Life at the Medicinal Cuisine Workshop was ordinary and busy.
Pan Zhuanghe occasionally organized Medicinal Materials in the West Storeroom, but spent most of his time out Herb Gathering.
Kefeng City's Medicine Mountain spanned a thousand miles in radius, and a bit further beyond was Fengluan Mountain, which was even larger in scope than Medicine Mountain.
Pan Zhuanghe often went to Fengluan Mountain for Picking Spirit Herbs.
Everyone at the Medicinal Cuisine Workshop admired Pan Zhuanghe's dedication. Pan Zhuanghe was also an Alchemist, but rarely engaged in Medicine Refining; his work was primarily focused on searching for Medicinal Materials.
He never shirked the task of personally going up the mountain to dig for herbs. Despite his age, his physique was incredibly strong. Whenever news of a Spirit Herb appearing surfaced, he was always the first to set off.
Someone once heard Xiao Mingqing say that on one occasion, while accompanying Old Pan up the mountain, they encountered a Fierce Beast, and Old Pan simply cleaved it in two with one strike.
The younger, strong men in the workshop exchanged glances upon hearing this.
“Old Pan truly works himself to the bone!” One day, while the Apprentices and servants of the Medicinal Cuisine Workshop were busy in the backyard, they chatted, saying, “He’s already so old, yet he still personally leads people up the mountain to search for herbs. I truly admire him.”
“Isn’t that the truth,” another servant chimed in, “Doing more work earns the same wages, and doing less also earns the same wages.
“I think Old Pan is just too kind-hearted, alas.”
“He is indeed a kind person. The child he saved in the Forest last year is now plump and healthy under his care.”
“What good is being kind-hearted? We are still just servants. He forces us to go up the mountain to dig for herbs every time; it’s so dangerous!”
“Exactly! He’s old and wants to risk his life, but he shouldn't drag us along. Sometimes when we work overtime to finish the tasks, we don't get extra pay, and he even deducts from what we are owed.”
“It’s Yi Enguang who deducts your money, what does that have to do with Pan Zhuanghe...”
“Pan Zhuanghe is just foolish. He holds the Immortal Gate Token from the Medicine Immortal Sect, yet he always passes it up. If he went to work for another pharmacy, his compensation would be several times higher!”
“Don't let Yi Enguang overhear you saying that, or you won't have a job here anymore.”
While some in the workshop admired Pan Zhuanghe, naturally, others also slandered him.
Most disciples were reluctant about going up the mountain for Herb Gathering, but there was no choice; the rules of the Medicinal Cuisine Workshop dictated that they must search for Medicinal Materials on the mountain every so often. After all, the variety and quantity of Medicinal Materials required by an Alchemist were vast. Furthermore, the Medicinal Cuisine Workshop also had a business selling Medicinal Materials.
Huang Zidong was one of those who dreaded going up the mountain to dig for herbs.
Every time the Steward of the Medicinal Cuisine Workshop announced that they were taking people into the mountains, Huang Zidong would find various excuses to avoid it, terrified of being dragged along for such hard labor.
“Brother Huang, I heard Grandpa Pan is going up the mountain again. Can we go?” Li Jun sounded extremely excited every time he heard Pan Zhuanghe was heading up.
“Go? Are you kidding!” Huang Zidong frowned and waved his hand, “I’m not going! It’s tiring and dangerous up there. What if we run into a Fierce Beast? What are you thinking about with that little head of yours? Hey, why are there so many red bumps on your face? Were you bitten by some bug?”
Li Jun was a bit angry, clenching his small fists, he said, “The wind chime cart you gave me didn't attract butterflies; it attracted a swarm of bees, and they chased me all over the courtyard! I had to hide in the pond to escape.”
“Ah! Maybe the pollen pouch on the wind chime cart was mixed up. Just follow the bees to find honey,” Huang Zidong said awkwardly, rolling his eyes toward the ceiling.
“See, I’m not even afraid of bees, I can go up the mountain with them!”
“The Fierce Beasts on the mountain would swallow a child like you in one gulp. You’d just be a burden. Stay in the courtyard and behave.”
“But I grew up in the mountains!” Li Jun quickly explained, “I know the way, and my eyesight is good; I can spot Medicinal Materials hidden in the Forest!”
Huang Zidong glanced at him and smiled, “You certainly have ambition, but no matter how much you sweet-talk, Old Mr. Pan won't let you go.”
