Chapter 36

When leaving the Golden Throne Hall, the Marquis of Longle felt particularly dejected. Of the five bottles of divine medicine he had brought, aside from the one forcibly “gifted” to the Emperor, he had only managed to sell a single pill.

All that effort spent pitching it in court until his throat was parched had been in vain. Those ministers were nothing but sanctimonious hypocrites; their hearts were stirring with desire, yet they maintained a facade of calm indifference.

The Marquis, however, had the eyes of a hawk. The inner thoughts of these officials could not escape him—they surely wanted to wait until the Emperor tested the effects of the divine medicine before secretly sending people to the Longle Marquis Mansion to buy some.

Aside from General Wang—that simple-minded fellow who, for some reason, had brought ten thousand taels of silver to court—none of the military officers had any money in their pockets. Very few military families possessed substantial wealth, unlike the civil officials who mostly hailed from prestigious clans; few came from humble backgrounds, and those who did were mostly sent away to serve as local officials.

The Marquis’s asking price of ten thousand taels per pill was actually not expensive. His daughter had said this medicine contained the essence of life; the more one took it and “performed,” the younger they would become. Could such a thing really be bought with mere silver?

If they thought it was too expensive, they didn’t have to buy it.

There were plenty of people dripping with wealth, especially those wealthy merchants with powerful backers. Their houses were filled with gold and silver; to them, money was just a number.

His daughter had said they were taking the high-end route; this divine medicine was not some common commodity.

Scarcity makes things precious!

The Head of the Imperial Academy of Medicine might seem upright, but he was no fool. He must have noticed something. The Marquis guessed the old man would definitely send someone in secret to buy the medicine. That old fellow came from a storied family with deep roots and a massive fortune.

As soon as the Marquis returned to the manor, he was greeted by Cheng Ruyi and the others who had been waiting for news. Before he could even catch his breath, they hurriedly asked about the sales pitch.

The Marquis boastfully and vividly recounted the events of the court.

Cheng Ruyi listened with immense admiration, her eyes sparkling like stars. Her father was truly amazing; he had gone to court for one round and come back with ten thousand taels of silver.

Amidst her joy, however, Cheng Ruyi felt a small spark of worry.

“Dad, you’re incredible, but is ten thousand taels a bit too expensive? Will people actually buy it?”

What if everyone was scared off? They had originally set the price at one thousand taels per pill.

The Marquis waved his hand dismissively and chuckled with pride. “Not expensive, not expensive at all. This is just the floor price! Daughter, I’ve personally tested this medicine. The effect… how should I put it? It’s fantastic. I still feel incredibly energetic, like a young lad.”

“Once the Emperor has used it, hehe… no matter how expensive it is, they’ll be fighting to buy it.”

The Marquis seemed to think of something, his smile turning a bit lecherous and mischievous. Did the Emperor think his ten thousand taels were so easily scammed? Just imagining the Emperor surrounded by a flock of concubines every day made him giddy with joy.

Beautiful women are great, but too many of them are a disaster. The struggles in the harem would surely become even more intense. What a sin!

But the Marquis felt no sympathy for the Emperor. He wished to tie the Emperor’s name to the divine medicine forever. With the Emperor as a “living advertisement,” the wealthy elites would surely come swarming in.

In the future, he could just lie back in his manor and earn silver. Life couldn’t get any better.

Cheng Ruyi’s eyes widened in disbelief. “…Is it really that exaggerated?”

In truth, Cheng Ruyi didn’t realize that her mutated Wood-element ability had leaned even more toward healing and vitality after she traveled to ancient times. The “divine medicine” made from herbs she had accelerated was significantly more effective than what she had made in the post-apocalyptic world.

Furthermore, the bodies of ancient people were far weaker than the ability-users of the apocalypse, which accounted for such staggering results. If used frequently, it really could restore youth and prolong life.

Rong Susu chimed in with a smile, showing off her radiant complexion. “It’s no exaggeration. Your father isn’t the only one who feels it; I do too. Daughter, haven’t you noticed my skin and complexion have improved vastly?”

Speaking of this, Rong Susu was extremely happy. Her daughter’s medicine was wonderful; the effects were superb. It was more effective for beauty than any rouge or powder.

Beside them, Rong Mo’s brow furrowed slightly, his handsome face suddenly turning solemn. If it truly was as his aunt and uncle described, the value of this medicine was immeasurable. The vitality within seemed capable of being fully absorbed. Ten thousand taels was indeed not expensive—one might even call it a bargain.

