Chapter 12: Black Mud Cream
Translator: YHHH Editor: Book_Hoarder
Caretaker Shi said that his wound be fine as long as he applied the cream. Ren Baqian felt that was too exaggerated.
This injury of his wouldn't it take at least ten to twenty days to heal?
The black mud cream was stored in a wooden box. Its interior was filled with black, sticky, and dense substance and had a pungent smell. Ren Baqian thought in his heart, "Could this really be black mud? "
However, the wound on his hurt badly. Ren Baqian nevertheless gritted his teeth and dug some cream out to apply on his stomach.
As he applied the cream, his stomach had a refreshing sensation. Soon after, he started to feel a burning sensation. Finally, it became an acute itch which he anxiously wanted to scratch badly, yet he had to restrain himself from touching his wound.
"Could it be the wrong medicine? Or has it expired?" Ren Baqian was suffering and he gave an expression as if he was constipated.
If this was torture, Ren Baqian reckoned that he would rather confess.
After enduring for God knows how long, all the kinds of pain and itching on his stomach began to subside. Shortly after, it became a warm, fuzzy, and comfortable feeling.
"This medicine really wants my life." Ren Baqian used his sleeves to wipe his face which was filled with perspiration.
He used his hand to caress his stomach. There was still a slight pain, but it wasn't hindering him anymore.
Ren Baqian sighed, and the silver ingots by his side caught his attention.
He lost his job and only had about a few thousand yuan left in savings. Within a few months, his fortune would probably be eaten away. These ten silver ingots would help him reap a small fortune.
(ten silver ingots is almost equivalent to 100 taels of silver)
"I wonder if I am able to go out? If I use this silver to buy something from this world to sell on Earth, would it be possible to earn more?" Ren Baqian touched his chin as he thought. He was unsure if there was anything in this world that would be of value on Earth.
But, it appeared as though he did not need to be troubled over this. As long as he clung onto the empress's thighs and brought stuff over from Earth, wouldn't it be a breeze to obtain silver and gold?
Ren Baqian, as he thought of it, felt his future was bright.
Ren Baqian came from a rather humble family. Since his schooling days, his family was considered neither rich nor poor. He was average in his studies and had an ordinary character. As a result, he was very ordinary since childhood, and he was unobtrusive.
He originally thought that he would live his whole life as an average Joe. But now, he felt that his good luck had arrived.
At that moment while Ren Baqian was secretly giggling to himself, Caretaker Shi burst into his room and pulled Ren Baqian out. "I have arranged ten men to be under you. If any one of them misbehaves, inform me. Let's grab a drink after you take a look at them. "
"My wound hasn't even healed yet," Ren Baqian shouted. Who in the right mind would drink after getting stabbed in the stomach? Throwing one's life away?
"Hasn't the black mud cream been delivered?" Caretaker Shi was stunned.
"I have applied it, but there's still quite some time before my wound heals completely," Ren Baqian replied.
"It will be fine after you apply the cream." Caretaker Shi released Ren Baqian's hand and pulled his shirt, "Eh, why is this still on your wound?"
.
He teared the gauze off of Ren Baqian's stomach as he spoke.
"Look, isn't it healed?" Caretaker Shi patted the wound and smiled.
Ren Baqian subconsciously hid for a while before quickly lowering his head to take a look. He immediately became dumbstruck.
His originally bleeding wound had already healed by this moment. Delicate tissue could be seen over the position of his wound, which seemed different from the other parts of his body. Other than that, what was left there were the few strands of thread looking slightly ugly. However, his wound had indeed healed.
Ren Baqian swallowed his saliva and dashed back at lightning speed to check the wooden box. He had used one fifth of the black mud cream.
The name of the medicine wasn't pleasant to the ears, but its healing effect was amazing. A wound that would take ten to twenty days to heal actually healed in such a short span of time. If he took this item back to Earth, it would definitely be priceless.
"You must keep this medicine properly, it is rather expensive." Caretaker Shi looked at Ren Baqian's expression and laughed.
