Chapter 355 - The Foshan Journey (Part 8)

"How about it? Much more magnificent than Runshitang, isn't it?" Yang Shixiang smiled bitterly, a trace of envy showing through.

Although business in the hall was busy, a shop assistant came over to greet them as soon as they entered. Yang Shixiang said, "I have a calling card and a gift list. I'd like to trouble you to deliver them to your proprietor."

"Yes. May I ask the guest's name?"

"My humble surname is Yang," Yang Shixiang said. "Once you send the card in, your proprietor will naturally know."

"Yes, I'll go right away." The assistant invited them to sit on chairs to the side, served tea, and asked if they smoked, offering both water pipes and dry tobacco.

Liu San thought to himself that the service attitude of the old society was truly something. This kind of considerate respect was incomparable to the professional, tooth-baring smiles of modern service staff.

While the assistant went to deliver the message, Liu San seized the time to observe the operation of the entire pharmacy. Although there were many people coming and going, everyone had their own place. Some were filling prescriptions; some were small drug merchants carrying poles or pushing carts; and others, well-dressed and imposing, were likely major clients. No matter what kind of person came, there were specialized assistants to entertain them without a hint of disorder. Even though the ancients hadn't studied modern management, they had their own unique approaches to business administration.

He noticed a standing sign in a corner of the counter: "Delong Affiliate, Valid Throughout the Province, Drafts Issued and Cashed on Sight." So this really was a Delong affiliate. It made sense—only a large herbal medicine shop like this could mobilize tens of thousands of taels of silver at any time. The Guangzhou Station's efforts were really showing results.

Before their stools were even warm, they heard voices passing the message from inside: "Invite the Fifth Master!"

Just then, the assistant who had reported their arrival ran out. Reaching Yang Shixiang, he first paid respects: "Fifth Master, please forgive me. I had eyes but failed to see—"

"Forget it," Yang Shixiang said calmly. "I haven't been to Foshan in a long time; it's unavoidable that you subordinates would be unfamiliar."

"No wonder!" The assistant smiled. "Please come in quickly! The Master has ordered tea served in the flower hall."

Saying this, he bowed, extended a hand to invite the guests, and led the way, taking Yang Shixiang and Liu San to a small courtyard.

This small courtyard was specifically for receiving honored guests. Amidst flowers and trees stood a row of three rooms, exquisitely decorated. Above the center door hung a small plaque reading "Seeing Heart." Before they entered the hall, a servant loudly announced: "Fifth Master has arrived!"

Then a Xiang-bamboo curtain was lifted, and a man in his thirties stepped out. His face was white as jade, and he wore a black gauze square cap and a semi-worn azure satin robe, with white cloth socks and black satin shoes. His demeanor was graceful and elegant—from head to toe, he had the air of a noble young master from a distinguished family. He didn't look at all like a local merchant.

"Fifth Brother!" The newcomer was Yang Shixiang's first cousin, the current owner of Yang Runkai Hall—De Branch, Yang Shiyi. "It's been many years since we parted. I trust you've been well!"

"Thanks to your blessings!" Yang Shixiang cupped his hands in greeting. "Are Elder Brother and Sister-in-law well?"

"Good, good. And this is—"

"This is my close friend, the famous Lingao physician, Doctor Liu."

"Disrespect, disrespect." Yang Shiyi's eyes circled Liu San's face a few times, a shrewd light revealing itself in his pupils. Indeed, he was no ordinary heir guarding the family business.

He led them into a guest room on the east side. Liu San looked around; the decorations were extremely clean and refined, with calligraphy, paintings, and antiques arranged in a scattered yet orderly fashion—the owner's taste was extraordinary.

The style of a great Ming merchant was truly impressive! Thinking that in the original timeline, within twenty years, nine out of ten such romantic and refined figures would become bleached bones by the roadside or end up dwelling in thatched shacks, facing bleak days as the dust of the red world turned to wolf smoke—he couldn't help but feel a myriad of emotions.

The two sides exchanged pleasantries and inquired about each other's families. Yang Shiyi was extremely polite, asking after their well-being and repeatedly expressing apologies, saying that business had been busy and the sea routes unsafe in recent years, so he hadn't visited Lingao. Relations between relatives had inevitably become distant, and they should visit each other more often in the future.

Eight high-footed plates containing tea refreshments and fruit had been placed on the tea table. Servants brought hand towels chilled in well water for them to wipe their sweat. The etiquette was perfect—which confused Liu San. Was Yang Shixiang being oversensitive due to his own sense of poverty? Looking at this Head Manager Yang, there wasn't a trace of snobbery.

After the social niceties, Yang Shiyi asked about Yang Shixiang's purpose.

Yang Shixiang explained his plan to purchase precious medicinal ingredients to compound two types of summer medicine.

"...Thinking it over, only Elder Brother here has the most complete selection of fine goods. Better to ask family than strangers, so I've come to disturb Elder Brother."

"Easy to say, easy to say," Yang Shiyi nodded. However, his expression clearly showed he was merely being perfunctory. He didn't even ask what medicines were needed, but simply ordered:

"Tell the kitchen to prepare a banquet. At noon I will welcome Fifth Master and this Doctor Liu."

