Chapter 23: He’an Hall

Tian Mi followed the street to He’an Hall, where the scene was bustling with activity. Soldiers were carrying injured comrades who were shouting in pain, rushing toward He’an Hall.

Her curiosity, never having seen a war before, was immediately piqued. “Oh my! Are they fighting? I have healing medicine made with spring water, it stops bleeding quickly and helps with recovery. I’m going to get rich!”

Tian Mi also rushed toward He’an Hall. The entrance was blocked by soldiers, and cries of agony filled the air from inside. Doctors and assistants were moving frantically. After some soldiers cleared out, Tian Mi went up and grabbed one of the busy assistants, who was moving about quickly, asking, “Where is Manager Feng?”

The assistant, still busy, casually pointed to the back courtyard and said, “Room three!” He then hurried off to fetch more medicine. Tian Mi went to the back courtyard and found room three. Inside, a man with a chest wound was being treated by two doctors in their forties, trying desperately to stop the bleeding, but to no avail. One of the doctors had his hand pressed hard on the wound, both sweating with anxiety.

One of the doctors was Manager Feng, the other was a physician at He’an Hall.

Tian Mi walked over with a smile, took out a bottle of medicine, and said, “Manager Feng, try this bottle of medicine! It’s a miracle for stopping bleeding.”

Manager Feng turned around and was stunned to see a chubby young woman smiling at him, so brightly that he didn’t react immediately. Then she waved the bottle under his nose, and he could smell the high-quality medicine.

He quickly took the bottle, poured the contents onto the wound, and in no time, the bleeding stopped. He hurried to wrap the wound up.

“Wow, no stitches?” Tian Mi thought, but decided it wasn’t her business, just selling some medicine.

“Wait, this is a life!” Tian Mi couldn’t bear it and took out a curved needle and pliers from her bag. She said, “Let me at least do a simple stitching for him.”

Manager Feng was a bit surprised but figured if someone could offer such good medicine, their medical skills would probably be excellent. So, he stepped aside to watch what she would do.

Tian Mi cleaned the tools in a small jar, and then proceeded to stitch the wound. Both Manager Feng and the old doctor were stunned—could human flesh really be sewn like that? But Tian Mi seemed very familiar with the procedure, so they didn’t want to interrupt.

Once Tian Mi finished stitching, they couldn’t help but ask, “Miss, is it really safe to stitch human flesh like that?”

Tian Mi smiled and said, “It’s fine. This way, he’ll heal faster and the wound won’t reopen easily.”

With a grin, Tian Mi turned to Manager Feng and said, “The medicine costs ten taels a bottle, and the stitching materials and technique are fifty taels!”

Manager Feng immediately looked displeased and said to her, “What kind of miracle medicine costs ten taels of silver for just this small bottle?”

Tian Mi smiled and replied, “The miracle medicine you’re holding costs ten taels a bottle.”

Then, she took the packet of herbs from behind her and said, “An uncle asked me to bring you this packet of herbs.” She then handed it to him.

Manager Feng took the packet of herbs, looked it over, and after calming himself, said, “Please wait for me in the tea room in the back.”

Tian Mi smiled and left room three. She didn’t know exactly where the tea room was, but she knew the back courtyard, so she headed there.

Before long, Manager Feng came out to find her. He was in his forties, with a short beard, giving him the appearance of a typical doctor from this era.

He flashed a friendly smile at Tian Mi and said, “Miss, may I know your name? Please join me for tea in the tea room. Sorry for keeping you waiting, there have been some injuries at the East City military camp, so we’ve been quite busy.”

Tian Mi smiled, thinking that perhaps he wanted her to pass a message for him? Well, that was fine—just as long as she got paid for it!

She had come to this era without power or influence, but at least she could make money. Although she had a lot of silver in her space, who wouldn’t want more? After all, she’d need money to raise kids and keep a few rich, handsome men around to help take care of them and make her happy. There was always something to spend on.

The man she had slept with last time had tried to kill her—probably because she hadn’t paid him. How ridiculous! All that fuss over such a small thing.

Tian Mi responded, “Manager Feng, you’re too kind. My surname is Tian.”

Manager Feng poured a cup of tea for her and asked, “Miss Tian, I wonder if you have any more of that medicine?”

