TGPSAC – Chapter 21

Chi Wan glanced around at everyone. “What are you looking at me for? Get to work!”

“I’m going to the pharmacy to see what medicines can be used. You all take good care of Her Highness.”

To prevent Yu Jiuzhou from lashing out again when she woke, Chi Wan decided it was best to use medicine to calm her down completely, lest she remain so irritable.

Chi Wan had someone send her official robes and seal to her own shabby little courtyard, then brewed and drank a bowl of medicine to suppress her own heat. Only then did the strange feeling in her body slowly subside.

After that, Chi Wan went to the pharmacy. She selected the medicinal herbs for making the patches, choosing quite a large amount.

After all, she had to report for duty in Qingyuan County in the next two days. It was better to make extra, just in case some unforeseen event prevented her from returning to the residence right when Yu Jiuzhou needed it.

The pharmacy had plenty of tools, so she decided to make the suppression patches right there.

As she pounded the herbs, Chi Wan’s thoughts inevitably drifted. She didn’t have much silver on hand. A little over a hundred taels was a considerable sum for a commoner, but for the nobility, it wasn’t even enough for a single trip to the pleasure quarter.

Besides, she wanted to open a medical hall, but not just a traditional one. She wanted to incorporate beauty and skincare as well.

For instance, she had previously thought about how bitter Chinese medicine was. One could add certain herbs to neutralize the taste, making it less bitter, or even sweet.

Even in modern times, bitter medicine was still bitter. But some Chinese medicines were made sweet by adding neutralizing herbs, which was a godsend for many who couldn’t stand the bitterness, especially when it came to the difficulty of giving medicine to children. If she introduced those sweet medicines, they would surely be a huge hit. It would be best to create an all-in-one service: prescription, brewing, and delivery.

However, this kind of medicine would be easy to imitate. Ultimately, she would have to focus on a service and delivery model. It would be even better to make pills. Researching them would take considerable effort—things like advanced calming pills, beauty pills, skin-rejuvenating pills, and various herbal skincare products, including herbal face masks. The main selling point would be beauty products developed from a traditional medical perspective.

There was also soap—handmade herbal soap, which would be very useful for people with oily skin. It would definitely be popular if she launched it.

She didn’t understand business, so she could only contribute her skills for a stake in the company and let someone else manage it. Besides, in ancient times, the more power you had, the less likely anyone would dare to cheat you out of your money. She was the Fuma now. The only people who could take things from her were the likes of the Emperor, the Grand Secretary, and the princes.

No matter how bad her relationship with Yu Jiuzhou was, she was still part of the Princess’s Residence. Outsiders wouldn’t be so bold. The Emperor wouldn’t steal from his own daughter’s household—that would be too embarrassing. And the Grand Secretary was a scholar who cared about his reputation.

Chi Wan thought for a moment. If she were to start a business with Yu Jiuzhou as her backer, any troubles, whether operational or from external sources, would be easily resolved. The only question was whether Yu Jiuzhou would agree to cooperate with her.

Chi Wan pounded the herbs, mulling over her next steps. She had to take the initiative, especially with Yu Jiuzhou. She needed to approach her more proactively.

Simply serving and fawning over her wouldn’t be enough; she had to increase her own value. Later on, Yu Jiuzhou would be vying for control of Great Zhou’s government, and that would require a lot of money. Chi Wan had to be able to help Yu Jiuzhou on the business front.

Succeed in both career and private life, and make Yu Jiuzhou inseparable from her.

Just thinking about it made Chi Wan feel that her life was much more secure.

Just as she was planning, a voice suddenly sounded from above her. “Didn’t the Fuma just become the magistrate of Qingyuan County? Why are you busying yourself with medicinal herbs again? Could it be that the Fuma truly intends to abandon her official post for medicine?”

Chi Wan looked up and saw it was Zheng Yi. This person was truly strange, always acting as if they were close and asking questions she shouldn’t.

“Does Miss Zheng mean that one cannot practice medicine after becoming an official?”

“Of course not. I just find the Fuma’s medical skills and prescriptions very interesting. On closer inspection, they still follow the principles of the unity of heaven and man, and of yin and yang and the five elements, but in practice, you’ve added many new things that are hard to comprehend.”

