The Century-Old Romance Between Hu's Manor and Leijiazhai

During the Daoguang period of the Qing Dynasty, Hu Jingzhi, a wealthy businessman in Hanzhong, in order to expand his pharmacy business, ventured deep into Leijiazhai in the depths of Daba Mountain in search of the secret black bone vine ointment passed down by the Miao family. When Hu Jingzhi stepped into the Miao village for the first time, he violated a taboo by accidentally stepping on the threshold, which almost caused a conflict. Fortunately, Wu Tianbao, the leader of the village, was tolerant and resolved it. Hu Jingzhi realized that in order to cooperate with the Miao people, they must respect their traditions. Hu Jingzhi impressed Wu Tianbao with his sincerity and proposed cooperation to promote Miao medicine so that more people could benefit. Wu Tianbao initially refused, but after witnessing Hu Jingzhi rescuing the Miao children who were bitten by poisonous snakes, his attitude relaxed. In the end, the two parties reached an agreement: Leijiazhai provided the secret recipe, Hu's Manor was responsible for sales, and profits were shared. During the cooperation, Hu Jingzhi strictly kept his word and refused the temptation of wealthy businessmen to purchase the secret recipe with large sums of money, winning the trust of the Miao village. As Miao medicines such as Black Bone Teng Ointment and Gout Ointment are selling well in Bashan, the relationship between Hu's Manor and Leijiazhai has become increasingly close. Hu Jingzhi helped the Miao village build roads and schools, and introduced silkworm textile technology; Wu Tianbao opened up the Miao culture and celebrated festivals with the Han people. The Han and Miao ethnic groups gradually integrated through exchanges, and even co-edited the "Bashan Medicine Manual" to record the medical wisdom of both sides. Many years later, Wu Tianbao entrusted the seeds of the black bone vine to Hu Jingzhi before his death and asked him to continue to protect this friendship. Although the Hu Manor was eventually destroyed by the war, the cooperative spirit and legendary stories of the two tribes are still passed down from generation to generation on the banks of the Qingshui River, becoming a model of national unity and mutually beneficial symbiosis.