Chapter 348 - Murder in the Three Flavour Hall
The Three Flavour Hall has experienced an unprecedented situation. Initially, everyone expected that there wouldn't be anyone coming for consultation the entire morning, but the contrary occurred. Their business was booming, but no one came to treat their illnesses. They were only interested in buying cheap and common herbs.
Naturally, there were also regular customers. However, they were all persuaded away by the actors.
This was a planned tactic to clog up the door, and the nearby Medicine King Hall has become the biggest benefactor. Since the customers coming for the Three Flavour Hall couldn't get the consultation that they wanted, they could only settle for the one nearby.
When it was roughly 8 a.m., the business at the Medicine King Hall has also turned better. Although it wasn't as bustling as the Three Flavour Hall, they were receiving genuine customers.
Duanmu Xiong patiently conducted treatment for every customer. Although there was a queue, he was a specialist. Hence, his consultation was swift, since he only needed to take their pulse and a glance to give out a prescription.
Knowing that Dou Fanggang was in the Three Flavour Hall, Duanmu Xiong felt as if he had been charged as he placed work on his efficiency.
Naturally, the prescriptions he gave out were also carefully selected.
When Wang Guofeng came to look for him, Duanmu Xiong had requested for a high price.
Duanmu Xiong had calculated in his heart and knew that he had to at least bring profits to the Medicine King Hall in terms of prescription. Since he had received money for this, he naturally had to think for his employer's pocket. It was to ensure that people would invite him for a high price again.
Although it was considered as a charity consultation, it was just to swindle a huge sum out of the customers with the prescriptions.
As for the customers, they knew nothing about TCM, and they knew nothing behind the prescriptions. For example, in stomach illnesses, Duanmu Xiong had a few prescriptions, such as Stomach Warming Powder.
The prescription comprised of Buddha's hand, chicken gizzard lining, Chinese Cinnamon, Fructus Piperis Longi, Costus Root, Lesser Galangala, Baking Soda, Cuttlebone, and Sichuan Fritillary Bulb. After they're mixed together, it is to be consumed daily. For patients suffering from old stomach illnesses, it could be treated in just two to three courses of treatment.
If he wanted to increase the cost, he could add expensive herbs like Ginseng, Polygonatum Sibiricum, Reishi, and other valuable herbs, since these herbs would not clash with the prescription.
Although it wouldn't bring a great effect on the treatment, it could bring in profits.
"Senior Brother, Senior Duanmu is really formidable. In just an hour, the profits he brought in are impressive." Luo Ran sighed.
"Although Duanmu Xiong's position in the TCM industry is weaker than Dou Fanggang, he isn't weaker than the latter in terms of medical skills. The reason why he isn't more famous than Dou Fanggang is due to the expensive prescriptions that he uses, unlike Dou Fanggang, who is honest in his prescription." Bai Fan commented. "If the effect is good, I'm prepared to invite him to take a tour around a few branches."
Nodding his head, Luo Ran flattered, "This is much more interesting than purely selling medicine. With a TCM specialist prescribing the medicine, it is easier to have the customers part with their money."
That was the mindset of customers, since their health was priceless. If the prescription was useful, they wouldn't bat an eye, even if they had to spend a thousand or two.
"How's the Three Flavour Hall doing?" Bai Fan's eyes coldly flickered. If he guessed correctly, the other side must be cooking up a scheme, and he had to pay attention to the other side.
It had only been an hour, and before they closed their business, he couldn't afford to be lax.
"Common herbs in the Three Flavour Hall like wolfberries and licorice root are running out. Roughly an hour from now, they will all be cleared." Luo Ran smiled complacently as he continued, "Dou Fanggang only managed to treat two patients. They've invited such a figure over, but there is no place for him to display his skills. If news of this gets out, it will surely be a joke."
As an unnoticeable smile rose on Bai Fan's lips, he replied, "Continue to follow up. Inform me immediately if there are any changes."
Nodding his head, Luo Ran smiled. "Senior Brother, don't worry about it. They will surely crumble and start to chase their customers away. I've already prepared reporters, and the moment they start to chase their customers away, they will be in the headlines tomorrow. With the Three Flavour Hall going up in the headlines on their grand opening, we will be in the advantage."
Patting on Luo Ran's shoulder, Bai Fan encouraged, "You've done pretty well for this matter. I'll give you a reward when we get back later!"
"What should we do? Three or four admirers came, but they were pulled away by the Medicine King Hall." Zhao Jian came back after probing the situation, and he was in a terrible mood. "If this goes on, our advertisement will go down the drain."
Before this branch opened, aside from investing in advertisements, Zhao Jian personally made a trip to several districts to hand out flyers. Hence, everyone could predict what he's feeling at this moment.
Most importantly, it wasn't because the Three Flavour Hall was incapable, but someone used an underhanded move.
It was depressing when you have the energy but nowhere to vent it.
"Shall we chase them away?" Zhao Jian asked, "Since they're not here for treatment, to begin with!"
