When the two women returned, the sky was already a bit dark.
Xu Jiao sat in the back seat of the taxi, her eyebrows furrowed all the way, typing on her phone non-stop, communicating with someone far away.
"Jiaojiao," Nannan spoke up:
"Still asking about the herbs?"
"Yes," Xu Jiao replied without lifting her head:
"There are a few items at Fang Zheng's place I've never seen. My aunt in the Capital City is knowledgeable, so I asked her if she knows them."
She went to help Fang Zheng identify the herbs, most of which she recognized, but a few she had never seen before, sparking her curiosity.
They looked like herbs and had been basically processed, but...
I've never seen them!
Xu Jiao's family has been involved in traditional Chinese medicine for five generations, truly born into a noble family of herbal medicine. Even if she's not familiar with pharmacology, she's clear about all kinds of herbal medicine.
Unseen herbs are indeed rare.
This also piqued her competitive spirit.
"Stop frowning," Nannan shook her head:
"Who knows where Fang Zheng got those things, there are lots of things you've never seen, do you have to dig into each one?"
"Perhaps..."
"He brought them back from abroad?"
Xu Jiao raised an eyebrow.
That's true!
She can pretty much recognize all the domestic herbs, but not necessarily the ones from abroad. Not to mention, even the variants of citrus can drive an amateur crazy.
"Ding ding..."
A message came through on her phone.
"I haven't seen these herbs before. I compared them with online photos, and there's nothing that completely matches. There are a few similar ones. You can bring them over when you have time for a look."
"Thanks, Aunt," Xu Jiao replied:
"I'll treat you to tea when I visit the Capital next."
"Didn't find an answer? I told you not to bother with it," Nannan leaned over and asked casually:
"By the way, what do you think of Dapeng?"
"Not bad," Xu Jiao put away her phone and said:
"Not as bad as others say."
"Then you..." Nannan asked in a low voice:
"Planning to continue seeing each other?"
"Not planning to," Xu Jiao shook her head:
"I'm all about looks, and he falls short on that front."
"I think he's quite nice," Nannan pursed her lips:
"He speaks well, is interesting, and most importantly, he's willing to spend money on women. He's somewhat of a wealthy second generation."
"Looks don't matter for men!"
"If you think he's alright, go ahead and date him. You both added each other on WeChat anyway," Xu Jiao didn't mind at all and even reminded:
"Good speaking is about character and experience. Pleasing women is something that can be learned, and Dapeng probably has been with many women."
"Just be careful."
"No worries," Nannan replied nonchalantly:
"We're just having fun together."
"Up to you," Xu Jiao rolled her eyes, knowing her friend's personality; tender boys don't meet her requirements.
"So what do you think of Fang Zheng?" Nannan asked again:
"I heard from Dapeng that Fang Zheng is an art student, skilled in everything, and he even opened a porcelain shop. Like you, he's a cultured person. You have things in common."
"I'm all about looks!" Xu Jiao declared once more.
"Boss Fang is not bad, his skin is nice, and his temperament is good," Nannan mused:
"But unfortunately, he doesn't have parents, so after marriage, there's no elder guidance. I heard people like that lacked love in childhood and often have personality flaws."
"The key is..."
"He's too poor!"
She shook her head repeatedly.
The two referred to Fang Zheng as Boss Fang jokingly; he had no house, rented a storefront, and was so wooden that even Nannan wasn't impressed.
Xu Jiao had even higher standards.
*
*
*
"Pinellia ternata, Chinese Goldthread, licorice, Scutellaria baicalensis, ginseng..."
In the room, Fang Zheng sorted the herbs in front of him into categories.
Xu Jiao, worthy of her family's herbal medicine background, recognized seventy to eighty percent of the herbs, and those she didn't were likely unique to the Otherworld.
The herbs from the Otherworld aren't cheap.
Especially a few rare herbs like ginseng, which sometimes aren't even available in pharmacies and need to wait for an opportunity.
Once the Hundred Days Foundation Establishment Method begins, it's best not to stop midway. Otherwise, it might all be for nothing, which he naturally couldn't tolerate.
The Pure Yang Palace has its resources, but alas...
Too expensive!
Even after getting rich, money should be saved wherever possible.
