On this day, far away in the Tianshan Mountains, Old Doctor Cui Chengyin inexplicably sneezed several times in a row. He thought it was because he hadn’t dressed warmly enough. The mountainside of Tianshan was already covered with snow, and it was indeed a bit chilly.
The snow lotuses here were about to bloom. Only when picked during their flowering period would their medicinal properties be at their best. Thinking about the medicinal herbs he had collected over the past year or so, Doctor Cui felt quite accomplished. After storing the snow lotuses from this area, he still needed to rush to Yunnan to gather Dengzhan and Shihu. With these, the medicinal herbs for this winter should be sufficient. Once he returned, the ginseng in the back mountain could be used as needed. He felt that his method of transplanting them back then was truly brilliant!
…
The next day, Ye Ningxin excitedly brought the ginseng to Boss Qian’s clinic to sell it. Boss Qian was astonished, exclaiming that he had never seen such high-quality ginseng in all his years of running the clinic.
He eagerly asked Ye Ningxin where she had obtained it, but of course, she couldn’t tell the truth. Using the Prince’s name as a cover, she brushed off the question with a few vague words.
In the end, Boss Qian made a decision and directly offered 200 taels of silver.
Then, he mysteriously said to Ye Ningxin, “Normally, my small clinic wouldn’t offer such a high price, but it just so happens that the prefect of our Qingzhou Prefecture has posted a notice seeking to purchase a batch of high-quality ginseng. With this one of ours, as long as we submit it, it’s sure to take the top spot. When the prefect is pleased, there might even be a generous reward.”
At first, Ye Ningxin was quite happy to sell it for such a high price, but after hearing Boss Qian’s explanation, she instantly felt displeased.
If she had known about this channel earlier, she would have taken it directly to sell it herself. Now, the middleman had taken a cut of the profit.
However, Boss Qian wasn’t too greedy. The 200 taels of silver had already exceeded her expectations. With this money, she could repair the house and improve their living conditions.
After several interactions, Boss Qian realized that Ye Ningxin was truly a treasure. Not only did she have unique insights into medicine, but she was also well-versed in many emergency treatment methods. Thus, Boss Qian proposed that Ye Ningxin come to the clinic to help as a resident doctor.
But Ye Ningxin had no interest in this.
In her previous life, she had worked diligently, treating illnesses and saving lives. Although she had saved many people, she had also witnessed too much life and death and separation.
Now, her most skilled surgical treatment methods were no longer functional. This was not her domain, and she didn’t want to walk the same path as before. However, with her connection to Boss Qian, she had come up with a new plan to make money.
When lunchtime arrived, Boss Qian and his wife invited her to stay for a meal. Ye Ningxin didn’t decline this time and even joined Madam Qian in the kitchen to show off her culinary skills.
When a plate of assorted tofu and a bowl of sauerkraut fish were served, the couple gained a new appreciation for Ye Ningxin.
After taking a bite of the sauerkraut fish, Boss Qian couldn’t stop praising her: “Miss Ye, your cooking skills are truly unmatched in all of Zhiyang County. Who taught you?”
Ye Ningxin replied, “Oh, not at all. The Prince at home is quite picky with food, so I had no choice but to teach myself.”
Boss Qian said, “Miss Ye, your parents really overlooked your talents. With your genuine skills and knowledge, how could no one have come to propose marriage after you came of age? Otherwise, you wouldn’t have… Oh!”
Before he could finish, Shopkeeper Qian’s wife beside him gave him a sharp kick.
The locals all knew that when the Prince first arrived, he had no attendants and was blind. Wanting to marry was simply about buying a servant to take care of him.
At that time, there were even rumors that this lord had committed a serious crime and would be executed sooner or later. Wouldn’t marrying him mean following him to the underworld?
Only heartless parents would be willing to send their daughter over!
Shopkeeper Qian, caught off guard, spoke his mind, and his wife gritted her teeth in frustration.
But Ye Ningxin didn’t care about this.