"Yeah! I'll go chase them away!" Standing nearby, Hou Cheng immediately charged to chase the crowd as if he had received an order.
Cai Yan immediately tried to stop him, "Don't! You will only worsen things!"
However, it was too late. Hou Cheng had already gone up and stopped someone who was trying to make a purchase. "I'm sorry, but we don't welcome you. Please leave!"
"Based on that, are you chasing me away? You're opening a business, and I'm here to buy from you. Based on what are you refusing me?" The customer became roused.
"You are all here under someone's orders to cause trouble, and we don't welcome customers like you." Hou Cheng refuted. "Please leave, don't force me to make you."
That customer was an old man in his sixties and his face flushed in anger. Although he was hired by someone, he has never suffered such grievance before. Hence, he raged, "I'm not leaving. If you dare, try and make a move!"
"Don't play your age with me!" Hou Cheng immediately raised his hand and gave a slap at the old man.
That old man who was slapped stumbled and fell onto the ground.
Hou Cheng's action has left everyone stunned, including the actors and employees of the Three Flavour Hall.
"Someone's using violence! I want to call the police!" The old man sat on the ground and started taking out his phone with his hands trembling. "What kind of TCM pharmacy is this? This is clearly a bandit's hive! You actually resorted to violence against your customers!"
The other customers also came forth and expressed their anger, "You guys are in the wrong in this matter, and we require an explanation! I'll get the television station to expose all your vile actions!"
The neat and tidy queue suddenly became a mess with everyone crowding up.
However, Hou Cheng appeared calm and rejoiced in his heart. He did not feel that he was in trouble, since this was a well-planned plot from Hou Cheng to cause trouble in the Three Flavour Hall's opening. As long as he managed to create a mess in the Three Flavour Hall, Luo Ran might be happy and reward him.
At this moment, Zhao Jian squeezed through the crowd and hollered, "Everyone, please calm down. It was our employee that made a move, and he's in the wrong. But please be reassured. This is a TCM pharmacy, and we will not let anything happen to this old gentleman."
"I don't dare to receive any treatment from you guys." The old man waved his hand and continued, "I'll go to the hospital later, and you guys will bear the cost. I also want to demand compensation for this traumatising experience!"
"Bloody hell, you still want to act with me? Do you believe that I won't bash you up?!" Hou Cheng continued with his act and threw a kick over to the old man.
Zhao Jian was initially guarding Hou Cheng, fearing that the latter might be beaten up by the crowd. However, he never expected that Hou Cheng would try to take it a step further and immediately stopped him.
However, Hou Cheng did not calm down and continued to curse.
The queue was nothing but actors, and they came here for the ¥100. In their task, causing trouble wasn't part of the deal.
The old man was also an ordinary person, and he had no idea that he was being used. Now that he was being humiliated, he pointed his finger at Hou Cheng with his eyes widened with rage. He couldn't speak a single word as his face turned red, and a few seconds later, he trembled and fell backwards.
"There's a problem with Hou Cheng!" Xia Yu saw through the matter. "That fellow must definitely be an undercover from the Medicine King Hall."
Nodding his head, Su Tao helplessly replied, "He's wearing the Three Flavour Hall's uniform, and he represents the Three Flavour Hall. Go, restrain him and bring him to the back. We can't allow him to blow up the matter any further."
"Ah?! Murder! The Three Flavour Hall has murdered someone!" Someone yelled from the crowd and everyone started to echo along.
No one expected that so many matters would occur during the grand opening.
It was fine if the regular customers were persuaded to leave by the actors, but there's even an incident where the employee used violence against a customer. The situation was dire now, and if it wasn't controlled well, today could also be the day that the Three Flavour Hall closes down.
"Excuse me, excuse me!" Dou Fanggang heard the commotion from the consultation room. Although he was getting on his age, his physique was pretty good and he easily separated the crowd and came to the fainted old man.
After taking a pulse for the old man, Dou Fanggang's grey brows knitted together and he bellowed, "Disperse! Do you guys really want to cause a loss of life here?!"
Dou Fanggang's appearance wasn't friendly to begin with. So when he hollered, the spectators immediately took a few steps back and they opened up space.
With a hand pressing against the old man's chest, Dou Fanggang's other hand was pressed against the old man's back and he applied a high rhythm massage.
Standing to the side, Su Tao was inwardly filled with admiration when he saw Dou Fanggang's technique. This wasn't an ordinary massage, it had a name: Bian Que's Hands.
Bian Que was a famous divine physician in China's history that was versed in massage techniques.
This set of Bian Que's Hands wasn't a technique that belonged to Bian Que, but it was created by the later generations to honor him.
In the Sui and Tang Dynasty, this technique had matured. But because it was too complicated, it was simplified into some massage techniques. However, the one that Dou Fanggang was using right now was the ancient technique that hasn't been simplified. The nursing of acupoints and meridians was simply breathtaking.
Three minutes later, the old man breathed out and he slowly regained his consciousness.
Dou Fanggang was truly worthy of his reputation as a grandmaster physician. The spectators were all surprised and sighed out in relief for that old man.