Elixir Supplier

Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio  Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio

Su Xiaoxue followed him into the yard. She quietly stayed beside Wang Yao and watched him decoct the medicine. He added the herbs one by one into and ancient earthen pot. It was her first time seeing him decoct medicine soup so closely.

“Sir, what is this medicine, and what is it for?” she asked.

“How many genres do you know?” Wang Yao asked.

“Ginseng, medlar, and lucid ganoderma.” Su Xiaoxue knew some of them.

“It is Qianshi and sealwort.” He omitted other two types of licorice roots, Guiyuan and Shanjing. “It is regather soup, which you have drunk. Its purpose is to consolidate the corporeity. It is rather effective for sick people.”

This was the first medicine he had prepared for the old man. He previously offered him a simplified prescription with the similar effectiveness, but it was not as good as this one provided by the system. It had an additional two types of licorice roots. This version was the one he used most frequently. In the beginning, he used it every time for miscellaneous and difficult diseases.

“Sir, could you please teach me how to decoct medicine soup?” Su Xiaoxue asked.

“Of course,” Wang Yao replied.

He was an expert in this field. Decocting medicine soup was a systematic process and required knowledge regarding the choice and quality of herbs, pre-disposal, time to add herbs in, controlling the temperature, distinguishing the degree of decocting by color and smell, finishing time, and over-decocting.

“Did you learn biology as your major for a bachelor’s degree?” Su Xiaoxue asked.

“Yes, but I learned it by chance after I finished school,” Wang Yao said.

“Who did you learn it from?” Su Xiaoxue, along with everyone else who knew of Wang Yao’s fabulous medical skills, were all curious about whom he learned it from.

“From the heavens.” Wang Yao pointed to the sky.

Su Xiaoxue smiled.

“Really, trust me,” Wang Yao said.

“I trust you,” Su Xiaoxue said.

He spent the whole morning decocting the first medicine. With the uncleared Qi, much worse than in the spirit gathering battle array, and the lack of a multifunctional pot for herbs, its effectiveness was downgraded one level.

“Finished,” he said.

Su Xiao smelt it attentively. “It smells strange.”

“It is the smell of the medicine,” Wang Yao said. “Every potion has its own distinct smell.”

“Can you distinguish it, sir?” Su Xiaoxue asked.

“I can if it is my prescription, “Wang Yao said. “As for those from others, I can roughly remember it as long as I have seen it.”

“Is it finished?” she asked.

“I have another medicine to decoct,” Wang Yao replied.

“Will you start right now?” Su Xiaoxue asked.

“I’ll wait a minute,” Wang Yao said.

After the medicine soup was cool, he filtered it with gauze, poured the dregs, and brushed the pot carefully. It was 11 a.m. when he finished.

“Will you stay for lunch?” Chen Ying asked.

“Yeah, sorry to trouble you,” Wang Yao said

“You are too polite,” Chen Ying replied.

“I can give help you out,” Su Xiaoxue said.

“You don’t have to. I can do it myself.” Chen Ying failed to prevent Su Xiaoxue entering the kitchen,

After entering the kitchen, Su Xiaoxue whispered, “Sister Ying, could you please teach me how to cook?”

Chen Ying hesitated a moment and said, “Oh, OK.” While cooking, she explained to Su Xiaoxue about various ingredients and seasonings.

Su Xiaoxue almost knew nothing in cooking. At home, she wanted to cook, but was refused by Song Ruiping and Su Xianghua. They cherished their princess so much, they did not give her a chance.

“What does Mr. Wang prefer to eat?” Su Xiaoxue asked

“Ah, I am not sure, but I personally feel he would like Lu and Huaiyang cuisine,” Chen Ying said. She mainly cooked that style of food for him while he was staying in the small yard.

As a favor to Su Xiaoxue, Chen Ying cooked slowly. As she went, she would explain what she was doing whenever asked.

By the time they were done, they had prepared a full table of dishes. Some of cold dishes were prepared by Su Xiaoxue, since they were comparatively easy.