Cheng Ruyi took a careful look at her mother’s skin. It was dewy and incredibly smooth to the touch; it had indeed improved.

So, the divine medicine she made was that effective? This was great!

“Aunt, Uncle, the effects of this medicine are too potent. ‘An ordinary man is guiltless, but possessing a jade jewel makes him a target.’ It is best to sell it in limited quantities. We must give people the feeling that it is hard to come by.” Having experienced the extermination of the Rong family, Rong Mo was extremely sensitive to such matters. He did not want his little fiancée to fall into such a dangerous predicament.

The Marquis nodded with a smile. “I thought of that long ago. Why do you think I set the price at ten thousand taels? Precisely because scarcity makes it precious.”

This was a perpetual source of wealth; he couldn’t very well sleep in a grass hut while hugging a pile of gold.

Cheng Ruyi felt a bit dejected. “…”

Not being able to sell the medicine freely made her unhappy! But she was a playback-obedient child. If her cousin said limited sales, then limited it would be. Anyway, her previous price was one thousand taels, and now it was ten thousand. She was still making a lot of money and saving effort.

Soon, mountains of gold and silver would fill the house. Thinking of this, Cheng Ruyi cheered up again.

“Dad and Cousin are right. Keep the goods rare to increase their value.”

Rong Mo watched his little fiancée’s changing expressions with amusement and couldn’t help but reach out to pat her head.

“With a high price, you don’t have to spend too much time on it. It’s leisurely and safe.”

“Rong Mo is right. Daughter, when you have time, you and Rong Mo should spend more time together to nurture your feelings,” the Marquis said with great open-mindedness. As he spoke, he pulled out banknotes from his robe, counted five thousand taels, and handed them to her.

Cheng Ruyi nodded without a shred of shyness. Tucking the banknotes into her bosom, she said giggling, “Dad is right. Then I’m off to nurture feelings with my cousin.”

With that, she took Rong Mo’s hand and left happily. Rong Susu and the Marquis couldn’t help but laugh.

With a new source of wealth in the house, the Marquis was radiant. He stopped wandering around outside and instead began to get busy. Once the Emperor tested the medicine, there would be a massive wave of buyers tomorrow. It was bound to be lively.

To entertain these “Gods of Wealth” who would be coming to the door, the Marquis had already closed down a silk shop he owned on a busy street in the capital. He renovated it specifically to sell the medicine and had already chosen a name: The Divine Medicine Hall.

It would officially open tomorrow!

The spokesperson for the Divine Medicine Hall? His Majesty the Emperor!

Talk about high-end. The Marquis chuckled, the abacus in his heart clicking loudly. With the Emperor backing the place, who would dare cause trouble? This was a masterstroke that killed two birds with one stone.

Unaware that he was being plotted against, the Emperor was happily carrying the medicine to the Queen’s palace. Speaking of which, the Queen was getting older and couldn’t compete with the younger beauties in the harem; the number of times the Emperor actually stayed the night was few and far between.

But the Emperor and Queen were a couple from their youth. He respected her greatly and would rest in her palace every month. Having received the divine medicine—which supposedly had great benefits for both men and women—the first person the Emperor thought of was the Queen.

While the Marquis and Rong Susu were busy with the shop opening, the news of the medicine and the events in the Golden Throne Hall quietly spread through the circles of the nobility.

In particular, that hulking simpleton General Wang had rushed home immediately after court to engage in some “daytime activities” with his wife. The commotion was quite loud, and the ministers who were watching him knew about it immediately. They all sent people to inquire about his “user experience.”

That brute General Wang smacked his lips in reminiscence and, in a rare move, used scholarly idioms to express himself.

“It was like drifting among the immortals; the beauty was beyond words, and the taste was intoxicating!”

General Wang might be a brute, but his wife came from a prominent merchant family and was incredibly wealthy. Otherwise, how could he have boldly spent ten thousand taels in front of the Emperor? General Wang was no fool.

After using the medicine, he immediately felt the changes in his body. As a general, he had many lingering hidden injuries. It was fine in his younger years when his recovery was strong, but now, nearing forty, he often suffered from minor aches and pains. After using the medicine and enjoying himself with his wife, not only did he not feel the slightest bit tired, but his whole body was filled with energy.

Furthermore, his wife’s transformation was also significant; she looked increasingly radiant.

General Wang looked honest on the outside but was quite shrewd within. He remembered the Marquis saying the medicine would make “you happy, her happy, everyone happy.” It was so damn sincere! No wonder the Marquis dared to pitch it in the Golden Throne Hall; it really was a divine medicine.

