Chapter 223: Going to Zezhou

"Threat? How is it a threat?" Ning Jinli asked quickly.

Professor Hua told her that the country Shanbotan, under pressure from M Guo, plans to raise the price per box of the medicine from the current 500 yuan to 1,500 yuan starting next January; if the price is not accepted, they will refuse to continue selling to our country.

"Tripled?!" Ning Jinli dropped her jaw in shock, "That's too much!"

Professor Hua wore a worried expression, "In countries and regions outside our nation, this medicine sells for at most 50 yuan per box; in M Guo or friendly nations of Shanbotan, the price is under 10 yuan."

Ning Jinli was at a loss for words.

Although this is indeed something that a Western bloc led by M Guo could pull off, it is still exaggerated—practically blood‑sucking on our nation's head.

Ning Jinli asked again, "What if we buy it from another country?"

Professor Hua shook his head, "Their regulations are strict, and any other country that can import this medicine from Shanbotan is either a treaty ally or dares not offend M Guo, so… it's virtually impossible."

"What's the name of this medicine?"

"It's called Bisi Sustained‑Release Agent."

"Hmm? I recall seeing it when buying medicine before; I think the domestic retail price was 100 yuan per box?"

"Right… because our government subsidizes each box by 400 yuan; even if we sold at import cost with no profit, countless families couldn't afford it. If next year we keep importing and keep the domestic selling price unchanged, the state subsidy would rise to 1,400 yuan per box, a total amount that would be astronomical and would place a huge fiscal burden on the country."

At that point, Professor Hua fell into a brief silence.

Ning Jinli now understood why the venom produced by the many purple‑belly golden‑spotted snakes in Zhuiyingjian was far from sufficient.

It truly was a drop in the bucket.

Even in over two thousand years of Huaxia, this snake is common only in Zhuiyingjian; it may exist elsewhere, but in very few numbers.

Seeking more of them elsewhere is an impossible task.

"May I ask, Professor Hua," Xiao Qidi suddenly spoke, "what is the core natural ingredient you just mentioned?"

Professor Hua said, "It's an essence extracted from a plant; we have mastered the extraction technique, but that plant only grows in Shanbotan. That country earns a fortune each year from selling Bisi Sustained‑Release Agent, accounting for sixty percent of its foreign‑exchange earnings, and it has become the world's sole mass‑producer of Bisi Sustained‑Release Agent."

Speaking of this, Professor Hua couldn't help feeling indignant, complaining that Shanbotan doesn't even consider our nation, its biggest buyer, worth noticing.

By squeezing the lifeline of our people, they not only arbitrarily raise the price of this medicine but also cheapen us in many other ways, and that's just the start.

Ordinary citizens from our country used to be mocked and discriminated against while traveling, and even domestic research experts attending conferences were suppressed and bullied by them.

Xiao Qidi's face darkened, "My great nation is being humiliated like this."

Professor Hua gave a wry smile, "There's no choice; the international situation is complex. M Guo still holds hegemony, and every country or region that aligns with M Guo is scheming against us."

Ning Jinli gently grasped Xiao Qidi's hand and asked Professor Hua again, "We've been forced into this corner; surely someone has thought of obtaining seeds or seedlings for cultivation, right? Why hasn't it worked?"

Professor Hua's expression grew even more helpless, "We have indeed tried such methods, but the environment isn't suitable, so we can only cultivate it on a small scale in the lab, still far from meeting demand. Alas… what's more regrettable is that ancient texts record that our country once had that plant, but it gradually vanished over a thousand years ago due to climate change and other factors."

"Hmm?" Ning Jinli's eyes lit up instantly, and she hurriedly said, "What's that plant called? What does it look like?"

Professor Hua took out his phone, opened the album and showed a picture, "Look, this one. It's cultivated in the lab. In ancient texts it's called… Moth Wing Grass, named because its leaves resemble moth wings, and it was said to be everywhere in the southern region of our country a thousand years ago."

Xiao Qidi leaned in to examine it closely, his brows slightly furrowed as if pondering something.

At that moment the phone rang; Professor Hua said it was an important call he had to attend to.

After he left, Ning Jinli immediately asked Xiao Qidi whether he had ever seen Moth Wing Grass.

Xiao Qidi shook his head, "I thought carefully and haven't seen it, but I've never been to the Jiangnan region of Zhong Yuan, which lies within Zezhou; if the ancient texts are correct, Zezhou should have it."

"Then we have to go to Zezhou and see," Ning Jinli said, "We'll try to resolve this before January 1st next year; otherwise our country will be in big trouble."

