For the Lady's Wise Regression - Chapter 62

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————

Chapter 62
“In any case… I think it’s still too early now. I’m sorry—I would’ve preferred to grant your request if I could.”
“No, no. Hearing you say that, I think it’s a bit premature as well.”
Vanessa smiled lightly as if to say it was fine.
“Well, it’s not quite a favor in return, but…”
Vanessa drew close to Ian and whispered something in his ear.
“…What do you think? Would that work as a new business venture using the Jinjeongcho?”
Seeing Ian’s reaction—his eyes widened in a way different from before—it became clear without a word that his thoughts aligned with hers.
“Certainly, if it’s to that extent.”
It was genuine admiration.
Untainted by any ulterior motive.
She felt her abilities being recognized.
And that recognition pleased and delighted her more than she could contain.
“Then, would it be all right if I asked for your help with this venture?”
Despite it being his own field of expertise, Ian was asking her for assistance, and Vanessa laughed with confidence.
“By all means. I’m counting on you.”
“I am too.”
***
The Jinjeongcho.
Some called it a panacea for all ills; others dismissed it as useless.
Its applications were boundless, yet to achieve any genuine effect, precise compounding ratios and refinement had to come first—making it a temperamental herb.
Until now, only House Ruscliffe had been able to properly utilize the Jinjeongcho, so for everyone else it was nothing but a distant dream.
Vanessa’s proposal was this:
Rather than keeping it entirely locked away, reveal a portion of it.
But only for a price.
In her past life, there had been twice as many lawsuits concerning the Jinjeongcho compared to other ducal houses’ ventures—and that was the reason why.
Though how to distinguish a Jinjeongcho was already, so to speak, widely known throughout the Empire, actually using one properly required going through House Ruscliffe.
Any amateur compounding ratio on the market was full of side effects, so patients became increasingly skeptical.
House Leonard had exploited exactly that pressure point.
And Ian had faced no small amount of grief because of it.
Of course, at that time, he hadn’t given it a second thought.
‘The popularization of the Jinjeongcho.’
What House Leonard had pushed for resonated with the Empire’s public.
They weren’t demanding that the core secrets be revealed—merely that, since the Jinjeongcho was a common herb in certain regions of the Empire, instructions on basic production methods be shared.
Admittedly, sharing how to use it for simple wound treatment or how to brew it as a tea would not have been a great loss.
Yet sharing that wouldn’t have brought them any gain either, so in her past life Ian had refused, and House Leonard had seized upon that refusal to win public support.
Though once rights of priority were established, they were soundly defeated in court.
But considering how that case had led to an explosion of competing Jinjeongcho compounding ratios throughout the Empire, and how House Ruscliffe had borne the brunt of the criticism…
‘It’ll probably unfold similarly this time around.’
For House Leonard, there was no business as attractive as the Jinjeongcho.
It was common enough in the Northern Region, yet the difficult compounding ratios meant others couldn’t easily tackle it, and demand was widespread across the nation.
For a long-term venture, nothing could compare.
Vanessa recalled her conversation with Ian from just moments before.
Honestly, since he’d blocked all the ventures using the Jinjeongcho in her past life, she’d thought there was no room for compromise.
But when he’d reacted as if struck by a blow upon hearing her idea to disclose some production methods, she’d found it strange and asked why.
Whether there was a reason he wouldn’t reveal the precise compounding ratios or production methods for the Jinjeongcho.
But the answer that came back was unexpected.
‘It’s a difficult herb to work with.’
‘Difficult to work with?’
‘…It’s not a lie that each Jinjeongcho requires its own unique compounding ratio.’
What followed was enough to hit her like a hammer blow.
Ian’s clarification was that truly, each individual bloom had a different compounding ratio.
‘If I had to explain it—not every Jinjeongcho produces identical effects, and herbs that look similar produce similar effects. It’s like people, isn’t it? If there are similarities, they’re family; if there are resemblances, they’re like siblings. That’s why the Eastern Empire calls the Jinjeongcho the Human Herb as well.’
