Chapter 1540 - The License

And so "Huang's Medicine Shop" opened with considerable fanfare. With the thousand yuan in operating funds that Xin Nachun had delivered, Huang Zhen was well-capitalized. He immediately hired workers to renovate the storefront and ordered the necessary equipment.

The Mount Hua Sect was situated on Mount Hua, the Western Peak. Countless pilgrims made the ascent every year. As major landlords in the region, the sect owned numerous shops both on and off the mountain. Commerce wasn't unfamiliar territory for Huang Zhen.

At Mount Hua, however, they were the local powers. Officials had to show them a degree of deference and wouldn't deliberately make trouble. Here, in unfamiliar territory, he needed to build relationships from scratch.

After careful consideration, Huang Zhen decided his first call should be on the "Director" of the Nanbao Cooperative. When he'd rented the house, this director had been exceptionally enthusiastic, offering to help him personally if he ever wanted to open a shop.

Initially, Huang Zhen had assumed this "Director" was simply the "shopkeeper" of the "Cooperative." Female shopkeepers were unusual but not unheard of in the Ming. What he learned subsequently left him stunned.

This female director was actually a "cadre"—and he knew what cadres were: the Cropped-Hairs' equivalent of officials. That the Cropped-Hairs permitted women to serve as officials was one thing—after all, Wu Zetian had been Emperor. But a mere shopkeeper counted as an "official"?

The capital had plenty of "Imperial Shops," yet he'd never heard of their managers being classified as "officials"—or even as "clerks." The Cropped-Hairs handed out official titles to cooperative branch managers with almost profligate abandon. This was definitely not the righteous path. This seemingly prosperous marketplace was nothing but illusion. Having looted Guangdong and crushed several great pirate fleets, the Cropped-Hairs had amassed staggering wealth, all concentrated in this tiny corner of Lingao. How could it not appear rich? And consider those flashy but useless streetlights, drainage systems, and paved roads—pure extravagance! Spending money simply to impress outsiders, like Emperor Yang of Sui ordering the trees of Luoyang wrapped in silk.

Fortified by this conviction that he had "seen through the truth," Huang Zhen prepared four varieties of gifts and a substantial red packet containing not circulation vouchers but a gold ring weighing half a tael. He trusted that everyone, regardless of their station, understood and coveted the value of gold. Even if it couldn't be spent directly in the market, it would be treasured.

The female director was middle-aged. She had originally served as inner manager of a grocery store in Guangdong, but after her husband died, she couldn't maintain the business. Hearing that life was easy in Lingao, she had brought her children and meager assets across the sea. To survive, she had joined the Cooperative as a clerk.

As a former inner manager, she was thoroughly familiar with commercial operations. Being literate and numerate, and smooth in her dealings with customers, she had become a key employee within a year and was promoted to Branch Director after three.

When she heard that Huang Zhen wanted to formally open a shop, she was delighted. Li Mei had recently issued new Cooperative evaluation metrics. The Nanbao Branch performed respectably across most measures but poorly in real estate rentals—too many shophouses sat vacant. It was still better situated than the Chengguan Town Branch, but that was a special case: Chengguan was slated to become an administrative and cultural district, not positioned for commerce.

Furthermore, though the Cooperative was a commercial entity, it also bore responsibility for "promoting development." The Branch Director concurrently served as local head of the "Commercial Ministry Trade Promotion and Development Office." She faced pressure on investment attraction and tax growth targets.

Hearing that Shopkeeper Huang wanted to open not merely a shop but specifically a medicine shop—something Nanbao genuinely needed—thrilled her. Runshetang already had a branch here, co-run with the Ministry of Health, but lines formed daily and medicine frequently sold out. Not because Nanbao had such a large population, but because Li people from across the region flocked here seeking treatment.

Another medicine shop could divert some of the patient overflow—a double victory for both commerce and civil affairs. The Director grew even more enthusiastic and began introducing commercial policies.

"Shopkeeper Huang wishes to open a medicine shop. First, you'll need to obtain several certificates." She produced a blank sheet of paper and began scribbling with a pencil.

Huang Zhen nodded. He had already experienced the Cropped-Hairs' obsession with issuing certificates.

First, naturally, was the Business License. Under the Yuan Elder Court, there was no Bureau of Industry and Commerce, but opening a shop or stall still required licensing. The issuing authority, however, was the Police Department—specifically, the Civil Division of the National Police.

Having police rather than a commerce bureau manage these matters was a lesson learned from the future. Administrative departments like the Bureau of Industry and Commerce, lacking enforcement capability, had proven woefully inefficient—unable to control major players, overwhelmed by minor ones. Loopholes abounded. Thus, following the old Japanese police system, this authority had been transferred to the National Police.

Hearing that police were involved, Huang Zhen felt a twinge of unease. But having come this far, there was no turning back.

