Everyday Exile in Ancient Times

by Usui Takumii

not mine, asia novel. Total: 210 chapters and 9 extras . Beware edited mtl.

1. 00 to 10

Description

Yu Ying found herself in a revenge-themed novel without any romantic pairings, becoming the infamous yet powerless wicked ex-wife of the male protagonist.

In the story, the male protagonist, who had lived as a noble son for twenty years, was suddenly informed that he was actually the son of a criminal, switched at birth.

The true noble son, exiled due to the mix-up, returned after enduring great hardships. In revenge, he first crippled the male protagonist's legs and then forced him to marry a daughter of another criminal.

This daughter of a criminal, unable to endure hardship, took advantage of a general amnesty to escape with the last of their food supplies but died soon after falling during her escape.

That's when Yu Ying entered the scene. Familiar with the plot, she knew that all of the male protagonist's relatives would not live long. She also knew that after the death of his relatives, the male protagonist would turn vengeful and dark, ultimately succeeding in his revenge and becoming a powerful court official.

To survive, she had to rely on her knowledge of the plot and her expertise in traditional Chinese medicine, doing her utmost to save the male protagonist and his family. Crippled and branded as a criminal's son, he was also forced to marry a malicious wife. During his time of despair, with no will to live, his wife, who had left and returned, seemed like a changed person.

Optimistic and resilient, she brought a ray of hope to the lifeless home and healed his crippled legs. Gradually, she became his redemption, an indispensable presence he could not let go of.

Chapter 1: Exile to Lingnan

In a cramped and dimly lit thatched hut, Yu Ying lay on a low bed made of dry rice straw, staring vacantly at the hut's ceiling.

Yu Ying had been lying there for three days.

Three days ago, she had transmigrated.

From initial bewilderment to breaking down in tears, and finally to her current state of numb emptiness, Yu Ying had experienced a whirlwind of emotions.

Drawing from the memories of this unfamiliar body's original owner, Yu Ying had gained a basic understanding of her situation.

She had not only transmigrated but also into a novel she had recently finished reading.

In the book, the male protagonist, after being mistakenly swapped at birth, lived as the son of a governor for twenty-one years, instead of his true identity as the son of a criminal.

This comfortable life was disrupted when the real young master was recognized and returned.

Having endured twenty-one years of hardships, the now-darkened true young master sought various ways to take revenge on the male protagonist.

Not only did he bribe the yamen runners to break the male protagonist's legs on his way to exile in Lingnan, but in a fit of anger after being rejected by the male protagonist's beautiful and unmarried fiancée, he forced the protagonist to marry an ugly and malicious woman, thus humiliating him.

After marrying the protagonist, this vicious woman tormented his family in every possible way and, following a general amnesty, fled with all the food from the house.

But she didn't get far before tumbling down a steep slope and was found dead the next day, frightened to death.

It was at this moment that Yu Ying transmigrated, becoming the scarcely mentioned ex-wife of the male protagonist in the book.

Recalling this, Yu Ying raised her hand with a headache, covering her eyes with her arm.

Over these three days, even without stepping outside, she had gained a rough understanding of her current situation – at this time, the male protagonist's family was impoverished, with not a single grain of rice at home.

From the original owner's memories, Yu Ying also learned that she was now in a world ruled by a tyrant and dominated by corrupt officials.

The original owner's father had been a royal physician, but was beheaded for misdiagnosing the emperor's favorite concubine, and all the female members of the family were exiled to Lingnan.

The present Lingnan was not the prosperous region of later times but a place of backwardness, poverty, and danger.

Thinking of this, Yu Ying couldn't help but sigh in resignation.

What should she do now?

She had pondered this question for three days.

Unable to escape her reality, Yu Ying was forced to accept her current situation and resolved to survive with all her might.

As she pondered, her stomach growled loudly.

Yu Ying touched her belly, having barely eaten anything these past few days, surviving only on a few bites of wild vegetable soup each day.

The intense hunger forced her to leave the straw bed, put on a pair of cloth shoes beside the bed, and slowly, with her weak body, make her way outside.

Reaching the door, she hesitated for a moment before slowly lifting the thatched curtain of the hut.

It was early summer, and the sun was setting, casting a twilight glow all around.

The setting sun, shrouded in the dusk, wasn't dazzling, but since Yu Ying had spent three days in the dim thatched hut, her eyes still struggled to adjust to the light, forcing her to shield them with her hand.

After adapting for a while, she slowly stepped out of the hut into the empty courtyard, pausing there to gaze at the distant mountains, their layers and peaks stretching endlessly.

Once again, Yu Ying's expression turned vacant.

How is this any different from being in an undeveloped mountain in the modern world?

Lost in her thoughts, Yu Ying was suddenly startled by the sound of a bamboo pole tapping the ground behind her.

Hearing the noise, the dispirited Yu Ying turned to look.

The source of the sound was an elderly woman with gray hair, a face lined with wrinkles, and a frail, thin frame.

In these three days, Yu Ying had only seen this old lady twice, and they hadn't exchanged a single word.

She hadn't thought about it before, but now she guessed that this old lady must be Luo Shi, the male protagonist's biological mother.

Who would have thought that this woman, appearing to be in her sixties, was actually not even fifty yet.

To emphasize the male protagonist's tragic story, his mother passed away soon after their reunion and before he could come to terms with it.

Luo Shi was wearing a coarse cloth garment so worn that its original color was barely discernible, the cuffs frayed to threads, with several patches all over it, the only difference from a beggar's attire being its relative cleanliness.

Luo Shi, evidently having poor eyesight, held a bamboo pole for guidance, squinting as she walked out of the thatched hut.

She carried a clay pot in her arms, seemingly noticing the blurry figure in the courtyard.

Even without seeing clearly, Luo Shi could guess who it was. She didn't acknowledge Yu Ying but walked numbly to an old water jar.

After touching the jar for a moment, she slowly scooped two ladles of water into the pot, then crouched in front of a rudimentary firewood rack.

Indeed, the male protagonist's family was so impoverished they didn't even have a kitchen, let alone a stove for cooking.

Yu Ying's gaze drifted past Luo Shi, focusing on the shaky thatched hut behind her.

She thought that even a slightly stronger wind could blow these two thatched huts down.

This courtyard had just these two thatched huts.

One hut was where she resided, and the slightly larger one housed the male protagonist's family.

The conditions were indeed dire, but Yu Ying was aware that if she wanted to survive, she couldn't leave this place now.

The original owner had no connections and less than ten coins to her name. How could she survive if she left here?

Moreover, the safety in ancient times couldn't compare to modern times, let alone in Lingnan, known as a barbaric land.

Staying offered at least a shelter from wind and rain, and following the protagonist could provide her with more chances to live. Leaving, however, would likely lead to a slim chance of survival.

Since she decided to stay and follow the male protagonist, she needed to integrate into his family.

After much hesitation, Yu Ying, limping due to a twisted ankle, slowly approached Luo Shi.

The noise of her walking, caused by her injured foot, alerted the wary Luo Shi.

On hearing the sound, Luo Shi, with her withered, trembling hands, hurriedly reached for the bamboo pole.

Seeing Luo Shi so on guard, Yu Ying explained, "I just wanted to help you."

Luo Shi frowned upon hearing this, her vigilance towards her daughter-in-law's changed attitude intensifying: "I can manage on my own, no need for your help."

Luo Shi's refusal was within Yu Ying's expectations.

The original owner had been extremely vile, insulting and even physically assaulting the Fu family during her half-month stay, and had even stolen all the household's food during her escape. Luo Shi's current wariness towards her was understandable.

Moreover, when the original owner was carried back by the villagers, the small bag of taro she had was missing, likely taken by someone seizing the opportunity.

Although Luo Shi was concerned about the food, it was already gone, and she couldn't possibly interrogate each household. She had no choice but to accept reality, growing even more displeased with her nominal daughter-in-law.

Luo Shi had hoped this nominal daughter-in-law would flee far away and never return. She never expected her to take all the food when she ran away, and even less so for her to return.

This daughter-in-law was sent by the officials to be her son's wife, and Luo Shi dared not let her son divorce this wicked woman casually.

Moreover, now that she had returned, Luo Shi couldn't just drive her away or risk starving her to death and causing a homicide. Reluctantly, she had to swallow this grievance.

Luo Shi was so guarded that Yu Ying had to momentarily set aside her plans of integrating with the male protagonist's family. Just as she sighed again, she felt a sharp pain on her back; a small stone had hit her and then clattered to the ground.

An angry voice came from behind her.

"If you bully Grandma, you'll have me to answer to, you bad woman!"

Frowning, Yu Ying immediately turned around to look.

The one who threw the stone at her was a boy who looked about five or six years old but was actually nearly eight.

This boy was Fu An, the nephew of the male protagonist.

At that moment, Fu An was glaring fiercely at Yu Ying, holding the hand of his thin and small sister with his left hand.

The girl appeared to be only two or three years old, but in reality, she was likely a year or two older.

Both siblings were dirty, wearing clothes that were ill-fitting and barely sufficient to cover their bodies.

Lingnan, one of the three major exile destinations, also known as the land of barbarians, was undoubtedly a harsh and impoverished environment.

Seeing the whole family dressed inadequately, struggling for food, and living in thatched huts at constant risk of collapsing, Yu Ying felt a chill in her heart, facing unprecedented uncertainty about the future.

She didn't know if she could adapt to such a harsh environment or if she could improve the situation to survive in this era.

Chapter 2: Accepting Reality

As Yu Ying was lost in thought, Fu An suddenly charged at her.

Despite her injured foot, Yu Ying managed to agilely dodge Fu An, who nearly collided with her.

The original owner had fallen down a hillside, and though not seriously injured, had twisted her ankle.

After steadying herself, Yu Ying frowned and looked at the skinny, fiercely glaring boy in front of her.

Yu Ying initially wanted to explain that she had not bullied his grandmother, but then she remembered that the original owner had a bad temper and treated everyone in the Fu family condescendingly, as if they were servants.

If her behavior deviated too much from that of the original owner, it might arouse suspicion, so she decided against explaining.

The original character was too strong-willed, and the gentle-natured Yu Ying couldn't mimic her, nor did she plan to act according to the original character's temperament.

She gave a cold glance at Fu An, who resembled a fierce wolf cub, then turned her gaze to the other skinny little girl.

The little girl, upon meeting Yu Ying's eyes, immediately turned pale with fear, shrinking her neck in fright, clearly terrified of the original owner.

From the original owner's memories, Yu Ying knew that she often abused these two children, which explained their fearful attitudes.

Yu Ying said nothing, just turned around with a cold face and walked towards the thatched hut where she had lived for a few days.

Fu An, who had expected to be beaten, stared blankly at Yu Ying's retreating figure.

Luo Shi, groping blindly, grabbed her grandson's hand, scolding, "What are you showing off for? Grandma doesn't need your protection!"

Hearing this as she approached the thatched hut, Yu Ying sighed silently, feeling a tinge of sadness.

When she first read the novel, she hadn't been deeply moved by the hardships of the characters, merely contemplating the unpredictability of life at the moments of separation and death, with little emotional turmoil. But now, living it, she understood the complexity of these emotions.

She lifted the reed-made curtain and entered the dimly lit thatched hut.

There were two thatched huts in the Fu family. The smaller one she was entering was previously Luo Shi's.

The larger one housed the family of the eldest son of the Fu family, along with his wife and children, still accommodating four people.

Luo Shi, the two children, and the male protagonist, whom she had never met, were the occupants.

Luo Shi and her grandchildren were wary of the original owner, fearing that she might harm them, so naturally, they couldn't share a room with her.

However, Yu Ying didn't quite understand where the true young master, who was mistakenly switched at birth, had lived before, given there were only two thatched huts.

Not dwelling on this, Yu Ying entered the dim hut and saw it was only about six or seven square meters.

In the dimness, half of the room was filled with firewood, and in the corner, there was a so-called "bed" made of straw stalks, the only piece of furniture in the hut.

Yu Ying carefully inspected the straw stalks and, finding them dry and free of insects and ants, dared to lie down on it.

However, fearing snakes and insects, she had gathered some mugwort yesterday, burning half and keeping the rest, leaving a faint scent of mugwort in the hut.

The hut was dark, damp, and stiflingly hot, truly discomforting.

Yu Ying picked up the worn reed fan previously used by Luo Shi, fanning herself as she sat on the bed.

Sitting quietly for a while, she thought of the skinny siblings she had seen earlier and suddenly remembered the plot of the novel.

The male protagonist turned dark after all his relatives died one after the other, and the first to die was not Luo Shi but his eldest brother, whom he had never met.

Fu Zhen, the eldest son of the Fu family, was currently doing hard labor in a quarry.

Despite the recent amnesty, which included the Fu family, the quarry was short of labor and couldn't release everyone at once.

Moreover, the corrupt officials in charge demanded money to redeem the remaining term of service for freedom.

The eldest son of the Fu family and his wife still had three years of service left, with no money and no power to change their situation, so they had to continue with their hard labor.

Three months after the male protagonist acknowledged his ancestry, the eldest son of the Fu family was killed by a falling stone in the quarry. Soon after, Luo Shi died of grief.

The sister-in-law, seeking justice, was beaten by unreasonable yamen runners. After returning, she weakly managed the funerals of her husband and mother-in-law, and struggled to support two children and her disabled brother-in-law. Overworked, she eventually passed away too.

The male protagonist, having lost the will to live, had to take up a job as a staff member for the magistrate of Cangwu County, Yuxian, enduring humiliation throughout his tenure.

Even so, he couldn't save the two children.

His nephew was kidnapped, and his niece, weakened by years of starvation, died young.

Thinking of these events, Yu Ying's expression turned solemn.

Although being overly compassionate wasn't advisable, knowing the plot and doing nothing was something she couldn't reconcile with herself.

The thought of watching these living people turn into lifeless bodies was unbearable, so Yu Ying decided to do what she could within her means.

It was the first month of the male protagonist's exile, giving her two months to prepare for changing the plot.

She resolved to do her best, saving those she could. If she failed, at least she knew she tried, which would be enough to ease her conscience.

As the sky darkened, Yu Ying gathered her thoughts and went out to fetch water for washing.

June in Lingnan was unbearably hot and humid, making one sweat profusely even without exertion, leaving a sticky and uncomfortable feeling.

