Chapter 205

The ground was piled full of medicinal herbs, some dried, some fresh.

Lao Langzhong needed help; the fresh herbs first had to be picked clean of impurities, sorted and classified, then placed in a cool, ventilated spot to dry.

Most of the already sun‑dried herbs cannot be used directly; they still need to be cut into sections, sliced, baked dry, fried, steamed, ground into powder, etc.

For this, they moved all three small stoves from the house out into the courtyard, lit them, and there was still plenty of work left.

Gu Xixi said helplessly, "Master, although summer has arrived, these things on the back mountain keep sprouting one batch after another; you can't just haul them home whenever you have a free moment."

"That's so much, and they're all herbs commonly used for internal injuries, bruises, external wound hemostasis, and dysentery. How many such patients can you see in a year? I'm afraid they won't be used up even by next year."

Lao Langzhong said, "Who said I need that much for my own patients? But…"

He turned to Gu Xixi, nodding with a satisfied smile, "You can actually tell what medicine I'm preparing—shows you've been studying earnestly this period."

Gu Xixi didn't have time to listen to her master's praise, puzzled she asked, "If you're not using them yourself, why go to all this trouble?"

Lao Langzhong continued pounding the medicine, chuckling, "Naturally, it's a task entrusted to me, a duty to fulfill."

"Oh, stop asking so many questions; since you've agreed to help the old man, get to work quickly."

Gu Xixi and He Jinglan exchanged glances, silently communicating: something's odd.

An Qinghe, on the other hand, was earnest; he volunteered to take charge of the three stoves and three pots.

Lao Langzhong only needed to occasionally monitor the herbs' heat; the fire‑tending and hands‑on work were all handed over to An Qinghe.

After dinner, everyone lit lamps in the courtyard and worked a while longer.

Until the moon rose to the treetops, Zhang Shen brought the two children to ask Gu Xixi how they would sleep tonight.

Gu Xixi then said according to the planned arrangement.

Qinger relied heavily on Shitou, clutching his hand and refusing to let go, "Qinger wants to stay with Brother Shitou."

"No," Meng Dangni zi scolded, "If Zhang Shen takes the two kids, she'll tire out."

Qinger didn't dare be willful; she just pouted, a little unhappy.

Zhang Shen glanced at them and smiled, "Shitou is sensible, never needing me to worry; Qinger is just as well‑behaved—let them both follow me, it's fine. As long as you, their mother, can bear to part with them."

Shitou also raised his hand and said, "Aunt Meng, don't worry—I'm here; I'll look after Qinger and won't let her cry."

Meng Dangni zi looked at her daughter and finally gave a helpless, wry laugh.

"Then I'll trouble you, Aunt Zhang; if she gets restless in the night, just let her come to the main room to find me."

After the children washed up, they chatted and giggled, following Zhang Shen into the house.

Lao Langzhong sniffed the freshly steamed pot of herbs and said, "All right, put out the fire; we'll stop here for today."

Everyone returned to their rooms, preparing to sleep.

While brushing her teeth, Gu Xixi thought of a possibility and whispered to He Jinglan, "Do you remember which day the person who locked the west room left?"

He Jinglan thought for a moment and gave a date.

Gu Xixi then asked, "When did my master start risking his life gathering herbs like this?"

He Jinglan pondered, the two locked eyes, and both gasped in shock.

He Jinglan: "Is it him again?"

Gu Xixi: "To be precise, it's them."

Think about it— isn't it just that after Mu Nan Zhao left, Lao Langzhong started hauling herbs home every day?

Gu Xixi rinsed her mouth, spat, and said with a solemn face, "The more I think about it, the more it makes sense."

"My master is quite skilled at making medicine."

"Herbs for internal injuries, bruises, external wounds, and dysentery—and in such large quantities—are exactly what military camps constantly need."

He Jinglan nodded in agreement, "Hmm, I think it's reasonable too!"

"I never thought he'd just leave like that—aside from leaving us a broken lock, he also left us all this work!"

She said resentfully, "When I see him again, I will surely scold…"

"Make him have nowhere to hide!"

Gu Xixi was also unhappy, "He didn't even say hello, and still had my master keep it secret."

"Using my venue, my stove, my charcoal, and our labor—what a good calculation."

He Jinglan joined the accusation, "He doesn't even pay wages!"

She asked Gu Xixi, "Then will we continue doing this tomorrow?"

Gu Xixi said, "Of course we must; if these medicines are for those soldiers, we who guard and protect them ought to do our part."

He Jinglan thought of Meng Chengping and fell silent.

After a moment, He Jinglan gathered her spirits and asked with a smile, "What about Old Jiang's side—should we keep pretending we don't know?"

Gu Xixi nodded, "He and my master must have reached some tacit understanding; my master isn't speaking now, but he surely has his reasons."

On the way back to the rooms, He Jinglan brought up An Qinghe again.

Gu Xixi thought for a moment and said, "All right, I'll talk to him tomorrow."

As a friend, she couldn't let An Qinghe be held up here and miss his duties.

The next morning, in the tea tree trial field on the west side of the back mountain.

When Gu Xixi brought up to An Qinghe the idea of returning early to Yunling County.

She couldn't be too explicit, only able to hint half‑hiddenly: after the battle, there might still be turmoil; if we got stuck in the village and couldn't leave, wouldn't that delay important matters?

An Qinghe blinked, his expression turning grave. "Xixi, do you also have heard some rumors?"

"Also?" Gu Xixi hesitated, "Have you heard something?"

An Qinghe looked left and right, then lowered his voice: "Although I'm not certain, there's word on the street that the Great Undertaking Dynasty's court is unstable."

"Furthermore, I've heard that several wealthy merchants from Jiangnan with connections in the capital have already secretly hidden and transferred their fortunes."

He cupped one hand near his mouth, lowering his voice even more, "I fear it won't be long before things fall into chaos."

Seeing Gu Xixi remain silent for a long time, An Qinghe thought she didn't believe him.

He then said, "You forgot what I do for a living?"

"Merchants value information above all; it's not just business news, but also news from the Imperial Court."

The sapling business of the Hu people of Yunling County had already reached prosperous places like Jiangnan and the Huai region.

Gu Xixi naturally understood what An Qinghe said; it was certainly not baseless.

In some ways, commerce and agriculture are similar.

They are like plant roots, extending wherever people live, omnipresent.

Both are also directly affected by the demands and decrees of the Imperial Court.

So it's not surprising that some big merchants can get hold of such information.

Gu Xixi turned her eyes to An Qinghe and smiled, saying, "What I know is about the same as what you told me."

"So I picked some tea leaves for you today; you should set off for Yunling as soon as possible."

However, An Qinghe looked at Gu Xixi and said firmly, "I'm not leaving."

"The more dangerous the time, the less I can leave your side!"

The whole family was busy for two days, and then Gu Xixi helped Lao Langzhong prepare medicine, while He Jinglan and An Qinghe counted pills, weighed powders, and packaged them.

Finally, on the morning of the fourth day, all three kinds of finished medicine were prepared and packaged.

Several people, exhausted, sat down on the ground or leaned against the wall or table, letting out a long breath.

An Qinghe said, "At last we've finished this urgent task."

He Jinglan laughed weakly, "You always use idioms in a strange way."