Chapter 40 In search of the divine medicine, he accompanied her into dangerous territory!

Chapter 40 In search of the divine medicine, he accompanied her into dangerous territory!

The Song family fell, the Lu family underwent a change of leadership, and the raging storm in the capital seemed unable to penetrate the tranquil courtyard of the east wing.

Su Wanqing's life was completely consumed by a sense of fulfillment that was running at high speed.

In her small study, account books collected from various parts of the main house were piled up like a small mountain.

The family businesses that Liu Yuzhen and Lu Zhanyun had hollowed out and turned into a mess were now silently laid out before her, waiting for her to sort them out one by one.

Lu Yao volunteered to become her assistant, working tirelessly like a little bee every day to help organize the documents.

Although the little girl occasionally mixed up the reports, her chatter filled the dull study with vibrant life.

Meanwhile, orders for "Jade Complexion Cream" had already filled all the mail parcels of messengers in the capital.

The first batch of products sold out instantly, and the amount of money recovered was staggering.

But that's far from enough.

Su Wanqing's goal has never been to rely on just one hit product.

No matter how ingenious the formula of "Jade Complexion Cream" is, it will eventually be cracked. When imitators flock to the market, her first-mover advantage will vanish.

She needs a moat that no one can cross.

That afternoon, Lu Zhanting had just finished training and returned covered in sweat when Su Wanqing presented him with a new plan.

"Look at this."

Su Wanqing pointed to two names on the paper.

“‘Scar-Free Cream’ removes scars. ‘Evergreen Pill’ promotes blood circulation and removes blood stasis, specially for the elderly.”

Lu Zhanting's gaze fell on the paper, and his pupils contracted slightly.

He wasn't a businessman, but he instantly understood the terrifying power hidden behind those two names.

This is no longer a beauty product, but a miraculous drug that can drive countless people crazy.

“These two medicines require several very special medicinal guides.” Su Wanqing tapped her fingertips lightly on the table, her brows furrowing unconsciously. “Although my spatial medicine field is magical, it is powerless to change the growing environment of certain medicinal herbs.”

"For example, the main ingredient of 'Scarless Ointment', 'Dragon Blood Vine,' and the core ingredient of 'Evergreen Pill', 'Nine-Leaf Ginseng,' are not available here."

"Can't you buy it on the market?" Lu Zhanting asked in a deep voice.

Su Wanqing shook her head.

"They're expensive but unavailable. These things have long been monopolized by top families and certain special departments; you can't even get a glimpse of them through legitimate channels."

Lu Zhanting instantly caught the subtext in her words: "You want to go to the black market?"

The air around him suddenly became tense.

"No." The two words were squeezed out of his throat, devoid of any warmth. "It's too dangerous there."

The black market in Beijing, also known as the "ghost market".

This place is a lawless zone, a den of iniquity, and also a burial ground. Every year, a considerable number of people disappear silently there.

He would never allow her to set foot in such a place.

"Zhan Ting, let me finish." Su Wanqing was not intimidated by his imposing manner. Instead, she grasped his cold hand and calmly met his gaze.

"I know it's dangerous, but I have to go."

“This isn’t just about business.” She said clearly, word by word, “The Ghost Market is a hub of information, a mixed bag, and perhaps… we can find clues about my brother.”

The word "brother" cracked a fissure in Lu Zhanting's otherwise impenetrable armor.

Finding the missing brother-in-law was their shared responsibility, and it was also a lifelong worry for the grandfather.

He couldn't refute that reason.

"Moreover," Su Wanqing continued, "space is our trump card, but we can't hide behind it forever. We must establish our own supply channels and information network in the real world."

She gazed at him, her eyes filled with unwavering devotion.

"The ghost market is the best starting point."

"I won't go alone."

"I will stay with you. With you by my side, I am not afraid of anything."

That last sentence completely shattered all of Lu Zhanting's defenses.

He looked into her clear yet stubborn eyes, the flames burning within them making it impossible for him to utter a single "no."

He cannot break her wings.

All he could do was become her sharpest sword and her strongest shield.

After a long while, he finally uttered a single word.

"good."

His voice was hoarse, yet it weighed more than a thousand pounds.

“I’ll go with you. But once we get there, you’ll be under my command.”

"It's a deal." A smile bloomed on Su Wanqing's lips.

The Ghost Market in the capital is shrouded in mystery, with an unpredictable entrance. To enter, one either needs a trusted intermediary to guide them or a token of authority.

Lu Zhanting did not alert any official forces.

He knew very well that any involvement from an official background would be like a drop of water falling into boiling oil, instantly exploding and exposing them to everyone's view.

He chose a deeper, darker path.

The next afternoon, he changed into casual clothes and walked alone into a quiet old alley.

At the end of the alley is a teahouse called "Forget Worries".

The teahouse was tiny, with just a few old tables. An elderly man with white hair lay in a rocking chair, listening to a storyteller on the radio, half asleep.

Lu Zhanting walked to the counter and gently tapped the table with his index finger.

"Uncle He".

The old man lifted his eyelids, and his cloudy old eyes suddenly became sharp, as if he were scrutinizing his prey.

