Chapter 17

“The little servant following Li Tianyan seems a bit unfamiliar. I don’t recall ever seeing him before,” Mu Nanfeng, who had been silent until now, suddenly spoke.

Thinking of the shuanger he accidentally saw just now, although it was just a profile, Mu Nanfeng was amazed by his appearance. Li Tianyan was truly a very prodigal guy; even the servants around him were so beautiful.

“He actually brought a little shuanger servant with him when he went out. Li Tianyan is really becoming more and more extravagant,” Jian Yuhao’s attention was on Li Tianyan and didn’t pay attention to the people around him. When he heard Mu Nanfeng talk about the little servant, Jian Yuhao said with a smile on his face.

Cheng Si had many admirers and had always been used to being supported by others. When she noticed Mu Nanfeng’s tone mentioning the little shuanger, she felt a little uncomfortable. If she saw it correctly, the person just now was probably not a servant.@@novelbin@@

“Actually, that’s my seventh brother, who recently got married to Li Tianyan,” Cheng Si remembered meeting Cheng Qi in Cheng Mansion before. The other person was timid with long hair covering his face. If he hadn’t seen the shuanger on his left side just now, he wore a mask to cover his eyes, and Cheng Si almost didn’t recognize him.

“You said that shuanger is Li Tianyan’s newly married wife? Didn’t you mean that shuanger… isn’t good-looking,” Mu Nanfeng was about to say ugly, but then remembered this shuanger was Cheng Si’s younger brother, so he changed his wording.

“The rumors outside are naturally inaccurate. The seventh brother was only born with a birthmark on his left eye. It is not as bad as others said,” Cheng Si kindly defended his brother.

Mu Nanfeng suddenly lost interest after hearing this. “I see, it’s a pity.”

Cheng Si felt a little better when he saw Mu Nanfeng’s attitude changed. Although the Mu family was not ranked among the four major families, not long ago, an elder of the Mu family was promoted to the seventh level of warrior, which was already on par with the Guan family who ranked fourth, and should also have a place in the future.

Mu Nanfeng was the eldest son of the Mu family, and his strength was at the sixth level of the acquired warrior. After Li Tianzhou, he was the one she was optimistic about, so how could she let an ugly creature like Cheng Qi stole Mu Nanfeng’s attention.

In the past, there were only rumors about Cheng Qi’s appearance. Today, Cheng Si’s words confirmed them. A shuanger with a birthmark on his left eye looked like a yaksha. Everyone laughed in their hearts after hearing this.

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Li Tianyan didn’t anticipate that Cheng Si’s casual remarks would spare Cheng Qi from trouble. After leaving the restaurant, he took Cheng Qi and Li Wu to Sunhe Medicine Hall.

“Shopkeeper, I need the medicinal materials listed here,” Li Tianyan said, handing over a list detailing types and quantities of medicinal items.

The shopkeeper took the prescription, but a peculiar expression crossed his face. “Sir, please don’t tease me. I’ve never seen the medicinal materials listed on this prescription.”

“Impossible, you clearly have them in your store; I can smell it,” Li Tianyan asserted, entering to confirm the availability of the items he sought.

Hearing this, the shopkeeper looked at him with increasing bewilderment. Finally, he tactfully suggested, “Sir, you might want to check other medicine shops.”

Frowning, Li Tianyan’s gaze fell on the medicine cabinet behind him. Observing different names of medicinal materials on each shelf, he grasped the issue. “Shopkeeper, may I borrow a pen and paper?”

“Take it, use it as you need,” the shopkeeper replied, handing over the writing tools.

Li Tianyan stood on the counter, sniffed, discerned the desired items from the array of medicinal scents, and then crafted a new prescription list based on the marked names on the medicine cabinet.

“Shopkeeper, I’m looking for your pharmacist Sun.”

Just as Li Tianyan handed the new prescription to the shopkeeper, a flamboyant man entered with a servant. The shopkeeper, recognizing him, sighed, “Young Master Guan is truly unlucky. Pharmacist Sun is currently away.”

“Went away? That’s fine; I’ll wait for him here.” After Guan Haoran spoke, he settled into a chair in the medicine hall, indicating he wouldn’t leave until someone appeared.

