Chapter Seventeen: Spring - Medicine Tycoon

  After finishing that section, Chen Xiaoqi spent some time secretly working on something in the dye factory's laboratory. When Chen Shouting asked him about it, he just smiled mysteriously and didn't say a word. A few days later, he withdrew several dozen silver dollars from the cabinet again and bought back large and small packages of medicinal materials from various pharmacies in Qingdao. From then on, the kitchen of the dye factory was often filled with the smell of decocting Chinese medicine, which made Chen Zhanggui frown and ask Chen Xiaoqi again, but he still kept the secret and didn't say a word.

  On this morning, on the main street of Tuan Island, the "De Ren Tang" pharmacy had just opened its doors. The people inside casually splashed two buckets of water to wash away the dust from the night before, and then three burly men with waistbands and broad belts came out from inside. They carried two long benches and placed them on either side of the door, lazily sitting down with one leg still on the bench and the other leg trembling. Their whole body seemed to be without an ounce of flesh, and their sly eyes glanced sideways at passersby, looking like they were up to no good.

  "This 'De Ren Tang' is supposedly a pharmacy, but in reality it's a place where local rascals collect protection fees. The people who run businesses and open shops on the land nearby are intimidated by their brutal power, so they have no choice but to offer them money every month. These people make a living by taking money with a bad reputation, I don't know since when they started using the name of selling medicine as a cover, spending a few dollars to buy a few cents worth of medicinal materials."

  It's not the time to collect rent, and these rascals are having a dull time sunbathing there. From time to time, they would whistle at the passing young women and girls at the door, and then snicker to themselves with a sly smile.

  A yellow rickshaw came running from afar and stopped right in front of the pharmacy. A tall, well-dressed man wearing a suit and a bowler hat got out of it. It was Chen Xiaoqi. He handed the driver some coins and sent him away, then turned to stand before the pharmacy steps, a smile spreading across his face behind his sunglasses as he looked up and down at the storefront with great interest, while also casting a somewhat disdainful glance at the three beggars.

  The thugs were made to feel uneasy by his sunglasses, in this era, honest people didn't dare to look at them straight, people with status and position wouldn't bother to look at them, but being looked at by someone who was impeccably dressed and impossible to read, they felt uncomfortable from the bottom of their hearts. However, Chen Xiaoqi's outfit was exactly the same style as that of the fashionable people of this era, it was hard for these thugs to guess whether he was a young master from a wealthy family who had returned from abroad, someone you couldn't afford to offend! That suit alone would be enough to keep them busy for half a year!

  "What are you doing standing here? What's your business?"

  Chen Xiaoqi smiled and said: "Oh, you go tell He Lao Da that Chen Xiaoqi from Dahua Dyeing Factory has come to visit."

  "Who are you... Chen Xiaoqi? The Seventh Young Master from the Dahua Dye Factory?" The thug was taken aback at first, then suddenly enlightened, slapping his forehead and putting on a flattering smile. "Ah! So it's the Seventh Young Master who has arrived, what an honor! Quick, invite him in! Someone, Shunzi, hurry up and brew some tea! Seventh Young Master, please take a seat, I'll call the boss right away!"

  With a bow and a sidestep, the diligent servant hastily ushered Chen Xiaoqi to the side of the octagonal table inside, then Shunzi hurried off to brew tea. Meanwhile, he slipped away to the back hall like a wisp of smoke. Before long, from behind came someone's loud, affected laughter: "Ah! I wondered why the magpies were chirping so early today - turns out it's Seventh Brother's grand arrival! Welcome, welcome!"

  As they spoke, a tall and sturdy man emerged from the back hall. He was about 1.8 meters tall, with broad shoulders and a thick waist, around thirty years old, with a short haircut, wearing a short-sleeved silk robe with a sash tied around his waist, loose pants and old shoes, with thick eyebrows and big eyes, a scar on his face from his forehead to the right eyebrow, looking quite fierce. His small eyes shone brightly as he walked towards Chen Xiaoqi with a powerful stride, punching his fist in greeting from afar.

  Chen Xiaoqi didn't sit down at all, seeing the host had arrived, he smiled and took off his glasses, both hands also cupped together towards the other party, saying lightly: "Younger brother came uninvited today, please don't mind, Master He!"

