored brand, with a great reputation in medical circles; there can’t be fake goods there!"
"Xinglin Hall?" Official Hu exclaimed, "Isn’t that Shopkeeper Bai’s medical hall?"