Chinese Medicine: Starting with Daily Intelligence-Chapter 164: Hundred Herbs Frost
The old man’s visit was like a signal.
The following day,
multiple people returned to buy more True Martial Pills.
From being unable to sell even one box a day initially, they were now selling at least five boxes daily. The repeat purchase rate was astonishing.
The feedback from all returning customers was surprisingly consistent: it worked fast, and the effects were significant.
Furthermore, they also recommended it to their friends and family.
Over the next few days,
more new customers started showing up.
’Ding’s Pharmaceutical is going to have another hit...’ Zhang Zhigang muttered to himself, recalling the scene a few months ago when Mao Duddu Eye Drops first launched.
Back then, he had been conservative with his order. By the time he realized his mistake, every pharmacy in the city was sold out, and he could only watch helplessly as others made money.
At this thought, he immediately took out his phone and dialed Wang Lei, the sales representative for Ding’s Pharmaceutical.
"Manager Wang! It’s Old Zhang from Kangning Pharmacy!" Zhang Zhigang’s voice was urgent. "About those True Martial Pills, I need to add to my order!"
On the other end of the line, Wang Lei seemed to be driving, as the sound of car horns blared one after another in the background. "How many more do you want, Boss Zhang? A hundred boxes? Two hundred?"
"A thousand boxes!" Zhang Zhigang said unequivocally.
"How many?!" Wang Lei’s voice was filled with astonishment, followed by the sound of screeching brakes. "Boss Zhang, you’re not joking, are you?"
"Do I sound like I’m joking?" Zhang Zhigang said, looking at his recent sales data. "This medicine of yours is about to blow up, I guarantee it!"
After hanging up, Zhang Zhigang walked over to the Chinese medicine counter and moved the True Martial Pill display to the most prominent spot.
...
Meanwhile, in the general manager’s office at Ding’s Pharmaceutical Factory, Ding Kaifang was staring at the sales data on his computer screen, the corners of his mouth turning up unconsciously.
"President Ding, Kangning Pharmacy just placed an order for a thousand boxes." Wang Lei knocked and entered, holding a freshly printed order form. "This is already the fifth large order today."
Ding Kaifang took the order, his fingers tapping lightly on the mahogany desk. "As expected."
The entire production process for the True Martial Pill,
from material selection and ingredients to processing... was executed with meticulous care.
Not to mention it was all under Doctor Li’s supervision.
He had anticipated that the True Martial Pill would be a huge hit.
He just hadn’t expected the market feedback to be this fast.
After a moment of thought, he told his driver, "Take me to Li’s Traditional Chinese Medicine Clinic on Construction Road."
It was time to talk to Li Xu about offering him a stake in the company.
...
Arriving at the clinic,
he pushed the door open to find Li Xu taking a patient’s pulse.
A faint medicinal fragrance filled the consultation room, and a newly hung silk banner on the wall was particularly eye-catching.
"North Bay Border Defense..."
Seeing the inscription on the banner, Ding Kaifang looked astonished.
He saw Song Sisi standing idly nearby.
He sidled over and asked, "What’s the story behind this banner?"
Song Sisi had been itching for a chance to show off, so she eagerly explained, "A while ago, someone came to buy our premium Mugwort Bags..."
After learning the details,
Ding Kaifang sighed.
The premium Mugwort Bags were indeed effective.
The problem was that the materials were rare, making mass production and promotion impossible.
Otherwise,
if Ding’s Pharmaceutical Factory were to produce them, it would be another bestselling product.
"Doctor Li, your medicine is miraculous!" the patient said happily. "I took the prescription you gave me for three days, and my illness is gone."
Li Xu smiled gently. "Continue taking it for the full course of treatment, be careful not to catch a cold, and after one more course, you’ll be fully recovered."
"Thank you, Doctor Li."
After seeing the patient out, Li Xu washed his hands. "What brings you here today, President Ding?"
Ding Kaifang stood up and straightened the collar of his suit. "Good news, of course."
