Chapter 04
When the wooden lid was opened, several palm-sized wooden boxes were revealed inside.
“These are?”
“Yes. I’ll explain them one by one.”
As everyone watched him with curiosity, each hiding different thoughts, Hwiyeom smiled and picked up the wooden box on the left.
Opening it, he revealed a clam-shell-like case filled with pale honey-colored petroleum jelly.
“This is the Tang Family Universal Ointment.”
“Hmm, let me see.”
Dang Unsang took it first and smelled it.
“It really has no scent at all?”
“It is both colorless in smell and tasteless. As you can see, it has a faint yellow tint, so it is not completely colorless, but if spread thinly on a weapon, it would be difficult to notice.”
“Is it poisonous?”
“The ointment itself is non-toxic and even edible. Please touch it.”
“Hmm.”
Dang Unsang scooped up a little with his fingertip and rubbed it between his thumb and forefinger.
“It’s smooth, yet sticky enough. If applied to a weapon, it would cling well without running off, making it ideal for holding poison.”
“It also retains moisture. It is absorbed by the skin over time, but it is not absorbed into metal. It can also be used as a lubricant for mechanisms and concealed weapon devices.”
“It gets absorbed into the skin? That makes it perfect for mixing with poison.”
Hwiyeom’s uncle, Dang Unhwa, immediately interrupted.
“But if it’s this moisturizing and sticky, and it lasts a long time after being applied, wouldn’t it also take a long time to be absorbed through the skin?”
“That is correct, Uncle. Which is why its primary use is to be applied to weapons.”
As if waiting for the question, Hwiyeom continued.
“From my studies, I learned that the venoms of snakes, spiders, centipedes, and bees only work properly after entering the bloodstream through broken skin. However, swallowing them or inhaling them as powder greatly reduces their effectiveness.”
“That’s common knowledge. What’s so impressive about that?”
Dang Unhwa scoffed.
Smiling, Hwiyeom replied,
“Exactly. Which means these poisons must be applied to weapons. However, most of them lack viscosity and quickly lose their potency when exposed to the air. We have always known this, yet we have never been able to use them properly.”
“So you’re saying this Universal Ointment of yours makes that possible?”
Hong Elder asked skeptically.
“Seeing is believing. Yeeun.”
“Yes, Young Master.”
Yeeun entered carrying one small jade bottle and one large jade bottle.
She placed two white porcelain bowls on the table.
When she opened the large jade bottle, the smell of fresh blood filled the room.
“What is that?”
“Pig’s blood.”
She poured half a bowl into each porcelain bowl.
Then she respectfully handed the small jade bottle to Hwiyeom.
Holding it up for everyone to see, he said,
“This is venom from a Bansisa snake. I obtained it yesterday with the help of the medicine warehouse.”
He uncorked the bottle and let several drops fall into one bowl.
The dark yellow venom immediately reacted with the blood.
The blood began bubbling, and soon thick clumps formed.
Hwiyeom stirred it with a porcelain rod until the venom mixed thoroughly.
Before long, the blood had become one sticky mass resembling soft tofu.
“As you can see, the venom of the Bansisa snake is a blood toxin. More specifically, it coagulates blood and causes tissue necrosis.”
“Indeed.”
“Now, I shall mix the same venom into my Universal Ointment.”
He poured the venom into the ointment.
Naturally, the liquid did not mix easily with the petroleum jelly, and the droplets simply rolled around on the surface.
However, Hwiyeom patiently stirred it with the porcelain rod.
“As you can see, the Universal Ointment is somewhat water-resistant, but if stirred continuously, it will absorb liquids. Powdered medicines would mix even more easily.”
After carefully stirring it for about half a gak—roughly five to eight minutes—the venom disappeared completely into the ointment.
Hwiyeom put on a pair of deerskin gloves.
Scooping up a generous amount of the venom-infused ointment, he placed it into the second bowl so that it touched the blood.
Then—
“Oh.”
“Ah!”
“Hmm.”
The reaction was slower than when the venom had been poured directly into the blood.
But the same coagulation occurred.
“As you can see, it can serve as a medium that transfers poison without reducing its effectiveness. And…”
Hwiyeom took out a small dagger from the wooden box and drew it.
The blade glistened faintly with a thin layer of oil.
“You coated that dagger with the ointment as well?”
“Yes. I finished making the ointment three days ago and immediately applied it to this blade so I could test how long both the poison and the ointment would remain effective.”
