"There are no boats at night. My father said there are many dangerous shoals along this river, so boats don't travel at night. By evening, several boats will dock, and no new boats will arrive in the dark," Luo Xiaogang said. "The wealthy families on these boats will stay at the inns on the dock, which belong to the Xiao family; there's also a pawnshop on the dock, that's also the Xiao family's, as well as a cloth shop, an oil mill, a grain store – all owned by the Xiao family..."
The Xiao family had become prosperous relying on this busy dock, and their initial capital came from their great-grandfather and grandfather. Yet, when she thought of trying to make a small business on this dock to support her family, people from the Xiao family would certainly make things difficult for her, and Chun Nuan found it particularly ironic.
On the way back from the dock, Luo Xiaogang and Chun Ning were chattering continuously, while Chun Nuan was lost in her thoughts about ways to earn money.
Not much was said along the way.
Luo Xiaogang continued talking, but Chun Ning could clearly feel that her sister was in a bad mood.
"Sister, look, those flowers are so pretty."
Chun Ning looked at a grove on the mountain and shouted, "What kind of tree is this? The flowers are so beautiful."
"It's a winter sweet," Luo Xiaogang said disdainfully. "The mountains are full of these winter sweets, nothing special."
When you can't even fill your stomach, there's no mood for admiring flowers. Chun Nuan didn't pay attention to it either.
"Sister, is this how you do it?"
When Chun Nuan left home, Chunxin volunteered to help pick mulberry leaves.
Chun Nuan instructed her to put the large and old leaves aside and keep the fresh, tender leaves separate.
"Yes, our Xin'er is getting more and more capable, she can help sister with work now."
Children, with a few head pats and compliments, work with more enthusiasm.
Chunxin smiled shyly. Before the incident, she was the most cherished darling of the Xiao family, with a chubby little face and two dimples. Now her little face had become sallow, and the dimples couldn't be seen anymore.
"Sister, how do you eat this?"
Today's lunch was assisted by the sisters Chunyan and Chun Shu, and of course, with a few adults helping out beside them. Everyone remembered a part, and together they managed to cook the porridge.
"Sister will make it for you to eat."
Initially, she planned to just blanch and add some salt, but Chun Nuan thought the days were too hard and wanted to give her sisters a surprise.
After cleaning the tender mulberry leaves and cutting them into small squares, she evenly mixed flour, poured a precious bit of cooking oil into the pot, and made pancakes.
"Sister, what's this?"
Chun An, drawn by the aroma, ran over and tiptoed to look into the pot. "Sister, I'm just looking, I won't sneak a bite."
"Yes, our Chun An doesn't sneak bites," Chun Nuan said with a straight face, stifling a smile. "Go on, go call grandmother and the aunts for dinner."
Chun Nuan saw that there was nothing at home to hold the pancakes, so she simply sent Chun Ning to the riverbank to cut a banana leaf to bring back.
The family watched with amazement as pancakes were piled on banana leaves on the rickety table: "Is this to improve our meals?"
"Nuannuan..." Mrs. Xu was a bit worried. This child really hasn't managed a household before. That pound of cooking oil, for lighting lamps and lining the pot, with such pancake making, really won't last two days, and the flour either, there's really not much.
"Mom, just eat."
Chun Nuan didn't want to say anything now. Her mind was filled with thoughts about mulberry leaves.
Mulberry leaves are cold, bitter-sweet, enter into the lung and liver channels, and have effects such as dispersing wind-heat, clearing the lung and moisturizing dryness, calming liver Yang, and benefiting Yin and brightening the eyes. They are a common medicine, and surely the Hundred Herbs Hall needs them, but the season is not right, they can't be processed into medicine.
Just...
As she thought of this, someone outside shouted, "Is Miss Xiao here?"
"Who?" Chun Ning put down her bowl and chopsticks and went out to see that it was Zhao Huaming.
"Mr. Zhao?"
"Mr. Xiao."
Qingsheng... never knew my family's third young master could be polite too, really, the way he clasped his fist and saluted Xiao Chunning looked so awkward.
"I wonder if Miss Xiao is at home?"
"Sister is home, we're having a meal, please..."
The visitor, as a guest, should be invited in to sit and served tea, but now the Xiao family has nothing, and there's nowhere for the women to avoid him. Chun Ning didn't want Zhao Minghua to see the Xiao family eating such a simple meal, so she didn't intend to let him enter.
"I apologize for the intrusion, I have some business to discuss with Miss Xiao."
Before Chun Ning could invite him, Zhao Minghua directly crossed the threshold into the main hall.
Chun Ning... How polite are you?
"Grandmother, Sister, Mr. Zhao from the Hundred Herbs Hall has come to visit." Having no choice, Chun Ning could only announce in a loud voice.
The Xiao family women were a bit flustered; they needed to avoid him.
"Grandmother, you all keep eating, granddaughter will go entertain him."
Chun Nuan put down her bowl and chopsticks and stood up. Just as she turned, she faced Zhao Minghua.
"Mr. Zhao."
"Miss Xiao, I have something to discuss."
Zhao Minghua was excited; he was seriously here to talk business this time.
His father had entrusted the entire matter of processing medicinal herbs with the Xiao family to him. Early in the morning, he went into the city to ask his elder brother about the medicinal herbs needed by the Hundred Herbs Hall in Changzhou, and then asked Doctor Chen to write down the herbs that the Hundred Herbs Hall in town needed urgently.
Since it's business, it needs to be done seriously, starting with the urgent needs.
"Alright." Chun Nuan felt a bit embarrassed. This person... Never mind, considering he's a partner: "I wonder what Mr. Zhao wants with Chun Nuan..."
"Here, take a look."
Zhao Minghua hurriedly handed over a densely written paper.
"What is this..."
Not only was Chun Nuan puzzled, but the elders of the Xiao family were also a bit panicked. Chun Nuan was already at the age to marry soon; was it proper for her to receive a letter from a man?
"These are the medicinal herbs our Hundred Herbs Hall needs. If you can process them soon, it would be ideal."
Huanglian, Huangqin, rhubarb, Chenpi, Bianxia, licorice... Chun Nuan counted, there were thirty-one items in total.
"Mr. Zhao." It seemed like there was a large business deal, but in fact, Chun Nuan simply couldn't take on the task: "Forgive Chun Nuan, I can't deliver."
"Why?"
"Many of these medicinal herbs on the list, Chun Nuan doesn't have the capital to purchase, hence there's no way to process them."
A pampered young master doesn't understand how hard life is for the poor. Just like the ginseng on the list, even selling off all family belongings wouldn't buy a speck as small as a fingernail. Where could she find herbs to process?
"Ah, I didn't explain clearly." Zhao Minghua slapped his forehead. "For these medicinal herbs, if you can process them, the Hundred Herbs Hall will provide the raw materials, and you'll be responsible for processing them. Then we'll pay you for your labor. What do you think?"
So, it's like processing medicinal herbs on a contract?
"Rest assured, we won't let you suffer a loss," Zhao Minghua thought Chun Nuan was afraid of being underpaid. "The price will be according to the quality of your processed herbs, and rest assured, there will be no underpricing."
"That's excellent."
Chun Nuan thought the Hundred Herbs Hall was bending over backward to help the Xiao family.
"Hey, what are you eating? It looks delicious." Zhao Minghua glanced at the banana leaf pancakes on the table. "I haven't had lunch yet, could I maybe..."
The intention was obvious: he wanted to mooch a meal.
The Xiao family had seen freeloaders before, but none so shamelessly familiar!