Thinking about how the Emperor had easily obtained a whole bottle from the Marquis, General Wang was green with envy.

While everyone else was still waiting and watching, General Wang discussed the matter with his wife. His wife, Lady Liu, was a direct and boisterous woman; she had even once gone to the Marquis to ask for Cheng Ruyi’s hand for her son.

Hearing her husband mention this and having experienced the wonderful taste of the medicine herself, Lady Liu couldn’t sit still. She immediately agreed, took one hundred thousand taels in banknotes from her chest, and the two of them hurried to the Longle Marquis’s manor.

The Marquis and Rong Susu were surprised as the servant showed them in. They hadn’t expected the first customers to be General Wang and his wife.

When Lady Liu saw that Rong Susu looked even more radiant and beautiful than before, her eyes went wide. She couldn’t help but pull Rong Susu aside to whisper-ask if it was the work of the divine medicine.

Rong Susu, of course, would not miss this chance to promote it. She immediately explained the hidden benefits for women. Lady Liu was extremely excited, her eyes glowing with a green light as she marveled repeatedly.

“Divine medicine, it truly is a divine medicine.” Beauty, skincare, and returning to youth—these were temptations no woman could resist.

“Lady Liu, this medicine is not only great for men but has even greater benefits for women. You must never let other women benefit from it,” Rong Susu said, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. She cast a sidelong glance at General Wang, who was talking to her husband, and gave a smiling warning.

Lady Liu nodded solemnly, her eyes full of unyielding toughness. “I won’t let those vixens in the backyard get a single benefit. This medicine was bought with my money; it should naturally be used on me.”

Rong Susu smiled. “It’s good that you understand. This medicine is not easy to make and must be sold in limited quantities. It’s first-come, first-served. We won’t sell more than two hundred pills a month. If you have close friends among the noble ladies, remember to help spread the word about the benefits for women.”

That last sentence was Rong Susu’s true goal. As a legal wife herself, she naturally favored other legal wives.

Lady Liu nodded with a smile. Her close friends were mostly the wives of generals. Two or three had deep pockets and plenty of silver; the others were less well-off and likely couldn’t afford it.

“Is selling only two hundred a month too few?”

Rong Susu laughed. “It’s not few. We have stock this month, so there might be more, but from next month on, there will only be two hundred. Each person can buy a maximum of five.”

She thought to herself: if it weren’t for her daughter’s safety, why would they need limits? Her daughter could make fifty or sixty pills in a single morning. Two hundred pills was just two days’ work.

“Actually, you don’t need to eat this every day. As long as a man doesn’t try to be a ‘thirteen-timer’ every night and shows a bit of restraint, one pill a month is enough. Of course, those with ‘problems’ are the exception; they need to take about five in a row to be cured,” Rong Susu added.

The divine medicine was a vital source of wealth for the manor, and they were focused on long-term interests. However, the profit was a bit massive—two million taels of silver a month was enough to make people’s eyes turn red with madness and drive them to take risks.

Therefore, they needed a powerful backer. The Emperor and the Prince of Pingnan were excellent candidates. They could share a bit of the profit with them—especially the Prince of Pingnan, who held a third of the Great Zhou’s elite troops. His power was celestial, and no one dared provoke him. It would be best to get on his boat.

As it happened, Rong Mo had been recruited by the Prince of Pingnan and was working for him in secret; he could have Rong Mo test the waters. As for the Emperor, that was already a done deal—he was the spokesperson, after all.

Rong Mo, whom Rong Susu was thinking about, was currently in the courtyard meticulously building a swing for his little fiancée. As the sun set, a faint light hit Rong Mo, making him look as if he were plated in gold.

Cheng Ruyi watched with delight from the side. She had heard Moxiang mention swings, and having lived this long, she had never played on one. So, as soon as she mentioned it, her cousin had personally started building one for her without a second thought. Her cousin was getting better and better to her.

In about half an hour, the swing was finished and the cushions were laid out. Rong Mo tested it; the vines were very sturdy.

“Cousin, the swing is ready!”

“Wonderful!”

Cheng Ruyi happily lifted her skirts and sat on the swing, her hands gripping the thick vines. Her beautiful face was full of excitement.

“Cousin, push me!”

“Alright!”

Rong Mo gazed at his fiancée’s excited face, a smile curling his lips. He moved behind the swing, reached out a hand, and gently pushed with controlled force.

Cheng Ruyi felt a sway and, facing the oncoming breeze, suddenly flew to the top.

