Chapter 324: A Letter with Ornate Patterns

A Letter with Ornate Patterns

To the Most Reverend Grand Master of the Order of the Holy Hospital, the Compassionate and Pious, the Future Baron Wood, Honorary Knight, Professor of the Medical Schools at Rivers University and Dunling University, Pioneer in Pulmonary, Cardiac, and Anesthetic Surgery, Chairman of the Tuberculosis and Rare Disease Medical Society, Distinguished Physician, Intimate Ally of the Higo Family, My Dear Friend:

Most Reverend Friend, seeing this letter is like seeing you. At this moment, your caravan should already be walking beyond the reach of the glory of the Cathedral of the Mother, may the Heavenly Father bless you and your family, carrying wisdom and insight to the lands He personally consecrated.

If the delivery caravan proceeds smoothly, all the goods reserved before departure await you, including thirty-five types of custom metals, leather tools and their variant sets, over twenty fine pure silver syringes, and five boxes of custom white glass containers.

Given the large quantity and the possibility of unavoidable losses, please verify the types and quantities in person according to the specific list to ensure accuracy.

If there are unavoidable transport damages or model size errors, please explain them in your reply; the fastest replenishment will be expedited and delivered within two months.

Regarding our shared medicine and medical device business, thanks to the introduction of new therapies and equipment, the profits are quite considerable. This quarter's share has been partially converted into Westminster gold coins as required, with the remainder brought in silver coins; the details are also in the attached list after this letter.

About one-quarter of the profits come from the sales of the "Cardiac Stimulant Mixture" at Dr. Dai Wei's clinic, along with regular usage guidance and consultation services; recorded medication cases are continuously increasing.

It must be said that Dr. Dai Wei's talent in business and management is striking, and his help to us is no less than that of Lecturer Wullen. Your exceptional decision to admit him as a member of the society was extremely far-sighted.

Currently, many people are attempting to counterfeit the medicine, but I do not believe at all that their blind groping can pose a threat within the six-month confidentiality period you set.

In fact, the Treasurer Barber believes that if the time for revealing the formula is delayed, it can be fully developed into an industry generating continuous profits for several years. I also suggest making it public only when small-scale, less reliable counterfeit medicines appear externally, hoping to achieve a suitable balance between economic and reputational gains.

Of course, whether to reveal the formula and when to do so depends entirely on your judgment; the Higo Family will never violate the sacred contract.

In contrast, "Ether," as a medicine requiring more professional skill, is more likely to provide a broad and stable source of income in the future.

Although you have revealed the complete preparation process, private surgical clinics do not have the ability or courage to prepare this dangerous medicine independently. They may have possessed the latter, but soon stopped attempting after several severe burn cases.

With the personal guidance of the inventor, the Higo Family's advantage in this area will be maintained for several years, until the first batch of physicians from the medical school who learned the relevant skills obtain their degrees and practice licenses.

Perhaps the vast majority of them will still choose to continue purchasing rather than planting a huge fire hazard in their own clinics.

At that time, simply controlling the price slightly lower than the self-production cost will ensure this business never ends.

But for now, there are eager buyers willing to pay several times the premium just to use this medicine as soon as possible, along with the accompanying nebulization inhalation device. After all, who wants to watch a doctor amputate their leg while fully conscious?

The Church also considers anesthetic surgery a "relatively merciful" treatment method, and the Order of the Hospital was undoubtedly inspired by the Heavenly Father.

We are in a special period brought about by breakthroughs in surgical technology; this is an uncharted territory where opportunities far exceed the imagination of those old misers clinging to ancestral industries.

Speaking of the Church, I heard those bishops were unusually generous once, promising an entire monastery and surrounding lands as a reward.

The location and weather there are similar to Westminster Castle, and it is even called "the place north of Westminster." The mountains and forests are rich in produce; for those who enjoy obtaining prey with their own hands, it is an excellent destination.

When you arrive, you may have noticed that traveling from the northern kingdom to Westminster Castle and Dunling requires a long detour south along the coastline, then turning inland via the Tem River; no one suggests taking the land route.

This is, of course, because the mountains in between are unsuitable for any large caravan to pass through.

It must be emphasized that it is "mountains," not the small hills you saw at Wendeng Port or in the southern highlands. The difference between them is probably as great as that between the Dunling sewers and the sewers of other cities.

Unfortunately, according to the family's suppliers, the road conditions there have seen no substantial improvement for decades.

Settlements are separated by terrain into mutually unrelated small, gentle valleys and basins, self-sufficient, closed, and stagnant; neighboring villages rarely communicate even once a month.

At least eighty percent of the local lords are not quite clear exactly how many taxable people are hidden in the corners of the map; the remaining twenty percent are completely unclear and have no interest in figuring it out. The cost of dispatching tax officials would even cover the revenue.

