Chapter 60 – Unexpected Gains
Yan Xiaosi looked at Bai Mingyue with sparkling eyes.
Jiren Hall had always refused to accept mountain goods collected by ordinary people. Bai Mingyue’s words were truly an unexpected gain. If they could gather medicinal herbs and sell them to Jiren Hall, it would definitely be much better than selling firewood in the firewood market. Firstly, the price of medicinal herbs was higher than firewood, and secondly, the Four Sisters Mountain range was vast, with many valuable herbs in the mountains. Moreover, transporting medicinal herbs to Daxing Town would be much easier than carrying firewood.
Yan Xiaosi agreed without hesitation and took the opportunity to ask Bai Mingyue, “Dr. Bai, in addition to the baizhu, we also have other herbs at home. Does Jiren Hall need them?”
Bai Mingyue smiled at how Yan Xiaosi seized the opportunity to discuss business with him. However, Jiren Hall was indeed planning to purchase various herbs. With a smile, he replied, “As long as the herbs Brother Yan brings are of good quality, our Jiren Hall will buy them at market price.”
“Please rest assured, Dr. Bai, the herbs I bring will definitely be of excellent quality.”
The herbs grown in the Four Sisters Mountains were bound to be of high quality.
Yan Xiaosi was overjoyed, while Ms. Zhong kept winking at her and gesturing.
“Dr. Bai, I have some more errands to run today, so I’ll take my leave.”
Yan Xiaosi knew what Ms. Zhong was thinking. After saying goodbye to Bai Mingyue, she left Jiren Hall with Ms. Zhong.
Once outside, Ms. Zhong immediately pulled Yan Xiaosi to a quiet place and asked, “Xiaosi, we don’t have any herbs at home. Aren’t you deceiving him?”
Yan Xiaosi gently patted Ms. Zhong’s hand and replied softly with a smile, “Mom, we may not have herbs at home, but there are plenty in the Four Sisters Mountain. Didn’t we dig up the baizhu there?”
Ms. Zhong had lived in Shaoyao Village for many years and often went to the mountains to cut firewood, so she knew that there were many valuable herbs on the Four Sisters Mountain. “Xiaosi, it’s true that there are many valuable herbs on Four Sisters Mountain, but they all grow on the four peaks. The four peaks are covered with dense forests and inhabited by fierce beasts. Ordinary people wouldn’t dare to pick those herbs even if they knew they were there. I’d rather our family be poorer than see you risk your life for those herbs.”
Yan Xiaosi finally understood why Ms. Zhong was so opposed to her idea.
Her mother wasn’t angry about her deceiving Bai Mingyue; she was worried that Yan Xiaosi would risk her life to collect herbs on the peaks of Four Sisters Mountain.
“Mother, I’ll listen to you. We’ll just dig baizhu and cut firewood around the Four Sisters Mountain without climbing up too far.”
To reassure Ms. Zhong, Yan Xiaosi had to compromise for now. As for the four peaks of Four Sisters Mountain, she would decide whether to go there after practicing her mental strength for some time.
With Yan Xiaosi’s reassurance, Ms. Zhong’s anxiety finally subsided, and she led Yan Xiaosi to where their ox cart was parked.
Yan Shuqin, Yan Shuxue, and Yan Shuyun were anxiously waiting when they saw Ms. Zhong and Yan Xiaosi return safely. The three sisters finally felt relieved.
When they noticed that Yan Xiaosi was carrying an empty bamboo basket, Yan Shuqin asked in surprise, “Xiaosi, where are the baizhu?”
Yan Xiaosi walked up to the ox cart, handed the empty basket to Yan Shuqin. She answered while climbing up the cart, “I sold the baizhu to Jiren Hall.”
“Sold it to Jiren Hall!?”
Hearing Yan Xiaosi’s words, Yan Shuqin, Yan Shuxue, and Yan Shuyun exclaimed in unison. Yan Shuxue, excited and curious, grabbed Yan Xiaosi’s arm, “Jiren Hall doesn’t usually buy herbs collected by common people from the mountains. Xiaosi, why did they buy your baizhu? How much did you sell them for?” Yan Xiaosi, who had been busy dealing with the attendants at Jiren Hall, working in their kitchen, and negotiating with Bai Mingyue, was exhausted. Seeing her sisters’ curiosity, she leaned her head on Yan Shuqin’s shoulder and replied weakly, “Bai Mingyue from Jiren Hall gave me fifty taels of silver.”
Upon hearing this, Yan Shuqin, Yan Shuxue, and Yan Shuyun were even more shocked.
Ms. Zhong spoke up, “Indeed, Doctor Bai from Jiren Hall gave your younger brother fifty taels of silver.”
Only then did the three sisters believe it was true.
Their younger brother had earned fifty taels of silver in less than an hour at Jiren Hall.
Fifty taels of silver – an amount ordinary people might not earn even after working hard for a whole year.
“Xiaosi, why are those baizhu so valuable?” Yan Shuqin asked excitedly, grabbing Yan Xiaosi’s arm.
Now that their family had money, they no longer needed to worry about making it through the winter.
Seeing Yan Xiaosi leaning tiredly on Yan Shuqin’s shoulder, Ms. Zhong quickly interrupted, “Shuqin, if you have any questions, wait until we get home. Let your younger brother rest for a moment.”
Only then did Yan Shuqin realize that Yan Xiaosi was exhausted. She held him tightly and said, “Xiaosi, you’ve worked hard.”
“Little brother, you’ve worked hard.”
Yan Shuqin, Yan Shuxue, and Yan Shuyun choked up as they spoke, looking at Yan Xiaosi with concern. Fearing that her appearance would scare her sisters, Yan Xiaosi forced a smile and said, “Eldest sister, second sister, third sister, I’m fine. I just made a pot of chicken stew in the kitchen at Jiren Hall and feel a bit tired. I’ll be fine after resting for a while on the cart.”
“Xiaosi, didn’t you go to Jiren Hall to sell baizhu? How did you end up making chicken soup in their kitchen?” Yan Shuyun asked curiously.
Ms. Zhong, not wanting to tire Yan Xiaosi, replied while driving the cart, “Your younger brother made a medicinal dish in Jiren Hall’s kitchen today. Doctor Bai from Jiren Hall paid fifty taels of silver for the recipe, not the baizhu.”
The term “medicinal dish” was unfamiliar to Yan Shuqin, Yan Shuxue, and Yan Shuyun, but under Ms. Zhong’s guidance over the years, they had learned some characters and understood that medicinal dishes were similar to medicinal soups, both being good for healing and saving lives. However, they couldn’t figure out how Yan Xiaosi had a recipe for a medicinal dish. Even Ms. Zhong was puzzled. The four of them wanted to know the reason, but seeing Yan Xiaosi’s exhaustion, they kept their curiosity to themselves.
Yan Xiaosi, on the other hand, knew he would have to explain it to Ms. Zhong, Yan Shuqin, Yan Shuxue, and Yan Shuyun sooner or later. Although they didn’t ask, he took the initiative to say, “Mom, eldest sister, second sister, third sister, today’s medicinal dish recipe was created by me based on the medical books left by our father.”
