Daming: Internship also counts as work experience

Chapter 147 Kaifeng Herbal Medicine Collection Bureau
Liu Mian frowned and asked, "It's not difficult for you to know something from books, but since no one has spoken, how do you know about their relationship with the King of Han..."

"Whether Kaifeng is related to the King of Han still needs to be investigated in detail. When I arrive at the herb-gathering bureau, the first thing I need to do is confirm that King Ding of Zhou does indeed have some rare herbs. Only by finding a way to confirm the medicinal properties of these herbs can I know whether this herb-gathering bureau is worth the King of Han's attention..."

"You recognize herbs?" Gao Yuntian couldn't help but ask.

“I don’t recognize it, but I heard that there are illustrations in Zhou Dingwang’s book. Besides, I don’t know anything about herbs, but I can’t hide a lie from anyone. Let’s do it this way. Once the Imperial Hospital has drafted the purchase order, we can set off openly and honestly! I’ll go to the palace and tell the Emperor.”

Liu Mian opened his mouth, then closed it again.

Jia Chuan saw this out of the corner of his eye and said sincerely, "If it weren't for me, I wouldn't be able to manage this task. But with me, Commander Liu, rest assured. If it succeeds, the credit will be shared by everyone. If it fails, the blame will be mine alone. Commander Liu, please don't blame me for taking on so much. The future is uncertain, but the fact that the Emperor has asked me to do this means it's no simple matter."

As he spoke, Jia Chuan gave a wry smile and said:
"Regardless of my true abilities, in the Emperor's eyes I am quite capable. I have some connections with Commander Liu and Vice Commissioner Xu. I would never let others take the blame for what I have done, and similarly, I would never agree to let others take the fall for what they have done. So, Commander Liu, please don't blame me. I don't know what awaits me in Kaifeng, but I will definitely stand at the forefront of everyone."

Gao Yuntian and Chen Mo both breathed a sigh of relief. Liu Mian even said some seemingly scolding but actually caring nonsense, like an elder.

Jia Chuan felt that Zhang Zheng was right that day. It was a mistake to think that being friends with a Jinyiwei deputy was a mistake, and the same would be true for Liu Mian. Since that was the case, it was better to be frank and just hope that there would be no grudges and that he would not cause trouble for him in the future. Everything else was nonsense.

……

Jia Chuan went to the palace again, and Zhu Zhanji reiterated his purpose: the Embroidered Uniform Guard was there to investigate the "unusual activities" of the Prince of Zhou's residence, while Jia Chuan was there to investigate the herbal medicine bureau to see if it had any dealings with the Prince of Han's residence. These were two separate matters. The Embroidered Uniform Guard's trip was intended to intimidate, so it could be done openly. But if Jia Chuan hadn't gone undercover, how could he have found out the truth?

Just like Liu Mian thought.

Jia Chuan felt that they were so caught up in the struggle for and consolidation of imperial power that their vision had become blurred. How could they possibly investigate such a matter secretly? If they could really investigate secretly, the Embroidered Uniform Guard would have done it. In the end, they just wanted to get rich quick. They wanted to intimidate the vassal kings, take this opportunity to add charges against the Prince of Han, and also clean up the people left behind by the Emperor in the harem... They wanted too much and were worried about unforeseen changes. That's when Zhu Zhanji thought of Jia Chuan, who was the reborn Sai Zilong. Maybe he could create another miracle.

Jia Chuan further explained the meaning of "dealing with whatever comes his way." He didn't need to worry about whether it was overt or covert. He was just using the identity of the deputy director of the Imperial Medical Academy's pharmacy to establish himself in the herb collection bureau. Once the first step was taken, thinking too much about the rest would be useless and would only restrict his actions and hinder his work.

Zhu Zhanji thought this made sense, so he allowed Jia Chuan to act according to the circumstances.

As Jia Chuan was leaving, he suddenly seemed to remember something and said to Zhu Zhanji, "After I finish this job, could you let me rest for a month or two so I can settle down?"

