The Daily Life of a Down-on-Hard-Life Medicine Girl Supporting Her Family

"Dr. Chen, this medicine?"

The person who entered Baicaotang was not dressed luxuriously, and was even somewhat tattered, but the prescriptions and medicinal herbs in his hands were the best.

Fusheng stared at it for a long time, confirming that it was indeed the handwriting of his future third young mistress. He was puzzled: Why did that person suddenly change their style? Was this a sign that they were about to reap the rewards?
"Let me see."

Doctor Chen glanced at the prescription, held it up to a distance, and examined it closely.

Yes, it must be the prescription written by Miss Xiao.

As for medicinal herbs, they are no longer the cheap substitutes with similar effects that were available before.

"Where did you get this prescription from?"

Doctor Chen asked Qian Yuanli.

"I got it from that Miss Xiao at the village entrance. Doctor, do you think I need to take this kind of medicine?"

Qian Yuanli quickly asked, "Can I not eat?"

"you?"

Dr. Chen realized that Miss Xiao wasn't honest, but rather clever.

This person was clearly from out of town; if he wasn't mistaken, he spoke with a Beijing accent.

Considering that Chunnuan's family came from the capital, this guy... heh, who else would we swindle if not him!
Do they think everyone else is stupid, believing that dressing poorly will prevent them from being ripped off?

Little did they know that there are always people more capable than themselves, and there is always something beyond their understanding.

"Yes, I don't really want to take medicine; I'm afraid of the bitter taste."

"Between suffering and death, which do you fear more?"

Upon hearing that he would die, Qian Yuanli immediately said that he would obediently take the medicine.

"That's right. Take this medicine for three days first. Fusheng, get ready to get the medicine."

When asked about the price, it turned out that one dose of medicine cost ten taels of silver.

Qian Yuanli felt like he was being taken advantage of.

"How come it's several times more expensive than medicine in the capital?" The last question was asked in her mind.

That was close; we almost gave ourselves away.

"Let me tell you, don't complain about the high price of our medicinal herbs. The higher price means they're of the highest quality. Of course, it can't compare to places like Shu Prefecture or the capital. It takes so much manpower, resources, and money to transport good medicinal herbs to our remote town. There's a saying that goes, 'It's like trying to get tofu for the price of meat,' which describes this situation perfectly..."

Qian Yuanli saw that Doctor Chen was quite old and looked honest, so it seemed that he was speaking from the heart and that it was true.

He spent thirty taels of silver to buy three doses of medicine, feeling both heartache and financial pain.

I never imagined that medicine in Sichuan would be so expensive.

I suddenly remembered a saying: "Poor mountains and bad waters breed wicked people." I feel like I've been tricked.

However, in order to complete the mission—no, no, for the sake of his own life—he had to grit his teeth and buy it.

Not only did they buy medicine, but they also specifically asked to rent a room in the Luo family's house in Shuikou Village to stay temporarily, because it would be more convenient for them to see a doctor and take medicine.

When Aunt Luo heard that he was also a patient, she felt very sorry for him and rented the house to him without hesitation.

"Chunnuan, you don't know, that fortune teller's handwriting is very beautiful, just like Chun Ning's handwriting."

"A fortune teller? Which fortune teller?"

When Chunnuan learned that the person who had come from afar was still living in the Luo family's house, she frowned deeply.

They're neither friend nor foe, yet they're lingering in the village; they must have some ulterior motive.

However, they dared not easily disturb them.

That evening, Chun Ning was studying when Chun Nuan knocked on the study door.

"Sister, what did you say? Someone from the capital has come and is staying at the Luo family's house next door?"

Chun Ning was startled: "Whose people are they?"

"I don't know. From what I can see, it doesn't seem to pose any threat to us," Chunnuan said. "The reason I'm telling you is that we need to keep a low profile when we do other things."

"The matter of Luo Xiaogang and Sanya making pills..."

How could the Luo family have taken in such a troublemaker?

"What is Aunt Luo thinking?"

Are you greedy for money?
"You can't blame Aunt Luo, he was faking illness. Aunt Luo is a kind and compassionate person. He said that if he was sick, staying here would make it easier to take medicine and see a doctor, and also make it easier to ask me questions..."

Therefore, it's still the case that the older sister shouldn't have gone to the doctor.

Once you see one person, everyone knows about it, and word spreads like wildfire. That's how the reputation spreads.

"Sister, what do we do now?"

"Keep a low profile on business matters, and let everything else be as it is," Chunnuan said. "After the mourning period next year, our Xiao family will be able to live a normal life in Changzhou."

Chunnuan had something planned in her heart.

After three years of recuperation, the first thing he did after the mourning period was to take back what the Xiao clan had taken from him.

"Okay, I'll listen to you, sister."

Chun Ning told Zhao Minghua, who had returned from Sichuan, about the people who came to the village.

