Chapter 26: Twentyfold Profit, Advertising for Oneself

“Ah!” Qin Hongyu sighed softly, closing the window and lying down on the bed, ready to rest. Zhou Chen had already sent word that he wouldn’t be coming home tonight. It wasn’t that she minded; it was just that when Zhou Chen wasn’t around, her heart felt empty. She blew out the lamp, and the room plunged into darkness.

Outside, the Snow Moon Pavilion remained brightly lit, its true liveliness only emerging at night. Men and women bustled about, their hands and mouths never idle. Zhou Chen was no exception; having grown up in poverty, he worked hard to earn Fengyue Points.

“Master, no more...”
“Ah, Master, this... won’t do...”

Time flew swiftly. The night passed quietly. Those with work had to drag themselves from the comfort of their beds, dress properly, and present themselves as respectable to go to their jobs. Zhou Chen was no different.

He glanced at Miao Tong, who embraced him tenderly in his arms, and Miao Yu, whose long leg rested heavily on him, sleeping deeply. Pushing the leg aside, Zhou Chen slipped out of bed, smiling faintly at the two still asleep.

[Fengyue Points: 1205]

Seeing the Fengyue Points on his personal panel, his smile grew wider. “Miao Tong, Miao Yu—truly marvelous!” Zhou Chen was very pleased with his gains. Earning over a thousand points in one night meant all sorts of buffs had stacked up: quantity buff, item buff, freedom buff. Like driving a rented car—not his own—he could be reckless without worry.

Dressed neatly, Zhou Chen left the room just as Zhang Long, Zhao Hu, and others emerged from the next room, tightening their belts.

“Impressive!” Zhao Hu, Yang Dali, and Yang Dagen gave Zhou Chen thumbs up.
“No big deal!” Zhou Chen smiled. He knew their praise was not only for his own abilities but also for the potency of the medicine he provided. They were clearly satisfied after using it.

“Chen, your medicine has great potential!” Zhang Long said, looking at Zhou Chen. Though there were other medicines of similar or even better effects, those were expensive. Zhang Long hadn’t asked about the cost or price, but he knew the cost couldn’t be too high, so the price wouldn’t be either. A high cost would prevent mass production, let alone opening a shop.

“We’ll see once the sales start!” Zhou Chen replied. The four of them left the Snow Moon Pavilion and headed towards the county office.

“Chen, where do you plan to open your shop?” Zhang Long asked as they stopped in front of a storefront.
“How about this one?” he pointed.
“Not bad!” Zhou Chen nodded. He wasn’t particular about location, but this shop was right next to the Snow Moon Pavilion—definitely an ideal spot.
“Then this one it is!” Zhang Long decided without hesitation. The shop belonged to him, so his word was final.
“Good!” Zhou Chen agreed. After a stroll around the county office, they prepared to return and set up the shop. Zhou Chen’s work hours were flexible.

“Brother Chen!” Just a few steps from the county office, two men called out, rushing over respectfully and bowing.
“We want to work with you!”
Zhou Chen sized them up. Though they were ruffians, they were clever enough. Remembering his need for staff in the new shop, he decided to take them on.

The two lowered their heads further under his gaze, nervous.
“Alright, I just opened a shop. You’ll help sell medicine. I’ll pay you one tael of silver a month, and if you do well, there’ll be bonuses!” Zhou Chen said calmly.
“Yes, Brother Chen!” They answered excitedly.

But when they thought of selling medicine, hesitation crept in.
“Brother Chen, we don’t know medicine. What if we make a mistake...”
“Don’t worry. The medicine I sell is ready-made. You only need to take the money and give out the medicine!”
“Then no problem at all!” They quickly promised with confidence.

“Follow me!” Zhou Chen led them to the shop. His medicine line was simple, so the shop didn’t need much decoration—just a new sign.

“Brother Chen, this is your shop?” The two stared wide-eyed, like country bumpkins entering a grand estate.
This was a city shop, and quite large!
“I’ll advance you one month’s salary first. Then get a sign made with the name ‘Yang Dingtian’—that’s the main medicine we sell!” Zhou Chen took out two taels of silver, giving each a tael to help with expenses.
“Yang Dingtian—that’s a powerful name!” The two were amazed.
“Go get it done. Spend a little extra if needed!”
“Yes, Brother Chen! We’ll get it done!”

Having set everything in motion, Zhou Chen bought two taels more of medicinal herbs and a silver hairpin, then headed home leisurely.

“Brother Chen!” Qin Hongyu greeted him happily, helping carry the herbs.
“Hongyu, I bought you a gift!” Zhou Chen took out the silver hairpin. “Hold still, I’ll put it on you.”