“Ah! So fun! Higher, higher!”

She found it exhilarating, her hands tightly gripping the thick vines. Her bell-like laughter rang out continuously, reaching the ears of Moxiang and the others guarding outside. The Young Master really doted on the Miss!

The two of them had a great time. Finally, as she flew to the highest point, Cheng Ruyi had a sudden whim and let go of both hands, flying out into the air. The wind rushed past her ears—it was too thrilling, too fun! She laughed even louder.

Seeing this, Rong Mo’s heart jolted, his heartbeat nearly stopping. Even knowing her abilities meant she wasn’t in danger, he still reflexively used his light-body technique to catch her firmly in his arms as she fell. He was terrified that an accident would hurt her.

Looking at his eyes, which were filled with unconcealed anxiety, Cheng Ruyi felt a small spark of guilt.

“Cousin, I’m sorry. I made you worry.”

“You are not allowed to do such dangerous things again,” Rong Mo said, holding her tightly, his cold voice trembling slightly from the lingering fear.

Cheng Ruyi felt even more guilty and reached out to hug him back, whispering an explanation. “Cousin, you forgot—I’m not a fragile young lady. That height just now held no danger for me at all.” Still, she was happy that he cared so much.

Rong Mo: “…”

Well, “concern leads to confusion.” He had actually forgotten his fiancée wasn’t an ordinary person. Once they talked it out, the tension vanished, and the two of them slowly felt a different kind of ambiguity.

Perhaps the sunset scenery was too beautiful; gradually, their lips met, and the courtyard was filled with an air of romance.

A long while later, the two broke apart, breathless. Cheng Ruyi’s eyes were misty, and her lips were as red as if they’d been painted with fresh rouge. Feeling the change in Rong Mo’s body and his urgent desire to swallow her whole, she looked up at his burning gaze. She felt a bit of smugness, her lips curling high as she teased him with a mock-serious expression.

“Cousin, do you feel like you like me even more now?”

Rong Mo was slowly calming his surging passion when he heard her boastful words. He gave a low laugh and held her with immense satisfaction, raising an eyebrow playfully.

“Yes. Didn’t you just feel it?”

Cheng Ruyi giggled. “…” Her cousin’s skin was getting thicker and thicker. But she liked it!

That night, the ministers whose hearts had been stirred by the medicine tossed and turned, unable to sleep. General Wang was a military man and a “bird of a feather” with the Marquis; who knew if they had teamed up to deceive them? Ten thousand taels was no small sum.

The ministers, their heads full of thoughts, appeared at court the next day looking haggard. General Wang, however, was radiant, looking as if he had aged backward by a dozen years. It was an eyesore to the rest.

When they saw the Emperor looking equally radiant and in a pleasant mood, they knew the divine medicine was the real deal. They had secretly heard that the Emperor had stayed in the Queen’s palace all yesterday afternoon and made quite a commotion—supposedly even the eunuchs and maids were shocked.

With the Emperor as a living advertisement, the ministers could no longer suppress their desires. For the first time, they felt the morning court session was dragging on far too long. A prince finally couldn’t help but ask the Emperor about his experience with the medicine as they were leaving.

His Majesty replied in high spirits: “The title of ‘Divine Medicine’ is well-deserved!”

Internally, he was already pondering how to get a few more bottles from the Marquis. The eavesdropping ministers were finally at ease and rushed back to their manors.

Around 10 AM, the sun was bright and the air carried a hint of heat. On the busiest street in the center of the capital, a new shop quietly opened.

Passersby looked curiously at the new storefront. When someone came out to unveil the red cloth covering the plaque, they saw flamboyant gilded characters: The Divine Medicine Hall. Everyone gasped.

The Divine Medicine Hall? What a bold name!

Curiosity piqued, people stepped into the shop, only to find the entire place filled with neatly arranged flower pots. The scent was pleasant, and the air was notably cool. In the center stood a large counter, but there were no doctors or medicine cabinets, let alone herbs.

There was only a handsome older man and a beautiful young girl leisurely sitting by the counter, drinking tea and chatting, with two guards standing by. It was a truly bizarre shop.

“Hey, isn’t that the Longle Marquis and the eldest Miss Cheng?” someone cried out.

At those words, the crowd was shocked. The Divine Medicine Hall was opened by the Marquis? Everyone was speechless; no wonder it was so weird.

“Divine Medicine Hall? Sounds nice, but it’s probably just another shop selling fake medicine dreamed up by the Marquis’s manor to scam people,” someone whispered.