Upon recognizing Lu Zhanting, the sharpness in his eyes subsided, and he sat up straight in surprise.

"Zhan Ting? What brings you here?"

This "Uncle He" is named He Wei. He was once Lu Zhenguo's bodyguard and a renowned reconnaissance soldier who struck fear into the hearts of the enemy on the battlefield. After retiring due to a leg injury, he opened this teahouse.

But all the truly influential people in Beijing know that this unassuming little teahouse is the biggest information hub in the gray area.

“I need a ticket to the ‘Ghost Market’,” Lu Zhanting said bluntly.

He Wei's smile faded, and he silently poured Lu Zhanting a cup of tea.

“Your current identity is not suitable for going to that kind of place,” He Wei said in a low voice. “If you are recognized, it will be a huge problem.”

“It wasn’t me.” Lu Zhanting picked up his teacup. “It was my wife who wanted to go.”

"Sister-in-law?" He Wei was even more surprised. He had long heard about the trouble that the new daughter-in-law of the Lu family had recently stirred up in the capital. He just couldn't understand why such a noblewoman would venture into such a dangerous place.

“She needs to find some medicinal herbs and, incidentally, inquire about something,” Lu Zhanting explained. “I have to make sure everything goes perfectly.”

He Wei understood.

His fingers tapped unconsciously on the old tabletop.

"The rules of the Ghost Market are that strangers are not allowed to enter. Without a guide, you won't even know which way the door faces."

"That's why I came to find Uncle He."

Looking at Lu Zhanting's unyielding gaze, He Wei finally sighed silently.

"The old man has been kind to me, so your business is my business."

He got up and pulled out a small brass abacus, about the size of his palm, from a hidden compartment under the counter.

“Three days later, the ghost market will open at the abandoned brick kiln in the west of the city.” He Wei handed over the abacus. “You and your sister-in-law go together. There’s a sugar painting stall at the entrance of the kiln; put this there.”

“The stall owner is called Monkey, and he’s one of my men. Once he sees the abacus, he’ll lead you inside. Inside, he’ll be your eyes and ears.”

"Thank you, Uncle He." Lu Zhanting solemnly accepted the abacus.

“Remember,” He Wei’s expression was more serious than ever before, “once you enter the Ghost Market, you will no longer be Young Master Lu and Young Madam Lu, but just two ordinary buyers. Observe more, listen more, speak less, and absolutely do not cause trouble.”

"I see."

“Also,” He Wei added, “make sure your younger siblings have enough ‘hard currency.’ They only recognize gold and good stuff there; money is just worthless paper.”

As he left the teahouse, Lu Zhanting gripped the cold brass abacus in his pocket, a meticulous plan taking shape in his mind.

Back in the east wing, he relayed everything to Su Wanqing.

"Three days later, at the brick kiln in the west of the city." Su Wanqing nodded, her eyes brimming with barely suppressed excitement and anticipation.

For the next three days, the two prepared separately.

First, there's the disguise.

Su Wanqing used medicinal herbs to concoct a yellowish-brown liquid. After applying it, her originally fair and delicate skin became sallow and rough. She then drew two thick, dark eyebrows on herself and placed an inconspicuous black mole on the corner of her mouth.

The person in the mirror is unsophisticated, yet exudes a shrewd and calculating air, bearing no resemblance to the socialite of Beijing.

Lu Zhanting's disguise involved Su Wanqing's help, which involved darkening his skin tone by several shades and adding a light scar to his brow bone with special glue.

The scar instantly ruined his handsome features, adding a touch of fierceness and menacing aura. Dressed in a drab gray rag, he looked exactly like a taciturn but ruthless country bodyguard.

Su Wanqing had also prepared the "hard currency" for the transaction.

She didn't use the gold bars directly; that would be too conspicuous.

She selected dozens of ginseng and lingzhi mushrooms that were fifty years old. These would only be considered ordinary items in the space, but outside, they would be enough to make anyone envious.

She used other medicinal materials from her space to refine several bottles of highly effective "wound medicine" and "qi-tonifying pills," which she then packaged in the most ordinary blue and white porcelain bottles.

These are not only stepping stones to explore the path, but also the best proof of her identity as a "mysterious pharmacist".

On the other side, Lu Zhanting mobilized a squad from the "Sharp Sword" brigade under the guise of "field training".

Three days later, they will disguise themselves as civilians and set up a massive trap around the brick kiln in the west of the city.

They don't enter the ghost market; they only act as accomplices.

If there is any unusual activity inside, this swift and decisive force will wipe the entire brick kiln off the map in the shortest possible time.

This was his confidence, and his greatest strength in daring to accompany her through this ordeal.

Three days later, in the dead of night, there was no moon and no wind.

Two dark figures slid out of the back gate of the Lu family compound like ghosts and got into a jeep parked in the shadows.

Su Wanqing was dressed in a dark blue coarse cloth coat and wore an old straw hat pulled low on her head.

Lu Zhanting sat beside her, like a silent guardian, his eyes warily scanning the darkness flowing outside the car window.

The car headed west, leaving behind the city lights.

A damp, earthy smell, unique to discarded bricks and tiles, gradually filled the air.

We've arrived at the brick kiln.