YM778.TV Chapter 30: Picking Up_i
The “Yin-Yang Harmony Sutra” contains elixirs that can increase one’s power and aid in rapid advancement, as well as poison pills that can be used against enemies, putting them in mortal danger.
Among them is a poison known as the Triple Green Pill, which, once consumed, strikes every seven days. Unless the victim takes a corresponding elixir to ease the effects, they must endure agony as if ants were gnawing at their heart.
Uncle Hall had only been dead a little over a month. If the elder Liu were to die now, it would inevitably raise suspicion.
Moreover, the Triple Green Pill had a simple formula and was not difficult to make, making it ideal for controlling Uncle Hall.
Because the ingredients required for the Triple Green Pill were not very common, Greg Jensen had been all around the marketplace in Riverhaven County and was still missing one crucial ingredient.
Just as he was at his wits’ end, Greg suddenly heard a ruckus up ahead.
Greg walked over and saw an old man, dressed like a farmer, being chased out of an herbal medicine shop by a young assistant.
“Go on, get out of here! You think you can sell that lousy carrot for ten thousand bucks? Are you out of your mind?”
The old man’s skin was dark and weathered, his face crinkled with dense creases that all squished together.
He pleaded, “Young man, please have another look. This is genuinely a decade- old ginseng. If you buy it for ten thousand, you’ll make a huge profit.”
The assistant looked at him disdainfully, “Are you kidding me? Decade-old ginseng could sell for seventy to eighty thousand at least. Would you really sell it to me for ten thousand?
Besides, high-aged wild ginseng has long been over-harvested. Where would you find one with such age?”
“I’m warning you, get lost and don’t interfere with our business, or when the boss comes back, he’ll call the cops and have you arrested.”
The old man was in despair, his wrinkles growing denser. “Young man, please, take another look. I’m desperate for cash; that’s why I’m in a rush to sell…”
A middle-aged man stepped forward and examined the ginseng in the old man’s hand, then frowned and said,
“This does look quite like wild ginseng, but…”
With a glint of hope in his eyes, the old man interjected quickly, “Ah, you recognize good quality. How about I sell it to you then? I’m only asking for ten thousand.”
As they say, pressing someone into a sale is not good business.
The middle-aged man was already skeptical, and the old man’s words made him even more wary.
He quickly waved his hands, “I was just having a look. I’m not buying.”
The assistant scoffed at the bystanders, “See, everyone saw it, right? It’s not just me who’s refusing his ginseng.
This old guy is clearly a con artist. Make sure none of you fall for it.”
Greg furrowed his brow and took a glance at the ginseng in the old man’s hand, his eyes suddenly lighting up.
He approached, smiling, “Sir, may I have a look at your item?”
“Not a problem, go ahead, have a good look.”
The old man eagerly handed over the ginseng.
Upon seeing this, the young assistant’s expression darkened, and he coldly said,
“Kid, I already told you it’s fake. What’s there to look at?”
“I’m looking at what I want to look at. What’s it got to do with you?”
Greg shot back at him and then looked down to examine the ginseng in his hands.
The assistant sneered, “I bet you’re in cahoots with this old guy, aren’t you?
I already told you it’s fake, and you insist on looking at it. Are you planning to buy it next?”
Greg looked up, his gaze teasing as he gave a cold laugh, “You’re right, I’m going to buy it.”
Seeing this, the assistant immediately sneered and said to the onlookers, “What did I say just now? I knew this kid was in league with the old man!”
“Here at Jade Hall, we’re a well-known herbal shop in Riverhaven County. What herb haven’t we come across?
If we refuse to take something, yet someone else wants it, isn’t that a sign of a scam?”
He paused for a moment, pointing at Greg and continued, “Everyone, keep your eyes open. These two are crooks. Make sure you don’t get deceived.”
” If you really want to buy medicinal materials, come to our Jade Hall. Whatever it is, as long as you can name it, we definitely have it at Jade Hall.”
“That’s true, I also think those two are in cahoots.”
“Jade Hall is still trustworthy.”
People were discussing animatedly, all feeling that Greg Jensen and the old man were a pair of swindlers.
Greg Jensen didn’t bother to respond and turned his head to look at the elderly man, gently asking, “Elder, how much do you plan to sell this wild ginseng for?”
“Ten thousand yuan, ten thousand is enough.”
The old man hastily explained, “It’s not that I want to sell it so cheap, but those unscrupulous bosses know that I urgently need money, so they deliberately press down the price.”
“Alright, then I’ll take this wild ginseng of yours.”
“Really?”
Greg Jensen smiled and nodded, “Of course it’s true, but ten thousand yuan isn’t going to work.”
With joy vanishing in an instant, the old man stammered, “This… can’t be less, my spouse is still waiting for medicine.”
Greg Jensen laughed, “It’s not about giving you less, it’s about giving you an extra ten thousand.”
“Twenty thousand yuan?”
The old man suddenly got excited, looking at Greg Jensen in disbelief.
Greg Jensen said, “Don’t get excited, paying twenty thousand yuan for your wild ginseng, I still feel like I owe you.”
“But this…”
“Haha, alright, let’s go to the bank so I can withdraw the money.”
Seeing this, the old man finally believed that Greg Jensen was truly buying the medicine and instantly got excited, with the wrinkles on his face smoothing out.
“Thank you, I really can’t thank you enough.”
“What are you thanking me for? I should be thanking you.”
There was a self-service bank right at the market entrance, where Greg Jensen withdrew twenty thousand yuan and handed it to the old man.
After thanking Greg Jensen, the old man left joyfully.
Greg Jensen was also very happy; the market value of this wild ginseng was at least around one hundred thousand. As long as someone knew its worth, he could make a profit of seventy to eighty thousand immediately.
However, such items were rare, and ordinary people weren’t quite sure about them, which is why the old man hadn’t sold it in the market.
After safely storing the wild ginseng, Greg Jensen returned to the market to keep looking for the last ingredient needed for the “Three Greens Pill.”
Walking into the medicine market, he suddenly remembered Jade Hall; the young shop assistant said their store had the most complete stock, so he decided to check them out.
As Greg Jensen arrived at the entrance of Jade Hall, just about to enter, he heard the shop owner’s rebuke coming from inside.
“You nincompoop, after so many years with me, you can’t even recognize wild ginseng?”
“Boss, it’s not fair to blame me, right? Didn’t you say to not buy cheap goods?”
“Nonsense!”
The boss angrily said, “I already talked to that old man before, told him specifically to come to our Jade Hall, and what do you do? You actually chased him away.
Mr. Zhu’s prescription is missing that one ingredient, wild ginseng. Now what do we do? That’s two hundred thousand we’re talking about here!”
“I…”
The two of them weren’t speaking loudly, but Greg Jensen could hear everything clearly.
He smiled slightly and stepped into Jade Hall.
The young assistant, having been scolded and unsure what to do, saw Greg Jensen walk in.
He grasped at this lifeline and hurriedly said, “Boss, he’s the one who bought the wild ginseng just now.”