Zhu Zhanji thought for a moment and said, "This time when you go to Kaifeng, Miss Gao doesn't need to come with you. After you finish your business, you can use your month or so of leave to spend time with her."

"forget it!"

Zhu Zhanji then added, “Once the errand is finished, I will allow you to go to Zhangde to visit my third uncle on my behalf. If he is willing to go out with you, then go. But if any gossip comes out... I have a younger sister who is waiting to be married.”

Jia Chuan stormed out of the palace.

……

On the eleventh day of the first lunar month, a group of people left the city gate at dawn and headed straight for the southwest.

Jia Chuan was still surrounded by the same group of people, except that he was escorted by more than a dozen Imperial Guards.

Jia Chuan didn't have much foresight about what was about to happen. Unlike investigating a case, where he could at least review the known information along the way, there was no point in overthinking things before his trip to Kaifeng. What kind of person was the current King Zhou? Who were the people in the herb-gathering bureau? Would the King of Han make one last desperate attempt before he died?
These are all things that Jia Chuan cannot control or understand at the moment, and thinking about them would only exhaust him. It would be better to sit in the carriage and chat with Duo Duo. However, the presence of Dong Yuanyuan, who is like a big-bellied Maitreya Buddha, is always by his side, and Jia Chuan cannot move her, which is indeed a bit of a hassle.

Although the journey was long and the wind was biting, it was worth it because it made me feel mentally healthy, and I even got to celebrate the Lantern Festival on the way.

That afternoon, as the gate tower of Kaifeng Prefecture appeared and disappeared, the Embroidered Uniform Guard received news that Zhu Youxun, the second son of Prince Zhou Ding and Prince of Runan, had died suddenly the previous day.

As Jia Chuan rode his horse, he subconsciously pulled on the reins. Was this a gift being presented to him?

He remembered Zhu Youxun. Zhang Zheng had introduced him before. This man had a similar personality to Zhu Zhanqi. Both of them had a history of reporting their relatives. But Zhu Youxun was much luckier than Zhu Zhanqi. At least after Zhu Zhanqi was demoted to a commoner and exiled after reporting his relatives, he was granted amnesty and returned. Besides, the position of heir apparent was not originally his. If he couldn't be the Prince of Zhou, he could continue to be the Prince of Runan.

Jia Chuan had already suspected that the "strange movements" mentioned repeatedly in the secret letters that the current Prince Zhou, Zhu Youxun's brother Zhu Youdun, mentioned to the Emperor were related to this person. However, before he could even start investigating the strange movements, Zhu Youxun stopped moving. No, shouldn't Zhu Youxun be in the capital?

Jia Chuan frowned and asked, "Let's first find out how Zhu Youxun ended up in Kaifeng?"

Chen Mo said, "The Emperor issued an edict before the New Year allowing him to return to Kaifeng."

"Why did he come back?"

"How would I know? But I do know about this."

Jia Chuan let out a long breath, and the white mist he exhaled dissipated in the wind.

Chen Mo asked, "After entering the city, do you want to go to the herb-gathering station first or to examine the body first?"

Jia Chuan looked up at the sky and said, "It's this late, I'm not going anywhere. You take Old Zheng over there and take a look. If it wasn't a natural death, Old Zheng can tell. I'll talk about it after I go to the herb-gathering bureau tomorrow."

……

In Kaifeng, outside the Nanxun Gate, Jia Chuan rode his horse and looked up at this ancient city that had witnessed many changes. He silently calculated in his mind that it must have been about three hundred years ago... Back then, this land was called 'Song'.

The blue bricks on the city wall had long since lost their former crimson and purple hues, leaving only a mottled grayish-brown. Occasionally, withered vines could be seen in the cracks, like the blue veins on the back of an old man's hand. Jia Chuan couldn't help but feel a sense of melancholy. He looked at Chen Mo, who was talking to the soldiers guarding the city. Just then, Chen Mo put away his waist token, turned his head and looked at him, and said, "Enter the city!"

Jia Chuan felt a surge of excitement and urged his horse forward.