Tian Mi slowly sipped her tea, thinking, “Just a moment ago, he complained that it was too expensive, and now he’s asking if I have more? Heh, it’s not that expensive!” She hadn’t done business before, but she’d seen her parents negotiate, and she knew the first rule—don’t be in a rush when making a deal.

Tian Mi smiled and replied, “I do have some medicine left, but some of the ingredients are running low, so I’ll need to gather more. As for the price…”

She took another sip of tea and fell silent, not saying more.

Manager Feng, a seasoned businessman, could easily read between the lines. He nodded and said, “Twenty taels of silver per bottle may be a bit steep, but it’s still worth it.”

Such good medicine obviously had its value. These ordinary soldiers couldn’t afford it, but after all, it was a life-saving remedy.

Tian Mi felt a little guilty. Coming from a prosperous world, she held life in high regard. She didn’t want to sell life-saving medicine for an exorbitant price, but the lack of facilities to make the medicine in bulk here forced her to raise the price, hoping they would understand how precious her medicine was.

She smiled and said, “Once the raw materials become easier to get, the price won’t be so high. After all, no price is too much when it comes to saving a life.”

Manager Feng, seeing her genuine concern, nodded approvingly. “Well, thank you, Miss Tian. Twenty taels per bottle is indeed expensive, but it’s worth it. I’ll buy whatever you have now. And when the materials are available in the future, I hope you can offer a more reasonable price.”

Tian Mi nodded. “No problem. But I don’t have much left—only five bottles.”

She then took out the remaining bottles from her bag.

It was true—she hadn’t made much at the time, as she had been experimenting with the spiritual spring water.

Manager Feng’s eyes lit up. Medicine like this was extremely valuable on the battlefield.

He quickly took out 170 taels of silver and handed it to Tian Mi, then pulled out an envelope. “This is a list of the herbs I need. Please take it back to the person who gave you the herbs. To prevent it from getting lost, be sure to keep it safe.”

Tian Mi casually put the silver into her bag, while the envelope went straight into her pocket—really, it was all stored in her space.

She then asked, “Manager Feng, do you know where the carpenters’ shops are in the county?”

Manager Feng replied, “They’ve all been taken to the county office. Once the medicine is ready, we’ll send it here; He An Tang will receive it.”

Tian Mi nodded and left the room.

As she watched her leave, Feng Zhaoguan actually valued her stitching skills more than the medicine. However, he couldn’t assess the effect just yet. Besides, this life-saving technique was her own, and he didn’t feel comfortable commenting on it. He decided to wait until the patient’s condition improved before making any further moves.

Such a skill couldn’t be made public just yet. If word got out, others might snatch her away.

Tian Mi, on the other hand, chose not to carry out any major work during the day. Instead, she found a quiet place to hide and entered her space, where she relaxed with a comfortable bath and a head wash.

While there was water in the valley, it was only enough to rinse off, and she didn’t feel clean. The lack of bath beans left her feeling unsatisfied—she couldn’t be the only one clean and fragrant while others were dusty and grimy.

Today, though, she had access to spiritual spring water, and she planned to indulge herself in a proper soak. After months of enduring rough conditions, she was eager to feel refreshed.

Tian Mi extended her hand into the tub, and as soon as she thought about the spring water, it began to flow into the bath, filling it. She undressed and sank into the tub, only to find it a bit cramped for her larger frame. The tub was barely big enough for her.

She immersed herself fully, including her face, closing her eyes. She didn’t want to look at her round body—she was determined to return to her pre-life figure in six months.

Suddenly, she shot up from the water, shaking off her thoughts. She realized it would take longer—probably a year—before she could recover her former self.

Wow! Tian Mi glanced at the back of her hand. The effect of soaking in the spiritual spring water was truly remarkable. Despite the hardships of fleeing from disaster and the resulting sunburn, she had already become noticeably fairer. A few more baths, and she would regain her soft, smooth skin. Even her previously rough hair was now silky and smooth. It was clear this spring water was far superior to any shampoo or body wash she had used before.

Freshly cleaned, she stood before the mirror, admiring her round face and plump figure. Her original owner’s large, starry eyes and high nose bridge reminded her that she had once been beautiful—though perhaps a little simple-minded.

