Chapter 14: First Encounter

Qiao Nian paid no mind to what others thought of her. At that moment, she was fully absorbed in observing the simple and elegant buildings of the town. Unlike the dull and monotonous tones of the village, the town was filled with blue-brick houses topped with dark tiles. Here and there, a few colorful flags fluttered in the breeze, adding vibrancy to the scene. The streets were paved with bluestone slabs, lined with all kinds of shops, and hawkers called out from roadside stalls. The streets were bustling with people coming and going.

In her memories, the original host had rarely visited the town. And even on those rare occasions, she hadn’t dared to look around. She would follow closely behind Qiao Father and Qiao Mother, fearful of causing trouble or making a mistake.

Still, she had a general understanding of the town’s layout. It was called Lin’an Town, a small transportation hub under Huaizhou Prefecture. Huaizhou was mountainous and forested, rich in medicinal herbs and mountain goods. It was said that several villages near the northernmost border of the prefecture were home to herb gatherers. For merchants who came to purchase these herbs and ship them out, Lin’an Town was a necessary stop.

Compared to other towns, Lin’an was far more prosperous. Restaurants, shops, silver jewelry stores, and cloth merchants—all could be found here, their scale not inferior to those in the prefecture’s capital. Still, it was just a town, and aside from traveling merchants, the local residents had limited purchasing power. So while quality goods were available, most were still affordable for common folk.

Qiao Nian and Ping’an both knew where the local physician’s hall was. They headed straight for one named Jiren Hall, known for its fair treatment of the poor. Prescriptions and consultations there were reasonably priced. The other hall, Chen Family Medical Hall, was not nearly as kind to ordinary people.

Without pause, the siblings crossed two streets and finally spotted the signboard for Jiren Hall.

“A-Jie, we’re here. Wait here for a moment while I carry the basket over. I’ll come back and help you,” Ping’an said, worried that his sister had too much to carry and might wear herself out.

By now, Qiao Nian was drenched in sweat. Both of her hands were full, and she couldn’t spare even a finger to wipe her brow. The biggest problem was that the two rabbits were unruly, hopping now and then, forcing her to exert more effort to hold onto them. As for the pheasant, though it hadn’t died overnight, it was clearly weak and listless by now, barely moving. Despite Qiao Nian insisting she wasn’t tired, Ping’an didn’t believe her for a second.

But they were nearly there, and Qiao Nian’s stubbornness flared. Gritting her teeth, she said, “No need. It’s just a few more steps. Let’s get there and put the stuff down.”

Ping’an knew his sister only looked delicate on the outside—inside, she was as tough as iron. There was no use persuading her. All he could do was quicken his pace, hoping to reach their destination faster so they could both rest.

Though the remaining stretch wasn’t long, it felt endless. Every step was a struggle, and by the time they reached the entrance of the physician’s hall, the siblings were breathless. They set their things down outside and took a moment to catch their breath—entering in such a state would make it seem like they were in a medical emergency.

Once their breathing steadied a bit, they picked up their things again and entered the hall. The main area was busy with people collecting medicine and seeking consultations. Qiao Nian and Ping’an tucked their items neatly into a corner to avoid obstructing others, then began looking for the manager. Before Qiao Nian could step forward, a shop assistant approached them warmly.

Despite seeing the large bundles they were carrying, the assistant showed no sign of disdain. With a pleasant smile, he asked, “Are you here to collect medicine or see the physician?”

“We’re not here for medicine or a consultation,” Qiao Nian replied. “We’d like to know if you buy medicinal herbs.”

The assistant nodded with a smile. Just this morning, the shopkeeper had instructed them to accept any herb sellers who came by. “Yes, we do. May I take a look first?” he said, stepping forward. It was standard procedure to inspect the goods before notifying the shopkeeper.

“Of course,” Qiao Nian replied. She lifted the coarse cloth covering the backpack and basket. The backpack was filled with freshly dug rehmannia, while the basket held self-heal (prunella vulgaris).

The assistant had seen more herbs in a day than most people did in a month, so this amount didn’t surprise him. Though the herbs were unprocessed, their quality and appearance were quite good. Smiling, he said, “These look fine. Please wait a moment. The shopkeeper is currently attending to an important guest, but he’ll be out shortly.”

