Chapter 195: Chapter 196: Medicine Crisis

She mentioned a few symptoms of the common cold offhand, and the short-bearded old man picked up a pen to write a prescription and tossed it in front of Qi Yue.

“Go and get the medicine! If it doesn’t work, come back in three days!”

Qi Yue glanced at the prescription on the paper and really wanted to strike down this harmful quack doctor on the spot.

For a simple common cold, what on earth did he prescribe?

Zhi Shi and Ma Huang, and in such large amounts?

Was he trying to kill someone or cure them?

Also, why didn’t the old man use the finished medicines from the Shen Family’s pharmacy?

Thinking this, she pushed the prescription back, and patiently said, “Doctor, just give me some of the Shen Family’s cold remedy powder.”

Upon hearing this, the short-bearded old man opened his eyes wide in surprise.

“What Shen Family’s cold remedy powder? We don’t have that here. I ask you, are you buying medicine or not?”

“If there’s no Shen Family cold remedy powder, then I am not buying.”

The short-bearded old man snorted arrogantly and glanced at the shop assistant.

“Shop assistant, collect the consultation fee, twenty wen.”

What?

She simply walked into a pharmacy, didn’t buy any medicine, yet had to shell out twenty wen?

What is this, a pharmacy or a butcher’s shop?

Qi Yue could no longer hold back.

She suddenly pulled out twin sabers with a “clang” and slammed them in front of the short-bearded old man, cursing loudly.

“You quack, not only do you wrongly prescribe medicine and harm people, but you also want to commit extortion! Today, I will deal with you!”

The short-bearded old man had never seen such a scene; he had only thought to extort a bit when he saw Qi Yue’s extraordinary attire, but he had not expected her to be an armed individual.

He was so scared that he plopped onto the ground.

“What are you… doing? I am a doctor, how dare you slander me so!”

“Slander?” Qi Yue pointed at the prescription on the table, snorted coldly, “Do I need to slander you? Look at the prescription you’ve written; is this kind of medicine for human consumption? What kind of person can withstand such harsh medication?”

The short-bearded old man still tried to argue, “I have always prescribed like this, the pharmacopoeia says the same, what have I done wrong?”

Qi Yue thought of the rough and negligent medical practices in Beiyuan, and another wave of anger rose in her heart.

Just as she was about to reason further with the short-bearded old man, someone walked in through the door.

Dressed as a soldier, tall and muscular, he exuded a powerful presence.

Qi Yue did not recognize the man, but he walked straight over and made a bow, his expression exceedingly attentive.

“Why is Divine Doctor Qi in this place? Are you looking for some precious medicinal materials?”

Old Lady Zhang, who was at the side, hurriedly recounted what had just happened. Upon hearing it, the soldier became immediately enraged and directly wanted to take the short-bearded old man to jail.

“How dare you try to extort Divine Doctor Qi—are you tired of living?”

It turned out this man was an associate of Murong Mingyue, and having seen Qi Yue several times at the Governor’s Office, he recognized her.

Now, the situation escalated. The pharmacy’s shopkeeper also came out.

Upon learning that Qi Yue was the one who recently cured the Governor of urinary retention, he nearly went down on his knees to beg for mercy.

“Divine Doctor, our little shop truly has no eye for talent and offended you. This old doctor has always seen patients in our store. If this gets out, I’m afraid our store won’t be able to stay open. I beg Divine Doctor Qi to show mercy!”@@novelbin@@

Qi Yue’s original intention had not been to harm the pharmacy, and besides, she did not want to owe a favor to Murong Mingyue’s person over such a trivial matter, nor did she wish to send a nearly sixty-year-old man to jail.

Therefore, she said a few words and let the old doctor off the hook.

Afterward, Qi Yue visited several other pharmacies and saw no sign of any finished medicines.

Only at the Shen Family’s Jimin Hall were a few finished medicines displayed on the counter, though they were placed at the very back, emitting an air of being unasked-for clearance items.

