I attained immortality through meditation in the Great Qian Dynasty.

Qian Defa's eyes rolled back, and he fainted from fright.

The bailiffs stepped forward, pinched his philtrum, and poured cold water on him.

He can't be killed yet; his crimes haven't been fully investigated.

Zhang Jing's gaze then turned to Brother Fu.

"As assassins, you accepted the job, so why did you fail and instead accuse your employer?"

The bat was terrified afterward.

"Your Excellency, we...we are no match for Doctor Zhao."

"My brother and I consider ourselves to be exceptionally skilled, but in front of Doctor Zhao, we couldn't even touch the hem of his clothes before he subdued us. Doctor Zhao... Doctor Zhao's methods are unpredictable and beyond belief. My brother and I are completely convinced."

Zhang Jing looked at Qian Defa, who had been woken up by being splashed with cold water.

"Qian Defa, your crimes of manufacturing and selling counterfeit drugs and murder for profit are already capital offenses! Now, with the addition of hiring a murderer, your crimes are even more serious!"

"Someone come here!"

"exist!"

The yamen runners echoed in unison.

"Place this scoundrel in the death row and keep him under strict guard! No one is allowed to visit him without my order!"

"yes!"

Qian Defa was taken away.

Zhang Jing gestured for everyone to be quiet.

"Immediately proceed to Huichuntang and seize all its properties! Inventory all substandard medicinal materials used for manufacturing counterfeit drugs, as well as all poisons related to profiteering and murder, and destroy them thoroughly to prevent future problems!"

"yes!"

All the yamen runners responded in unison.

Zhao Zian stepped forward.

"Lord Zhang, I am not very knowledgeable, but I have some understanding of the properties of medicinal herbs. I am willing to assist you officers in identifying medicinal herbs to avoid any mistakes that could lead to the destruction of good medicine or the oversight of poisonous substances."

Zhang Jing showed some concern.

"Brother Zian, you have already worked hard today. Why don't you go back to Jishetang and rest? You can leave this small matter to the yamen runners."

Zhao Zian shook his head slightly.

"My lord, destruction is certainly important, but there might be an unexpected bonus."

He lowered his voice.

"Although Qian Defa is a despicable man, he has been running a pharmacy for many years. Besides those harmful things, who knows if there aren't some good things in Huichuntang?"

Zhang Jing was incredibly clever.

"Since Brother Zian has this intention, I naturally grant it! Here's what we'll do: you take a few capable constables to Huichuntang to inventory all the medicinal herbs, good or bad, and move them all to Jishetang first. You can then carefully examine them before making any further decisions!"

"Thank you, sir!"

Zhao Zian bowed respectfully.

Zhang Jing gave instructions to several yamen runners.

"You lot, follow Doctor Zhao and obey his orders. Make sure you move every single piece of Huichuntang's medicinal herbs to Jishetang!"

"Yes, sir!"

Zhao Zian, accompanied by several yamen runners, headed straight for the medicine storehouse.

They saw the yamen runners and Zhao Zi'an enter.

"Get up, all of you! Open all the places where you store medicinal herbs at Huichuntang!"

A yamen runner shouted.

The medicinal materials in the medicine storehouse are of mixed quality.

"These, and these..."

Zhao Zian pointed to the medicinal herbs that were clearly problematic.

"Move them all out, pile them up, and we'll process them together later."

The constables did as instructed.

Zhao Zian realized that Qian Defa, that old fox, was extremely cunning!

He didn't just buy those inferior medicinal herbs.

To cover their tracks, they also bought a lot of genuine medicinal herbs that were of high quality and had good efficacy.

However, all these good medicinal herbs were piled up in a corner.

At first glance, it looks no different from scrap.

"Clean these out carefully, and put those piles over there separately."

The yamen runners moved the medicinal herbs that looked decent to the side.

Zhao Zian's mind started to wander.

