The Woman was named Shui, over thirty years old, possessing a personality like water.
A pair of pure eyes could become the goddess of art.
Poor mountains and harsh waters breed troublesome commoners; this mountain isn't exactly rich, she was just pure in her purity.
The Old Madam was over fifty, looking old, carrying the flavor of the years, making one want to compose poems and paint pictures for her.
The sun shone under the eaves.
Ye Man finally washed her straw-like hair.
Madam Shui had her sit down, then took a clean cloth to dry her. Recalling the injuries she saw when she changed clothes, she truly was pitiful.
Although the Mountain Area was poor, it had never been like this. Nor had they starved to this extent.
Even as a Divine Doctor, she was still pitiful. Madam Shui planned to prepare some proper food.
The Man led the donkey over, just like her Youngest Son. Although her Youngest Son had gone out to play early that morning and only returned now waiting for food, he didn't know what had happened to Grandmother.
The Child was seven years old, wearing worn-out clothes, looking quite sturdy and simple, holding a small basket containing fresh chestnuts.
Ye Man saw the thorns pricking his hands, yet he didn't care at all. Looking at the donkey again, it was well-cared for.
Ye Man found it quite pleasing. The Old Ancestor had ridden a Flying Boat and a Flying Sword, flown airplanes, and driven sports cars; riding a donkey was a first.
Poetic sentiment was on the back of a donkey in the wind and snow at Baqiao.
This isn't just about one person riding a donkey; once someone becomes popular, a crowd will imitate them.
This mountain village doesn't require battling wind and snow, but having a donkey makes the Poetic feel even stronger!
The Young Gentleman arrived with paper and pen; seeing the Divine Doctor wearing his clothes gave off a different kind of aura.
These were his old clothes, now too small, kept for his Younger Brother to wear later.
The Divine Doctor was small, not much bigger than his Younger Brother. However, she possessed a certain unrestrained, scholarly demeanor!
The Young Gentleman couldn't quite explain it; although these were Short Gowns, it showed that what one wears isn't important.
Ye Man's hair wasn't dry yet, the straw-like strands spread out; she held a brush in her hand, writing a prescription that turned into a poem. Careful not to mix up the herbs when dispensing, she rewrote it.
The Young Gentleman had studied for a year and recognized some characters; seeing the characters the Divine Doctor wrote, he thought it was amazing!
Madam Shui had watched her son practice calligraphy and roughly understood the Divine Doctor's capabilities. Looking at her hands again, sigh.
Before Madam Shui could finish sighing, she saw her take out a Silver Ingot.
Ye Man said to Madam Shui, "This donkey isn't about Silver, but this is its value."
Madam Shui gritted her teeth. This donkey was indeed worth about Five taels of silver; the Divine Doctor wouldn't return to the Prefecture City and then come back.
Madam Shui instructed her Eldest Son, "Go to the County Town, and while you're there, get a Market Voucher."
The Young Gentleman exclaimed excitedly, "Won't that cost three or five qian of silver?"
Ye Man took out a string of coins.
Madam Shui quickly tried to stuff them back, though she wasn't sure where to put them.
The girl came over to announce, "Time to eat."
Ye Man nodded; she was aiming for the food from the start, "I'll eat and then sleep. Wake me when the medicine is ready."
Madam Shui said, "I know how to boil medicine."
Ye Man took out the Bamboo Joint Ginseng and showed it to her, "You won't know how to handle this."
Madam Shui stepped back two paces, pointed at the Bamboo Joint Ginseng, and opened her mouth, speechless for a long time.
The Old Madam looked over, "This old medicine, I won't use it! You keep it."
The Young Gentleman's eyes widened too, "This Bamboo Joint Ginseng, isn't it over a hundred years old? It could sell for dozens of taels of silver, right?"
The Old Madam trembled; she was fine, how could she waste such a good thing?
Ye Man laughed, "Even if I gave all this to you, you couldn't handle it. Just use a little. I'm in charge of this matter."
The Old Madam was reluctant, "I—I don't have to eat it, right?"
