Chapter 24 : Jishantang

If you asked a passerby, someone who might be from out of town like them, they might not know the answer. But if you asked a local vendor, you were sure to get one.

Eating out was still a bit of a luxury for the mother and daughter, so naturally, they turned to the stall owner for help.

Vendors who did business year-round in the county would certainly be familiar with local news. In a bustling place like this, with people constantly coming and going, news practically spread on its own without anyone needing to ask.

“It’s nothing serious. I just wanted to ask, what’s the best pharmacy in Huaxi County?” Mother Xiao asked with a smile. After all, this was just basic courtesy.

The wonton stall owner immediately understood. He glanced over the mother and daughter’s clothing before answering

“You must be here to consult a doctor, right? Let me tell you, the best pharmacy in Huaxi County is Jishantang. All the doctors there are students of Mr. Su Wubing. Ever heard of him? He’s a famous physician, the one who developed a prescription for treating epidemic diseases and saved thousands of lives. He was even awarded a golden plaque by the Sacred Mountain. People call him a miracle doctor.”

“The main branch of Jishantang is in Jizhou Prefecture. It’s packed with patients every day, the crowds almost break the door down. But Mr. Su only sees patients with truly difficult or complex illnesses.He opened a branch of Jishantang here in our Huaxi County. Ever since it opened, the other pharmacies in town can barely stay in business. So if you’re looking for quality treatment or medicine, that’s the place to go.”

“But Auntie, let me give you a bit of advice unless it’s a serious or hard-to-treat illness, don’t go to Jishantang. Other pharmacies can handle most common issues. Jishantang might be top-notch, but the consultation fees aren’t cheap. Ordinary folks might not be able to afford it.”

The owner had taken one look at the mother and daughter’s modest clothing and assumed they weren’t from a well-off household. So he kindly advised them not to spend money unnecessarily if it wasn’t a serious matter.

Because of Jishantang’s reputation, their doctors charged significantly more than those in regular pharmacies.

Mother Xiao knew the stall owner meant well, seeing that she didn’t look like someone from a wealthy family. She simply smiled and thanked him.

After hearing the vendor’s description, Jiang Sui was confident they’d come to the right place. Since Jishantang was so reputable, the doctors there would be able to accurately evaluate the quality of the Ganoderma lucidum and ginseng they brought.

Reputable places like that cared about their name and rarely tried to cheat ordinary people.

If they didn’t at least uphold that standard, then their so-called reputation would mean nothing.

The mother-in-law and daughter-in-law exchanged a knowing glance, then quietly focused on finishing their wontons. Mother Xiao followed her usual rule, no food should be wasted so she even drank every drop of the broth.

After paying for the wontons, the two of them picked up the basket and asked for directions along the way, heading straight for Jishantang.

Jishantang is indeed the best pharmacy. It is located on the most prosperous street in the county. The storefront is decorated in a grand and upscale style, and there are servants at the entrance specially assigned to receive patients.

It is said that Jishantang has a rule: people must not be treated differently based on their appearance. As long as someone comes seeking medical attention whether rich or poor, even if a beggar they must be treated with respect. Upon arrival, the doctor first inquires about the illness, then refers the patient to the doctor best suited for their condition. Some doctors specialize in women’s diseases, others in broken bones, and some are experts in treating the heart, liver, spleen, lungs, and kidneys.

As for common colds and flu, even the apprentices at Jishantang who prepare the medicine can handle those.

So when Mother Xiao and Jiang Sui arrived at the entrance of Jishantang, a receptionist immediately stepped forward to guide them.

“Are you here to see a doctor or to pick up medicine?” the receptionist asked, with a warm smile and a gentle tone that made one feel respected and at ease.

“Young man, we’re not here to see a doctor or get medicine, we’ve come to sell medicinal herbs,” Mother Xiao stated directly.

‘Selling medicinal herbs?’ The receptionist was momentarily stunned, but quickly recovered and explained:

“Auntie, Jishantang has a dedicated supplier for medicinal materials. We don’t usually accept herbs from other sources. You might want to try somewhere else.”

Indeed, a large pharmacy with Jishantang’s reputation and scale would have fixed, trusted suppliers for medicinal materials. This minimizes mistakes, and if any occur, they can be easily traced.

However, what they had brought wasn’t ordinary herbal medicine.

After being turned away, Mother Xiao glanced at Jiang Sui. Jiang Sui gave her a reassuring look, then stepped forward and lifted a corner of the floral cloth covering their basket, revealing the premium purple Ganoderma lucidum inside.

“Sir, what we’ve brought isn’t ordinary medicinal herb. Please take a look, would Jishantang be interested? These were freshly picked just yesterday, carefully preserved, and in excellent condition. Please inform the manager, we’re just asking for a chance!”

Even though the man was just a receptionist, being around a pharmacy like this every day meant he was quite familiar with such valuable items.

After Jiang Sui let him get a good look, he quickly covered it again to keep it hidden from plain view.

Ordinary herbs can be picked or cultivated and aren’t rare, what matters there is quantity. But tonic herbs like Ganoderma lucidum can’t be cultivated easily, and you can’t find them just anywhere. Even if you do, if they’re not mature enough, their medicinal value is limited. From just that quick glance, the purple Ganoderma looked to weigh at least eight taels, maybe even a full jin (half a kilogram), meaning it was at least eight to ten years old, possibly more.

Jishantang doesn’t lack common medicinal herbs, but precious ones like Ganoderma and ginseng are always welcome, and there’s strong market demand for them.

Because of their high price, only wealthy people can usually afford them.

“Alright, I’ll go report this right away. Please wait a moment.”  

The receptionist quickly ran back into the pharmacy, found the branch manager of Jishantang in Huaxi County, and briefly explained the situation.

After hearing it, the manager instructed him to invite the visitors into the tea room at the back for a proper conversation.

So Jiang Sui and Mother Xiao were led into the tea room at Jishantang.

The manager was very busy, with many account books to go through, so he didn’t have much time for small talk and got straight to the point.

“Let me take a look at the goods first. Here at Jishantang, we’ve always done business fairly. If your items are of good quality, we’ll make sure you don’t suffer any losses.”

This manager had an upright demeanor, with a square face that gave off a sense of fairness and integrity.

Jiang Sui nodded and placed the two baskets on the table, revealing three Ganoderma lucidum and one ginseng.

With just a quick glance, the manager already had a general sense of their value.