He took a document out of his briefcase. "The market response to the True Martial Pill has exceeded expectations. I’d like to formally invite you to take an equity stake in exchange for your technical expertise."
Li Xu took the document and casually flipped through a few pages.
Ding’s Pharmaceutical was offering a 30% stake—extremely generous terms.
One had to understand, although the pharmaceutical factory had nearly gone bankrupt before,
its assets were still worth over fifty million.
It also had all the proper licenses, market access qualifications, and so on.
Thirty percent of that was fifteen million.
This was also because of their personal history; Li Xu had, after all, cured both Ding Kaifang’s mother and daughter.
Ding Kaifang had intentionally offered a bit more.
Anyone else would have likely only received a 10% stake, 20% at the most.
"There’s no rush." Li Xu closed the document, his tone calm. "Let’s stick to the profit-sharing agreement for now. We can talk about the equity stake later."
Ding Kaifang was taken aback. "Doctor Li, are you not satisfied with the terms? We can negotiate..."
Li Xu changed the subject. "It’s already autumn, and the first frost is coming soon. The production of Watermelon Frost is more important right now."
These words served as a reminder to Ding Kaifang.
He slapped his forehead. "How could I have forgotten!"
Watermelon Frost was the next product in their plan.
’If Watermelon Frost proves to be as successful as the True Martial Pill and Mao Duddu Eye Drops,’
’Li Xu will have even more leverage.’
’Giving him a 30% stake now would indeed be inappropriate.’
’Another point: the True Martial Pill has limited applications and is, after all, a prescription drug.’
’Watermelon Frost is different. It’s an over-the-counter medicine that can be purchased directly from pharmacies.’
’It has a much wider range of uses,’
’and if it’s effective, its money-making potential will be even greater.’
"Are the clay pots and workers ready?" Li Xu asked.
"They’ve been ready for a while!" Ding Kaifang said quickly. "We’ve had three hundred custom Yixing Zisha clay pots made, just as you requested, and the workers have been trained."
He took out his phone and pulled up a photo. "Look, we even renovated the drying yard."
Li Xu glanced at the photo and nodded. "I’ll visit the factory the day before the first frost."
"That’s great,"
Ding Kaifang said happily. "With your guidance, production will definitely go smoothly."
After that,
he didn’t bring up the matter of Li Xu taking a stake in the factory again.
’I’ll wait a little longer.’
’If Watermelon Frost becomes a huge seller... I’ll have to raise the stake I offer Li Xu to at least 40%...’
Ding Kaifang stayed for a little while longer before leaving to prepare for the production of Watermelon Frost.
「A day passed.」
After the last patient had left,
Song Sisi asked for time off. "Boss, the weather has started to get cold recently. I’d like to go back to my hometown for a trip to see my grandmother."
"Alright, I’ll give you two days off. Spend some more time with your grandmother."
Li Xu instructed, "When you go back, buy some things an old person can actually use, like daily necessities, eggs, meat, rice, and cooking oil. Don’t buy something like milk. If you bring that back, she’ll just turn around and give it to the children, and she won’t get any herself."
"I know."
Song Sisi nodded.
The last time she went home,
she had bought her grandmother milk powder, but her younger cousin from her uncle’s family ended up eating it.
’Buying daily necessities is more practical.’
"How has your grandmother’s health been lately?"
"She’s doing okay. She can cook for herself, so she doesn’t have to depend on anyone."
"That’s good."
「After work.」
Li Xu had dinner and continued to read and study in his room.
「The next morning,」
he checked the intelligence report.
[Today’s Intelligence: Dasong Villa, inside the kitchen of Song Sisi’s grandmother’s house, there is a layer of top-grade Hundred Herbs Frost, which can be collected.]
"..."
Li Xu blinked.
’Hundred Herbs Frost?’
The name was beautiful.
Many people had never heard of it,
but if you mentioned its other name, 99% of people would know it.
Hundred Herbs Frost, also known as "pot bottom soot."
That’s right—it was the layer of black soot found on the bottom of the large iron woks and inside the chimneys from cooking in a rural village.