Hearing his words, Qiao Nian finally let out a breath of relief. She nodded slightly and let the shop assistant go about his business while she and Ping’an waited.

Whether it was sheer luck after her transmigration or just a good day, no sooner had she finished speaking than the shop assistant’s “Manager” stepped into the main hall—accompanied by a noble-looking young man.

The manager wore a grey, cross-collared long robe. His build was average, neither fat nor thin, and he had a kindly face. At that moment, a warm smile played at the corners of his lips, but his demeanor remained deeply respectful as he followed half a step behind the man beside him.

That noble young man looked to be no older than eighteen or nineteen. He wore a deep blue, waist-fitted long robe, with intricate gold embroidery decorating the collar and cuffs. A jade pendant of a striking green hue hung from his waist, and his jet-black hair was tied high with a jade crown. Most eye-catching of all was his elegant and handsome face—refined and unforgettable, like a young pine among blooming orchids.

Qiao Nian only glanced at him briefly before looking away. It was clear at a glance that this young man was someone of wealth and status. While she could appreciate beautiful things, she had no further thoughts beyond that. Right now, all she wanted was to find out how much silver she and her Brother could earn from the medicinal herbs they had worked so hard to dig up.

The moment Xiao Jinyu stepped into the hall, he instinctively surveyed his surroundings. Naturally, he spotted the sibling pair. Their clothes were worn and shabby, and they had several bundles at their feet. He didn’t spare them much attention—he had a good sense of what sort of people would come to a physician’s hall in such a state.

Just as he was about to look away, his eyes briefly met the girl’s. Her gaze was pure, utterly untouched by the grime of the world. It was similar to his own—merely scanning the room without intent, only to quickly withdraw once done.

Xiao Jinyu raised an eyebrow slightly. His face had brought him no shortage of trouble in the past, and it was rare to be met with such a clear and unaffected gaze. Still, it wasn’t enough to make him stop. All of it happened in the blink of an eye—Xiao Jinyu’s figure soon disappeared through the doorway.

Only after watching his master walk away did Manager Chen return to the hall. The assistant stepped up promptly to report that the Qiao siblings were here to sell medicinal herbs. Manager Chen’s trademark smile immediately appeared as he said, “Young Lady, may I take a look at your herbs?”

Qiao Nian once again lifted the coarse cloth covering the herbs, revealing the self-heal and Chinese foxglove root inside. As soon as the manager saw the foxglove, his eyes lit up. Their stock of high-quality foxglove had been running low. He bent down to examine it more closely, then nodded in approval.

“Young Lady, this batch of foxglove is in excellent condition. However, since it hasn’t been processed, the price will be a bit lower. I can offer twenty-five wen per jin. For the self-heal, twelve wen per jin. What do you think?”

Upon hearing such a high price, Ping’an struggled to keep the corners of his mouth from curling up in joy. Inside, his heart was already cheering wildly. So these really were valuable herbs—his A-Jie truly was amazing!

Qiao Nian had a good impression of both the assistant and Manager Chen. This pharmacy also had the best reputation in town, and she didn’t believe they would try to deceive her. She nodded and said, “Alright. Thank you, Manager.”

Seeing her agree, Manager Chen beamed. “My surname is Chen. If you come across more herbs in the future, feel free to bring them here directly. If I’m not around, someone else at the shop will weigh them and pay you accordingly.” As he spoke, he signaled to the assistant to take the herbs to the back for weighing. It was only then that he noticed the wild pheasant and rabbits at Qiao Nian’s feet.

Without hesitation, he asked, “Young Lady, are the wild pheasant and rabbits for sale? It just so happens that my household’s been wanting to try something different these past few days.”

The girl had clear eyes. Though her clothes were ragged, she exuded an unmistakable natural charm. Driven by a merchant’s instinct to seek out promising connections and avoid losses, Manager Chen suddenly felt an urge to build a good rapport.

Qiao Nian’s heart bloomed with delight. She immediately labeled Manager Chen a “good person” in her mind and nodded with a smile. “Yes, the pheasant and rabbits are for sale. We were planning to sell the herbs first and then look around the market. But since you’re interested, Manager Chen, we’ll sell them to you as well.”