Xiao Qidi thought for a moment and said, "There are only two months left this year; Zezhou is the largest and strongest among the remaining Central‑Southern nations, and I don't know if I can capture it."

Ning Jinli's face showed shock, "Capture it?"

Xiao Qidi replied, "Exactly. If we annex Zezhou, wouldn't that solve your severe shortage of Moth Wing Grass?"

Ning Jinli chuckled, "If I recall correctly, Zezhou is formidable now, with a million troops, and its territory covers almost the entire Jiangnan, with the Yangtze River as its border—offensive and defensive alike. With Daxuan's current forces, even adding the Xuanjia Armor Armor Armor Armor Army, it's unlikely we could seize Zezhou within two months."

According to the original historical timeline, Daxuan at this point was no match for Zezhou; it wasn't until the Xuanzu Emperor was in his thirties that Zezhou was eliminated.

Now, in this parallel world, with Ning Jinli as a cheat, Xiao Qidi's sweep of Zhong Yuan speeds up considerably, yet even so, Zezhou remains a bone too big to bite off quickly.

Xiao Qidi silently ran the scenario in his mind, then said, "It's indeed difficult, but not necessarily impossible."

"How about this," Ning Jinli suggested, "the two of us first go into Zezhou to scout the situation. Going to Zezhou may be a hassle, but returning will be easy; we can just open a Time‑Space Gate there."

Xiao Qidi agreed to her suggestion.

The two analyzed the current geopolitical situation of the nations, searching for the easiest route into Zezhou's territory.

Xuan Guo's southern border meets Zezhou's northern frontier at the Yangtze River; crossing the river by boat is too dangerous, and both sides heavily guard each other, so even a successful crossing would likely result in Zezhou border troops killing us outright.

Hence that route is unsuitable.

However, in Zezhou's north there is an area north of the Yangtze that borders the southern side of the Wasteland Nation.

The Wasteland Nation is currently busy repelling the Daxuan Army that has entered its doorstep, forcing troops from all over to shift to the west, leaving its southern flank inevitably weak.

Moreover, that area suffers chronic flooding and is regarded by both the Wasteland Nation and Zezhou as a chicken‑rib (of little value); Zezhou's ruler doesn't want to waste manpower there, so border defenses and administration are relatively lax.

All things considered, it's better to go through the southern part of the Wasteland Nation and then enter the northern Zezhou area that lies north of the river; this way, moving to other parts of Zezhou later would be less conspicuous.

The two finalized the route and set out the next day.

Five days later, disguised as ordinary civilians, Xiao Qidi and Ning Jinli finally arrived in Zezhou's northern Jiang region.

The exhausting journey reminded them of the time they traveled from Xi Tun Guan across the arid Gobi wasteland to He Wan County.

Fortunately, by comparison it wasn't that arduous.

At least they didn't have to endure the wind, sun, and blowing yellow earth of a drought period.

However, conditions here are still poor: continuous rain, everywhere muddy, and some places still suffering floods.

With winter arriving, it isn't extremely cold, but the damp chill is equally uncomfortable.

Seeing that night was falling, Xiao Qidi and Ning Jinli hurried into a small town, intending to find an inn to rest.

Yet, the moment they entered the town they were stunned.

It could be called a city, but looking around, it was no different from a village; even the streets were riddled with potholes and rotten mud.

Scattered along the roadside were a few small shops and a handful of itinerant vendors.

The common folk were all in tattered, drab clothes and listless, while in the corners wild cats, dogs, and rats scurried about; the damp air was filled with an indescribable filthy stench.

Xiao Qidi and Ning Jinli were already wearing the simplest garments, and after five days of traveling their whole appearance was far from tidy; they even deliberately made themselves look dirty so as not to attract attention.

Yet once they stood here, they still seemed among the relatively well‑off locals.

"Let's go…" Xiao Qidi looked ahead, "see if there's an inn."

Ning Jinli thought that in such an environment, it would be hard to find one.

But it didn't matter; if they truly couldn't find one, they'd open a Time‑Space Gate in a secluded spot and go back to rest.

"Brother, sister, please be kind… give me a copper coin…" a youthful voice suddenly rang out.

Then a pair of dirty hands clutched Ning Jinli's leg.

Ning Jinli looked down and saw a girl of about ten, pale and thin, her clothes barely covering her body.

No need to ask; it was clear she was a street‑corner little beggar.

"Sigh…" Ning Jinli sighed with compassion and, without hesitation, pulled out a few copper coins for the little beggar.

In these conditions she couldn't give too much, lest the little beggar be robbed by others.

