Chinese Medicine: Starting with Daily Intelligence-Chapter 170: Rhino Horn and Musk

After leaving the pharmaceutical factory,

Li Xu called Ding Aiguo. "Chairman Ding, I heard from President Ding that you’re attending a private auction tomorrow?"

Ding Aiguo replied, "That’s right."

"I’m interested. Would you be able to take me along to broaden my horizons?"

"Doctor Li, you’re being too formal. Ye Shihui has quite a few good items. It would be his honor to have you there. Don’t worry, I’ll have my driver pick you up from the clinic first thing tomorrow morning."

"Thank you."

With that settled,

Li Xu then sent a message to Song Sisi: "I have something on tomorrow, so the clinic will be closed. You continue studying the acupuncture points at home."

Song Sisi quickly replied, "...Studying the points is so hard. Boss, what are you doing? Are you going out to gather herbs? Can I go with you... I don’t want to stay at home anymore."

"I’m not gathering herbs. I’m going to a private auction. You just focus on your studies. I’ll check your progress the day after tomorrow."

"Alright."

Back at the clinic,

Li Xu remembered something else. ’Oh, right, I need to tell Lin Xiaoyu that I still don’t have time for her massage tomorrow.’

After calling Lin Xiaoyu and explaining the situation,

Lin Xiaoyu wailed, "Dr. Li, I think I strained my back changing the water cooler bottle at noon today. It really hurts now..."

Li Xu consoled her, "That’s from a lack of exercise. Your lower back muscles are weak, which is why you get tired easily. If you can’t wait, you should go see someone else first. Otherwise, I can give you a massage the day after tomorrow."

Lin Xiaoyu replied, "No, I’d rather not. I don’t trust anyone else."

Li Xu said, "Alright, but for the next two days, you need to stay in bed. Make sure you’re lying on a firm mattress."

"Got it."

...

「The next morning.」

Li Xu checked the intelligence. Today’s information was quite ordinary—a treatment plan for a patient.

However, since Li Xu was going out today, he would probably miss it.

After breakfast,

Ding Aiguo’s driver arrived to pick him up.

"Chairman Ding, long time no see."

Li Xu greeted him.

Ding Aiguo laughed. "Haha, Doctor Li, I haven’t had a proper chance to thank you. If it weren’t for you, Ding’s Pharmaceutical Factory would have gone bankrupt. After the auction is over, I must treat you to a good meal."

"You’re too kind, Chairman Ding. It was a mutually beneficial arrangement."

The two of them chatted in the car.

The car drove smoothly until it arrived at a detached villa in the suburbs.

They entered the villa.

"Come, let me introduce you. This is Ye Shihui, an expert in the world of miscellaneous collectibles and an old friend of mine."

Ding Aiguo then pointed solemnly to Li Xu and said, "Old Ye, this is the very Doctor Li Xu I mentioned to you before. He’s the one who cured your sister-in-law. His medical skills are absolutely incredible."

Ye Shihui was portly with a prosperous-looking face, his eyes glinting with a merchant’s shrewdness. He clasped his hands together enthusiastically. "I’ve long heard Old Ding speak of you. To finally meet you today is a true honor."

Li Xu returned the gesture with a smile. "You praise me too highly, Boss Ye. It’s all thanks to Chairman Ding’s kind words."

Ding Aiguo skillfully set up the tea set and said, "We’re all friends here, no need for formalities. Let’s chat over some tea."

He looked around the living room. Seeing no one else besides a housekeeper, he asked, "Where is everyone else? Haven’t they arrived yet?"

Ye Shihui looked a little embarrassed. "Old Ding, I’m sorry."

"What’s wrong?"

Ding Aiguo frowned.

Ye Shihui explained, "The plan was to have everyone look at a few items today. But as you know, the collectors’ circle here in Feng City is only so big. I invited five people in total. The other four, as if they’d planned it, came to see me together yesterday afternoon. They insisted on getting a preview. Since they’re all friends, I couldn’t very well refuse them..."

Ding Aiguo became anxious. "Why didn’t you call me?"

Ye Shihui gave a wry smile. "I wanted to, but they had me tied up. I couldn’t get away."

