Marketplace and the Rise of the Young Family Pharmacies

You see others appearing carefree and content; others see you as noble and extraordinary. But no one realizes that everyone smiles in public and suffers in private.

Victor Yun's words struck a chord with Serena, who instinctively lowered her gaze, hiding the flicker in her eyes.

"You're absolutely right. No one in this world can truly rise above it all. In this fleeting, tangled mortal realm, aside from clay idols, not even emperors can remain untouched, let alone us ordinary folk. To walk through this world is to be stained by its dust."

"Stained by the dust of the mortal world." Victor Yun repeated the phrase, mulling it over. The more he thought about it, the more it rang true. Whether in failure or success, it's all part of the mortal world. "You really do see things clearly."

"Even if I don't see clearly, I have to try. People live for the sake of living, each in their own way. No matter whom you live for, in the end, it's for yourself." Whether chasing fame or profit, it's always for oneself.

"You're so young, yet you think so deeply." Victor Yun sighed. If he didn't know Serena was not yet sixteen, he'd suspect she was already in her mid-twenties.

"I've been through a lot, so I grew up fast," Serena explained naturally. Victor Yun didn’t doubt it—her life had been rough, and her experience and insight far surpassed those pampered girls raised in the boudoir.

Serena had no intention of continuing this topic. She beckoned the maid at her side: "Go to the study and bring me the gift box I left on the desk."

Victor Yun raised an eyebrow. Serena's words sounded like she was giving him a thank-you gift. But who gives a thank-you gift like this? Shouldn't you pay a proper visit to deliver it?

Fortunately, Victor Yun was well-mannered. Even if he found Serena's way a bit improper, he said nothing. After all, he was close to her—he wouldn't fuss over such a small thing.

While the maid went to fetch the box, Serena asked Victor Yun about the types of prepared medicines sold at the Young Family Pharmacies and in the market. She quickly realized that the current market for prepared medicines was very limited and fragmented—each shop had only a few unique formulas, all kept as house secrets.

For example, the Young family's exclusive Rongyang Pill—a health-and-beauty tonic—was a favorite among noble ladies, famed for its excellent effects. The old madams of every household treated the Rongyang Pill as an essential daily medicine.

After the Rongyang Pill became popular, other shops took notice. Several pharmacies launched similar pills with almost identical names—just variations on the 'Rongyang Pill' brand.

Most health tonics were single-function, and other prepared medicines were just as scarce—cough, cold, and injury remedies came only in single varieties. Although prepared medicines were profitable, the lack of variety meant sales were limited. Most pharmacies still sold loose herbs and dispensed prescriptions, with an in-house doctor to diagnose and prepare medicine.

Hearing Victor Yun’s explanation, Serena’s gloom vanished. Her eyes sparkled—she knew that an empty market meant opportunity. If she could offer products to fill that gap, she could make money with her eyes closed.

Serena felt her blood surge with excitement. Just imagining the future profits made her eyes shine. She hadn’t forgotten how companies made fortunes when MP3 players and computers first hit the market.

"Serena, are you really okay?" Victor Yun was startled by her burning gaze—he definitely didn’t want to get on Ninth Royal Uncle’s radar.

Serena quickly shook her head, just about to bring up her prenatal formula when the maid returned with the gift box. Serena took it and opened it...

Only then did Victor Yun realize Serena hadn’t intended to give him a gift. Luckily, he hadn’t said anything more, or he’d have been thoroughly embarrassed.

"Victor Yun, take a look at this." Serena handed him the unwrapped glass bottle.

A transparent glass bottle filled with brown liquid—Victor Yun’s eyes lit up. "What a beautiful crystal bottle! It’s as fine as the mirrors in the Su family’s shops."

Pfft... Serena nearly choked. "Who told you to look at the bottle? I want you to look at the medicine inside!"

Serena was on the verge of tears—their priorities were completely different.

"Medicine? There’s medicine inside? You’re using a priceless crystal bottle to hold medicine?" Victor Yun was utterly shocked.

Is this what they call nobility among nobles, luxury among luxuries? How much medicine could fit in such a tiny bottle? A clay jar would be cheaper and hold more.

"Just let me bang my head against the wall." Serena weakly slapped her forehead, then said seriously, "Victor Yun, forget about the bottle for now. Let’s talk about the medicine inside. Do you know what it is?"

"What medicine?" For such a precious bottle, it must be some miraculous elixir. Victor Yun was curious too.

Serena’s lips twitched. She fought the urge to roar and calmed herself: "This is exactly the anti-miscarriage medicine Imperial Noble Consort Helena drank during her pregnancy."