He dipped the dagger into the blood and stirred lightly.
When he lifted it out, the blood had coagulated into thick clots that clung to the blade.
“As you can see, the poison retains its potency for at least three days. Depending on the amount of poison and ointment used, I believe it should remain effective for at least a week.”
“Oh!!”
Unlike Dang Unhwa, whose face looked as though he had bitten into something rotten, Dang Unsang’s face lit up.
He strode over, hugged Hwiyeom tightly, and patted his back.
“Well done! Well done! I didn’t truly believe it, yet you’ve actually done it! I’ve never been happier! Hahaha! Isn’t that right, Hong Elder?”
“…Indeed. Congratulations, Patriarch. And congratulations, Young Master.”
Suppressing his bitterness, Hong Elder bowed to both Hwiyeom and Dang Unsang.
At that moment, the master of the medicine warehouse, who had silently observed everything, finally spoke.
“The Young Master’s talent is truly remarkable. However, isn’t it too early to celebrate? Aren’t there still several items left? Young Master, are all the others made from the same Universal Ointment?”
“Ah, that’s right. I got carried away.”
Embarrassed, Dang Unsang stepped back.
Smiling, Hwiyeom opened the second wooden box.
“The Universal Ointment can be mixed with poison, but it can also be mixed with medicine.”
He revealed another ointment.
“This one contains camphor, clove, cinnamon, peppermint, and other ingredients that relieve bruises and improve blood circulation. Since it is said to strengthen bones and muscles like a tiger, I named it Hogolgo.”
“Hogolgo?”
It was essentially Tiger Balm.
“Hm. It has quite a strong fragrance.”
“Yes. That comes from the peppermint. When applied, it gives the skin a cool, refreshing sensation.”
“Let me try.”
Dang Unsang rubbed some onto his wrist.
His expression immediately brightened.
“Haha! This is incredible. That cool sensation feels wonderful. Hong Elder, you should try some as well. You probably have more aching joints than I do.”
“…Very well.”
Tempted by the mention of healthy joints, Hong Elder generously rubbed the ointment over his knuckles.
A moment later, he couldn’t help but exclaim.
“It feels as though my hands are being warmed by hot compresses. The fragrance is refreshing, and my joints actually feel more comfortable.”
Seeing Hong Elder respond positively, Hwiyeom immediately seized the opportunity.
“Hong Elder, if we sold this on the market, would wealthy old men buy it?”
“…They would. It’s medicine sold under the name of the Sichuan Tang Family. Why would they doubt it?”
“In that case, wouldn’t it be easy to spread a small rumor that it contains actual tiger bones and sell it at a premium?”
“You’re suggesting we deceive the world under the Tang Family’s name? That will not end well, Young Master.”
“Deceive? That’s a rather harsh word. We never officially claimed it contains tiger bones. If rumors spread through the marketplace, that’s hardly unusual, is it?”
Hong Elder was momentarily speechless.
In modern times, such advertising would be considered false marketing.
But in the Central Plains, there were no such regulations.
Even if someone suspected the truth, no one could demand the Tang Family reveal its secret formula.
After carefully weighing the advantages and disadvantages, Hong Elder finally admitted,
“…Even if one suspects it, there is no proof. It is a clever strategy.”
Receiving what was essentially Hong Elder’s surrender, Hwiyeom smiled.
“Now, on to the next product.”
“There’s more?”
His mother, Eun Seollan, asked.
Smiling, Hwiyeom picked up the third wooden box.
Unlike the previous two, this small box was beautifully decorated with mother-of-pearl.
When he opened it, a small silver mirror was attached to the lid, while the bottom held bright red lip rouge.
Eun Seollan’s eyes lit up.
“Oh my, it’s lip rouge.”
“Please try it, Mother. It feels quite different from the rouge you’ve used before.”
She dabbed a little onto her finger and gently spread it across her lips.
Looking into the silver mirror, she smiled with satisfaction.
“It’s much softer and more moisturizing.”
“You’ll notice the difference even more with continued use. Traditional safflower rouge is stored as dry powder and mixed with oil each time it’s used, isn’t it?”
“Yes.”
“But once mixed with oil, it dries and cracks quickly. You can’t prepare it in advance, and making it every time is troublesome and wasteful.”
“That’s true. That’s why I rarely use it.”
“But this version, mixed with the Universal Ointment, should stay like this for at least six months.”
“Oh my. Really?”
“Yes. If the Tang Family sold cosmetic cases like this, wouldn’t people buy them?”
