Chapter 37: The Mysterious Fragrant Dew

Zhou Daniu walked over with a bunch of radishes in her hand. When she saw the piece of wood, she frowned, then crouched down and scraped at it with a small knife.

She rubbed the fine shavings between her fingers and brought them to her nose. A sudden realization hit her, and she gasped, “This is high-quality sandalwood!”

As soon as she spoke, Zhou Zhao and Zhou Feng hurried over.

“Mother, is this really sandalwood? How could there be sandalwood buried in this rocky field?”

Generally, high-quality sandalwood trees grew in forests, and it was rare to find one buried underground in such a place.

Zhou Daniu looked around at the surrounding trees and speculated, “Perhaps this area was once a sandalwood grove. Over time, the trees were cut down, and some of the wood ended up buried in the ground.”

It was a far-fetched explanation, but they couldn’t think of a better one to explain the situation.

Du Wanchun broke the silence with a cheerful smile. “Mother, let’s hurry and dig out this sandalwood. We can use it to make incense later.”

Zhou Daniu’s face lit up with joy. “That’s right! A sandalwood log this large could make a lot of incense, and it would sell for a good price.”

Without hesitation, she called her two sons over to help with the digging.

Du Wanchun assisted them as best as she could, and before long, they had unearthed a sandalwood log at least a meter long.

Zhou Zhao tied the log securely with a rope and carried it on his back.

Meanwhile, Du Wanchun packed the freshly harvested radishes into the baskets, and together with Zhou Daniu, each carrying a full load, they made their way home.

Zhou Feng followed behind, carrying the vegetables they had picked earlier.

The family returned home, their hearts full of joy.

After helping Zhou Daniu clean and store the radishes, Du Wanchun also helped tidy up the sandalwood log.

By the time evening approached, she and Zhou Ruizhen had loaded the cleaned radishes onto the cart.

Before nightfall, the couple delivered the radishes to the Li and Fang households.

Aunt He handed them the remaining 200 wen.

The Fang family was particularly generous—when they delivered the radishes, the Fang family’s steward even rewarded them with one tael of silver.

That was a huge sum of money!

Holding the silver in her hands, Du Wanchun’s hands trembled slightly.

It was the first time in her life that she had seen so much silver.

With this money and the copper coins they had earned, their family would finally no longer have to worry about going hungry.

Zhou Ruizhen noticed her tearful, overwhelmed expression and gently pulled her into his embrace, holding her close.

“Don’t worry,” he reassured her, “there will be much, much more in the future.”

Du Wanchun wiped away the tears at the corners of her eyes and nodded firmly. “Yes!”

With their earnings, they purchased a boiler for making fragrant dew, along with some rice, oil, and fabric.

They also bought some brushes and ink for Zhou Feng.

By the time they finished shopping and headed home, the sky had turned completely dark.

Back at home, Zhou Daniu had already prepared a meal—steamed rice, radish soup, and stir-fried cabbage—all waiting for their return.

The moment Du Wanchun reached the doorstep, she was greeted by the mouthwatering aroma of food, and her stomach growled in response.

Zhou Ruizhen called for Zhou Zhao and Zhou Feng to help carry the purchased items inside.

When Zhou Daniu saw the boiler and bottles they had brought back, a hint of sadness flickered in her eyes. She silently took them to the backyard and did not return for a long time.

Du Wanchun carried the fabric into the house, then went to the backyard to call her in for dinner.

“Mother, it’s time to eat.”

Zhou Daniu quickly wiped her tears away, lifted her head, and replied, “Alright, I’m coming.”

Du Wanchun noticed the traces of tears on Zhou Daniu’s face. She walked closer and asked, “Mother, what’s wrong?”

Zhou Daniu’s nose stung with emotion, but she forced a smile and said, “I thought that Ruizhen and I were finished. But seeing this sandalwood and these roses, I know now—our path hasn’t come to an end.”

Du Wanchun looked at her thoughtfully and, after a moment of hesitation, finally asked the question that had been lingering in her heart. “Mother, were you and my husband once from a wealthy family in the capital?”

Zhou Daniu did not deny it. Instead, she stood up and said, “Wanchun, I know you have many questions in your heart. But there are some things you’re better off not knowing. The more you know, the more danger you invite. Don’t blame me or Ruizhen for keeping it from you. We’re only trying to leave you a way out.”

Du Wanchun was momentarily stunned by her words. Since Zhou Daniu didn’t want to talk about it, she wouldn’t press the matter. From the very beginning, she had made up her mind—no matter what background her husband came from, she would stand by his side without hesitation.

Smiling, she changed the subject. “Mother, let’s go eat. After dinner, we should get started on making the fragrant dew.”

Zhou Daniu’s expression softened, and she nodded. “Alright, Wanchun, you go ahead and eat. I’ll be right there.”

Du Wanchun responded with a bright smile. “Okay, Mother. Hurry up, or the food will get cold.”

Zhou Daniu nodded at her.

After the family finished their dinner, Du Wanchun and Zhou Daniu got busy making the fragrant dew.

First, they had to set up the boiler for distillation.

Very few people in Cheng’an County made fragrances, so Du Wanchun had only been able to buy a simple steam distiller.

Fortunately, Zhou Daniu had the skills to modify it. In no time, she had transformed the steamer into a proper distillation setup for making fragrant dew.

The two women washed the rose petals and placed them into the boiler, steaming them batch by batch.

Zhou Zhao was in charge of chopping firewood, while Zhou Ruizhen and Zhou Feng tended to the fire.

They worked through the night, and by the time dawn broke, they had finally produced their first bottle of fragrant dew.

Zhou Daniu held the freshly made rose-scented dew to her nose and took a deep breath. Suddenly, her eyes widened in surprise. She quickly called out, “Wanchun, Ruizhen, come here and smell this! The fragrance is different!”