"What does he do, and what does he want?" Zhao Minghua was visibly nervous. "Should I find a chance to meet him?"

“Brother Zhao, Sister said to leave him alone for now.”

"Don't worry, I know what I'm doing." Zhao Minghua took the pills and ointment, which sold very well in Sichuan.

Let Chun Ning do a lot of processing and produce as much as possible.

"Dr. Xiao is not a person, but a kind of medicine. In Shuzhou, the wealthy people all know that Dr. Xiao's medicine is very effective. For coughs, use throat lozenges; for children who can't eat, give them hawthorn pills; for abdominal distension, fullness, cold accumulation, use Da Lu Su pills; for extreme qi deficiency, yang deficiency, fear of cold, and shortness of breath, use stalactite powder..."

"Brother Zhao, you're amazing! You remember all these effects so well."

Chun Ning jokingly teased her future brother-in-law.

“Chuning, you don’t know, I just don’t want to go to school and memorize those classical Chinese texts, it’s not that I’m stupid or can’t read.” Given a little paint, Zhao Minghua had the courage to open a dye shop: “Your older sister is so capable, she can diagnose patients, process medicinal herbs, and even make medicine. If I were completely ignorant, do you think I would be looked down upon in the future?”

Chun Ning remained silent, but inwardly agreed, feeling that if he didn't understand, there was a high chance he would be disliked.

“For a couple to have a common language, I must understand what she understands, and she must understand what I understand.” Zhao Minghua felt a sense of crisis: “Your older sister is also very good at making money in business. I must improve, otherwise I can’t be your brother-in-law.”

Chun Ning smiled, pursing her lips.

He would certainly be happy to see his sister marry a like-minded brother-in-law, and for the two to have a deep relationship and make progress together.

“I can recite the herbal formulas by heart now, and I know the effects of the pills and ointments I got from Dr. Xiao here by heart,” Zhao Minghua said. “I can also identify herbs.”

"Let me tell you something. When I was little, my grandfather wanted to teach me medicine and how to identify herbs, but I couldn't recognize any of them or remember them." Zhao Minghua was puzzled by this. "But now I'm amazing at recognizing medicinal herbs. I can remember everything I see."

real or fake?

Chun Ning casually grabbed a few herbs from the pharmacy, and Zhao Minghua recognized them all without missing a single word, even describing their effects.

"It seems Brother Zhao has put in a lot of effort."

"That's necessary."

Zhao Minghua's lips curled up slightly. Finding a fiancée he liked really boosted his motivation and energy, and even allowed him to unlock a lot of unknown potential.

Of course, having such a fiancée means you have to protect her.

Zhao Minghua "bumped into" Qian Yuanli the next day.

"Hey, aren't you that fortune teller? I had my fortune told by you before, and you said I would have a windfall within three days, but it's been ten days and I still haven't had one. Your predictions are completely inaccurate."

Two burly men followed behind Zhao Minghua, each with a blade of grass in their mouth.

"Your calculations were inaccurate, yet you still took my money. What am I supposed to say?" Qian Yuanli was dumbfounded.

"Young master, you must have mistaken me for someone else. I don't remember ever telling your fortune."

Whether you've calculated it or not, just deny it to the death.

Moreover, he felt that his fortune teller wouldn't have timed it so precisely; it certainly wouldn't have been within three to five days, but at least three to five months later, and he would definitely have made ample preparations for his departure.

"Heh, you dare deny it? Back at Xiao Family Wharf, you were shouting: 'I know everything under the sun, half of what's happening in the sky, and everything on earth.'" Zhao Minghua grabbed him by the collar. "What, you didn't expect to run into me today and have me settle the score with you, did you?"

The small and thin Qian Yuanli was lifted up directly.

My mind went blank, and I became even more certain that I had never told this person's fortune or read their face.

After all, this person in front of him was not someone to be trifled with. Experience told him that it was generally best not to mess with such a person, and if he were to be provoked, he would definitely think twice before speaking.

However, this person was unreasonable. He said that once the calculation was done, it was done, and the most important thing was to save his life.

Imagine how many miles he traveled from the capital to get here, and now he's about to sacrifice himself for the public good just as he gets close to his goal. I wonder if his master will even remember him.

No, it won't happen. If he dies, there will be thousands upon thousands more who will take his place. He is just a passerby in this world.

Therefore, he had to live; as long as the green hills remain, there will always be firewood to burn.

"Young master, please calm down, young master, please calm down, let's talk this out..." Cough, his collar was choking him, and he could barely speak.

Zhao Minghua put the person down and, after confirming that he was just a weakling who didn't know any martial arts, decided to put him down.

"Tell me, how will you compensate me for my losses?"

"Young master, it's up to you. You can compensate me however you want." Qian Yuanli's greatest skill was admitting defeat; taking a step back would open up a whole new world.