“They certainly would!”
While Eun Seollan happily admired herself in the mirror, Hwiyeom brought over another box.
“Mother, there’s this as well.”
“What is it?”
“I call it Micheopmuk.”
Opening another luxurious lacquered box, he revealed glossy black paste inside.
It was mascara.
“Oh my… It looks like the Milky Way.”
“I mixed finely ground charcoal into the Universal Ointment and sprinkled a little pearl powder on top.”
“Pearls? Such an expensive ingredient?”
“They’re low-grade pearls that are too small or misshapen for jewelry, so they’re inexpensive.”
“But customers won’t know that.”
“So you plan to sell this too?”
“I hope it can contribute to the Tang Family’s finances.”
That immediately caught Dang Unsang’s attention.
“How is this Micheopmuk used?”
“Like this.”
Hwiyeom used a small cotton applicator made from cotton wrapped around a toothpick.
He coated it generously with the mascara and carefully brushed it onto Eun Seollan’s eyelashes, lifting them upward.
“It makes a woman’s eyelashes appear longer, darker, and fuller.”
“Oh my goodness!”
“It can also be used to shape and darken the eyebrows.”
“My goodness!”
Watching his wife become completely delighted, Dang Unsang smiled wryly before stroking his chin.
“Let me see… Hmm. You look even more beautiful.”
“Our Hwiyeom really has thought of something extraordinary, Husband. I’m so proud of him.”
“And what is the final box?”
“This is Seokgam—soap.”
“Soap?”
“It is made from the leftover oil and by-products remaining after producing the Universal Ointment.”
“What is it used for?”
“It removes grease and blood stains from clothing without using lye. It also leaves the hands soft.”
“Oh! That’s quite useful.”
Although they praised it, their reaction was noticeably milder than before.
Watching his parents, Hwiyeom smiled inwardly.
In truth, soap may be the most valuable invention of all… But without any concept of public hygiene, they can’t appreciate it.
“So you intend to sell Hogolgo, the Never-Drying Rouge, Micheopmuk, and Seokgam?”
“Yes. They are inexpensive to produce and can be manufactured in large quantities. They can become entirely new sources of income for the Tang Family.”
“But surely others will make counterfeits.”
“As long as they don’t know the genuine manufacturing process, no imitation will ever match the real thing.”
“And if someone dares to steal the Tang Family’s name in Sichuan…”
“We simply find them and punish them.”
Dang Unsang answered with a serious expression.
“Your thinking is dangerous. The Tang Family may not be a paper tiger, but we have undeniably lost much of our former prestige. We no longer possess enough influence to punish just anyone…”
“Even so, aside from the Qingcheng Sect and the Emei Sect, is there truly any sect willing to openly challenge the Tang Family?”
“Well… that’s true.”
“And Micheopmuk and the Never-Drying Rouge are cosmetics. The Taoists of Qingcheng and the Buddhist nuns of Emei devote themselves to cultivation. If they interfered with such products, they would become the laughingstock of the martial world.”
“Someone might imitate Hogolgo, but we can simply surpass them with better quality.”
“Hmm…”
“And Father, don’t worry. If someone truly has the courage to produce counterfeits…”
“We simply send them an empty bowl.”
“An empty bowl?”
The story of Cao Cao sending an empty bowl to Xun Yu along with poisoned wine was famous.
Sending an empty bowl had become a symbolic threat of death by poison.
“If someone receives an empty bowl bearing the Tang Family emblem, they won’t calmly continue selling counterfeits.”
“No matter how much our influence has declined, are we not still the greatest poison experts under heaven?”
“Even if we never actually act, that threat alone will make them question every bite of food they eat.”
“….”
“Of course, if we also share a portion of the profits with the local magistrate, our cooperation would become even stronger.”
“….”
Dang Unsang silently considered every aspect before finally nodding.
“You are right. You have accomplished something truly remarkable.”
“Thank you, Father.”
“I intend to establish a new department dedicated to producing and managing the Tang Family Universal Ointment—the Ointment Bureau. I want to appoint you as its Chief Supervisor.”
“Can you do it?”
Hearing his father’s question, Hwiyeom smiled with confidence far beyond his years.
“In the name of the direct bloodline of the Tang Family, I shall live up to the Patriarch’s expectations.”
Thus, Hwiyeom’s inventions—innovations that would soon shake not only Sichuan, but the entire Central Plains—made their first appearance before the world.