Yu Ying stepped out of the thatched hut and walked to the water jar, glancing at the only wooden basin of the Fu family.

It was a wooden basin starting to blacken and almost unusable.

Under these circumstances, Yu Ying couldn't afford to be picky.

Suppressing her discomfort, Yu Ying filled half a basin with water and, under Fu An's watchful eyes, carried it into the hut.

She let down the curtain, secured it with a few thick branches, and then undressed in the dark, using a cloth towel from the original owner's belongings to clean herself.

Although there was no food left, fortunately, the original owner's luggage had been sent back.

The luggage consisted of seven coins, a coarse cloth dress for changing, two hairpins made of thorns, a towel, and finally some herbs and black berries wrapped in a torn cloth.

Yu Ying had carefully examined them; the herbs were somewhat poisonous, and the partially fresh berries had dark juice that stained the skin black-purple, not washing off for four or five days.

When she first arrived, she saw from her reflection in the water that the original owner had uneven black spots on her cheeks.

There was a large black spot the size of half a leaf beside her right eye, one on her nose bridge, one on her left cheekbone, and two smaller spots below.

Initially, Yu Ying thought the original owner was ugly and felt somewhat hopeless, but after carefully recalling the original owner's memories, she realized the black marks were stains from the juice of the black berries.

In Lingnan, known as a barbaric land full of dangers, a woman with even a slight beauty, if lacking self-defense skills, would only attract trouble.

Understanding the original owner's purpose in disguising her appearance, Yu Ying reapplied the berry juice every two days and planned to look for more of these berries in the coming days.

Apart from the berries, she kept the poisonous herbs for self-defense.

The original owner had these belongings because the official escorting the Yu family had once received favors from them and showed them some care during the escort.

The official also turned a blind eye, allowing the Yu family to keep some simple clothing and a little money.

It was thanks to the protection of this official that the Yu family's women were spared from violation.

The original owner was beautiful with fair, delicate skin. Without the official's protection, she might not have safely reached Lingnan.

The Yu family knew medical skills and, before reaching Lingnan, the women applied the juice of the berries to their faces, pretending to poison and disfigure themselves to avoid being violated.

The juice of the fruit was so dark that it was difficult to clean off even with water.

The dense forests of Lingnan were home to fierce wild beasts and a plethora of herbs, including many poisonous plants. Those skilled in medicine could easily find a variety of herbs.

If the original host had lived peacefully, life wouldn't have been too hard. However, she insisted on being arrogant and aggressive in Lingnan. After a quarrel, she poisoned someone, which led to her forced marriage to the protagonist, who was crippled in both legs.

Being pampered since childhood, the original host couldn't bring much when she was forced to marry the male lead. The Yu family could only provide her with a coarse linen dress without any patches and two thorn hairpins. Besides these, there was also... silver!

As Yu Ying washed herself with cold water, memories of the original host suddenly came to her mind. She quickly dressed in clean clothes and picked up the belt she had placed on the mat.

She carefully felt along the belt and finally found a slightly hard spot. She looked around in the dimly lit room and picked up a dry twig.

Breaking the twig with both hands, she used the sharp end to laboriously cut open the belt.

Soon, she took out a small object wrapped in cloth from the belt.

Unwrapping the cloth, she saw two leaf-shaped silver pieces, looking like they were detached from a piece of jewelry, about half the length and width of a little finger, and quite thin.

Yu Ying, who grew up in a traditional medicine clinic, was sensitive to weight and could roughly estimate the heaviness of the two silver leaves.

After weighing them, the two small silver pieces turned out to be less than one qian in weight.

Yu Ying, familiar with the value of silver, knew that one qian of silver, if exchanged for copper coins, would be about a hundred wen.

But these two small silver pieces, worth less than one qian, couldn't even be exchanged for a hundred wen!

Her initial excitement quickly dissipated like a bucket of cold water had been poured over her when she converted the value.

Yet, she soon realized that being penniless was far worse, so she didn't feel as disheartened.

Yu Ying calmed herself, securely hid the silver pieces, and then turned her attention to her swollen foot.

She had been too despondent in the previous days to care for her sprained foot, but now, having come to terms with her situation, she planned to look for anti-inflammatory and bruise-healing herbs nearby the next morning.

Withdrawing her gaze, Yu Ying carried the basin and limped out of the hut.

Stepping outside, she immediately smelled the strong scent of wild vegetable soup, not a particularly pleasant aroma.

At the fire stand, the wild vegetable soup was ready. Fu An laboriously removed the clay pot from the fire stand and used a crude wooden spoon to divide the soup into several rough wooden bowls.

After dividing the soup, he looked up at Yu Ying with a fierce gaze.

Yu Ying ignored his hostile look, instead lowering her eyes to the five bowls of wild vegetable soup on the ground.

Including the three family members and the male protagonist she had not yet met, the Fu family had four people. With her, that made five, hence the five bowls of soup.

Having eaten tasteless, oil-free, salt-free wild vegetables every day, Yu Ying felt like she was chewing grass.

Despite her intense hunger, days of this diet had diminished her appetite.

But to survive, she needed to fill her stomach, whether it meant eating wild vegetables or grass.

Likely due to this long-term diet, both siblings were thin and small, with waxen complexions and hardly any flesh on their cheeks.

Luo Shi's near blindness was probably due to malnutrition, excessive fatigue, and the miasma of Lingnan.

After fetching water and setting down the wooden basin, Yu Ying walked over, picked up a bowl of wild vegetable soup, and returned to her hut without a word.

Watching Yu Ying leave, Fu An exhaled the breath he had been holding and asked his grandmother, "Grandma, why isn't she scolding anyone anymore?"

Luo Shi, numbly, responded: "Don't worry about it."

Then she added, "Take the soup in for your uncle."

After speaking, Luo Shi turned to look towards the other thatched hut. Although her vision was unclear, she could vaguely make out the silhouette of the hut.

It had been a month since she brought her biological son back, and Luo Shi's feelings were complex, uncertain how to interact with this son.

After sitting down in the hut with her bowl of wild vegetable soup, Yu Ying looked at it for a long time, finding it hard to muster any appetite.

Despite the unbearable hunger in her stomach, Yu Ying scooped a spoonful of wild vegetables and ate them.

Even though ecologically grown wild vegetables are popular in modern times, not all wild vegetables are tasty.

Boiled without any seasoning, these wild vegetables were indeed hard to swallow.

Yu Ying swallowed the vegetables without much chewing.

Only after finishing the bowl of wild vegetable soup did she feel full.

Having eaten, and as darkness fell, Yu Ying lay down on the bed.

Outside, intermittent sounds of barking dogs and the roar of wild animals could be heard.

These sounds frightened Yu Ying every night, fearing that wild animals might come down the mountain and break into the Fu household. The two thatched huts, lacking proper doors, offered no defense against any wild beast.

Originally, Yu Ying was uncomfortable due to the old and torn quilt, but hearing the roar of wild animals, she was too scared to care and pulled the quilt tightly around herself, seeking a sense of security.

The roars of the wild animals seemed distant yet also alarmingly close, leaving Yu Ying restless.

As the night deepened, just like the previous nights, coughing sounds intermittently came from the next hut.

It started with Luo Shi's cough, followed by the intermittent coughing of the two children.

Amidst the coughing of the three, she seemed to hear a few low, muffled coughs from an adult male.

Yu Ying paused for a moment.

Without any further guesswork, she knew she wasn't mistaken: the coughing belonged to the male protagonist, Fu Wei, whom she had never met.

The male protagonist's name might be unusual, but she vaguely remembered an explanation for his name in the novel.

The character "Wei" signifies sitting upright with seriousness, denoting integrity and propriety.

Chapter 3: The Male Protagonist is Ill

In the early morning, with the faint light of dawn, some light seeped through the gaps into the hut. Yu Ying got up, casually tying her waist-length hair with a cloth band, and then stepped out of the hut.

The weather was hot, but due to the early morning and the surrounding mountains, there was even a bit of mist, making the dawn quite cool.

Yu Ying, dressed in long clothes, didn't feel cold. However, having hardly slept the night before, her complexion was very pale, with a hint of dark circles under her eyes.

After yawning, Yu Ying went to the water jar to fetch water for washing her face, only to find that the jar was almost empty.

The entire village was built of thatched huts, so it was impossible to have a well. The only place to fetch water was a river about a mile away from the Fu family's home.

The elders in the Fu family had poor eyesight, and the youngest, although eight years old, looked no more than six and would find it difficult to carry water even for a mile.

After hesitating for a moment, Yu Ying scooped just half a ladle of water, using it sparingly in her palm for rinsing her mouth and washing her face.

As she washed, the sound of a bamboo pole tapping the ground indicated that Luo Shi was also up.

It was only dimly lit outside with the mist, so Luo Shi couldn't see anything clearly.

Though she couldn't see, she could hear the sound of splashing water.

Frowning slightly, she thought to herself that Yu, who had been with them for half a month, usually slept in late. She wondered why Yu was getting up so early these days.

After a moment of doubt, Luo Shi didn't dwell on it and came over, placing the clothes her son and grandchildren had changed out of into an old wooden basin.

Carrying the basin in one hand and tapping her bamboo pole with the other, she confidently walked out of the courtyard to wash the clothes by the river.

It was not fully light yet, and with Luo Shi's poor eyesight, washing clothes by the river posed a risk of accidentally slipping into the water.

Yu Ying frowned as she watched Luo Shi leave, feeling somewhat worried.

Since she had to go out to find some herbs today anyway, she decided to follow, limping along.

She didn't follow Luo Shi closely, but kept a considerable distance behind her.

Luo Shi's poor eyesight slowed her pace, so Yu Ying stopped intermittently to inspect the wild grasses along the way.

Common medicinal herbs were not difficult to find in the Lingnan region, often seen along rural paths, but most locals couldn't identify them and considered them ordinary weeds.

She found common medicinal herbs every few steps. Particularly, the ubiquitous ghost needle grass, effective for treating bruises, pain, clearing heat, detoxifying, and dispelling dampness, was everywhere.

Given her current situation, Yu Ying couldn't afford elaborate treatments and had to resort to the simplest method. She planned to crush the ghost needle grass, steam it hot, and apply it for a few days to see the effect.

She had been here for several days, and the swelling at her ankle had subsided compared to when she first arrived, so a few days of treatment should show results.

She bent over and picked a handful of ghost needle grass.

After doing so, she noticed some summer-dried grass nearby. Recalling the coughing from the neighboring hut the night before, she thought for a moment and picked some as well.

Lingnan is known for its miasma; it's essential to consume lung-cleansing food, or even if she stays for a long time, she would end up coughing like the Fu family.

Boiling summer-dried grass with pig's lungs can cleanse the lungs and stop coughing.

In ancient times, pork was relatively cheap, so pig's lungs would be even cheaper. If she could visit the market, she planned to inquire about it.

However, she first needed to exchange the two silver leaf pieces for money, and with such a small amount of silver, she had to be very frugal and plan her expenses carefully.

Yu Ying, having gathered her thoughts, continued picking various herbs and eventually followed Luo Shi to the riverbank.

Early in the morning, as people went out to work, they looked at Yu Ying with surprise.

The village was called Ling Shui Village, where most villagers settled after being exiled. Even though some had been pardoned and could leave Lingnan, due to lack of money, they had no choice but to stay.

Fu Wei had been in Ling Shui Village for a month, and Yu Ying had been married into this village for half a month.

Regarding Fu Wei, the villagers of Ling Shui only saw him briefly on the day he arrived, but they had seen the new bride of the Fu family several times.

This new bride of the Fu family, with many black spots on her face, seemed unattractive, but they felt that she could be quite beautiful if those spots were removed.

As for the character of the new bride of the Fu family…

She had previously stolen food and run away, clearly not someone easy to deal with.

Yu Ying paid no attention to those assessing glances and, after picking her herbs, stood at a distance watching Luo Shi.

After all, in her first two days in the village, when she was confined to her bed, Luo Shi hadn't neglected her. Yu Ying couldn't bear to just stand by indifferently.

As the day brightened and Luo Shi finished washing the clothes, Yu Ying headed back first.

Back in the courtyard, she put down the herbs and went out again to find two smooth, clean stones. When she returned, Luo Shi was also back.

Yu Ying used half a ladle of water to briefly rinse the stones and the herbs, and then started pounding the medicine.

The sound of stones clashing reached inside the hut, and Fu An lifted the grass curtain of the window, rubbing his eyes and peering out to see Yu Ying grinding the herbs, looking puzzled.

Although he didn't understand what she was doing, he still heeded his grandmother's words and didn't bother her.

Sensing someone watching her, Yu Ying, after partially crushing the herbs, looked up towards the larger thatched hut.

Making eye contact with Fu An, she was about to look away when she noticed a figure behind him.

Due to the dimness inside the hut, she couldn't clearly see the person's face, only making out the silhouette of an adult man.

Without a doubt, it was the silhouette of an adult male.

No further thoughts were needed; this adult man was the male protagonist, Fu Wei.

Although she couldn't see clearly, she sensed that Fu Wei was also watching her.

His gaze seemed calm and silent.

After a moment, Yu Ying shifted her gaze away.

It would be too abrupt now to offer to check his leg injury; Luo Shi might not even let her in the door, thinking she wanted to harm her son. Observing the situation first seemed wiser.

Her attention returned to the herbs.

Ideally, the herbs should be steamed and then applied for better effectiveness, but considering the rudimentary fire stand lacking even a pot, she had to make do with wrapping the herbs in a cloth.

Back in the hut, she applied the herbs to her swollen ankle.

The effectiveness of unsteamed herbs was significantly less, but it was better than doing nothing.

The herbs needed to be reapplied after about an hour.

As she hadn't slept the whole night, she dozed off, and by the time she woke up, more than an hour had passed.

After changing the herbs once, nearing noon, Yu Ying found a long, thick tree branch, broke off the smaller branches, and used it as a walking stick.

After leaving the hut, Yu Ying found that Luo Shi and the two children were not at home and their whereabouts were unknown. She took out a thin quilt and dirty clothes, and slowly walked to the river to wash them.

On the way, she encountered some villagers, but as they were preoccupied with their basic needs, no one approached to greet her.

These villagers had been worn down by poverty, now resembling lifeless shells. Everyone had a blank stare, numb expressions, and lacked vitality.