"Yes!" the attending servant said. "Asking for the Master's instructions, there is still a dinner engagement tonight..."

"I know, we'll talk about that later."

"Elder Brother has matters to attend to tonight, so we won't dare disturb you for a banquet. We appreciate the thought," Yang Shixiang said. "I only ask Elder Brother to look at this list and instruct the assistants to help me assemble the goods. I need to take them back to Lingao to make the medicine."

"Nonsense, we brothers haven't seen each other for years—we must have a drink," Yang Shiyi said. "You want to buy some medicinal ingredients; I wonder what they are?"

Taking the list, he glanced at it a few times, muttering to himself: "Borneol... Musk... Ox gallstones... Flying gold..." He repeated the names several times before putting down the list and saying, "As for goods, your brother here has them all, but perhaps not enough for the quantity Fifth Brother wants."

Before Yang Shixiang could speak, he started explaining: This item was needed for compounding medicine, that item had been reserved by a major client, another popular item had been requested by so-and-so's connection and had to be prioritized...

Liu San finally sensed something was wrong. He watched coldly as Yang Shixiang asked, "Then how much can be allocated?"

"Mm, about one-fifth of each. For musk and flying gold, there's very little left; I can't even provide one-fifth."

"That's too little—not enough for compounding," Yang Shixiang said. "To tell you the truth, Elder Brother, I've recently taken on a big order. Once these medicines are compounded, they're sold. I originally thought your place had the most complete stock and I wouldn't need to trouble a second house..."

"Oh? Then I must congratulate Fifth Brother!" Yang Shiyi beamed. "It's just that I really don't have enough stock here!" He pondered for a moment. "How about this: I'll instruct the manager to transfer some goods from colleagues in the trade. It's just that for transferred goods, unavoidably, unavoidably..." He sighed. "Nowadays people's hearts aren't what they used to be. Even with familiar shops, transferring goods requires cash transactions! Alas!"

Liu San's impression of Yang Shiyi did a one-hundred-eighty-degree turn. This was clearly an excuse. The more expensive the item, the more out of stock it was. Transferring goods required cash—cash on delivery? Even in modern times, few companies could achieve that, let alone in an ancient commercial society where wholesale accounts were traditionally settled three times a year. Such an excuse wouldn't fool a ghost; it was a clear statement: no cash, no goods.

Yang Shixiang had apparently anticipated this situation and hurriedly said, "Elder Brother! This time I'm not buying on credit. However much you can provide, I'll pay the full price immediately." He pulled a note from his sleeve. "I heard Elder Brother's establishment is also a Delong affiliate? That saves me the trouble of exchanging silver."

"Oh?" Yang Shiyi took it. Indeed, it was a fifty-tael sight draft issued by Delong Bank. The special paper, ink, and incredibly complex patterns were impossible for ordinary people to forge. Undoubtedly genuine!

Seeming slightly disbelieving, Yang Shiyi held it up to the light to check the watermark. Only then did he lower it. "I didn't expect Fifth Brother to have landed such a big business deal this time."

"You flatter me. Is this enough?"

"Fifth Brother is too polite, too polite. For these medicinal ingredients, your brother can certainly help scrape them together." Although he said this, he showed no intention of handing the draft back.

"If there's any surplus, add some common medicinal ingredients; I'll take them all back to Lingao."

"Good, I'll have someone arrange the consolidation immediately."

Yang Shiyi probably felt it strange that his poor cousin could suddenly pay cash, so he kept making polite conversation, trying to fish for information. But Yang Shixiang kept his mouth tight and said nothing, only asking if the powdered medicines he compounded could be sold on consignment at Yang Runkai Hall, and perhaps wholesaled on his behalf.

Yang Shixiang currently had no ability to distribute goods directly on the mainland. Finding a large, reputable firm with extensive commercial connections like Yang Runkai Hall to handle consignment was naturally the most cost-effective method.

"This—" Yang Shiyi hesitated. "Fifth Brother, you know the ancestral rules. We don't allow patent medicines from outside without seeing the prescription. If they don't treat the illness, or if the efficacy isn't obvious, people won't say the prescription is wrong; they'll say our Yang Runkai Hall sells bad goods..."

"Elder Brother can rest assured. I've reviewed these two prescriptions. The formulation and preparation are indeed unique, and there will absolutely be no problems."

Seeing him still hesitating, Yang Shixiang handed over samples of the Plague-Repelling Powder and Zhuge Marching Powder. Yang Shiyi took them skeptically, poured some onto the back of his hand, rubbed it with his fingers, and sniffed.

"The medicine seems fine," Yang Shiyi said. "But it's nothing extraordinary—just refreshing the mind and clearing the orifices. Promoting it at Yang Runkai Hall might be difficult. How about this: Fifth Brother has come a long way, and I can't let you leave empty-handed. Later I'll call the shopkeeper of 'Gongji Hall' to help you consign it there. How about that?"

Yang Shixiang's face instantly turned ugly. He remembered Liu San's words about opening up the market—right now, he could only rely on Yang Runkai Hall's help. He couldn't tear up his face. But selling at Gongji Hall would drastically devalue his painstakingly manufactured medicines, making the hope of opening the market very slim. How could he justify this to Liu San, who had provided the prescriptions and working capital?