Chapter 12

The little girl looked up, her eyes suddenly brightening.

“Pickled mustard greens?”

Su Ci nodded vigorously, “Yes, yes!” She had been looking for this for a long time. Pickled mustard greens might sound unfamiliar, but if you use another term, everyone should be familiar with it: penicillin.

Penicillin is well-known to modern people, but many do not know it is called the miracle drug of the 20th century. Its appearance ended the era of mass deaths, became the nemesis of many incurable diseases, and worked miracles in treating infections from external injuries. It ushered in the golden age of antibiotic treatment. Anyone who understands the history of human medicine knows what a great invention this is. It has antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, and infection-treating properties. For external injuries and then-incurable diseases such as scarlet fever, diphtheria, syphilis, pneumonia, septicemia, typhoid, and many others, if penicillin could be successfully extracted in ancient times, even in a crude form, it would have unparalleled efficacy. Having this in hand, no matter where you go, would be a powerful means of securing one’s livelihood.

Su Ci had been thinking about this for a long time. In fact, at the beginning, she didn’t think so much. The reason for doing this was the same as for making catgut needles. At that time, her family was deeply involved in political struggles, and she was afraid that if something happened, having medicine on hand could save lives. She and Su Yan were sent out, but Su Di and Mrs. Chen were still there. Ultimately, it didn’t work out. Even though she was a medical student, studied all the relevant knowledge, and dabbled in pharmacology due to her family background, the current technology level was insufficient. The equipment and drugs were not up to standard; no matter how much theoretical knowledge she had, it was useless.

For example, in surgery, Su Ci could, at most, perform tendon sutures. Major surgeries like craniotomy or thoracotomy were simply impossible.

So, Su Ci evaluated what she could possibly achieve. Cultivating an anti-infection was relatively easier and most effective. Su Ci chose penicillin because she happened to have orange peels at hand. However, this so-called easy attempt was only relative. In practice, it was still not easy at all.

Su Ci had been working on it intermittently for more than half a year, cultivating many generations of bacterial colonies and conducting animal experiments, but the results were not ideal. This was different from some dramas where you could easily travel back to ancient times and succeed in making it.

For example, penicillin looks identical to penicillic acid to the naked eye. Penicillic acid is even more antibacterial than penicillin, but it is toxic, highly toxic, and stubbornly so. The original strain is essential. It doesn’t need to be high-yield but must be non-toxic. In modern times, each company’s mature mother strain is kept confidential, showing its importance. Otherwise, attempting this would be reckless, and the number of people it would kill would far exceed those it could save. The ones it couldn’t kill would be extremely lucky. The penicillin Su Ci made from orange peel was not very effective. If she continued to work on it blindly, she might never find a suitable strain in her lifetime. After the animal experiments failed, she turned her attention outside. Could there be the strain she wanted outside? Maybe.

The “Compendium of Materia Medica” mentions that the dust on a widow’s bed can treat vomiting, diarrhea, muscle pain, and abdominal discomfort. This is because the widow’s bed, which is cold and rarely moved or cleaned, accumulates dust over time. In fact, mold loves to grow in dark and damp places. Additionally, there is the pickled mustard greens brine, which has a long history. The earliest clear record is from the Ming Dynasty: “At Tianning Temple in Changzhou, large jars were used to store mustard greens, placed in the courtyard to be exposed to the sun by day and dew by night, causing the mustard greens to mold and grow long green hairs. The monks then sealed the jars and buried them in the ground for more than ten years before using them. This was called ‘pickled mustard greens brine,’ and it was especially effective in treating high fever, typhoid, and pulmonary diseases with pus and blood.” This was the earliest form of oral penicillin, much earlier than in the West.

The former is somewhat stream-of-consciousness, but the latter is much more reliable, and Su Ci is interested in the latter.