Qi Yue felt colder the more she looked on!

She really couldn’t figure it out, in Longnan County Government, finished drugs were in high demand.

Often, shopkeepers from pharmacies would come to her, pleading for a larger share of the supply!

Yet here, they had become unwanted goods.

At the same time, Shen Zikuang, who was in the pharmaceutical factory, was also furious.

He sat at the very head of the council hall, looking down at the dejected shopkeepers.

“Who can tell me what in the world is going on? Half a month has passed, why haven’t we received any feedback from the major pharmacies?”

The shopkeepers were silent with their heads down, only after Shen Zikuang slammed his cup down did the shopkeeper standing at the forefront, Fang, open his mouth.

“Eldest Young Master, it’s not that we aren’t trying, it’s just that those pharmacies are absolutely refusing to cooperate with us!”

With Fang taking the lead, the other shopkeepers also began to complain.

“Eldest Young Master, not to hide it from you, but from the start, we didn’t have confidence in this finished drug. You insisted on making a risky bet, and now look, we can’t even sell these finished drugs in our own pharmacies!”

“Exactly, Eldest Young Master, most patients are resistant to the finished drugs, preferring to see a doctor and have a prescription filled.”

“Eldest Young Master, the pharmacy shopkeepers even say that with the finished drugs being used, they have no way to deal with their old stock of medicinal materials?”

“Eldest Young Master, some people are also saying, who knows what we used to make these finished drugs, they refuse to cooperate firmly!”

“Eldest Young Master….”

All the shopkeepers were talking about how bad and unpopular the finished drugs were, completely forgetting that just a month prior, they were worried Qi Yue would take away their profits with full confidence!

Shen Zikuang was near fainting with anger from the bickering of the shopkeepers, slamming his hand on the table repeatedly, his voice full of questioning!

“Originally, who was it that brought back these finished drugs, claiming they could benefit the people of Beiyuan?”

He raised his hand, pointing at several people in the front.

“Didn’t a few of you go with me to Longnan Ridge and see for yourselves? Didn’t you say there was great potential in finished drugs? And now you’re telling me you can’t do it?!”

The shopkeepers shivered, almost falling to their knees.

“Eldest Young Master, we truly have tried our best!”

“Eldest Young Master, looking back, we were too reckless and started building the pharmaceutical factory without proper research, and the facts have proved this path doesn’t work!”

“Eldest Young Master, why don’t we discuss this matter with the Old Master? Perhaps he has a solution!”

“Yes, Eldest Young Master, if this continues, the factory will soon be unsalvageable. Losing millions of names will be hard to explain to the Old Master!”

Upon hearing them mention Shen’s Old Master, Shen Zikuang’s furious face grew even more grim.

“Find him? Do you want to see him throw me out of the Shen Family’s door?”

He tapped the table, his voice cold, “There won’t be anything wrong with the pharmaceutical factory, think of another way. Whether it’s offering discounts or reducing prices, we must open a gap in the finished drug market…”

The shopkeepers were at a loss for words, looking visibly uncomfortable.

Just then, a group of people suddenly burst into the council hall.

A path parted in the middle, and the portly Shen Family’s Old Master, Shen Wanzhen, walked in flanked by his two younger sons.

Upon seeing him, Shen Zikuang immediately stood up from his seat.

“Father?”

Shen Wanzhen didn’t even look at him, but went straight past Shen Zikuang and sat in the highest seat.

Shen Zikuang didn’t want his father to know about the predicament of the pharmaceutical factory, so he hurriedly approached him, trying to ingratiate himself, “Father, what brings you here?”

“Slap!”

A scorching slap landed on his face, making his head spin and nearly toppling him over.

Just as he steadied himself, his third brother, Shen Zifang, shoved him, almost causing him to stumble and fall again.

“Big brother, what time do you think it is, and you still want to fool Dad?!”

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