Shen Li hiked up the mountain path, one steady step at a time, organizing her chaotic thoughts.
Little Li had betrayed the Organization. She had suspected it for a while, which was why she’d helped the Western Medicine Department transfer their research results early. But she never imagined Little Li would be willing to die for that money—and take her down with him.
She found a flat rock halfway up the slope and sat down. From here, she could look down over the entire village. It was a small settlement, maybe a few dozen households. The sun had only recently climbed over the horizon; she estimated it was around seven or eight in the morning.
Shen Li scanned her surroundings. She leaned down, rubbing a pinch of soil between her fingertips. The vegetation was lush, and the earth felt rich. Based on her years of experience, a mountain like this was bound to hide rare medicinal herbs.
A faint smile touched her lips. Even in a world like this, she could still make a brilliant life for herself.
She stood and began a meticulous search. It didn’t take long before she unearthed a century-old wild ginseng root. She brushed the dirt from its delicate fibers and tucked it securely into her sleeve. After gathering a few other common herbs, she took a different trail back down.
Suddenly, a dilapidated courtyard nestled at the foot of a slope caught her eye. What truly drew her in was the walnut tree standing in the yard. It was late summer—August or September—and the tree was heavy with fruit.
She quickened her pace and soon reached the gate. The old, rickety doors were held shut by a simple piece of twine. She peered over the fence made of woven branches.
The thatched huts inside were in shambles. In one of them, the sunlight streamed directly through holes in the roof. Aside from a gnarled, crooked walnut tree, the courtyard held an old stone well.
Parched, Shen Li hopped over the wall and approached the well. Luckily, a bucket was still attached to the windlass. As she hauled up a bucket of water, the shimmering surface reflected her face—pale, thin, and sharp.
She cupped some water in her hands and took a drink. She was stunned by the sweetness. Such pure, delicious well water was a rarity in the modern world. It reminded her of the samples she’d collected from “Longevity Villages” during her research projects.
She picked up a green-skinned walnut from the ground, rubbing it thoughtfully. This place is a hidden gem.
A plan began to form. If she could buy this property, she’d finally have a place to call her own. But first, I need to sell that ginseng.
She checked the root in her sleeve and headed toward the base of the mountain. Near the trailhead, an old man sat on a large boulder, wiping sweat from his brow. He wore simple hemp clothes and carried a basket of herbs on his back. Looking at his snowy white beard, an image of a certain little old man who used to sneak drinks of rice wine flashed through her mind.
Master… Shen Li smiled softly.
“Old sir, have you been up the mountain gathering herbs?” she asked, her voice light as she walked over.
The old man started, turning to see a young girl in tattered hemp rags. “I have, young lady. Did you just come down from the mountain as well?”
The kindness in his eyes reminded her so much of her Master that her usual icy demeanor thawed. She sat down beside him with a small, genuine smile.
“Yes,” she replied.
“Gathering herbs, were you?”
“I was. I found something quite good.” Shen Li nodded and carefully pulled the ginseng from her sleeve.
The old man’s eyes went wide. He stared at her, then the root, his voice trembling with disbelief. “You gathered this yourself?”
“I did.”
“Young lady, would you be willing to sell this?” He stared at the ginseng as if terrified she might tuck it back into her sleeve and vanish.
“I would,” Shen Li agreed. “Do you buy such things?”
The old man nodded vigorously. “Yes, yes! Absolutely! This is a treasure. I run a medical clinic in town—I’d be a fool not to buy it!” He fumbled frantically for the money bag at his waist, but his expression fell as he peered inside. He looked at her apologetically. “I… I didn’t bring enough silver with me. This is…”
Shen Li glanced at the bag. “It’s fine. Tell me, how much would you offer for it?”
The old man grew solemn. He thought for a long moment, then gritted his teeth. “One hundred taels!”
Shen Li remained silent, appearing to weigh the offer.
“Young lady, please,” the old man added quickly. “If that isn’t enough, tell me your price.”
Shen Li’s lips curled upward. “One hundred taels is fair.” This man clearly wasn’t ordinary; she didn’t mind having him owe her a favor.
The old man hurriedly handed over a large pouch. “Here! There are twenty taels of silver and several strings of copper coins in here. Consider it a deposit! Follow me to the Anji Pharmacy in town, and I’ll give you the rest immediately!”
As they walked together toward the village to hire an ox-cart, the locals were heading out to the fields. Men, women, and children all stopped to stare at Shen Li. No matter how thick-skinned she was, the bizarre, judgmental looks from every passerby were becoming unbearable. Even the old doctor beside her was beginning to feel the tension.
Finally, she stopped a middle-aged woman. “Excuse me, why is everyone looking at me like that?”
The woman jumped, her eyes bulging. “Second Son’s wife? Why… why are you acting so different today?”
Using the interrogation skills she’d perfected in the Organization, Shen Li easily extracted the information she needed. Through “casual” chat, the woman described the “original” Shen Li.
She had been bought by Madam Cao for a single silver tael. Upon arrival, the original Shen Li had discovered that her husband, Xiao Erlang, was dirt poor, a cripple, and a mute. In her resentment, she had spent her days brutally mistreating him and his younger brother, Xiao Sanlang.
Madam Cao, wishing for her second son to die as quickly as possible, had turned a blind eye to the abuse. She had starved the brothers, giving them only two hard, moldy wild-vegetable buns a day—and even those rarely made it into the brothers’ hands.
As the woman spoke, memories of all the cruel things the original owner had done began to flood Shen Li’s mind.