"Can it be bought? How much is it?" Ren Baqian thought that this medicine would definitely be extremely expensive. However, Caretaker Shi only mentioned that it's expensive and not that it's uncommon.
"You should be able to buy one box of the cream with the silver ingots bestowed to you."
100 taels of silver for 1 box, that means 20000 yuan to buy this box of medicine, it was indeed not cheap. But if the medicine's effectiveness was taken into account, it would be considered extremely cheap.
"Let's go out and take a look at the people that I have selected for you." Caretaker Shi dragged Ren Baqian out once again as he saw him placing the wooden box properly onto his bed.
There were ten men waiting outside standing in an undisciplined manner. But, each and every one of them were burly chaps whose arms were thick enough for them to use as legs.
If Ren Baqian did not know they were odd-job workers, he would have thought that they were soldiers. He could not deny it, but after coming to this world, the men he met were all tall and sturdy. The males were generally around 1.75 meters tall and the above average ones were about 1.9 meters tall.
The females on average were about 1.65 meters tall. He did not know how come they were so tall in a feudal society.
If he did not remember wrongly, males from the Tang Dynasty were generally about 1.6 meters tall. Only the members of aristocratic families were slightly taller.
The ten men in the field, which included both the old and young, were all looking at Ren Baqian with curiosity. They heard that this guy could manufacture ice, which was freezing-cold and bone-chilling, but it was certainly a good item to relieve the extreme summer heat. It was truly magical. Just that this caretaker's frame was too frail, as if he would be blown away by the wind anytime.
"Brothers, we will be on the same boat in the future. I will require everyone's help whatever the higher-ups' request is. Also, I will not treat anyone unfairly. However, if anyone makes a mistake, I will disregard feelings." Ren Baqian rushed towards everyone, and they cupped their hands in obeisance.
"Whatever caretaker says, we will follow," the ten men loudly agreed.
"That's great. As long as things get done, I absolutely will not treat anyone shabbily. " Ren Baqian was very contented with their attitude. He was most afraid that they would be up to no good, appearing for work without putting in any effort. That would really give him a big headache.
"Her Majesty ordered us to manufacture ice. We definitely cannot manufacture ice outside as it would melt in no time. First of all, we need a cellar to store the ice. I wonder if there is any suitable place over here?" The second half of his statement was directed at Caretaker Shi. If he did not figure things out, he would not have any mood to drink as well.
Caretaker Shi thought for a while and said, "Actually, there is a place. We use it to keep grass every now and then, I'm not sure if this place is suitable or not."
"Good, let's go and take a look," Ren Baqian immediately replied.
The cellar was not far from where they were and in no time they arrived.
Occasionally, a few withered grasses could be seen in the surroundings of the cellar.
Caretaker Shi opened the cover, "This is the place."
Ren Baqian wanted to go down but suddenly thought of something, "How long has this place been vacant for?" If it had been vacant for too long, there might be insufficient oxygen and it would be bad if he went down.
"Probably a few months."
In a few minutes, someone threw a torch down. Ren Baqian looked from above and saw that the blaze remained. He could finally feel relieved and went along the edge to climb downwards.
Ren Baqian picked up the torch from the cellar's ground and walked around the cellar. It was empty inside with the exception of some withered grass. There were also a few wooden pillars which were supporting the cellar, preventing it from collapsing.
The cellar was not small and was estimated to be about 100 over square meters and 2.5 meters tall. In addition, there was a covering top layer of soil which was about 1.5 meters thick. He could feel the coolness as he went down.
"This is it." Ren Baqian clapped the board went he went up.
"Caretaker Shi, let me borrow this place to use it as an ice cellar," Ren Baqian said as he held onto Caretaker Shi.
"No problem. In the future, I can come over to cool myself too whenever I'm free," Caretaker Shi delightfully responded.
"First, tidy up this place so that it can be used to store ice," Ren Baqian instructed the ten odd-job workers.
"Okay!" everyone shouted at the top of their lungs, grabbed their tools, and went to work.
Ren Baqian supervised for a while. These men were indeed efficient and hardworking. He could finally breathe freely and went ahead to drink with Caretaker Shi.