Yu Ying sighed inwardly, fearing she might become like them. She knew she had to find another way to live, unable to continue like this.

Reaching the river, she quickly washed her clothes and then returned.

Back in the courtyard, she pushed aside Luo Shi's drying clothes, making room to hang her own clothes and quilt.

The sun was fiercer each day, especially hot today, and she estimated that the items would dry by evening.

Yu Ying also laid out the herbs she picked that morning to dry, looking at the broken and untidy courtyard with a sigh.

Likely because Luo Shi's poor eyesight and the children being young, the courtyard hadn't been well-maintained.

The courtyard was overrun with weeds, and the ground was littered with messy branches, leaves, and some wilted wild vegetables that hadn't been cooked.

Yu Ying, who liked cleanliness, after some thought, crouched down and started to remove the weeds. She then swept the fallen leaves to the side of the fire stand, piling them up for use as firewood in the evening.

After nearly half an hour of work, she stopped, feeling dizzy and exhausted, but the courtyard was finally tidy.

Just as she was about to return to the hut for a rest, a low, deep cough came from the other thatched hut.

Yu Ying paused, looking towards the hut where the male protagonist was.

After looking around and not seeing the grandmother and grandchildren, she hesitated for a moment.

Then, leaning on her stick, she slowly walked towards the door of the thatched hut.

After taking a deep breath, she called out from behind the grass curtain, "May I come in?"

After waiting for a moment, there was no response from inside the hut.

Yu Ying recalled from the novel that during the first few months after the male protagonist returned to the Fu family, he rarely spoke and always sat silently on the bed, devoid of vitality.

Given such circumstances, expecting a response from him seemed difficult.

Hesitating for a while, Yu Ying eventually entered uninvited.

Lifting the grass curtain, she stepped in and was immediately hit by the pungent smell of medicinal herbs.

Having just worked under the sun, her eyes took a moment to adjust to the dim interior, making everything inside, including people, appear blurred.

After some time, her eyes adapted, and the furnishings in the hut became clearer.

Compared to the hut she was staying in, this one was somewhat better.

Inside, there was a straw mat rolled up against the wall, presumably used for sleeping by the three family members.

The other furnishings included a small bamboo table, four long bamboo stools, and a bamboo bed large enough for two people.

Without exception, these bamboo furnishings were quite old and showed varying degrees of wear and tear.

On the only bamboo bed sat a man.

Yu Ying looked up and met a pair of dark, cold eyes.

She paused for a moment.

Originally, she had expected to see a disheveled, despondent, and languid male protagonist.

However, the man sitting against the wall, with a cold demeanor, clean and tidy appearance, and eyes covered with a layer of frost, was unexpectedly different.

Despite his gaunt, pale face and the illness that lingered around him, dressed in coarse hemp clothing, his naturally handsome features and tall, erect figure were unmistakable.

The male protagonist, indeed, had a certain sickly beauty about him.

He sat on the bamboo bed, his gaze, expression, and even the aura he exuded, all cold and clear.

Some people's temperament remains unchanged regardless of harsh environments or unfortunate circumstances.

Yu Ying felt that the male protagonist was one of those people.

Yu Ying's gaze shifted from his handsome face to his legs covered by a thin quilt.

The room fell into silence for a moment.

She spoke dryly, "I come from a family skilled in medicine and know some medical techniques. Perhaps I could help heal your legs. Would you like my help?"

Fu Wei's expression remained cold and indifferent, not changing at her offer. He averted his gaze and closed his eyes, giving her no response.

Chapter 4: Making a Proposal

The room was eerily silent, and although it was only for a short time, the silence made it feel much longer.

The male protagonist still showed no reaction.

After a moment, Yu Ying made a move.

She slowly stepped forward, stopping beside the bamboo bed.

Knowing that the male protagonist wouldn't respond, she still asked, "I'm going to examine your leg injury now. If you disagree, please say so. If you don't speak, I'll take it as your consent."

'If you don't speak, I'll take it as consent' - a phrase applicable in both ancient and modern times. Though somewhat unreasonable, it proved to be effective.

It wasn't until Yu Ying lifted the thin quilt that Fu Wei, who had kept his eyes closed, opened them and looked at her. His gaze was still cold and indifferent, with a hint of disgust.

As long as he didn't speak, Yu Ying chose to ignore that look of disgust, taking it as no refusal.

As she reached to lift the quilt, her wrist was suddenly grasped.

Yu Ying was startled and looked at the hand gripping her wrist, a slender and pale hand with distinct bones.

After a brief hesitation, she looked up, meeting the male protagonist's emotionless and indifferent black eyes.

After pondering for a moment, she shared her current situation with him: "The situation now is that I know a bit of medicine. You can either let me try to heal your newly broken leg, which might still be salvageable, or you can live with it for the rest of your life."

Fu Wei's expression remained unchanged, his lips slightly parting, his voice cold: "Get out."

Yu Ying's brow furrowed slightly, aware of the original host's notorious past, making it difficult for him to believe she genuinely wanted to help.

She couldn't force the male lead; for now, she needed to return and rethink her strategy.

With this in mind, Yu Ying didn't persist in persuading him, only requesting, "Fine, release me now, and I will leave."

The male lead was once proficient in both letters and martial arts. Now, although he appeared frail, his grip still contained considerable hidden strength.

A few moments later, Fu Wei released her hand and then closed his eyes, feigning sleep.

Yu Ying glanced at her reddened wrist, then at the strikingly handsome male lead, and with a slight twist of her mouth, turned and left the room.

Outside, the grandparents and their grandchildren, carrying baskets, returned home to find the yard surprisingly tidy.

Noticing her grandsons' pause, Luo Shi asked, "What's the matter?"

Fu An exclaimed in amazement, "Someone cleaned our yard, pulled out the weeds, and swept the leaves."

Hearing this, Luo Shi's brow furrowed slightly.

Someone had cleaned their yard?

In Ling Shui Village, there weren't many kind-hearted people.

If someone really cleaned the yard, it could only be Yu Shi.

But recalling that Yu Shi had been in the Fu family for half a month, making Fu An wash her clothes and bring her food, it seemed unlikely that such a lazy person would do such a thing.

As she pondered this, Luo Shi vaguely saw a figure emerge from the thatched hut where Fu Wei was staying.

The figure looked familiar; who else could it be but Yu Shi?!

Remembering Yu Shi's bad behavior, Luo Shi's heart tightened, and her face tensed as she shouted, "What were you doing in there?!"

Yu Ying, just stepping out of the hut, was startled by the loud voice.

Yu Ying paused for a few moments, noticing the returning grandmother and grandchildren, and seemed momentarily surprised.

Her expression gradually becoming calm, she spoke in the original owner's tone, "Of course, I was trying to treat your crippled son's leg. Since I can't leave, I don't want a husband with a limp. But clearly, he prefers to remain crippled rather than let me treat him."

Saying this, she glanced back at the hut, feigning displeasure, "Now you have no other options. You might as well let me try. The worst outcome would be no different from the current situation."

While speaking, Yu Ying looked at Luo Shi, whose expression was slightly stunned, then averted her gaze, picked up the tree branch at the door, and walked back to her small thatched hut, leaning on it.

Coming back to her senses, Luo Shi, worried Yu Shi might have bullied her younger son, hurriedly picked up a long bamboo stick to find her way and quickly headed towards the hut.

After entering the hut, Luo Shi, unable to see clearly, anxiously asked, "Did that Yu Shi mistreat you?!"

Fu Wei opened his eyes, his gaze indifferent, coldly uttering the words, "No."

Hearing this, Luo Shi also relaxed, "That's good, that's good. I shouldn't have left you alone at home. Next time, I'll have Fu An stay with you."

Fu Wei remained silent, his face still cold and detached, seemingly uninterested in anything.

Fu An glanced at his uncle, recalling the way his uncle used to be.

The previous uncle was very cruel, not only verbally abusing their grandmother but also bullying their father, making him take his place for hard labor. He would also bully Fu An and his sister when their father and grandmother were away.

Although Fu An didn't feel much for this new, better-looking uncle who spoke little, he preferred him over the previous one. At least this uncle didn't insult their grandmother or abuse him and his sister.

Luo Shi, unsure how to interact with this son, asked a few questions before leaving to prepare lunch.

The so-called lunch was nothing more than wild grass soup and wild grass cakes.

Previously, they had saved a few coins, but it was all spent on treating her younger son's leg.

Initially, Luo Shi couldn't accept the news of her son being switched at birth, even feeling resistant.

But when she later learned that her biological son's legs were broken, possibly by the son who was mistakenly raised for twenty years, she felt a turmoil of emotions.

Knowing the vicious nature of her foster son and that he could do such a thing, Luo Shi gave up on him completely, filled only with guilt towards her biological son.

Out of guilt, she spent all her savings trying to heal her real son's leg, but it was in vain and showed no improvement.

If there was a chance to heal her biological son's leg, she would be willing to risk everything, even her life.

Holding a wild vegetable bun, Luo Shi couldn't help but think of what Yu Shi had said earlier.

"The worst outcome would be the same as it is now. It's worth trying even if it's a long shot."

Yu Shi's father was a royal physician. Although he made a misdiagnosis once, it doesn't negate his previous contributions.

Growing up in such a family, Yu Shi, exposed to medicine from an early age, might have better medical skills than the barefoot doctors in Yu County.

Ling Shui Village is under the jurisdiction of Yu County in Cang Wu Prefecture.

Cang Wu Prefecture is wild, and Yu County is the most remote area of the prefecture. Skilled people rarely come to such desolate places, so the local doctors can only treat minor colds and fevers.

If they can't cure an ailment, they first exploit the patients for money, and when there's nothing left to take, they tell the family to prepare for the worst.

How could people not know their true nature?

Who would resort to such useless lifelines unless utterly desperate?

Now another lifeline has appeared before Luo Shi, and she is unsure whether to grasp it.

After preparing the wild vegetable cakes, Luo Shi had her grandson take them to her son. Hesitating for a long time, she finally took two cakes and groped her way into the hut she used to live in.

Yu Ying was changing the medicine on her foot when she heard someone at the door. Turning her head and seeing Luo Shi, she wasn't too surprised.

The words she had spoken earlier in front of the hut were meant for Luo Shi to hear.

If Luo Shi truly cared about her biological son, she would seek out Yu Ying today, if not today, then tomorrow.

Luo Shi placed the wooden bowl on the fire and after a moment of hesitation, asked, "Can you really heal Er Lang's leg?"

After changing the medicine, Yu Ying replied, "I can treat him, but there are conditions."

If she didn't ask for something in return, Luo Shi would never believe her.

Sure enough, hearing this, Luo Shi's suspicions lessened, but then she thought about her empty pockets and her blindness – what could she possibly offer Yu Shi to negotiate terms?

Initially wary, now feeling uneasy, Luo Shi hesitated before saying, "I don't have any money, just these two dilapidated thatched huts. I might not be able to meet your expectations."

Yu Ying smiled, "I don't expect you to offer money. What I want is to have authority in this household, to be the one managing this family."

Only with the cooperation of the Fu family could she gradually improve her impoverished circumstances.

Luo's brows furrowed, puzzled, she said: "In our current situation, what difference does it make whether I run the household or not?"

"It makes no difference to you, but it does to me. If you agree to my terms, not only can I help heal Erlang's leg, but I might also be able to treat your eyes."

Yu Ying had grown up in a traditional medicine clinic and her grandfather had taught her all he could. During her studies, her knowledge far surpassed her peers.

Moreover, during her university years, Yu Ying would return to her family's clinic each summer to help. She often saw elderly patients with eye or leg problems receiving treatment, making her quite skilled in treating elderly eye conditions.

Luo was stunned for a moment before finally saying, "Just treat Erlang's leg, my own condition doesn't matter."

Yu Ying thought for a while and then, speaking as the original host, said: "That won't do. If you truly go blind, who will take care of me? Besides, if you become blind, am I expected to take care of you?"

Luo was at a loss for words, unsure how to respond.

"You can leave now. After I've rested, I'll examine both of you tomorrow."

Luo pondered for a moment, wanting to say something, but ultimately remained silent and turned to leave the room.

After Luo left the room, Yu Ying quietly exhaled a breath of relief.

She had wanted to treat their ailments, but persuading them to accept treatment proved more challenging than prescribing the right medicine.

Her stomach growled with hunger. Yu Ying glanced at the bowl on the fire, hopped over on one foot with her grass shoe, and picked up a dry wild grass cake without complaint.

Despite not being fussy, she found the wild grass cake extremely unpalatable.

Not only was it dry and bitter, but it also had a throat-scratching effect, devoid of any other flavor.

She had hoped to gradually improve their living conditions, but now realized that once her foot healed, a trip to town was essential.

First, she needed to exchange the silver leaves for circulating currency, then buy some basic necessities.

Salt was a must-have; otherwise, continuing to eat grass-like meals without any salt intake would deplete her body, just like the three generations of the Fu family, making recovery difficult.

At dusk, Fu An brought in cool water for his uncle to wash and then left.

The uncle, preferring to be independent, always washed himself and even shaved his beard in the morning. Apart from eating and his mobility issues, he didn't like to trouble others.

After waiting outside for about half an hour, hearing two knocks on the bed – "thud thud" – Fu An lifted the curtain and entered to remove the water.

Hearing the sound of water being poured out, Luo knew her son had finished washing and groped her way into the room.

She sat down on a bamboo stool, while Fu Wei sat on the bamboo bed. The mother and son remained in silence, wordless.

Moments later, Luo hesitantly spoke, "Erlang, why don't you let that Yu lady treat your leg?"

Fu Wei turned his head to look at the elderly woman with graying hair. After a long silence, he finally said, "Do as you wish."

His voice was indifferent, devoid of any fluctuations or emotions.

Such apathy made it seem as if the leg in question wasn't his own.

Chapter 5: Physical Depletion

In the deep, quiet hours of the night.

Yu Ying, who was deep in sleep, suddenly opened her eyes to a desolate darkness, with intermittent howling of wolves coming from outside.

The frightening sounds of the wild animals not only jolted Yu Ying awake but also reminded her of her current whereabouts.

Just now, she dreamt she was back in the modern era, celebrating the Mid-Autumn Festival with her grandparents, parents, and sister.