Qin Hongyu stood before him, watching as he pinned the hairpin in her hair. Her eyes shone with happiness that seemed about to overflow.
“Brother Chen, you’re so good to me!”
“If I’m not good to you, who else?” Zhou Chen pinched her fair cheek. After some time together, Qin Hongyu had grown even more beautiful. Indeed, women need a man’s nurturing.

Of course, with Zhou Chen’s Fengyue Treasure Mirror and Thunderlight Ruyi Hand, Qin Hongyu greatly benefited each time they were together. Though not like Ji Fengxia’s cultivation growth, her beauty, complexion, and constitution visibly improved.

Moreover, Zhou Chen currently didn’t want children. After their moments together, he would use the Thunderlight Ruyi Hand to massage and help Qin Hongyu absorb the essence directly, turning it into a potent tonic. He did the same for Miao Tong and Miao Yu. Though they might have other methods or medicines, Zhou Chen trusted only his own hands. He was a good man who didn’t want to cause harm.

After their intimacy, Zhou Chen added all the Fengyue Points earned that day to his cultivation. Instantly, it felt as if he had practiced archery for years; his tendons trembled, growing resilient and powerful, and his internal energy and blood surged mightily.

“Reaching the third level of body refining and completing a quarter of the tendon refining stage—at this pace, it won’t be long before I finish tendon refining and advance to the fourth level, bone refining!” Zhou Chen felt hopeful. The bone refining stage was a crucial watershed, marking the transition from early to mid-body refining, with a vast difference in strength.

Tendons like coiling dragons, bones like adamantine. Not only would his physical defense greatly rise, but his strength would explode. The only downside was that the Snow Moon Pavilion was a bit pricey—more like selling gold than newspapers.

But he had to make money.

The shop sign was completed in one day at a cost of one tael. Zhou Chen began producing the “Yang Dingtian” pills. The preparation was simple: grind the herbs into powder, mix with flour, add sugar for taste, roll into small pills, and dry them.

To make the pills uniform, Zhou Chen had a pressing machine custom-made at the blacksmith’s. It was a straightforward design—two iron plates with ten circular indentations in the middle. Pressing down would form ten pills at once.

Qin Hongyu helped Zhou Chen for two hours before all their herbs were made into pills. Including the herbs purchased earlier, about three taels in total, Zhou Chen produced three thousand pills.

“The herb cost was three taels, or three thousand wen, plus the important costs of formula, labor, packaging...” Zhou Chen thought for a moment, then multiplied the cost by twenty, setting the price at twenty wen per pill.

“Brother Chen, you want to sell each pill for twenty wen?” Qin Hongyu’s eyes widened in disbelief. “Will anyone buy them?” She looked at the basin full of pills—if all sold, that would be sixty thousand wen, or sixty taels of silver! My goodness!

“They’ll definitely sell!” Zhou Chen smiled confidently. “Bake them a bit, and I’ll go buy some small bottles.” He planned to package ten pills per bottle, selling each bottle for two hundred wen, with the bottles essentially free. For single pills or small quantities, they would be wrapped in oil paper since a bottle cost two wen.

The day passed quickly. The shop sign was ready, and the medicine was in place, just waiting for customers. Without reputation, though, it would be hard to break into the market. Zhou Chen already had plans for advertising.

At the Snow Moon Pavilion, Wild Dog and Er Mazi pretended to be customers, wandering the first floor and eavesdropping on conversations. Suddenly, they overheard talk about Zhou Chen.

“Have you heard? A genius came to the county office—only eighteen, already completed skin refining and reached the second level of body refining. And he’s from the countryside!”
“Of course! They say his name is Zhou Chen, close with the county captain. Though young, he’s very impressive in the pleasure quarters!”
“How impressive?”
“You don’t know? Supposedly, Zhou Chen has only been to the Snow Moon Pavilion twice. First time, he ordered Miss Miao Tong, who couldn’t get up the next day!”
“The second time was yesterday with the county captain. Zhou Chen ordered two girls—Miao Tong and Miao Yu. They still can’t get up!”
“Wow! That amazing?”

Hearing this, Wild Dog and Er Mazi’s eyes lit up. They had been instructed by Zhou Chen to hype him up, but before they even spoke, others had already paved the way.

Wild Dog immediately approached with a smile. “Brother, do you know why Zhou Chen is so amazing?”
“Why?”
“Because Zhou Chen has an ancestral miracle medicine!” Wild Dog smiled mysteriously. “It’s said this medicine has no side effects, strengthens the body, and enhances yang energy.”
“Zhou Chen has taken it since childhood, which is why his talent is extraordinary and unbeatable!”
“Don’t be fooled by his eighteen years—he’s really twenty-two!”
“Got it?”

The crowd gasped in admiration.
“No wonder Miss Miao Tong can’t get up!”

...