Yan Du still lay down—returning to his own courtyard, where Nan Xun went in to help apply the medicine.
At first, Yan Du was uncooperative. The young general opened his mouth with “just a minor flesh wound,” but upon hearing the medicine was personally prepared by her, he changed his tune. Without even letting the military physician examine him closely, he allowed Nan Xun to apply it.
San Qi was rendered speechless by his trust.
She suddenly wanted to remind Young General Yan that people’s hearts are hidden behind their bellies, and it’s best not to trust others lightly.
But then it occurred to her—as a “living dead” person who had been exploited to the bone by so-called family—she probably didn’t have the right to remind others.
Yan Du had achieved illustrious military feats at such a young age; how could he be foolish?
So… why did he trust her?
Lost in thought, Nan Xun came out and invited San Qi inside, praising effusively: “Commandery Princess, your medicine is truly miraculous! Our general’s butt was gushing blood, but as soon as your medicine was sprinkled on, the bleeding stopped immediately…”
“Nan—Xun!” The young general’s slightly cool voice came from behind the screen, faintly tinged with gritted teeth.
Nan Xun chuckled, closed his mouth, and gestured for San Qi to enter.
After San Qi went in, she saw Yan Du already dressed neatly. However, since the matter of the caning had been exposed, he no longer concealed it, lying on his side on the couch.
In a crimson robe and black cloak, with a jade belt and golden crown, he resembled cold jade nestled within raging flames. Gone was the unapproachable aura of his armored military bearing; instead, it reminded one of his other identity—the Empress’s nephew, the prized son of Huguo Yan Shi, a genuine noble of royal lineage.
The young general was truly handsome, but San Qi didn’t pay much attention to his face. She hadn’t even noticed anything unusual about Yan Du’s attire.
Not receiving any reaction from her, Yan Du pursed his thin lips slightly. After a moment, he said, “There are many intricacies to palace canings. My injuries may look frightening, but in reality, they only slightly damaged the flesh without harming the bones or tendons. A few days of rest will suffice.”
San Qi nodded but disagreed.
In the past, Liu Shi had beaten her with a rattan cane, causing only flesh wounds, but it was very painful—nothing as trivial as Yan Du made it sound.
Yan Du had been observing her expression all along and added, “I have received too much favor and glory. Since my triumphant return, there has been considerable controversy in the court regarding my rewards.”
“This situation is just fine as it is,” he said, looking at San Qi. “I’m simply going with the flow.”
“I don’t understand court matters,” San Qi said. “But there’s no doubt that you helped me, Young General.”
As she spoke, she nodded earnestly at him. “Thank you!”
Yan Du fell silent.
The two stared blankly at each other.
A moment later, they spoke simultaneously.
“You can just call me Yan Du.”
“Young General, we have no connection. Why did you help me?”
San Qi didn’t know what she had said wrong, but she felt as if the temperature around the young general opposite her had completely dropped, like a blazing fire doused by a bucket of cold water.
Unable to understand, San Qi could only continue, “I will remember Young General’s kindness and will surely repay it in the future. However, staying at the general’s residence all the time isn’t appropriate…”
Yan Du suddenly interrupted her, “You don’t like the general’s residence?”
San Qi paused, shook her head, and was about to speak.
Yan Du: “I don’t see anything wrong with it.”
San Qi looked at him, puzzled.
Yan Du pursed his lips slightly, averted his gaze, and said with feigned nonchalance, “His Majesty has bestowed a residence upon you, Commandery Princess, but it requires renovation. It will take some time for the Neizao Si to prepare it, so please stay at the general’s residence for now.”
“This matter has also received His Majesty’s approval.”
San Qi: The Emperor even concerns himself with such trivial matters?
She was about to say more, but judging by Yan Du’s expression, it seemed he didn’t want her to stay at the moment?
Unsure how she had offended him, San Qi didn’t linger to be a nuisance. Bearing her unresolved doubts, she took her leave.
After she left, Yan Du closed his eyes and took several deep breaths before summoning Nan Xun inside.
“Help me change clothes.”
Nan Xun: “Huh? General, didn’t you just change into this red outfit? I had to rummage through chests to find it…”
Yan Du cut him off: “Gaudy!”
Nan Xun: But you were the one who said wearing red would make you look healthier! Now it’s gaudy?
“There’s one more thing I need you to handle,” Yan Du said. “Go buy a residence, one adjacent to our estate.”
Nan Xun: “…”
You’re making things difficult for me, my young general!
All the mansions and estates around our General’s Residence belong to officials of the third rank or higher! If you want a house near our gate, you should go to the palace, throw a tantrum before His Majesty, and request an edict to confiscate one!
Three days passed in the blink of an eye.
San Qi prepared to go out. In truth, she hadn’t stayed indoors much these past few days, but this was her first official outing.
Yan Du had someone deliver all the imperial rewards to her—treasures worth thousands in gold, yet none of these items could be exchanged for money!
