"Whatever herbs you prepare, we'll purchase them."
Upon hearing Zhao Minghua's words, Chun Nuan understood: he wasn't really in need of herbs; he just needed an excuse to help them out.
"Alright, I will do my best to prepare the herbs and send them to you."
"No rush, our cooperation can be long-term."
The buyer with no demands left.
Chun Nuan remembered this transaction and the favor.
The Xiao family was astonished at the five taels of silver Chun Nuan took out from the money pouch,
Who would dare lend her money?
"This is the deposit for the customized herbs from the young master of Hundred Herbs Hall." Chun Nuan said to her eldest aunt, "Use it first, I will go to the mountains more to collect herbs."
"Chun Nuan, how can this family rely solely on you?" Eldest Aunt Mrs. Xu wiped a tear: "Otherwise, tomorrow I and your mother can go to the mountains to collect herbs."
"It's not necessary." With Chunyan and Chun Shu as precedents, Chun Nuan didn't think taking them would be more effective in collecting herbs or digging wild vegetables: "Each field requires expertise. I remember Aunt is best at needlework; perhaps you could check with the embroidery shop on the street to see if you can help with some embroidery work."
"Yes, yes, I can sew too." Mrs. Xu hurriedly said: "Although my needlework skills aren't as good as my sister-in-law's, I can manage."
"I can do it too." Mrs. Huang sighed: "Thinking back now, learning piano, chess, calligraphy and painting was useless, it's better to have learned how to wash clothes, cook and start a fire like a maid."
"Aunt, no need to think that way, where there is life there is hope, we will get better day by day."
"Chun Nuan is right." The old lady slowly spoke: "At this point, we should humble ourselves, learn what should be learned, doing some needlework and embroidery to contribute to the household is good too, we can't rely entirely on Chun Nuan."
"Nuannuan."
"Grandmother, granddaughter is here."
"It's been hard on you." Touching her granddaughter's hand, the old lady sighed: "Back then your grandfather said you were smart, taught you to memorize the Tangtou Song when you were young, taught you to identify herbs, and taught you to feel the pulse to diagnose, I was against it at the time, I thought it was useless for a girl to learn these things..."
So, all along, Chun Nuan wasn't her most beloved granddaughter.
And because Chun Nuan often dwelled in the study or the pharmacy, her presence was rather low in the household.
Who would have thought, when the Xiao family faced adversity, it would be this granddaughter who helped support them along the way.
Even more unexpectedly, when the Xiao family ran out of food and dug for wild vegetables, they had to rely on Chun Nuan who could identify herbs to come to the rescue, and even starting a fire and cooking were guided by Chun Nuan, all because she was familiar with the operations in the kitchen from preparing herbs.
The pampered family members, without maids, were like people suddenly missing arms and legs, unable to cope.
"It was short-sighted of me, in life, fortunes and misfortunes come and go." She patted her granddaughter's hand: "The Xiao family having you is fortune within misfortune, once we get past this difficulty, after your grandfather's mourning period, I will personally find you a good husband..."
At this point, the old lady couldn't continue.
With the Xiao family in disgrace, exiled from the Capital and returned to this impoverished remote Shu City, having nothing, where would she find a good husband for a granddaughter of marriageable age?
"Grandmother, I promised grandfather I would take good care of you." Looking at the room full of young and old women and children, the burden was truly heavy: "I also promised my elder uncle and father and third uncle, I would take good care of the family. As for my marriage... I do not wish to settle."
Marrying just for the sake of marrying, was not what she desired.
"Nuannuan..."
The old lady choked up, the whole family wiped their tears together.
"Grandmother, please don't worry." Chun Nuan could hardly bear their tears: "Chun Ning, Chun An, come with me to the street to buy some grain and salt."
"Elder sister, we'll go too." Chunyan and Chun Shu decided that from now on, no matter what elder sister did, they would go to help and learn alongside her.
"You two have other tasks." Chun Nuan said: "You two go to the small grove where I found firewood this morning and gather some more firewood."
"In that case, I'll go with Yanzi and the others to gather." Mrs. Huang quickly said: "The two little girls shouldn't wander off."
"Alright."
The Xiao family could no longer afford any mishaps.
Chun Nuan took Chun Ning and Chun An to town to buy supplies.
"Do you know why I brought you along?"
"Elder sister, I know, I am the oldest male in the family, I have to stand up like a man to support this family." Chun Ning was very sensible: "Father instructed me before he left, but, elder sister, I don't know what I need to do?"
"From now on, you'll have to handle the business dealings at home." It's fortunate that younger brother Chun Ning was not yet twelve and avoided exile. But at the same time, he has to shoulder the responsibility for the family: "Today, we need to buy some coarse grains, buy salt, and also purchase some medicine for sister-in-law."
"Is sister-in-law ill?"
Chun Ning and Chun An were both very worried.
They knew that sister-in-law was expecting a little nephew or niece.
"She's been stressed and hasn't been eating or resting well on the journey, and combined with today's scare, her pregnancy is unstable."
So that's what it was.
"Elder sister, is there anything I can do?" the six-year-old Chun An quickly asked.
"You're still young, but your brother Ning needs a helper, so from now on follow him closely, learn and watch more, remember, brothers united their strength can cut through metal, do you understand?"
"Yes, An'an understands."
At the grain store, Chun Nuan watched as Chun Ning inquired about the prices from the shopkeeper, then calculated to buy coarse grain and five pounds of fine grain.
"Grandmother and sister-in-law need to eat better, occasionally eating some fine grain is good too."
That was Chun Ning's explanation.
"You've arranged it very reasonably." Before the troubles, younger brother was studying at the school, aiming to be a top scholar. With this situation, three generations were barred from the imperial exam, Chun Ning's original goal had to change.
Previously Chun Nuan had some concerns, but now it seems, he too had grown up overnight!
Buying rice, buying oil, buying salt, all well-organized at such a young age, Chun Nuan felt very relieved.
"Elder sister, this is Hundred Herbs Hall, they say there are two herbal shops in town, and the other is Qianjin Hall." Chun Ning said: "Are we buying medicine at Hundred Herbs Hall?"
"Yes." As Chun Nuan walked into the herbal shop, there was only an old doctor inside. Chun Nuan recited a few names of herbs and said she wanted to buy medicine. The old doctor looked her up and down: "Young lady, how about I take your pulse first? As medicine is three parts poison, it's better to avoid it if you can."
"Doctor, we're buying medicine for sister-in-law." Chun Ning got anxious, elder sister was still a young maiden, what was this doctor suggesting? Was he truly going blind?
"I see." The old doctor was somewhat embarrassed: "It's just that our master has rules. Either you bring in a prescription from a doctor, or we diagnose it ourselves. The herbs you just named verbally, we can't sell that way."
"Why?" Chun Ning frowned: "Just prepare the herbs as my sister asked, why can't you sell them?"
"Because we can't prepare herbs blindly, who's accountable if something goes wrong?" The old doctor said: "Especially when it's tonic medicine, if something goes wrong, it could be two lives lost, we at Hundred Herbs Hall don't take that risk!"