“Your Royal Highness, Min’er has admired you for such a long time. Being fortunate enough to accompany you on this journey truly feels like a blessing earned over three lifetimes.”
Li Ximin was so excited inside that her heart nearly trembled with joy. Her father had spent an enormous amount of money and pulled countless strings through the Governor of Qingzhou just to secure her a chance to get close to Prince Wei, Zhao An. After so much effort, she had finally succeeded in appearing before him.
What made her even prouder was the fact that she had caught the prince’s attention the very first time he saw her.
It proved that her father’s decision to gamble away half of the family fortune on her future was absolutely worth it. Ever since she was young, she had known she was destined for good fortune. How could she possibly compare to that pitiful little wretch who had ended up marrying some poor farmer in a backwater village?
Zhao An gently stroked her silky black hair, a faint smile lingering on his lips.
“To have a beauty like my Min’er by this prince’s side is naturally a delightful thing as well.”
In truth, he simply found her entertaining. She was attractive, obedient, and knew how to flatter him. Saying a few sweet words to keep her happy cost him nothing at all.
As for Wang Zhen’er, who was currently on her way to Qingzhou in a bridal sedan, Zhao An remained completely unconcerned. In his mind, once she arrived, the two women would naturally learn to coexist beneath the same roof.
As the seventh lunar month approached, the summer heat became increasingly oppressive and dry.
The escort agency happened to have no assignments that day, and dark storm clouds had already begun gathering in the distance. Seeing that heavy rain was likely on the way, the agency master generously gave everyone the day off.
Since the household’s firewood supply was running low, Zhu Qingshan decided to head into the mountains to gather more wood before the rainstorm arrived.
Li Xiyue had been bored staying at home all morning, so the moment she heard he was going into the mountains, she immediately asked to tag along. Since the valley he planned to visit was relatively safe and free from dangerous cliffs or wild beasts, Zhu Qingshan agreed without hesitation.
“Brother, Sister Li, make sure you come back early so we can eat lunch together!” Zhu Qinghe called from the courtyard.
She had no intention of interrupting the young couple’s time alone and chose to stay behind to watch the house instead.
“We will!” Li Xiyue waved cheerfully. “I’ll bring back some fresh wild vegetables for lunch.”
Honestly, she did not find the weather particularly unbearable.
Compared to the brutally hot summers of the twenty-first century, where the greenhouse effect made everything feel suffocating, the climate here was actually quite pleasant. The mountain air felt fresh and cool.
Watching her skip happily along the dirt path like an excited little bird, Zhu Qingshan silently thought that perhaps he should bring her out more often in the future.
The Baitou Mountain Range stretched endlessly across the horizon, its towering peaks capped year-round in white snow. That eternal blanket of snow was precisely how the mountain had earned its name, “White Head Mountain.”
The Zhu family village rested against one of the western ridges, several miles away from the main snowy peak.
Today, the couple ventured much deeper into the mountains than before. The nearby hills had long since been stripped clean of fallen branches by the villagers.
Dense forest surrounded them on all sides, lush and vibrant with life. Sunlight filtered through the thick canopy overhead, scattering warm patches of light across the forest floor and driving away the gloomy atmosphere usually found in deep woods.
“I’ll stay here and chop these branches,” Zhu Qingshan said as he set down his carrying pole. “Don’t wander too far away, and be careful not to lose your way.”
“Got it!”
Li Xiyue instinctively flashed an “OK” hand sign before quickly lowering her hand again after remembering he would have no idea what it meant.
At this time of year, there were not many edible wild vegetables available in the mountains.
Broomcypress, amaranth, lamb’s quarters, those were the most common varieties she found. She carefully picked only the tender shoots and gathered a few edible mushrooms she recognized to use for soup later.
Before she realized it, she had wandered much farther away from the clearing, until the thick trees completely blocked Zhu Qingshan from sight.
