Chapter 7: Selling Medicinal Herbs

In the following days, Xia Qingfeng took the women and children from the village up the mountain to gather medicinal herbs, and then returned to prepare them.  

During this time, she also asked Wang, the carpenter from the eastern part of the village, to help her build four large wooden tubs. The shape of these tubs resembled troughs for livestock, but they were made differently. Most ancient livestock troughs were carved out from a large log by splitting it in half and hollowing out the center.  

But Xia Qingfeng’s tubs required five wooden panels, each carefully joined together to create a flat bottom and thin walls. For someone experienced with carpentry, this was an easy task. Wang’s family, which included his two sons who worked alongside him as carpenters, managed to complete the four tubs in half a day.  

Xia Qingfeng was very pleased with the result and planned to pay Wang for his work. However, Wang stubbornly refused the money, saying that his wife and two daughters-in-law had already benefited from gathering herbs with Xia Qingfeng. He couldn’t possibly take money for making a few tubs.  

Xia Qingfeng, unable to convince him otherwise, decided to express her gratitude in another way. She made some red date cakes, and with some eight-treasure porridge mixed with white porridge from the space, she filled a jar and sent it to Wang’s family, telling them it was a treat for his little grandson.  

Wang’s grandson, Mu Tou, was four years old this year. The sweet red date cakes and eight-treasure porridge completely won him over. The next day, when they went up the mountain again to gather herbs, Mu Tou insisted on tagging along, claiming he wanted to bring his fried peanuts to Xiaoxiao.  

Once on the mountain, Mu Tou ran towards Xiaoxiao enthusiastically, shouting, “Sister, sister!” As he ran, he dug into his small pocket to pull out peanuts, but his little hands could barely hold onto them, dropping half along the way. His actions had the other women and young girls on the mountain laughing.  

Xia Qingfeng couldn’t help but laugh at the sight, while Xiaoxiao, who was thirty in spirit but trapped in the body of a child, felt a bit uncomfortable with the overzealous attention from the four-year-old. “This is too much,” she thought. “I’m not sure how much more I can take.”  

It was only when Li Shanshi’s granddaughter, Da Ya, came over that the situation was defused. Da Ya, eight years old, had already become adept at helping her family with chores. Since she lived close to Xia Qingfeng’s family and understood that Xiaoxiao was a more mature child, she quickly took over, guiding Mu Tou and the others to play.  

Days passed in a flurry of busy activities. Xia Qingfeng planted the mandrakes into the large wooden tubs and kept them in the backyard. When there were visitors at the house, she would move them into the space for safety.  

After several rounds of checking, Xia Qingfeng noticed that the mandrakes grew better in the space than outside. The space, lacking sunlight but always illuminated by the constant lights, seemed to provide a better environment. Xia Qingfeng couldn’t pinpoint the reason, but since the mandrakes thrived there, she decided to keep them inside the space rather than risk moving them back and forth.  

Over half a month had passed. The little white fox’s leg had completely healed, and they had accumulated a large amount of medicinal herbs. Xia Qingfeng thought it was time to head to the town’s pharmacy to see if she could sell some of the herbs for a good price.  

On the day they had agreed to go to the town, Xia Qingfeng woke up early, pulling Xiaoxiao along with her. They made their way to the village chief’s house, where a crowd had already gathered. Selling medicinal herbs was a big deal, and this time, most of the men had come along to help, as the village chief was not comfortable with women going alone. He had decided to accompany them as well.

The journey to the town was filled with chatter and laughter as the villagers, excited by the prospect of selling the herbs, made their way down the road. Xia Qingfeng, though somewhat anxious about this new venture, felt a sense of determination. It wasn’t just about selling herbs—it was about creating a life for herself and her daughter.  

The town was bustling with activity when they arrived, and the pharmacy, a modest establishment located near the town square, was where they intended to sell the herbs. Xia Qingfeng had heard that the local pharmacists often purchased herbs from villagers, though the prices could vary depending on the quality and the season.  

Once inside, the pharmacy owner, a middle-aged man with a neat beard and glasses, looked at the herbs the villagers brought with a practiced eye. He began examining them one by one, while his assistant, a young woman, weighed and sorted them.  

Xia Qingfeng stood by, observing the process. She had carefully prepared the herbs, ensuring that they were clean and properly dried. She had learned a lot from her father about medicinal herbs and knew how to identify quality ones, but selling them in this market was a new experience.  

The pharmacy owner, after a few moments of careful inspection, looked up at Xia Qingfeng. “You’ve brought quite a few herbs, and they’re in good condition. These will fetch a decent price,” he said, nodding to his assistant to prepare the transaction.  