San Qi knew these rewards were secured by Yan Du’s efforts, and she had no intention of keeping them; they felt like hot potatoes.
Moreover, holding onto them served no purpose other than looking pretty.
Since she was temporarily staying at the General’s Residence, she couldn’t just freeload and ask for money, could she?
Besides, if she didn’t go out, how would certain people get the chance to see her?
Nan Xun escorted her on horseback to the city’s largest medical hall: Baochun Tang.
The attendant at the entrance brightened at the sight of her and shouted as he ran inside: “Shopkeeper! Miss Meng is here!!”
Nan Xun was puzzled. Meng? Isn’t Commandery Princess Minghua surnamed Yu?
San Qi offered no explanation. In the past, when she was short on funds, she had come to Baochun Tang to sell medicine. At that time, she used an alias, adopting the surname of Granny Meng, who had taken her in back in Huangquan Cun.
The shopkeeper of Baochun Tang, surnamed Zhou, rushed out from the back hall to personally welcome her upon hearing San Qi had arrived.
“Miss Meng, you’ve had this old man searching for you high and low!!” Shopkeeper Zhou invited her upstairs, personally poured tea for San Qi, his enthusiasm astonishing even Nan Xun.
San Qi didn’t stand on ceremony with Shopkeeper Zhou. She took out a bottle of medicine and pushed it toward him.
Shopkeeper Zhou held his breath, carefully accepted it, poured out a pill to sniff it meticulously, then cautiously scraped off a bit of powder to taste. He trembled with excitement.
This was the medicine!
Last time, it was thanks to this Chang’an Pill that he received a great reward. The elderly matriarch of his household had a chronic cough; after taking this Chang’an Pill, she didn’t cough for a full month.
Shopkeeper Zhou had originally bought six bottles from San Qi, only a six-month supply. Unfortunately, San Qi never appeared again after that, leaving Shopkeeper Zhou lamenting for a long time.
“Miss Meng! I’ll take these Chang’an Pills! Ten taels of gold per bottle—however many you have, I’ll take them all!”
Beside them, Nan Xun’s eyes nearly popped out of his head!
How much?!
What kind of medicine is the Commandery Princess selling?! Ten taels of gold per bottle?! Wait, this medicine looks strangely familiar. Didn’t he recall that the medicinal powder the young general applied to his buttocks yesterday was ground from these very pills?
Doesn’t that mean the young general had ten taels of gold smeared on his backside? Oh, no—at least thirty taels!
What a precious backside!
San Qi, however, shook her head. “I don’t have any more. I’m only selling one bottle this time.”
Upon hearing this, Shopkeeper Zhou grew anxious. One bottle was nowhere near enough! One bottle contained only thirty pills, which would last a month at most!
He assumed San Qi was displeased with his previous attempt to lower the price. “This old man was blind and failed to recognize true talent. Please don’t hold it against me, Miss Meng. How about this—I’ll make up for the previous payment and pay you for this medicine as well…” He gritted his teeth. “I’ll double it. Twenty taels. What do you think?”
Nan Xun, standing nearby, was stunned. He started counting on his fingers—how much was his salary again?
Oh, never mind. His salary wasn’t even worth a mole on the young general’s backside.
San Qi replied calmly, “Ten taels will do. From now on, I’ll come every ten days. If you agree, Shopkeeper Zhou, we have a deal. If you find it difficult, I won’t trouble you further.”
How could Shopkeeper Zhou dare to disagree? He was terrified San Qi would leave.
He sighed and pleaded desperately, “Miss Meng, can’t you really spare any more?”
“This medicine is taxing to make, both mentally and physically. If I weren’t short on money, I wouldn’t sell it,” San Qi said truthfully. Shopkeeper Zhou had nothing more to say.
Of course, he knew this medicine was extraordinary. To put it bluntly, he had even asked others to study the pills. They could identify a few ingredients, but nothing beyond that.
He had heard that the elderly madam of the household had even summoned a royal physician to examine it, but they still couldn’t figure it out completely.
Shopkeeper Zhou carefully stored the medicine but took out a hundred taels of gold. San Qi only accepted ten taels. “Payment settled.”
As for the additional payment Shopkeeper Zhou offered to make up for the previous transaction, San Qi didn’t take it. It wasn’t that she didn’t want it.
But since the previous deal was mutually agreed upon and the karma was settled, taking extra now would create unnecessary complications.
Shopkeeper Zhou was deeply disappointed. He wasn’t afraid of her taking more—he was afraid she wouldn’t take anything at all!
“Oh, right,” San Qi paused before leaving and said to Shopkeeper Zhou, “You may sell this medicine to anyone, except for two families.”
Shopkeeper Zhou thought to himself, This medicine is so precious—even our own elderly madam doesn’t have enough. Why would I sell it to others?
Still, he asked, just to avoid any future misunderstandings.
“May I ask, Miss Meng, which two families?”
“The Yu Family of the Ministry of Rites… oh, it should be called the Yu Registrar now. And lastly…” San Qi curled her lips. “Boyuan Houfu.”