There was no helping it; the Marquis’s image as a scammer and a crook was deeply ingrained in the public’s heart. It was only natural they didn’t believe it.

But Cheng Ruyi’s sharp ears heard the comment about “fake medicine,” and she immediately stood up. This was slander—pure, unadulterated slander! Everyone who used it said it was great. Just yesterday evening, someone had personally come to the door and spent one hundred thousand taels for ten pills.

Cheng Ruyi became unhappy. “The Divine Medicine Hall sells divine medicine! No deception of old or young; it’s the real deal!”

“Cousin Ruyi, stop joking. What divine medicine? Isn’t this just another money-making trick from the Marquis’s manor?” Cheng Qingyao, dressed in a lake-green gown, walked in with her maid at some point, her face full of disapproval. “Medicine isn’t something you can just sell. If something goes wrong, it could kill someone.”

Hearing Cheng Qingyao’s alarmist talk, Cheng Ruyi rolled her eyes. This Cheng Qingyao had come out to hop around again. She gave her a disdainful look and said boastfully:

“The divine medicine sold by our Divine Medicine Hall has another name: the ‘Golden Spear Standing Tall’ pill! This is a real ‘Golden Spear’ that never falls. Even the Emperor says it’s good!”

At those words, the surroundings fell into a sudden, dead silence—so quiet you could hear a pin drop. They were clearly shocked by Cheng Ruyi’s words. This Young Miss was so bold as to bring up the Emperor; she was practically asking for death!

Cheng Qingyao was in disbelief. “…” Cheng Ruyi was actually selling aphrodisiacs so openly! And under the Emperor’s banner! Heavens, she was going to faint. Her cousin was too good at seeking death. Did she not care about her reputation at all?

Seeing the crowd stunned and more people coming in, Cheng Ruyi—who had sold medicine in the apocalypse—seized the opportunity and expertly pitched the medicine.

“Gents and Masters! Do you want to change beauties every night and be a ‘new groom’ every night?”

“Take the divine medicine, and being a ‘thirteen-timer’ in one night is not a dream.”

“For only ten thousand taels of silver—ten thousand taels—you can become a man among men.”

“Even His Majesty the Emperor says it’s good after using it. Wouldn’t you like to use the same divine medicine as the Emperor?”

“Heartbeat is not as good as action! This shop only supplies a limited two hundred pills a month. Once they’re sold out, they’re gone. It’s first-come, first-served. If you want some, act fast; once the opportunity is missed, it won’t come back.”

“Everyone, would you like a pill?”

The crowd’s faces twitched as they looked at her. “…”

Ten thousand taels for one so-called divine pill? This Marquis was getting better and better at scamming people, but surely no one would fall for it.

Cheng Qingyao looked at the shameless Cheng Ruyi pitching aphrodisiacs and, as her cousin, wished she could find a crack in the ground to crawl into. This Cheng Ruyi was truly scandalous. Seeing so many eyes on her, she regretted showing her face.

“Cousin Ruyi, no one is going to buy your so-called divine medicine. Just stop it and stop making a scene, otherwise you’ll make us a laughingstock to outsiders.”

As soon as she finished speaking, a man who looked like a housekeeper walked in. He wore a mask, clearly afraid of being recognized, but his clothing made it easy to see he was a servant from an official family. As soon as he entered, he walked straight toward Cheng Ruyi.

“Eldest Miss Cheng, I am here to buy the divine medicine.”

A bright, brilliant smile immediately appeared on Cheng Ruyi’s beautiful face. “How many pills would this guest like to buy? This shop has a limit of five pills per person.”

“Two pills!”

“Great. Go to the counter to hand over the silver; my father will give you the medicine.”

After Cheng Ruyi finished speaking, several more masked people walked in one after another, all coming directly to buy the divine medicine. The minimum was one pill, and the maximum was five.

Cheng Ruyi’s smile grew even more brilliant, her eyes practically turning into silver symbols. The Marquis, collecting the banknotes at the counter inside, was equally delighted.

The onlookers were stunned.

Cheng Qingyao felt a loud slap to her face—it was burning. “…”

So much for “no one will buy it.”

What dealt the biggest blow to Cheng Qingyao was that she spotted a familiar masked figure. She knew this person very well; just by his build, she could tell he was a confidant of her father, the Marquis of Jian’an.

Cheng Qingyao felt like she was going to faint. “…”

Her father, such a self-disciplined man, had actually sent someone to secretly buy this divine medicine. In an instant, her father’s serious and upright image completely collapsed.

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