Volume Two: Following in the Ancestors' Footsteps, Brocade and Blood Chapter 147: Lightning and Flint

Tang Nuo gave a soft "Oh" without saying much. She simply packed up her medicine chest and said, "I'd like to take a look at the apothecary to see what herbs they have on hand, so I can write prescriptions in the future."

Yang Ning immediately raised his hand and said, "Please, Miss Tang!"

As the two of them stepped outside, Doctor Song pulled Duan Canghai aside and lowered his voice, saying, "Who is actually going to be calling the shots here from now on? Just some wet-faced young girl prescribing medicines haphazardly—if something actually goes wrong, let me make this clear beforehand, nobody is to blame this old man."

"Master Song, naturally everything will be done according to your wishes here," Duan Canghai smiled. "Miss Tang's coming here is merely to give you a temporary helping hand."

Doctor Song frowned. "But you saw for yourself just now, this girl is hardly likely to listen to me. You must know that diagnosing illnesses and saving lives is no child's play. If she acts recklessly in the future, with the backing of the Prince's Heir, how could I possibly say much? Besides, yesterday the Third Madam sent someone to inform us that a girl would be coming to assist. If everything were done according to the apothecary's rules, that would be one thing, but if it's going to be like this from now on, this old man fears...!"

"Master Song, there's no need to be anxious," Duan Canghai said with a cheerful smile. "The Prince's Heir holds Miss Tang in very high regard. I'd say Miss Tang's methods are not inferior either; her use of acupuncture just now was exceptionally practiced. She should prove to be a fine assistant in the future." He pointed toward the back of the screen and lowered his voice. "Miss Tang stated that within twelve rounds of the watch, the child's injuries will be completely restored to their original state. If that truly turns out to be the case, Miss Tang's medical skills are naturally beyond reproach, and you, elder, will have a much easier time henceforth. But if the facts prove otherwise, Miss Tang will surely not cling stubbornly to her own opinions in the future."

Doctor Song pondered for a moment, then gave a slight nod. "That point is fair enough. We shall simply see what state affairs are in by tomorrow. In all my years of diagnosing ailments, I have never witnessed a miraculous medicine capable of restoring injured flesh to its original condition within a single day. This time, I shall open my eyes wide to see whether it is true or false."

Duan Canghai laughed. "The world is vast, and nothing is truly impossible. Who knows, such a miraculous medicine might actually exist. And if it does, heh..." He glanced toward the doorway before lowering his voice further. "From now on, Yong'an Hall will certainly be rolling in wealth."

By this time, Yang Ning had already accompanied Tang Nuo to the adjoining apothecary, where an attendant was waiting inside to receive them.

"Miss Tang, does this medicine of yours have a name?" Yang Ning walked beside Tang Nuo, smiling like a gentle spring breeze. "Such a powerful miraculous remedy must certainly have a resounding name."

Tang Nuo shook her head. "The book only sets forth the method for compounding this medicine; no name was given."

"A book?" Yang Ning hurriedly asked. "Which book?"

In his past life, he had been a businessman and had honed his skills in the commercial world for many years, possessing an exceptionally keen perception for business opportunities. When he first encountered Tang Nuo in the valley and witnessed her medical prowess, he had instantly recognized her as an untapped treasure trove.

Seeing the healing medicine in Tang Nuo's hands today, his ambition was already thoroughly stirred.

Although Doctor Song remained skeptical as to whether the healing medicine in Tang Nuo's possession was truly as efficacious as claimed, Yang Ning believed her words implicitly. He knew very well that the porcelain vial Tang Nuo had casually produced was filled with something priceless. Most crucially of all, Tang Nuo did not seem to realize this herself.

Tang Nuo had already walked up to the medicine cabinets. Along the entire right-hand wall of the apothecary stood floor-to-ceiling rows of herbal drawers, meticulously categorized. To reach the topmost ones, one would need to step up on a stool. There were easily a hundred or so varieties of medicinal herbs.

Tang Nuo paced slowly past them, occasionally coming to a halt to pull open a drawer, use a pair of prepared small tongs to pick up an herb for inspection, and answer Yang Ning's inquiry: "The *Collection of a Hundred Herbs*."

Yang Ning immediately recalled how the little demoness A'nao had previously exhausted every possible scheme simply to acquire the *Collection of a Hundred Herbs* from Tang Nuo.

"The *Collection of a Hundred Herbs* is truly in your possession?"

Tang Nuo shook her head. "I have never laid eyes on the actual book; my master merely taught me how to compound certain herbs. Today's medicine is one of the simpler ones to formulate, so it can hardly be considered a true miraculous elixir."

Yang Ning felt a mild shock ripple through him. If even this could not be regarded as a miraculous elixir, then the remedies recorded within the *Collection of a Hundred Herbs* must be extraordinary indeed. It was no wonder A'nao had gone to such lengths to get her hands on it.