They were enjoying the moonlight, laughing and talking, when her grandfather pointed towards the bright moon in the sky.

Yu Ying looked around, only to realize with shock that she was now alone, with no one else in sight.

It was at this moment in her dream that Yu Ying suddenly woke up.

Recalling her family, Yu Ying felt a sting in her eyes, and her eyes gradually reddened.

She had been suppressing her emotions for a long time, but finally, tears streamed down her face, and she covered her mouth tightly to muffle her sobs.

After a sleepless night, she got up from her bed as dawn began to break, having calmed her sadness.

Early in the morning, Luo Shi was already waiting outside Yu Ying's door.

When Yu Ying lifted the grass curtain to step out, she saw Luo Shi standing outside, lost in thought, who didn't notice her emergence.

Yu Ying picked up the stick she used as a walking stick, tapping it lightly on the ground.

Hearing the sound, Luo Shi came back to reality and turned to face Yu Ying, her eyes cloudy and struggling to see in the dim morning light.

Luo Shi spoke softly, "Er Lang has agreed to let you treat his leg."

Yu Ying was slightly surprised; she hadn't expected the male protagonist to agree so easily.

She nodded in response, "I'll go and check on him once it gets a bit lighter."

Without oil lamps in the Fu household, it was nearly pitch black inside, making it impossible to examine the male protagonist's condition.

Luo Shi exhaled and turned away, using her bamboo stick to navigate towards the fireplace in the courtyard to prepare breakfast.

Yu Ying watched Luo Shi's retreating figure, then looked up at the faintly starlit sky, recalling her dream from the previous night. She sighed softly, burying all her sorrows deep in her heart.

As dawn broke and villagers began their farm work, Yu Ying looked at her foot, which was now half less swollen, and decided to take a basket from the yard to gather wild vegetables and herbs.

With the poor medical standards of ancient times, even a common cold could be lethal. Fortunately, her grandfather was an experienced traditional Chinese medicine practitioner, and she had chosen to specialize in this field, giving her the skills to survive even in this destitute and backward era.

She planned to collect and dry some herbs for future emergencies.

Hearing the noise, Luo Shi's ears twitched, and she looked towards the sound with a puzzled expression.

Due to her impaired vision, Luo Shi was unaware of what Yu Ying was doing.

Yu Ying, carrying a basket on her back and leaning on a stick, walked out of the courtyard.

The wild grasses along the country path looked overgrown, but almost all of them were medicinal herbs, which she collected as she identified them.

However, the usual wild vegetables seemed to have been picked already, likely by the villagers.

As the sky gradually brightened, Yu Ying, not paying attention, wandered further and further, unknowingly reaching the foot of the mountain.

She should have stopped, but after a moment's hesitation, she decided to venture a little way into the mountain.

Some precious herbs only grow in the mountains, and collecting more would be prudent for future needs.

Furthermore, when she used to accompany her grandfather into the mountains to learn about herbs, he often said that the mountains were full of treasures.

She wanted to see if there were any valuable items in the mountains that could earn her some money.

To change her current situation, she knew she couldn't just sit and wait for rescue; she had to take proactive steps.

Experienced in traversing the mountains, Yu Ying used her stick to clear the path and ward off snakes and insects in the undergrowth.

In less than half an hour, Yu Ying had already gathered a substantial collection.

Apart from the herbs not commonly found along the country paths, she also found a small patch of Yao Jin Niang (a valuable herb) in the bushes.

The so-called 'Yao Jinniang', commonly known as Nianzi in Lingnan, is a dark purple wild berry, the size of a fingertip, with a flower-like top. The fruit is particularly sweet when ripe.

She picked the ripe ones, and after a while, stopped with a little over a pound.

Besides wild berries, she also found some red mushrooms.

It had rained heavily in the days since her arrival, creating a conducive environment for fungi to grow.

Ancient people might have thought that all brightly colored fungi were poisonous, so these striking red mushrooms were left unpicked.

After eating flavorless wild vegetables for many days, the sight of these red mushrooms nearly moved Yu Ying to tears.

Even without oil, salt, or meat, just a simple stewed red mushroom soup would have a delicate umami taste, far superior to the boiled wild vegetables.

Moreover, these red mushrooms could be dried and stored as provisions.

In such impoverished conditions, Yu Ying became like a hamster, eager to gather anything edible.

Yu Ying harvested all the red mushrooms nearby, collecting about two pounds in total.

Fearing the villagers might suspect her of planning to poison the Fu family, she hid the red mushrooms at the bottom of her basket, covered by wild greens.

With many fierce beasts in the mountains, she didn't dare to be too greedy and didn't venture deep, turning back after collecting enough.

By the time she emerged from the mountains, it was already broad daylight, and a village woman in her forties changed her expression upon seeing her exit the forest.

Yu Ying walked past the woman with her head down. The woman glanced at the wild vegetables and herbs in her basket, frowning.

A few moments after Yu Ying passed, the woman's face displayed a struggle between caution and concern, eventually calling out, "Fu family's new bride, the mountains are dangerous, it's best not to go in."

Yu Ying paused in her steps and turned to look at the village woman.

Recognizing the woman's good intentions, she nodded and thanked her, saying, "Thank you for the reminder."

After expressing her gratitude, she turned and headed back.

The village woman's face showed a hint of surprise, having thought the Fu family's new bride would be difficult to interact with, yet she showed unexpected politeness.

Yu Ying returned to the Fu residence, where the three generations of the family were standing in the yard, seemingly waiting for her.

Without saying anything, she put down her basket. Considering they might need the basket, she emptied its contents.

Fu An and Fu Ning watched as she emptied the basket.

There were wild vegetables and fruits they recognized, as well as some wild herbs they did not.

Upon seeing the bright red mushrooms, Fu An's face turned pale. He rushed over, kicking them away and shouted, "These mushrooms are poisonous, you can't eat them."

Watching him ruin the red mushrooms, Yu Ying quickly stopped him, grabbed his hand, and pulled him aside, scolding in a low voice, "I know better than you whether they are poisonous or not."

Fu An, struggling to free his hand, called out to his grandmother, "Grandma, this bad woman wants to poison us, she picked poisonous red mushrooms!"

Yu Ying, annoyed by his noise, released his hand but blocked him to prevent further damage to the mushrooms.

With a stern face, she feigned a threatening tone, "I didn't say I'd feed them to you, they're for me to eat."

Fu An, distrustful, glared at her, "You just want to poison us all!"

Yu Ying, no longer bothering to explain, sighed looking at the worried Luo. She gathered the red mushrooms from the ground and said, "Just keep an eye on your cooking and don't touch my red mushrooms."

These were provisions after all, which could sustain them in case of any natural disasters leading to food shortages.

Luo, needing Yu to heal her son, hesitated but eventually sided with Yu Ying. She scolded her grandson, "Fu An, stop making a fuss."

Fu An protested, "But she..."

"Come here!" Luo called out firmly.

Reluctantly, Fu An returned to his grandmother's side, but his eyes remained fixed on Yu Ying.

Yu Ying, holding the red mushrooms in her skirt, went inside the house and placed them on the floor.

After coming out of the house, lifting the grass curtain, she warned Fu An, "Don't touch my things."

Fu An, just an eight-year-old child, was already somewhat afraid of the original host. Startled by Yu Ying's stern warning, he involuntarily stepped back.

After warning the older child, Yu Ying then looked at the little girl, only to see fear written in her timid, large eyes.

As soon as Yu Ying looked her way, the girl immediately hid behind Luo, tightly clutching her grandmother's skirt, clearly very scared.

…

This little girl was even less courageous than Fu An; she wouldn't even think of entering Yu Ying's room, probably even avoiding it altogether.

Yu Ying rolled up her sleeves and hobbled over to the water jar, scooping half a ladle of water to wash her hands.

The jar was only half-filled with water, never completely full.

She had noticed yesterday that the water was carried back from the river by Fu An in small half-basins.

Fu An had probably made around ten trips back and forth yesterday.

The weather was fiercely hot, and his thin, pale face was drenched in sweat, flushed red, his clothes so soaked they could wring out water. Yu Ying worried that one more trip might cause him to faint from heatstroke.

Feeling a sense of guilt using the water brought by the child not yet ten, Yu Ying planned to fetch some more water herself after examining the male lead's leg.

After washing her hands, Yu Ying looked at Luo, "I'm going to check on Erlang in the room now."

Luo nodded and then instructed the two grandsons, "You two wait outside."

Fu An pouted and reluctantly uttered an "Oh."

After giving her instructions, Luo slowly made her way into the house.

Yu Ying followed closely behind.

The room was dim, as the grass curtains over the windows were not lifted.

Yu Ying glanced at the male lead lying on the bamboo bed, his expression cold and detached.

Even as they entered, he remained motionless, his gaze fixed ahead, even though it was just a wall of thatch.

His eyes, devoid of any emotion, were like a still, lifeless pool of water, leaving others clueless about his thoughts.

In this dim environment, Yu Ying felt an oppressive and somber atmosphere.

She disliked this feeling.

Even though she was in a harsh environment, she wanted to live well and optimistically.

Yu Ying withdrew her gaze and the heavy thoughts, turning instead to roll up the grass curtain and hook it in place.

Rolling up the grass curtain let a faint morning light stream through the window, half of it falling on the floor and the other half on the foot of the bamboo bed.

The thatched cottage instantly brightened up significantly, dispersing the heavy, morbid atmosphere.

Yu Ying turned back, pulled over a bamboo stool to the bedside, and sat down.

She pulled a corner of the thin quilt to the edge of the bed, then looked at the male lead and said in a clear voice, "Give me your hand. I'll take your pulse first, then check your leg injury."

Fu Wei's eyelids flickered slightly as he turned to look at his nominal wife, her skin pale but marred by blotches of dark spots.

Fu Wei was well aware that he was forced to marry this unattractive wife as a means of revenge and humiliation against him.

Malicious, lazy, and unsightly – this was Fu Wei's impression of his wife over the past half month.

She wouldn't rise early if there was no benefit; what was her purpose in treating her own leg?

Whatever scheme she was concocting, Fu Wei had not the slightest interest.

He even felt that it wouldn't matter if she intended to harm him.

After a moment of silence, Fu Wei placed his hand on the corner of the quilt, palm facing upwards.

Seeing his cooperation, Yu Ying secretly heaved a sigh of relief.

It's not the incurable diseases that are feared, but the non-cooperative patients.

After all, even a common cold is hard to cure if the patient doesn't cooperate.

Yu Ying raised her hand, her pale, tender, callus-free fingertips touching his wrist, thin to the point of being almost fleshless.

As she felt his pulse, Yu Ying's expression gradually grew solemn.

Judging only by the man's appearance, he seemed quite spirited, but a closer examination revealed his foundation was severely depleted.

Chapter 6: Setting the Leg Bone

The room was tranquil, time slowly passing by. The quieter it became, the more it tensed the nerves.

Luo Shi, while waiting, gradually gripped the bamboo pole in her hand tighter, her heart anxious, yet she dared not show it.

After taking the pulse, Yu Ying withdrew her hand and glanced at Fu Wei's fingernails.

The nails were pale red, with some signs of clubbing. She pressed slightly on his nail before lifting her gaze to Fu Wei.

Fu Wei was indifferent to her actions, not even sparing her a glance.

Yu Ying secretly pursed her lips and averted her gaze.

Fu Wei's pulse was weak and sluggish, indicative of blood and energy deficiency. The pulse was deep and feeble, a clear case of sinking pulse, with faint signs of a floating pulse as well.

Despite the hot weather, his hands were excessively cold.

Considering these minor symptoms, it seemed like Fu Wei was suffering from a condition of deficient cold.

Mild cases of deficient cold can be regulated, but severe cases can damage the spleen and stomach, causing joint and muscle pain. Over time, the whole body can deteriorate, becoming difficult to restore.

It's Fu Wei's own body, and he would naturally sense if something was wrong with it.

Yet, his body has been so neglected, and still, he remains indifferent, obviously not caring for his life.

If he no longer wished to live, why continue to endure?

Although Yu Ying had read about it, she still wasn't quite sure of the underlying reasons.

"How is it going?" Luo Shi asked nervously from beside the door.

Considering Luo Shi's poor health, Yu Ying half-concealed the truth: "Your body is a bit weak, but it will improve with later care."

At the mention of "a bit weak," Fu Wei's eyes darkened imperceptibly.

Luo Shi, embarrassed, asked, "How much silver will it cost?"

Yu Ying knew very well that Luo Shi probably couldn't afford a single coin, so she didn't elaborate, simply stating, "I have my ways."

After speaking, Yu Ying stood up, rolled up her sleeves, and then lifted the thin quilt off Fu Wei's leg.

As soon as it was opened, the smell of the herbs intensified. Yu Ying frowned slightly and asked, "What herbs were used to treat the leg?"

Luo Shi hurriedly replied, "The elders in the village said these herbs are effective for leg injuries."

Most of these herbs are somewhat useful, but since Fu Wei's leg was broken, applying herbs is definitely futile.

Yu Ying didn't ask further. She slowly rolled up Fu Wei's trouser leg and unwrapped the cloth bandage soaked with herbs from his knee.

After removing the cloth bandage with the herbs, she saw the wound clearly—a grotesquely dislocated and twisted knee.

Yu Ying's face involuntarily darkened.

Fu Wei glanced over his leg, his eyes brimming with intense disgust.

Yu Ying paused for a moment and then bent down to carefully examine his legs.

The officer must have aimed directly at the knees when breaking Fu Wei's legs, resulting in the frighteningly dislocated and twisted knees.

Although it looks terrifying, an experienced traditional doctor could still set such a fracture right.

But in this ancient era, skilled doctors usually settled in prosperous areas, making it hard to find a good physician in such poor and backward places.

Even if there were any, they might not be willing to treat Fu Wei.

Who in Yu County doesn't know that the son of the Wuling Prefecture Governor, having been mistakenly taken, suffered for twenty years, and therefore harbors deep resentment towards the Fu family?

Everyone knew, though it was never explicitly stated, that Fu Wei's legs were broken by the men sent by the son of the county governor. In such a situation, who would dare to treat him?

Yu Ying carefully observed Fu Wei's expression, then gently pressed the injured area. Seeing his face turn pale and his brows furrow, she knew he was in severe pain.

Pain is a good sign. No pain would mean no sensation, and at that point, she would be utterly helpless.

