Qiu Zu: From an apprentice in a medicine shop to an immortal ancestor.

Wonderful!

Seeing the look of disbelief on Manager Kang's face, Qiu Zhen felt as refreshed as drinking ice water on a sweltering summer day.

Having awakened his Primordial Spirit Dharma Body, he wasn't desperate for this opportunity.

As long as he honed his martial arts skills and became a Martial Master, he would attract the attention of the higher-ups in the Medicine King Valley, without needing to scheme or curry favor.

But Manager Kang's deliberate suppression was a different matter entirely.

By now, he had figured out the situation.

Among the four apprentices, there was one spot not reserved for a "connection," and Manager Kang had given it to Qian Youcai, who was skilled in preparing herbs, honest, and unassuming, rather than to him, who was recognized as the best at preparing herbs.

He could understand Manager Kang's intentions.

It was simply to prevent him from rising above his station, to keep him as a beast of burden under Manager Kang's control for life, working diligently and without complaint.

The selfishness and malice of his intentions were obvious.

Qiu Zhen sighed inwardly, his heart stirred, but in the context of the entire Green Wood Pharmacy, it was just a minor episode, insignificant.

Before long, Shopkeeper Liu greeted Apothecary An and his group with a smile, leading them to the main hall in the backyard for a warm reception.

Manager Kang stayed behind, not participating in the banquet.

His expression was gloomy and emotionless, but when he walked up to Qiu Zhen, his expression shifted slightly, revealing a forced smile:

"Qiu Zhen, do you know Attendant An?"

Attendant An?

Qiu Zhen's heart stirred slightly.

The "Attendant An" that Manager Kang spoke of was clearly not Apothecary An, but the middle-aged man who had bought his medicinal herbs that morning.

The man was obviously a butler or servant of "Apothecary An," yet he was also an "attendant" in the Medicine King Valley.

The Medicine King Valley was divided into apprentices, disciples, attendants, branch leaders, hall masters, and elders.

The hierarchy was conventional, similar to many Jianghu gangs and sects, with minor differences.

Attendants were in the middle ranks of the sect.

If they were sent out, they would be pharmacy managers, at the same level as Shopkeeper Liu.

No wonder Shopkeeper Liu was so respectful, even subservient, to Apothecary An.

While surprised, Qiu Zhen quickly guessed the reason for Manager Kang's approach.

He wanted to probe his background.

"We met by chance."

Qiu Zhen sneered inwardly, adding:

"Attendant An highly approves of my herb-processing skills, showing great favor and appreciation."

He was telling the truth.

Attendant An was willing to pay eight hundred coins for medicinal herbs worth six or seven hundred coins, which naturally meant he recognized his herb-processing skills.

However, in his words, he embellished and added the phrase "showing great favor and appreciation," leaving room for endless speculation.

As expected.

Manager Kang was unsure what to make of it, gave an awkward smile, and didn't say much.

He shouted at the surrounding apprentices:

"Hurry up and get to work!"

After scolding the apprentices, Manager Kang led Qiu Zhen, Kang Yaoming, and others to pack up and arrange the handover of duties.

At noon.

Attendant An, who had finished attending the banquet, came to pick them up, taking them out of the Green Wood Pharmacy to a two-courtyard residence in the east of the city.

"My name is An Kang.

You can call me Attendant An or Chief Steward An, either is fine."

An Kang smiled kindly and approached the five of them:

"Borrowing you from the pharmacy to work for my young master won't be to your disadvantage.

In the future, your monthly salary will be paid by the An family, with a 50% increase for each of you!"

"Thank you, Attendant An!"

Hearing this, Qian Youcai was overjoyed and very excited.

Liu Chun, Kang Yaoming, and Li Kui looked much calmer, clearly indicating that the three "connections" weren't simply there to earn copper coins.

Qiu Zhen also didn't feel much emotion.

His monthly salary was 1,200 coins.

A 50% increase would make it 1,800 coins, nearly two strings of coins, which was definitely a high salary in Green Wood Town, but the "spiritual herbs and precious medicines" he currently craved cost dozens or hundreds of taels of silver.

This little bit of money was a drop in the bucket.

He couldn't get rich by working.

"Mm."

Seeing everyone salute, An Kang nodded slightly, then said:

"The An family is temporarily settling in Green Wood Town, and we don't have a medicine-making room yet.

For now, you'll work in this courtyard.

There won't be much to do on weekdays.

Work when there are herbs to be processed, and rest when you're not busy."

After speaking, An Kang pointed to the direction of the study in the courtyard and instructed:

"Some of my young master's collection of books is in the study for the time being.

No open flames are allowed around it.

If there's a fire, forget about the herbs and save the books first."

An Kang thought for a moment and added:

"If you want to read the books, you can enter the study, but you must cherish and protect them, and not damage them."

"Yes!"

