Chapter Sixty-Four: Power is a Wonderful Thing!

Zhao Zheng set down the bamboo basket and took out the sun-dried mushrooms from inside. "Constable Yao, these are very fresh!"

Seeing that they were merely ordinary mountain mushrooms, Yao Xiong could not help feeling slightly disappointed.

Yet, upon second thought, in the eyes of country folk, these fungi were indeed delicacies of the mountains.

To them, they were rare and delectable treats, but in his own eyes, they were not even worth a second glance.

However, recalling that Zhao Zheng had specifically traveled to the township to find him, he said, "The goods are acceptable, but these cannot compare to the bees. I cannot offer you a high price!"

Wealthy though he might be, he had no intention of acting like a fool being taken for a ride.

Zhao Zheng smiled and said, "These are just for Constable Yao to try something fresh; the true mountain delicacy is not this!"

Yao Xiong's interest was piqued. "Oh? You have something even better?"

Zhao Zheng looked around, pulled a porcelain vial from his tunic, and handed it over. "Constable Yao, the real treasure is inside here!"

"What is this?" Yao Xiong opened the stopper and discovered small blue pills inside.

"This is the treasure of men. A man takes it and feels fantastic, making the woman at home cry out in delight!" Zhao Zheng chuckled.

"An aphrodisiac?" Yao Xiong was slightly startled.

"Better than that. This works quickly without harming the body; even a withered tree can bloom anew!"

"Are you speaking the truth?"

"I deceive neither child nor elder. This is my ultimate trump card, crafted with a great deal of effort!"

"You know how to make medicine?"

"Not much. Once, I saved a physician who had fallen into the water. In gratitude, he gave me a few secret formulas, telling me that should I ever be utterly destitute, I could brew these medicines to sell for money," Zhao Zheng lied. "The stuff is wonderful, but the ingredients are too hard to find. It took me a very long time to gather them all!"

"Have you tried it?"

"The old physician gave me some before he left, and I used them all. They even cured my hidden ailment!" Zhao Zheng revealed a trace of embarrassment.

A look of inquiry crossed Yao Xiong's face. "You had a hidden ailment?"

Zhao Zheng gave a dry chuckle, lowered his voice, and whispered a few words into his ear.

Yao Xiong cast a glance down at Zhao Zheng's crotch. "Are you serious?"

"Everyone in the village knows about my condition, but they do not know that after taking this medicine, I am fully cured. If Constable Yao does not believe me, you can go to the small village and ask..."

Zhao Zheng said with a bitter expression, "Had it not been for my regard for Constable Yao's character, I would never have brought this medicine here."

***

By this time, Yao Xiong believed him by eighty percent. If this medicine were truly so potent, its value would be immense.

The moment he thought of the county magistrate's unspeakable affliction, he grew instantly excited.

This little trinket was far fiercer than tiger bones or tiger testicles!

"How much do you intend to sell it for?"

"What talk of money? Last time, Constable Yao paid a high price for my bees, and I was too grateful as it is. Consider this my gift to Constable Yao!" Zhao Zheng waved his hands repeatedly.

"That won't do. The previous transaction was a fair trade, with both parties willing, and I also respected your loyalty to your friends," Yao Xiong said. "How about this: medicine taken orally demands caution. Once I have verified its efficacy, I will personally visit the small village to find you."

Fearing that Zhao Zheng might be displeased, he added an explanation, "It is not that I disbelieve you, but after all, you are not a great physician. It is better to be safe."

Zhao Zheng nodded; Yao Xiong was indeed cautious. "That is only proper. Anything taken into the body must be handled with care. However, the frail and the elderly should use it sparingly, not excessively. Taking one pill every few days can heighten the mood, but one cannot take them daily. No matter how good the medicine is, it cannot withstand reckless abuse!"

"What you say is true. Medicine is merely a catalyst; physical health is the key." Yao Xiong pondered for a moment, then took another ingot of silver from his belt. "This is the money to buy your medicine!"