After carefully examining the misaligned joints on his leg, Yu Ying withdrew her hand and softly said, "It can be healed."

Hearing this, Fu Wei glanced at her but did nothing more.

However, Luo Shi was deeply shaken. She had resigned herself to her son's condition, concealing her sorrow deep within, daring not to show it.

Now hearing that it could be healed, her eyes gradually reddened, but fearing she had misunderstood, she hastily asked, "Can it really be healed?"

Yu Ying hummed in affirmation: "If the bones are set correctly and given time to rest..." She glanced at the severe dislocation and cautiously chose a conservative estimate: "About two months of rest should be enough to remove the splints, and he might be able to get out of bed for a while, but he shouldn't stand or walk too much. And for a full recovery, he will need an even longer period of rest."

Healing bones and tendons takes a hundred days, but in ancient times, lacking instruments, everything relied on experience and intuition, so the timeline is longer.

Having said this, Yu Ying then left the room.

Inside, Fu Wei looked towards the doorway, his gaze shifting slightly, peering out the window to the courtyard, resting on the silhouette of his wife.

Only when her figure disappeared from view did Fu Wei lower his gaze, his eyes settling on his grotesque and unsightly legs, his disgust not hidden in the slightest.

Can it really be healed...

He feared that even if it healed, it might be broken again.

Disgusted, Fu Wei glanced at his legs and hastily covered them with a quilt.

Out of sight, out of mind.

Remembering the bamboo grove at the foot of the mountain, Yu Ying asked Luo Shi for a hatchet to cut bamboo, as it was needed to stabilize Fu Wei's legs after setting the bones.

However, upon seeing the hatchet Luo Shi brought, Yu Ying fell silent.

The hatchet was so dull and toothed that it would struggle to cut through even wild grass, let alone bamboo.

She resolved to replace these inadequate tools sooner rather than later.

She found a relatively flat stone by the river and, sweating profusely, sharpened the hatchet until it was barely usable.

After confirming with Luo Shi that the bamboo grove at the mountain base was unclaimed, she cut some bamboo poles, slightly thicker than a thumb, and brought them back.

She cut about a dozen bamboo poles, smoothed them on the rough stone, soaked them in the river for a while, and then dried them under the sun.

Once the bamboo poles were ready, she needed ropes to secure them.

Since the Fu family didn't have enough rope, she used cloth strips instead.

After examining the limited clothing of the three generations, which seemed neither sturdy nor plentiful, she eventually tore her own undergarment into strong cloth strips.

With everything prepared, she carried hot water into the room to clean the medicinal stains on Fu Wei's legs.

Luo Shi, concerned, insisted on staying by her side, and Yu Ying did not ask her to leave.

Yu Ying wrung out the cloth and gently began to wipe Fu Wei's legs, lifting the quilt with care.

Fu Wei, who had been silent until now, finally spoke, "Why do you want to heal me?"

Hearing his question, Yu Ying looked up at him and said, "I thought you wouldn't care about this."

Glancing at Luo Shi by the door, she lowered her voice and added, "I thought you didn't want to live anymore and wouldn't mind either."

Fu Wei's eyebrows slightly raised, his expression still listless, as he averted his gaze.

"Let's not talk about it then."

Yu Ying, focusing on his legs, said half-seriously, "I can't leave now, and might have to stay with the Fu family for the rest of my life. As a man and the pillar of the family, you naturally can't stay in bed forever."

Fu Wei glanced at her expression while she spoke, unable to discern truth from pretense, but he didn't believe her words.

Fu Wei might be skeptical, but Luo Shi's expression changed upon hearing this.

She wondered to herself: Could it be that after Yu Ying's fall and brush with death, she had a change of heart and wanted to make a life with the second young master?

Yu Ying didn't have the leisure to guess their thoughts. After cleaning Fu Wei's legs and massaging them to relax the muscles, she contemplated how to set the bones properly.

Suddenly, without warning, she took advantage of his relaxed state, pushed and set the bone with a sudden force. The bone made a "crack" sound, causing Fu Wei to clutch the quilt tightly, his knuckles whitening, his face turning ashen, and a layer of cold sweat forming on his forehead.

Yu Ying looked at him and asked, "Can you bear it?"

"Continue," Fu Wei said, his voice strained with endurance.

Yu Ying knew setting the bones was extremely painful, especially in a case like his, where the injury was almost a month old and the dislocation was so severe that it was grotesque.

Despite the intense pain, Fu Wei didn't cry out, which Yu Ying found admirable.

After setting the bones, she secured several thick bamboo poles to his legs and tightly fastened them with the torn cloth strips, creating a rudimentary but effective splint.

Just setting one leg left Yu Ying gasping for breath, her clothes soaked with sweat.

She allowed Fu Wei a moment to rest and took a break herself. Once she regained her strength, she proceeded to treat the other leg.

Fu An, peeking through the window, winced in sympathy at the sight of the woman handling his uncle's leg.

He looked at the diligent woman, his face creased with concern.

He had heard her say yesterday that she would not only treat his uncle's leg but also his grandmother's eyes.

If she could really cure his grandmother's eyes, he would endure any scolding or beating from her.

After a long while, Yu Ying finally finished treating both of Fu Wei's legs. She was nearly exhausted, and even Fu Wei leaned against the wall, gasping for breath.

As Yu Ying regained her energy, she covertly observed Fu Wei.

Thin sweat soaked Fu Wei's flimsy clothes, clinging tightly to his body. Despite recent hardships, one could still discern how tall and well-built he used to be, with smooth and distinct muscle lines.

Such a perfect body, it would be a true pity if it were to be disabled.

Yu Ying merely observed with appreciation, harboring no other thoughts.

After a while, she withdrew her gaze and, following professional instinct, instructed, "Without my permission, do not remove these bamboo poles, and avoid getting your legs wet. Additionally, I'll prepare some herbal medicine to regulate your body."

Having said that, her eyes fell on his sweat-drenched clothes. Hesitating briefly, she added, "Change into dry clothes later to prevent catching a cold."

After giving her instructions, Yu Ying picked up the basin of water and left the room.

Luo Shi's excitement gradually subsided. Licking her dry lips, she looked at the blurred figure on the bed and said, "Erlang, focus on healing. Don't worry about anything else."

Fu Wei, recovering from the intense pain, looked at his aging mother, her hair white and face worn, and his brows furrowed.

In their current situation, what good would worrying do?

Luo Shi turned and left the room as well.

After washing her hands, Yu Ying looked at Luo Shi coming out of the house and said, "Now let me check your eyes."

Luo Shi initially wanted to refuse, but Yu Ying's remark, "If you don't let me check, then don't expect me to continue treating the second young master's leg," made her hastily agree.

Yu Ying examined Luo Shi's eyes and carefully inquired about the symptoms, forming a diagnosis in her mind.

Luo Shi's eye condition was treatable, but a thorough and lasting cure would be a long process, with bodily health being the top priority.

Given the limited conditions, Yu Ying could only prepare some heart-clearing and vision-improving herbs to brew into tea, to alleviate the symptoms of blindness for now.

After a busy day, as dusk approached and she was about to rest, a sudden loud clatter from inside the house made Yu Ying quickly get up and lift the straw curtain to check.

She saw Fu An standing dazed beside the fire rack, with a ceramic pot shattered into pieces, its fragments scattered over the fire extinguished by spilled wild vegetable soup.

Luo Shi, hearing the noise, hurried over and anxiously asked, "What happened?!"

Fu An, his eyes reddened, said grievously, "Grandma, the pot just cracked open..."

Hearing this, Luo Shi's face also turned pale.

Things wear out over time, but seeing the expression on the faces of the grandmother and grandson, Yu Ying had an ominous feeling.

— Could this be the only cooking pot in the house...?

While other households might be too poor to have food to cook, this family seemed too poor to even own a pot.

If this really was the only pot they had, it seemed unlikely they would have wild vegetable soup tonight.

Suddenly, Yu Ying remembered the items she had gathered in the mountains earlier that day and turned to look at the red mushrooms on the ground, an idea forming in her mind.

She thought that tonight's dinner might just be sorted out after all.

Chapter 7: Learning to Trust

With their only pottery jar broken, apart from the naïve Fu Ning, both Luo Shi and Fu An, grandmother and grandson, wore faces of deep sorrow.

Yu Ying came out of the house with some red mushrooms and gathered some wild vegetables and herbs from the yard to clean.

As she washed the mushrooms, Fu An watched her unblinkingly, his eyes wide like copper bells, fearing she might poison them.

Yu Ying didn't mind. While washing the herbs, she tasted a few, the sweetness dissolving in her mouth, slightly alleviating the bitterness in her heart.

However, as she ate the wild fruits, Fu An couldn't help but swallow repeatedly. Even little Fu Ning was salivating, sucking on her fingers pitifully.

Not wanting to eat alone, but mindful that too much of the fruit wasn't good, Yu Ying only filled half a bowl. She didn't give it directly to Fu An or Fu Ning but instead handed it to Luo Shi.

Luo Shi, seeing a blurred figure, recognized it was Yu Ying. Grateful for Yu Ying's treatment of Erlang today, her attitude had warmed. "What is it?" she asked.

Yu Ying took Luo Shi's calloused hands and placed the wooden bowl in them. Her manner was neither cold nor warm as she calmly said, "Eat these wild fruits to stave off hunger for now."

Having said that, she turned and went back to continue her work.

Luo Shi, holding the bowl, looked somewhat astonished, unaccustomed to Yu Ying's kindness.

Fu An approached, standing beside his grandmother, whispering, "Grandma, I was watching; she didn't tamper with the fruits."

His soft voice still reached Yu Ying's ears.

Squatting by the fire, Yu Ying stirred the embers in the fireplace and quipped with a hint of mockery, "Since you trust me enough to let me treat your legs and eyes, why would you fear I'd poison you?"

Hearing this, Luo Shi fell silent for a moment, then hesitantly tried a wild fruit.

Initially, she wanted to ensure it was safe before letting the children eat, but the sweetness of the fruit immediately made her expression stern.

The sweet wild fruits nearby had all been picked, except in the mountains – there were no fruits as sweet as these.

"You went into the mountains?!" Luo Shi's expression turned serious.

Yu Ying didn't hide it from her: "I did, but didn't go deep."

Luo Shi's expression grew heavier as she said, "The mountains are full of wild beasts and venomous snakes, extremely dangerous. Countless people from our village have been devoured or poisoned to death. Everyone else avoids the mountains, how could you dare to enter?!"

Luo Shi spoke anxiously, but Yu Ying knew she meant well and didn't take offense, responding calmly, "If there was any other way to survive, I wouldn't have gone into the mountains."

She understood the ancient reverence for mountains but didn't expect it to be to such an extent.

Standing up, Yu Ying looked out towards the village shrouded in twilight, her gaze falling on the dilapidated thatched cottages.

It wasn't just the Fu family; the entire Ling Shui Village was poor.

Yu Ying asked helplessly, "To survive, eating only wild vegetables without oil or salt, can anyone truly live like that? Even if adults can endure it, can the children? Can Erlang inside the house endure it?"

She paused, then continued, "I know the mountains are dangerous, and I'm scared too, but I can't just sit and wait for a miracle."

How could Luo Shi not be aware of the situation Yu Ying described?

Unable to refute, Luo Shi lowered her head and, after a moment, handed the bowl of fruits to her grandson, "Take this and share with Ning Ning."

Fu An hesitated, glancing at Yu Ying, then at the bowl with dewy, tantalizing wild fruits, and swallowed hard, unsure whether to relent.

But after a moment, he made up his mind.

He thought, why should he let his issues with Yu Ying affect his appetite?

He took the bowl and ran to his sister, feeding her a fruit before eating any himself.

Little Fu Ning's face, dirty yet sweet, lit up with a smile upon tasting the fruit, her tiny canines peeking through.

Fuyuan fed his sister and then took a fruit to taste for himself.

Ever since their father went to the quarry, Fuyuan hadn't tasted sweet wild fruits for two years. Eating this fruit, a smile appeared on Fuyuan's face that Yuying had never seen before.

Yuying withdrew her gaze and lowered her head to continue her work, but the corners of her mouth unknowingly lifted slightly.

After scraping out some sparking firewood, Yuying also retrieved a pottery shard, larger than her palm, from the fire, cleaned it, and set it aside for later use.

She then used a chopper to split a leftover piece of bamboo, thumb-thick, into eight sturdy bamboo skewers.

After whittling the skewers, she threaded red mushrooms onto them. Once done, she placed them on two stones, stood up, and went outside to gather larger stones to build a makeshift grill, about a foot in length.

When she was younger, they would make a grill with bricks in the absence of a barbecue stove at home.

Finally, she placed the sparking firewood into the trench and reignited it with some dry leaves.

Once the fire stabilized, Yuying placed the mushroom skewers over it and finally put the pottery shard on the fire to heat.

After a while, the water stains on the pottery shard slowly began to boil.

Seeing this, Yuying picked wild amaranth into half-finger-length pieces and placed them on the shard.

Without oil, both the wild vegetables and mushrooms were prone to burning or charring, so Yuying occasionally sprinkled some water over them.

She flipped the mushrooms occasionally and stirred the vegetables with bamboo chopsticks.

Gradually, a faint aroma of roasted mushrooms began to waft through the air.

Fuyuan, smelling the aroma, looked at the half-cooked poisonous mushrooms, thinking to himself that no matter how fragrant, he would never take a bite.

Seeing the wild vegetables were cooked, Yuying added them to the bowl and took the freshly washed berries, squeezing them until they burst, their purple-black juice dripping onto the vegetables.

She squeezed a few more berries, then stirred everything evenly.

The small amount of wild vegetables was hardly enough to satisfy hunger, but it was better than an empty stomach.

She handed it to Fuyuan: "Take this first to your uncle."

Fuyuan hesitated and looked at his grandmother: "She didn't add any poisonous red mushrooms."

Luo thought it over in silence and decided that Yu's words were right.

If she had doubts about her, she wouldn't have allowed her to help treat Erlang's leg in the first place.

Besides, if Yu really wanted to poison them, she could easily do it in the water tank at night, why bother with the food now?

With this thought, Luo chose to trust Yu this time, and said to her grandson, "Go ahead and take it to your uncle."