Fortunately, even such places have not been ignored by the light of the Heavenly Father.

Decades ago, the footsteps of missionaries had already penetrated the extremities of this complex region, linking small settlements together in the Church's manner, becoming an actual part of the kingdom.

In some places, the Church's influence far exceeds that of the theoretical rulers.

The monastery you are about to visit is also one of the achievements of those years; the monks, relying on hard work, wisdom, faith, and a tiny bit of economic support from the Church headquarters, accomplished this miracle amidst the Chongshanjunling.

If one has some proficiency in engineering, one will discover its scale is extraordinary. It was meant to become an important hub of Church faith, undertaking the ecclesiastical work of a vast area—and indeed did so for over a decade after completion.

However, this important building has been abandoned for over twenty years, sealed and entrusted by the lord. Yes, not even a single monk was left to perform daily maintenance; it was completely sealed and entrusted for handling.

Although the local Prieur family has always had close relations with the Church, and even the younger brother of the current Baron Prieur serves in the Church, they are obviously not figures as renowned as you; entrusting a large monastery to them seems somewhat inappropriate.

Undoubtedly, I believe your ability is sufficient to solve any problem, and I have no intention of presuming the Holy See's intentions in this matter; I merely suggest strengthening relations with the Prieur family before taking over the estate. As locals, their opinions are absolutely worth hearing.

Finally, please convey my sincere greetings to your family, all members of the society, and your disciples.

May the grace of the Heavenly Father forever protect you and the Order. Whether in your personal affairs or in our shared endeavors, the Higo Family is always willing to provide help. I hope we continue to maintain close contact in the days to come.

Your faithful friend,

Frances Higo

"I knew it." Kraft stuffed the parchment back into the envelope, aligned the blue-green pattern on the seal, and muttered softly, "There's no such thing as a good deal like this in the world."

It was truly difficult for Frances to gather all the goods in such a tight timeframe, rush via shortcuts to catch up with the caravan, and even bring fresh gossip.

Some things need not be stated too clearly; in these days, any territory with some value has long been claimed. Since the new nobility of Old Wood's generation mostly had to deal with brown bears on the northern frontier, where could there be a good place with all infrastructure already laid out, waiting for the Order to move in?

It's just a matter of the size of the problem. Since no major news can be found and people can still live nearby, it means the problem isn't particularly large.

Even if there really is some unconventional problem, at worst...

"Grand Master." A rough voice interrupted his thoughts, pulling the professor back to the busy camp, "The goods have been counted; generally, there are no problems. A few glass vessels were damaged during transport, but there are spare ones of the same specifications."

"As for the quality of the metal instruments, I can only see that the material and craftsmanship are good; specific inspection requires your personal review."

"Thank you, Brother Raymond. I have said before, there is no need to address me with such a title specifically; under the gaze of the Heavenly Father, all are equal, differing only in their work functions." Kraft took the list marked with charcoal, glanced through it quickly, and put it away.

This experienced monk's first impression was his distinct voice and equally rough, hard appearance.

He kept a short beard, relatively rare among the clergy, but trimmed quite neatly, even during the arduous journey, which fit Kraft's impression of him over this period perfectly.

He acts strictly and follows rules; to be honest, it is hard to understand why someone like him would leave Dunling with the Order.

"But you are indeed the Grand Master." An answer as expected.

"Perhaps we could use a title that sounds less distant." Kraft did not like his new title, especially when standing before the carriage parked by the roadside, giving him a very strange feeling.

"Mentor?" That also seems reasonable; theoretically, the Grand Master indeed bears the responsibility of a guide.

A girl who had just hammered a tent stake into the ground with a single blow stopped her current chores and looked over here. Her work already stretched from one end of the camp to the other.

"Professor Kraft." Raymond suddenly knew the correct form of address.

"This feels more familiar; as companions who have faced those things together, we can address each other by name." Kraft smiled.

That smile was intimate and hazy, sinking with the steep mountain ridges and forest line behind him into the twilight; the bright side was plated with vivid orange-red as if burning dazzlingly, while the dark side remained obscure and unclear, unable to form a clear image, yet possessing a persuasiveness beyond words or expressions.

The serrated night curtain peeled the warm light from every ridge and every cliff face, revealing a subtle oppression hidden during the day.

Lei Mengde nodded, before he realized he had agreed.

"Help me one more time—have the head of the Xiguo family's caravan come see me before they leave tomorrow morning. I have a letter they need to carry back to Dunling."

"Understood. Should I list the missing items separately for you?"

"No, go relieve Kup and get some rest first. Those few items aren't worth sending someone back for. The letter is for our old friend Green."

"What do you need to consult the priest about?"

"Indeed, I'll have to trouble him again to dig up some old records. I hope his skill at sifting through the library's piles of documents hasn't rusted."