Chapter 2587 - Investigation (Part 14)
What struck Yuan Shuzhi as peculiar about Jubao Tang's small customer business was the pattern: few varieties, but enormous quantities. A single customer might purchase over a hundred bottles of Lushi Powder at once. How many markets would a traveling medicine peddler need to visit to sell that much?
Yet these transactions occurred with suspicious frequency. Between deliveries, the gap was twelve days at most—sometimes as little as five or six. Were these customers consuming the medicine themselves?
The strangeness ran deeper still. Poring through the ledgers, Yuan Shuzhi noticed that all customers paid in advance, then waited several days for their orders. This was truly unusual—what kind of miracle elixir commanded such demand? And the pricing made no sense either, fluctuating wildly between high and low with no discernible pattern.
Though Yuan Shuzhi had never worked in the pharmaceutical trade, his training had given him enough knowledge of traditional pharmacy practices to recognize that none of this fit industry norms.
The "improvements" Manager Gao requested mainly targeted these irregularities—particularly slashing the recorded sales volumes and unit prices. But Gao had also specified that alongside the improved version, Yuan Shuzhi must prepare an unmodified "original copy" using what he called "Australian accounting" methods.
The moment Yuan Shuzhi had first seen "Lushi Powder" in these ledgers, suspicion had taken root. Manager Gao's additional requests only strengthened his conviction that something was deeply wrong.
But suspicion alone proved nothing. The key was determining whether these medicines were being adulterated with "Australian drugs."
Yuan Shuzhi wanted to investigate, but Jubao Tang's security was ironclad. After several days here, he'd encountered only Manager Gao and one assistant—not a single other soul. His existence had shrunk to a small courtyard where he worked, ate, and slept. Three meals arrived at his door each day. He could stretch his legs within the courtyard walls, but any attempt to venture beyond brought the assistant blocking his path. It was house arrest in all but name.
The completed ledgers—both sets—along with his original drafts were collected immediately upon completion. The next day, Manager Gao would return with marked-up versions, noting what needed revision. But as Yuan Shuzhi completed more ledgers and came to understand what the owner truly wanted, the corrections grew fewer.
This only deepened his certainty that something sinister lurked behind these walls. Fortunately, before leaving the inn, he had dispatched a secret letter to the investigation team in Boluo, informing them of his whereabouts. By now, the team should have eyes on this place. So Old Yuan kept his composure.
Yuan Shuzhi's letter reached the Boluo county seat through Qiwei's mail network. Lu Cheng was overjoyed. Given their distinctive identities, openly appearing at the medicine market would alert their targets. The entire investigation team had therefore remained in Boluo—on one hand conducting legitimate "flying inspections" that kept the county government occupied, while on the other dispatching undercover agents to gather intelligence at the market.
Now, before those agents had even reported back, Yuan Shuzhi had already infiltrated enemy territory. His letter made clear that Jubao Tang warranted deep suspicion.
The team immediately adjusted their approach. Working through Boluo county's Political Security operative, they assigned several local informants to maintain surveillance on Jubao Tang while quietly investigating the pharmacy's background.
Their findings painted an interesting picture. Jubao Tang had opened only six months prior. Since then, its primary business had been wholesale of prepared medicines—pills, elixirs, pastes, and powders—rather than raw medicinal materials. Its clientele consisted almost entirely of traveling medicine peddlers restocking their wares. Nothing remarkable on the surface. Boluo county's tax records showed Jubao Tang's "market entry tax" payments, and the listed medicines and values indicated monthly sales of only a few hundred yuan—mostly mid-to-low-end daily remedies. The single largest item, conspicuously, was Lushi Powder.
Where did this Lushi Powder originate? According to the market entry tax register, every bottle bore the "Chun" label—meaning it all came from Wanchun Quan. But when sold, it carried the "Ju" mark instead.
Jubao Tang's Lushi Powder, then, was simply repackaged Wanchun Quan product.
This raised an obvious question. Though Wanchun Quan's main store stood in Boluo's county seat, it also operated a storefront at the Grotto Heaven medicine market. Moreover, Wanchun Quan was a century-old establishment, and Lushi Powder had been formulated there originally. True, this era lacked trademark registration or patent protection—any pharmacy could sell its own Lushi Powder—but in terms of both institutional prestige and medicinal reputation, Wanchun Quan's version clearly carried more authority. Why would peddlers take a detour to Jubao Tang?
One possibility: Jubao Tang was counterfeiting. Buy Wanchun Quan's original medicine, cut it with cheap fillers, stretch one portion into ten, pocket the difference.
But after quietly investigating Wanchun Quan's shopkeeper, its managers, historical ledgers, and several medicine market veterans, Lu Cheng concluded this theory didn't hold either.
Wanchun Quan's Lushi Powder was indeed a staple product, but its reputation was merely adequate—effective, though nothing remarkable. The formula was simple, the ingredients cheap, and similar products existed elsewhere. Sales figures were unremarkable. From every angle, counterfeiting it made no sense.
