Chinese Medicine: Starting with Daily Intelligence

Chapter 572: Chapter 572: Conventional?

In the afternoon, at Li Garden.

When Ding Kaifang rushed over, he was greeted by a warm and moving scene.

In the garden pavilion, two elderly men were sitting across from each other.

Elder Li tightly gripped Gao Yuan’s rough, large hand and said with emotion, "Old Gao, it really is you. I thought I’d never see you again in this lifetime."

Gao Yuan was also filled with emotion. "Old Li, you’ve gotten old. Your hair is all white. But you’re still in good spirits."

"You’ve gotten old too, but you’re in better shape than I am."

Elder Li smiled. "So? Now that you’ve come out of seclusion, are you planning to stay?"

Gao Yuan glanced at Li Xu, who was standing beside them, and nodded. "I met a good young man. Some things just have to be done. I also want to see if I can help restore the reputation of Chinese medicine."

Ding Kaifang stepped forward and respectfully offered a cup of tea. "Elder Gao, I’m Ding Kaifang. From now on, you’ll be the cornerstone of our company. If you need anything at all, please just say the word."

Gao Yuan accepted the tea with a faint smile. "I’m not in this for fame or fortune. I only ask that you promise me one thing: no matter how big this business gets, the quality of the medicinal ingredients can never be compromised in the slightest. Otherwise, I’ll leave at a moment’s notice."

"You can rest assured." Ding Kaifang thumped his chest in guarantee. "Making medicine with a conscience—that’s our bottom line."

...

When old friends reunite, the atmosphere is always especially lively.

Elder Li was in particularly high spirits today and personally cooked a table full of exquisite dishes.

Besides the phoenix-tail prawns, there was also steamed reeves shad, its scales perfectly intact and shimmering silver, releasing a unique, rich aroma as it steamed on the plate.

The braised lion’s head meatballs were tender and melted in the mouth, with a sauce that was rich but not greasy.

This was accompanied by a simple stir-fry of seasonal wild vegetables, vibrant green, crisp, and refreshing, cutting through the richness of the other dishes.

Every dish was a feast for the senses, perfect in color, aroma, and taste, earning endless praise from everyone.

Elder Li then had the housekeeper fetch a bottle of unlabeled, aged liquor from the cabinet. The moment the clay seal was broken, a mellow, rich fragrance instantly filled the entire dining room.

"This is a baijiu I’ve been aging for twenty years. I’m happy today, so let’s finish it," Elder Li declared boisterously.

Everyone raised their glasses, drinking and chatting amidst laughter and cheer.

Li Xu quietly tugged on Ding Kaifang’s sleeve and asked in a low voice, "President Ding, how is the production of the Kudzu-Pearl Tea going?"

Ding Kaifang’s face was flushed. Though slightly tipsy, he perked up immediately at the mention of it and whispered back, "Don’t worry, Dr. Li. The production lines are running at full capacity. We’ve already produced several batches, and they’re all piled up in the warehouse. The packaging design is finalized, all the paperwork is complete, and we’ll be able to officially launch and distribute it in a few days."

Li Xu nodded, a sly glint in his eye. "In that case, have someone send some over now."

"Now?" Ding Kaifang was a bit puzzled. "It’s so late. You want to drink it?"

Li Xu smiled and pointed at Gao Yuan, who was deep in a lively conversation with Elder Li. "Let Elder Gao see our product, too. This is the future flagship product of Ding’s Pharmaceutical Factory. We have to let our chief technical advisor give it his seal of approval."

Realization dawned on Ding Kaifang, and he slapped his thigh. "Of course! I’ll go arrange it right now."

He got up, went out to the courtyard, and called his driver. "Go to warehouse number one at the factory, grab two boxes of the ’Kudzu Tea,’ and bring them to Li Garden. Be quick."

When he returned to the living room, Elder Li saw that he had stepped out and asked with concern, "Xiao Ding, is there something urgent for work? If you’re busy, you can head back first. You don’t have to stay here and chat with us two old men."

