A doctor who travels through two eras

Lao Angong Niuhuang Wan (a traditional Chinese medicine) costs over 100,000 yuan per pill at auctions, but Lingnantang Traditional Chinese Medicine Clinic sells it for only 50,000 yuan per pill, with a daily limit of 50 pills.

As soon as the store opens in the morning, everything is sold out immediately.

Because each person was limited to two pills, scalpers and the subordinates of wealthy individuals lined up in droves to buy them, which was quite frenzied.

According to the on-site investigation report conducted by Lin Sanqi's staff:

Angong Niuhuang Wan alone could easily sell 500 pills a day to millions of wealthy people and hundreds of millions of middle-class people across the country.

Therefore, Lin Sanqi had long planned to expand the production of several secret medicine formulas.

Good medicine also needs good medicinal materials. The reason why Lingnantang's Chinese medicine can achieve miraculous effects is closely related to the authentic Chinese medicinal materials.

This is a unique advantage that its competitors do not possess, and Lin Sanqi wants to take this opportunity to expand its procurement of Chinese medicinal herbs.

Lin Sanqi put down his wine glass and explained to everyone present:

"Currently, the four secret medicine formulas I have require a total of 56 kinds of Chinese medicinal herbs, which is a very large quantity."

In addition, I have some secret medicinal formulas that I want to put into production, which requires more Chinese medicinal herbs. So my idea is that you cultivate medicinal herbs for me in your area.

I will select some medicinal herbs from the 56 kinds that are suitable for planting in your Shaanxi Province. I will buy as many as you plant.

In addition, our family runs a Lingnan Hall Chinese Medicine Clinic in Hong Kong (actually, there is also a Lingnan Hall Chinese Medicine Hospital in another time and space, which is larger in scale and has a larger volume of patients).

My family's traditional Chinese medicine clinic uses a very large quantity of Chinese medicinal herbs, and we insist on using only pollution-free and harmless herbs. Your Shaanxi Province's unique geographical conditions perfectly meet all of these requirements.

So I've decided to compile a list when I get back, and then I'll designate you all to help me grow the medicinal herbs, and I'll buy them from you at designated locations. This would be a great thing for both of us, Director Sheng, what do you think?"

Director Sheng immediately realized the magnitude of the potential profits involved and instantly became excited:

"Minister Lin, how much do you estimate you'll need to purchase from our Chinese medicinal herbs, and on what scale?"

Lin Sanqi held up five fingers, thought for a moment, then withdrew four, leaving only one, before saying:

"My current estimate is that it should be no less than 1000 million per year, and that's in US dollars."

Of course, this figure is just an estimate, and it should be more than that by then. If you don't want US dollars, you can exchange it for food or medicine; that's fine too.

Ten million dollars?

Suddenly, the Shaanxi Provincial Health System cadres in the canteen were all excited.

Historically, without Lin Sanqi's intervention, the national treasury's foreign exchange reserves were only 40 million US dollars, almost at the end of its rope.

This shows the value of ten million US dollars. If this money were traded on the black market, it could be exchanged for up to 100 million RMB. On average, every citizen of Shaanxi Province could receive 5 RMB.

Director Sheng abruptly put down his chopsticks, then gripped Lin Sanqi's hand tightly:

"Minister Lin, thank you so much. Thank you for taking care of the people in our old revolutionary base area of ​​Shaanxi Province. Rest assured, we will complete the tasks you have assigned us on time and with high quality. We will definitely deliver a satisfactory result."

If the health system can generate ten million US dollars in foreign exchange, that would be a huge achievement, and Director Sheng could get a promotion.

Lin Sanqi's hand was gripped so tightly it hurt a little, so he quickly squeezed it and then let go and ran away.

"Director Sheng, don't be too happy yet. I want to go and inspect it myself. I want to see for myself what the quality of the Chinese medicinal herbs you grow is like."

Director Sheng is very confident about this point. The state-owned farms nowadays are all genuine and there is absolutely no falsification involved.

"Minister Lin, don't worry, we'll arrange it immediately if you want to visit any of the medicinal herb farms."

Lin Sanqi then reminded him again:
"In addition, it's best to settle the dispute over whether your medicinal herb farm belongs to the Department of Agriculture or the Department of Health beforehand, so as to avoid your brother units fighting each other later."

Upon hearing this, Director Sheng squinted.

That's how it is between departments.

Previously, medicinal herb farms were not generating economic benefits, but had a large number of workers who needed to be resettled. As a result, they became a hot potato, being passed back and forth between the health system and the agricultural system, with each hoping the other would take over.