Fuyuan, always obedient to Luo, took the bowl with a few wild fruits left for his sister, and hurriedly carried the bowl of wild vegetables to the thatched cottage.

Yuying then went back to picking more vegetables, placing them on the pottery shard for cooking.

Inside the house.

After the bone setting, Fuyan had been weakly asleep all afternoon, waking up only when a loud 'pop' sound echoed.

The sounds from the yard, passing through the rolled-up grass curtain of the window, reached inside the house. He propped himself up on the bamboo bed, sat up, and looked out to the yard, watching Yu's bustling figure.

Yu had changed somehow.

But what did it matter if she had changed?

Fuyan narrowed his eyes, retracting his gaze to look at his legs, bound in bamboo, lost in thought.

Delving into Yu's transformation was of no benefit to anyone.

At that moment, the bamboo curtain was lifted, and Fuyan entered, carrying a bowl of wild vegetables, which he placed at the edge of the bed.

"Uncle, she made this."

Fuyan's gaze shifted slightly, landing on the wild vegetables in the bowl, which looked more appetizing than before.

After a long silence, he still brought the bowl to his hands and used chopsticks to taste a bit.

Fuyan watched his uncle intently, eating and asked curiously, "Does it taste different from what grandma makes?"

Fuyan chewed thoughtfully, discerning the distinct flavor.

Still devoid of oil and salt, yet there was a faint sweet aroma. The natural sourness and bitterness of the wild vegetables were masked. Though not delicious, it was much more palatable than the previously hard-to-swallow fare.

Soon after, Fuyan ran out of the house with the empty bowl, excitedly saying, "Grandma, uncle finished it all today!"

Hearing this, Luo showed a look of surprise.

Normally, Erlang would hardly eat a few bites for lunch or dinner, showing little desire to eat more. His finishing the meal today was unexpected for Luo.

Yuying glanced towards the direction of the thatched cottage, her eyes briefly meeting his in the air before withdrawing her gaze. She picked up the almost ready red mushrooms and laid them across the bowl.

These freshly roasted red mushrooms had a richer aroma than before. Ningning, the young girl, didn't understand what was poisonous or not, only seeing that the red mushrooms looked delicious, watching them unblinkingly.

Due to malnutrition, her face was small, making her eyes appear unusually large.

Yuying thought of the young girl's premature death, feeling a heavy sense of suffocation in her heart.

She hoped to change the fate of Fuyan's eldest son, who was destined to be crushed to death, believing it might be the only way to alter the family's fortune.

The third batch of wild vegetables on the pottery shard was ready. Yuying put aside her thoughts, transferred the vegetables to a bowl, and started on the fourth batch.

It wasn't until after the fifth round that she stopped.

After mixing the wild vegetables with the sweet juice of the wild fruits, she divided them into three portions, asking Fuyan to serve his grandmother and sister.

Yuying had no intention of actively sharing the red mushrooms with them.

After all, changing one's beliefs is not easy. She believed the red mushrooms were non-toxic, but the people of Fuyan's family and the entire village thought otherwise. Arguing about it at this time was pointless.

Having portioned the wild herbs, Yuying picked up a skewer of red mushrooms, blew off the ash, and took a bite.

Yuying, who had tasted various delicacies, felt in that moment that these roasted red mushrooms were the most delicious of all the foods she had ever eaten.

Luo tasted the wild vegetables prepared by Yu, feeling momentarily stunned, almost as if all the wild vegetables she had cooked before were fit only for pigs.

They contained no special seasoning, just the added sweetness of wild fruit juice, yet the difference was astonishing.

Although Luo couldn't see, Fuyan had described in detail Yuying's entire cooking process.

Seeing Yuying eat the red mushrooms and Fuyan eating the wild vegetables with relish, Fuyan's eyes widened in disbelief, telling his grandmother, "Grandma, she... she ate the poisonous mushrooms!"

Hearing Fuyan's claim that Yu had eaten the poisonous mushrooms, Luo was initially shocked but then began to doubt whether the red mushrooms were truly poisonous.

After a long silence, Luo finally spoke, asking Yuying, "Are those mushrooms really non-toxic?"

Yuying truthfully replied, "Not all brightly colored mushrooms are poisonous. I have eaten this type before; they are harmless. But rest assured, I won't force you to eat them."

Luo hesitated for a moment, then seemingly compromised, extending her bowl towards Yuying and said, "Give me some too."

Yuying was surprised to hear this.

Fuyan was even more astonished, quickly cautioning, "Grandma, that's poisonous mushrooms, you can't eat them!"

Luo hesitated, then said, "Grandma trusts your aunt."

Yuying felt a bit uncomfortable with this sudden reference to her as 'aunt,' and was also surprised by Luo's swift change of attitude.

After a moment's hesitation, Yuying reluctantly placed a red mushroom in Luo's bowl, saying, "Try this first, and if you think it's alright, then we can give some to Fuyan and Funing."

Luo reached for the mushroom, but Fuyan suddenly grabbed it and stuffed it into his mouth, chewing quickly like a warrior making a sacrifice, and swallowed it.

It seemed he wanted to test it for poison.

However, as he ate the mushroom, his previously furrowed expression gradually changed.

Blinking, he thought to himself: Although poisonous, these mushrooms taste quite good…

Chapter 8: Easing of Tensions

Seeing them daringly eat the red mushrooms, Yuying thought it unnecessary and said, "Never mind, don't force yourselves."

Luo and Fuyan remained vocal.

Knowing her grandson had eaten the mushrooms first, Luo started to feel increasingly uneasy.

Ultimately, Luo was still unsure.

It wasn't that she doubted Yu, but she feared Yu might have mistakenly picked a toxic variety.

Fuyan, while fearing the poison might kill him, couldn't stop reminiscing about the delicious taste.

He wanted to taste it again but didn't dare, caught in a deep conflict.

Yuying, having eaten her fill, suddenly remembered the matter of treating Fuyan's leg. Concerned that some might not wish to see him recover, she cautioned Luo, "Don't mention about me treating Erlang's leg. I fear someone might interfere with bad intentions."

Luo instantly understood the implication in Yuying's words, her face turning pale.

If the person who broke Erlang's leg knew that it could be healed, they might break it again.

And if it were broken again, the chances of recovery would be slim.

Seeing Luo's grave expression, Yuying felt reassured that she understood the gravity of the situation. She glanced at Fuyan and added, "Also warn Fuyan not to speak of it outside."

Hearing his name, Fuyan looked up, his expression blank.

Luo, worried, nodded, "I'll talk to him about it."

After giving her advice and seeing their relationship easing, Yuying asked, "How long does it take to get from Lingshui Village to the county town?"

"You want to go to the county town?" Luo asked, surprised.

"Yes, I need to go there," Yuying said, glancing at the shattered pottery jar. "We can manage without meat for now, but we need to get a proper pot for cooking as soon as possible."

Luo, recalling Yuying's escape six days earlier, now grew suspicious upon hearing her plans to visit the county town.

She had left once already, but since returning, Yuying's behavior had changed significantly, particularly with her treatment of Erlang's leg…

If she left, what would happen to Erlang?

Luo's heart was burdened with worry again.

But Fuyan, unaware of his grandmother's thoughts, eagerly responded, hoping for Yuying to leave again, "There's a bullock cart to Yuxian the day after tomorrow morning!"

Yuying looked at him, seeing his barely contained excitement and understanding his thoughts.

Yet, she was bound to disappoint him; she truly didn't want to leave now.

Luo, noticing her grandson's rashness, sighed inwardly. If Yuying intended to leave, nobody could stop her.

With this in mind, she resignedly explained, "Be at the village entrance early the day after tomorrow. Chen from the neighboring village will be driving his bullock cart to Yuxian to deliver vegetables. He'll take villagers along the way to the town and wait for them to return, but…"

"But what?"

Yuying listened attentively.

After a few moments, Luo, with an embarrassed expression, said, "It costs one coin for the ride there and another for the return."

Yuying, having a few copper coins, nodded and replied, "I understand. Tomorrow morning, I'll pick some herbs to see if the medical halls in town will buy them. If not, I'll bring them back."

Yuying planned to buy some items, but to avoid drawing attention, she intended to use a decoy, pretending to be unable to sell the herbs, thus concealing what she really bought in her basket.

Luo, not entirely convinced of Yuying's return, didn't pay much heed to her words.

As dusk fell, Yuying fetched water to prepare for washing.

Each time she washed, seeing the worn basin used by the entire family, Yuying, who valued cleanliness, reminded herself to be content with not being a beggar and not to be too fussy.

Although she accepted it physically, she still resisted it mentally.

She had only two small silver leaves, hardly worth a coin, yet there were many things she needed to buy.

After washing, she tossed and turned on the straw bed, unable to sleep, especially with the howling of wolves outside and the continuous coughing from next door.

How could she possibly sleep?

She remained sleepless for most of the night, only managing to doze off in the late hours.

Early in the morning, Yuying woke up early, only to find someone else had risen even earlier.

Luo stood in the courtyard, her sightless eyes staring blankly at the distant mountains, lost in thought.

After washing her face and drinking a sip of unboiled river water, Yuying strapped on her carrying basket and took her woodcutting knife, ready to leave. Before departing, she spoke to Luo to ease her worries.

"I have no plans to leave. I just want to improve our lives, that's why I'm heading to the county town. If I wanted to leave, I would have just left. Why would I need to deceive you?"

Hearing this, Luo's heart wavered. After a pause, she asked, "Do you really not intend to leave?"

Yuying, slightly frustrated, found an excuse: "I nearly fell to my death last time, how could I dare to leave again? Besides, it's too dangerous outside, I feel safer staying in Lingshui Village."

As she concluded, she added, "I plan to become the head of the Fuyan family in the future. Why would I leave?"

Luo's expression softened, and Yuying knew her doubts had been allayed, so she left.

Luo watched Yuying's blurred figure disappear from view and finally breathed a sigh of relief.

Despite the dangers, people still ventured into the mountains in groups to pick wild fruits and vegetables.

Several middle-aged women from Lingshui Village, who had gone into the mountains together, were surprised to see Yuying and couldn't help but stare at the dark spots on her face.

The spots weren't real, and Yuying felt no need to be concerned about them.

As she turned to leave, someone called out to her, "It's dangerous in the mountains, don't go alone. Stay with us for safety."

Yuying looked over and recognized the woman who had warned her the day before.

After pondering for a moment, she agreed that there was safety in numbers and decided to join them.

A woman in her forties approached her and asked, "Fuyan's new bride, what are you looking for in the mountains?"

Intending to continue living in Lingshui Village, Yuying didn't plan on being a loner, so she replied, "I'm planning to dig up some wild vegetables and herbs."

The woman suddenly remembered, "I recall your father was an imperial physician. Could it be that you also know medical practices?"

Hearing this, the other women perked up their ears, growing curious.

Yu Ying, aware she mustn't show off her skills, replied modestly, "I've only learned the basics and can identify a few common herbs."

Losing interest at her response, the others began picking wild fruits around them.

Seeing them disperse, Yu Ying asked the woman beside her, "May I know how to address you, elder sister?"

The woman, straightforward and cheerful, replied with a smile, "I'm nearly the same age as your mother-in-law, so don't call me elder sister. Just call me Aunt He."

Yu Ying courteously addressed her, "Aunt He."

Aunt He, about to go pick wild vegetables, advised her, "Stay nearby, don't wander off. If anything happens, shout and we'll hear you."

After giving her advice, Aunt He went on her way.

With many people around, there weren't enough wild fruits and vegetables for everyone. Even the red mushrooms, Yu Ying stopped picking to avoid gossip.

After gathering some herbs, Yu Ying also found a small patch of Night Fragrance.

Night Fragrance is a type of mint, different from the common mint known in later times. The common mint, scientifically called wrinkled leaf mint, is a foreign herb not present in this era.

Night-Scented Mint can be used for mouth rinsing to freshen breath and also for making tea in the summer.

Yuying plucked about ten plants, planning to grow them in her yard for use in mouth rinsing or tea brewing.

After squatting for too long, she stood up to stretch and saw wild fruits in the lower bushes ahead. She cut through the thorns along the path and used a bamboo pole to make her way there.

Only upon approaching did she realize they were Bletilla fruits.

Bletilla fruits are also known as grass jelly fruits.

In her childhood, every summer, her grandfather would pick these fruits to make grass jelly for her.

Yuying was pleasantly surprised and was about to pick some to make grass jelly when she heard Auntie He's voice from behind, "Why are you picking those? They're not tasty and quite flavorless."

Hearing Auntie He's comment, an idea to make some money suddenly sparked in Yuying's mind.

Perhaps in this era, no one had yet discovered that these fruits could be used to make other dishes. Maybe she could make some grass jelly to sell in Yuxian?!

Grass jelly combined with mint would be a perfect summer refreshment. If she sold it, she might even earn some silver!

With this thought, a small flame of enthusiasm ignited in Yuying's heart, but she maintained her composure outwardly. Smiling lightly, she said, "Dried, these fruits can also be a snack. I'll pick some to store at home."

Hearing the new bride of the Fuyan family say this, Auntie He recalled how the Fuyans were the most impoverished family in Lingshui Village. The elderly were blind, the adults either worked in the quarry or were disabled, and the children were too young to bear heavy burdens. Apart from wild vegetables, they couldn't even afford rice soup.

Thinking of this, she said nothing more, only cautioning, "Be careful of the thorns, don't get scratched."

Yuying picked almost half a basket before stopping.

By the time Yu Ying returned to the Fu residence, more than half an hour had passed.

Without any utensils, she didn't immediately make jelly but continued to roast red mushrooms and stir-fried wild vegetables using yesterday's pottery shards.

From the moment she started cooking, Fu An was salivating over the mushrooms. Yu Ying, noticing his eagerness, roasted a few more than the day before.

The vegetables and mushrooms were divided into five portions, with little Fu Ning getting a smaller share since she ate less.

After finishing, she instructed Fu An, "Take these to your grandmother and your uncle."

Fu An quickly came over, and seeing the mushrooms in the bowl, he didn't protest about them being poisonous and carried two bowls inside.

He had been fearful all night, but when nothing happened the next day, he believed the mushrooms were safe.

Yu Ying, seeing Fu Ning's wide eyes, smiled warmly and handed her the remaining bowl, "Take it inside to eat."

