Ever since collaborating with Wankang Auspicious Hall to launch a series of herbal health beverages and pastries, the nation’s enthusiasm for traditional Chinese dicine has been fully ignited.
Long queues have ford outside each storefront, with custors vying to purchase these innovative products that combine effectiveness with flavor—like the barley and red bean cake exuding a grainy fragrance, or the special blend of herbal milk tea with its rich and lingering taste. The discussions on social dia about "herbal conditioning" and "dietary health maintenance" continue to be fervently discussed.
Chu Fengteng, dressed in a simple and elegant teal robe, is focused on introducing a newly launched calming tea formula to a middle-aged custor, his gentle voice clear and patient.
As he looked up, he happened to see Yan Yueqing smiling at the doorway, a delighted spark instantly lighting up his eyes. His refined and graceful face imdiately ca to life: "Aunt Xiaoxing!" He quickly circled the counter to greet her, respectfully and affectionately guiding Yan Yueqing to a quieter private room.
"Aunt Xiaoxing, look," Chu Fengteng said as he seated Yan Yueqing by the window and poured her a cup of clear tea, gesturing toward the bustling crowd outside, his gentle voice filled with heartfelt gratitude, "Everyone’s enthusiasm has exceeded our expectations. Many have begun with trying a cup of health tea and gradually stopped to listen to us explain the principles of dicinal ingredient combinations and the four natures and five flavors. The old shopkeeper and doctors of Wankang Auspicious Hall have all said they’ve never seen such lively scenes at a herbal shop in years, as if the dormant roots have been revitalized."
He continued to report the progress: "Old Master Bai’s research on his end is going very smoothly as well. The two hundred million you invested earlier is being primarily used to tackle key issues in herbal dicine for antiviral purposes, and the progress is encouraging. anwhile, the joint venture revenues from the Food Supplent Shop are, as agreed, continuously supporting Wankang Auspicious Hall, used for the collation of ancient texts, apprentice training, and support for dicinal herb cultivation, forming a positive cycle."
Yan Yueqing picked up the teacup, took a small sip, and nodded appreciatively: "Ultimately, all of this is a result of your perseverance and efforts bearing fruit. The wisdom of Chinese dicine is deeply rooted in life, and you have found the key to making it shine anew."
Her gentle gaze fell on Chu Fengteng, whose youthful energy was becoming more composed, his brows reflecting a budding command of the overall situation.
However, her keen eye still detected a subtle and almost indistinguishable heaviness hidden in his slightly relaxed brow.
"What’s wrong? Encountered a new problem?"
Chu Fengteng sighed softly, put down the teapot, and his expression beca serious: "Aunt Xiaoxing, your insight is comndable... Lately, we’ve indeed encountered so trouble again."
He gestured for the apprentice to gently close the door of the private room, lowered his voice a bit, and with concern, said, "Do you rember the ti when Neon Country’s capital heavily purchased shares in Chinese dicine, attempting to choke us by controlling resources, and even causing my father to have difficulty obtaining dicines, once leading to his kidnapping?"
Yan Yueqing’s eyes sharpened: "Of course I rember. What? Is history repeating itself?"
"It’s a similar script, but with more concealed and forceful actors."
Chu Fengteng took a docunt from the drawer and spread it out in front of Yan Yueqing, listing recent price trends and market analyses of several key dicinal herbs.
"This ti, it’s a joint action by several foreign capitals with deep backgrounds, targeting the monopolization of upstream rare dicinal resources. Look, the prices of wild ginseng and top-grade cordyceps have been speculated to shocking prices, and even common herbs like angelica and astragalus have been massively stockpiled by them."
"Again trying to strangle us?" Yan Yueqing tapped her fingers lightly on the table, her tone calm yet sharp with insight.
Chu Fengteng nodded heavily.
"Exactly. They initially seduce the upstream farrs and cultivation bases with high prices, forming a de facto monopoly, then use this leverage to either buy out or maliciously suppress small- and dium-sized pharmaceutical companies, attempting to control the mid and downstream of the entire industrial chain. Wankang Auspicious Hall’s stock of wild ginseng, at the current consumption rate, might only last half a month... If we really face a supply cut, the hard-fought Chinese dicine health boom could suffer a heavy blow, and the public’s trust might be shaken."
His long fingers unconsciously rubbed the embroidered patterns on the cuffs of his teal robe, revealing his inner anxiety. "Father is urgently contacting familiar old herbal farrs and associated bases across the country, but the purchasing prices they’ve set are simply too high, far exceeding reasonable ranges, leaving us... sowhat powerless."
"Back then, they relied on ample capital, trying to crush our millennium-old foundation with money." Yan Yueqing’s lips curled into a cold smile, her eyes still steady without a trace of panic, "Now they want to repeat the sa trick? It seems they think we are easy to bully."
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