Zhang Yang's agreement to treat the illness was slightly different from what Xie Hui had hoped for. Xie Hui had been expecting a thousand-year-old renshen (ginseng), but instead, he had found a doctor. For now, the most crucial step was verifying if the ginseng truly possessed the thousand-year pedigree he sought. If it was authentic, he would then invite Zhang Yang over. Even if Zhang Yang couldn't cure his grandfather, buying the ginseng would serve the same purpose. If it proved false, then this trip would have been in vain.

“Mr. Zhang, may we go see it now?”

Xie Hui seemed anxious. He was usually quite busy, and he wouldn't have made this special trip unless Liang Yan had confidently assured him that a thousand-year-old renshen was present here.

“Of course, let’s go!”

Zhang Yang agreed readily this time. Since he had agreed to treat the elder, letting Xie Hui examine the ginseng was no great issue; it would put Xie Hui’s mind at ease.

His willingness to treat the illness wasn't a result of being moved by Xie Hui’s filial piety, but rather because of the elder’s identity. The old man was a hero who had lived through the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression, and the root of his illness stemmed from his service defending the nation against invaders. Zhang Yang held profound respect for such individuals. Relieving this man's suffering was simply what he ought to do.

Leaving the tea house, Zhang Yang got into his own car. Seeing his Mercedes, Xie Hui showed a flicker of surprise. He knew his cars; he recognized the value of this Mercedes. His own vehicle was also a Benz, comparable in price to Zhang Yang’s, but it wasn't the latest model and looked less stylish than Zhang Yang’s.

The two Mercedes vehicles drove off together.

Zhang Yang kept the ginseng stored at the Bank of Construction. As a major client of the bank, this was where he naturally kept his valuables. However, it wasn't at the local branch where he held his primary account; it was at the provincial branch, as his account-holding bank was too small to offer safe deposit box services.

After completing the procedures and receiving the key, Zhang Yang retrieved the ginseng he had stored there.

It was still encased in the glass dome, still wrapped in oilcloth. Ginseng required a stable temperature for storage, so the oilcloth wrapping was necessary.

He unwrapped the oilcloth, and the ginseng was revealed before Xie Hui. The sealed glass dome offered excellent transparency, allowing for a clear view.

At a single glance, Xie Hui’s eyes widened. He had purchased many renshen over the years and had seen many that were decades old; he could usually judge the approximate age instantly. This piece before him was absolutely genuine, and definitely ancient—an age he had never personally witnessed before. However, this renshen didn't look exactly like the thousand-year-old specimens he was familiar with, though it certainly possessed some of their characteristic features.

“Mr. Zhang, is this really a thousand-year-old renshen?”

Seeing the sight, Xie Hui became hesitant and couldn't help but ask Zhang Yang.

Zhang Yang nodded slightly and murmured, “To be precise, the main root of this ginseng is over two thousand years old. It is an unparalleled treasure!”

Two thousand years?

Xie Hui blinked, then immediately turned back to stare at the ginseng inside the glass dome, his eyes still blazing with fervor. Two thousand years—that settled it. He now recalled some data he had studied about even older ginseng specimens; ginseng over two millennia old did indeed differ from those just past the thousand-year mark. The descriptions in the old texts matched what he was seeing now almost perfectly.

Ginseng over two thousand years old would possess significantly greater medicinal efficacy. This meant that his grandfather’s illness held a genuine, strong hope for complete recovery. If a thousand-year-old renshen could achieve it, a two-thousand-year-old specimen would make the task much easier.

“Mr. Zhang, I beg you, please sell me this ginseng!”

Xie Hui suddenly turned back, speaking heavily, his face flushed with excitement. His family had been searching for a thousand-year-old renshen for many years, each attempt ending in dashed hopes. Finally, this time, he was not disappointed; he had seen a genuine artifact. Even if this was only the primary root, it was enough to save his grandfather’s life.

Without his grandfather, their current family structure wouldn't exist. Xie Hui’s grandfather held an incomparably high status within the clan, and everyone worried about his illness, striving to find a cure quickly. Such familial devotion was rare in modern times, where many families were consumed by internal power struggles. This truly lived up to their reputation as a lineage of eight generals, seven of whom were loyal and righteous.

“Mr. Xie, have you forgotten our agreement just now?”

Zhang Yang frowned. He had already agreed to treat the elder; he hadn't expected Xie Hui to still be focused on buying the entire ginseng root. Handing over such a treasure to them would absolutely be a waste.

Xie Hui paused, then gave a wry smile, saying softly, “Mr. Zhang, it’s not that I don’t trust you, but this is too important to us. If you sell the ginseng directly to me, the price we discussed earlier remains unchanged, alright?”

Before he finished speaking, Zhang Yang’s expression hardened.

“Mr. Xie, I am not lacking money, nor do I need that much money. I do not wish to hear such words again. If you cannot trust me, then please leave!”

Zhang Yang’s tone grew much firmer this time. Selling the ginseng was absolutely out of the question; if Xie Hui persisted on this matter, Zhang Yang would walk away immediately. However, he could not abandon the senior veteran. The man had suffered these ailments for the sake of the country, having killed invaders and earned accolades. How to save him, Zhang Yang would have to figure out himself.

