"Is this the rule you've set?" Li Se asked with a frown, a hint of mockery in his voice.
Liu Xianwei chuckled. "And what if it is? You just need to follow it. If you want to open a clinic peacefully, you have to do things my way. Otherwise, even if all the permits are processed, I can still shut you down!"
Hu Qingqing said smugly, "Did you hear that? Go and place an order with this company to buy medicinal herbs immediately. It's a favor for us to sell you herbs. Don't be ungrateful!"
"It seems you're preparing for a forced sale?" Li Se said, his expression turning cold. He was very strict about medicinal herbs and would absolutely not stock them without seeing them first. Moreover, judging by the quality of the medicinal herb company behind Hu Qingqing, it was probably just so-so, otherwise, they wouldn't resort to such strong-arm tactics.
"You can't say that. I'm doing this to ensure that if clinics like yours provide patients with poor-quality herbs, and if patients have problems after taking them, can you bear the responsibility? I'm doing this entirely to eliminate all potential risks. Stop your nonsense. Either buy the herbs, or close down. Don't open this clinic at all!" Liu Xianwei snorted.
Hu Qingqing crossed her arms, her head held high. "Did you hear? If we don't vet your clinic, who knows what kind of herbs you unscrupulous merchants will buy. Perhaps to save money, you'll relentlessly purchase inferior medicinal herbs. I've seen many people like you who would do anything to make money. Therefore, if you want to open a clinic in this area now, you must buy our herbs. This is also a precaution!"
Li Se smiled, a smile full of mockery and disdain. "Two, who exactly is it that would do anything to make money?"
"What? You seem very unwilling to buy our herbs?" Hu Qingqing frowned.
"Yes!" Li Se stated firmly. "It's not that I'm unwilling, I simply won't buy them!"
"Good kid, my cousin is here, and you still dare to be so arrogant? Do you believe I can get all your permits revoked with just a word from my cousin?" Hu Qingqing said angrily.
"You can try." Li Se was surprised that such things would happen in the capital. In fact, the same situation had occurred in Qingyun City before, but this was the capital, the heart of the empire, and some companies in the capital seemed even more overbearing.
"Very well, very well. Young people are so arrogant. You've opened a clinic and you've forgotten who you are. Since that's the case, I'll teach you how to behave." Liu Xianwei was somewhat angered and took out his phone, dialing a number.
Soon after the call was connected, Liu Xianwei said, "Section Chief Jia, there's a clinic applying for permits. Please check it out. It's called Jishi Traditional Chinese Medicine Clinic."
"Okay..." a voice replied from the other end. Not long after, Section Chief Jia responded, "Old Liu, yes, there is such a clinic, and all procedures are complete. Is something wrong?"
"Old Jia, this clinic has issues with the herbs it's importing. The quality is not up to standard. Clinics like this do this just to make money. Temporarily revoke their permits." Liu Xianwei said.
"Understood!" Section Chief Jia immediately nodded. He wouldn't hesitate in such matters.
After ending the call, Liu Xianwei looked triumphantly at Li Se. "Your permits have been revoked by me. It's very simple to get them back – just buy our medicinal herbs. Otherwise, your permits will never be processed. I'm telling you!"
Li Se's brow furrowed. He immediately received a call from the Administration for Industry and Commerce, saying there were problems with his application and he needed to reapply. This angered him. He looked at Liu Xianwei and said, "Section Chief Liu has quite the means. You must have used such tactics quite a bit to push your medicinal herbs, haven't you?"
"Heh heh, merchants like you need extraordinary measures, otherwise, it's the common people who will be harmed!" Liu Xianwei said righteously.
"Go and pick up the business card you just threw away!" Hu Qingqing felt immensely proud. She had handed the business card to him earlier, and it hadn't been lost. Now was the time to vent her anger.
"Oh, you dare to throw away a business card?" Liu Xianwei was somewhat annoyed. "Hurry and pick it up. I'll give you one day. Go and buy medicinal herbs from the address on the business card immediately. Furthermore, all the medicinal herbs for your clinic from now on must be sourced from us, understand?"
"Truly lacking in foresight!" Hu Qingqing scoffed.
"Qingqing, give him one day. People like this won't shed a tear until they see the coffin. He'll definitely obediently go to your company to buy medicinal herbs," Liu Xianwei said, not taking Li Se too seriously. After all, he had used such methods many times. Although some clinic owners initially refused, they eventually compromised.
"I am the owner of this clinic. As I said, I will not buy your medicinal herbs. Not for a day, not for a month, I will not go to your company. Get lost, I won't see you out!" Li Se was not worried about the permit issue. He would ask Sun Bai to help him with it later. With Sun Bai's status, obtaining the permit should not be a problem.
Even if not, wasn't he an Imperial Physician himself? His status was there, so he didn't need to worry too much.
"Oh ho, still so stubborn?" Liu Xianwei wasn't angry. Instead, he smiled. "Kid, I hope you can still be this defiant tomorrow!"
"Who is the owner of this clinic?"
At this moment, another man in a suit walked in.
"Miss Hu? Section Chief Liu, you're here too?" The man seemed pleasantly surprised to see the two of them.
"Oh, Tian Lin, you're here too?" Hu Qingqing nodded, acknowledging him.
Tian Lin smiled. "I heard a clinic opened here, so I came to take a look."
"This is the owner of the clinic. He's a bit unappreciative," Hu Qingqing said, pointing at Li Se.
Tian Lin smiled, not paying much attention. Then, he took out a business card from his briefcase and threw it to Li Se, saying, "You're the owner of this clinic? Listen carefully. All the medical equipment for your clinic must be purchased from our company. All medical equipment must be the most advanced and of the best quality. Not a single piece can be missing!"
"What, are you also forcing a sale?" Li Se did not reach for the business card, saying indifferently.
"Kid, you're not accepting my business card?" Tian Lin snorted.
"So what if I don't accept it?" Li Se retorted mockingly.
Tian Lin sneered, "Heh heh, it seems you don't know our capabilities. I am the secretary to the Vice President of the Western Medicine Association. This medical equipment is from our Vice President's company. Every clinic must purchase it, and your clinic is no exception!"
Li Se, however, said with a blank expression, "This is Chinese medicine, I don't need Western medicine equipment. All of you, get out of here and stop bothering me!"