The light had dimmed by then. The group passed through the city gate and could vaguely see the low houses inside the city and the glazed roof of the Xiangguo Temple in the distance... Jia Chuan took a deep breath. In his previous life, he had wanted to visit Kaifeng, but he never had the chance. He never expected to come here in this life. He was a little excited, but as he slowly blended into the city, Jia Chuan exhaled and thought, "So be it."

A gust of cold wind blew by, and Jia Chuan shrank his neck. He then saw that Chen Mo had already met up with the people waiting in front of the city gate.

Jia Chuan turned to look at the carriages passing through the city gate, thinking that if every trip was like this, without any surprises, it wouldn't hurt to go on a few more trips. Chen Mo finished exchanging pleasantries with the people who were picking him up and turned to introduce him to Jia Chuan: "This is Commander Lu. He's the one who arranged our food, clothing, lodging, and transportation in Kaifeng."

Jia Chuan said "Thank you for your trouble" and bowed to Lu Baihu.

After everyone had passed through the city gate, Commander Lu led the way, and the group headed straight for their lodgings.

Lu Baihu explained that he had booked the entire inn. The front of the inn was a two-story building for the Imperial Guards to stay in, and the back had two small courtyards for the women and a few officials to rest in.

The inn is very close to the Imperial Street, making it convenient for daily commutes to the herb-gathering bureau, and it is also close to the Prince's Mansion, making it convenient for the Embroidered Uniform Guard to carry out their duties.

It was already dark, and a cold wind was blowing. Jia Chuan hunched his shoulders, only thinking about getting to the inn to warm up as soon as possible, and had no more interest in appreciating the ancient city.

……

Once they arrived at the inn and everything was arranged, after the group had eaten, Jia Chuan realized that he had misjudged the time. He thought that after entering the city at dusk and having a meal, he could go to examine Zhu Youxun's body without delay. But when it came time, he realized that it was already late in the morning.

Could Zhu Youxun really be buried overnight?
So Jia Chuan told everyone to rest and that everything else could wait until tomorrow.

The next morning, Lu Baihu was waiting in the inn lobby, ready to take Jia Chuan to the herb-gathering bureau.

Jia Chuan's arrangement was this: Chen Mo would take the Imperial Guards and Old Zheng to the Prince of Zhou's residence, where the Prince of Zhou would naturally arrange for someone to take them to visit Zhu Youxun. Gao Yuntian would change into civilian clothes and go with him to the herb-gathering bureau. Although it was a bit of a waste of time, Jia Chuan felt that putting on a show was a sign of respect for his opponent. As for who his opponent was, he didn't know yet.

The horse's hooves clattered on the snow-covered cobblestones. Jia Chuan straightened his back, his eyes darting around at the scenery. This once magnificent capital, Bianliang, though no longer as splendid as depicted in the painting "Along the River During the Qingming Festival," still retained some of the charm of the past dynasty, like an old book soaked in rain, its ink faded but its essence intact.

Lu Baihu deliberately took a detour past the Daxiangguo Temple, where he saw a throng of worshippers in front of the temple gate. Jia Chuan hurriedly asked, "Is today an auspicious day? Will my wishes come true if I offer incense?"

Lu Baihu waved his hand and said, "In the depths of winter, colds are most prevalent, but before the end of the first month, unless absolutely necessary, no one will go to the pharmacy. Instead, everyone comes here to burn incense and pray to the Bodhisattva for protection. Don't be fooled by the large number of people here; poor people can't come and don't have the money to go to the pharmacy. It's just a matter of whether their time has come according to the King of Hell's Book of Life and Death."

Jia Chuan sighed.

"The herb-gathering bureau is just west of the state bridge ahead," Lu Baihu added.

Jia Chuan nodded.

……

To Jia Chuan's surprise, the pharmacy, founded by Prince Ding of Zhou during the Yongle era, was even more imposing than any government office he had ever seen. Two stone lions, covered in snow, stood proudly guarding the entrance, and on the left stood a stele inscribed with "Procured by Imperial Decree," with the plaque reading: "Saving Lives and Helping the World."

The courtyard wall was more than a foot higher than that of ordinary government offices...

