“With this silver, our family’s life will be a bit easier, Mr. Grant, I…” Andrew Warren did indeed want to draw some silver, to go study at the Nanping martial arts school and buy some medicinal herbs for his health.

But fifty taels was too much; he only planned to take twenty taels, leaving the rest for household use.

He hadn’t expected Mr. Grant to hand over all the silver to him directly.

The two of them kept pushing the money back and forth in the courtyard.

After a while, Mr. Grant finally compromised, letting Andrew Warren take thirty taels for himself, while he kept twenty taels for household expenses.

Mr. Grant arranged seven or eight dishes on the table, spreading them out in a dazzling array, the aroma filling the air and whetting the appetite.

He said cheerfully, “Young master, earlier your uncle asked someone from the village to bring a message, saying that the grain and vegetables from the countryside have all come in. After you take up your post, pick a time to visit the countryside.

Your uncle has no children of his own, only you as his nephew, so whatever he has, he always thinks of you first.

When you go back, don’t forget to tell him the good news from today.”

The “uncle” Mr. Grant spoke of was Andrew Warren’s own maternal uncle.

Since crossing over, Andrew Warren had met him several times; he was an honest, simple farmer.

Though not good with words, he treated his nephew with the utmost care.

Knowing that Andrew Warren was struggling in the city, he always tried to help however he could.

Home-pressed vegetable oil, homegrown produce and grain, the occasional bit of loose silver…

Every time Andrew Warren visited him in the countryside, he would return with dozens of pounds of goods.

“Then I’ll go visit uncle in the countryside tomorrow.”

Andrew Warren thought for a moment and replied, “I should buy some city goods for him. Mr. Grant, go to the market this afternoon and help me pick some up.”

“Alright, alright!”

Mr. Grant nodded repeatedly. “Tomorrow, Luke Warren the vegetable vendor is heading to Dahe Village to buy produce. Young master, you can ride with him.”

“Anything’s fine.”

Andrew Warren finished setting out the bowls and chopsticks, sat down, and called to Mr. Grant, “Let’s eat first, Mr. Grant, I’m starving.”

…

After the meal.

Andrew Warren returned to his room for a short rest.

He casually picked up a thin booklet from his desk, and the words “Warming and Nourishing Formula” caught his eye.

“Warming and Nourishing Formula…” Rubbing the pages, Andrew Warren murmured softly.

This booklet was written by a certain “Wúwǒ-shì,” and the effects of the formulas inside were still being tested.

He wondered if Wúwǒ-shì had ever succeeded in his experiments?

Most likely not.

If he had, the news would have spread everywhere.

Martial artists like Mr. Clark would surely know: the ultimate level of the first stage of strength training—tempering the flesh—is to make your fists as hard as iron, your flesh as tough as steel!

Andrew Warren shook his head, regretfully putting down the booklet, and lay on his back on the bed.

He still longed for the realm of “flesh as tough as steel.”

It was a pity he didn’t understand medicine; otherwise, he could analyze the formulas in the booklet and try them out himself…

At this thought, a sudden idea struck Andrew Warren.

He jumped up, eyes full of excitement.

“Even though I can’t test the formula on myself, and can’t give the medicine to others as test subjects, I can feed it to cats and dogs!

By observing their reactions after taking the medicine, I can see if the formula is toxic.

As long as the cats and dogs are fine, I can try it myself!”

Andrew Warren thought to himself that he’d overlooked this simple solution, and immediately memorized the ingredients and dosages for the first formula in the booklet, “Three-Element Health Tonic,” then hurried out to the pharmacy to buy the herbs.

The Three-Element Health Tonic could refine the muscle fibers.

Once the muscle fibers were refined, contracting the muscles would make a “twang” sound, like drawing a great bow!

Chapter 12: Brewing Medicine

The next day.

Before dawn, the vegetable vendor Luke Warren arrived at Andrew Warren’s door with his mule cart.

Andrew Warren loaded his bags onto the cart, paid Luke Warren four coins, and got on. With the creaking of the cart, they left the city and headed for Dahe Village.

He got off by the Wei River embankment.

Carrying his things, he walked three li east along the embankment, where he saw a sloping dirt road leading down from the embankment.

Standing on the embankment, he could see some homesteads below, half-hidden among lush trees.

That was the village where Andrew Warren’s uncle lived—Zhangshui Village.

He slung his bundle over his shoulder and walked down the dirt road. As soon as he reached the village entrance, he saw a tall, thin figure sitting on a stone block at the entrance.

The tall, thin old man saw Andrew Warren coming and a faint smile appeared on his wrinkled face. “You’re here.”

“Uncle!”

Seeing the old man, Andrew Warren called out in surprise, “How did you know I’d come today?”

“I didn’t know.”

The old man shook his head, stood up to help Andrew Warren with his bundle, and, ignoring Andrew Warren’s protests, carried everything himself. “I just came here to sit this morning, and happened to run into you coming back.

Heh heh…” Hearing this, Andrew Warren scratched his head, feeling a bit moved.

Since crossing over, he had come to the countryside several times, and almost every time he met his uncle at the village entrance.

Thinking about it, he realized that after his uncle sent word to the city, he would come sit at the village entrance every morning, waiting for Andrew Warren to get the message and come visit.

“What did you bring this time?”