Su Ci’s modern mother and uncle are traditional Chinese medicine practitioners, and her grandfather is a national expert in traditional Chinese medicine. She knew this from a young age and also knew that pickled mustard greens brine existed among the people long before it was recorded. Although it is a different time and space, it is likely that it also exists here. The strains cultivated over generations are much more reliable than her own blind attempts. Although a high yield is certainly not achievable, it is enough for her and her family to secure their livelihood.

Su Ci had previously considered sending someone to find it. Initially, she asked her father to send two people, but later, the family and the outside world were in chaos. The sisters were hiding outside with only Uncle Gong by their side, so it was impossible to add more people, and they couldn’t find it. Now, the crisis of the whole family being wiped out has passed, and Yang Yanzong has handed over his medical camp to her. This is a great opportunity—Su Ci came here and doesn’t plan to leave. She doesn’t want to be a woman who stays in the back residence to have children. Therefore, the need for pickled mustard greens brine has become necessary and urgent.

Su Ci originally planned to ask her father for two more people in a couple of days, but unexpectedly, Yang Yanzong asked her first. His support is much stronger than his father’s, and she doesn’t have to worry about searching for a needle in a haystack anymore.

“I want to try making a new medicine.” Su Ci originally wanted to say it would be useful, but she thought about it and decided not to say it since she wasn’t even sure if there was any pickled mustard greens brine.

Yang Yanzong nodded and asked a few questions about the pickled mustard greens brine, and he agreed. “Do you like studying medicine?”

“Sort of, I like researching!”

The two walked side by side out of the place. Su Ci didn’t need to come every day; if she wanted to come, she could start tomorrow. He casually mentioned a few precautions, and Su Ci immediately understood that she needed to keep a low profile during this period. She got it!

“I’ll come back another day in different clothes. Wearing a skirt is quite inconvenient.” She was good at drawing inferences.

“No need to be too restrained. Everyone here is one of us.” As for this area, it was all his subordinates’ stationed area.

“Oh.”

Finally, Yang Yanzong glanced at her and said, “The situation is complicated recently. If it’s not necessary, don’t go out.”

Su Ci instantly understood and touched her face. Alright, her beauty was undeniable!

“I understand, I understand.” Su Ci got the hint, and her mood instantly improved, reflected in the slight upward curve of her lips and exceptionally light steps.

Yang Yanzong glanced sideways at the little girl. She was passable in looks, but there was no need to be so smug. He snorted through his nose.

However, he had to admit that spending time with this girl had unexpectedly relaxed his tense and sharp emotions since entering the city. The person beside him was particularly petite, only reaching his shoulder. Her height was not to his liking, but the sunlight on her profile made her look radiant.

Starting a family, a home is a place to relax. He hadn’t thought about it before, but now that he had a real candidate, he felt it wasn’t bad. “I’ll take you back.”

…

Yang Yanzong took Su Ci back and then left the camp. He had returned late last night, and early in the morning, there were people coming and going in the neighboring courtyard. By noon, he had gone out again.

Su Di was nowhere to be found. When he returned home, Lin Yichu was hurrying out with a bag. He patted Su Ci on the head and reminded her, “Don’t run around. Aunt and A Yan are in the house.”

Mrs. Chen lifted the curtain and waved. The west wing made sounds of quarrels and scolding, but Mrs. Chen pretended not to hear and led her two daughters inside.

Su Song was sixteen this year, a thin and still immature boy. But when Lin Yichu was sixteen, he already followed Father Su. However, Lin Yichu had started as a soldier and joined the camp at fourteen, performing well and being selected. Aunt Bai didn’t want Su Song to be a soldier, delaying until this year. But in the end, she had to let her son take on the role of a personal guard. So now, one guards the courtyard, and the other follows Su’s father to gain experience.

Aunt Bai almost complains every day, but Mrs. Chen and the others are used to it and pretend not to hear.

Su Yan was forced to learn embroidery by the bedside. In just a short while, her fingers were pricked seventeen or eighteen times. She felt like she had seen a savior when she saw her sister return. She quickly threw the crooked embroidery frame aside and came over.