If these medicinal herbs were confiscated directly, they would ultimately end up in the government granaries.

After being exploited at every level, the actual amount reaching the people is probably less than one in ten.

If he were to take it all for himself, even with Zhang Jing's approval, it would be too unseemly.

If word gets out, how will Jishetang be any different from Huichuntang, which took advantage of the chaos?

People's hearts need to be cultivated.

A good reputation is priceless.

He wanted to compile all these valuable medicinal herbs and, in the name of a joint effort between the government and Jishetang, distribute them free of charge to the poor people of Liuxi Town.

In this way, the people can truly benefit, and Huichuntang's evil deeds can be nailed to the pillar of shame.

The reputation of Jishetang for its benevolence and virtue will be passed down as a legend in Liuxi Town.

Killing three birds with one stone.

More importantly, this was tantamount to giving Magistrate Zhang Jing a political achievement for free.

Zhao Zian walked to Zhang Jing's side.

"Brother Zhang."

Zhang Jing turned around.

"Brother Zian."

Zhao Zian pointed to the pile of top-quality medicinal herbs.

"Brother Zhang, look at these medicinal herbs, they are all of excellent quality. They are the blood and sweat of the people that Qian Defa plundered, they should never have belonged to him."

Zhang Jing nodded slightly.

"What does my brother mean?"

"What I mean is, what is taken from the people should be used for the people."

Zhao Zian's eyes were clear.

"I am not very talented, but I would like to make these medicinal herbs into decoctions, pills and powders, and distribute them free of charge to the poor families in Liuxi Town in the name of you, Brother Zhang, the magistrate of Liuxi Town."

"What?"

Zhang Jing was stunned.

He originally thought that Zhao Zian wanted to keep these medicinal materials for himself and enrich the medicine storehouse of Jishetang, which was understandable.

But he never expected that Zhao Zian would have such a broad mind.

We must share this prize we've already won with all the people in the town.

They even wanted to claim the credit for themselves!

Zhang Jing's voice even changed slightly.

"Brother Zi'an...you...you really are..."

A thousand words can be summed up in one sentence.

"Brother, I am deeply grateful for your kindness!"

Zhao Zian smiled slightly.

"Brother Zhang, you flatter me. We are brothers, why should we distinguish between each other? You are an upright official, and I am a compassionate doctor. If we join forces, we will surely make Liuxi Town a place with clearer skies and more peaceful people."

"Good! Well said!"

Zhang Jinghao was filled with boundless enthusiasm.

"As you say, my brother! I will immediately have the clerk draft a notice and post it throughout the town! Jishetang will manufacture the medicine, and the county government will distribute it; we must make this a great thing that will be applauded by all the townspeople!"

The two looked at each other and smiled.

After taking inventory of the main warehouse, Zhao Zian's gaze swept over the corner of the medicine storehouse.

Something seems off there.

He walked over without making a sound.

There were some medicine cabinets piled up in the corner, and they looked like they hadn't been touched for a long time.

He pushed open a medicine cabinet, revealing a wall behind it.

Zhao Zian reached out and tapped on the wall.

The sound was crisp; it was hollow!

He concentrated his inner energy at his fingertips and pressed down.

The wall brick had actually sunk in.

A dark entrance, barely wide enough for one person to pass through, was revealed.

That old fox Qian Defa is indeed hiding a secret!

Zhao Zian gave an order to the yamen runners guarding the door.

"There might be poisonous substances hidden inside. You stay outside and keep watch."

"Yes, Doctor Zhao!"

The yamen runners naturally obeyed their orders.

Zhao Zian entered the secret room.

The secret room was small, only about three or four square meters.

On the shelf lay five jade boxes, each about the size of a palm.

Zhao Zian picked up a jade box.

A surge of pure energy burst forth.

He stared intently into the box.

There was only a small, bright red plant.

"Crimson Flame Grass! A hundred-year-old Crimson Flame Grass!"

He whispered.