“Mr. Zhang, please don’t be angry. I take back what I said. I am willing to let you treat my grandfather!”

Seeing Zhang Yang lose his temper, Xie Hui hastily waved his hands. It finally dawned on him that no matter what, securing treatment for his grandfather was the most critical issue. If Zhang Yang was willing to treat him, they should let him proceed first—as long as the ginseng wasn't wasted. If Zhang Yang failed, it wouldn't be too late to buy the ginseng from him then. Xie Hui had never held much confidence in Zhang Yang, but since Zhang Yang insisted, he had no choice but to comply.

“Go back and make preparations. It is inconvenient for me to travel to Taiwan, so try your best to arrange for the old man to come here!”

Zhang Yang nodded lightly, carefully putting the thousand-year-old ginseng away. It needed to go back to the bank, to the highest security vault available. The highest security level required fingerprint verification; without Zhang Yang’s print, no one could access it.

Xie Hui offered a bitter smile, “Mr. Zhang, my grandfather is quite old, and it is inconvenient for him to travel. I’m afraid he cannot make the journey!”

Zhang Yang’s brow furrowed slightly, then he said, “If he cannot come, then I will make the trip!” The elder was old and frail; not traveling was indeed genuine. They couldn't force him, so it seemed Zhang Yang would have to make a house call again. Making house calls, especially long-distance ones, was something Zhang Yang did often in his previous life, and it was the one thing he least desired in this life. But this situation was special; he had to go. The old hero must be saved.

Xie Hui immediately nodded, “Then I will trouble you, Mr. Zhang!”

Zhang Yang waved his hand and said softly, “It might take me some time to handle the procedures for going to Taiwan. Do you have any connections that could help me expedite the process?”

Xie Hui paused briefly, then immediately replied, “You don't need to go to Taiwan, Mr. Zhang. My grandfather isn't there either. He is currently recuperating at Qingya Mountain. We only need to go to Qingya Mountain!”

Qingya Mountain lies west of Changjing, about two hundred kilometers away, still within Jiangdong Province—no need to leave the province. Qingya Mountain isn't widely famous nationally, but it is well-known within the province; its scenery is captivating, making it ideal for recuperation and tourism. The province has recently been developing Qingya Mountain to attract more tourists. Furthermore, Qingya Mountain is the ancestral home of the Xie family. Xie Hui’s grandfather living there for recovery suggests a desire to return to his roots. If he passes away, he can be buried here, returning home.

Having the grandfather at Qingya Mountain saved Zhang Yang considerable trouble. It was 1998, and traveling to Taiwan could still be complicated, sometimes requiring layovers. Especially for someone of his background, with a father like his—though he was reluctant to admit the kinship—it could affect his application, possibly even preventing the paperwork from being approved. With the patient right here in Qingya Mountain, all those worries vanished.

“Mr. Zhang, when would you like to go?” Xie Hui inquired again. He was now extremely eager for Zhang Yang to travel to Qingya Mountain sooner. The sooner Zhang Yang arrived, the sooner his grandfather might recover, bringing peace of mind to the whole family.

“Give me a day. I need to prepare and wait for a friend to accompany me,” Zhang Yang said softly after a moment’s thought. Travel required preparation, and since this was another house call, he needed to pack his essentials. The friend he was waiting for was naturally Mi Xue. They had formalized their relationship; he couldn't leave her alone again this time. Since the scenery at Qingya Mountain was lovely, taking Mi Xue along would serve as a relaxing trip.

“Alright, then we depart tomorrow. I will contact you,” Xie Hui immediately agreed. It was already afternoon today, making departure impractical. Tomorrow would be perfect. Two hundred kilometers wasn't far; they could arrive the same day they left. He had today to report this wonderful news to his family. The thousand-year-old renshen had finally been found. After so many years, they had achieved their wish while the old man was still alive.

Zhang Yang returned to make his preparations, and Xie Hui left with Liang Yan to do the same.

As Zhang Yang drove back home, one thought suddenly struck him. Zhang Yang remembered that the thousand-year-old renshen from his past life, after falling into the hands of people in Hong Kong, was rumored to have been sold either to people in Taiwan, or to those in Jiangdong Province domestically, or perhaps even to foreigners. At the time, no one knew which rumor was true. But if it truly was sold to people in Taiwan, the buyer was highly likely to be the Xie family. In modern China, the Xie family seemed to be the only ones so desperate for a thousand-year-old renshen; Xie Hui had immediately offered a price of ten million. If that were the case, Zhang Yang could only conclude that in this lifetime, he had moved faster, securing the celestial treasure that, according to the original trajectory, belonged to someone else. By that logic, it was a messy ledger, but thankfully, since Zhang Yang had now agreed to treat the elder, there was no need to dwell on it. Regardless of whether the thousand-year-old renshen of his past life ended up with the Xie family, in this lifetime, this natural treasure was in his hands, and that was what mattered.