The Daily Life of a Down-on-Hard-Life Medicine Girl Supporting Her Family

Chapter 147

Chunnuan told Chunning her thoughts.

"Sister, this is good, we can give it a try."

"But you'll need to talk to the shopkeepers one by one."

This is no small matter. Chun Ning is so young and hasn't experienced much. Asking him to negotiate a business deal and get the pharmacy owner to agree to sell the ointment is not a simple task.

"Sister, I can give it a try."

Knowing that his future success would not come from passing the imperial examinations but from becoming a wealthy merchant, Chun Ning prepared himself mentally to take a chance in the business world.

A scholar is useless; after studying for so many years, he still can't let go of his pride.

But when the burden falls on you, what does saving face matter?
In the spring, we need to make two hundred bottles of frostbite cream, and everyone in the family who can help comes to lend a hand.

The small ceramic bottles were marked with the words "Doctor Xiao". The bottles were placed on the table. Chunnuan silently murmured in her heart: "Grandfather, your granddaughter will definitely pass on these secret recipes from generation to generation to benefit more people."

"Sister, I'll take ten bottles of frostbite cream to the shopkeepers of those pharmacies first."

"Okay, go ahead, be careful in everything, and also..." After thinking for a moment, Chunnuan still told him about the possible situations.

“Sister, I understand. Being rejected is normal. After all, no one knows how good our frostbite cream is.” Chun Ning said, “I will try to sell as much as possible.”

The most difficult thing is not knowing what a reasonable price to set for frostbite cream is.

If it's too expensive, no one will buy it. Besides, people who can afford it might not need frostbite cream at all, because they have stoves and charcoal, and they'll never get frostbite, while those who do get frostbite can't afford it.

"Okay, go and do your work."

As expected, Chun Ning's first stop was to recommend Bai Cao Tang.

Seeing Chun Ning leave, Chun Nuan suddenly remembered someone she could recommend.

She took two bottles and went to find Uncle Luo.

"Spring is here, you've come at the perfect time. I was just about to ask you to buy some medicinal wine." Uncle Luo said, "When the cold winter weather comes, many brothers suffer from aggravated pain, and some even get frostbite on their hands, feet, and ears. This is an old ailment left over from years of hauling boats. Alas, it's a tragedy."

"Uncle Luo, you can just get the medicinal wine from my house. This is frostbite cream," Chunnuan said. "I didn't consider that this group of people needs it more, so I used small ceramic bottles to store it, which made the cost a bit high. However, you can let them try it out, and if they feel it works, then you can buy more."

"How much is a bottle?"

"I've calculated it, it'll cost at least one tael of silver per bottle."

The price was really hard to control; a bottle cost one or two taels of silver, and the boatmen would rather wait until they got frostbite than spend that money.

That's an ounce or two of silver. How long would it take to earn that much? These are people who need to support their families. Frostbite won't kill you, but not having enough money to support your family will cause you to starve.

"It is indeed a bit expensive." Uncle Luo thought for a moment, "Could you charge a certain amount per person after applying the medicine, just like with medicinal wine?"

"Sure, but it's up to you to decide."

He not only had to pay for the cost of the frostbite cream, but he also had to make a profit himself.

"Okay, I understand. I'll handle it according to the situation." Uncle Luo had no doubt about the effectiveness of the ointment Chunnuan had brought out. Looking at the cute ceramic bottle, he pointed to the words on it and read: "Dr. Xiao."

“Yes, Dr. Xiao,” Chunnuan said. “From now on, when our Xiao family’s medicinal wines and ointments are sold separately, they will be called Dr. Xiao’s, to prevent others from counterfeiting them.”

You sell medicinal wine too?

"Chuning wants to get into the pharmaceutical business."

After thinking about it, Uncle Luo understood the crux of the matter: the Xiao family was not an ordinary farming family after all. The Xiao family had been the heads of the Imperial Medical Academy for two generations, and they had a secret recipe. It was indeed appropriate for them to make and sell ointments.

"Will Baicaotang be the first to sell it?"

"It should be," Chunnuan said. "But after analyzing it, I think it won't have a significant impact on your business."

Uncle Luo understood that those who sought his massages were either his brothers or relatives and friends introduced by his brothers, and in general, they were all poor.

People who can afford to buy medicine from Baicaotang wouldn't go to someone like him who only knows a little bit; they have the money to see a qualified doctor.

Uncle Luo was delighted to receive the frostbite cream from Chunnuan, as it meant he could earn an extra income.

Chun Ning came in from Baicaotang with frostbite cream.

"Young man, are you here for a consultation or to pick up medicine?"

Dr. Chen was old and didn't recognize Chun Ning at first.