Next was the Tax Registration Certificate, obtained from the General Tax Bureau. Huang Zhen understood taxation, but Ming commercial taxes were few and their collection crude. Typically, state taxes were pitifully low, while yamen fees and "donations" were countless, with frequent ad hoc levies. Having managed Mount Hua Sect's assets, Huang Zhen knew the rule well: "low taxes, heavy fees." The former flowed to the public coffers and nobody cared much—paying a token amount sufficed, and the powerful often paid nothing at all. The latter was kept by the yamen, so it wasn't easily dodged.

In Lingao, the situation was reversed. No "fees and donations" existed, but the tax categories were numerous: taxes on shops, taxes on employees, business tax, income tax, stamp duty... A bewildering array, with calculations complex enough to make his head spin.

Seeing his difficulty, the Director paused and smiled. "This can't be explained in a moment. Go get the Tax Registration Certificate—someone there will explain everything clearly."

"Yes, yes. Thank you, Director."

"Normally, that would be all you'd need. But since you're opening a medicine shop, a few additional requirements apply."

"Please enlighten me, Director."

Since the business involved medical health, he would need a "Pharmaceutical and Health Operation Permit"—also issued by the National Police, specifically the Health Police Division. Anything touching public health management fell under their jurisdiction. The reasoning was the same as for the Business License.

Huang Zhen nodded helplessly, thinking I'm already getting that Business License thing; might as well do them together. But the Director continued:

"However, to apply for this Pharmaceutical and Health Operation Permit, you must first have two other licenses in order. Since there is 'medicine' involved—meaning medical practice—you need a 'Chinese Medicine Practitioner License.' Since there is 'pharmacy'—meaning drugs—you need a 'Chinese Pharmacist License'..."

Before she could finish, Huang Zhen asked anxiously, "For this, do I need a 'Shopkeeper License' to be a shopkeeper?"

The Director laughed. "That isn't required. But if you like, obtaining an Industrial and Commercial Management Qualification Certificate wouldn't hurt. It's useful if you ever want to work for our state-owned commercial enterprises."

Huang Zhen nearly fainted.

The Director went on about how "medicine concerns people's health and lives, so caution is essential," and Huang Zhen could do nothing but nod in agreement.

As for these practitioner licenses, he would have to travel to Lingao General Hospital in East Gate Market to take the examination. In truth, issuing practitioner licenses for Traditional Chinese Medicine was controversial within the Yuan Elder Court and the health system. A significant faction of Yuan Lao advocated "abolishing the practice, keeping the medicine." But the health sector couldn't produce enough medically trained staff, so maintaining the status quo had won out. As Chief Deng of the General Hospital Medical Section and Secretary of the Health Ministry Office put it: "Placebo therapy treats illness too."

"Don't worry, Shopkeeper Huang. Our Yuan Elder Court never makes things difficult for the people. As long as conditions are met, we never deliberately obstruct. If there's anything you don't understand, just come see me—I'll do my best." She threw him a flirtatious glance.

Huang Zhen pretended not to notice. He rose and bowed.

"Thank you for your guidance, Director. I shall go attend to these matters." He offered the four gifts.

"Oh my, how can I possibly accept your gifts?" The Director smiled radiantly. "We don't do things that way here. Don't put me in an awkward position..." Her hand "accidentally" brushed Huang Zhen's arm. "You've traveled a long way, and doing business isn't easy—don't spend your money. If you truly wish to thank me, simply come by to chat more often. We can exchange what each needs—we're all serving the Yuan Elder Court and the people together."

Huang Zhen suppressed a shudder. He had planned to offer the gold ring; presenting it now seemed likely to invite trouble. He smiled apologetically. "These are merely local products, a small token of appreciation. Please look after me in the future..."

He hurried toward the door. The Director refused the gifts, pushing back and forth until they were returned. Huang Zhen was genuinely surprised: These Cropped-Hairs really don't accept bribes! But that female False Cropped-Hair seemed to have taken an interest in him... He shuddered again. Unbearable, utterly unbearable.

Back at the shop, he explained the examination requirements. Jiao Gongli and Song Shengying, both formidable figures in their respective regions, were at a complete loss upon hearing they would need to take exams to open for business. They had experienced much in their lives, but examinations were a first. Yet since they were in Lingao, retreat wasn't an option. Following the Director's advice, they visited a bookstore and purchased the 1634 TCM Practitioner and Pharmacist Exam Syllabus and Guide to study. Seeing the bookstore stocked with similar materials—like scholars' collections of "eight-legged essays"—Huang Zhen felt uncertain, so he also selected two related volumes: Past Years' Real Questions Collection and Review Compendium, for the two candidates to use. Registration proved simple enough—the bookstore handled everything. Fees, forms, fingerprints, admit cards.