"What?" Victor Yun shrieked, jumping up from his chair in excitement. "You mean this is the legendary prenatal formula from the palace—the one that protected Imperial Noble Consort Helena and her child?" He clutched the glass bottle, his hand trembling uncontrollably.

The anti-miscarriage medicine he’d searched for everywhere actually came from Feng Manor.

"You supplied the medicine for Imperial Noble Consort Helena?" Victor Yun was beside himself with excitement.

"I did." Seeing Victor Yun’s reaction, Serena guessed that although rumors had spread in the palace, her name hadn’t. Clearly, some wanted to keep her identity secret to maintain their advantage—after all, children meant everything to women.

"Oh my god, why didn’t you say so earlier? Do you have any left? Can you spare me some? My mother’s pregnant—she’s older and the doctor says it’s a risky pregnancy with signs of miscarriage." Victor Yun was so excited he snatched the box from Serena’s hands.

"If you can’t spare any, just give me this batch. On behalf of my mother and my unborn siblings, thank you." Victor Yun hugged the box tightly, watching Serena warily as if afraid she’d take it back.

Serena was thoroughly embarrassed. She quickly got up to reassure him: "Victor Yun, Young Master Yun, please, don’t be so worked up. You can have as much prenatal formula as you want—it’s not some rare treasure."

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"Serena, it’s easy for you to say! Go ask around—anyone with a bit of power has been trying to get to the Shaw estate these past days, all fishing for news about the prenatal formula. In this capital, if there’s one thing in abundance, it’s powerful families—and every house has a few pregnant women. The Shaw clan is too cunning, keeping everything tightly under wraps, and those in the know are all acting mysterious and refusing to talk."

If you have a treasure no one else does, you have the advantage. If everyone has it, there’s no edge at all. That’s what it means to have a unique skill—sometimes, just one trick is enough to hold your ground.

Every great house has a few secret treasures they never share. That’s their edge. For the Shaw clan, Serena’s prenatal formula is their advantage, so of course they don’t want the secret leaking out.

That’s exactly why Lady Ning, Heir’s Consort, is unhappy about Serena giving fertility medicine to other consorts—if everyone gets it, her house loses its edge.

Victor Yun didn’t hold out much hope, but still made connections and planned to visit the Shaw estate—for nothing else but his nearly forty-year-old pregnant mother.

Serena had been in the palace until recently and went straight home afterward—she hadn’t realized any of this. Hearing Victor Yun’s story, she wiped away cold sweat. "Thank goodness the Shaw estate and the palace consorts kept things quiet, or I’d be in trouble."

Just thinking of those eager palace women made Serena shudder—she really wasn’t cut out for socializing with them.

"You really should thank them for being so selfish. Otherwise, you’d never have a moment’s peace." In this sea of powerful families, no one would dare force Serena thanks to Ninth Royal Uncle’s influence, and Serena had to be polite in return.

Offending one person was fine, but offending all the capital’s nobles? Not even Ninth Royal Uncle could withstand that kind of backlash. That’s the danger of rousing public anger.

"You must keep this secret for me," Serena quickly warned Victor Yun.

Victor Yun chuckled. "I’ll keep your secret—but what are you bribing me with?"

"I’ll bribe you with exclusive sales rights for the prenatal formula. How about it?" Serena smiled, waiting for Young Master Yun’s reaction. But Victor Yun didn’t move, just blinked. "Serena, did I hear that right?"

"You heard right. I came to you because I want to work together and sell the prenatal formula. I just wasn’t sure if there was a market for it." Serena was now certain—there was definitely a huge market.

"There’s a market—a huge one!" Victor Yun snapped back to attention, afraid Serena would change her mind. He quickly sat down and called for paper and pen. "Serena, let’s draft a contract right now. Profit split: seventy-thirty. You get seventy, I get thirty. You supply all the prenatal formula, I’ll handle sales."

As the Young family’s heir, Victor Yun understood the profits involved and was quick to offer Serena a generous share. Seeing Serena hesitate, he thought she was unhappy with the split and hurried to explain: "Serena, my family will cover all costs—staff, shipping, everything. The only deduction from profits is the cost of ingredients, which we’ll supply at cost. If seventy-thirty is too high, we can do eighty-twenty. You get eighty, I get twenty."

Eighty-twenty—that was the Young family’s bottom line. Any lower and they’d make nothing. But if Serena insisted on ninety-ten, they’d grit their teeth and accept it, just to build the Young Family Pharmacies’ reputation.

Victor Yun knew that even if the Young family barely made a profit from this partnership, they’d still come out ahead. If they could build their reputation, they could rise again—so he pushed for the deal without hesitation.

All he wanted was Serena’s exclusive rights...