  This guy's name is He Dagen, originally a notorious thug from the coastal area of Qingdao. When Chen Shouting first came to Qingdao to open his factory, this guy showed up at his doorstep demanding protection money. At that time, thugs were fond of playing tricks like self-mutilation - a tactic later used by petty thieves. Although these people didn't understand psychology, they knew that while someone might be able to withstand cruelty towards others, they couldn't bear it when directed at themselves. The sight of blood often intimidated people, and out of fear and sympathy, most were unwilling to argue with these desperate characters, thus fulfilling their wishes.

  Unfortunately, He Dageng found the wrong target. Chen Shouting was a beggar from childhood and had been wandering around since he was young, so he was used to all sorts of tricks and wasn't even afraid of bandits. How could he be afraid of these people? As a result, He Dageng cut his own leg to scare people, but Chen Shouting ate the flesh of his leg while drinking white wine and dipping it in salt!

  He Dageng was scared, closed the door and made a courtesy call to Chen Shouting. Of course, that kind of courtesy is not on the same level as the one with Chen Xiaoqi later, with Chen Xiaoqi it's a sincere intention to be brothers for life, with He Dageng it's purely because he didn't want to get entangled with them. From then on, He Dageng still sent things to pay respects during holidays, but Chen Shouting didn't care about him much.

  After Chen Xiaoqi's swearing-in ceremony, He Dageng had been there, but as soon as he saw that the people at the scene were either local dignitaries or foreign guests, none of whom he could get close to, he hastily threw down his gift and reported his name before slipping away. Chen Xiaoqi knew this, and as for why he came to find this guy today, he had his own reasons.

  He Dageng waved his hand and shook his head, laughing: "Seventh brother, you're being too polite! You're Shoutingting's younger brother, which makes you my brother too. Where did all these formalities come from? I'm always happy to see you, no matter when you come. Speaking of which, you've been in Qingdao for so long and we haven't even had a chance to sit down together - that's not right! Today is a rare opportunity, so no matter what, you have to let me treat you to a good meal!"

  Chen Xiaoqi chuckled and said: "Alright, alright. How's He Dage's business been lately?"

  "Hey, what business are you talking about? It's just a small thing! Of course, it can't compare to your big factory, Shoutang. This is just a way to make ends meet, blowing in the wind and sun. What do you mean, little brother, don't you have any good business to take care of your big brother?"

  Chen Xiaoqi said: "It's really been guessed by He Dage. Today I came, indeed there is a business to discuss with you."

  He Da Geng's eyes flashed with a hint of sharpness, but his face remained expressionless as he said: "Oh? This is quite rare! Your younger brother's reputation has now spread throughout Qingdao City! Even the foreigner Dennis wants to partner with you in business, and Mr. Miao from Jinan says that one of your ideas helped him earn a fortune. Just the other day, I heard that our dye factory produced a particularly vibrant fabric, which was also your younger brother's doing. People say that your younger brother is the reincarnation of the God of Wealth! If you have the heart to take care of your older brother me, that would be a wonderful thing! Let's go inside and talk."

  Chen Xiaoqi was invited to sit down in the inner room, and He Dagen said: "Younger brother, let's not talk about your business for now. There is one thing I don't understand. You have so many good ways to make a fortune, why don't you set up your own flag and establish your own sect? Why do you give others so many shares? Isn't this a loss?"

  Chen Xiaoqi smiled and said, "This is nothing unusual, He Dage should know that I've just returned from the US and don't understand the domestic situation very well. Moreover, the business I want to do requires a large investment and a lot of capital, which is not something I can handle alone. Opening a mountain or establishing a cabinet, at my young age, would not be convincing to others, and it's simply impossible for me to do."

  "Oh, I see." He Dageng lightly patted the table and said, "However, you probably also know that your brother me is a mixed bag in business, not on the same path as your Shout Ting brothers. If you have good business, why don't you go find him to take care of it? Why did you think of finding me? Brother, don't think I'm speaking too directly, but it's better to clarify things first."

  Chen Xiaoqi said, "This is nothing, the reason is very simple. The business I want to do, my sixth brother will definitely not do it, and he will not let me do it either. So after thinking about it, I think only you, He Dage, are the most suitable."

  He Da Geng said: "Oh? This is strange, what business is this? Can't even make a living by cheating?"

  Chen Xiaoqi said, "It's almost that way, and it can't be considered as such. He Dage's subordinates must have done it before. You know, some men can't hold on at critical moments, no matter how hard they try, and my medicine is just right for them to boost their spirits and energy. The effect is unlike any other, not only is it effective but also has no side effects, it can be said that it takes effect immediately."