Besides, her Prince was both handsome and dignified in character. He didn’t burden her with so many formalities and rituals, and she actually felt quite content with her current life.
Shopkeeper Qian’s wife quickly changed the subject, sharing some intimate women’s talk with Ye Ningxin. As for these matters, Ye Ningxin had even less to say, so she excused herself hastily, citing concern about leaving the Prince alone at home.
Lunch had already been prepared for the Prince at home, so Ye Ningxin wasn’t in a hurry to return. She wanted to stroll around a bit more and buy some snacks or trinkets.
As she walked, she suddenly felt something tugging at her from behind.
Looking down, she saw a small, grimy hand clutching the hem of her skirt.
The child’s face was as dirty as a ghost’s scribble, making it impossible to discern his features. His thin arms and legs clearly indicated malnutrition, and the clothes he wore—if they could even be called clothes—were mere tattered strips of fabric, their original material unrecognizable.
Although this dynasty didn’t seem to exist in history, based on Ye Ningxin’s observations, the locals lived relatively stable lives, and beggars were rarely encountered.
The little boy seemed to sense Ye Ningxin’s soft heart and clung tightly to her skirt, staring at her without blinking.
“Ah, judging people by their appearance!” Ye Ningxin finally relented.
She bought ten meat buns from a steamed bun shop and squatted down with the child, watching him eat slowly.
The child seemed truly famished, devouring two buns in a few bites and finishing them all in no time.
Seeing that he was almost full, Ye Ningxin asked, “Child, what’s your name? Where do you live?”
Instead of answering, the child asked in return, “Is this Zhiyang County?”
Ye Ningxin: “Yes, are you from out of town?”
Child: “Mm!”
Ye Ningxin: “Are you here to seek out relatives? Where do they live?”
Child: “I don’t know!”
Ye Ningxin: “What about your parents? Did you come alone?”
Child: “They’re all dead.”
…
Ye Ningxin didn’t know how to continue asking.
Having been an orphan herself since childhood, Ye Ningxin always felt deep sympathy for children like this.
She had no idea what kind of relatives he was trying to find. If they were the type to despise the poor and favor the rich, given the child’s current state, they might not take him in. But if they were kind elders, they would surely worry if they couldn’t find him.
Ye Ningxin wanted to help him but didn’t know where to start.
Setting other matters aside for the moment, she took the child to a clothing shop and bought him two decent sets of clothes to change into. She also borrowed a basin from the shopkeeper to wash the child’s face.
He was a rather delicate-looking child, appearing to be only eleven or twelve years old.
“Do you at least know your relatives’ surname?” Ye Ningxin wanted to continue helping him.
“N-no… I don’t know,” the child stammered in reply.
Seems he doesn’t want to say. After giving the child a string of coins, Ye Ningxin decided not to concern herself with this matter anymore.
When she finished buying groceries, hired a carriage, and was about to head back, she noticed a little tail following her.
The child from earlier had been trailing her, and she hadn’t even noticed.
“Hey, kid, why are you following me?”
Seeing that he was exposed, the child stopped hiding and walked up to Ye Ningxin. “Sister, I saw you bought a lot of things, so you must be from a wealthy family, right? I’m very clever and can do anything. Does your household need a servant? I don’t need wages, just a bite to eat is enough.”
“My family is very poor, we can’t afford a servant, and besides, there’s no place for you to stay,” Ye Ningxin told the truth.
“I eat very little, and I can sleep in the woodshed or even in the yard. I really can work hard. Don’t look at how skinny I am, I’m very strong…”
“Stop!” Ye Ningxin cut off the child’s enthusiastic self-promotion.
Ye Ningxin: “Did you run away from home secretly?”
Child: “No!”
Ye Ningxin: “Is there anyone waiting for you to go home?”
Child: “No.” As he spoke, he lowered his head, looking as if he was about to cry.
It didn’t seem like an act, so Ye Ningxin patted the edge of the carriage. “Get in!”
The child cheered, propped himself up on the carriage edge, and jumped right in.