After the meal, they took a nap.

Wang Yao started decocting the second medicine.

“What is it?” Su Xiaoxue asked.

“Analgesic powder,” Wang Yao said. “Its main role is to relieve pain. Mr. Wu’s disease is terminal. The lesion has expanded to surrounding tissues, which usually leads to unbearable pain.”

The medicine was simple but had a highly concentrated effectiveness.

“We don’t need many herbs,” Wang Yao said. “Common fumitory, radix Angelicae, licorice…”

“He was so nice when I was a little girl,” Su Xiaoxue said. “He was always quite genial.”

“Really? He likes girls so much?” Wang Yao asked.

“Yeah, he has many grandsons but no granddaughter,” Su Xiaoxue said.

Before long, the decoction was finished. “Let’s go to Mr. Wu,” Wang Yao said.

Su Xiaoxue went with him to visit the Wu family.

“The medicines are ready. There are two potions. Take this one first to ease the pain. This one to consolidate the corporeity.” Wang Yao handed over the potions to the Wu family members.

“OK, thanks,” a family member said.

Wang Yao and Su Xiaoxue stayed at the Wu residence. After it had been 20 minutes since the old man took the first medicine, Wang Yao checked in on him.

“How do you feel?” he asked.

“It is not very painful,” the old man said.

“Good, here is the second medicine,” Wang Yao said. It was Regather soup. It was a gentle tonic medicine with some fiercely strong herbs in effect, but they were neutralized by Guiyuan.

After he took it, the old man, who was lying on bed, let out a long sigh of relief. He was more comfortable. He did not feel as much pain and relaxed a bit. He also did not feel sleepy like he had before.

“Dad, how do you feel?” one of his sons asked.

“More comfortable,” the old man said.

His family knew it was hopeless to cure the disease completely, which was impractical. They only wished to ease his pain and make him live a little longer.

Wang Yao took a seat beside the bed and took the old man’s pulse.

“OK, let him rest.” He previously had transferred his neixi into the man’s body. With the help of these two potions, the effectiveness could be seen instantly. “That is all for today. I will come back tomorrow.”

“Thank you, Dr. Wang,” one of the son’s said.

Although busy with work, Wu Tongxing walked Wang Yao and Su Xiaoxue out in person. He wanted to treat them to a meal, but they refused.

Just as they left the Wu residence, an old man approached Wang Yao and Su Xiaoxue.

“How are you, Mr. Chen.” Su Xiaoxue greeted him.

“Good, Xiaoxue. You are more beautiful.” The old man kindly looked at Su Xiaoxue. He kept close relationships with her family and saw her as his granddaughter. He had been very worried about her disease when she was sick.

“Hello, Mr. Chen, is something the matter?” Wang Yao asked.

“There is something I need to ask,” Mr. Chen said. “Would you please do me a favor and see a patient?”

“Patient? Who?” Wang Yao asked.

He knew the old man’s medical skills. He was considered a national physician master. He had much more experience in medical treatment than Wang Yao, so he figured it must be a rather troublesome disease that he could not cure.

“Hmmm, it is hard to describe,” Mr. Chen said.

“At this time, it should be not proper to address it,” Wang Yao said.

It was almost 5 p.m. and time to have dinner. What’s more, some might feel it unlucky to see doctor at dusk.

“His condition is urgent,” Mr. Chen said.

Wang Yao turned his head and looked at Su Xiaoxue. “What do you think?”

“Depends on you.” Su Xiaoxue was quite sensible.

“OK, let’s take a look,” Wang Yao said.

They followed Mr. Chen to the patient’s home. Even before entering the house, they smelled a strong medicine odor.

“It is Chinese medical herbs with cold and cool nature to remove heat toxins,” Wang Yao said. He could determine what medicine the patient was taking only through smell.

Mr. Chen knocked on the door. It was opened by a woman in her 50s with a pale face. She looked extremely tired.