The little girl hesitated before cautiously extending her dirty hands, then quickly withdrew them to wipe on her clothes.

Yu Ying then brought a half scoop of water and suggested, "Just extend your hands to wash them."

The girl looked at her still-dirty hands and timidly stretched them out.

Yu Ying gently poured water over her small hands and softly rubbed them.

The girl seemed about four or five years old, but her hands were as small as a two-year-old's, and quite thin.

She looked at the large hands covering hers, soft and delicate, a stark contrast to her grandmother's rough hands, and found it very comforting.

Her gaze involuntarily clung to those fair and beautiful hands, and her sense of fear gradually diminished.

Yu Ying placed the bowl in her hands and then went to eat her own portion.

After eating half her meal, Yu Ying went inside and took out a copper coin for Luo Shi.

"Could you ask someone to lend us a pot? Just for one day. I'll borrow it tonight and return it by tomorrow evening. This coin can be the rent."

Hearing this, Luo Shi squinted at the copper coin in her hand, knowing Yu Ying would not leave without it, and without asking what she needed it for, nodded, "I'll go and ask around."

Luo Shi took the copper coin; after all, in a village where food and clothing were scarce, who would dare lend their household utensils without some benefit?

Not long after, Aunt He brought back Luo Shi with a pottery jar.

She returned the copper coin to Yu Ying, saying, "How could I take money from your family? If your eldest son hadn't helped my husband at the quarry, he might not have made it out alive."

Aunt He refused to accept anything, so Yu Ying took the coin back.

With the pottery jar in hand, Yu Ying began making jelly.

She first picked out the male fruits of the jelly plant that were inadvertently harvested, then cut open the female fruits, scooping out their seeds into a wooden bowl.

After processing all the fruits, yielding about two bowls' worth, she placed them under the sun to dry.

Meanwhile, she boiled a pot of hot water and had Fu An tend the fire.

Fu An, perhaps feeling obligated after receiving help, didn't complain and cooperated well.

While Fu An watched the fire, Yu Ying tore off the sleeves of her white shirt and thoroughly washed them along with a wooden tray by the river. She then scalded them with boiling hot water upon returning.

An hour later, she filled the sleeves with the seeds of the jelly plant, tying the ends securely, and repeatedly kneaded them in a basin of clear river water.

She continued kneading until the water turned thick and viscous, then poured the milky white liquid into the pottery jar.

The small amount of Bletilla fruits ultimately didn't fill a clay pot. If converted to bowls of grass jelly with added water, it would amount to only about a dozen bowls.

Sighing inwardly about the difficulty of making money, Yuying continued her work, placing the clay pot in the water tank to set overnight.

When ready to eat, she would just need to add boiled mint water.

Although lacking in flavor, it would be refreshing, like having an ice cube in the mouth. This was especially suitable for the hot weather of July and August.

Whether she could earn some silver to improve their current situation would depend on tomorrow.

Chapter 9: First Trip to the City

Having been busy all day, Yuying felt exhausted and thus slept soundly that night.

At the first crow of the rooster in the dim morning light, Yuying awoke.

Sitting up from the straw bed and regaining her senses, she then twisted her previously sprained ankle.

Her ankle had improved significantly, no longer as painfully sharp as before, and the swelling had subsided. She believed that with a day or two more of herbal poultices, it should fully heal.

After putting on her straw shoes, Yuying ventured out of the house in the dark, feeling fearful, but her poverty helped her overcome this fear.

Nothing was more terrifying than poverty, hunger, and cold. If there was, it was not being poor enough.

She went to the water tank, retrieved the clay pot, and gently poked inside with a bamboo stick. Feeling that it had set, she breathed a sigh of relief.

Thankfully, her efforts hadn't been in vain.

Setting the clay pot aside, she picked and chewed a few mint leaves, enjoying the fresh, subtle fragrance spreading in her mouth.

Yesterday, she had cleared a small patch in the yard and planted the mint.

After washing up, she was about to scoop some out with a bowl and wooden spoon when Luo also emerged from the house.

Luo Shi, in a hushed voice, asked, "Is there anything I can help with?"

In the dim light, Yu Ying looked at Luo Shi's cloudy eyes and after a moment of silence, said, "There is something I need help with, just wait a moment."

Luo Shi waited as instructed.

Yu Ying crushed a few mint leaves in a bowl with a wooden spoon, then added water to release a faint mint fragrance.

After washing the spoon, she scooped out three spoonfuls of jelly into a bowl, stirred it, and handed it to Luo Shi.

She spoke softly, "Please try this and tell me how it tastes."

Luo Shi was taken aback, not expecting this kind of request, but she set down her bamboo pole and cautiously scooped up a taste. Upon entering her mouth, a refreshing coolness filled her palate.

Although it was relatively flavorless, the jelly was refreshing and had a smooth, lightly bouncy texture.

"What is this?" Luo Shi asked.

Yu Ying replied, "Jelly."

After a pause, she added, "It's made from wild fruits in the mountains. When Fu An wakes up, remind him not to tell others. I'm planning to sell it."

Hearing her plan to sell it, Luo Shi expressed concern: "If the jelly is expensive, will people buy it?"

Yu Ying, unruffled, asked her to first comment on the taste.

Having not tasted something good for a long time, Luo Shi hesitated, unsure of her judgment.

Understanding her apprehension, Yu Ying said straightforwardly, "Just speak your mind."

Luo Shi then spoke, "The texture is unique, cool and refreshing when eaten, possibly more cooling than sour plum drink. It's similar to tofu pudding but with more elasticity, and it seems to relieve the heat too."

Yu Ying confirmed, "It does have cooling effects. Night Fragrance can clear the head and relieve phlegm discomfort. It can be used for mouth rinsing in the morning and also infused in water to drink."

After explaining, she also tried some herself. Without sugar, it lacked some flavor, but it was the most normal food she had eaten in a while.

She intended to sell it for the novelty, not expecting repeat customers.

Thinking it over, Yu Ying said, "I don't plan to sell it too expensively, just one coin per bamboo tube. If they don't sell, I'll just bring them back in the afternoon."

Yesterday, she had gone into the mountains again, quickly chopping down a thick bamboo. Ignoring the stares of others, she dragged it back to the Fu residence.

After bringing back the bamboo, she cut several sections into tubes and smoothed their edges on a stone to make cups. She also made a long bamboo tube with a lid to hold mint water.

Yu Ying looked at the jelly in her hand. Having only stayed in Ling Shui Village and never gone out, she knew that in the impoverished regions of Lingnan, common folks only cared about filling their stomachs and wouldn't opt for extravagant food.

Since it was all Yu Ying's own efforts, Luo Shi didn't comment further.

Yu Ying crushed some mint leaves, added river water, and then poured it into the long bamboo tube and covered it.

The mint flavor was strong. When she reached Yu County, she planned to buy a pottery jar and find a place to rinse it with well water.

As dawn broke, Luo Shi woke her grandson to escort Yu Ying to the village entrance.

Fu An, rubbing his eyes and thinking the woman might not return, felt a surge of joy and quickly got up to accompany her.

As Fu An left the house, Fu Wei looked out the window into the courtyard, watching the figure of his nominal wife heading towards the sunrise. Her silhouette against the rising sun seemed to radiate endless vigor.

Fu Wei withdrew his gaze with an indifferent expression, his eyes still reflecting a pool of lifeless stillness.

Yu Ying carried a backpack. At the top were herbs, and at the bottom were several bamboo tubes and a pottery jar filled with jelly.

She only took a silver leaf and the seven copper coins she had.

She walked to the village with Fu An, a journey of about fifteen minutes.

Fu An kicked stones along the way and swatted at the wild grass with a stick.

Glancing at him, Yu Ying said, "I've left some jelly on the firewood pile in my room. Divide it into four portions at noon, each bowl with two leaves from the courtyard, and I'll prepare dinner when I return."

Fu An, pausing in his wild grass hitting, turned to her in disbelief, "You're coming back?!"

Yu Ying raised her eyebrows slightly, "You don't want me to return?"

Fu An's thin face crumpled immediately, without hesitation, "I don't want you to!"

Yu Ying remained good-natured, countering calmly, "If I don't return, who will treat your grandmother and uncle? Or do you have money to buy a pottery jar to cook?"

Stumped by her retort, Fu An was momentarily speechless, but then asked, "Can you really treat my grandmother and uncle?"

Yu Ying looked at him and countered, "What if I do?"

After a moment's thought, Fu An replied, "If you can really cure them, I'll do whatever you say, never going against your wishes."

"Then it's agreed, no going back on your word."

Fu An stood tall and declared, "My word is my bond!"

Hearing the idiom slip from Fu An's mouth, Yu Ying was surprised, but then she remembered that Luo Shi was originally from a well-educated family, surely capable of teaching her children and grandchildren.

Yu Ying smiled faintly.

At the village entrance, there were no others waiting, just Yu Ying and Fu An.

Soon, they saw an old man wearing a conical hat, slowly driving an old yellow ox towards them from a distance.

Luo mentioned to Yu Ying that this Old Chen's son worked as an accountant at a small eatery. Using this connection, Old Chen delivered vegetables to the city every three days, carrying items for the villagers along the way to earn some extra money.

On the ox cart, there was only a young woman with a two-year-old child, both neatly dressed without any patches, indicating they were from a relatively well-off family in the village.

After giving Old Man Chen a coin, Yuying boarded the ox cart.

On the way, she inquired and learned that it takes about an hour to travel from Lingshui Village to Yuxian, and she would arrive around the time of Si (9-11 am). Old Man Chen would wait at the city gate until the time of Shen (3-5 pm), after which he wouldn't wait any longer.

She calculated that she would need to spend about two and a half hours in the city.

Along the way, a middle-aged man also got on the cart. Everyone was cautious and kept to themselves, and they reached Yuxian without any conversation.

Upon entering the city, Yuying found the situation to be as she had anticipated.

There were no splendid sights, only dilapidated streets.

Many people squatted along the road, with baskets in front of them containing live creatures, wild game, fruits, or vegetables, anything that might be exchanged for money.

The streets were crowded, but almost everyone's clothing had patches to some extent.

After the others left, Yuying asked Old Man Chen about where to buy clay pots and where to find water.

Old Man Chen pointed her in the direction of the clay pots and then asked, "What do you need the water for?"

Yuying honestly replied, "I've made some snacks and need water to mix in, so after buying a clay pot, I plan to set up a stall."

Old Man Chen thought for a moment and, considering she might need to ride more often to sell her food, called her back to the cart, "I'll take you there on my way. You can get water at my son's snack shop."

Yuying quickly thanked him.

Old Man Chen pointed out the snack shop where his son worked, not far from where various clay pots were being sold.

She said she would mention it to her son, and when Yu Ying came to fetch water later, she could simply ask.

After thanking her again, Yu Ying then hurried to inquire about the price of the pottery jars.

Upon asking, she found out that wide-mouthed pottery jars with handles cost seven wen each, while those without handles were five wen. However, as Yu Ying only had a small silver leaf and six wen, she naturally chose one without handles, planning to maybe build a stone stove with it later.

When she returned with the pottery jar, Old Chen was still chatting with his son about the harvest in the fields. Seeing her return so quickly, he expressed some surprise: "You chose one that fast?"

After all, the women in his family usually took their time selecting items, haggling for a while, which is why Old Chen was somewhat astonished.

Yu Ying smiled, "Buying a pottery jar doesn't take too long."

"Quite decisive," Old Chen said with increased fondness. He then told his son, "She's made some food and needs water. Let her fetch some."

Old Chen's son, Shopkeeper Chen, gave her a glance, his eyes briefly passing over the light ink-colored spots on her face.

Despite the spots on her face, her features were well-defined, and she was fairer and cleaner than the locals of Lingnan, not looking ugly but rather like an ordinary person.

Her simple and clean attire made her more pleasant to the eye than the typically dirty countrywomen, so Shopkeeper Chen didn't refuse. He called an assistant to take her to the backyard to fetch water.

Yu Ying thanked him twice and then went to get the water.

While fetching water and washing the jar, Yu Ying took a moment to observe the small eatery.

The eatery wasn't large, with just a counter and four sets of tables and chairs.

Since it was not yet midday, the shop had no customers.

Perhaps it was the lack of customers that made the shopkeeper willing to entertain her.

Yuying had an idea. After contemplating, she scooped some grass jelly into two bamboo tubes, adding mint water to dilute it. She set her things down and spoke to the assistant, then took the two bamboo tubes out to the front of the shop.

Approaching Old Man Chen and Shopkeeper Chen, she said, "Today, I rode in Old Man Chen's cart, and Shopkeeper Chen allowed me to fetch water. I don't have much to offer, but if you don't mind, please try this ice jelly. It's refreshing, cooling, and can relieve the heat."

Grass jelly can be controversial, as those unfamiliar with it might think it's made from flour.

Moreover, the word 'ice' in its name suggests a thirst-quenching effect, indicating its cool taste.

Shopkeeper Chen appeared to be in his early thirties with a square face.

As someone accustomed to dealing with all sorts of people due to his business, Shopkeeper Chen didn't show impatience. Hearing the novel term 'ice jelly', he was intrigued and said, "I've never heard of this ice jelly before. Let me see."

His choice of words to 'see' rather than 'taste' showed caution.

Yuying offered, "Pouring it into a bowl will give you a clearer view."

Hearing this, Shopkeeper Chen asked an assistant to bring two bowls.

When the bowls arrived, she poured out the milky white, somewhat translucent grass jelly.

As she poured, the grass jelly bounced slightly.

Shopkeeper Chen showed some interest in this novel food, commenting, "This is indeed a curious dish."

After hesitating, he tasted a spoonful, ensuring there was nothing amiss.

After tasting, his face didn't show much surprise but he remarked, "The texture is fine, just lacking in flavor. But for the price, it could sell well in this hot summer."

Yuying suggested, "Adding some sugar or sour plum juice would change the flavor."

Shopkeeper Chen chuckled, "Sugar is a rare commodity. Ordinary people only taste it occasionally. But..." he set down his bowl and said, "You're looking to sell this to me, aren't you?"

Having seen many travelers, Shopkeeper Chen saw through Yu Ying's intentions at a glance.

Yu Ying showed a bit of embarrassment, "That is my intention, Shopkeeper Chen, what do you think?"