Zheng Yi asked curiously, “May I ask who taught the Fuma her medical skills? Would the Fuma be willing to enlighten me?”

In the history of Chinese medicine, some knowledge was lost while other aspects developed. By the modern era, Chinese medicine had actually declined quite a bit, but as long as there were practitioners, there would be progress. Many techniques were unimaginable in ancient times. Aside from those that required Western medical methods, Chi Wan could apply most of them in this world.

That was why Zheng Yi felt her medical skills were different from theirs—originating from the same source, yet branching out in a new direction.

“What, you want to learn?” Chi Wan didn’t mind teaching her skills to others, as long as the person was reliable and kind. If so, she would teach them.

But her impression of Zheng Yi was mediocre at best. She always spoke with a tone that suggested she thought herself very clever and was trying to pry information out of people, which was rather unpleasant.

Zheng Yi shrugged. “If the Fuma is willing to take me as a disciple, I am of course willing to learn.”

The two of them were about the same age, yet she was actually talking about becoming a disciple. She really had some nerve.

“Is that so? But I am not willing to teach.” Chi Wan picked up the medicine jar, which still contained herbs that weren’t fully pounded, and walked away.

Zheng Yi didn’t follow. She just said, “Fuma, if you plan to open a medical hall and need a resident physician, I am willing to go. I’ll even work for free.”

For free?

Chi Wan turned back. Zheng Yi’s face showed only sincerity; nothing else could be read from it.

After she left, Imperial Physician Zheng emerged. “Ah Yi, have you really decided to go out and be a physician? The Princess’s Residence also needs Kun Ze physicians. Perhaps you could become an imperial physician by special exception, just like Official Chun Gui and General Xia Qu.”

Zheng Yi shook her head. “Imperial physicians only serve the royal family. But what I have learned should not be limited to one or two people. A physician’s heart is one of benevolence.”

“Grandmother, you’ve taken me on medical tours. I’ve seen too many Kun Ze and He Yuan ladies who avoid doctors when they’re ill. It’s not that they don’t want treatment, but that they don’t dare to, or can’t. Almost all physicians are Qian Yuan. Though my own strength is meager, I wish to start with women’s internal ailments and do my part for all the Kun Ze and He Yuan women in the world.”

Imperial Physician Zheng shook her head. “Why do you think the Fuma is a good choice? Her reputation is not good. Besides, how are you so sure she will open a medical hall?”

Zheng Yi smiled at her grandmother. “I trust my own judgment, and yours. Besides, I overheard her.”

Just now, while Chi Wan was sorting the herbs, she was muttering about what was needed to open a medical hall. Zheng Yi heard everything when she approached.

Meanwhile, Chi Wan was still wondering how Zheng Yi knew she wanted to open a medical hall. Could it be that Zheng Yi had been eavesdropping from behind while she was muttering to herself just now?

Whatever, she thought. It’s not like it’s some shameful secret anyway.

Chi Wan took the herbs and returned to Yongning Courtyard. She had Chun Gui prepare some tools and began making the suppression patches herself.

Being the Fuma was great. You only had to give an order to get what you wanted. She didn’t even have to do things herself; as long as she provided the idea, someone would execute it.

However, her current status in the Princess’s Residence was average. It was still a bit difficult to have an order carried out immediately just by giving it.

The suppression patches weren’t difficult to make and were soon ready.

Chi Wan entered the bedchamber. The sleep induced by the silver needles had already worn off. Yu Jiuzhou watched her arrival with cold eyes, clearly aware that Chi Wan had just used needles to forcibly put her to sleep.

The sleep induced by the needles was very short, lasting only the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, so she wasn’t at all surprised that Yu Jiuzhou was awake. But she had to press on in the face of the other’s icy, murderous gaze. The thought sent one chill after another down her spine.

She had to apply the patch to Yu Jiuzhou’s gland. To a Kun Ze, this was tantamount to a Qian Yuan taking liberties with them.

For Chi Wan, it was like dancing on the edge of a knife. She mustered her courage, and after a long moment, she finally asked Yu Jiuzhou, “Your Highness, may I touch your gland?”

Damn it!!! In her nervousness, she had blurted it out!

Who says words can’t be a form of harassment?

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