"Enough, enough. Difficult though the ingredients are to source, they do not cost this much."

"Old Zhao, take it." Yao Xiong thrust the money unceremoniously into Zhao Zheng's hand. "If you refuse again, I will be displeased."

Zhao Zheng sighed. "Then I thank Constable Yao."

Yao Xiong patted his shoulder. "You haven't had lunch yet, have you? Stay for a simple meal."

"Oh, I wouldn't dare impose on your time."

Zhao Zheng waved his hands repeatedly, hoisted his bamboo basket onto his back, and walked outside. The man was merely offering polite pleasantries, and one certainly could not take them seriously.

Besides, a class divide existed between the two of them; it could not be erased by a single vial of medicine.

Yao Xiong followed him out, and the people outside all bowed and greeted him respectfully.

"Greetings, Constable Yao!"

Yao Xiong nodded, watching as Zhao Zheng walked over to a flatbed cart parked nearby. "Old Zhao, is this your cart?"

"Indeed. The firewood on the surrounding mountains has all been chopped clean, so I am hauling some coal back to use!" Zhao Zheng replied.

"You there, fill up the cart," Yao Xiong instructed, pointing to a burly fellow.

The two fellows who had been gossiping earlier hurriedly stepped forward, personally helping Zhao Zheng shovel coal with flattering expressions. "Does Constable Yao know this elder brother?"

"Mm, this is Old Zhao. Next time he comes to the township to sell charcoal, sell it to him at half price, understand?"

A little coal was nothing to Yao Xiong, nor did the township care much for it, but since he could bestow a favor with a mere word, why not?

***

"Yes!" Both men nodded and shoveled the coal with vigor.

Constable Yao had actually escorted this Old Zhao out in person; this Old Zhao's status must be extraordinary. Next time, they would definitely need to keep their eyes open wider.

"Many thanks, Constable Yao," Zhao Zheng expressed his gratitude once more.

Only when the flatbed cart could hold no more coal did the two men stop.

One of the men even pulled fifty cash coins from his tunic and handed them to Zhao Zheng. "Just now, I was unaware of Elder Brother Zhao's identity. Please forgive my offense."

The two men, who had been arrogant moments before, now wore flattering smiles on their faces. One had to admit that power was truly a wonderful thing.

Even a lowly constable in the countryside had plenty of people eager to crawl and scrape before him!

Zhao Zheng smilingly accepted the money, then drew twenty cash coins from the stack and handed them back. "You two brothers have worked hard. Let these twenty cash be my treat for your tea!"

Yao Xiong nodded inwardly, thinking, "This Old Zhao is truly fine. Not only is he honest, but he also knows how to conduct himself!"

After watching Zhao Zheng depart, Yao Xiong sought out a trusted subordinate to test the medicine. "Old Zhu, test this medicine!"

Old Zhu was one of his capable men, thirty-six years old and in the prime of his life, yet he suffered from a single affliction: impotence!

Few people knew of this flaw, and he happened to be one of the knowers.

He also knew that Old Zhu had traveled all the way to the county seat to seek famous physicians for this ailment, yet all had returned empty-handed.

"What medicine is this?"

"A medicine that will let you be a man again." Yao Xiong smiled mysteriously. "Take it and go back to your wife, then report the effects to me later!"

***

Zhao Zheng expended a tremendous amount of effort hauling the flatbed cart onto the village path.

Walking along the rutted, bumpy road was exhausting enough, let alone pulling two or three hundred catties of coal; it nearly worked him to death.

Seeing no one about, he transferred ninety percent of the coal into his spatial warehouse.

As they neared the village entrance, Zhao Zheng released the greater part of the coal back onto the cart.

Yet the moment he reached home, before he could even unload the cart, Xu Dashan came running up the path beating a battered bronze gong. "Villagers, gather at the village entrance! The village elders have a major announcement to make!"