Mrs. Chen glared at her eldest daughter. Su Yan clung to her sister, pretending not to see. Mrs. Chen, having said too much, was annoyed and didn’t bother with her. She touched her younger daughter’s soft hair and asked, “Where did you go at noon?”

What she wanted to say was not this. Although Yang Yanzong didn’t enter the courtyard when he brought Su Ci back, Mrs. Chen still saw it. Her two daughters were not young anymore, and Mrs. Chen felt a bit emotional and reluctant: “When we find your Uncle Yang and Aunt Yang, you and Dalang should get married.”

Su Ci’s smile froze, and the tea she had finally enjoyed after several months no longer tasted good.

The sisters exchanged a bitter smile. After barely fooling their mother, they returned to their room and didn’t need to pretend anymore. The sisters kicked off their embroidered shoes, climbed onto the bed, and looked at each other for a while. Su Yan thought and thought and finally sighed.

“Getting married, huh?”

After much consideration, even Su Yan felt it was better for her sister not to be with Yang Yanzong.

The main issue was Ji Chengtan, the ticking time bomb. There was always a feeling that the truth would come out. If Ji Chengtan didn’t die, who knew when he would reappear?

Su Yan couldn’t guarantee that she could solve this problem quietly. Yang Yanzong was ruthless and not an easy person to deal with. If the truth came out, they would be doomed.

Su Ci propped her chin with one hand. She had the same thought. She had to admit that Yang Yanzong had his charm, and unless something unexpected happened, he would eventually succeed. He was enough to attract countless women like moths to a flame, both internally and externally, but this did not include Su Ci. This was not just any mountain; it was like Mount Everest. She had no desire to climb such a peak. Her lifelong ambition was to be a salted fish, at most tinkering with things she was interested in. Once she developed penicillin, secured her medical knowledge, and lived leisurely, she could ride the male lead’s coattails and move forward smoothly. Why get involved in his back residence?

Thinking of the hellish romantic plot in the original book, Su Ci felt a toothache. She had no inclination for self-torture, so she decided to forget about it.

Su Yan had a headache, “But what should we do?”

This couldn’t be resolved just by not wanting it. Even if they reached a consensus privately, it was useless. Even Mrs. Chen was preparing to marry off her daughter. The sisters were extremely worried, whispering and discussing for half an afternoon, but they still could not reach a conclusion. There was no way to start. They couldn’t do it softly or harshly, and they couldn’t disrupt the unity or offend the male lead.

Su Yan raked her hair a few times. She was impatient with intricate hairstyles, and the one Mrs. Chen had just done for her was now a mess, almost turning into a bird’s nest.

“What to do? What to do?!”

She had no clue!

Su Ci had a bit of an idea. After all, there was the direction of the original book’s female lead. But in the original book, she dies a disgraceful death, only for the original female lead, Su Rong, to take her place. But now she was fine, and she wasn’t going to die or ruin her reputation only to avoid a marriage contract. She wasn’t stupid!

So, having Su Rong take her place was out of the question.

It was enough to make one pull their hair out. Su Yan rolled off the bed, ran to the cabinet by the west wall, pulled out three incense sticks, lit them, prayed while muttering, and then offered the incense to the Bodhisattva.

Since the beginning of the year, when the family had a major incident, Su Yan had developed the habit of offering incense to the Bodhisattva. She believed the Bodhisattva had some spiritual power based on the final outcome. She turned around and waved, “Sister, come and offer incense to the Bodhisattva!”

Su Ci: “…”

Su Ci pretended to be dead, so Su Yan had to offer the incense for her sister. She muttered prayers, asking the Bodhisattva not to blame her young sister and to bless them with good fortune. But whether it was Su Yan’s praying power or a turn of fortune, the sisters didn’t have a headache for long. Not long after Su Yan had worried herself into losing a few small handfuls of hair, there was a turn of events!