In the brightly lit hall, the atmosphere was oppressive and gloomy. At the center of the hall, a small green jade bottle was placed on the table, emitting a faint medicinal scent. Many people were seated in the hall, their attire indicating that they were high-ranking members of the Galley family, including Galley Oba, who was present today.
On the left side of the head of the table, a young man in white robes lazily leaned back in his chair. The young man was quite handsome, but the occasional lewd glint in his eyes ruined his appearance. His hand was slowly sliding under the clothes of a pretty maidservant standing next to him, with no regard for the presence of others.
Under the young man’s lewd advances, the maidservant’s face paled slightly, her eyes welling up with tears, and her body trembled, but she dared not make a sound.
“This is the ‘Blood Coagulation Powder’ that the Xiao family suddenly produced. The popularity of our market is already plummeting,” Galley Bi said, staring at the green jade bottle with a sullen face, as if he hadn’t noticed the young man’s disrespectful actions.
“How could the Xiao family have healing medicine? Did they also hire a Pharmacist?” Galley Oba, who had a significant grudge with Xiao Yan, glanced at the young man in white and frowned.
Galley Bi’s old eyes narrowed, his face looking rather grim. “Do you remember the mysterious Pharmacist we met at the auction? His attitude seemed to favor the Xiao family. If this ‘Blood Coagulation Powder’ is made by him, we are in trouble. He might be a third-grade Pharmacist.”
Hearing the term “third-grade Pharmacist,” the young man in white finally stopped his wandering hand on the maidservant, reluctantly withdrawing it. He stepped forward, picked up the small green bottle, and took a sniff, then poured a little out and rubbed it between his fingers, sneering, “What kind of third-grade Pharmacist? This Blood Coagulation Powder is indeed better than the Rejuvenation Powder, but judging from its quality, the person who made it is clearly inferior to me. The effectiveness must be due to some special formula he used.”
Relieved, everyone in the hall let out a sigh. If the Xiao family truly had a third-grade Pharmaiser, the Galley family would be in dire straits.
“Based on my experience, the Pharmacier hired by the Xiao family is probably a novice who just started, using a special formula to make this Blood Coagulation Powder,” the young man in white said, his face showing a hint of disdain.
“Brother Liu Xi can see through the owner’s level from a mere potion, truly sharp-eyed,” Galley Oba flattered, a hint of pleasing in his smile.
“This is just the basic skill of a Pharmacist,” the young man, known as Liu Xi, modestly shook his head, though a smug look appeared on his face, which did not escape the notice of the old foxes in the room.
“Although the Rejuvenation Powder is somewhat inferior to this Blood Coagulation Powder, the difference is not great. The sudden drop in popularity is mainly due to our recent price hike. Once we lower the prices, the popularity will gradually return. However, it will be difficult to regain the previous level, as the Blood Coagulation Powder will attract many customers, and the Xiao family will also enter the healing medicine market in Wu Tan City,” Galley Bi mused, speaking slowly.
“We need to lower the prices?” Hearing this, Liu Xi frowned, clearly unwilling. He was used to selling at high prices and was not keen on lowering them.
Seeing Liu Xi’s reluctance, Galley Bi cursed inwardly before smiling and explaining, “Mr. Liu Xi, the current market is different from before. We used to monopolize the healing medicine market in Wu Tan City, but now we can’t. So, we must lower the prices to regain popularity.”
Shaking his head helplessly, Liu Xi said, “Do what you want, but even if you lower the prices, I still want triple my usual share.”
Galley Bi’s eyes twitched, anger rising in his heart. Taking a deep breath, he forced a warm smile, though it looked somewhat cold, “Of course, Mr. Liu Xi, your share will be paid in full as agreed.”
Satisfied, Liu Xi nodded and returned to his seat, more brazenly embracing the pretty maidservant and touching her.
“Mr. Liu Xi, we don’t have much Rejuvenation Powder left. I’ve already sent someone to the Mittel Auction House to buy ingredients. When the time comes, we’ll need your help again.” Galley Bi smiled, adding, “Also, I was lucky enough to buy a pair of rare snake women from the Tager Desert. I’ve already sent them to your room.”
Hearing that he would need to work again, Liu Xi’s face showed obvious impatience, but when he heard the words “snake women,” his impatience turned to lewdness. His eyes gleamed as he nodded eagerly, “As long as the ingredients are sufficient, you don’t need to worry about the quantity of Rejuvenation Powder.”
Seeing how easily Liu Xi was persuaded, Galley Bi’s lips curled into a smirk, thinking, “A waste filled with lust, useless except for making medicine.”
Shaking his head with a cold laugh, Galley Bi took a sip of tea and engaged in a lively discussion with Liu Xi about things he found most interesting.
After chatting with Liu Xi for a while, a family member rushed into the hall, approaching Galley Bi and whispering in his ear.
Listening with a smile, Galley Bi’s expression gradually stiffened. The teacup in his hand shattered, the powder mixing with the tea and dripping from his hand.
“Damn Mittel Auction House, playing this game with me!” Galley Bi roared, standing up furiously. A powerful aura burst from him, causing a small gust of wind to whistle in the air.
Galley Oba, closest to Galley Bi, felt his chest constrict under the strong pressure and hurriedly retreated, shouting, “Father!”
Galley Oba’s shout brought Galley Bi back to his senses. His face twitched, and he sat down coldly, saying, “The Mittel Auction House is refusing to sell us ingredients!”
This statement caused an uproar in the hall, with everyone looking at each other in shock.
“How is that possible? The Mittel Auction House has always been neutral. Why are they targeting us?” Galley Bi’s face changed, and he stammered in disbelief.
“Who would remain neutral in the face of sufficient profit?” Galley Bi snorted, taking a deep breath. He glanced at Liu Xi, who looked somewhat disheveled from his aura, and said coldly, “I think this matter is likely related to the Xiao family.”
“Can the Xiao family really make the Mittel Auction House refuse to sell us ingredients?” Galley Oba muttered.
“Hmph, who knows what conditions they offered to the Mittel Auction House,” Galley Bi said, stroking his aged face, feeling a strange unease in his heart.
“What should we do now? Without enough ingredients, our Rejuvenation Powder will soon run out, and our market will be empty,” Galley Bi said anxiously.
Gritting his teeth, Galley Bi said coldly, “We still have support from many herb shops. Send people to collect their herbs and try to sustain for a while. If that doesn’t work, we’ll buy herbs at high prices from other cities. I don’t believe the Xiao family can extend their reach that far!”
As he spoke, Galley Bi picked up another teacup and noticed that his hand was trembling slightly. Swallowing, he felt an inexplicable sense that the Galley family might have provoked something they couldn’t handle.
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