Xia Qingfeng smiled and nodded in return. “Thank you, sir. I’ve been collecting these over the past few weeks with the help of my neighbors.”  

The pharmacy owner paused, intrigued. “Collecting, you say? How long have you been gathering these?”  

“Just under a month now,” Xia Qingfeng replied. “But I’ve been learning from my father about herbs since I was young.”  

The pharmacy owner’s eyes narrowed slightly, but his interest seemed piqued. “Your father, you say? Are you from a family of herbalists?”  

Xia Qingfeng smiled modestly. “He was a doctor, but not a famous one. I learned some of his craft before… well, before life changed.”  

The owner nodded thoughtfully, then glanced at the herbs again. “You certainly know what you’re doing. I can offer you a fair price for these, and if you bring more, we could work out a regular deal.”  

Xia Qingfeng felt a sense of relief mixed with excitement. This was her first step into building a business, and it seemed like the town was willing to support her efforts. She agreed to the price and set up a time to return with more herbs.  

As the transaction concluded, the villagers began to gather their earnings, smiling and chatting excitedly. Xia Qingfeng couldn’t help but feel proud—this small success marked the beginning of a new chapter.  

But as they were about to leave, the pharmacy owner stopped them, his voice carrying a note of curiosity. “By the way, you wouldn’t happen to have any rare herbs, would you? Something more unusual? We’re always looking for special items, especially ones that aren’t easily found.”  

Xia Qingfeng’s heart skipped a beat. She thought of the mandrakes, safely hidden in the space. Would this be the opportunity she was waiting for?  

After the successful transaction at the pharmacy, everyone was filled with joy. The villagers were over the moon with the silver they had earned, many of them carrying back more money than they had ever dreamed of. The amount was enough to make them feel like they had a fresh start, with most of them never having made this much even during the good years when they worked all year round.

As they stood outside the pharmacy, several of the villagers looked at their silver, stunned by the windfall. A couple of them even whispered to each other, “Did we really earn this much just from picking herbs?” It was a fortune for people who were used to living paycheck to paycheck, and for a moment, the weight of the silver in their hands felt surreal.

Seeing the villagers’ joy, Xia Qingfeng smiled softly, her heart warm from the gratitude that filled the air. She then turned to the village chief and said, “Village Chief, I’m planning to take a walk around the town and get a few things. I hope you don’t mind.”

The village chief, still trying to recover from the excitement of earning so much, was quick to respond, “Oh, of course, go ahead! We’ll be here finishing up, and then we’ll meet you at the city gate. You get what you need and we’ll all head back together.”

Xia Qingfeng nodded and, after saying a few more words of encouragement to the villagers, set off to browse the town. She had a few things in mind: some practical items for the house, food supplies, and perhaps some fabric to make clothes for her daughter.  

As she walked around, she was approached by Li Dazhu, Li Shanshi’s husband. “Xia madam,” he said with a grin, “My wife asked me to remind you—if you buy anything heavy, like grain, let me know, I can help carry it back.”  

Xia Qingfeng chuckled, appreciating the kindness. “Thank you, Uncle Dazhu. I’ll definitely let you know if I need help.” She knew that with the harvest season in full swing, Dazhu’s sons were busy working in the fields, and it was thoughtful of him to offer his help, even if he had come into town just to help with the herb sale.  

As they parted ways, Xia Qingfeng couldn’t help but feel a deep sense of satisfaction. She had helped the villagers earn money, and now, in turn, they were willing to help her with anything she needed. It was a beautiful cycle of mutual support, one she had never fully experienced before.  

While she shopped for her supplies, the town buzzed with the energy of people exchanging goods. The streets were lively, filled with market vendors hawking everything from dried fish to colorful fabrics, and the occasional merchant calling out to potential buyers. Xia Qingfeng’s thoughts drifted back to her goal of building a new life for her daughter.  

As she passed a few stalls, she stopped at a vendor selling dried meat and fresh vegetables, picking up some necessities. But her mind kept returning to one thing—the mandrakes. Would it be wise to sell them? It seemed like the town had no shortage of buyers for herbs, but the mandrakes were something different, something rarer. Could they be more valuable than she imagined?  

When the shopping was done, Xia Qingfeng returned to the city gate as promised, where the village chief and others were waiting. They gathered together, each of them carrying bags of various goods, ready to head home with their newfound silver and supplies.

As they walked back toward the village, Xia Qingfeng’s mind raced with plans for the future. There was more to be done, more herbs to collect, and perhaps more ways to turn this small town venture into something even bigger. With the villagers behind her, she felt like she could accomplish anything.