Chapter 2588 - Investigation (Part 15)
What Zheng Xiaoyu said was indeed fact. To control drug distribution at its source—particularly for pharmaceutical endpoints beyond the Senate's direct oversight—the Health Ministry had implemented a comprehensive management system.
The first measure was standardized prescriptions. All medical institutions were required to use official prescription pads with documented issuance records. Voided forms had to be retained, and old stubs surrendered before new pads could be obtained. This applied universally—self-pay or publicly funded, controlled substances or otherwise, Chinese patent medicine or Australian pharmaceuticals. Any medicine listed in the Senate's Authorized Pharmacopoeia dispensed by a Senate-managed institution fell under mandatory compliance.
Controlled substance prescriptions received special treatment: not only anti-counterfeiting marks but sequential serial numbers. Medical institutions retained stubs for every form issued, enabling audits against pharmacy dispensing records when necessary.
When He Jun requested controlled substance prescription forms, Zheng Xiaoyu knew the fish was taking the bait.
He still couldn't be certain this was the big catch Elder Zheng wanted—after all, far too many people coveted the Senate's controlled medicines.
"Rest assured, little brother. These prescriptions won't be used at Bailing Tang." He Jun smiled as he poured the wine. "I know how significant these forms are—you think I'd implicate you? Listen: someone is willing to pay cash for them. One yuan per form. Sell him a few, and it's pure silver in your pocket."
"One yuan each? Truly?!" Zheng Xiaoyu's surprise was genuine this time. As a physician and local clinic manager for the Senate, he understood exactly how much profit these forms represented. But he'd never imagined anyone would pay such extravagant prices for a single slip of paper.
These people were generous indeed. As a mid-level naturalized citizen cadre, Zheng Xiaoyu earned only a dozen yuan monthly. A prescription pad contained twenty-five forms—selling one pad nearly matched two months' income. He couldn't suppress a twinge of... injustice.
He Jun noted his expression and sensed an opening. He immediately served him more food. "Think about it, little brother—isn't this easy money? A once-in-a-lifetime opportunity!"
Zheng Xiaoyu feigned confusion. "There's something I don't understand. These prescriptions all have serial numbers. Even if Bailing Tang doesn't use them, if they're sold elsewhere, won't problems surface during audits?"
He Jun laughed. "You needn't worry about that. The forms won't be issued under Bailing Tang's name, naturally. As for audits—you know better than I. They only verify that stubs and prescriptions match between clinics and pharmacies, not which prescription originated from which clinic. Here it's straightforward: only two clinics can prescribe controlled drugs, and there's only one pharmacy. But what about larger cities?"
Zheng Xiaoyu's heart skipped. The man was right. In Guangzhou or Lingao, over a dozen institutions could issue controlled prescriptions, and four or five pharmacies could dispense them. A single pharmacy might process a hundred controlled substance prescriptions daily. Over several months, that meant thousands or tens of thousands of forms. One prescription from an out-of-town clinic mixed in? Without a targeted investigation, it would be utterly undetectable.
Seeing Zheng Xiaoyu's hesitant expression, He Jun pressed his advantage: tear off a few forms per pad rather than taking complete pads. Mixed among hundreds or thousands of documents, who would notice?
"Even if someone eventually discovers it, who knows how many years will have passed? By then, this Joint Clinic might not even exist." He Jun chuckled. "Elder brother may not understand much, but two phrases I know well: 'quit while you're ahead' and 'of the thirty-six stratagems, fleeing is best.' When the time comes, blame everything on me. At worst, you'll face a negligence charge—even under the Ming, that would only mean docked salary for a few years."
After this speech, never mind that Zheng Xiaoyu was deliberately "falling"—even a proper naturalized citizen cadre would have struggled to resist. Zheng Xiaoyu pretended to hesitate, then finally assumed a decisive expression. "Since you have use for them, submit an application. Just make sure the paperwork is complete."
"Understood. Elder brother absolutely won't make things difficult for you." He Jun beamed. "Rest assured, the profits here are enormous—I won't shortchange you. Do you prefer silver dollars, banknotes, or silver ingots? I'll prepare whatever you like. If you want a house or a beauty..."
"Houses and beauties are nice but far too conspicuous. I'm someone who makes a few dozen yuan a month—it wouldn't be appropriate."
"In that case, elder brother will arrange something more discreet."
He Jun explained his plan to quietly purchase a residence in Boluo county, with all deeds registered under an unrelated name.
"All profits will be sent there." At this, Zheng Xiaoyu suddenly remembered something. "Are you married, little brother?"
"Not yet."
"Do you have any family, then?"