"Fine, you said you'd compensate me however you want, right? You took two taels of silver from me, so it's not unreasonable for me to ask you to pay twenty taels in return, is it?"

"Not at all, not at all."

They could have easily robbed it, but they chose this method to make themselves willingly hand over their money.

He quickly took out the money, then slipped away to leave.

"stop."

Qian Yuanli... when will this end? What else do you want?

"You're not a fortune teller anymore."

Qian Yuanli's heart skipped a beat.

Zhao Minghua walked over and stood in front of him: "Speak, what brings you to Sichuan?"

This is a difficult situation.

You must never tell anyone what you did, no matter what.

"Young master," Qian Yuanli said in a final attempt, "I'm just a fortune teller who makes a living by reading faces. My inaccurate prediction was due to external factors." He continued, "I've traveled the world for over forty years, traversing the north and south of the Yangtze River..."

“What a coincidence. I’ve also traveled all over the country, but I just can’t suppress my Beijing accent.” Zhao Minghua bluntly stated, “You’ve traveled all the way from Beijing to Sichuan and even stayed here. Tell me, do you have to be so obvious about your intentions?”

At this point, Qian Yuanli was speechless.

"Young master, I don't know what you're talking about?"

Just tough it out.

Moreover, this person doesn't seem to be from the Xiao family. The Xiao family doesn't have any adult males. Back then, all the males who were twelve years old or older were exiled to the northern desert.

So, what is his identity?
"I don't know. Would you like me to help you remember?"

As he spoke, he waved his hand, and Qingsheng and Ahu immediately stepped forward, making it seem as if they were going to carry Qian Yuanli away.

"Young master, young master, we are all civilized people, please don't be violent, please don't be violent."

Thinking about my purpose and the Marquis's instructions, it's not something shameful.

If you're going to recruit, then recruit. But it shouldn't be on this main road.

"Young master, would you mind having a private talk, perhaps at a tavern or teahouse?"

"Trying to freeload a drink from me?"

"Well, no, it's just..." He pointed to the twenty taels of silver in his hand that he hadn't even warmed yet. If you use this silver to treat someone, who knows who's freeloading off you?

Zhao Minghua was so angry she laughed.

"So you really are from the capital. You certainly know how to scheme."

Zhao Minghua led him to a small tavern in town, to a private room on the second floor.

"Third Young Master, would you like something to drink?"

"Bring some liquor from the distillery, and two catties of braised goose meat."

Seeing how simply Zhao Minghua explained it, Qian Yuanli thought he was incredibly stingy.

"Don't be disgusted, this is the best wine and the most fragrant meat in our town." Zhao Minghua said, "Having traveled all over the country, this is the taste I always crave the most. You can't even get this in the capital."

real or fake?

Qian Yuanli also enjoys this kind of thing, but because he works in this line of work, he doesn't dare to be too unrestrained.

He gulped it down, and it was so strong it got him drunk, but he had to admit it was good wine, the most mellow wine he had ever tasted.

"Try it." Zhao Minghua handed him a goose head.

Qian Yuanli... what kind of hospitality is this?
"Have you ever heard of chicken neck, goose head, and duck feet? Braised goose meat is a specialty of our town. You'll feel like you've wasted your trip to Sichuan if you don't try it."

Okay, let's eat.

And you know what? It really does smell delicious.

"You've traveled a long way from the capital to our Changzhou, not for wine or meat, but for what?"

So, as they say, "He who eats another's food is bound to do his bidding," and "Wine isn't always so palatable; if you eat a goose's head, you'll end up with a pig's head."

You have to answer whatever question someone asks.

Anyway, it wouldn't do any harm to the Xiao family, so Qian Yuanli considered it carefully and said something that sounded nice.

"Sent by the Empress's family?"

In fact, it represents the Empress.

They've gotten involved with the royal family again.

Zhao Minghua couldn't help but frown.

What is the royal family planning to do?
Haven't you harmed the Xiao family enough?

Or do you want to eliminate the problem completely?
“You don’t need to worry.” Qian Yuanli quickly assured him that he was definitely not a bad person: “When I left home, the Marquis instructed me to make sure the Xiao family was safe.”

This was also the Empress's intention. Only when the Xiao family was well taken care of could she win over Xiao Chunyu, and only then would the child Panpan frequently visit the palace to accompany the First Prince.

The eldest prince is well, and the Marquis's family is well.

The Crown Prince is well, so that the Empress's family line will forever enjoy wealth and prosperity.

The eldest prince is doing well, which is also what the emperor is happy to see.

No one wanted to ruin the happy situation that everyone was happy about.

"You were ordered to protect them?"

Zhao Minghua needs to focus on the key points.

"Well... not really." He didn't actually have that ability: "It's just about relaying information about the Xiao family back at any time." (End of Chapter)