  He suddenly realized: "Ah! Isn't it just that?! Hey, I thought it was some rare thing! This stuff is available in my pharmacy, as much as you want, Chinese goods and Indian goods are all available. It's been going on for several years now, many people don't fall for this anymore." Just looking at it makes him lose his energy, he can't muster up the spirit to do this business, he made a fortune by selling fake stuff!

  Chen Xiaoqi shook his head and said, "I know what He Dage is thinking. A thousand words, a million words, everything depends on the outcome. I have a sample here, He Dage can find someone to test it first before we talk." As he spoke, Chen Xiaoqi took out a glass bottle from his pocket, inside which were ten small blue pills, and gently placed it on the table, then stood up, clasped his fists in farewell, and walked away.

  He Dagen hasn't mentioned inviting him to dinner for a long time, and vaguely sent Chen Xiaoqi away. After returning, he stared at the small medicine bottle for half a day, unable to make up his mind. What kind of person is Chen Xiaoqi? He had already inquired about it clearly, that was an absolutely authentic young man who never missed a shot when he took action. Today's trick didn't seem like something to tease and trick He Dagen!

  That blue little pill has never been seen before, it's just in this glass bottle, simple and pitiful, but that makes it even more unpredictable. Without three parts of the truth, I dare not climb Mount Liangshan, how can they have the leisure to waste time with him here?

  After careful consideration, He Dageng made up his mind and ordered his men to bring two dogs, one male and one female. Then he mixed a pill into the food for the male dog. In less than half an hour, the male dog's lower body became hard like a stick and chased after the female dog, mating wildly and making the female dog yelp loudly. They continued for over half an hour without stopping. He Dageng and his men were amazed, having seen effective ** before, but not as fast and long-lasting as this one.

  The next day, the two dogs were fine except for not being in high spirits. They had no problem eating anything and by the third day, there were no symptoms of illness such as headaches or fever. Hmm, could it be that this stuff really works?

  He Da Geng wasn't at ease, so he found a small brother under his command to try it out. As a result, this usually unremarkable little brother had an unprecedented display of divine power, and "Hong Xiang Lou" 's Xiao Tao Hong was tossed around for the whole night. The next day, he came out rubbing his waist, and with a flying brow and colorful expression, he recounted his heroic exploits, leaving the crowd of hoodlums staring in amazement.

  Three days later, that kid still had nothing to do. He Yideng somewhat believed it and, as a precaution, he found an old customer in the scene where he was hiding to try his luck. The result was that this old customer, who had been "relaxed" for a long time, was about to "think twice", and unexpectedly, after many years of rare "plum blossoming twice", the next day, the wrinkles on his face were smoothed out a lot, and he kept asking the old prostitute where this "divine medicine" came from, no matter how much money it cost, he had to buy two pills!

  He Da Geng was stunned, could this thing really be so effective? He still felt a bit uneasy, and found another patient who had been ill for a long time and couldn't even be called back to life if beaten to death. As a result, this brother's little brother, who hadn't lifted his head in years, suddenly came back to life, although he didn't look very spirited, but it was as if he had come back to life, hugging He Da Geng's thigh and repeatedly calling him "savior" made He Da Geng extremely embarrassed.

  Finally, He Dageng gritted his teeth and used it on himself. To his surprise, it was actually more effective than the fake medicine he sold, and that night he fought valiantly with his two concubines, still having energy to spare. The next day, he didn't see any adverse effects either. From then on, he thoroughly believed in it.

  No need to say more, He Dageng rushed to the dyeing factory the next day and respectfully invited Chen Xiaoqi out to the Linhai Hotel for a good meal. After that, he hesitantly brought up the intention of further cooperation. Chen Xiaoqi took out a contract draft that had been prepared long ago and let him take a look. Chen Xiaoqi revealed the secret formula and guided He Dageng in establishing a complete set of production techniques, from raw material input to packaging and marketing strategies, providing a comprehensive implementation plan. This left He Dageng stunned and speechless.

  What kind of divine medicine did Chen Xiaoqi give to He Dagen? Of course, it wasn't "Viagra", he didn't have the habit of carrying this stuff with him when crossing over, let alone producing it in his own simple experimental environment, although he knew the basic chemical structure. What he gave He Dagen was authentic domestic so-called "Chinese herbal Viagra".