"Miss Tang, why don't we give this medicine a name?" Yang Ning smiled warmly. "It would truly be a pity for such a precious remedy to remain nameless."

"What name would you propose?"

Yang Ning thought for a moment and said, "How about 'Yong'an Spring'? A medicine from Yong'an Hall that brings the withered back to life—what do you think?"

Tang Nuo remained completely calm and unruffled. Using her tongs to pick up another herb, she asked with composed ease, "Are you perhaps hoping to turn this medicine into a proprietary product of Yong'an Hall?"

Yang Ning felt a momentary awkwardness, but he brazenly pressed on anyway. "It's not truly for the sake of Yong'an Hall, but rather to save the world and aid the people. Just think, Miss Tang, if this medicine of yours can make burns heal completely without a trace, then ordinary cuts and flesh wounds can naturally be cured with equal ease. If this remedy could be widely popularized, the accumulated merit would be boundless."

Tang Nuo did not reply. Instead, she turned to the attendant standing nearby and asked, "What is the best-selling medicine here at Yong'an Hall?"

The attendant looked toward Yang Ning, whose face darkened as he snapped, "What are you looking at me for? Didn't you hear Miss Tang asking you a question? Speak the truth, whatever it is. Miss Tang is one of us; there's no need for concealment."

Only then did the attendant reply, "Answering the young lady, the medicines that sell the most in our shop are the Clear Dew Pills and the Pain-Easing Powders. The Clear Dew Pills treat cold-induced illnesses, while the Pain-Easing Powders relieve pain and disperse stagnant blood."

"Might I take a look at them?"

The attendant hastily said, "I'll fetch them for you." He brought over the two remedies and said, "These are two proprietary formulas created by Yong'an Hall itself, unique to this establishment and found nowhere else. They sell exceedingly well." Noticing that Tang Nuo was extremely young and likely had never worked in a formal medical clinic, he explained, "For any apothecary to survive and become a time-honored brand, it must possess its own proprietary secret formulas; otherwise, it cannot last long."

Tang Nuo gave a slight nod of her head. She picked up a Clear Dew Pill, examined it closely, gave it a sniff, and then crushed it with her tongs to observe it in detail before speaking. "You say these Clear Dew Pills are formulated to treat cold-induced ailments?"

"Headaches, fevers, and wind-colds—taking these pills for two days will show clear efficacy," the attendant said. "There are no fewer than a hundred pharmacies in the capital, but none can match this pill from our Yong'an Hall."

Tang Nuo shook her head. "This Clear Dew Pill is fused from a total of seven medicinal herbs. As you say, it can indeed temporarily alleviate headaches and fevers, and even treat wind-colds. However, after taking this medicine, it inflicts considerable harm upon the stomach and intestines. Moreover, after being treated with this medication, the patient will require a larger dosage the next time the illness recurs. Over time, the stomach and intestines will inevitably suffer damage, and it may even trigger other ailments."

The attendant frowned and said, "Is the young lady not speaking somewhat alarmist words? Our Yong'an Hall has stood for decades, and these Clear Dew Pills have been sold for decades, yet we have never heard of anyone taking our shop's medicine and running into trouble."

Tang Nuo said earnestly, "Among the ingredients in this Clear Dew Pill's formula, two extra herbs were added while one essential herb was left out." She looked toward Yang Ning and said, "Medicine is something taken internally to cure illnesses and save lives. To miss even a single ingredient, let alone several, means the medicinal effect changes entirely."

"Miss Tang speaks wisely," Yang Ning said solemnly. "Miss Tang, how would you say it ought to be altered?"

Tang Nuo thought for a moment before replying, "I will write out a proper formula for you later. Have them re-compound the medicine according to that formula, and there should be no further errors."

Her tone was utterly calm, as if altering a decades-old prescription belonging to Yong'an Hall was a trivial and entirely natural matter. The complexions of the several attendants standing nearby turned rather unsightly; naturally, they were all thinking that Tang Nuo was being thoroughly arrogant. Young as she was, the moment she stepped through the door before her seat was even warm, she began picking faults in Yong'an Hall's signature foundation remedies. Anyone unaware of the truth might have mistaken her for a divine physician descended from the heavens.

Yet Yang Ning perceived an extraordinary, surpassing self-assurance in Tang Nuo's demeanor and conversation.

"You mentioned naming the burn-healing powder 'Yong'an Spring'?" Tang Nuo finally looked back at Yang Ning. "That name is not good. Think of some other names. If they sound pleasant, I am not one to be stingy."

Yang Ning's brows unbunched, and he clapped his hands in a smile. "Miss Tang truly possesses the compassionate heart of a Bodhisattva. Allow me to thank you on behalf of all people under heaven."