Since there are many similarities between the two worlds, Fang Zheng naturally thought of collecting herbs in modern society. Regardless of the price, herbs grown on a large scale in the modern world are not likely to run short as long as they're available.
"Even if they look the same, the medicinal effects may not be the same. I'll still have to compare them for assurance."
Rubbing his hands, he squatted in front of the herbs Xu Jiao couldn't identify:
"Seven kinds. Aside from one Black Blood Grass, which is uncommon, the others can be purchased in large quantities in the Otherworld. Now everything is ready!"
"Just the start is left..."
As for accompanying the Hundred-Day Foundation Establishment with supplementary room remedies to stabilize the heart and essence, that's already been figured out.
Near Qu City, there are a few cattle farms where fresh cow hearts can be bought, and failing that, they can be purchased online, with a few sources ensuring freshness.
There's no doubt it has to be slaughtered and acquired fresh within three days, chilled to preserve.
Even if it's faked, buying from multiple sources should eventually yield one that meets the requirements.
That's right!
Fang Zheng finally decided on using cow hearts.
Cows are big, rich in Qi and Blood, and according to the Hundred Days Foundation Establishment Method, it's top-notch, second only to human, tiger, and lion hearts, even better than leopard hearts.
Thinking back to the past.
The first time he crossed over, he was lost and nearly froze to death.
The second time, he was anxious, astonished yet delighted.
Now...
He couldn't wait to embark on the third crossover, having gone from panic to hopeful anticipation in just two journeys.
On the following day.
In the Otherworld.
Snowflakes drifted down; there were few pedestrians.
"Crunch... Crunch..."
A thin layer of snow was laid on the bluestone ground, making a rhythmic sound underfoot.
Fang Zheng held an oiled paper umbrella, bidding farewell to the attentive medicine shop owner, walking alongside the Three Purities Temple Daoist, Zhang Mingrui.
The long street was spacious, the walls on either side towering high, and the bluestone walls were covered in moss. This kind of antique charm was distinctly different from modern society.
Ancient towns can mimic ancient settings, but they cannot reproduce this atmosphere, nor the ancient people around him.
"Brother Fang,"
Zhang Mingrui tilted his head with curiosity and asked:
"I've only heard that Brother Fang is a businessman, but I don't know what trade you are in. For you to spend so lavishly, you must have some extraordinary business, right?"
"Um..." Fang Zheng hesitated a bit:
"The porcelain business."
"Porcelain?" Zhang Mingrui understood:
"The Treasure Porcelain of Zhaonan Prefecture is the best in the world."
"No wonder!"
To this, Fang Zheng could only return a smile.
The Wei Dynasty was divided into Nine Provinces by the Ancient Calendar, and Gu'an County belonged to Zhaonan Prefecture in Jizhou, not far from the Prefecture City.
There are also porcelain workshops and merchants within the county.
Zhang Mingrui's words reminded him.
'If I want to take root in this world, merely becoming a resident is not enough, I need to have real business, or handling so much silver coins will rouse suspicion.'
'It might even bring danger.'
'The porcelain trade, it seems, can also be done in this world.'
But such matters aren't urgent. The most important thing now is to establish his foundation. If possible, Fang Zheng also wishes to become a martial arts expert who moves with the wind.
For the moment, he sought advice again on matters related to the Hundred Days Foundation Establishment and had his Pile Technique posture adjusted with help from Zhang Mingrui.
Everything was in place.
Night.
A massive wooden tub, enough for three people to embrace, was placed in the center of the room, with charcoal fire gently glowing below it, keeping the water at just the right temperature, and a rich medicinal aroma was spreading.
Herbal bath!
The Great Medicine of the Hundred Days Foundation Establishment Method is a herbal bath, starting with once every other day for an hour, then the interval gradually lengthens until it can no longer stimulate Qi and Blood to an endpoint.
Fang Zheng undressed, took a deep breath, and stepped into the tub, standing firm in the Mountain Stabilizing Stance.
Inhale... Exhale...
Pile Technique sensing and directing Qi and Blood, the great medicine stimulating its circulation, in a daze he silently took his first step into martial arts practice.
Hmm?
At some unknown point, Fang Zheng suddenly opened his eyes, filled with astonishment.
How could it be?
The medicinal effect is this good?