"Doctor Chen, this is Young Master Chun Ning of the Xiao family." Fu Sheng quickly explained, thinking to himself that Lord Chen's eyesight was really bad. In just over two years, this young master will be his maternal uncle. "Young Master Chun Ning, please sit down, please sit down."

As a good waiter, Fusheng was extremely enthusiastic, serving tea and pastries.

"Young Master Chun Ning, are you here to see my Third Young Master?"

"No, I'm looking for your manager."

"What a pity, the shopkeeper isn't here." Fusheng asked curiously, "Why don't you go look for him at the Zhao family's house?"

The two families are already engaged, so isn't it normal for relatives to visit each other?
"So who's in charge of this Baicaotang, and who can I do business with?"

Discuss business?
The refined and gentle Chun Ning wants to discuss business?
Do you believe it?
"The pharmacy is usually managed by Dr. Chen. Are you buying medicine or seeing a doctor?"

"I'm here to sell medicine."

Fusheng then looked at Doctor Chen.

Dr. Chen... It seems like the Xiao family members all came to our door to sell medicine.

"Isn't it Young Master Minghua who oversees all the medicinal herbs that Miss Xiao prepares? I haven't handled this matter before, so I don't know much about it."

"This isn't the medicine my older sister concocted; it's a frostbite ointment made with a secret recipe unique to our Xiao family. You can take a look." Chun Ning took out a small ceramic bottle to show him: "This is very effective in treating frostbite. I wonder if your pharmacy sells it?"

"This?"

Dr. Chen took the ointment and smelled it; the smell was not bad.

"Dr. Xiao?" Looking at the words on the bottle, "Your company's name?"

"Correct."

"That's still too conservative. Why not call him Physician Xiao? You know, your family has had two heads of the Imperial Medical Academy. That's a living advertisement."

"My sister said that my great-grandfather and grandfather's original ambition was to be good doctors, to be good doctors who would save lives. Their dream was to use their secret prescriptions on the people. The name 'Dr. Xiao' is the most appropriate one."

"Dr. Xiao is very righteous." Doctor Chen nodded. "So, how do you plan to sell this ointment? On consignment or..."

"Both methods are acceptable; whichever is more convenient for you is best."

One option is to consign the item, with a service fee paid later; the other is to sell it directly to Baicaotang, after which how Baicaotang sells it is none of the Xiao family's business.

"Then I need to discuss it with the owner." Doctor Chen had no objection to the pharmacy selling Doctor Xiao's ointment, after all, the quality was guaranteed. However, how to sell it was up to the owner: "I'll have the Third Young Master tell you then."

"Thank you for your help, Dr. Chen."

Regardless, Baicaotang has successfully secured this order. A rather smooth start!

Chun Ning cheered herself up and then went to Qianjintang.

For some reason, Chun Ning felt uneasy as soon as she entered Qianjintang.

Although it was a pharmacy, Qianjintang felt very oppressive as soon as you entered. Two waiters stood there whispering to each other, while an old doctor was propping his head up and nodding incessantly, as if he was dozing off.

Chun Ning entered the door, but no one greeted him.

Unlike Baicaotang, Fusheng and Doctor Chen are very friendly. No matter if you come to get medicine, see a doctor, or anything else, they will always greet you when you enter.

"Doctor, doctor..."

Since no one greeted her, Chun Ning had no choice but to walk to the old doctor's table and call out to him herself.

"Ah, don't shout so loudly, you're scaring this old man."

The doctor was genuinely startled and quite displeased.

His eyes weren't even open, and he was just muttering something.

Where does it hurt, and what are the symptoms?

After saying that, he even reached out his hand to take Chun Ning's pulse.

"I don't feel unwell anywhere, and I don't have any symptoms."

"Why would you come to the pharmacy if you're not feeling well? Do you think I'm too idle?"

"Doctor, it's like this, my name is Xiao Chun Ning, and I'm Dr. Xiao's..."

"Go away, go away! If you're not going to see a doctor, then get out. Don't keep me from getting any sleep." The old doctor was very displeased: "I don't care who you are, you get out right now."

"Doctor, can you let me finish what I have to say?" If it were the old Chun Ning, he would have turned around and left. I won't put up with your attitude.

However, Chun Ning now knows that he cannot be willful. No matter how disrespectful or humiliating others are to him, he must endure it. He is no longer the young master of the Xiao family in the capital; he is the young master of the Xiao family in Changzhou, Sichuan.

"What are you saying? Get out, get out!" The old doctor was furious because someone had disturbed his nap: "Xiao Qiangzi, Da Shanzi, are you all dead? Get him out of here!"