Just as she was about to turn back, her gaze suddenly landed on a peculiar plant growing low to the ground. Tiny red berries clustered around its stem, and the shape of the leaves looked strangely familiar.
No matter what it is, I should dig it up first and check later, she thought excitedly.
If this really turns out to be wild ginseng, I’ll strike it rich. Even if it’s useless, I lose nothing.
Using the small sickle in her hand, she carefully brushed aside the damp layer of decaying leaves covering the ground. A pale section of root slowly emerged beneath the soil.
Li Xiyue immediately knelt down and began digging carefully.
A few minutes later, her eyes widened in shock and delight.
It really was wild ginseng.
She instantly became even more cautious, afraid of damaging the precious root. Nearly fifteen minutes passed before she finally managed to excavate the entire plant intact.
Although she was no expert in medicinal herbs, judging by the thickness and branching of the root, this ginseng had likely grown here undisturbed for at least thirty or forty years.
“Li Xiyue! Where did you run off to?”
Zhu Qingshan’s deep voice echoed through the forest.
“I’m over here! I’m coming back now!”
The moment she heard him, Li Xiyue suddenly remembered the medicinal fields inside her pocket dimension.
An idea immediately struck her.
Why not plant the ginseng there and see whether it could continue growing?
With a flick of her wrist, the precious herb disappeared into her space.
By the time she returned to the clearing, Zhu Qingshan had already bundled together a massive load of firewood.
“You shouldn’t wander off by yourself like that,” he said, gently brushing a leaf from her shoulder. “There may not be any large predators around here, but there are still venomous snakes and insects hiding in the brush.”
Li Xiyue obediently nodded and gave him a sweet smile.
When they finally left the forest, the sun had not yet reached its peak. Along the road back to the village, they encountered many villagers returning home from the fields for lunch.
“Oh ho, Qingshan even brought his new wife along to gather firewood!” an elderly villager laughed warmly.
“The two of you are so affectionate. So when are you planning to give the village a big chubby baby boy?” Uncle Dabao teased from nearby.
The couple simply smiled politely and exchanged greetings as they continued home.
By the time they arrived at the courtyard, Zhu Qinghe had already prepared lunch.
Using the excuse that she needed to visit the latrine, Li Xiyue hurried into the small wooden outhouse and immediately entered her pocket dimension.
To her delight, the wild ginseng remained fresh and full of vitality.
She quickly dug a small hole in the medicinal field, planted the ginseng root inside, and poured spiritual spring water over it.
The effect was immediate.
Right before her eyes, the slightly wilted leaves straightened and expanded, turning a rich emerald green at a speed visible to the naked eye.
After the recent upgrade, her pocket dimension truly had gained the ability to cultivate living plants.
Li Xiyue nearly grinned from ear to ear.
From now on, there would be no herb in existence that she could not grow herself.
Rattle, rattle.
The latch outside shook violently.
“Is someone in there?” Zhu Qinghe called anxiously while clutching her stomach. “Why isn’t there any sound?”
“Ah, yes! I’m coming out right now!”
Li Xiyue hurriedly withdrew her consciousness from the space and flung open the door.
“Oh, Sister Li, you were really inside!” Zhu Qinghe exclaimed as she rushed past her. “I thought the door had jammed because of the humidity.”
“My stomach suddenly hurt a little, so I didn’t hear you knocking,” Li Xiyue said quickly. “Hurry in.”
Stepping back outside, she let out a helpless sigh.
Sneaking into her pocket dimension really was inconvenient sometimes.
That night, after an intense and lingering moment of intimacy between husband and wife, Li Xiyue lay awake beneath the quilt, tossing restlessly from side to side.
Noticing her constant movement, Zhu Qingshan wrapped a strong arm around her waist and pulled her back against his chest.
“What’s troubling you?” he murmured softly against her hair.
“Zhu Qingshan…” Li Xiyue whispered, resting her hand against his chest as she listened to the steady beat of his heart. “Can I really trust you completely?”