Hundreds of miles away, Lu Wenyao, the man everyone had been discussing, sat on his bed, holding a piece of paper in his hand but staring blankly out the window.
“Zhao Yingying, what are you trying to accomplish, exactly?” he muttered to himself with a bitter smile.
“Hmph… Don’t think that just by acting virtuous now I’ll decide against divorcing you once I return.”
Uncle Xie Dalang, had informed him that his family had successfully separated from the main household, but under terribly unjust circumstances.
The property they received was his great-grandfather’s old, dilapidated house, a structure decades old and in a state of extreme disrepair.
It was on a small plot of land of only about three rai, covered in weeds and isolated at the back of the village, with no nearby neighbors—only a mountain trail leading upward.
Still, there was one positive detail Xie Dalang had shared: the house had been repaired with a new tiled roof and was no longer the crumbling ruin it had once been.
According to Dalang, Zhao Ying hadn’t caused any further trouble; this news, however, was something he had only heard from Grandfather Xie and hadn’t witnessed firsthand.
A bitter smile crossed his face again.
He had anticipated hardship, thinking he’d have to scrape by with the meager seven taels his grandmother, Madam He, had reluctantly given him.
Despite her reluctance, she had managed to send him off with that small amount.
Fortunately, he was traveling with several friends from his academy, some of whom came from wealthy families.
To allow for group study sessions, one affluent friend had provided a carriage for them.
He also shared accommodation costs with other students of modest or even poor backgrounds like himself, enabling him to budget more carefully.
Looking down at the pouch of money he’d just received, he wondered how his parents had managed to come by such a sum, but he promised himself he’d spend it wisely.
He was determined to pass the examination this time and take good care of himself in the process.
“Father, Mother, I promise I’ll make the most of this money,” he whispered to himself, clenching the pouch tightly, his knuckles turning white with resolve.
Just then, a knock came at the door of his small lodging.
Knock, knock.
“Who could that be?”
Opening the door, he found two young men about his age dressed in the style of traveling martial artists, both carrying swords.
Sensing potential trouble, he tried to push the door shut, but one of the men quickly blocked it with his foot.
Time had flown by, and Zhao Ying had now been in this world for three full months.
In less than twenty days, her husband in name would be returning, and that might be the time they finally divorce—allowing her to be free.
Her relationship with her new family had continued to grow strong, and she was especially relieved that, in these three months, no one had come to bother them.
The distance from the main household was one reason, but perhaps even more so was that Madam He, her husband’s grandmother, had explicitly instructed everyone at the main family home to stay away, fearing they might come asking for money.
Zhao Ying couldn’t have asked for a better outcome.
Father Lu’s leg had now fully healed, and both he and Mother Lu appeared noticeably healthier.
Their previously sallow complexions were now vibrant and glowing with good health, with none of the former gauntness left, thanks to the nourishing herbs, three meals a day, and occasional afternoon naps.
The most noticeable change, however, was in Lu Wenyuan, or little Xiao Bao.
No longer was he the scrawny, sickly child with yellowish skin and dry, reddish hair.
Instead, he had become a rosy-cheeked, bright-eyed boy with a healthy complexion and a head of thick, dark hair, truly embodying the charm of a child everyone would adore.
As for Zhao Ying herself, her weight had decreased significantly.
Gone was her once-round, chubby face; although she still retained some fullness, her health had improved remarkably.
She could now work hard without quickly tiring or feeling out of breath.
With her slimmed-down face, her former unattractive features and small eyes had transformed.
Her features were now well-defined, with dark, sparkling eyes that could melt anyone’s heart.
Her face was slim with a pair of delicately shaped, full lips in a striking shade of red, resembling a ripe cherry.
Her nose, which once had looked like a pig’s snout when her cheeks were fuller, now added a touch of grace to her refined appearance.
Her once blemished skin was now smooth and flawless, leaving her with a beauty capable of captivating an entire town.
Zhao Ying’s transformation was so impressive that even Madam Zhang would never have believed this was the same Zhao Ying if she hadn’t witnessed it herself.
Behind their home, the garden had been carefully divided into two sections, with a rectangular fishpond in the center, fed by a narrow channel from the nearby river.
On the smaller side of the garden, a variety of vegetables were flourishing and ready for harvest at any time, including cabbage, radishes, cucumbers, mustard greens, spring onions, cilantro, garlic, eggplants, and tomatoes.
These vegetables were grown from seeds provided by the Cui Zhu Clinic, which had also supplied herb seeds.