“Young master Guan, Pharmacist Sun is on an extended journey this time. He won’t be back for ten and a half days. You should return in a few days,” the shopkeeper explained, wearing an even sadder expression.

This man had an unspecified ailment, and despite consulting various pharmacists in Jincheng, none could provide a cure. The Guan family had now resorted to threats, vowing to tarnish the reputation of any pharmacist unable to remedy the condition. Understandably, few dared to intervene easily.

“You gave me the same excuse last time I came. You want to deceive me again. If I don’t see him today, I won’t leave,” Guan Haoran snorted, clearly skeptical of the shopkeeper’s words.

Before the shopkeeper could respond, Guan Haoran’s attention shifted to several people in the medicine hall. “Isn’t this third young master Li? I heard you attempted suicide by poison, yet here you are, alive.”

Li Tianyan smiled indifferently and replied, “Indeed, the fortune teller predicted great fortune for me. However, young master Guan has been using aphrodisiac drugs from a young age. In the future, I’m afraid…”

Li Tianyan glanced meaningfully at Guan Haoran but didn’t elaborate further.

The Guan family, ranked fourth in Jincheng, had only one member in this generation—Guan Haoran. Although the family possessed numerous treasures, Guan Haoran wasn’t much better than Li Tianyan. At almost seventeen, he was merely a second-level warrior.

In the past, Li Tianyan and Guan Haoran, both second-generation heirs in Jincheng, would engage in sarcastic banter whenever they met. Despite their dislike for each other, these exchanges usually ended after a few insults.

However, compared to Li Tianyan’s deliberately crafted status by Madam Li, the young master of the Guan family was a genuine golden boy. Judging by his attire, Li Tianyan couldn’t compare.

“What nonsense are you talking about? When did I take that kind of medicine?” Guan Haoran blushed at Li Tianyan’s words and retorted.

Li Tianyan sniffed and began listing the names of several medicines, “Yang Wind, Spiritual Deer, and Fire Chestnut—all for replenishing yang energy. The strong smell lingering in your body suggests you’ve taken a significant amount. Quite unusual for someone with varying vitality.”

“You can’t even be considered a warrior, so why pretend to be a pharmacist?” Li Tianyan divulged details about his illness, and Guan Haoran, feigning composure, sneered inwardly.

He secretly cursed the unscrupulous pharmacist who exposed his affairs, determined to find out who it was and make them regret it.

“The so-called warriors have specializations. Although I’m not skilled in martial arts, I’m proficient in pharmacology. That’s more than enough to be a pharmacist,” Li Tianyan said, seemingly jesting.

Li Wu, standing nearby, felt a sense of shame upon hearing this. How could he not know that his young master was also adept in pharmacology? Did he truly learn it in the underworld?

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At this moment, the shopkeeper handed over the bill to Li Tianyan and said, “Young master Li, everything you requested has been packed. The total is 302 taels, so I’ll charge you 300 taels of silver.”

“So expensive?” Li Tianyan couldn’t help but frown. He had brought out all his belongings, thinking that over a hundred taels would suffice, but a few pairs of medicinal materials amounted to three hundred taels. It posed a problem.

“Did the shopkeeper miscalculate? What kind of medicinal materials cost so much money?” Li Wu quickly stepped forward to negotiate.

Knowing his young master’s financial situation well, Li Wu doubted they could afford three hundred taels. In the past, when money was abundant, Li Tianyan spent lavishly. Now, with reduced income, he likely couldn’t even come up with two hundred taels.

“Other medicinal materials aren’t worth much, but the century-old golden bone grass is precious, akin to a semi-miraculous medicine. Hence, the price is high,” the shopkeeper explained.

Li Wu, perplexed by the situation, attempted to negotiate with the medicine hall’s shopkeeper. “We didn’t bring so much money when we went out. Can the shopkeeper offer a discount?”

“Our medicine hall is reputable, not a questionable establishment, and our prices are fixed. Bargaining is not allowed,” the shopkeeper sternly replied upon hearing Li Wu’s plea about a discount.

Today seemed to be an unfortunate day for these two young masters. One struggled with an incurable ailment, while the other, more audacious, had already ordered the medicine before counting his money.

Cheng Qi, observing the scene, seemingly understood the predicament. He reached into his front pocket and retrieved a bright yellow talisman, offering it to the shopkeeper. “Can I exchange this with you?”