Tian Mi secretly vowed to herself that, a year from now, she would be the most beautiful mother, with a cute baby by her side.

Zuo Zhengfeng was one of the undercover agents left behind by Bai Muchengg. With the situation in the fief of the Duke of Yu escalating—causing widespread public discontent—they had a significant role to play. Once the rains came and the water levels rose, they would join forces with the advancing army to strike a decisive blow.

Apart from their main mission, they had been given a peculiar one: to capture women who weighed over 200 jin (approximately 250 lbs) and were around 10 years old. These women were to be taken into custody, and Zuo Zhengfeng himself was to deal with them personally.

Everyone was puzzled. Why would the weight of a person matter? What difference did it make? But since the Fourth Young Master had ordered it, they simply followed his command.

It had been some time since they’d encountered any woman even close to that weight, but today, Zuo Zhengfeng finally saw a plump girl. However, after a quick assessment, he estimated she weighed only around 160 jin, not quite reaching the required weight. He silently hoped that this girl could help spread some information.

After finishing her bath, Tian Mi took some time to rest in her space, contemplating how she would prepare for the night. She needed to gather all the necessary tools and resources. While she had farming tools and daily necessities in her space, what she lacked were the axes and tools for woodcutting. These were likely stored at the county government office.

Given that the guards there would be vigilant, Tian Mi decided to prepare extra sleeping powder and began working swiftly. She had collected a variety of herbs from the bandits’ hideout, so she had plenty of raw materials to work with.

After about an hour, she was ready and left her space. By now, it was dusk. She planned to familiarize herself with the layout of the county office and its surroundings.

The streets of the county town were filled with soldiers, and ordinary people were few. She wore loose, dark clothing to blend in and lower her profile as she walked through the back alleys.

With the looming war, Tian Mi wondered what those directly involved in the conflict were up to. Were they training, repairing the city walls, or making weapons? But those were the tasks of the lower ranks. As for the higher-ups, their priorities were to pave the way for their own interests, amass wealth, and increase their power.

At present, Han Qi, the county magistrate of Qinghe County, was only a deputy. The actual ruler was Bai Dongyuan, the illegitimate son of the Duke of Yu. At 24 years old, Bai Dongyuan was highly favored by the Duke, who regarded him as a shrewd and capable individual. His leadership was thus entrusted with the front lines of the war. However, it was well known that the Duke did not care much for him—being a concubine’s son, Bai Dongyuan had to prove his worth if he wished to rise.

When Bai Dongyuan arrived in Qinghe County, his first priority was to collect taxes, then donations, followed by conscription. He had no qualms about exploiting the people to their limits. The men were conscripted as soldiers, but what about the women? They weren’t safe either.

In this chaotic world, men were considered fighting forces, while women were considered assets.

Half of the money Bai Dongyuan collected went toward military expenses, and the other half was for his personal gain. Within just six months, his army had grown to 300,000 men, which astonished even his father, earning him much praise.

To keep his soldiers loyal, Bai Dongyuan knew that in addition to paying them, he would also reward them with women—who served both as prizes and as a means of control.

Many women, especially those who considered themselves beautiful, believed they might be chosen by the handsome, powerful son of the Duke of Yu. But for those in power, beautiful women were abundant and easily replaceable. What mattered most to them was influence, and if a woman could bring them power, they would go to great lengths to win her over—no matter her size.

Bai Dongyuan was the son of the magistrate’s sister. The Xu family had not even reached the county when they were arrested by soldiers and forced to work on the city walls. Despite their status as scholars, they were treated with disdain. Xu Chang could not bear the backbreaking work, so he invoked his connections to Bai Dongyuan, claiming they were relatives of the Duke of Yu’s family. This led to them being assigned a small role in the county office, which Han Qi later relayed to Bai Dongyuan.

Bai Dongyuan had a certain regard for his uncle, considering the financial support his family had provided in the past. However, as his power grew, he had more diverse sources of income, and his uncle’s contributions were not as significant anymore.

As Bai Dongyuan was about to meet with them, Xu Yunzhou, his son, had little to say. He constantly warned his father not to get involved with the Duke of Yu’s family, as he believed the Duke’s reign would not last. However, his warnings were in vain.