The other half of the garden was dedicated to herbs, with a wide range successfully cultivated, including Bohe nao (menthol), Zhang nao (camphor), Pingpian (borneol), Shichangpu, Huoxiang, Ai Ye (mugwort), and gouqi berries (goji berries).
Normally, it would have taken much longer for the herbs to reach harvest stage, but Zhao Ying had supplemented the garden with herbs from the small plot inside the mystical dimension she accessed, allowing for a faster harvest than usual.
The house was now surrounded by a sturdy fence, and the entrance gate to the courtyard had been reinforced, making it secure and durable.
Father Lu prioritized the family’s safety, especially since it was mainly women and a young child living there.
The medicinal herbs Zhao Ying had cultivated were valuable, and though not as abundantly planted as corn or soybeans, their yield brought in much greater returns.
Zhao Ying frequently ventured into the forest to gather wild herbs and occasionally trapped small animals, which could be sold at the town market.
During this time, Father Lu was responsible for delivering herbs and wild goods to Manager Liu and Master Fang at the Cui Zhu Clinic, which helped him establish a close relationship with them.
Meanwhile, Zhao Ying herself visited the town roughly every ten days to sell medicinal herbs and occasionally offered guidance on herbal applications and medicinal recipes.
Master Fang did not receive these formulas for free.
After verifying their effectiveness, he generously compensated Zhao Ying.
For just the five medicinal formulas she had shared, she received a total of eight thousand taels.
This high reward was due to the scarcity of effective treatments for these five conditions in this era.
The formulas included treatments for diabetes, cataracts, pneumonia, tuberculosis, and syphilis—referred to in these times as a “secret illness” that most people were reluctant to acknowledge publicly, let alone seek treatment for.
The financial return from these rare treatments was considerable, with Zhao Ying receiving continued payments as a show of gratitude from wealthy patients.
Many patients, discreetly seeking help for these ailments, had anonymously sent her money in thanks, as Zhao Ying had chosen not to meet with them directly to avoid complications.
From this, Zhao Ying learned that the Cui Zhu Clinic had multiple branches across nearly every province, making her formulas incredibly profitable.
Even though the share she received was likely less than one-tenth of the total revenue, Zhao Ying was satisfied, as she had merely shared knowledge from her studies and resources.
The earnings from these medical treatments were given personally to Zhao Ying, while the payments for herbs were given to anyone who brought them to the clinic, based on market value.
Zhao Ying was very pleased with Master Fang’s way of handling matters.
Her intention in cultivating medicinal herbs was to establish a stable source of income for the Lu family, ensuring they would no longer face financial hardship.
As for herself, Zhao Ying had no worries at all and was more than capable of sustaining herself independently.
Father Lu had also proven to be highly adept at tending the herb fields, making the whole operation even smoother.
Another source of happiness was the surprising discovery that the supplies within Zhao Ying’s dimensional cabin would replenish themselves each day, resetting at the start of every new day.
Furthermore, the boundary area within the dimension had expanded by an additional two to three meters beyond its original barrier.
Zhao Ying believed this expansion might be connected to her efforts in healing people, as if aiding others somehow increased the available space.
For someone from a different era like her, this cabin was truly the ultimate survival asset, an invaluable tool for thriving in this new life.
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Bohe nao(薄荷脑) : Menthol – Provides a cooling sensation and is often used to relieve nasal congestion and as a mild topical analgesic.
Zhang nao (樟脑): Camphor – Known for its strong, cooling aroma, camphor is commonly used to relieve pain and inflammation, especially in traditional liniments.
Bingpian (冰片): Borneol – This herb falls under the category of “orifice-opening herbs” with a refreshing aroma.
It is believed to affect the heart, spleen, and lung meridians, aiding in clearing the senses.
Shichangpu (石菖蒲) : Also an orifice-opening herb, with a warming property, often associated with the heart and stomach meridians.
Shichangpu has a fragrant aroma and is used to clear obstructions in these pathways.
Huoxiang (藿香): Known as “Patchouli,” it has a spicy and warm profile, acting on the lung, spleen, and stomach meridians.
The essential oil in Huoxiang helps eliminate toxins and dampness, often used for digestive issues.
Ai Cao (艾草) or Ai Ye (艾叶): From the mugwort family, Aiye is widely used in Chinese medicine.
It has a warm nature, which helps to remove coldness and dampness from the meridians.
Its strong scent can unblock pathways, promoting smooth circulation of blood and energy.
Gouqi zi (枸杞子): Goji Berries or Wolfberry – Known for nourishing the body, particularly supporting vision and liver health, and providing antioxidants.