Chapter 591: Visiting the Pharmacy

Xuanyuan and Qibo exchanged a glance, and then immediately judged the other's thoughts; they believed that Baifeng wanting to learn the knowledge of Meridians was fake, while wanting to exchange for their medicinal materials at a low price was the truth.

Xuanyuan felt that this matter still required them to discuss it before they could give Baifeng a result, because for them, it was still somewhat important, and the only person who could provide the criteria for judgment was Qibo; Qibo was the one who best understood how many types of medicinal materials the Xuanyuan Tribe had.

"We must discuss this matter first; we cannot give you an answer immediately. However, do you have any other conditions? See if you can let us make a decision sooner. After all, the pricing power has been in your hands for so many years, which is too risky for us."

Baifeng was not in a hurry, only asking: "Qibo, how many types of usable medicinal materials have you found in your Xuanyuan Tribe now? How many do you think have good effects and low toxicity? We in Huaxia already have over a hundred types of medicinal materials that can be used normally. However, some medicinal materials are rarely used because they are highly toxic and have poor effects; adding them up, the medicinal materials we possess in Huaxia already exceed three hundred types."

Qibo was slightly shocked, because he knew what the concept of over a hundred types of medicinal materials meant. Searching for usable medicinal materials among the mountains and plains of Grass and trees was a great test of memory, because in reality, in the entire Xuanyuan Tribe, only Cangjie was literate. They had to have Cangjie help them record things, but Cangjie did not have that much time, nor did he have that many materials specifically for Qibo to record Grass and trees.

Therefore, Qibo could only rely on his own brain to memorize; that was one point. Another point was that there were too many poisonous ones, to the point where he sometimes could not distinguish whether they were poison or medicine. It seemed that those poisons were the things that cured illnesses. Now, he also felt even more deeply the greatness and brilliance of Shennong, who relied on himself to select so many things that could be eaten for the human race.

He himself had been poisoned many times just from the Grass and trees on this piece of land of the Xuanyuan Tribe; one could imagine what it was like for the Shennong Clan back then.

Seeing Qibo's expression, Baifeng could already guess the general situation. Relying on one person alone to summarize the medicinal properties of all medicinal materials was truly too difficult. Because for a single medicine, there is the nature, flavor, and meridian tropism, and only then the efficacy. Every medicine Baifeng understood was a conclusion reached after thousands of years of continuous refinement by medical practitioners, and relying on Qibo alone was truly too arduous.

Thus, Baifeng said: "If you find it difficult to decide, I can take you to visit our Huaxia Hospital and Pharmacy, and you will know to what extent our understanding of medicinal materials has reached. We need the medicine produced by your Xuanyuan Tribe to save our tribesmen, and you, likewise, need our medicine to save your tribesmen. Therefore, regarding medicinal materials, our status is equal and mutual. I can only take advantage of you for twenty years; after twenty years, it will return to the original state. Moreover, if I do not say it, no matter how good the medicine of your tribe is, it is nothing more than a weed in the mountain forest; only when I point it out will they have value."

"Therefore, it is very reasonable for me to set the price for the medicine."

Xuanyuan asked Qibo in a low voice: "Do you think what he said is true?"

Qibo also dared not guarantee: "If he is truly willing to let us go and see their Pharmacy, then I will be able to make a judgment. Baifeng is more knowledgeable about medicine than I am; in this aspect, I am not as good as him."

Xuanyuan also had a decision in his heart, so he said to Baifeng: "Fine, then let us look at the place where you use medicine in Huaxia. After Qibo has seen it, we will make a decision."

Baifeng did not hesitate: "Good, then are you going to look now, or when?"

"Let's go now, to get things done sooner."

After hearing this, Baifeng stood up first, then said to Yi: "Yi, you are responsible for the Hospital and the Pharmacy; now you give the Xuanyuan Tribe an introduction."

Yi nodded to say no problem, then pulled out a chair for Baifeng. Xuanyuan and the others were also not ambiguous at all; they stood up directly, preparing to follow and investigate.

For this trip, Yi prepared to take them to see the Pharmacy, because in Huaxia now, the Pharmacy and the Hospital are separated. A row of houses is specifically used for storing and processing medicinal materials, and a few houses are for decocting medicine, grabbing medicine with the prescriptions brought over from the Hospital.

Although in this era, everyone's body is very healthy and almost never gets sick all year round, because the population density of Huaxia City is too high, the Hospital is still very busy, and the Pharmacy is the same. The closer one gets to the Pharmacy, the stronger the medicinal smell in the air becomes.

Considering that the Pharmacy is busy and crowded now, Yi suggested that only a few people from the Xuanyuan Tribe go in, or they could visit in batches. If everyone went in, the work of the entire Pharmacy would be affected.

Xuanyuan saw the people coming and going outside, so he agreed to this request. Only he, Qibo, and Zhishou would go in, with Yi and Baifeng accompanying them.

First was the large warehouse. When they went in, there were medicine workers processing the last batch of dried Artemisia scoparia and Patrinia. Xuanyuan took one look and felt it was very familiar; he squatted on the ground and looked closely—it was wild vegetables.

He asked Baifeng with some confusion while holding a piece of dried Artemisia scoparia: "Isn't this a wild vegetable? Why do you treat it as medicine?"

Baifeng explained patiently: "This can be eaten, and of course it can be medicine. Artemisia scoparia is actually still a bit unpalatable as a wild vegetable. Its greatest function is to clear jaundice. Like a newborn child, or if someone suddenly turns yellow on their body or their eyes turn yellow, this medicine can be used to treat it."

"Moreover, this medicine has a time limit. It is best when it first comes out in early spring. After growing for a few dozen more days, it becomes useless wormwood, and it cannot even be eaten. I think this thing in your Xuanyuan Tribe now should have already grown very tall; it should have been unusable long ago. If it grows any longer, it can only be used as firewood to burn."

"What they are processing now is the last batch, and also the lowest quality, but because our demand in Huaxia is very large, we must collect and prepare it regardless of whether it is good or bad."

Qibo was concerned about other points: "You said that a newborn child's skin turns yellow, eyes turn yellow, or an adult suddenly has this situation—why is that?"

Baifeng explained: "There are many causes for the illness; generally, it is the poison of damp-heat. The further south you go, the more there is. Anyway, your Xuanyuan Tribe definitely has more than us. According to the different causes of the illness, naturally, different medicines are used, but Artemisia scoparia is the most commonly used, the most primary one."

Qibo pressed: "Can you explain it in detail?"

Baifeng refused Qibo: "No, this is too complicated. If I were to finish explaining, the whole day would pass. However, if you are willing to cooperate, we have specialized people here who will teach these things in great detail."