Ding Aiguo was speechless. "Was Wang Jun one of them?"

Ye Shihui nodded.

Ding Aiguo shook his head. "I knew that kid would be involved. And after I introduced him to some sources for rosewood, too. He just had to get a head start."

Ye Shihui explained, "They only picked out two items yesterday. There’s still plenty left. But they aren’t coming today, so it’ll just be the two of you."

Ding Aiguo said to Li Xu, "That’s actually a good thing. Less commotion."

What could Li Xu say?

He could only act as if he didn’t mind.

At the same time, he prayed inwardly that the Musk hadn’t already been bought.

Without any further pleasantries,

Ye Shihui brought out his collection.

First were the Rhino Horn items.

Each was presented in a brocade box.

There were cups, carved objects, and a piece of uncarved raw material.

All of them were made from Rhino Horn.

"This is indeed top-grade Rhino Horn."

Li Xu nodded after a careful inspection. "Boss Ye, you have a good eye. These pieces are all genuine articles from the Qing dynasty. The cup is in the best condition, the carving is second, and the raw material is from a slightly later period."

"An expert!"

Ye Shihui gave a thumbs-up in praise. "Doctor Li, your eye is as sharp as a torch; I am truly impressed. With the global ban on Rhino Horn sales, only old items over eighty years old can be circulated. Although these pieces weren’t made for the imperial court, they are still rare treasures."

Although Li Xu was familiar with Rhino Horn as a medicinal ingredient, he rarely came into contact with it. He wouldn’t have been able to tell, but the intelligence from yesterday had clued him in, which was why he could say such things.

Ding Aiguo also looked at the Rhino Horn pieces.

But he wasn’t interested in them.

He waved his hand, signaling that if Li Xu was interested, he should negotiate the price himself.

Li Xu understood the gesture and said straightforwardly, "They are indeed good items. Name your price."

"Well..." Ye Shihui glanced at Ding Aiguo, then said tentatively, "Since you’re a friend of Old Ding’s... how about a single price for the whole lot? Six million?"

"Six million..." Although Li Xu had been mentally prepared, his face still twitched.

’That’s so damn expensive.’

Of course, he had looked into the value of related art pieces yesterday. They were indeed worth that price. As a traditional Chinese medicinal ingredient, they were also exceptionally rare. After all, the trade of ordinary Rhino Horn was forbidden. You couldn’t buy it on the market at all. Only collectibles like these, over a hundred years old, could be traded as art. At a critical moment, they could save a life.

However, even though Li Xu had earned some money recently, and Ding Kaifang had given him some dividends, he couldn’t come up with six million.

Ding Aiguo noticed Li Xu’s predicament and took the initiative to say, "Doctor Li, whatever you have your eye on, just take it. I’ll pay for it... Don’t be so quick to refuse. Just consider it a loan from me."

"Thank you."

Li Xu didn’t refuse. He said decisively, "Done. But I have an impudent request. If you come across any more materials like this in the future, I hope you’ll consider me first, Boss Ye."

"Excellent!" Ye Shihui hadn’t expected Li Xu to be so decisive. He said excitedly, "With a client as forthright as Dr. Li, I must certainly return the favor."

As he spoke, he took out three bowl-sized, yellow, lumpy objects from the bottom of a chest. They had a downy substance inside, looking rather peculiar.

Li Xu nodded to himself. This was the main event he had been waiting for.

"This is some Musk I acquired in my early years. Although it’s not very old, the quality is decent. I wonder if you two are interested?"

Ding Aiguo took a piece to examine it, then shook his head. "Musk, huh. I’m not interested."

Li Xu glanced at it and said with feigned indifference, "There’s plenty of farmed Musk these days, and it’s easy to buy on the market. However, since Boss Ye is offering it sincerely, I can take a look."

He casually picked one up to examine it, then checked the other two before commenting, "Musk is harvested from the glandular sac of the male musk deer. It is both a precious fragrance and a rare medicinal ingredient. These three pieces were all harvested from living forest musk deer and are less than thirty years old. While not top-grade, they are well-formed. Name your price."