CHAPTER 119: CHAPTER 117 MEETING

Madam Su unfolded Su Huaiqing’s letter to read.

Besides his regards, the content was almost the same as what the family had reported to her.

"Call the steward of the medicine shop to see me," Madam Su ordered. Before Huaiqing arrived, she wanted to tidy up the accounts to avoid being noticed by him.

After the steward left, Madam Su frowned and sat on the Jinwu. She really didn’t expect the Official Medicine Bureau to choose the eighteen types of medicinal herbs from Chen Family Village. Those eighteen herbs are the main ones produced in the North. With such a reputation, would they worry about not selling the processed medicine from Chen Family Village?

It’s truly laughable that the Su Family’s medicine shop couldn’t compete with the small Chen Family Village.

Madam Su thought of the time she saw Xie Liangchen in Zhenzhou. If she had known this day would come, she wouldn’t have helped Xie Liangchen leave the Xie Family smoothly, nor would she have helped him reclaim those two plots of mountainous land.

The first batch of processed Rehmannia sold by Chen Family Village was dug up from that land.

Madam Su felt foolishly deceived.

...

Chen Family Village.

Inside and outside the weaving room was bustling. After the Chen Family Village produced many woolen products upon entering winter, they were all sold to merchants. Old Mrs. Chen’s woolen socks were the only items left, and many people were contemplating that if they had silver coins next year, they might keep some for themselves. The luxury they hadn’t expected to realize this year had come true.

The first quilt made in the weaving room was given to Granny Zhao, letting her have a good night’s sleep. But Mrs. Zhao, already muddle-headed, felt warm and asked her daughter-in-law why they didn’t take her out for a walk since it was so warm.

"Mother, it’s cold now, it’s winter."

Mrs. Zhao said, "Don’t think you can lie to me because I’m old. Don’t I know if it’s cold or warm? When it’s cold, people freeze to death. My little four and little six both froze to death. How could this be? How could this be?"

Mrs. Zhao drank millet porridge and argued with her daughter-in-law.

"Our Chen Family Village now has quilts made of wool, that’s why you feel warm."

Mrs. Zhao was silent for a moment before getting angry again: "Still trying to deceive me, a quilt made of wool? What kind of thing is that? Only high-ranking officials and nobles in the Capital use such quilts."

Mrs. Zhao’s daughter-in-law pulled up the quilt, letting Mrs. Zhao put her hand between the fabric to gently rub the wool inside.

Mrs. Zhao’s rough hands stroked it repeatedly, eyes turning slightly red after a while: "Really soft, really warm."

After some time, Mrs. Zhao forgot these words again. Her daughter-in-law, this time, directly pressed her mother-in-law’s hand into the woolen quilt, and Mrs. Zhao kept feeling it repeatedly. At some unknown moment, her mind seemed more muddled yet clearer as she continuously called out, "Quick... quickly bring my fourth and sixth sons over, let them warm up too.

Something so nice, truly wonderful, truly wonderful."

Old Mrs. Chen stood nearby, wiping her tears. After Mrs. Zhao calmed down, she took a comb to tidy Mrs. Zhao’s hair: "Poor thing, live a few more days, live some more days for your children."

In the following days, many people in Chen Family Village touched these soft and warm woolen products. Their mood was even happier than when they first sold woolen goods for silver coins, always feeling that these purchased wools were softer than usual.

The children huddled on the kang (heated bed). Although the whole family could only cover themselves with this one quilt, it felt as if the cold wind outside could no longer penetrate.

"Mother," Hei Dan, before falling asleep, pulled Mrs. Gao, "it’s great to have sister."

Chen Yongsheng, hearing his son’s words, kept his head down, continuing to look at the accounts. A man who lost an arm in the army, now even his breathing needed to be careful, afraid of the bitterness rising in his chest.

The next day, people from Sun Family Village braved the cold wind and came to Chen Family Village.

A few people met in Old Mrs. Chen’s room.

Chen Yuyu poured hot tea for everyone and sat beside Old Mrs. Chen, doing needlework together.

Sun Jiang and Sun Fang exchanged glances. As the village chief, Sun Jiang spoke: "Our village pooled some silver coins and also bought two pieces of mountainous land. We will go to the government office tomorrow to complete the paperwork."

Xie Liangchen’s gaze fell on Sun Jiang and Sun Fang’s thin clothes: "It’s a lot of silver coins, and you still need to get through winter."

"It’s enough, enough," Sun Jiang said, "Every year we barely get by, anyway. This year we bought a lot of coarse grain. There’s not much left in our village, so we discussed it and decided not to split households. Everyone can squeeze into better houses and make it through to next spring.

But we must buy this mountainous land, rather suffer now than miss future benefits."

After saying this, Sun Jiang paused, slightly embarrassed, looking at Xie Liangchen: "We just have to trouble Miss Xie to teach us how to plant medicinal herbs."

Since Xie Liangchen had informed everyone about the plan to grow medicinal herbs, she didn’t intend to keep it secret. Daqi’s land is vast, and even if medicinal herbs are planted all over the mountains in the North, they can still be sold.

By then, the price of medicinal herbs will drop a lot, allowing the poor to afford medical treatment and medicine, and the villagers can earn more silver coins.

With a government medicine bureau opened in Zhenzhou and medicinal herbs planted in the mountains, a breakthrough might make this place a gathering area for northern medicinal herbs.

In any case, it’s beneficial to everyone.

Xie Liangchen said to Sun Jiang: "Everyone supports each other. Chen Family Village alone can’t accomplish this. Once your village buys the mountainous land, my second uncle and I will go see where the medicinal herbs should be planted. Before sowing, we need to prepare seeds. Some herbs also require early nurseries."

Sun Jiang repeatedly agreed.

Before Sun Jiang and Sun Fang left, Chen Yongsheng reminded: "If there’s still silver coins in the village, buy some things to keep warm. This winter is harder to endure than the last."

Sun Jiang took Chen Yongsheng’s words to heart and prepared to make some plans upon returning to the village.

After sending the Sun Family people away, Xie Liangchen took Hei Dan and a few others to the mountains. She needed to inspect the area several times, mark it simply on her map, and on the way back, she planned to buy some honey at the market. She and Mr. Xu were trying to make finished medicine, one step requiring refined honey.

Each of them wore woolen hats, and warm clothing, talking along the way.

When descending the mountain, it was getting late. Xie Liangchen quickened her pace, wanting to enter the city earlier to avoid the shops closing.

As they moved forward, there was the sound of hoofbeats beside her. She instinctively turned her head to see, not looking at the person on the horse but glancing at the children, worried they might get trampled in their playful moments.

With Chen Zigeng not back from Mr. Dongli’s, she had to be extra vigilant in watching over Hei Dan and the others,

But Hei Dan first tugged her to the side of the road, looking as if he meant to protect her tightly.

Xie Liangchen reached out to tousle Hei Dan’s head, just about to speak when she heard a clear voice: "Miss Xie?"

Xie Liangchen looked up towards the voice, seeing that the two riders who had passed by earlier had somehow returned, one of them looking at her.

The gentle and jade-like face made Xie Liangchen pause at first, then it was enveloped by familiarity. Not just because he had saved her, but because for a long period in her past life, she often found herself in the Su Family’s study, raising her head to gaze at his portrait, lost in thought. Not considering him the person or thinking about his matters, but rather as a habit, a subconscious habit when lost in thought.

When that person leapt off the horse, Xie Liangchen also saluted: "Mr. Su."