Chapter 5. Goldthread
Catching his breath, Bai Xiao managed to straighten up and lean back against the plane tree. Without turning his head, he groped for the gourd-flask beside him, uncorked it, and brought it to his parched lips. He drank like a man dying of thirst in the desert, draining it, then tossed it aside and sank deep in thought.
The formula was fairly simple, and all the herbs were familiar to him. Almost all grow right here in the region. There would be no trouble gathering them. In fact, of the eight herbs needed, he already had seven — all sourced from the nearby mountains. The only missing one, goldthread, could easily be purchased from the merchant Wen Haoran. It wasn't the most common plant, but it wasn't anything money couldn't get.
"I'll order a large batch right away," Bai Xiao thought, confident the formula was no scam.
He spent another ten minutes turning the details of the formula over and over in his mind, amazed.
"The pill should help clear blockages in the acupuncture points along the kidney meridian and restore balance among the five elements overall. It should also give a general tonic effect and strengthen the body's True Jing, along with gently cleansing the meridians throughout the body — something that would aid anyone's cultivation and cure a wide range of illnesses. If this is real, it promises wealth and fame...
Ah, right... the boy.
Su Zhen...
…No, I'll test the formula first." He shook his head nervously.
With these thoughts, Bai Xiao pushed himself to his feet, swayed slightly from dizziness, and made his way to the house.
He walked over to the writing desk and hastily scribbled down the pill's formula for his own peace of mind, then placed it in a small safe.
Next, he went into the herbal storeroom.
Inside the storeroom, he pulled out boxes of the necessary herbs and quickly took stock.
" Sufficient for nine pills...
I could buy these three...
…No, better to gather them myself. If I order those too, the merchant will know half the ingredients. Better to keep the formula secret as long as possible."
He packed the herbs he had into a sack and carried them to the alchemy chamber. Then, grabbing a money pouch from a chest, he set off for town.
"Good day, Dr. Bai! How have you been?" former patients and other townsfolk greeted him warmly, bowing as he passed.
Bai Xiao returned their greetings quickly and without stopping, making straight for the Wen family's shop.
As he stepped inside, a lanky young man of about twenty-five hurried to meet him — the owner's son, Wen Boyang.
"Ah, Dr. Bai, a pleasure to see you," Boyang said with a deep bow and a wide smile. "What can I do for you?"
"I thought Mr. Wen would be here today," Bai Xiao said, thick eyebrows furrowing.
"Father stepped out on some business but should be back within the hour. Let me get you some tea." Boyang snapped his fingers and called out over his shoulder. A maidservant hurried off to fetch the teapot.
With an air of importance, Bai Xiao made his way to the guest room, flicked the hem of his hanfu to the side as he settled cross-legged onto a floor cushion by the low table.
Soon enough, the maid returned with a tray and began pouring tea.
Sipping carefully, using the lid to skim off the foam, Bai Xiao half-listened to Boyang's chatter while staring absently at the wall.
His mind was still occupied with how to prevent the formula from leaking. Occasionally, he also found himself thinking about that blacksmith boy. What secret was he hiding? Why had he been threatened with death? And what deity had appeared during the meditation?
After a little more than an hour, the shop owner, Mr. Wen, finally returned. Bai Xiao's expression instantly changed.
Smiling, he rose to greet his old acquaintance.
"Good afternoon, Dr. Bai."
"Good afternoon, Mr. Wen."
Both men sensed that the day promised profitable dealings.
"I've already been well taken care of by your son. I'd like to get straight to the point."
"Of course, of course, as you wish," the portly merchant said, lowering himself onto the cushion with a grunt.
"Mr. Wen, how much goldthread do you have on hand right now?" Bai Xiao asked, barely hiding his impatience.
"Let's find out..." the merchant replied, clucking his tongue as he poured more tea. His son immediately rushed off to the back to fetch the ledger.
"Five dried goldthread plants," Boyang announced upon returning.
"I'll take them all," Bai Xiao said, tossing a heavy pouch of silver onto the table. "And I'd like to place an order for live plants as well—intact, with roots."
Mr. Wen weighed the pouch in his hand, then handed it to his son, who brought it over to the scales.
"Two pounds of silver," Boyang reported.
"Good. One ounce for the dried batch… and one ounce per live plant—that's thirty-one plants to be delivered within a month or two. Can we agree on that?"
Bai Xiao took a deep breath, suppressing his anger, clearly signaling that the price was outrageous.
"Agreed. I'll take what you have now."
A maid entered at once, carrying a bamboo box with the plants, and presented it respectfully with both hands.
Bai Xiao accepted the box, opened it, sniffed the contents, examined the herbs with his fingers, and, satisfied, closed the lid.
"Please forgive me, but I'm in a hurry," he said briskly, rising to his feet and bowing.
"A pleasure doing business with you, Dr. Bai Xiao."
"And with you, Mr. Wen Haoran."
As Bai Xiao left the shop, Mr. Wen watched him go, stroking his chin thoughtfully.
"Interesting..." he murmured.
---
By the time Bai Xiao returned home, two patients were already waiting for him.
"Please wait a moment, esteemed guests," he said politely as he passed them.
He carried the box of newly purchased herbs into the storage room, then headed to the alchemy chamber. There, he arranged firewood neatly into a cone-shaped stack in the furnace, struck flint to spark the fire, and lit it from the bottom. Once the flame caught evenly, he opened the vent slightly and left the wood to burn down to embers.
Returning to the front room, he finally motioned for the patients to come in.
The first was a well-off older woman, walking with difficulty and clear signs of blood stagnation in her legs. After a quick examination, he led her behind the screen, inserted a few acupuncture needles, and prescribed an herbal decoction to reduce swelling and improve circulation. He offered some dietary advice and politely saw her out, careful not to get drawn into her gossip about town affairs.
The second patient was a man in his thirties. From the burn scars on his arms and the sun-darkened face, Bai Xiao recognized him immediately as a smelter.
"My back's killing me—and I'm only thirty-five," the man groaned. "By evening, my arms feel like noodles, my legs tremble like I've been hauling sacks uphill all day. My muscles feel like they're shrinking. And now I've got a rash spreading across my chest."
Clicking his tongue, Bai Xiao felt the man's pulse and examined him with a sharp eye.
"Aiyaaa... your kidney energy is depleted. But I think I have something we can try."
He pulled out a mugwort moxa stick and performed moxibustion on several acupuncture points. Next, with a few precise adjustments, he realigned the man's lower back. The sudden movement produced a sharp crack, prompting an exclamation of surprise mixed with colorful curses.
For the rash, he prescribed a chrysanthemum-based salve.
"It's not contagious. Apply it twice a day. Cut back on greasy foods— and avoid sexual activity for a week."
He paused, then looked him square in the eyes.
"Also, come back tomorrow. I'll prepare a pill I want you to try—free of charge. It'll help with your fatigue. But tell me this: you know that boy Su Zhen, don't you…"