Everyone nodded in agreement.

An Kang acted decisively.

After giving his instructions, he dismissed everyone, leaving only Qiu Zhen behind.

"Young Brother Qiu, you and I are destined to meet."

Qiu Zhen remembered the scene of the herb collector praising him as a "Medicine King Valley herb-processing master" in front of An Kang and felt a little embarrassed:

"Chief Steward An, I'm making a fool of myself."

"They didn't exaggerate.

You are indeed very good."

An Kang's eyes showed admiration.

Just now, after he gave his instructions, those apprentices still called him "Attendant An."

In fact, he didn't care about the Medicine King Valley's titles.

An family's chief steward was his real job, the identity he was most proud of.

Understanding people's words was also a kind of knowledge.

It was much easier to talk to this kind of person.

"I'm very curious about your method of stir-frying with soil."

After speaking, An Kang thought of something and added:

"If it's presumptuous, then forget it.

Pretend I didn't mention it, and don't feel obligated or burdened."

In fact, with his herb-processing skills, he could also process white atractylodes slices with extremely low warm-dryness, such as by adding other auxiliary materials, but the cost would be higher and not worth it.

Qiu Zhen could process it and sell it for money, so his method was obviously very clever and cost very little.

It might be his unique technique for making money.

If he didn't say it, it would be understandable.

"You're too kind."

Qiu Zhen smiled, his goodwill towards An Kang increasing.

He had seen in the pharmacy that Apothecary An was initially impatient and unwilling to ask for another "apprentice," not wanting to waste effort on such trivial matters.

It was Chief Steward An who said something again that made him agree.

It was not difficult to guess that his "soil-stir-frying method" might be the reason.

He had previously lamented that he had studied and specialized in herb-processing techniques, working hard for so long, but hadn't found a use for them.

Who knew that his past efforts would come in handy someday.

In fact, Qiu Zhen didn't keep his herb-processing techniques a secret.

In the past, when Skinny Monkey Shen Liang and Big Head Zhao Dou asked him for advice, he had always been forthcoming.

It was just that they found it troublesome and were unwilling to pursue excellence.

"Chief Steward An, it's a method I came up with myself.

The soil used for soil-stir-frying is hearth soil, which has been calcined by intense fire for a long time.

It's much better for soil-stir-frying than aged wall soil or east-facing wall soil, and it's also easy to obtain."

"So that's how it is!"

An Kang was also a master of herb-processing.

Hearing this, he immediately vaguely understood the wonders of it, and it clicked instantly:

"Wonderful! What a brilliant method!"

After praising him, An Kang and Qiu Zhen discussed and exchanged ideas about herb-processing techniques.

Then, looking eager to try, An Kang hurriedly left.

With An Kang gone, only the five apprentices were left in the courtyard.

This courtyard was quite large, with six rooms in the east and west wings.

All five people didn't have to compete for rooms.

They each found a room to settle their belongings.

Afterward, the apprentices gathered in the courtyard, staring at each other.

An Kang hadn't assigned them any work today.

They had nothing to do and were very idle.

Kang Yaoming couldn't help but sigh:

"Apothecary An doesn't live here, and even Attendant An doesn't live here.

Just the five of us.

I'm afraid the An family's servants are responsible for small matters like transporting medicinal herbs.

This is bad, this is bad, this is a bad sign."

Liu Chun also sighed:

"Who says it isn't?

We've really come to work and earn money."

"What can we do?"

Li Kui said with a wry smile:

"Fortunately, the salary is a little higher."

Qian Youcai looked blank:

"Ah ~ Aren't we here to work and earn money?"

"Heh heh ~"

Seeing the four people talking, Qiu Zhen couldn't help but find it amusing.

He could guess the thoughts of Kang, Liu, and Li.

They simply wanted to meet a benefactor and gain some opportunities.

Unfortunately, Apothecary An's level was too high.

They were just a group of pharmacy apprentices, ordinary and unremarkable, with nothing worth Apothecary An's attention.

They were fundamentally people from two different worlds.

Even Shopkeeper Liu probably wasn't good enough.

If it weren't because he was the head of the Green Wood Pharmacy and a local leader of the Medicine King Valley, he probably wouldn't have been able to invite Apothecary An to attend the banquet.

Qiu Zhen originally had similar thoughts, but he wasn't as strong or persistent as the other three, and he didn't feel disappointed.

On the contrary, he was in a very good mood right now.

Immediately, his gaze turned to the study in the courtyard.

Apothecary An's collection of books…

"What a great benefit!"

Qiu Zhen was delighted.

The An family was temporarily settling in Green Wood Town, with many belongings and countless details, which was why some of their collection of books was temporarily placed in this courtyard.

In a few days, the opportunity would be gone.

Right now, what he lacked most was knowledge.

Any knowledge was useful to him.

Apothecary An's collection of books was a treasure trove to him.