Tang Nuo shook her head. "There is really no need to thank me. My master once told me that if the opportunity ever arose, such medicines should be widely circulated so they might save many lives."

Since Tang Nuo intended to remain at the apothecary to examine the herbs in detail, Yang Ning lacked the patience to spend an entire day accompanying her there. Nevertheless, Tang Nuo's promise to provide the corrected formula filled Yang Ning with quiet delight.

While the attendants of the apothecary lived on the premises, Tang Nuo was a young lady and naturally could not stay overnight in the shop. Fortunately, Gu Qinghan had considered the matter thoroughly and had long since arranged lodgings within the Prince's Estate. The magnificent mansion possessed numerous courtyards, making the arrangement of a residence for a single person an effortless task.

Gu Qinghan harbored a deliberate intention to bring Yang Ning and Tang Nuo together, and thus she treated Tang Nuo with great care, sending a carriage specifically to fetch her when dusk fell.

Yang Ning had originally intended to accompany Gu Qinghan back to the apothecary early the following morning to see whether the child's injuries truly returned to their original state. Although he placed immense faith in Tang Nuo, witnessing it with his own eyes would naturally be better, especially since he was already preparing to make a massive commercial venture out of this medicine and naturally wished to observe its efficacy firsthand.

Little did he expect that after nightfall on that very day, the sound of galloping horse hooves would echo through the alleys and avenues of the capital. The city's residents bolted their doors tight, unaware of what calamity had transpired. The chaos lasted the entire night, and before dawn broke, Yang Ning learned from Duan Canghai that every thoroughfare in the capital had been locked down. The Tiger Divine Guard and the Metropolitan Governor's constables had all been mobilized, strictly forbidding any citizen from venturing onto the streets.

After daylight broke, Yang Ning learned further details from the well-informed Duan Canghai: before dawn, under the escort of the Black Saber Camp, the Crown Prince of Chu had set out for the Great Brightness Temple to perform the rites of ancestor worship and ascend the throne. Furthermore, all officials of the rank of department director and above in the Six Ministries had been summoned through the night by the men of the Black Saber Camp to assemble before the imperial city gates. Once the Crown Prince departed the palace, those officials, having no time to react, were forced to follow in his train toward the Great Brightness Temple.

Many people had already caught wind of the rumors regarding the Crown Prince's ascension rites beforehand—Yang Ning himself had learned of it from Su洛, the Vice Minister of Rites, while at the Great Brightness Temple. However, very few had guessed that the Crown Prince would leave the city in the dead of night, deploying the Black Saber Camp's troops to rouse the officials of the Six Ministries from their residences one by one.

The capital was entirely sealed off. Once the Crown Prince departed, the Tiger Divine Guard immediately barred the city gates, to be reopened only after the Crown Prince's return. Furthermore, troops had cordoned off all roads within the city, making it impossible for Yang Ning to travel to the apothecary.

An atmosphere of grim execution hung heavily over Jianye City.

Although the capital was locked down, the intelligence network of the Prince's Estate had not been severed. With matters touching upon personal safety, the estate naturally needed to keep its finger on the pulse of the capital's movements at all times. Fearing sudden biến (upheavals), Duan Canghai had mobilized the estate's retainers and guards to maintain strict vigilance. Meanwhile, he and Qi Feng personally ventured outside to gather intelligence, while Zhao Wushang took charge of commanding the estate's guards within the compound to guard against any contingencies.

By midday, Duan Canghai finally brought back a piece of news that allowed everyone to breathe a collective sigh of relief.

Those accompanying the Crown Prince to the Great Brightness Temple this time included not only the senior ministers of the Six Ministries and key figures of the imperial court, but the Black Saber Camp had also routed the Prince of Huainan and his son from their beds during the night, forcing them to accompany the Crown Prince.

Inwardly, Yang Ning could not help but praise the maneuver. It seemed this Crown Prince was a formidable figure indeed: striking without warning, leaving the city by night, deploying the Black Saber Camp to seize immediate control of the officials of the Six Ministries, and dragging along the Prince of Huainan and his son—the very individuals most likely to instigate trouble. This meant that the Prince of Huainan and his son were now entirely within the Crown Prince's grip.

Although only high-ranking court officials had accompanied the procession, leaving many lower-ranking officials behind in the capital, under such extraordinary circumstances, matters of formal etiquette could hardly be prioritized.

Since the Prince of Huainan and his son were under the Crown Prince's control, the faction was left without a leader; even if they wished to rebel, they could not mount an effective resistance. As for the trusted partisans and subordinates of the Prince of Huainan, restrained by the hostages held against them, they naturally dared not make any rash moves at such a juncture.

Everything had happened with sudden, lightning-quick violence, yet Yang Ning knew very well that the electric chaos of that single night must have required a tremendous amount of meticulous planning beforehand.