  When "Viagra" was first introduced, the whole world was shocked. Many men regained their vitality and the inventor even won a Nobel Prize. However, before it officially entered China, our clever compatriots quickly exercised their imagination, not only registering the Chinese trademark of "Viagra", but also producing a so-called "Chinese Viagra" with the same efficacy. But these counterfeit products were soon seized.

  Not long after the genuine product entered the domestic market, a large number of small factories secretly produced unqualified products and mixed them with small pharmacies and clinics, especially sex shops, to make exorbitant profits. One of Chen Xiaoqi's uncles was in the health food wholesale market in Jinan doing this, and seeing such a lucrative business opportunity, he immediately jumped in. However, this uncle was clever and did not follow the trend of producing chemical products, but instead came up with a "Chinese herbal Viagra".

  The formula for "Chinese Viagra" is not unusual, and can be found in most traditional Chinese medicine books. It includes ingredients such as deer antler, ginseng, schisandra, lycium fruit, dodder seed, epimedium, and others. Chen Xiaoqi's uncle had him secretly follow the production process from start to finish to verify the effectiveness of this medicine. As a result, Chen Xiaoqi was very familiar with the formula and manufacturing process. However, he discovered something unusual in the seemingly ordinary traditional Chinese medicine formula - a highly potent explosive that, after being converted into a rapid-acting heart-saving drug, was found to have an effect similar to Viagra on the amount of nitric oxide in human blood. This substance also has various medical uses related to its effect on nitric oxide, which plays a crucial role in the corpus cavernosum. With this added ingredient, the efficacy of the other traditional Chinese medicine ingredients in enhancing kidney function and blood flow speed, as well as human excitement, was greatly increased. As a result, the effect of this drug is similar to that of Viagra, although it cannot be explicitly stated on the label.

  Chen Xiaoqi replaced the bullwhip with a tiger whip, and the effect was even more obvious and direct. In this era, it's almost invincible. Plus, people in this era have no resistance to drugs, so in He Dagen's eyes, this medicine is simply divine.

  Chen Xiaoqi didn't stand on ceremony either, taking 35% of the shares. He Dagen was also very happy to give it to him, because the prospects that Chen Xiaoqi had painted were really too enticing, and the effect of the medicine was really too astonishing. In Chen Xiaoqi's plan, these blue small pills were packaged in tin foil paper, then placed in an iron box, with explicit spring palace pictures pasted on the surface of the iron box, along with various sex health knowledge, large spring palace paintings, and Chen Xiaoqi's hastily produced vernacular version of pornography, still serialized, so you can't even finish reading it all at once!

  A box of 12 grains is priced at 36 taels! In this era, it's absolutely a sky-high price. To know that at this time, the price of one mu of land was only a few taels, and the monthly salary of ordinary people could barely buy one grain, He Dageng expressed concern about this pricing, while Chen Xiaoqi said confidently, "Just wait and see the result."

  As expected, after a brief trial period among industry insiders, the wealthy class who had tasted the sweetness of it generously opened their wallets to buy this unprecedented special medicine for their "sexual happiness". In those brothels, the madams were smart enough to buy these medicines and sell them one by one, with each pill selling for four or five taels. In the early stages, due to insufficient supply, there was even speculation and hoarding, for which He Dagen severely punished a group of underlings who privately resold the medicine for profit.

  The trademark of this special effect is "Viagra". Within two months, "Viagra" spread from Qingdao to the whole Shandong Province, and then rapidly expanded along the railway and shipping lines to Shanghai, Beijing, Guangzhou, Northeast China, and even drifted across the ocean to Japan and Europe.

  In this era of Japan, the little ones are not tall but they all stand up straight now, however, below is still not very energetic. The arrival of "Viagra" gave the entire nation unparalleled hope and confidence. You know, in an era when electronic gadgets were not yet manufactured, the lives of the Yamato people were so poor and boring! However, the appearance of "Viagra" was a lifesaver, and for a time, the demand for this medicine far exceeded supply. If Chen Xiaoqi hadn't ordered a large quantity of tiger whip and horny goat weed in advance, they would have been left with nothing but regret in the face of the booming market!

  The entire production of tiger whip and Epimedium in China was almost all taken away by them, the rolling silver dollars made He Dagen laugh with his teeth showing, the small business of collecting protection fees under his hand was long forgotten. With this lucrative business that brought in a fortune every day, who would still have the time to bother with those poor guys?

  Chen Xiaoqi's doings finally came to Chen Shouting's attention, and one day he grabbed Chen Xiaoqi and asked straight out: "Was it you who concocted that thing He Dageng sold?"

  Yes

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