Chapter 16: Preparing for Departure (2)

After entering the space, Xia Qingfeng first checked on Cang Qiyuan and found that his condition was stable, and his wounds had healed well.

Returning to the office, she took out paper and a pen and pulled Xu Xiaoxiao to sit down. “Xiaoxiao, we’ll be able to leave soon, but before we go, we need to take care of things here. You’re meticulous, help me think of everything, okay?”

“The medicinal herbs planted in the village are the most important. They’re growing well and will be ready for harvest soon, but we won’t be able to wait that long. That’s what I’m most worried about.” Xia Qingfeng really felt reluctant to leave the villagers, and since the herbs wouldn’t be harvested in time, the villagers would definitely feel uncertain. However, her adoptive parents had been sent to Youzhou, and life there would be tough. The sooner they left, the sooner they could go take care of them, so they had to leave.

“Mom, you could make a little booklet, one that’s both illustrated and written. The village chief can read, so just let him follow the booklet. There shouldn’t be any problems. Tomorrow, you should go with the village chief to Jiren Hall and finalize the details for collecting the herbs. Agree on the prices, and it’s best to write up an agreement.”

“Alright, I’ll draw the booklet tonight. Is there anything else we need? We have plenty of food and clothes prepared. Along the way, we can secretly stockpile some more food. We’ll be fine for a few years.”

Xu Xiaoxiao hugged her shoulders, thinking while speaking, “Mom, is there any way to get niter around here?”

“Niter? What do you need that for?” Xia Qingfeng was puzzled.

“To make ice! Think about it, it’s already June, and the weather is getting hot. It’ll take us at least two months to get to Youzhou, and we’ll be traveling through the hottest months. Especially on the cart, it’s going to feel like a steamer. We can’t expose the space, so we’ll have to endure it. But if we have niter, we can make ice to cool off.”

Xia Qingfeng thought for a moment and couldn’t help but give Xu Xiaoxiao a thumbs-up. “You really are my daughter, thinking of everything.”

At that moment, Xia Yingjun, who was pretending to be a quail, suddenly crawled onto Xia Qingfeng’s lap and started making little “yo-yo” sounds.

“What are you thinking?” Xia Qingfeng asked in confusion.

Xia Yingjun glanced at Xu Xiaoxiao and then called out a few times to Xia Qingfeng. Xu Xiaoxiao’s eyes lit up, and she said, “Yingjun, you know where to find niter, right?”

Xia Yingjun nodded enthusiastically, his tail wagging like a windmill. “Great! Tomorrow—no, the day after tomorrow—we’ll go look for it,” Xia Qingfeng said with a smile, picking up Xia Yingjun and hugging him.

After that, the two of them discussed some more details. Soon, Xu Xiaoxiao could no longer keep her eyes open and started dozing off. Xia Qingfeng made sure she was comfortable before sitting at the desk to draw the booklet. She didn’t go to sleep until late into the night.

The next day, Xia Qingfeng woke up early to make breakfast, of course, once again serving it in a basin.

After breakfast, Xia Qingfeng took the booklet and went out to find the village chief. On the way, she ran into him, who was planning to go up the mountain. So, she decided to go with him.

“Village chief, I’m leaving in a couple of days.”

The village chief wasn’t very surprised. He had heard that Xia Qingfeng had come back by cart the previous night and had vaguely guessed the news. Now it was confirmed. He said, “Now is the right time to leave. The weather will still be bearable over there, and the roads will be easier.”

Looking at the herbs on the mountain, the village chief’s brow furrowed as he said, “Before you go, come to my house. Let your aunt make something good for you, as a send-off.”

“Come to my house, too. Before I leave, I’ll show everyone what I can do.” She handed over the booklet she had made. “Village chief, I’m sorry I won’t be able to wait until the herbs are harvested, I’ve broken my promise. This is the booklet I drew last night, with all the things to pay attention to in the future. Please take a look.”

The village chief quickly took the booklet and, as he read it, he couldn’t help but praise it. His previously furrowed brow finally relaxed, and he even chuckled. “This is great, girl! Your booklet is simple and easy to understand. Now I know exactly what to do.” The village chief carefully tucked the booklet into his chest pocket.

“Village chief, are you free today? I’d like to go with you to Jiren Hall in town to finalize the details for the herbs with Manager Chang. It would be best if we could write up an agreement so we don’t have to worry about the future supply of medicinal herbs.”

“I’m free, I’m free! Let’s go right now.” With that, the village chief quickly set off down the mountain.

Cang Ji drove the carriage, with Xia Qingfeng and Xu Xiaoxiao inside. The village chief and Cang Ji sat on the carriage shaft, and together they made their way to the town.