And so, to achieve the correct effect, one had to examine each Jinjeongcho’s appearance meticulously.
Even Ian himself didn’t know how many more appearance variants of the Jinjeongcho existed. Since he couldn’t reveal each one individually, he’d simply asked that any discoveries be brought to him.
And he’d freely shared the compounding ratios with those who brought them, explaining in detail what effects each possessed.
The Empire’s people in her past life had been swayed by House Leonard into misunderstanding this.
So what Vanessa had proposed was to create, along with distinguishing the Jinjeongcho by appearance, a complete illustrated compendium detailing the efficacy and effects of each appearance variant.
Since most Jinjeongcho found in the Empire couldn’t be made into salves, if anyone discovered a Jinjeongcho with a rare appearance, they could simply be directed to visit House Ruscliffe.
And since Jinjeongcho suitable for salves or medicinal treatment were found only in the Northern Region’s Snowood Mountain ranges, House Ruscliffe would both gain recognition and preserve their profits through this method.
Besides, this way House Leonard won’t be able to incite anything later, no matter how they try.
By the time the priority system is established, all the citizens of The Empire will already know at least the basic Compounding Ratio and usage methods for the Jinjeongcho.
In short, this was a process of gradually etching ‘Jinjeongcho = House Ruscliffe’ into the minds of The Empire’s people, like gentle rain soaking through cloth.
It had been an iron fortress of a business venture before, but once you lay this foundation, it becomes sacred ground.
‘And no one from outside will dare to meddle with it either.’
House Ruscliffe was generous enough to create a manual for free so that citizens could use the Jinjeongcho they discovered on their own—and yet someone would have the audacity to ask for a share, scheming to build a business based on the very Jinjeongcho from that manual?
They’d deserve to be stoned for it.
Ah. I’m humming without even realizing it. Is the weather that good?
……That thought vanished completely in less than an hour.
More precisely, it was shattered the moment Ian led her into the Jinjeongcho Garden that House Ruscliffe cultivated separately.
“……This is, all of it Jinjeongcho?”
Vanessa stared blankly at the medicinal herb field that packed the garden from corner to corner.
Unease washed over her.
No, surely not. There’s no way.
All these Jinjeongcho couldn’t possibly look completely different from one another……?
“Come closer.”
But Ian passed by Vanessa, who stood at a distance, and easily pulled up two Jinjeongcho plants that were nearby.
“This is what the Jinjeongcho looks like, the kind even commoners in The Empire see regularly—the one on the left should be brewed as tea to recover from fatigue, while the one on the right, conversely, should be formed into a pill, compressed, and swallowed for the same effect.”
The two Jinjeongcho that Ian showed her appeared to be perfectly identical in appearance.
Vanessa squinted, groaning softly.
Number of leaves—the same. Root thickness—the same.
Color? Dark green or light green—was that all the difference?
Looking closer, the leaf color did seem slightly different……?
No. Wasn’t it a lie that they looked completely different in the first place?
How was she supposed to tell them apart?
This wasn’t even the difference between a short haircut and long hair—it was just a slight trim at the ends!
Vanessa glanced up carefully, studying Ian’s expression.
……He looks more serious than when he proposed the Contract Marriage.
Is there really a different part? Where?
Just as Vanessa’s frustration was about to spill from her lips, Ian’s mouth opened.
“With the naked eye it’s difficult to distinguish, but look here…… at the roots. The left one has a large root stock with many fine roots beside it, while the right one’s roots fork into two at the ends, and even the fine roots are sparse.”
Was he really saying right now that these two Jinjeongcho looked different just because this tiny tip was slightly split……?
“……How are you supposed to tell them apart?”
Or did these two Jinjeongcho really have different properties just because this one part was different?
Seeing the look in her eyes, still clouded with doubt, Ian shrugged as though it were of no great consequence.
“Taste it directly. Then you’ll understand what the difference is.”

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————