"Vice Envoy Jia has come from afar, and Ambassador Zhou Cheng of the Herbal Medicine Bureau has failed to greet you properly."

As Jia Chuan was looking at the building, he heard a noise and quickly looked towards the gate. A man who looked to be around fifty years old, with a plump figure and shrewdness in the wrinkles around his eyes, was bowing to him, with half of a sandalwood prayer bead peeking out from his sleeve.

Jia Chuan was able to recognize that the man was wearing sandalwood thanks to the guidance of Gao Yuntian and Chen Mo over the past few days. Jia Chuan had heard of and seen this kind of thing in his previous life, but it was different from what Chen Mo and Gao Yuntian showed him. It seemed that most of the things he had seen in his previous life were fakes.

When Chen Mo and Gao Yuntian were showing Jia Chuan about his knowledge of high-end consumption, they really showed him a lot of nice things. As for where they came from, Jia Chuan didn't ask, but he did ask, "Why not use Phoebe zhennan wood to make bracelets?" At that time, Chen Mo snorted and said that only someone who didn't care about their life would make them and wear them. Gao Yuntian explained that Phoebe zhennan wood was a material used by the royal family. Unless it was a reward, who would dare to use it?

But agarwood is something that only wealthy people can obtain.

When Jia Chuan saw this man, the word "greasy" flashed through his mind. He even imagined that this man had a gold chain around his neck, a blue dragon tattooed on his arm, and occasionally a gold tooth when he laughed...

"Jia Chuan, Deputy Commissioner of the Imperial Medical Academy's Pharmaceutical Storehouse, greets Ambassador Zhou." Jia Chuan also bowed in greeting.

Previously, Jia Chuan thought that becoming a county magistrate in Xian County was the lowest official position he could possibly hold at this stage. Even if the position in the Imperial Medical Academy's pharmacy was low, it was still a client position. However, after inquiring more carefully, he learned that the local pharmacy bureau also had official positions. The ambassador was a sixth-rank official, and because he was involved in the supply of medicines to the Imperial Medical Academy and the royal family, he actually had a lot of prestige in the officialdom. In particular, this pharmacy bureau, which was established by a prince, also took charge of local pharmacy administration, and its power was much greater than that of an ordinary sixth-rank official. It is said that this Ambassador Zhou treated the officials of the Provincial Administration Commission with the same courtesy, which shows his prestige.

Jia Chuan's rank is even lower than Zhou Cheng's, so it's always better to be polite.

Zhou Cheng smiled and gestured for them to proceed, leading the way on the left. As they walked, he asked, "In previous years, the purchase of medicinal herbs in the spring was always in February. Why are you here so early this year?"

"Oh, I mentioned to the Emperor that there are good medicines in Yunnan, so the Emperor asked me to come and see them."

Jia Chuan spoke casually, but Zhou Cheng almost tripped over his own feet.

"Ambassador Zhou, please be careful." Jia Chuan offered a helping hand, showing great concern.

Zhou Cheng glanced at Jia Chuan inquisitively, then quickly put on a smiling face and said, "A batch of good goods from southern Yunnan really did arrive before the New Year. Vice Envoy Jia, come with me."

Jia Chuan followed Zhou Cheng without saying another word.

Passing through three courtyards, the aroma of herbs grows stronger. After crossing another threshold, the drying ground comes into view.

Dozens of herbalists were sorting medicinal herbs in the drying yard. Zhou Cheng explained, "The cold hasn't dissipated yet, so these are the only people working here. Once it gets warmer in the spring, there will be many more people here."

Jia Chuan nodded and continued to follow Zhou Cheng.

After passing the drying ground and then the central warehouse, Jia Chuan saw several clerks checking account books with someone. When they saw Zhou Cheng coming over, they quickly closed the book and bowed.

Zhou Cheng pretended not to see anything, led Jia Chuan through the central courtyard, and went straight to a door covered with iron and wood. He said, "This is a warehouse that was newly built last year." As he spoke, he pushed the door open forcefully, and a medicinal fragrance wafted out.

(End of this chapter)