Zheng Xiaoyu smiled bitterly. "I'm an orphan. I only survived thanks to the Senate's assistance. Where would I have family?"
"Ah, I didn't realize you share my bitter fate!" He Jun sighed.
"Honestly, if I weren't desperate, who would..." Zheng Xiaoyu stopped mid-sentence. This wasn't him playing a role or baiting a hook—it was genuine sentiment.
Unexpectedly, this blend of real and feigned emotion only heightened He Jun's interest. Someone willing to share their background was essentially meeting sincerity with sincerity. He immediately poured more wine. "You must come from a distinguished family, brother? Your manners and speech are nothing like those rough folk."
This truly struck a nerve. Zheng Xiaoyu rarely discussed his background unless Elders or superiors asked. With ordinary people, he remained deliberately vague. Partly to avoid dredging up painful memories. Partly because his origins differed from most naturalized citizens—mentioning it might set him apart from his colleagues.
"I'm almost embarrassed to say—I came from a scholarly farming family." Zheng Xiaoyu sighed. "My ancestors once passed the provincial examination and held some local reputation. Unfortunately, my grandfather offended a local gentry member over a feng shui dispute, and our family was ruined. Some died, others fled. I drifted from place to place until I reached Guangzhou. If the Chiefs hadn't taken me in, I wouldn't be here today."
"I see." He Jun nodded. "Now you finally have a chance to turn things around!" He lowered his voice conspiratorially. "Now that the Australians are here, backgrounds don't matter—gentry, wealthy family, whatever. As long as you have money, that's what counts. You must seize this opportunity."
"Yes, yes. I'll need to rely on elder brother's guidance."
He Jun waved dismissively. "What are you saying? I need to rely on you!" His tone grew melancholy. "Though I have some ancestral property, in this Huizhou Prefecture I'm hardly considered wealthy. I scrape by on inherited holdings, but my family's burdens are heavy. Of my eight siblings, counting those who married out, my brothers all died young, one after another. The orphans and widows all depend on me. Otherwise, I would never... never..." He stopped abruptly and drained his cup. "Listen to me, spouting such dreary nonsense again."
Zheng Xiaoyu had already learned He Jun's background from Political Security. The man hadn't lied. Of his five brothers, only he survived. More than a dozen orphans and widows depended on him. Recently, one of his sisters had also passed away, and He Jun, unable to bear watching his nephews and nieces suffer, had taken them in to raise.
Even owning a pharmacy that made him one of Huizhou's wealthier residents, such crushing family burdens explained why he'd stake everything on such risky ventures.
Zheng Xiaoyu reflected: regardless of whether his actions were legal, He Jun's conduct alone revealed him as someone who valued family deeply. Honestly, if this weren't a performance, he'd be worth befriending. He felt a pang of secret regret, knowing that once this was exposed, He Jun's best outcome would be exile overseas.
He Jun, oblivious to these complex emotions, continued sighing to himself. "My Bailing Tang may call itself a century-old establishment, but in Huizhou it's just an ordinary raw medicine shop. The shopkeeper and clerks aren't particularly capable—just honest and loyal."
Zheng Xiaoyu said pointedly, "Elder brother's devotion to family, raising orphans single-handedly—that's admirable in itself. But though this business can make money, directly selling drugs outside proper channels might cause problems..."
"Don't worry, little brother. Since we're sworn brothers now, we're family—I won't hide anything from you." He Jun produced a small bottle. "These extracted medicines naturally can't be sold directly. They need to be repackaged."
The bottle was instantly recognizable. Zheng Xiaoyu looked and exclaimed, "Lushi Powder?!"
"Oh? You know this medicine?"
Zheng Xiaoyu hastily explained, "It's famous now. Sold everywhere in Guangzhou Prefecture. They say it's incredibly effective..."
"Hehe, this Lushi Powder was originally a patent medicine from the local Wanchun Quan—over a hundred years of history. The efficacy was nothing special. The reason they now say it's effective? Australian miracle drugs."
"So that's it!" Zheng Xiaoyu nodded repeatedly. "Dissolve the drugs and mix them in—completely concealed."
"Clever, brother!" He Jun nodded approvingly. "The trouble is, these Australian miracle drugs aren't easy to obtain—supplies are inconsistent. But with you joining us now, the future looks bright! Hahahaha."
Zheng Xiaoyu feigned surprise. "So elder brother isn't the one running this operation?"
He Jun laughed. "How could I, your foolish brother, manage something this big? I'll be honest: someone else is behind this business—someone with connections reaching to the heavens, extremely powerful." He seemed to realize he'd said too much and stopped abruptly. "There's plenty of time ahead. Just do your work well, little brother—you won't be shortchanged."
(End of Chapter)