Chapter 474: Opening a Medical Hall

"Cai Yishi, whatever it is, just tell me. As long as I can do it, I will definitely help!"

Li Ping said seriously.

"Zhang Li Shi, don't worry, it's not a big matter!"

Cai Yong'an saw the worry on Li Ping's face, smiled, and said, "I just want to open a medical hall near your Mountain God Temple; I wonder if you can agree?"

"Just that?"

Li Ping, hearing this, immediately let out a sigh of relief. She had been worried that Cai Yong'an would ask her to do some troublesome things. These days, many people from Zhang Family Village had been coming to her; after a brief chat, they would ask this and that, all troublesome matters, not because her husband De Ben had become the Lion Ridge Mountain God and they wanted to take advantage of De Ben, they were eager to say:

"Cai Yishi, rest assured, if you want to open a medical hall in our Zhang Family Village, there's absolutely no problem. Not only near the Mountain God Temple, even inside the Mountain God Temple is fine. I'll go discuss it with my husband right away!"

There are many good people in Zhang Family Village, but inevitably there are some troublemakers; when you need them to act, they don't show up, and you have to keep inviting them one by one, like elders. Yet when something good happens, no one needs to be called—everyone rushes faster than the next.

Meanwhile.

The villagers who came to her asking for help were somewhat reasonable, only wanting a small favor, but most of them were like the lion, making huge demands, as if De Ben becoming the Lion Ridge Mountain God was their achievement, and they only wanted to take a little advantage from De Ben himself?

They wanted to reap a massive benefit from De Ben, to become superior people; what they called a request was actually a demand, each more outrageous than the last.

Compared with Cai Yong'an asking her for help and agreeing to let him open a medical hall near the Mountain God Temple, this is not taking advantage but bringing a huge benefit to Zhang Family Village.

Who wouldn't know that having a doctor in one's own village is such a blessing; a headache or fever can be treated, no longer having to tough it out oneself for five to eight days of weakness as before.

If it were during the busy farming season, they'd still have to work while sick.

"Even if not inside the Mountain God Temple, just allocating a plot of land near the Mountain God Temple, I can build it myself without any problem!"

Cai Yong'an shook his head, declining Li Ping's kindness, and said, "But Zhang Li Shi, I can't personally come to your Zhang Family Village to preside over the medical hall; having my disciple practice here should be fine, right?"

He has been settled in the county town for many years, even opened a medical hall, the business is thriving, and he has fully embraced county life.

Having him live again in a remote, inconvenient place like Zhang Family Village is not to his liking.

Although he goes to practice medicine near Shizi Ling every ten days or half a month.

He made his fortune from the villages near Shizi Ling, earning his first bucket of gold, which allowed him to buy a house and open a medical hall in the county town.

He cannot forget his roots; he knows the hardships of the villages near Shizi Ling, the deep remote mountains. Anyone with a bit of ability would not waste their life in such a place, which is why few doctors settle here.

They lack a physician here, so even the smallest illness, even a headache or fever, can endanger lives.

That's why he comes to the villages around Shizi Ling every ten days or half a month; making money is secondary, treating the villagers is the main purpose.

However.

Continuing to settle in villages near Shizi Ling is almost impossible. He will request to build a medical hall near the Zhang Family Village Mountain God Temple; this shows his foresight, knowing that Shizi Ling has produced another mountain god, Zhang Deben from Zhang Family Village, which will make the temple's incense burn brightly.

Not only Zhang Family Village; people from surrounding villages will also, during the farming off-season, rush to the Zhang Family Village Mountain God Temple to burn an incense stick.

Praying that this mountain god of Shizi Ling will protect them!

Amid the heavy traffic of villagers to the Mountain God Temple, some are inevitably ill; his medical hall near the Zhang Family Village Mountain God Temple can not only treat illnesses and earn money, but also collect the medicinal herbs these villagers gather from Shizi Ling.

"Of course there's no problem; as the saying goes, a famous master produces outstanding disciples. Since this is your disciple, Cai Yishi, even if he has learned only half of your medical skill, treating illnesses won't be an issue!"

Though he said that, Li Ping's eyes still couldn't help but show a hint of worry.

The main concern is that the apprentice beside Cai Yong'an is too young, only in his teens or twenties; even if he has studied medicine with Cai Yong'an since childhood, he cannot possibly possess great skill.

He might not even learn a tenth of Cai Yong'an's ability.

"Zhang Li Shi, rest assured, don't think my disciple is young, but he is a first‑rate genius. He surpasses his master; I've passed all my abilities to him, and now I might not even match my disciple. His practicing medicine here is more useful than even I am!"

Cai Yong'an saw the worry in Li Ping's eyes, flattered her with a remark, then shifted tone, saying, "Time is getting late; the deification ceremony of Zhang Shan Shen is about to begin. I can't hold you up, so let's get busy first!"

"Wait a moment!"

Li Ping, watching Cai Yong'an and his disciple rise and prepare to leave, hurriedly shouted, "Cai Yishi, I agree to you opening a medical hall near the Mountain God Temple, but whether it's the temple itself or the land nearby, it doesn't belong to my family; it belongs to all the villagers of Zhang Family Village. Persuading me alone won't work; you have to persuade the Village Chief."

This novel you to

Back then.

Everyone who wanted to profit from her family was after the land near the Mountain God Temple.

These people aren't stupid; they are increasingly shrewd, even smarter than monkeys, knowing that Zhang Family Village has produced a mountain god, so their Mountain God Temple will surely thrive.

As long as you open a shop near the Zhang Family Village Mountain God Temple, you can make big money!

Even selling ordinary goods can make you rich; even if you don't sell anything and rent the shop to others, you can still earn money.

These people, when they found her, mostly discussed wanting to claim a plot of land near the Mountain God Temple.

All of them were rejected by her!

The land near the Zhang Family Village Mountain God Temple is abundant, but ultimately not enough for all the villagers; even if she tries to be fair, she will inevitably offend the vast majority of the villagers. Moreover, whether it's the temple or the nearby land, it has nothing to do with her family; it belongs to all the villagers of Zhang Family Village.

If she dared to unilaterally allocate the land near the Mountain God Temple...

The entire village might not say anything—actually they wouldn't dare, since her husband is the Lion Ridge Mountain God, but villagers would still gossip behind her back.

She doesn't expect to profit from the land near the Mountain God Temple; with her husband becoming the Lion Ridge Mountain God, she is already satisfied, so she will never undertake such thankless tasks. No matter who asks her about the temple land, she remains silent.

She would rather offend everyone than favor anyone, to avoid the whole village's resentment.

(End of chapter)