Chinese Medicine: Starting with Daily Intelligence-Chapter 223: Delivering the Medicine

"The final step: sealing it with wax."

Li Xu placed the finished pills into a specially made porcelain vial and poured in melted beeswax to seal the opening.

An Gong Bezoar Pills sealed this way could be preserved for decades without losing their medicinal effects.

He worked until evening.

All twenty An Gong Bezoar Pills were finished.

Li Xu put them in a wooden box and stored them in a cool, dry medicine cabinet in case of emergency.

He figured these pills would last him a very long time.

He had thought it would be a long time before he needed to use one.

But to his surprise, the next day’s intelligence was once again related to the An Gong Bezoar Pills.

[Today’s Intelligence: Sun Qingli, 54, a friend of Ding Aiguo, will suffer a sudden stroke tonight while dining with Ding Aiguo and others at Feng City Restaurant. He can be saved if he takes an An Gong Bezoar Pill immediately. If not, waiting for an ambulance will be... dire.]

’Save him?’

’Or not?’

Li Xu didn’t hesitate for long. He called Ding Aiguo.

"Chairman Ding, I borrowed six million from you a while back. I recently acquired some Natural Bezoar and made a few An Gong Bezoar Pills. I’d like to give one to you as a gift."

Li Xu hadn’t had enough money when buying the Rhino Horn and natural musk from Ye Shihui, so he had borrowed six million from Ding Aiguo. He hadn’t forgotten the debt.

"Haha..."

Ding Aiguo was delighted. "Kaifang told me yesterday you’d acquired a piece of Natural Bezoar. I was just about to congratulate you! I didn’t realize you’d already made An Gong Bezoar Pills. In that case, I’ll gladly accept. I’ll have my driver come pick it up in a bit."

"Mhm."

Li Xu added, "The An Gong Bezoar Pill is for emergencies. You should carry it with you at all times, just in case."

Ding Aiguo said, "Mhm, I’m well aware of the An Gong Bezoar Pill’s fame. Ye Shihui has one from before 1993 that he treats like a priceless treasure."

The two of them had a tacit understanding and didn’t mention the pill’s regulatory compliance.

Especially Ding Aiguo.

He trusted Li Xu’s abilities.

Besides, he had personally witnessed Li Xu buying the Rhino Horn and natural musk.

The Natural Bezoar was also real.

Li Xu’s An Gong Bezoar Pills were made with only the finest ingredients.

Their effects would surely be excellent.

Less than twenty minutes after he hung up, a black Mercedes pulled up smoothly to the clinic’s entrance.

The driver respectfully took a small wooden box from Li Xu, thanked him repeatedly, then immediately drove back to the Ding Group headquarters.

"Chairman, I have the item." The driver knocked softly on the door.

"Good, you can leave it there." Ding Aiguo looked up, motioning for the driver to place the wooden box on his huanghuali wood desk.

He didn’t open it immediately. Instead, he first brewed himself a pot of high-quality Da Hong Pao tea.

He waited until the rich tea had steeped his taste buds before slowly reaching out to open the wooden box.

Inside the box, a porcelain vial lay quietly.

The porcelain vial was sealed tightly with a layer of golden beeswax. The surface of the wax was as smooth as a mirror, and one could faintly smell a unique aroma, a mixture of the fresh scent of beeswax and a rich medicinal fragrance. 𝒻𝑟ℯℯ𝑤𝑒𝑏𝑛𝘰𝓋𝑒𝓁.𝒸𝑜𝘮

Ding Aiguo held the porcelain vial in his palm, examining it carefully.

It wasn’t his first time seeing an An Gong Bezoar Pill. He had seen Ye Shihui’s pre-1993 pill more than once.

But the wax seal on Ye Shihui’s pill already showed the traces of time, looking somewhat dull.

This one, however, had a golden wax seal. Its texture was pure, and it seemed full of vitality.

This perfect preservation technique alone was enough to show the maker’s care and meticulousness.

"What a fine medicine!" Ding Aiguo couldn’t help but exclaim in admiration.

He was well aware of this pill’s value.

He was getting older and had many social engagements.

He might need it at any moment.

To him, this was more than just a pill; it was a talisman that could turn the tide between life and death at a critical moment.

Its value was far greater than the six million.

Just then, there was a knock on the office door.

"Dad."

The door opened and Ding Kaifang walked in.

"What is it?" Ding Aiguo took a sip of tea and asked casually.

"Dad, tonight’s dinner is all arranged." Ding Kaifang walked to the desk and expertly poured himself a cup of tea. "Feng City Restaurant, the usual VIP private room. Chairman Zhao from Wanli Group, President Qian from Hongyuan Real Estate, and Uncle Qingli all confirmed they’ll be on time."

Ding Aiguo nodded.

Ding Kaifang continued, "We’ll need you to take the lead on this one, Dad. The municipal government has been dropping hints lately, wanting our companies to spearhead the development of the mining area in Shanyang County. They’re pushing that ’lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets’ slogan, proposing a high-end retirement and leisure resort."

He sighed. "I’ve personally inspected it. The mountains there are bare, the water is murky, and many of the mountainsides have been dug up haphazardly. That’s not the main issue. The problem is, Shanyang County is too far from the city. The initial investment would be a bottomless pit, and future returns are a distant prospect. So tonight, everyone needs to get on the same page. Then, at the meeting tomorrow, we can all complain to the city about the hardships and reject the proposal."

"Mhm, you’re right to handle it this way." Ding Aiguo expressed his approval. "What’s Sun Qingli’s take on it?"

Sun Qingli was an old friend of Ding Aiguo’s and the owner of another local industrial giant.

They had built their careers together in their youth and shared an unbreakable bond.

"Uncle Qingli is definitely on the same page as us," Ding Kaifang said with a smile. "He complained to me a long time ago that this project is a hot potato. Tonight we’ll all meet to coordinate our stories so we don’t get picked off one by one by those ’parent officials’ tomorrow."

As the father and son were talking, Ding Kaifang’s gaze was drawn to the wooden box on the desk.

"Huh? Dad, what’s this?"

Ding Aiguo pushed the wooden box over. "A gift from Doctor Li."

"Doctor Li?" Ding Kaifang’s interest was piqued. He opened the box, saw the exquisite porcelain vial, and smelled the unique medicinal aroma. "What medicine is this?"

"An Gong Bezoar Pill," Ding Aiguo said with a nod. "Didn’t you tell me yesterday that Doctor Li obtained a piece of premium Natural Bezoar? This is it. He personally prepared it using that bezoar, along with top-tier Rhino Horn and natural musk. It’s freshly made."

"Ah?"

Ding Kaifang was astonished. He turned the vial over and over in his hands, clucking his tongue in amazement. "Good heavens, what a grand gesture. I heard from Uncle Ye that someone offered him seven figures for his pre-’93 treasure, and he wouldn’t sell. For Doctor Li to give you one right after making it, and with such fine ingredients... Dad, this is a huge favor."

"That’s why it pays to be friends with Doctor Li," Ding Aiguo said, putting the medicine away safely. "The six million I lent him... we’ll forgive the debt. As for the pharmaceutical factory’s dividends, just pay him his share as usual."

"Okay, I understand."

Ding Kaifang nodded.

...

Night fell, and the city lights began to glow.

The atmosphere inside the VIP private room at Feng City Restaurant was lively.

At the round table, Ding Aiguo sat in the host’s seat. To his left was a chubby Sun Qingli in his fifties, and to his right was his son, Ding Kaifang.

Chairman Zhao of Wanli Group and President Qian of Hongyuan Real Estate were seated on either side.

These five men represented half of Feng City’s business world.