Li Ying was still hesitating when Granny Sun, somehow, managed to prop up her frail body and slowly walked behind her.
"A Ying, if I can't even trust your skills, who else in this world can an old woman like me trust?"
Granny Sun wore a gentle smile on her face. When she saw the dark purple salt crystal in Li Ying's hand, she was slightly taken aback. Then, she showed undisguised admiration.
"Sure enough, you're my A Ying. I've lived most of my life, but I've never seen such a rare thing. You can even come up with so many new ideas for something as ordinary as salt!"
Granny Sun beamed with pride. She took the nine - roasted bamboo salt and without even frowning, stuffed it into her mouth without hesitation.
According to Li Ying's instructions, the nine - roasted bamboo salt should be held in the mouth until it melts to maximize its medicinal effects.
After Granny Sun finally melted the salt crystal in her mouth, she took a cup of green tea to rinse away the faint saltiness and bitterness. Only then did Mrs. Li and the others who had been waiting eagerly on the side ask anxiously, "How do you feel now?"
Granny Sun smiled and said, "How could it take effect so quickly? Although my A Ying is very capable, she's not a swindling quack. If it worked immediately, wouldn't it be too fake?"
"However, this salt tastes salty and bitter at first, but now when I think about it carefully, I seem to taste a cool after - sweetness. It also seems that my chest is not as stuffy as before."
She said it lightly, but Li Ying knew that Granny Sun's words were clearly a pre - prepared excuse for her. Even if her body didn't improve at all after taking the nine - roasted bamboo salt in the future, with these words today, no one would say anything unfavorable about her.
Li Ying was touched. She tightly held Granny Sun's hand.
"Auntie, don't worry. Now that I'm back, I won't leave again. I'll bring Mianmian with me every day to accompany you and let you enjoy family happiness."
The wrinkles on Granny Sun's face, left by the plow of time, finally smoothed out a bit. She said gratefully, "Good, good child."
After a while, however, she showed a bit of hesitation.
If her soon - to - be - dead old self ruined her children's bright futures...
Li Ying noticed her dilemma. She smilingly helped Granny Sun onto the bed and gently covered her with the brocade quilt, saying that she had her own arrangements for the village affairs and that the old lady needn't worry.
Granny Sun probably finally let go of the tense string in her heart. This time, she had a rare, sound and steady sleep.
Li Ying stayed by her side every day, adjusting her diet. A stream of medicinal soups and dishes were served, along with the nine - roasted bamboo salt to strengthen her body. With Mianmian and Maomao, those two naughty and cute kids, making the old lady laugh every day, Granny Sun really felt much better.
At first, she still had some coughing and wheezing. Now, after being taken care of by Li Ying, her face was rosy, and her voice sounded much more energetic.
At first, the villagers and visitors were still skeptical about Li Ying's unheard - of "nine - roasted bamboo salt" and kept their distance.
But in the past few days, they had all seen Granny Sun's vitality. The way the old lady played with the children with a booming voice was really astonishing. It was not an overstatement to praise her as hale and hearty!
With such miraculous effects, the tourists could no longer resist their eagerness. They sent their servants to Li Ying's place to ask for some.
Li Ying had intended to promote Lu Xunguang with the nine - roasted bamboo salt, so this was exactly what she wanted.
However, she made it clear that while the three - roasted bamboo salt was okay, the nine - roasted bamboo salt was a complicated process. Only one urn could be produced every ten days. Therefore, it had to be reserved in advance and was available in limited quantities.
This "hunger marketing" naturally strengthened the concept of "rarity is precious" in the guests' minds. For a while, everyone rushed to buy the nine - roasted bamboo salt and regarded it as an honor.
With Li Ying promoting the bamboo salt in the fishing village, the Lu family's salt shop in the capital reopened for business. In just a few days, it attracted a large number of high - ranking officials and nobles who competed to buy this rare "nine - roasted bamboo salt".
The price of this salt was almost comparable to that of gold. But since it could strengthen the body and prolong life, the official families were naturally generous.
Occasionally, some ordinary people, desperate for a cure, managed to scrape up enough money with great difficulty to buy the nine - roasted bamboo salt in the hope of curing their sick relatives in bed.
Lu Xunguang had also instructed in advance that they must not deceive the common people for short - term profits and exaggerate the effects of the nine - roasted bamboo salt.
The clerks advised them kindly, invited doctors to diagnose the patients, and even said that for ordinary families, replacing the ordinary official salt with one - roasted or three - roasted bamboo salt in daily cooking could also strengthen the body over time. There was no need to spend all their savings on the nine - roasted bamboo salt. They should act according to their abilities.
With such sincere advice, the common people praised the young master of the Lu family even more. They said that although he was young, he was truly a "righteous merchant".
The Lu family's bamboo salt was in the limelight for a while.
Li Ying carefully looked at the accounts of the salt shop sent from the capital. The surpluses were really pleasing, but there was not much pride on her face. Instead, she showed a faint look of worry.
The nine - roasted bamboo salt was worthy of its reputation and had extraordinary effects. Coupled with Granny Sun's vivid "clinical case", it was reasonable that it became well - known in the capital.
However, the Lu family's sudden rise in fame was too fast. Li Ying was afraid that it would surely arouse the jealousy of others.
Lu Xunguang put his arm around her shoulder and said in a deep voice, "An innocent man is guilty if he possesses a jade. A Ying, what's coming can't be stopped. We'll just face it head - on."
Li Ying didn't say a word. She just lowered her eyelashes and nodded. Just as she was deep in thought, Shi Hu rushed in in a hurry and said in a flurry, "Master, it's bad. There's news from the capital. Several salt shops have come together and specifically asked for you to come out and give them an explanation!"
Lu Xunguang opened the urgent letter from the manager of the salt shop and frowned tightly.
The nine - roasted bamboo salt was expensive, but the three - roasted bamboo salt was not a precious item. Especially the one - roasted bamboo salt, which was only a dozen or so coins more expensive than the official salt. Its price was quite reasonable.
That was exactly the reason why even though the common people knew that the effects of the one - roasted bamboo salt were greatly reduced, they were still willing to replace the official salt with it. At least, it could give them a little comfort.
The Lu family didn't intend to blatantly snatch business, but the salt merchants in the capital were still affected. So they got together and angrily came to the Lu family's door to demand an explanation.
"The big boss held on for a few days, but they brought up the old illegal salt case to embarrass him. He was so angry that he vomited blood. Master, you should go back quickly and have a look!"
Father and son were of one mind. Before Shi Hu finished speaking, Lu Xunguang suddenly stood up and clenched his fists.