"Wow! So many!" the little beggar beamed, clutching the copper plates, thanking repeatedly, and spouting some rhyming good‑luck sayings.

Ning Jinli asked, "Are you hungry?"

The little beggar nodded vigorously.

Ning Jinli took a piece of dried food from her bundle.

Before she could hand it over, the little beggar snatched it and devoured it ravenously.

"Slow down… don't choke," Ning Jinli said softly.

The little girl finished in a few bites, then flopped onto the ground, drank a few sips of puddle water, and, licking her mouth corner, asked, "Any more? I'm not full yet."

"There is, indeed," Ning Jinli took out the cloth sack filled with dried food, "I can give you all of these, but first tell me, what place is this?"

Ning Jinli intended to use the conversation to chat more with the little beggar, to see if she could be of further help.

As soon as the words fell, the little beggar leapt like a monkey, snatched the whole sack of dried food, and bolted away without a trace.

Its speed left Xiao Qidi and Ning Jinli both dumbfounded.

But the two were not angry; rather they felt sorry for the child, who had honed such skill just to survive.

The two kept walking forward, and before they went far, the rain grew heavier.

Then a large crowd of beggars around a dozen years old emerged from nowhere, swarming around the two, shouting for money and food.

Xiao Qidi's face darkened as he was about to scold and drive them away.

Ning Jinli quickly halted him with a glance.

After all, these children, no matter what, wouldn't harm her; she didn't want to cause chaos and end up hurting the kids.

Moreover, even if they gave all their money and rations to them, it wouldn't affect Ning Jinli or Xiao Qidi in the slightest.

In the pouring rain, the items in the bundle were quickly handed out; the little beggars then dispersed with a clamor, leaving only the two in the rain, disheveled.

"Hahaha!" a burst of laughter suddenly came from nearby.

Ning Jinli and Xiao Qidi turned their heads and saw, under a roadside eave, a youth clad in a Raincoat and wearing tattered straw sandals, clapping and laughing at them.

"What are you laughing at?" Xiao Qidi frowned and asked the youth, who seemed two or three years younger than him, loudly.

"Laughing at you two fools!" the youth jeered with a mischievous grin, "Now it's over, those beggars robbed you clean, and you're a soaked chicken, hahaha!"

So the kid was just watching a comedy.

From the first little beggar's appearance to the sudden swarm, he watched the whole thing with great relish.

"Idler," Xiao Qidi said with a grimace, offering his assessment.

"Let's go over there to shelter from the rain first," Ning Jinli suggested, "that kid seems to have a shop behind him."

Xiao Qidi hummed in acknowledgment and strode forward.

The youth chuckled, and when he saw them approach, he generously shifted his seat, patted the nearby step, and said, "Come, sit here, no need to be formal with me."

Xiao Qidi, irritated, retorted, "Who's being polite to you?"

The youth looked up, eyes wide with surprise, "What did you eat to grow up? You're so tall; even from a distance you amazed me, and now that you're close, you're like a doorpost planted before me."

Xiao Qidi was already speechless, too lazy to reply.

Ning Jinli stepped closer and asked, "Little brother, it's getting dark, aren't you going home?"

"Little brother?" the youth scoffed, "I'm already fifteen, you look younger than me, stop shouting nonsense."

"That kid doesn't deserve you to call him that," Xiao Qidi blurted out, a hint of jealousy in his tone.

Ning Jinli: …

The youth then said, "After night falls, when my dad is asleep, I'll go back; otherwise he'll beat me."

"What did you do that he's going to beat you?" Ning Jinli's curiosity was piqued.

The youth grinned, "I didn't go to school today."

Xiao Qidi immediately mocked, "Well done, idler, unlearned; you'll surely have a great future."

The youth was unfazed, lazily saying, "The teacher is too rigid; because I fought someone, he scolded me for being unruly, and I don't want to see him again."

"Ha! You think you're right? In my view, even scolding you is mild," Xiao Qidi sneered.

Ning Jinli nudged him lightly with her elbow, then continued to ask the youth, "You can't just sit here forever, can you? Maybe go back early so your family won't worry."

"I'm not just sitting," the youth replied nonchalantly, "I just took care of something, stepped out of the shop and saw your fun…"

At that point his expression shifted slightly; he covered his chest with one hand and patted his forehead with the other, "Oops! I was so busy watching the fun I almost forgot my business!"

"Oh? You still have business?" Xiao Qidi seized any chance to tease him.

At that moment, a stout, middle‑aged woman burst from the shop, clutching a kitchen knife, swearing as she charged at the youth.

"Fine then, you little rabbit brat, you're still here! See, I won't spare you today!"