Chapter 2572 - Investigation (Part 1)
"Jingshan, how does this outfit look?"
Zheng Mingjiang wore a modified hanfu from Shop No. 82. The fabric had an understated elegance, and the accessories suited her taste perfectly. The price, however, was outrageous.
A few hundred yuan meant nothing to an Elder, of course. But Zheng Mingjiang knew these garments actually came from Wanzi Pavilion—Shop No. 82 merely slapped on their label and doubled the price. Yet buying directly from Wanzi Pavilion felt inappropriate. That shop catered almost exclusively to gentry and wealthy households.
Hong Huangnan really was a shrewd merchant.
"Where's the hat I asked for?"
"Coming!" Jingshan brought a curtained hat, also from Shop No. 82—naturally, also modified. It was better than a simple straw hat. The hanging veil covered her face and neck effectively, blocking both sun and mosquitoes. Quite practical for outings.
She wasn't bundling up out of fear of failing some inspection. It was purely about sun protection and keeping insects at bay. Since arriving in Lingao, she'd already darkened a full shade—something she found difficult to accept.
"Am I overdressed for Foshan?"
"Not at all," Jingshan said solemnly. "This outfit suits you perfectly."
County Magistrate Zhang! Where is your sunscreen and DEET production capacity?
The Guangzhou-Sanshui Railway had been planned to connect Foshan and Guangzhou, but civil construction hadn't even begun. Zheng Mingjiang would have to travel by boat.
Regular passenger and cargo service now operated between Guangzhou and Sanshui. A 621 tugboat towed "flower-tail" barges, with boats departing simultaneously from both locations each morning and arriving before nightfall. The route was operated by Xinli Shipping, established just last year.
This was a purely private enterprise, its investors drawn mainly from the Chambers of Industry and Commerce in Guangzhou, Foshan, Sanshui, and other towns. Naturally, the company had paid dearly for passenger rights on this golden waterway—not only annual fees, but also a promise to employ boat people's children for no less than fifty percent of their workforce.
Wang Sangou from the Municipal Government's General Affairs Section had booked her ticket. First class. Zheng Mingjiang had long heard of Guangdong's famous flower-tail boats and was eager to experience one firsthand.
These vessels were originally wooden-hulled. For safety, Hong Kong Shipyard had switched to iron ribs with wooden shells, strengthening the hull considerably. Flower-tail boats were enormous, shaped like pleasure craft, with three decks: the upper level served as the dining floor for first-class passengers; the middle level, called the public cabin, accommodated second class; while the lower level and bow held cargo.
In the old timeline, such boats had been lavishly decorated with carved railings and painted beams. The stern featured colored light tubes that looked particularly striking when lit at night—hence the name "flower-tail." This timeline's versions weren't as elaborate, but the onboard facilities remained refined. Luxury suites boasted private bathrooms, and observation balconies crowned the roof. The whole thing had the air of a luxury liner.
Most distinctive was the absence of engines. The passenger vessels relied entirely on the tugboat ahead for propulsion, sailing in silent, vibration-free stability. The only drawback was the slow towing speed—the one-way voyage to Sanshui covered less than fifty kilometers yet took nearly ten hours.
Fortunately, Zheng Mingjiang was only going to Foshan, a mere sixteen kilometers. Departing in the morning meant arriving by noon. Wang Sangou had booked her a first-class seat compartment. No beds, but the small cabin was quiet and convenient. Staff quarters for her attendants were located just outside.
At noon, the boat arrived at Foshan. Lin Ziqi, Secretary-General of the Foshan Development Zone, came to the dock to meet her.
Zheng Mingjiang hadn't disclosed her true purpose in advance. She suspected this case had a wide scope—it might even involve certain Elders' trusted people. Life secretaries, assistants, and staff surrounding the Elders maintained their own networks, and those with poor security awareness could easily leak her intentions.
So her stated reason for visiting Foshan was simply "inspecting medical and sanitary conditions and epidemic prevention status."
Lin Ziqi had originally planned for Shang Yu to accompany her inspection, but Zheng Mingjiang flatly refused. She explained that she was mainly conducting undercover visits, with the primary purpose of understanding the situation. No need for fanfare. A naturalized citizen cadre familiar with local conditions would suffice—no Elder required.
Hearing this, Lin Ziqi couldn't figure out what she was really after, so he assigned Lin Ming, the Social Affairs Section Chief, as her escort.
Foshan was a famous town under heaven—myriad households, all manner of goods gathered in one place. Zheng Mingjiang, here on business, would naturally seize the opportunity to explore and soak in the atmosphere alongside ordinary folk.
"Jingshan, don't just think about your own fun—remember to buy something for Little Guo."
"Huiwen always says I spend the Chief's money carelessly. Something about 'not managing the household, not knowing how expensive rice and firewood are,' or 'every inch of silk costs a thousand lives, every spoonful of rice a hundred lashings.'"
"That's just how he talks. He's always happy when you bring things back."
