The coachman immediately carried out her command, and Wu Caiwei quickly pulled her daughter aside. Standing quietly, she watched the woman proudly enter the Zhou Mansion, not even sparing her a glance, and leave with her daughter.
Young Master Zhang had just finished a business negotiation at Julai Tower and was preparing to leave when he saw a woman with a child sitting opposite him.
He looked at them suspiciously, certain he didn't know them. From their attire, they didn't seem to be from a wealthy family, and his usual business associates were all affluent individuals. He had never encountered a woman in business dealings and wondered why they were looking for him.
Wu Caiwei saw his expression. She had been actively gathering information these past few days and hadn't come back empty-handed. She heard that Young Master Zhang often frequented Julai Tower. Upon entering, she claimed to be Young Master Zhang's guest. Although the innkeeper was somewhat skeptical, he dutifully pointed her in the right direction.
"The Zhang family has always been suppressed by the Zhou family in business. I have a few secret formulas here. I wonder if Young Master Zhang would be interested in cooperating with me," Wu Caiwei stated directly.
Young Master Zhang raised an eyebrow, his interest piqued. "May I know what grudge you have with the Zhou family?"
Wu Caiwei felt there was no need to hide anything. She leaned back, resting against the chair, and calmly said, "Does Young Master Zhang know of a person named Xu Yijie?"
"I've heard of him, but that person lacks true talent. He only managed to secure a foothold in the Zhou family's shops through an improper relationship with Madam Zhou. I haven't paid much attention to him. What is your relationship with him?" In truth, Young Master Zhang didn't believe a woman could possess any valuable secret formulas. He simply thought that an enemy of his enemy was his friend. Since he had nothing else to do, learning some gossip would be beneficial.
Wu Caiwei could see the perfunctory nature in his eyes, but she didn't care. As long as she was given an opportunity, she would make him look at her with new eyes. She shrugged, a hint of helplessness in her voice. "I am Xu Yijie's original wife. I didn't intend to oppose the Zhou family. However, Madam Zhou will not let me live in peace and wants to make me destitute. Therefore, I have come to seek cooperation with Young Master Zhang."
Young Master Zhang was impressed by her candor and felt a favorable impression. Though he held no high expectations for her secret formulas, he politely inquired, "You mentioned having secret formulas. What are they for?"
"There are formulas for treating bruises and injuries, for beauty and skin nourishment, and for longevity. Most importantly, there are formulas for treating fevers and the common cold," Wu Caiwei explained everything truthfully. After a moment's thought, she added, "My medicine for fevers and colds is made into pills and stored in bottles. Common people can buy them and keep them at home. When someone falls ill, they can take it out for treatment at any time, without having to rush to a clinic in the middle of the night. I guarantee the medicine will cure the illness."
Upon hearing this, Young Master Zhang instinctively sat up straighter. They had previously researched whether medicines could be stored, but many methods had failed. Anyone who could develop such a medicine would undoubtedly cause a sensation and pave a magnificent future.
He was astonished to hear such words from the woman before him. If she was telling the truth, then the Zhang family could truly ascend to greater heights. He always believed in the principle of acting on the possibility rather than dismissing it. Without hesitation, he led her back to his medical clinic, asking her to try making the medicine, as he intended to conduct experiments.
For Wu Caiwei, this was a simple task, albeit time-consuming. Although the preparatory work was rather complex, Young Master Zhang was a generous man. He provided her with everything she needed according to her requests. For equipment that was unavailable, he even had a blacksmith forge it to her specifications. It took a considerable amount of time, but with these resources, Wu Caiwei confined herself to his clinic. After a full day, she managed to produce over twenty pills.
When Young Master Zhang held the pills, he was immensely excited. Regardless of their efficacy, they had at least been successfully formed into pills. He took ten of them and instructed the doctors at the clinic to administer this pill first to anyone with a fever, to observe its effects. Within two days, a doctor eagerly reported back to him.
"Young Master, do you still have those pills?" he asked, his eyes filled with anticipation, his entire body trembling.
Seeing the doctor's expression, Young Master Zhang's heart leaped. Could it be that he had stumbled upon a treasure? Despite this suspicion, he cautiously asked, "Was the medicine effective?"
The doctor, hearing the question, stammered in his reply, "It was effective, exceptionally effective! You asked me to test its efficacy, so after giving the pill to the patient, I didn't leave but observed their condition. To my surprise, within less than an hour, their fever subsided, and it did not recur. I initially thought it was a coincidence, but after giving it to several more patients in the following days, the results were the same. Only one patient's fever recurred slightly after subsiding, but after taking two more doses, their fever also subsided. I have been a doctor my entire life, and this is the first time I have encountered such miraculous medicine."
Upon hearing this, Young Master Zhang quickly reached for his teacup and took several large gulps. He felt as though he was about to make history, his body trembling uncontrollably.
Suddenly remembering something, he left the Zhang mansion in haste, without even a word to the doctor. He mounted his horse and rode towards Wu Caiwei's residence.
When Wu Caiwei opened the door and saw the unusually excited Young Master Zhang standing at her doorstep, she smiled faintly. She had long anticipated this outcome, as she had great confidence in her medical skills. She calmly invited him in.
"We have tested your fever-reducing medicine, and its efficacy is excellent. Are the other secret formulas you mentioned that day also true?" Young Master Zhang rubbed his hands, struggling to suppress his excitement, and asked nervously.
"What I said is always true. However, I have a condition, which is that we must move to the Zhang residence. You only need to build a small courtyard for us in the back. It would be best if it had a separate door leading outside the compound, while also being connected to the Zhang residence through another door. My reason for this request is to ensure the safety of myself and my daughter. If you can fulfill my requirements, I will do my utmost to assist you in suppressing the Zhou family to the point where they cannot lift their heads."
Upon hearing this, Young Master Zhang immediately agreed without a second thought. This was an easy matter for him. Other families feared the Zhou family, but they did not. They had already been engaged in overt and covert struggles with the Zhou family for many years, both sides wanting to destroy the other, yet neither able to succeed.