Chapter 120 — Let Me See That Prescription [Begging for Monthly Tickets — Second Update, Please Give Me Monthly Tickets!]
The Blossom Guardian · Page 2 of 3
"Oh? Let me have a look at that prescription?" Guan Xuewen was at first a little worried that the prescription might contain contraband substances like poppy seeds—if it did, then a marked painkilling effect would be perfectly normal, but the harm to the body would be considerable. On second thought, though, Yang Huaijun was a policeman, a captain of the criminal police at that. Could he fail to know what a poppy was? How could he possibly touch such a thing? Besides, such substances were not something an ordinary pharmacy could sell.
Since Yang Huaijun had filled the prescription at a pharmacy, the ingredients on it must all be quite ordinary, the sort any pharmacy would stock... At that, Guan Xuewen realized he had been overcomplicating things.
Seeing Yang Huaijun's somewhat taken-aback expression, Guan Xuewen smiled wryly. Many prescriptions were closely guarded secrets. Take that famous physician Kang of our times—had he not, on the strength of a single prescription for a wound medicine, built up a pharmaceutical group from nothing? He had even established a supply relationship with the military and turned the Kang family into a rising new clan.
If Yang Huaijun's painkiller prescription was truly that effective and free of side effects, then its value should be no less than that of Physician Kang's wound medicine...
And here he was, asking to see the prescription the moment it was mentioned—that really was putting the man on the spot. He hastened to explain: "Little Yang, don't misunderstand. I know many prescriptions are kept secret. The reason I wanted a look was to see whether any of the ingredients might have side effects..."
"Grandpa Guan, the prescription is not really meant to be passed around, but there is no problem with your seeing it..." Yang Huaijun was startled for a moment, then said, "I'll take it out and show you right now. Only, until my friend gives his permission, I hope Grandpa Guan will not let it go any further..."
"Naturally. I understand these rules well enough. Little Yang, rest assured, I won't put you in a difficult position. Until your friend gives his express consent, I will not use this prescription on anyone else either." Guan Xuewen was overjoyed at Yang Huaijun's words. Even if he could not use such a prescription, merely looking at it would give him much to reflect upon.
The prescription—that day, after filling it at the pharmacy, Yang Huaijun had kept it on his person. He took it out and handed it to Guan Xuewen. Yang Huaijun knew Wei Zhao's character: if there was something to be kept secret, he would have said so plainly. Since he had not, it meant no secrecy was required. But after all, he had not received Wei Zhao's explicit authorization, so Yang Huaijun still cautioned Guan Xuewen not to let it spread.
Guan Xuewen took the prescription carefully and began to read... At first it seemed ordinary enough, but as he read out the names of the herbs one by one, the astonishment on his face grew ever more pronounced...
"This is a prescription?" Guan Xuewen was dumbstruck on the spot. The ingredients listed were as ordinary as could be; not one was particularly expensive. A few of them, such as gastrodia, did indeed have the effect of easing pain and calming the nerves—but these same herbs had been given to Yang Huaijun before, and the effects had not been very pronounced. Could it be that combined together, these few herbs produced some remarkable effect?
Astonished as Guan Xuewen was, he was after all a leading figure in the world of traditional Chinese medicine, and he knew that in many cases the omission or addition of a single herb in a prescription could make an enormous difference to its efficacy...