Lin Ming was baffled. This female Elder claimed to be inspecting medical and sanitary conditions, yet showed complete indifference to the matter. Instead, she wandered through Foshan's streets and alleys, visiting local scenic spots and historical sites. Her shopping knew no restraint—she bought whatever caught her eye. Within two days, the guesthouse corridor was stuffed with goods delivered from various shops.
Finally, on the second day, Elder Zheng announced she wanted to visit all the local pharmacies and medicine shops.
"I'm making private undercover visits," Zheng Mingjiang instructed. "No need for fanfare. I'll go in, chat with them, see how things are." She paused. "By the way, do you have any public medical institutions here?"
"There's an infirmary. It serves naturalized citizen cadres and Elders specifically—not open to the public."
"And the medicines?"
"Allocated from the Provincial-Hong Kong General Hospital," Lin Ming said. "The doctors and nurses too."
Zheng Mingjiang understood. This clinic was essentially an outpost of the Provincial-Hong Kong General Hospital, using drugs through the same channels. Nothing to dig up there.
"How many local pharmacies and medicine shops are there?"
"Many." Lin Ming nodded repeatedly. Thanks to the water and land transportation hub and the developed handicraft manufacturing, the local population was substantial. As the hometown of Lingnan's prepared medicines, the area boasted eleven large and medium-sized herbal medicine shops alone, plus over fifty small pharmacies and fixed medicine stalls.
"Let's visit them all."
Zheng Mingjiang's first stop was Yang Runkai Hall, which had business relations with the Senate. Currently Foshan's largest herbal medicine shop, its prominence was inseparable from cooperation with the Senate. Yang Runkai Hall served as the general agent in Guangdong for many of Runshi Hall's special-effect traditional Chinese medicines.
She knew this was a legitimate business, unlikely to be connected to fraudulent Lushi Powder—why would they destroy commercial credibility built over generations? Moreover, this establishment didn't deal in antibiotic-type drugs and wouldn't be a source of antibiotic leakage. But having stayed in Lingao so long with minimal native interaction, she genuinely wanted to experience the atmosphere of a traditional large pharmacy in this timeline.
With an Elder arriving at the shop, the shopkeeper and assistants were immediately alerted. Zheng Mingjiang stopped the shopkeeper before he could inform the owner, saying she was just looking around casually. No need to disturb anyone. She then asked about the local Lushi Powder situation.
"This medicine is indeed on the market!" the shopkeeper said. "It's been around for over two years, though very scarce at first. Only recently has it become more common."
So her speculation was correct. This business had deep roots and had been going on for more than a day or two. Otherwise there wouldn't be so many versions.
"Is it effective?"
"It would be wrong to call it useless or a complete fraud." The shopkeeper considered his words. "Sometimes it works miraculously—one dose can save a life. Other times it has no effect whatsoever. As for the formulation, it's all rather vague, though quite a few ingredients are used. Basically one of those 'supreme drugs' concocted by itinerant quacks."
Though "itinerant quacks" was a derogatory term, historically each had possessed their own secret formulas and special-effect medicines, often remarkably effective for one or two particular conditions—that was their selling point.
Clearly, Yang Runkai Hall's shopkeeper and assistants had long since analyzed Lushi Powder's ingredients.
"Have you ever sold this medicine?"
"What a thing to say! Our proprietor does legitimate business. We carry none of those things itinerant quacks use to cheat people. Never mind that such money is earned with a guilty conscience—people come here to treat illnesses. If you can't cure something, just say so. Why sell fake medicine and delay treatment? Do such unconscionable things often enough and retribution follows." The shopkeeper's leisurely yet morally-grounded speech fully displayed his professional character.
"Your establishment is indeed an honest old shop." Zheng Mingjiang felt her judgment was correct—this wasn't the source of Lushi Powder.
Before leaving, she bought some clove, mugwort, angelica, perilla leaf, mint, calamus, agastache, and honeysuckle, having the assistant grind them into powder for sachets—insect repellents to give as gifts later.
Her second stop was Chen Liji's Foshan branch. Like Yang Runkai Hall, the shopkeeper knew about Lushi Powder but didn't sell it themselves. They clearly told Zheng Mingjiang that Lushi Powder did have some effect.
"If it's effective, why don't you sell it?" Zheng Mingjiang was puzzled. Chen Liji differed from Yang Runkai Hall—they had specialized in prepared medicines from the start. Besides various self-produced traditional medicines on the counter, they also sold prepared medicines from other pharmacies, even medicines from as far as the Northern and Southern Capitals and Nanzhili.
"Though this medicine works, its origin is unknown. We don't dare sell it, fearing it would damage our reputation."
She visited the other large and medium-sized pharmacies. The shopkeepers and assistants said much the same thing. Zheng Mingjiang knew there was nothing more to extract here, so she shifted her focus to small pharmacies and fixed medicine stalls.
Unexpectedly, the very first one yielded results. These small pharmacies sold Lushi Powder and other miracle drugs if not brazenly, then at least without hesitation. Besides Lushi Powder, there were all sorts of strangely-named concoctions—even "fetus-changing pills." A medicine whose existence was absolutely inconceivable to Zheng Mingjiang.
(End of Chapter)