Ye Man smiled, "It was gathered in the Mountain Area; meeting you is fate. Your illness is in your heart; you mustn't get agitated normally. In the future, live well and wait to hold your Great-grandson."
The wind blew her sparse, straw-like hair; this scene was purely wild.
Madam Shui recovered and paced around, "I don't have any good things either."
Ye Man acted like an Old Ancestor, "You have a filial heart. Don't worry about it."
Time to eat.
Madam Shui, having a filial heart, quickly came to serve the Old Ancestor.
The breakfast Millet porridge was thin, but there were Eggs. A plate of August beans was stir-fried.
Ye Man ignored everyone else, ate until she was seventy percent full, and climbed onto the bed to sleep.
She wouldn't have noticed if they were slaughtering chickens and sheep outside.
There were no sheep, but this household became completely busy.
Madam Shui was resolute; she killed three chickens. Since her Aunt survived the Great Calamity, these chickens were for them to eat, no need to invite others.
The Young Gentleman returned from the County Town riding the donkey, which was laden with large and small packages, but it wasn't overworked.
Madam Shui looked at the meat bought back; it was quite good. Although she went late, only in the County Town could one buy meat this good.
The girl looked at the white flour and got excited; today they could eat Meat Buns!
Madam Shui urged her to work, "You have Good Fortune coming."
The girl secretly asked her mother, "Grandmother will get better, right?"
Madam Shui nodded, definitely!
Auntie got better; having an elder in the house is a good thing.
The Old Madam wasn't doing anything else at this time, just sitting under the eaves, mending clothes.
If the Divine Doctor's clothes got torn, she carefully mended them well.
The clothes the Young Gentleman bought back, Madam Shui washed when she had a spare moment and hung them out.
The ones just bought, although ordinary, were much better than the old ones.
The Old Madam said, "Bought things are more expensive than homemade. Next time, get more cloth and make one or two new sets for the children to keep; they can wear them when going out, look more presentable."
Madam Shui nodded.
She didn't know how to weave cloth, but by working diligently in the mountains and at home, they could scrape together some money.
Like gathering herbs; even if they didn't find very good ones, the selling price wasn't high, but it was something.
There weren't many ordinary expenses; as long as they lived diligently.
A Village Woman came over, looking at Madam Shui in surprise, "What happened to your family? Killing chickens and buying so many things."
Another one called out from a distance, "I heard Qin Nan shouting this morning, what's wrong, sister-in-law?"
Madam Shui replied, "My Aunt fainted this morning, thankfully she's fine. Isn't this for getting medicine and killing a chicken to recuperate? When you get old, you have to be careful. It's Good Fortune."
The one from afar shouted again, "Your aunt and daughter-in-law are the best; it's right to kill a chicken to recuperate, especially since the Mid-Autumn Festival is coming."
Madam Shui smiled, "It's better to recuperate well before the autumn harvest than anything else."
The Village Woman chimed in, "Being sick costs money and wears a person out; eating a chicken is nothing."
Another came over to join the excitement, "Sister-in-law has such Good Fortune."
Someone laughed, "Da Lang is about to get married; wait until we hold the Great-grandson."
In the mountain village, the distances weren't that close.
Everyone was busy; a little gossip provided a moment of ease, then they returned to their own homes.
No one came to freeload food. Otherwise, if the Old Madam was sick, they would have to bring gifts to visit, which is another matter entirely regarding whether it's worth it.
Ye Man got up and saw that this place was truly like a poem.
Madam Shui came over with hot water to serve her, asking at the same time, "How is it?"
Ye Man had a slight headache; overall, it was okay.
She washed her face and casually tied up her hair.
Since she was wearing men's clothes, she tied her hair up on top of her head and put on a Headscarf.
For common folk, they would wrap this Headscarf directly around their head, with no other embellishments.
Whether it was a crown or a Dongpo scarf, those were things invented when people had leisure time.
Ye Man put on the Headscarf, covering the straw-like hair a bit. Her appearance became more presentable.