But if these medicinal herb farms can produce ten million dollars a year, then they're highly sought after, even incredibly valuable, and that's a different story. One can imagine the endless lawsuits between these two departments, neither willing to concede.

Director Sheng glanced at County Magistrate Fang, and suddenly his gaze turned hostile:
"Old Fang, everyone heard what Minister Lin said today. You're the only one who's not from the health system; you're from the agricultural system. Let me tell you, you can't tip this off."

If you help us keep this secret, I'll go back and report to the leadership right now and have all the medicinal herb farms in the province transferred to the health department. You, Lao Fang, will have done a great service then, and I won't forget you.

"How about I allocate 1,000 doses of penicillin to your Lintong County every year?"

County Magistrate Fang's eyes darted around before he finally spoke:

"Director Sheng, although I'm a local cadre now, I've spent over ten years in the agricultural system, and I still have deep feelings for it. If you ask me to betray my old leader, what will happen if word gets out…?"

"Tsk tsk tsk, I think this is really difficult. It's asking me to betray my brothers... So, I need more medicine, give me two thousand doses."

Lin Sanqi almost spat out a mouthful of Xifeng liquor.

Director Sheng's lips twitched, but he knew that if he wanted to shut County Chief Fang up so that he could use his information advantage to finalize the ownership of the medicinal herb farm, he had to satisfy the other party.

If an official does not fight for the interests of his or her system, he or she will be ousted from office and easily disgraced.

Director Sheng was like that, and so was County Magistrate Fang.

Lin Sanqi was also trying his best to protect the interests of the health system or the military, depending on his status at the time.

Having explained the terms, Director Sheng had no desire to stay any longer, so he stood up and addressed the health system officials beside him:

"You are accompanying Minister Lin today. Wherever Minister Lin wants to go, you must act as good hosts. Minister Lin is the most distinguished guest in Shaanxi Province. If anyone causes a problem, I will punish them."

"Minister Lin, I'll go back to Xi'an to report on my work. Please keep this matter a secret today and give the Shaanxi Provincial Health System a chance. Don't worry, we are all from the health system and we will definitely not let you suffer any losses."

After finishing the wild boar feast, Lin Sanqi came out of the canteen in Lintong County.

Yu Ming, the director of the Health Department's office who was accompanying them, asked in a somewhat ingratiating manner:
"Minister Lin, where would you like to go this afternoon? We'll accompany you."

Lin Sanqi glanced at his watch before replying:
"Please take me to Shaanxi Provincial Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine. I'm going to visit a fellow student."

Director Yu smiled and said, "I'm familiar with the Provincial Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine. I'll take you there now."

Returning from Lintong County, we passed through Zhongshan Gate in the east of the city and headed west along Dongxin Street until we stopped in front of a large mansion at Xihua Gate.

Before Lin Sanqi could get out of the car, Director Yu had already gotten out and warmly opened the car door for her.

Although Lin Sanqi was only in his twenties and Director Yu was already in his fifties, one was a ministerial-level official and the other a division-level official, a huge difference in their ranks.

"Minister Lin, this is our Shaanxi Provincial Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine."

Lin Sanqi chuckled twice: "Oh, this must have been the residence of a wealthy family, right?"

Director Yu clapped his hands gently and said:

"Minister Lin certainly has a good eye. The site of this Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital was originally the residence of Yan Xiangwen, the military governor of Shaanxi Province during the Republic of China era. It was nationalized after liberation."

Because the house was so large, part of it was converted into a school, part into government offices, and another part was used to build the first traditional Chinese medicine hospital in Shaanxi Province.

Currently, our Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital has 60 employees. When we were first established, we gathered renowned TCM doctors from across the province. So, in terms of technical expertise, we can't compare to the Capital Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, but we are definitely among the best in the second tier.

The Capital Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine originally had more than 200 employees. Later, after the Changping branch was opened, Lin Sanqi recalled all the doctors who had studied abroad, and the number of employees must have increased to more than 400.

However, this kind of expansion is not replicable. Given the nationwide trend of urban population reduction and the fact that major organizations are laying off one-third of their employees, this is definitely going against the tide.

Lin Sanqi felt a sense of familiarity upon seeing the Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital, so he smiled and waved.

“Come on, let’s go inside and have a look. I have a senior brother who works here, so we can go and pay him a visit.”

Yu Ming, unaware of Lin Sanqi's background, asked out of curiosity:

"Minister Lin seems to have studied Western medicine, having invented anti-tuberculosis drugs. How come he has a senior fellow student who studied Traditional Chinese Medicine?" (End of Chapter)