When they arrived at Jiren Hall, Manager Chang welcomed them warmly. Xia Qingfeng got straight to the point, and when Manager Chang heard that the medicinal herbs had indeed been successfully grown and would soon be ready for harvest, he was overjoyed. He readily agreed to buy all the herbs without hesitation.

In the past, people in ancient times couldn’t grow medicinal herbs themselves—they had to go up the mountains to dig them. However, the mountains were dangerous, and there were few people knowledgeable enough to identify herbs. As a result, there were often shortages of medicinal supplies. But now, in a nearby village, someone was not only capable of growing medicinal herbs but also preparing them for use. This solved their supply problem completely.

After negotiating the price, they drew up the agreement. The village chief would bring people to deliver the herbs in the future. With everything settled, they were ready to leave.

Just then, Manager Chang hurried over to Xia Qingfeng. “Madam, may I speak with you privately for a moment?”

Xia Qingfeng didn’t hesitate and followed Manager Chang to the back room.

Manager Chang eagerly poured her a cup of tea before sitting down and asking, “Madam, may I ask if you still have that ginseng from last time?”

“Why, Manager Chang, do you need more ginseng?” Xia Qingfeng asked.

Hearing the hopeful tone in Xia Qingfeng’s voice, Manager Chang quickly said, “The ginseng you gave last time was taken by our young master to the capital. Although it wasn’t very old, its quality was exceptional. The old madam at our house is in poor health and needs ginseng for nourishment. We were hoping to purchase another ginseng of the same high quality.”

Xia Qingfeng thought for a moment before asking, “Is your master currently in the capital?”

“Yes, indeed. The old madam’s health isn’t good, so our young master decided to stay in the capital to personally care for her.”

“Well then,” Xia Qingfeng said, “I do have a ginseng of even better quality and older age, but it’s not with me at the moment. I’ll be leaving soon, and I’ll pass through the capital. I can bring the ginseng with me. I also know a little about medicine. If the old madam doesn’t mind, I could take a look at her health.”

Manager Chang’s face lit up with joy upon hearing this. “Madam, you really do have such a treasure in your hands! Please wait a moment. I’ll write a letter right away, hoping that you can visit our house and check on the old madam.”

Xia Qingfeng couldn’t help but laugh and said, “Aren’t you worried that I might be a fraud?”

Manager Chang chuckled. “Madam, you’re teaching the villagers how to process medicinal herbs, and you have such good ginseng in your hands. With your character and medical skills, I have no doubt about you.”

Xia Qingfeng gave a slight smile. “Once I arrive in the capital, I will definitely visit the old madam.”

With the letter in hand, Xia Qingfeng left Jiren Hall, thinking as she walked. No wonder that young master had such a remarkable demeanor—he must be the young master of the Wu Ting Hou mansion in the capital.

The next morning, Xia Qingfeng set off to the mountain with Xia Yingjun and Cang Ji to search for niter.

Xia Yingjun led the way, sniffing here and there. After about an hour, he finally stopped. He jumped onto a stone and kept calling out to Xia Qingfeng. She walked over, squatted down, and observed carefully.

She noticed that the stone was covered in white crystals. Not being familiar with it, she quietly asked Xu Xiaoxiao, “Xiaoxiao, do you think this is niter?”

Xu Xiaoxiao crouched down to inspect the crystals, then picked one up to examine it closely. “Yes, this is niter.”

“That’s great!” Xia Qingfeng said excitedly. She then instructed Cang Ji to quickly start digging with a hoe. Although Cang Ji was curious, he didn’t ask any questions and obediently began to dig. Xia Qingfeng was quite pleased with his cooperation.

At this moment, Cang Dao and Cang Qiang suddenly dropped down from the trees, startling both Xia Qingfeng and Xu Xiaoxiao.

“Madam, please don’t be alarmed. We’re here to help,” they said.

Xia Qingfeng looked at them and then asked, “Where is Cang Jian?”

“Cang Jian is staying behind at the bottom of the mountain. We came to ensure your safety.”

“Alright then, let’s work quickly and head down the mountain as soon as we’re done.”

They continued digging up the white crystals, and Xia Qingfeng filled up a bamboo basket while quietly storing some of the niter in the space. After filling two large baskets, Xia Qingfeng realized that the baskets weren’t enough. She was quite frustrated—there were so many people around, and she couldn’t openly put more into the space. It would be a waste to leave so much niter behind.

It seemed that Cang Ji had guessed her thoughts. He said, “Madam, you don’t need to worry. Big Brother and Second Brother can weave more bamboo baskets. They will secretly bring the niter down the mountain later.”

“That’s a relief! Thank you both so much,” Xia Qingfeng said, finally feeling reassured. She followed Cang Ji down the mountain with a lighter heart.