"Didn't you hear me? I told you to get out." The two waiters who were speaking in hushed tones quickly shouted, "We've never seen someone dressed so well come here to beg for food."

Chun Ning... I've seen people who are impolite, but I've never seen anyone so impolite.

He came to promote his own frostbite cream, but was treated like a beggar and chased away.

Standing at the entrance of Qianjin Hall, Chun Ning felt humiliated for the first time.

I gritted my teeth and persevered.

The road ahead is never smooth; there will always be twists and turns. But as long as you don't give up, you will surely succeed.

Qianjintang's rejection will only make him more determined!
Chun Ning comforted herself in this way.

On my first day out, I visited Baicaotang and Qianjintang to promote sales, but so far, I haven't achieved anything significant.

When Chun Ning got home, she saw her older sister and naturally told her what had happened.

"That's good too. At least Baicaotang has promised to sell the ointment." Chunnuan comforted her, "One success and one failure, a 50% success rate, that's pretty good."

"Sister, don't you think Baicaotang is willing to sell because of you?"

Looking back now, Dr. Chen's promptness was probably because the Xiao family's third young mistress, who was about to enter the Zhao family, was his elder sister, rather than because the ointment was effective.

“No,” Chunnuan said, “You have to believe that your elder sister’s face is far less valuable than your grandfather’s secret recipe. Business people know best how to weigh the pros and cons; they won’t ruin their own reputation just to do someone a favor.”

They will only be willing to put your medicine on the shelves if it is effective.

Sure enough, Zhao Minghua came to our door that very evening.

"You're planning to sell your frostbite cream at the pharmacy, why didn't you tell me?"

This is so sudden. These two siblings are really something. They have someone as good at business as Chun Ning, but she goes around getting rejected by others.

“I originally intended to send them to the northern desert and the capital for my family to use, I never thought of selling them,” Chun Nuan said. “It was just a thought. I felt it was a real waste that my grandfather had so many secret recipes and didn’t make them for Huan De to use, so I made a few extra, as a way of testing the waters.”

How much frostbite cream was made?

"Besides the ones sent to my elder sister in the capital and my father in Mobei, I made two hundred more bottles."

"Then let's sell all two hundred bottles to Baicaotang. How much do you want per bottle?"

How much is a bottle?
This time, Chun Ning turned her attention to her elder sister to see how she would price the items.

"Your Baicaotang medicines seem to be quite expensive."

“But the medicines from Baicaotang are truly effective,” Zhao Minghua said. “Many patients have reported that the same prescription from the same doctor doesn’t work as well as the medicine they buy from Baicaotang when they buy it from other pharmacies. Do you know why?”

Chun Nuanqi laughed. "The quality of the medicinal herbs is different, huh? Why are you testing her? Do you really think she's such an amateur?"
“Some of their shops sell inferior products and use substitute herbs to deceive customers, unlike our Baicaotang, where even a small difference in price can produce different effects.”

Chunnuan believes this.

The Zhao family and Baicaotang have a good reputation in the town.

Even Aunt Luo from the countryside said that Baicaotang's medicine is expensive, but it works, unlike Qianjintang's medicine, which has little effect.

A good reputation among the people is worse than any award, and Baicaotang naturally became the first choice for poor families seeking medical treatment when they fell ill.

"Tell me, how much is the frostbite cream?"

"If I sell it to you, it'll be two taels of silver per bottle."

Chun Ning gasped. Was her older sister trying to raise the price on the spot?
You should know that when I went to those pharmacies to negotiate business, the price was one tael of silver per bottle. When my sister saw Zhao Minghua, she was not polite at all and even deliberately ripped off acquaintances.
"Alright, two taels of silver it is. I'll take as much as you have."

"Two hundred bottles," Chunnuan said to Chunning. "Go and get them all."

Come out, everyone, let's exchange money for goods.

With two hundred bottles of frostbite cream in hand, Zhao Minghua was about to leave.

"Brother Zhao, won't you smash your hands with so much frostbite cream? Won't you get scolded?" Chun Ning was genuinely worried.

"Don't worry, it won't be a problem. I'll get rid of it as soon as possible."

Moreover, he doesn't plan to take them back to pharmacies to sell; he wants to sell them exclusively.

However, fearing that Dr. Chen would complain, they still had to put some medicine on the shelf to sell.

Watching Zhao Minghua come and go in a hurry, Chunnuan thought to herself: This guy is really cut out for business; he never misses an opportunity to make money.

If she hadn't guessed correctly, Zhao Minghua would have sold it for at least double the price. And there would have been plenty of buyers; he always had a firm grasp on people's minds and knew exactly who needed this frostbite cream.

(End of this chapter)