Early the next morning, Duan Rong arrived at the gray-walled, black-tiled pavilion of the Medicine Pavilion.
Xia Honghua was lazily sitting behind the curved counter, yawning, when she suddenly saw Duan Rong walking over slowly.
"Madam, I have come to report to you," he said.
Xia Honghua smiled and looked Duan Rong over, saying, "I thought, young brother, you didn’t think much of my little temple and wouldn’t come?"
Duan Rong laughed, "Madam, you jest. With a goddess like you in this temple, no matter how small it is, it must certainly be very effective."
Xia Honghua’s eyes and brows curved into a smile, she said, "Oh, young brother, you look so honest...yet how can you speak so slickly?"
"Just trying to make the madam smile." Suddenly, Duan Rong’s expression turned serious and he said, "You know, madam, last time I came with my senior brother to exchange hundreds of medicines. These days I’ve been so busy dealing with herbs and alchemy with my master, that only now do I have time to come here. I hope madam doesn’t mind!"
This explanation brought them closer and explained the reason, increasing Xia Honghua’s favorable impression of Duan Rong.
"No problem," Xia Honghua said, "it’s good that you could come. Come on, follow me."
With that, Xia Honghua led Duan Rong into the room behind the curved counter.
The room was built of wooden boards, with no windows on any side.
It stood oddly, abruptly, in the center of the pavilion’s first floor hall.
When Duan Rong entered the room, it suddenly darkened before his eyes, and he saw a narrow corridor; the room was separated into several compartments.
A candle lamp hung from the corridor ceiling, casting a dim light.
Xia Honghua led Duan Rong to the innermost compartment, took out a key, and unlocked a copper lock hanging there.
Standing at the door, Xia Honghua lit a flint in her hand, walked into the room, and lit a candle lamp on the table.
Duan Rong also walked into the room.
Standing at the door, he could smell a faint mold, and saw that the narrow, long room had a wooden table in the center, with shelves and boxes against the walls.
Xia Honghua went to a wall, opened a box, took out two thick account books, and placed them on the table.
Xia Honghua turned her head, seeing Duan Rong still standing at the door, and with a smile said, "Why don’t you come over?! Why stand so far away? Am I going to eat you?"
Duan Rong felt awkward, laughed, and walked slowly to the wooden table. Looking at the two thick account books, he asked, "Madam, if I may ask, what are these books?"
Xia Honghua didn’t answer but looked at Duan Rong with interest, smiling slightly, "Why don’t you take a look yourself?"
Seeing Xia Honghua say this, Duan Rong opened one of the books.
Duan Rong casually flipped through a few pages, then looked up, "Are these the account books for exchanging medicines?"
Xia Honghua’s eyes lit up with joy, "Indeed, an expert."
Xia Honghua asked, "Young brother, since you’re skilled in Bead Heart Calculation, you must also understand account calculations, right?"
Duan Rong said, "Somewhat."
Xia Honghua said, "Though I’m not skilled in Bead Heart Calculation myself, I’ve heard people say. This Bead Heart Calculation isn’t as simple as mental arithmetic; it’s usually taught from childhood in bookkeeping families to achieve mastery. And families like these usually work in accounting, no?"
As Xia Honghua said this, she stared at Duan Rong, as if trying to see through him.
With a sigh in his heart, Duan Rong could only play along, "Madam’s insight is indeed sharp. To be honest, my family has been in accounting for generations."
Seeing Duan Rong speak so, Xia Honghua was even more delighted, "Young brother, to be honest, the old accountant here has been sick for over two months. The accounting work has been piling up for more than two months as well. I was hoping he’d recover and get the work done for me, but a few days ago, he suddenly became severely ill and passed away."
"It’s about a month to the semi-annual audit period. This work has also been piling up for more than two months, and I’m so worried! I feel like I’m burning with anxiety every day! It’s a blessing from heaven that I met you, young brother."
As she spoke, Xia Honghua used her Lotus Finger to touch Duan Rong’s collar.
Duan Rong immediately stepped back half a step, smiled, and asked, "Madam, when is the semi-annual audit period, is it early July?"
Xia Honghua immediately became serious, "Third day of July. The Elder Hall will send people to audit the accounts on that day."
Duan Rong nodded, "Surely they won’t just check the accounts for exchanged medicines?"
Xia Honghua’s eyes instantly brightened when she heard Duan Rong hit the nail on the head with his question; indeed, an expert’s first move is always telling.
She was slightly pleased and said, "Of course not. The accounts for exchanged medicines are the outgoing accounts."
"Also, on the third, thirteenth, and twenty-third of each month, the Medicine Pavilion supplements its stock based on that month’s outgoing accounts. The supplements are the incoming accounts."
"Besides that, there’s the inventory check accounts."
"Outgoing, incoming, and inventory accounts must be matched with each other.
"The three accounts must be integrated seamlessly to be considered a flawless account!"
Upon hearing this, Duan Rong’s eyes flickered slightly. He lightly tapped on the account books on the table and said, "These two are the outgoing account books. Madam, please bring me the incoming account books and inventory check account books for a whole month. I’d like to have a look."
"Young brother, please wait a moment."
As Duan Rong spoke more responsibly, Xia Honghua’s attitude toward him subtly shifted, seemingly becoming somewhat respectful.
Xia Honghua retrieved the account books from another shelf and a box.
Under the dim candlelight, Duan Rong quickly flipped through the account books.