Ding Kaifang smiled and waved his hand. "Not busy at all. Everything at the company is taken care of. I just stepped out to prepare a surprise for you two."

"A surprise?" Elder Li chuckled, stroking his beard with a laugh. "Haha, then I’ll be looking forward to it. You kid, always full of clever ideas."

The group continued to drink and chat.

Out of happiness, and because the aged liquor was so smooth, everyone drank quite a bit without realizing it.

Although Elder Li’s health had improved significantly after more than a year of treatment from Li Xu, he was still old. Having drunk so much so quickly, his body was having trouble handling it.

His face was flushed, his breathing was a little ragged, and he kept rubbing his temples. His gaze was starting to lose focus.

"Oof... this alcohol... it’s hitting me."

Elder Li held his forehead and said with a wry smile, "Looks like I can’t deny my age. Old Gao, do you have any good remedies for a hangover?"

Gao Yuan had also drunk a lot, but he had spent years traveling and had a strong constitution, so he was still relatively sober.

He thought for a moment and said, "There are quite a few remedies for sobering up. For example, the ’Kudzu Flower Sobering Soup’ mentioned in the Compendium of Materia Medica, which uses kudzu flower, amomum villosum, and cardamom, is quite effective. Or you could boil fresh Persimmon Seed in water, which also counteracts alcohol poisoning."

"But..."

Gao Yuan sighed. "Although these remedies are effective, they’re slow to act and have to be prepared on the spot. A top-tier sobering medicine that works instantly without harming the body requires a specific blend of supreme-quality ingredients. Where would we find those on such short notice?"

Just as he was speaking,

Ding Kaifang’s driver walked in carrying an exquisite cardboard box.

He opened the box, revealing twelve bottles of Kudzu Tea, neatly arranged inside.

Each bottle was about the size of a small bottle of mineral water, around 300 ml.

The bottle’s design was simple and stylish, exuding a fresh, clean feel.

Ding Kaifang took out a few bottles and handed one to each person.

"Elder Li, Elder Gao, this is the surprise I was talking about."

Elder Li and Gao Yuan looked at the bottles in their hands, somewhat puzzled.

"What is this? A beverage?"

Elder Li shook the bottle. "At my age, I’m not a fan of overly sweet drinks. I’d rather stick to tea."

Gao Yuan also waved his hand dismissively. "I won’t have any either. My stomach is full of alcohol; pouring a beverage on top of that will only make it worse."

Just then, Li Xu smiled and spoke up. "Elder Li, Elder Gao, this isn’t an ordinary beverage. It’s a new formula I recently developed specifically for sobering up."

"Oh?"

Hearing that it was a formula developed by Li Xu, Gao Yuan’s interest was immediately piqued.

’An expert reveals their skill with a single move.’

He twisted open the cap and brought it to his nose, sniffing gently.

A faint, fresh fragrance drifted into his nostrils.

"Hmm... Interesting."

Gao Yuan closed his eyes, discerning the scent carefully. "The main ingredient is kudzu root, and a wild variety with a high starch content at that. And... is that the scent of Pearl Powder? This Pearl Powder has been ground extremely fine; it’s completely dissolved. There’s also honey... Dried Tangerine Peel... Persimmon Seed..."

With just a few sniffs, Gao Yuan had identified the main ingredients of the formula with near-perfect accuracy.

Then he picked up the bottle and glanced at the ingredient list on the back. It was just as he’d said.

Ding Kaifang watched from the side, dumbfounded. He couldn’t help but give a thumbs-up. "Elder Gao, you’re incredible! You figured out the entire formula just by smelling it. I’m truly impressed."

As expected of the "Medicine Fool" revered even by Elder Li; his nose was more sensitive than a precision instrument.

However, Gao Yuan put the bottle down and said bluntly, "Dr. Li, this formula... seems rather conventional."

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