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Wei Lan set a clear goal for herself: she wanted to use her modern knowledge to invent something and earn her first bucket of gold. After studying for so many years, she had to put her knowledge to good use, right?
Early in the morning, Wei Lan held a freshly broken willow twig in her hand—her daily tool for cleaning her teeth. In the Ming Dynasty, ordinary people mostly used natural materials like this for brushing their teeth. She placed the twig in her mouth, gently chewing it until the outer bark and wood fibers softened, forming a structure similar to modern bristles. Then, she carefully used the twig to clean each tooth. While this method wasn’t as effective as modern toothbrushes, it still helped maintain oral hygiene to some extent.
Suddenly, an idea flashed in her mind—wasn’t this willow twig the predecessor of the toothbrush? In modern times, toothbrushes were essential daily necessities, but in this era, people still relied on such primitive cleaning methods. If she could create an actual toothbrush, wouldn’t that be a great business opportunity?
The materials she needed were not complicated: a piece of bamboo and some pig bristles. Bamboo was easy to obtain, and the pig bristles came from a wild boar that the hunter Dan had brought in today. Wei Lan selected some softer bristles that would be suitable for cleaning teeth. She drilled a row of small holes at the top of the bamboo handle and inserted the cleaned pig bristles into them.
Wei Lan was quite pleased with herself—the world’s first true toothbrush was born in her hands. Although the craftsmanship was a bit rough, its shape and function were nearly identical to modern toothbrushes.
She took her invention to find Ming Yi, hoping for his praise and approval. “Brother Ming Yi, look what I made!” she said excitedly. “This is for brushing teeth. It must be much better than the willow twig you usually use!”
Ming Yi took the toothbrush, examined it carefully, and said, “It’s just a toothbrush. I thought it was something new and exciting.”
Wei Lan was surprised. “How do you know it’s a toothbrush? Don’t you usually call willow twigs ‘tooth wood’?”
Ming Yi chuckled and explained, “Toothbrushes have existed since the reign of Emperor Hongzhi of the Ming Dynasty. The families of officials and nobles use them regularly, so of course, I know about them.”
Hearing this, Wei Lan’s excitement instantly faded. She had thought she had discovered a brilliant business idea, only to realize that someone had already come up with it. Her plan to earn her first bucket of gold seemed far more difficult than she had imagined.
After brushing her teeth, Wei Lan picked up a piece of pig pancreas soap to wash her face. She placed it in warm water and rubbed it gently, producing a slick lather with a faint, unpleasant smell. The soap felt greasy, and as she massaged it onto her face, she found that the foam wasn’t as fine as she had expected. Instead, it left an oily residue on her skin, requiring extra rinsing to remove the excess grease. Although her skin didn’t feel tight after washing, it also didn’t feel as fresh as she had hoped.
An idea sparked in her mind: if she could create a facial cleanser that deeply cleaned the skin without leaving an oily residue, it would surely be popular. She thought about facial cleansers—or at least an improved version of facial soap.
Wei Lan recalled that Compendium of Materia Medica (Bencao Gangmu) mentioned zao jia (soap pods), which could clean and nourish the skin. This inspired her to make soap using zao jia. She shared her idea with Ming Yi. “Brother Ming Yi, I was thinking—what if we made a facial soap using zao jia? It would clean the skin better, feel refreshing, and have a pleasant fragrance. I think it would be more popular than the greasy pig pancreas soap.”
Ming Yi raised an eyebrow and smirked. “Wei girl, you’re always a step behind. Soap made from zao jia already exists. But only the wealthy can afford it. It’s made from natural soap pods and scented with fragrances, giving it a long-lasting aroma. Still, I admire your innovative spirit.”
Hearing this, Wei Lan collapsed onto the bed, groaning, “Why?! Why did the Ming Dynasty already have everything? The only difference is that back then, only a few wealthy people could afford these things, while now, everyone can use them as daily necessities.”
She began racking her brain—what didn’t exist in the Ming Dynasty?!
Just as Wei Lan was lost in thought, the sound of a horse-drawn carriage stopping outside interrupted her. She curiously looked out and saw a lavishly decorated carriage from the Tang family parked at the entrance.
The carriage curtain lifted, and Madam Tang elegantly stepped down, followed by an elderly maid holding a delicate wooden box. Madam Tang’s sharp gaze quickly scanned the modest courtyard, her brows furrowing slightly before she regained her composure.
Hearing the commotion, Liu Ming Yi stepped out from his room. When he saw Madam Tang, he was momentarily surprised but soon returned to his usual calm demeanor. He greeted her politely, “Madam Tang, to what do we owe the honor of your visit?”
Madam Tang nodded slightly without saying much and walked straight into Liu Ming Yi’s room. Wei Lan, unable to resist her curiosity, tiptoed to the door and pressed her ear against it, attempting to eavesdrop.
Inside, Madam Tang’s gaze fell on the bandages wrapped around Liu Ming Yi’s arm. Her expression was deep and unreadable. She did not sit down or accept any tea. Instead, she got straight to the point.
“Doctor Liu, I came today to speak with you privately,” she said.
Liu Ming Yi nodded, signaling for her to continue.
Madam Tang spoke softly, “Ever since my daughter took the ginseng tonic you prescribed, her condition has improved. You even got injured for her sake, and for that, the Tang family is deeply grateful.”
Then, her tone suddenly grew colder. “However, Doctor Liu, you are a smart man. You should understand that a toad can never hope to eat swan meat.”
Liu Ming Yi’s brows furrowed slightly. He understood her meaning. Though he felt displeased, he maintained his composure.
The elderly maid stepped forward and opened the wooden box, revealing stacks of gleaming gold ingots—ten ingots, each worth ten taels, totaling one hundred taels of gold.
Madam Tang continued, “Here is one hundred taels of gold as a token of our gratitude. From now on, you need not concern yourself with my daughter’s health anymore.”
Her message was clear: the gold was both a gift of thanks and a price to ensure Liu Ming Yi never saw her daughter again. Though politely worded, the underlying message was chilling.
Liu Ming Yi glanced at the gold briefly before replying calmly, “Madam Tang, I believe there is a misunderstanding. I treated your daughter’s illness without any ulterior motives.”
Madam Tang’s expression darkened—she hadn’t expected such a response.
Liu Ming Yi continued, “To me, all patients are equal, regardless of their status. If it were any other patient, I would have done the same. Furthermore, I did not get injured for the sake of ginseng, nor for your daughter.”
His unwavering gaze held no hesitation. “I cannot accept this gold. If my actions have inconvenienced the Tang family, I sincerely apologize.”
He subtly signaled that it was time for her to leave. “If Madam Tang has nothing else to discuss, please take your leave.”
Madam Tang’s expression turned icy. If Liu Ming Yi had harbored feelings for her daughter, she would have been unhappy because she believed he was unworthy. But now that he implied her daughter was just another patient to him, she felt even more insulted.
“Hmph!” With a cold snort, she turned and left, the maid hurriedly closing the gold-filled box and following her.
Wei Lan, who had been eavesdropping, sensed something was off. She turned to Liu Ming Yi. “Brother Ming Yi, what did you and Madam Tang talk about? She didn’t seem very happy.”
Liu Ming Yi sighed, rubbing his temples. His voice carried a trace of exhaustion. “Wei girl, what exactly did you tell the Tang family’s second miss yesterday?”
Wei Lan blinked in confusion. “I was just trying to help you…”
Liu Ming Yi looked at her deeply. I didn’t get hurt for the ginseng or for her.
I got hurt for you.