Returning home, they found their parents had washed up but hadn't slept yet.
Gu Chaobei retrieved the brocade box given by Yin Zhiping from her storage cabinet and began to explain in detail.
It turned out that due to the nature of his work, Yin Zhiping had developed meticulous habits. When he escaped from the prince's mansion, he happened to be in the study recording the Summer Prince's daily diet and activities. Hearing about the flood, he grabbed the brocade box without a second thought and fled.
After fleeing the Summer Prince's mansion, because he was so panicked that he only brought out the brocade box, Yin Zhiping treasured it dearly. He didn't discard it but wrapped it in waterproof oiled paper, layer by layer, and carried it with him.
At the time, he was trapped on a small island formed by rising water levels. Fortunately, he was rescued by brothers Dapeng and Xiaopeng, who passed by in their boat. This information was never soaked and thus not damaged, and it arrived in Gu Chaobei's hands completely intact.
"So it seems the people of Great Zhou are truly blessed by heaven, and we've unintentionally contributed a great deal!"
Gu Qingcheng thought about it and felt that karma was indeed a cycle.
If they hadn't given their boat to brothers Dapeng and Xiaopeng, they wouldn't have had the means to rescue him, and the Gu family wouldn't have been able to obtain this information from Yin Zhiping.
It seemed that everything was destined in the unseen.
Gu Chaobei chuckled, "Yes, I never expected it. It's truly a case of 'no coincidence makes a story'."
"Dad, it seems you are the chosen one to resolve the zombie crisis in Great Zhou this time!"
Gu Qingcheng teased.
Gu Chaobei rubbed his eyes and said, "It's easier said than done. Look at this information. It's recorded in meticulous detail, like the fine hairs of a ox. It makes my scalp tingle. My major was Western medicine surgery, and this is all about Traditional Chinese Medicine.
Fortunately, I took TCM as an elective in college, or I'd be completely lost right now."
"Oh, oh!" Hu Lanfang snorted upon hearing this and said, "Weren't you initially attracted to a senior from the TCM department because she was pretty, so you went to her classes every day? Then the professor discovered you and said you had talent, forcing you to study TCM?"
Gu Chaobei's face turned green upon hearing this, and he quickly chuckled, trying to appease her,
"My dear wife, you've misunderstood. I went to listen to those classes back then because their classroom was close to yours. If I had to attend classes, I could see you, so I chose that major."
Hearing this, Hu Lanfang's little bit of jealousy disappeared, and she felt pleased, though she didn't show it on her face. However, the warm and sweet aura radiating from her was palpable.
Gu Qingcheng, feeling a bit overwhelmed by the affection, focused on examining the data.
Fortunately, Yin Zhiping had bound it into a booklet, recorded month by month and day by day, making it quite convenient to read.
Gu Qingcheng flipped through it and then said,
"According to this information, the Summer Prince had quite a busy day. He needed to drink a health soup in the morning, eat some health pills around 9 AM, have a spleen-strengthening soup before lunch, and then the main meal consisted of dozens, even hundreds, of dishes served one by one.
So, the records are dense and make one's head ache. Furthermore, the Summer Prince paid great attention to his health, so his food must have contained medicinal ingredients, making it hard to distinguish."
Gu Qingcheng saw her father's despondent look, feeling both concerned for him and amused. In the end, she could only encourage him,
"Dad, don't worry. No matter how frustrated you are, Ge Hong will be frustrated with you."
Thinking of Ge Hong, Gu Chaobei couldn't rest. He grabbed the brocade box and went to find Ge Hong.
Gu Qingcheng also followed to watch the spectacle.
The hunting team responsible for guarding Ge Hong was indeed diligent, taking turns watching him, ensuring he couldn't escape.
However, Ge Hong didn't seem to be thinking of escaping now. He had discovered that even if he escaped, there was no place he could live better than here. He had food and clothing without worry, and everything was delivered to him for free. He could dedicate himself to his beloved alchemy.
Recently, the aspirin that Gu Chaobei had created had captivated him. Taking this medicine actually relieved pain and reduced fever, with remarkable effects.
Ge Hong seemed to have opened a new door to the world. His home kitchen had been converted into an alchemy lab, constantly filled with smoke.
The hunting team members were curious but didn't interfere with his actions.
They had received instructions that Ge Hong could do whatever he wanted as long as he didn't escape. They were even supposed to cooperate with him.
For example, Ge Hong had recently been asking them to peel willow bark. Although they found it strange, they had no choice but to comply. If the willow trees could curse, they would have already done so profusely.
As Gu Chaobei and his daughter entered the courtyard, Ge Hong's room was lit by over a dozen thick candles, as bright as daytime.
When it came to lavish spending, if it wasn't his own money, Ge Hong was never polite. Just as he could carelessly use the precious medicinal stores in the Summer Prince's mansion, he could waste here.
Here, lighting a few candles was nothing...
Phoenix Village provided him with all his living necessities, allowing him to focus on his work. He wasted no expense, consuming hundreds of catties of medicinal herbs in just a few days.
Upon seeing Gu Chaobei enter, Ge Hong didn't exchange pleasantries. He stood up abruptly and asked,
"Did you find Yin Zhiping? You didn't?"
Ge Hong stood up. When he saw Gu Qingcheng following behind, his heart sank, and his disappointment was evident on his face.
Fortunately, Gu Qingcheng was just there to watch the fun. Otherwise, being subjected to his disdainful gaze might have made her feel like she was an unwelcome presence, or even that she shouldn't have been born.
Gu Chaobei smiled and said, "We found Yin Zhiping. He gave me the information, but he didn't come himself."
"Oh, having the information is good. His coming wouldn't have mattered; he was just a record-keeper."
Ge Hong was truly blunt.
If Yin Zhiping were following Gu Qingcheng at that moment, he would likely have been hurt.
He was a mid-level manager in the Summer Prince's mansion, a rare talent from Lian Tang Village, bringing honor to his ancestors, yet he was being dismissed as useless by a Daoist priest like Ge Hong.
Ge Hong, upon receiving the complete material, exclaimed with delight,
"It's recorded in such detail. Excellent. Yin Zhiping earned his salary."
"But it's very difficult to discern. Including what he ate and drank, whether the medicinal properties conflicted with your pills, and the extent of the conflict. With so many records, how long will it take to decipher?"
Gu Chaobei looked dejected.
"Haha, it's certainly difficult for you, but easy for me."
Seeing that even Gu Chaobei, who could produce aspirin, had troubles, Ge Hong felt a surge of smugness.
He was a person who easily revealed his emotions, without much depth or hidden motives. He was like a modern-day tech geek.
As long as he was interested in something, he could dedicate himself completely, indifferent to external opinions.
At the same time, he enjoyed showing off his achievements in his areas of expertise.
Speaking of which, he immediately pointed to the booklet and revealed the secret: they only needed to analyze the records from the day the Summer Prince began taking his pills. The Summer Prince had only taken his medicine for three months, so they only needed to look at three months' worth of records.