So what explained this shell game? Lu Cheng recalled the case briefing and formed a hypothesis: Jubao Tang was adulterating Wanchun Quan's Lushi Powder with Australian drugs before repackaging it. That would explain all the bizarre behavior.
She instructed Boluo county's Political Security operative to send a medicine peddler to Jubao Tang as a buyer—purchase some Lushi Powder and ship it back to Huizhou Prefecture for chemical analysis.
The results came back unexpected: the Lushi Powder contained no compound ingredients whatsoever.
Had they guessed wrong? The investigation team found themselves at an impasse.
"No." Lu Cheng's voice was decisive. "The absence of compound ingredients doesn't prove Jubao Tang is clean. Our man was an unfamiliar face. They probably grew suspicious."
She issued new orders: "Arrest one of the medicine peddlers who frequents Jubao Tang. Don't make the move at the market—wait until he's on the main road, then take him quietly."
Ever since Zheng Xiaoyu had arranged the "Joint Clinic" matter for Boss He and accepted a twenty percent stake as a silent partner, the two had grown close as brothers. Zheng Xiaoyu now visited He Jun's private residence frequently for banquets and entertainment.
On this particular evening, He Jun was hosting him again. Zheng Xiaoyu knew the place well by now. Disguised in Ming-style clothing, he slipped into a small sedan chair after nightfall and was carried through darkened streets to He Jun's private residence.
This wasn't He Jun's main household but his place for "keeping a golden house for a beauty"—home to his favorite concubines and pretty maids, staffed by an excellent cook, and graced with a small garden. Secretive yet comfortable, it doubled as a venue for entertaining important guests and conducting delicate negotiations.
After the third round of wine and the fifth course of dishes, He Jun observed that Zheng Xiaoyu's face had flushed pink, his manner pleasantly loosened by drink. Judging the moment ripe, he began with flattery.
The flattery dispensed with, he lowered his voice: "I see a young man of great promise before me, already appreciated by the Elders. You're destined for greatness. If you don't find it beneath you, become sworn brothers with me. We'll share fortune and hardship, build our enterprises together. Half of everything my family owns shall be yours."
"Well said, well said." Zheng Xiaoyu was agreeable to everything now, though he still needed to play reluctant. "It's only that the Senate strictly forbids sworn brotherhoods. If they discovered such a thing, neither of us would emerge unscathed."
"No matter, no matter." He Jun waved this away. "However powerful the Senate, their reach doesn't extend into private residences. We'll swear our brotherhood privately, without exchanging birth date cards. Naturally, we'll keep it from outsiders—I wouldn't dream of harming your career. But once we're sworn, we'll be family. Whatever your elder brother possesses—aside from your sister-in-law, of course—anything you want is yours for the taking."
"You jest, elder brother." Knowing He Jun's enthusiasms, Zheng Xiaoyu understood tonight's banquet must have "real substance" behind it. Everything so far had been groundwork. Now came the recruitment.
He played along: "Becoming your sworn brother—I'd be more than willing." Then he affected a sigh. "I won't hide it from you, elder brother. I come from humble origins. My parents died when I was young. I scraped by alone, fighting to survive. I've long wished for someone who truly cared about my well-being." His voice thickened with emotion. "Since elder brother doesn't disdain me... naturally I'm willing." He dabbed at his eyes for effect.
And so the two swore brotherhood beneath the moonlight. He Jun, being older, became the elder brother; Zheng Xiaoyu, the younger.
Their pact sealed, Zheng Xiaoyu raised his cup to He Jun.
"Since Brother Zheng doesn't disdain me and is willing to become my sworn brother, words fail me—I'll drink this cup dry!" He Jun drained it in one motion.
The two exchanged toasts and fell into easy conversation. Amid the clinking glasses, He Jun inquired whether more prescription pads might be allocated to Bailing Tang's Joint Clinic.
"What's difficult about that?" Zheng Xiaoyu laughed. "Send someone tomorrow to collect them."
He Jun smiled as he refilled his guest's cup, then said quietly: "That's not quite what I meant, brother."
"Oh? What kind, then?" Zheng Xiaoyu feigned confusion.
Knowing this was mere posturing, He Jun smiled warmly: "What other kind could there be? Controlled substance prescriptions, of course."
Before he finished speaking, Zheng Xiaoyu was already shaking his head, gazing down at the table with a silent smile.
Seeing no response forthcoming, He Jun grew anxious and pressed: "Brother! These prescriptions—"
"Difficult." Zheng Xiaoyu heaved a long sigh. "Elder brother knows well—the Senate watches controlled substances like hawks. These prescriptions are even more tightly regulated. Use them, and you'll invite trouble. Instead of profits, you'll draw an investigation team down on your head and create problems for yourself. Why bother?" He spread his hands. "With those four words 'Joint Clinic' and controlled drug prescription rights alone, elder brother, you could make money lying down. Isn't that enough?"
(End of Chapter)