In the meantime, Tian Mi walked around the county office, taking in its layout. The office was vast, covering over 300 acres, with many entry points. She felt pleased with her observations—this was going to be an easy task. Zero-cost acquisition was a wonderful thing!

I’m a modern-day person who’s prepared all these incredible skills and resources to get rich, but having traveled to this era for almost half a year, I’m still living off zero-cost purchases. I feel like I’m embarrassing all my fellow transmigrators.

But… I like it!

Tian Mi returned to the front gate and saw Xu Shichang leading Xu Yunzhou and Zhou Rongrong into the county office.

This family is really something! They’ve managed to sneak into the county office!

Since it was still early, Tian Mi decided to return to her space to rest. Meanwhile, the Xu family and Zhou Rongrong were left drinking tea in a corner as they waited.

It wasn’t until the hour of the pig (around 9 PM) that Bai Dongyuan finally finished dealing with his affairs. As he dined, his attendants brought up Xu Shichang and his son, Xu Yunzhou, along with Zhou Rongrong. While eating, Xu Shichang said, “Let them come over.”

Tian Mi, having entered the county office via a hidden route, easily climbed over the wall. It wasn’t difficult for her, especially since she had a ladder in her space. Given her body type, she wouldn’t have been able to climb without assistance, but once inside, she simply stored the ladder back in her space.

The county town was under strict surveillance, but Tian Mi was well-suited to move stealthily, using her space to hide and navigate with ease. The only issue was that she didn’t know the layout and had to explore one area at a time.

As she wandered, she saw an attendant leading the Xu family into a courtyard. They had been in the county office for over two hours—why were they still here? Curious, Tian Mi decided to follow them, wanting to understand what they were up to and how they had managed to infiltrate the county office so easily.

The Xu family entered a room and immediately bowed respectfully to Bai Dongyuan. Bai Dongyuan, though not arrogant, instructed them to rise and speak, and after asking about their distant connections with the county magistrate, he treated them with courtesy.

The situation made the Xu family feel awkward.

Xu Shichang quickly knelt again and said, “General Bai, as the son of the Duke of Yu, with a large army under your command, it’s time for you to secure your future.”

Bai Dongyuan put down his bowl, watching him with interest. “Oh? And what future do you suggest I secure?”

Only then did Xu Shichang look up and reply, “General, there is bound to be a confrontation between the court and the Duke of Yu. If the court wins, you will be implicated. If the Duke of Yu wins, with so many sons, and you holding such a powerful army, you might not be safe either. Furthermore…”

(Note: This passage continues to develop the political intrigue and dynamics within the county and among its key figures, highlighting Tian Mi’s stealthy exploration and the tensions surrounding Bai Dongyuan’s position.)

Furthermore, can the Duke of Yu even win? And you’re just a bastard son! These words, Xu Shichang didn’t say aloud.

Bai Dongyuan looked at the old scholar with a deep gaze.

“Go on,” he said.

Xu Shichang continued, “General, you have a large army, you can rely on the mountainous passes for defense, you have assets, and you can negotiate with the court.”

Bai Dongyuan’s eyes flickered briefly before he spoke, “I’m still the son of the Duke of Yu.”

Xu Shichang mulled over these words for a moment before responding, “General, you are at the frontline, focused on training and defense, but your own brothers at home are suspicious, plotting to usurp your power and take your life. It leaves you with no choice but to seek refuge with the court, to secure your survival.”

Bai Dongyuan picked up his bowl again, resuming his meal, but a gleam appeared in his eyes.

Tian Mi, hidden in the space by the window, was dumbfounded. “So this is how the ancient people played the game! These plots, both open and secret, are really something else.”

If modern people had to play such games, they probably wouldn’t last three days.

Xu Shichang’s mind was indeed twisted and complicated. No wonder the people from the escort agency didn’t like him. He’d sell you out and still have you count the money for him. Thankfully, everyone had severed ties cleanly.

Tian Mi left and continued her search for the carpenter’s workshop.

(Note: This passage further delves into the complex political maneuvers and scheming of the characters, with Tian Mi reflecting on the dangerous games of power and manipulation. It also introduces the idea that Xu Shichang’s manipulative intelligence could be a threat, while Tian Mi continues her quest for the tools she needs.)