As expected, when Pan Zhuanghe was preparing to leave, Li Jun eagerly ran up to him and asked with full expectation, “Grandfather, can I come with you this time?”
Pan Zhuanghe smiled, shook his head, reached out to pat Li Jun’s head, and said, “You, my boy, had better stay obediently at the Medicinal Cuisine Workshop. Going up the mountain is not easy; it requires experience and strength. Your task now is to diligently organize the Medicinal Materials and learn to identify them so you can truly be helpful in the future.”
Li Jun nodded somewhat reluctantly. He watched Pan Zhuanghe depart with a group of servants, secretly resolving in his heart: one day, he too would follow Grandpa Pan up the mountain and become his assistant.
Days passed one by one, and Li Jun gradually adapted to life at the Medicinal Cuisine Workshop.
He diligently helped organize Medicinal Materials every day, and with the help of Huang Zidong and other servants, he learned many practical skills.
Pan Zhuanghe also often personally instructed him, explaining the efficacy and application methods of various Medicinal Materials.
Although Li Jun was young, he learned things very quickly, grasping almost everything immediately. Moreover, having followed Li San up the mountain when he was little, he was relatively familiar with plants.
“Li Jun, your progress is very fast,” Pan Zhuanghe couldn't help but praise him one time while watching him organize Medicinal Materials, “In a few more years, perhaps you can manage things independently.”
“Grandfather, I want to learn more,” Li Jun looked up at him, his gaze firm, “I want to know how to do Medicine Refining and how to treat illnesses. Perhaps in the future, I can open a clinic.”
Pan Zhuanghe smiled slightly and nodded, “Open a clinic? Do you wish to save lives and help the suffering? However, learning Medicine Refining and treating illnesses is not something achieved overnight; it requires a lot of effort.”
“I think opening a clinic makes money. With money, I can buy many Medicinal Materials to give to Grandfather, so Grandfather won't have to go up the mountain to dig for herbs every time,” Li Jun stated firmly.
“Hahaha,” Pan Zhuanghe rubbed the back of Li Jun’s head, feeling a wave of amusement in his heart.
Nowadays, Pan Zhuanghe would light a calming incense stick in the Storeroom every day to help Li Jun sleep soundly and calm his spirit.
Because he spent so much time organizing Medicinal Materials and flipping through books, Pan Zhuanghe spent more time in the Storeroom than in his own room. The key point was that this Storeroom spanned eight acres yet didn't feel crowded.
Having Li Jun accompany him brought a bit of vitality to Pan Zhuanghe’s monotonous days.
Time passed without notice for three years. During these three years, Li Jun had grown into a young man, serving as Pan Zhuanghe’s assistant at the Medicinal Cuisine Workshop. He dealt with herbs every day, carrying the scent of medicine on him, and had also learned a set of Medicine Refining skills by practicing with Zhu Qin in the Medicine Refining Room. He had mastered some basic prescriptions and common Medicine Refining knowledge with ease.
Today, the courtyard of the Medicinal Cuisine Workshop was filled with the fresh fragrance of medicinal herbs.
Li Jun squatted in a corner, carefully inspecting every single Medicinal Material, patiently arranging them into categories.
Every leaf and every stem was meticulously cared for by him; he held a silk cloth dampened with Medicinal Liquid, carefully wiping the herbs, his movements skilled and focused.
Huang Zidong walked past Li Jun, and seeing him so serious, couldn't help but laugh, “You kid, you’re so serious it’s unnerving.”
Li Jun hadn't noticed Huang Zidong approaching. He looked up in surprise, smiled, his eyes holding a degree of sincerity and enthusiasm, “Brother Huang, I’m going to open a clinic in the future! I have to seize the time to learn more things.”
Hearing this, Huang Zidong smiled and waved his hand, “Alright, alright. You’ve kept up this drive for three years; I truly admire you too.”
After speaking, Huang Zidong turned to leave and casually mentioned, “I’m planning to go into the city for a walk. Want to come?”
Li Jun froze, then immediately became excited, “Huh? I’ll go! Brother Huang, wait for me.”
Li Jun tumbled off the table, dropping the Medicinal Materials in his hands, and followed excitedly.
In recent years, Li Jun had spent most of his time inside the Medicinal Cuisine Workshop, with very few opportunities to go out.
The occasional times he did go out were mostly when accompanying someone on an errand; only Pan Zhuanghe and Huang Zidong were willing to take him along.