Chapter 26

Five birds suddenly swooped down and pooped on Zhou Mingyue, covering her face in bird droppings. Everyone watched, feeling a mix of amusement and pity. Miao Cuihe, a villager, commented, “Even the birds can’t stand you. You need to be kinder, Zhou Mingyue. If you keep going like this, you’ll only hurt yourself.” Zhou Mingyue, disgusted and embarrassed, tried to wipe the mess off her face. She glared at the sky, wanting to shout insults, but thought better of it. She knew that cursing in public would damage her already tarnished reputation. The drama continued with a heated argument between Yao Guizhi and Qi Huifang. Yao Guizhi, wielding a broom, shouted at Qi Huifang to leave, accusing her of being a nuisance. Qi Huifang, defiant, retorted, “Who cares about your poor place? It’s as poor as it gets. I wouldn’t come here even if you begged me.” The villagers were shocked by Qi Huifang’s rudeness. Gu Shaoli, another villager, stepped in, saying, “Qi Huifang, you brought someone to blackmail the Huo family. That’s a crime! They could report you to the police for extortion.” Qi Huifang panicked, trying to downplay the situation, claiming it was just a joke. The villagers, however, saw through her lies. Zhou Mingli, Zhou Mingyue’s sister, pulled her mother, Qi Huifang, away from the scene. She was relieved she hadn’t participated in the blackmail attempt, fearing she would be blamed as well. She secretly eyed her sister, Zhou Mingyue, realizing that Zhou Mingyue had instigated the whole incident by encouraging her cousin to go up the mountain. The Zhou family, feeling ostracized, quickly left the Huo family’s courtyard. Gu Shaoli and Miao Cuihe comforted Yao Guizhi and Lan Yun’er, the Huo family members, telling them not to dwell on the Zhou family’s behavior. Lan Yun’er, grateful for the help she received from Hou Yushan, a widow, promised to return the favor. Hou Yushan, however, had a secret. She had been meeting with the captain’s nephew, but her family’s financial struggles forced her to seek his help. She had recognized the poem Zhong Jiantao read because the captain’s nephew had written it to her. Cao Yunxia, Huo Junda’s wife, expressed jealousy towards Lan Yun’er for having Hou Yushan’s support. She grumbled about the unfairness of it all. Yao Guizhi, Lan Yun’er’s mother-in-law, quickly silenced her, reminding her to clear the table and wash the dishes. Meanwhile, Zhong Jiantao, Huo Junli’s wife, wondered how Lan Yun’er knew about Hou Yushan’s involvement. She also questioned the meaning of the poem she had read to Hou Yushan. Huo Junli, her husband, reassured her, saying that it was good Lan Yun’er had cleared her name. Later, Lan Yun’er showed Huo Jinchen, her husband, a bag of herbs she had collected on the mountain. Among them was a rare wild Ganoderma lucidum. Huo Jinchen was surprised by her find and asked what she planned to do with the herbs. Lan Yun’er said she would keep the Ganoderma lucidum for herself and sell the rest, along with the pheasants and rabbits, in town. She invited Huo Jinchen to join her the next day. Huo Jinchen agreed, and Lan Yun’er reminded him not to tell anyone about the medicinal herbs. She was afraid Cao Yunxia would cause trouble if she found out. Later that night, Lan Yun’er overheard Cao Yunxia sobbing. Huo Junda, worried about catching her illness, had refused to let her sleep in the bed. Lan Yun’er felt no sympathy for Cao Yunxia, finding her behavior repulsive. As Lan Yun’er returned to her room, she encountered Cao Yunxia, who was angry and bitter. Cao Yunxia cursed Lan Yun’er, wishing her misfortune. Lan Yun’er, disgusted, ignored her. In a fit of anger, Lan Yun’er summoned a flock of birds and made them poop on Cao Yunxia. This caused a commotion, waking up the neighbors and leading to a scolding from Yao Guizhi and Huo Jianzhang. The next morning, Lan Yun’er and Huo Jinchen set off for town to sell their goods. They spent some time at the black market but had no luck. Just when they were about to give up, a man approached them, claiming to know a place that bought herbs. Lan Yun’er, trusting her instincts, followed the man to an old house. As they entered the house, Lan Yun’er smelled the familiar scent of herbs, confirming that they were in the right place. However, she was surprised to see someone unexpected there.