Divine Doctor Mommy Is A True Big Shot-Chapter 157 - 159: Counterfeit Hair Cream
Chapter 157: Chapter 159: Counterfeit Hair Cream
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Upon encountering Dongfang Mosheng, Feng Bailing couldn’t help but feel surprised; it seemed that she had been seeing him quite often recently.
Among the nine princes of the royal family, Feng Bailing had a favorable impression of Dongfang Mosheng. He was talented and versatile, courteous, and much more pleasing to the eye compared to Dongfang Cheng and Dongfang Li.
"Miss Feng has not been feeling well recently and cannot attend classes at Yuxiu Academy. Brother Seven asked me to come and give her music lessons."
Dongfang Mosheng nodded slightly, stating his purpose.
Cheap tricks from cheap people.
Feng Bailing thought to herself, Feng Xiangxue wasn’t really interested in learning the zither; clearly, she wanted to spend more time alone with Dongfang Li.
Dongfang Mosheng and Dongfang Li had quite different personalities, but their relationship was quite good—something Feng Bailing didn’t know in that lifetime.
"The Regent King is recuperating on the side of the Princess’ Mansion. He is eccentric, so the Ninth Prince should be cautious."
Having said this, Feng Bailing bowed and was about to leave when Dongfang Mosheng seemed to hesitate to speak.
"Another day, may I seek further guidance on music from Princess Feng?"
Dongfang Mosheng’s voice carried an earnest tone.
He was just a few months younger than Feng Bailing, himself a youth with the face of an exceptionally beautiful man. How many could refuse him?
"The dean’s understanding of music theory is profound; the Ninth Prince can seek her out for discussion. I am but an outsider to this field, I wouldn’t dare show off in front of an expert."
Feng Bailing quickly declined, not wanting to provoke any more involvement with the members of the royal family, especially those close to Dongfang Li.
Feng Bailing’s footsteps gradually faded away, leaving Dongfang Mosheng feeling somewhat lost, watching her retreating figure.
She always rejected him...
After leaving the Princess’ Mansion, Feng Bailing placed the porcelain bottle containing the ticks into her emergency kit.
Back at the Princess’ Mansion, Su Wang happened to be there giving Xiao Li her lesson, so Feng Bailing called Greedy Wolf over and did a thorough check.
Greedy Wolf did not have any ticks, indicating that the ticks did not come from Beiqi.
Although she had treated Xiao Junci, after thinking it over, she felt that something was amiss.
Looking at Xiao Junci and his lieutenant, it didn’t seem like a conspiracy, as very few people knew about the existence of ticks.
Besides, ordinary ticks would not be much of a threat, especially not to someone as physically strong as the martial artist Xiao Junci.
Unless someone had specially prepared the ticks, and even raised the insects, allowing the ticks to first feed on the blood of someone seriously ill with encephalitis, before transferring to Xiao Junci.
Xiao Junci could control locusts and Greedy Wolf, yet he overlooked the tiny insects.
She thought of Dugu Xiaojin, who could communicate with rats and animals.
She had asked Xiaojin how he achieved it; he couldn’t explain why, but he was able to understand their language and naturally control them using it.
The person who controlled the ticks must also possess Xiaojin’s ability.
After pondering for a moment, Feng Bailing decided to keep the ticks. Next time she saw Dugu Xiaojin, she wanted him to take a look; perhaps he could uncover some clues.
In the afternoon, after Su Wang finished teaching the class, he came to report to Feng Bailing about the matters of Xinglin Spring.
"Commandery Princess, the business at Xinglin Spring has been doing well recently. The hair cream you concocted, I’ve changed it to a single-use portion, and after adjusting the price to one silver, we’ve sold over a hundred portions."
Su Wang is getting more and more adept at managing Xinglin Spring.
Especially since Feng Bailing provided a batch of top-quality medicinal herbs, the clientele has gradually increased.
"Su Wang, it seems that not only are you well-versed in scholarship, but you are also a natural at doing business."
Feng Bailing secretly marveled, how fortunate it was to have snatched Su Wang from Dongfang Li. Just one Su Wang is as valuable as an army of ten thousand.
"However, recently some medicine shops in the market, especially Huichun Hall right across from us, have also started selling hair cream. Their price is only half of ours."
The production of the hair cream is not difficult to replicate, with the main ingredients being common medicinal herbs, which any experienced doctor can identify.
Huichun Hall is also an established medicine shop in Chu City. Before entering the Imperial Hospital, two doctors used to consult there, and before Xinglin Spring, Huichun Hall was the city’s largest medicine shop.
Su Wang had inquired before, the difficulties Xinglin Spring encountered in procuring ginseng and other primary medicinal ingredients were also due to Huichun Hall’s interference.
"Malicious competition, I had anticipated it. Here’s what we’ll do: you go get all the hair cream from our shop, and I will refine it further. Then, you double the price."
Feng Bailing is, after all, from the 22nd century, where countless cases of vicious business competition abound. Even if she hadn’t eaten pork, she would have seen pigs run, right?
If Huichun Hall wants to make a copycat version, she’ll make sure they have nothing to copy.
That very afternoon, Feng Bailing began to re-cook the hair cream.
Though she called it refining, it was still the same few herbs, except during the cooking process, Feng Bailing added some Spiritual Spring Water from the well. The newly refined hair cream was then sent to Xinglin Spring.
When Xinglin Spring released their new price, the manager of Huichun Hall saw it, smeared oil on his soles, and slipped away into the Crown Prince Mansion.
In the Flower Hall of the Crown Prince Mansion, Nalan Yan’er, after listening to Manager Wang from Huichun Hall, put down her cup and sneered.
"Xinglin Spring is raising prices? Has Feng Bailing gone mad for money, raising prices instead of lowering them at this time?"
"Princess Feng probably thinks she’s another Yang Shoucai, truly believing their hair cream is so rare. Crown Princess Consort, rest assured, it won’t be long before Xinglin Spring has no more customers."
Manager Wang said, his face full of flattery and eagerness to please.
Originally, Huichun Hall was a property of the Grandmaster Mansion. After Nalan Yan’er married the Second Prince, the Old Grand Preceptor, doting on his granddaughter, transferred the ownership of two shops and a villa to Nalan Yan’er.
Nalan Yan’er picked two doctors from Huichun Hall and recommended them to the Imperial Hospital, which further enhanced its reputation.
When Feng Bailing was in Qi Village, she deceived Nalan Yan’er by taking over her lands. Adding new grievances to old, how could Nalan Yan’er let Feng Bailing off the hook?
Outwardly, she was the dignified and virtuous Crown Princess Consort, and it wouldn’t do to confront Feng Bailing directly, so she turned her attention to Huichun Hall.
Just as Xinglin Spring’s business was improving, Nalan Yan’er made inquiries and heard about the hair cream.
She had purchased a batch herself, and after using it on her grandmother, who couldn’t stop praising it, she had Huichun Hall’s doctors deconstruct the formula, and they replicated an identical hair cream.
With its deep pockets, Huichun Hall entered the market with prices at only half what Xinglin Spring charged, and suddenly, Xinglin Spring’s hair cream was ignored.
"Feng Bailing is only good for some clever tricks, but as for her medical skill being extraordinary, it seems to me she’s just mystifying herself. I recently sent some of Huichun Hall’s hair cream to Father Emperor and Mother Empress. Today, when I enter the palace, I’ll speak a few good words and have Father Emperor grant exclusive rights to Huichun Hall for selling the hair cream."
Harboring resentment about the Spiritual Spring, Nalan Yan’er brought jars of the hair cream to gift the concubines in the palace.