Shopkeeper Chen had his assistant bring over some sugar water. He added just a spoonful of sugar, tasted it, and indeed, it was slightly better than before.

Setting down the bowl, he said, "The appeal of this is its novelty, and it's best suited for summer consumption. It might sell, but at a high price. I can help you with this, but we'll split the earnings fifty-fifty."

Yu Ying had originally planned to sell it for one coin per bowl, but hearing his proposal, she changed her mind.

"How about two coins per bowl, Shopkeeper Chen?"

Shopkeeper Chen smiled and asked, "What about the cost of sugar water?"

Yu Ying: ...

She hadn't intended to add sugar in the first place.

But since he agreed to help, Yu Ying couldn't fuss over the conditions. She quickly replied, "Then let's deduct the cost and then split the earnings fifty-fifty."

The shop usually consigned goods, with Shopkeeper Chen earning a bit and the owner earning more. So, he had no objections.

Still, Shopkeeper Chen clarified first: "I need to know how much there is. I can't take too much."

Yu Ying: "There are about thirteen or fourteen bowls left."

Shopkeeper Chen, always good with numbers, quickly calculated: "Let me be clear, if it all sells, the cost of sugar water will be around five or six coins. In the end, you might earn about ten coins. This is if it sells out. Unsold portions are your responsibility. If you're okay with that, leave it here for consignment, and come back in the afternoon to settle the accounts. If not, you can try selling it in the market yourself."

Yu Ying wasn't just looking at the immediate situation; she was considering the future.

Rather than blindly struggling, a stable channel was preferable. Without hesitation, she agreed: "Okay, if it doesn't sell out, I'll take it back myself."

Shopkeeper Chen joked, "You trust me that much? Aren't you afraid I'll cheat you out of your food?"

Yu Ying smiled and said, "If Uncle Chen can kindly walk a stretch of the road with me and let me fetch water at Chen's store, how could his son possibly be a heartless person?"

Hearing this, Uncle Chen straightened his back, seemingly pleased with her words.

"Besides, Storekeeper Chen is a visionary who wouldn't covet such a trivial profit from me."

Storekeeper Chen, watching the woman's confident way of speaking, didn't pay it much mind.

In Lingnan, where exiles of all kinds are sent, nothing is too strange for Storekeeper Chen to encounter.

After all, it's not a favor without reward. If she can't sell it, it's her loss. But if she does, he gets a cut – why not?

Chapter 10: A Good Start

Yu Ying left the jelly and mint water at the eatery, agreeing to come back after lunchtime, and then went off to explore the market.

The market in Jade County was similar to a township market in later times, with various vendors and hawkers alongside the shops.

After wandering half the circuit, Yu Ying finally spotted the sign of a pawnshop.

It was a small shop with a high counter, about the height of Yu Ying's neck, protected by a railing, and an attendant sitting elevated behind it.

Entering the pawnshop, Yu Ying took out the silver leaf and placed it on the counter, "Shopkeeper, please check how much this silver leaf can fetch. I want a firm price."

The pawnshop owner picked up the silver leaf, examined it carefully, weighed it in his palm, and then indifferently offered a price: "Thirty wen."

Yu Ying paused, then calmly and logically replied, "It should fetch thirty-five wen by weight, and it can be made into a hairpin without extra cost. Thirty wen isn't even enough for a trade-in."

The pawnshop owner glanced at the woman outside and, knowing she wasn't easy to fool, said coldly, "What kind of jewelry can a single silver leaf make? Just melt it down. Thirty-five wen at most, no more."

Throughout history, items bought and resold were always heavily marked down. Despite this, there was room for negotiation, so Yu Ying wasn't intimidated by the pawnshop owner's stance.

She remained calm and composed, "I have another leaf at home. Two leaves can definitely make a hairpin. If you agree to thirty-eight wen, I'll bring the other for pawn in three days. Then, Shopkeeper, you won't only earn four wen but more, without any loss."

Yu Ying used to dislike bargaining, but now, with every penny needing to be stretched, an extra wen is still a wen.

The shopkeeper glanced at her, then at the silver leaves on the table, calculating the deal in his mind.

"Thirty-eight coins, treated as silver, could earn an extra four or five coins. Two pieces would be about ten coins. If turned into jewelry, there's a small profit to be made."

After pondering, the pawnshop owner said, "I'll give you thirty-seven coins for now, and thirty-nine for the other piece next time."

Since it wasn't a scam, Yu Ying agreed.

The pawnshop owner counted out thirty-seven coins for her, stringing them on a straw rope.

Without a money pouch, Yu Ying wrapped the coins in a piece of rag and left the pawnshop to find a pharmacy.

She brought many herbs, not the common roadside ones, but almost exclusively those found in the mountains.

However, a middle-aged doctor inspected them and dismissed some as weeds, offering only three coins for the remaining half-basket of herbs.

Yu Ying tried to negotiate for more, but there was no room for bargaining.

A coin was still money, so Yu Ying sold them.

After selling the silver and herbs, Yu Ying didn't dare to buy other things recklessly, but went straight to the general store to inquire about the price of salt.

The salt, being coarse, was priced at thirty-two coins per pound. With limited funds, Yu Ying could only afford half a pound.

After buying the salt, she didn't purchase rice at the general store.

Earlier, while strolling through the market, she had seen someone selling a small amount of rice, not as high-quality as in the general store. The grains weren't as cleanly hulled, but it was cheaper than the store's offering.

After comparing, Yu Ying went back to the original stall and bought three bamboo tubes of coarse rice for three coins each, storing them in a clay pot for lack of other containers.

She weighed them; a little over one pound.

By being frugal, cooking wild vegetable porridge with the coarse rice and a pinch of salt, this amount could last about three or four days.

Having bought the essentials and thinking of the long-term medicinal needs of Luo Shi and Fu Wei, she gritted her teeth and purchased an extra pot for decocting herbs, spending four more coins, leaving her with only eighteen.

Feeling hungry, she spent a coin on a steamed bun to satisfy her appetite.

Clutching the dozen or so copper coins she had left, Yu Ying sighed quietly, hoping all the jelly she made would sell.

She found a large tree, picked a few big leaves, and sat down on the ground.

As the sun gradually moved westward, Yu Ying guessed it was midday by the peak time for street food sales. After the food shops slowly emptied and about half an hour passed, Yu Ying headed to the snack shop.

Entering the snack shop, Storekeeper Chen was at the counter doing accounts. Seeing her, he smiled and said, "I was just thinking you'd be back soon."

Yu Ying asked, "Did the jelly sell well?"

She had prepared for the worst when she came.

Storekeeper Chen honestly replied, "Not many people came for lunch today, sold nine bowls, some left over."

That any had sold was good enough; Yu Ying dared not hope that everything would be sold.

Storekeeper Chen said, "There's about three and a bit bowls left. I plan to buy them to send to the owner, deducting six wen for the sugar water cost, and give you eleven wen."

As he spoke, he placed ten wen on the counter.

Yu Ying, knowing the amount, said, "Ten wen is fine."

She only took nine copper coins, leaving one behind.

Storekeeper Chen couldn't help but chuckle, "I won't miss this one wen, take it."

Yu Ying insisted, "I can't accept even one wen more."

Seeing her steadfastness in keeping public and private matters separate, Storekeeper Chen developed a sense of respect for her.

He took back the extra wen and said, "Although not all sold, it's still a promising start. Most who tried today said it's even more refreshing than sour plum drink, and they would like to order more next time."

Then, Storekeeper Chen asked, "How long can these jellies be kept?"

After thinking, Yu Ying gave a conservative estimate, "If kept hanging in the well all day, they can last for two days."

Storekeeper Chen tapped his fingers on the table, lost in thought for a few moments.

A few moments later, he suggested, "Then, how about delivering twice the amount in three days, at the same price? You can have my father bring it, or you can deliver it yourself."

Yu Ying's face brightened immediately, "Of course, I'll bring it myself!"

Storekeeper Chen smiled, "Then I'll wait for your delivery."

Yu Ying saw a glimmer of hope; though the earnings weren't much, it was a good start.

Leaving the snack shop, a faint smile stayed on Yu Ying's face.

She retraced her steps to the city gate, waiting for Uncle Chen's ox cart.

About half an hour later, Uncle Chen arrived with his ox cart.

The once indifferent Uncle Chen now wore a few more smiles for Yu Ying.

"I heard from my eldest son that all the jelly sold. That's great."

Yu Ying replied, "Thanks to Storekeeper Chen, and to Uncle Chen as well."

Uncle Chen chuckled, "What does it have to do with me?"

Yu Ying, having helped at the traditional medicine clinic every summer, knew well what the elderly liked to hear and didn't skimp on saying good things.

"If it weren't for Uncle Chen kindly giving me a lift and allowing me to fetch water at Storekeeper Chen's, how could I have sold all the jelly?"

A deeper smile appeared on Uncle Chen's face.

After chatting for a while, and when two more people joined the ox cart ride, conversation ceased.

The journey back to Lingshui Village took about an hour, and it was nearly dusk when they approached the village.

From afar, a frail figure could be seen standing at the entrance of the village.

Yu Ying faintly recognized the figure; as they drew closer, she realized it was Mrs. Luo.

Yu Ying paused, realizing Mrs. Luo was probably waiting there out of concern she wouldn't return, which stirred a subtle feeling in her heart.

In this unfamiliar place, someone was still waiting for her.

Yu Ying could endure living a harder life for the time being, but she couldn't bear the thought of being alone in this strange place.

Now, she might never see her family and friends again, so she feared loneliness, the silence of no one to talk to, and the thought of dying in this world without anyone to claim her body or visit her grave.

Perhaps this was one of the reasons she stayed with the Fu family, willingly helping them and Fu Wei.

Hearing the ox cart approach the village entrance, Mrs. Luo squinted into the shadows ahead. She could only see blurred figures and couldn't make out anything until a familiar voice settled the heavy stone in her heart.

"Mother, what are you doing here?" Yu Ying called out softly, not wanting to arouse suspicion as the ox cart hadn't gone far yet.

Hearing the word 'mother,' Mrs. Luo was momentarily stunned, while also thinking to herself that if Yu was willing to call her mother, it meant she was truly planning to make a life with Erlang.

Mrs. Luo was pleased that Yu had decided to stay.

"I came to meet you," Mrs. Luo said, her tone noticeably lighter.

Unaware of her thoughts, Yu Ying turned to walk back with Mrs. Luo, saying, "Let's go back. We'll have something nice for dinner tonight."

Once they were a bit farther away, Mrs. Luo asked, "How did the jelly sell?"

After a pause, she added, "If it didn't sell this time, next time we'll have Fu An go with the adults to Yu County to sell it."

Noticing Mrs. Luo's slow pace and the stones on the road, Yu Ying gently took her arm, saying, "Everything sold. I even bought back the clay pot."

At these words, a brief pause crossed Mrs. Luo's face.

After a moment of silence, Mrs. Luo suddenly said, "Liuniang, from now on, you make the decisions for the household. We'll all listen to you."

Hearing an unfamiliar name, Yu Ying was momentarily confused, only realizing after a few moments that Liuniang was the original owner's nickname.

Approaching the Fu family's fence, they saw the siblings in the yard.

Fu Ning stood foolishly to one side, watching his brother chop wood.

And Fu An, not yet four feet tall, was struggling with a large knife, trying to chop tree branches that were too long and thick.

Seeing their grandmother and Yu Ying return, the siblings turned to look outside the yard.

Seeing Yu Ying return, Fu An's face showed a trace of surprise, mixed with a sense that she would indeed come back.

Yu Ying let go of Mrs. Luo, set down her backpack, and took out Aunt He's clay pot, instructing Fu An, "Return the pot to Aunt He, and tell her I'll come over tomorrow to thank her."

Although Fu An was reluctant to be ordered around, he still pouted, took the clay pot, and ran out of the yard.

Yu Ying brought the salt, the new clay pot, and rice into her own thatched hut, pouring the rice into several bamboo tubes and filling a bowl.

She scooped a couple of handfuls of rice into the clay pot, thought for a moment, then added another handful before going outside to rinse the rice.

She saved the second rinse water in a basin to use later for washing her hair.

When Fu An returned and saw the new clay pot, his eyes lit up, and they widened even more at the sight of the rice in the pot, looking incredulously at Yu Ying.

Fu An hadn't had rice porridge in a long time. Before his uncle returned, he used to have wild vegetable porridge every few days, but later, they could only afford wild vegetable soup.

It took a while for Fu An to come back to reality. After hesitating, he awkwardly asked Yu Ying, "Do we get some too?"

Yu Ying glanced at him and said, "Go start the fire, keep an eye on it later. I need to prepare and cook medicine for your uncle and grandma."

Hearing he would get to eat, Fu An was even more diligent than usual, quickly going to start the fire.

Yu Ying rebuilt a simple stone stove and placed the pot on it, then went inside to fetch some red mushrooms, which she washed and tore into pieces, setting them aside in a bowl.

Cooking porridge with red mushrooms, just a bit of salt was needed for flavor, and even so, it would be delicious.

She had Fu An watch the fire and would call her once the water boiled.

Yu Ying initially planned to prepare medicine, but looking at the sky, she decided to check on Fu Wei's legs first and see if the bamboo splints had loosened.

Shaking the water droplets from her hands, she then lifted the grass curtain and looked up at Fu Wei on the bamboo bed.

Fu Wei leaned against the thatched wall, eyes closed, his face turned towards Yu Ying.

Yu Ying, observing his decadently beautiful profile, thought to herself that indeed, good-looking people and things always bring pleasure to the eye.

Moreover, attractive people remain so even when draped in a sack.

Now, although Fu Wei was in a state of despair, lifeless in appearance, his remarkable features still amazed her.

Yu Ying entered, stopped by the bed, and said, "Let me take a look at your legs."

Hearing her voice, Fu Wei opened his emotionless black eyes and asked indifferently, "Why don't you leave?"

Yu Ying frowned slightly, "Why should I leave?"

Fu Wei fell silent for a moment, turned his face towards her without expression, and said, "The Fu family is a bottomless pit you can't fill. Moreover, the son of the Wuling Prefecture's governor sees me as a thorn in his side, and who knows what troubles will come next. Staying here brings you no benefit."

Yu Ying thought to herself that he was quite self-aware.

But she didn't feel the need to explain anything to him, so she simply said three words.