Li Yao called Wang Er aside, away from the others.
“Mother, I was wrong,” Wang Er said, immediately admitting his mistake. “I shouldn’t have struck Young Uncle.”
“No, you weren’t wrong. You did well.”
What? Wang Er looked up in disbelief. He knew his Young Uncle had the potential to pass the imperial examinations and become a magistrate; his mother had always lavished praise upon him. In the past, even the slightest word of complaint against his uncle would have earned him a harsh, long-winded scolding. Yet today, after he had physically struck his uncle, his mother was actually telling him he hadn’t done anything wrong? She even said he did well?
“Wang Er, I will only say this once, so listen closely,” Li Yao said, her expression serious. “There is no inherent hierarchy between people. As long as you walk straight and act with integrity, you have no reason to lower your head to anyone. When you face setbacks, you must have an unyielding heart; when you are oppressed, you must have the will to resist. If you ever hold office in the future, remember this: do not commit evil, do not flatter the powerful, do not spread slander. Keep the people in your heart and the world in your mind. Be clean in your conduct and upright in your deeds.”
Wang Er was stunned. Mother… when did she become so profound? Is this even the same woman who raised me? Her words resonated with such truth that he couldn’t help but clench his fists.
“Mother, I have remembered every word.”
“Well said! Truly marvelous!” a raspy, aged voice interrupted.
Li Yao turned to see an old man with hair and a beard as white as snow. He leaned toward the pot, took a sniff, and immediately frowned. “But you are also very unreasonable.”
“Old sir, in what way am I being unreasonable?”
“You have made such fragrant braised delicacies, yet you only let me smell them and do not let me taste them. How is that not unreasonable?”
Li Yao couldn’t help but laugh. “While the meat is all sold out, I still have the master stock, rice, and steamed buns. If you don’t mind…”
“I don’t mind! I don’t mind at all! Hurry, serve me a bowl!”
Dazhuang filled a bowl with rice, ladled two generous scoops of the rich, savory broth over it, and presented it to the old man. The elder began to gobble it down with gusto, and in no time, the entire bowl of broth-soaked rice was licked clean.
“Magnificent! Simply magnificent!”
The old man pulled a significant piece of silver from his sleeve and placed it on the table.
“Old sir, there is no need for so much.”
“It is no trouble; consider it a prepaid tab for future meals,” the old man declared. “From now on, I shall come for a bowl every single day.”
With that, the old man strolled off, seemingly walking on air. The brothers stared at the silver in confusion. The man was certainly odd. The piece was worth at least half a tael of silver—enough to cover a bowl a day for over a month. Who paid that far in advance for food they hadn’t even finished eating?
“Keep it,” Li Yao said. “Go and exchange it for copper coins later, and Wang Er starts a separate account just for him. From now on, no matter where we set up our stall, make sure to deliver a bowl to him.”
“Yes, Mother.”
“Come on, let’s buy our supplies and head home.”
Wang Er glanced back at the Academy gate one last time before turning to follow them. Li Yao saw the look in his eyes and knew exactly what he was thinking. Once the business is stable, I will send him there to study.
With delicious meals every day, Li Yao felt she was finally putting on some healthy weight; she no longer looked like the dried-up stick of firewood she had been when she first arrived. It had to be said—the original owner of this body had truly been blessed with a fine foundation.
The nutrients she was absorbing seemed to have a mind of their own, rushing to fill in all the right places. Her skin rapidly regained its luster and smoothness; when Li Yao looked at herself in the bath, she found herself blushing. If this physique were placed in the modern era, she would easily be a top-tier model.
As she dried her damp hair, Li Yao decided that starting tomorrow, she would stop accompanying Dazhuang to the market. This small task had to be handed over to them eventually; she couldn’t just idle away her time at home, either. Since her supply of spices was running low, she planned to head into the mountains to forage for more.
The next day, after the brothers left for their stall, Li Yao ventured into the forest alone. Many villagers went into the mountains in groups to forage for wild greens, but Li Yao chose a path that would keep her clear of them. It wasn’t that she was being stingy; the secret of her spice blend couldn’t be leaked just yet. Furthermore, the valley she frequented was treacherous—too dangerous for the average person to navigate—and she didn’t want the responsibility if someone were to lose their life there.
Yet, no sooner had she entered the woods than she noticed a shadow trailing her. When she caught a glimpse of the figure in the distance, her brow furrowed. It was Zhu Yougui. He was the village’s notorious layabout, a man well into his thirties who remained a bachelor; were it not for his elderly mother supporting him, he likely would have starved long ago. Li Yao didn’t believe for a second that he was here to forage for greens. As for his true motive, even a fool could figure it out. If she didn’t teach him a lesson today, he would pester her endlessly.
“Zhu Yougui!” Li Yao stepped out from behind a tree, her voice icy. “Why are you following me?”
Zhu Yougui, who had been lamenting that he’d lost sight of her, beamed with joy as she emerged. “Heh heh, I thought you could hold out!” he chuckled, edging closer. “Little lady, after being a widow for so long, are you missing a man? Come here, I’m still a virgin—consider this your lucky day. Just remember to send a few bowls of your braised delicacies over to my place so I can build up my strength.”
Li Yao chuckled to herself. It seemed that no matter the era, there was no shortage of mediocre, overconfident men.
Crack—
Her bamboo walking stick lashed out, striking Zhu Yougui without mercy.
“You filthy bitch! Why are you hitting me?” Pain surged through him, and he recoiled a few paces, his face twisted with indignation. “You’re the one who seduced me, and now you want to act like you don’t know me?”
Li Yao was almost amused by his sheer absurdity. “I seduced you?”
“You’re dressed so beautifully, and you deliberately avoided the others, walking right past me! If that’s not seduction, what is?”
Li Yao was truly speechless. There was no need for courtesy when dealing with a creature like this; direct action was the only language he understood.
Whack! Whack! Whack!
She chased after Zhu Yougui, her bamboo stick raining blows upon him. He tried to dodge and weave, but the stick seemed to have eyes of its own; no matter how he scrambled, the blows landed squarely on his body, causing him to wail and cry for his parents. In this desolate place, his cries were useless. She didn’t stop until the bamboo stick had splintered into pieces and he was covered in bruises.
“If you ever come within fifty paces of me again, you won’t like the consequences. Get out!”
Watching Zhu Yougui scramble away in terror, Li Yao let out a sigh of relief. In this era, having a beautiful face and a stunning figure—especially as a young widow—was clearly a liability. It seemed she would have to keep a lower profile when stepping out from now on.
Collecting her composure, Li Yao descended back into the valley. This time, in addition to gathering enough spices, she dug up several specific medicinal plants and wild herbs. She didn’t have a mosquito net at home, and the bugs had been keeping her awake every night, leaving her covered in bites. She decided it was time to make some herbal ointment.