Ye Shan returned home yesterday and immediately relayed Gu Fengyan and the others' words to Huo Xiuling.
When Ye Bixian heard that his nephew was so successful, he was very supportive of Huo Xiuling going to help out for a few days. After all, she was just staying at home doing embroidery and taking care of the children, which was making her very bored.
Ye Bao was fully recovered and could jump around on the ground. He was happier than anything else when he heard that he was going to his uncle's house, and he ran away, leaving Huo Xiuling far behind.
The mother and son arrived just as the Huo family finished their meal.
Ye Bao cautiously peeked into the courtyard, hoping to startle Huo Duan, but was caught red-handed by Gu Fengyan, who came out of the house. "Little Bao, are you done yet? Have you eaten?"
"Hello, Brother Yan. I've already eaten before I came." Ye Bao was a little afraid of Gu Fengyan, and her reply was timid.
Huo Duan loved children. When he turned around and saw Ye Bao, he quickly hugged her and tickled her. Ye Bao's laughter filled the yard.
Gu Fengyan held the winnowing basket and smiled helplessly... If Huo Duan had children in the future, who knows how crazy he would go? He absolutely cannot let Huo Duan take care of the children.
"Yan-ge'er, thank you for saving Xiao Bao last time." Huo Xiuling arrived shortly after, and handed Gu Fengyan a piece of cured meat from her basket. "Keep this piece of cured meat, and cook it for Erdan and your father another day."
Gu Fengyan smiled and took the meat, then invited Huo Xiuling to sit down. "We're all family, and Xiaobao is my brother too. Aunt, why are you being so polite? Please sit down first, and I'll tidy up these winnowing baskets."
After packing their things, Huo Xiuling called Gu Fengyan and Huo Duan over and asked, "Dashan told me that you did business with the restaurants and pharmacies in the county. Is that true?"
The author says: "It replenishes vital energy, benefits the spleen and lungs, promotes body fluid production, and calms the mind. Put 3g of ginseng and 100g of japonica rice into a clay pot, add an appropriate amount of water, and cook until the porridge is done. Then add the dissolved rock sugar syrup, stir well, and it is ready to eat."
"It invigorates qi and strengthens the spleen. It is suitable for those with spleen and stomach qi deficiency, poor appetite, loose stools, sallow complexion, weak voice, and weakness in the limbs. Place 30g of Codonopsis pilosula, 15g of Atractylodes macrocephala, and 20g of Poria cocos (sliced) into the duck's abdomen; place the duck in a steaming bowl, add appropriate seasonings, seal the bowl with damp cotton paper, and steam over high heat for about 3 hours. Drink the soup and eat the meat."
—Thank you to the little angels who voted for me or watered my plants with nutrient solution between 2022-06-10 23:59:34 and 2022-06-11 23:27:58! (From Yue Guihua and Yang Gaohua's "Illustrated Complete Guide to Chinese Herbal Medicine")
Thank you so much for your support! I will continue to work hard!
Chapter Nineteen
Young Ye Bao clung to Huo Duan, listening to her mother and brothers talk. Although she didn't understand what they meant, she keenly caught the word "restaurant".
"A restaurant? Mother, what are you talking about? Are you going to a restaurant?" Ye Bao stood up straight with a start, his mind filled with the aroma of plump chickens and ducks.
Huo Xiuling was exasperated and reached out to slap Ye Bao twice, "All you know is eating! Go feed the chickens with your uncle, I'm talking to your brothers about serious business."
Seeing the slap coming, Ye Bao quickly darted behind Huo Duan and made a face at Huo Xiuling.
Huo Xiuling was so angry that she could only glare helplessly.
Gu Fengyan smiled and said, "Xiao Bao is still very young. He's at the age where he loves to eat and play. Aunt, please don't be angry."
He pulled Ye Bao closer and coaxed, "Don't upset your mother. I'll take you to the county to eat something delicious another day."
More than half a year has passed since Gu Fengyan married into the family, and Ye Bao has only seen this older brother a few times. The first time was on the day of his marriage. He thought Gu Fengyan was handsome, so he reached out his dark claws to tug at the hem of his clothes, only to be intimidated by a few glares from Gu Fengyan.
The second time was when his father sent him to the mountain to find Brother Erdan. Gu Fengyan didn't speak to him then either...
Therefore, Ye Bao has always both liked and feared this handsome Yan-gege.
"Really?" Ye Bao wondered to herself.
Gu Fengyan smiled and held up his little finger, "Adults don't lie to children, let's pinky swear."
Ye Bao still remembered the events of her wedding day clearly, but unable to resist her handsome older brother's smile, she timidly reached out a finger and hooked it with his.
"One, two, three, pinky promise! Whoever lies is a little dog!" Gu Fengyan said with a smile.
Ye Bao kept laughing.
Huo Duan picked Ye Bao up and said, "You've got it agreed, if you don't listen to your mother, you'll turn into a little dog..."
The two of them argued again.
Huo Xiuling laughed and said, "This little thing is disliked by both people and dogs, but Yan Ge'er is willing to coax him. If he misbehaves another day, we'll just ask his father to give him a beating."
Huo Duan put Ye Bao down, and then he went off to find his uncle to feed the chicks and ducklings.
"Aunt was just saying that. You love Xiaobao so much, how could you bear to hit him? When the weather gets better, Duan-ge and I will take him out for some good food." Gu Fengyan poured a cup of perilla water that he had prepared earlier for Huo Xiuling and said with a smile.
Huo Xiuling knew from his certainty that Ye Shan's return was true.
That Erdan really married a good husband.
Huo Xiuling smiled and said to Huo Duan, "Since you've started a business, do it well. I heard from Dashan that you're short-handed?"
Huo Duan nodded, "I called my aunt here for this matter. The restaurants and pharmacies in the county need a lot of medicinal herbs. My father is not well, and Yan Ge'er and I are a bit too busy. We were just thinking that if you have time, Aunt, you can help us out. We will pay you for your work."
Gu Fengyan added, "Besides this, Duan Ge'er and I also want to recruit some people in the village. Aunt, please help us choose the right people."
Before getting married, Huo Xiuling was busy with cooking and cleaning. After getting married, she was busy with her two little children and her husband. This was the first time she had been entrusted with such an important task.
For some reason, I felt a little hesitant.
"This, this is no good for me... You can only ask me to cook and take care of the children, though." She held the water glass with both hands, suddenly becoming awkward.
Huo Duan felt a pang of pity for his aunt and quickly said, "Aunt has never argued with anyone before, so why can't you do it! I think no one but you can do this. Besides... Aunt, look at Yan Ge'er. He's the one who negotiated all these deals. Isn't he a boy too?"
“Brother Duan is right. Although we are a brother and wife, we are no worse than those men outside,” Gu Fengyan encouraged Huo Xiuling.
Hearing their words, Huo Xiuling felt more confident. She finished her water and, with a determination akin to a warrior cutting off his own arm, declared, "Alright! I'll take care of this!"
Huo Duan and Gu Fengyan exchanged a smile.
Recruiting workers in the village required the village head's approval. Huo Xiuling nodded, and the group headed towards the village head's house at the village entrance.
At the entrance of the village stands a large willow tree, so thick that it would take two people to hug it, and behind it is the home of Liu Zhengshan, the village head of Heqing Village.
Liu Zhengshan and his wife Feng Aihua had a son named Liu Jingyu, who was seventeen years old and still unmarried. Huo Duan, a man, did not dare to go in rashly, so Gu Fengyan knocked on the door first.
"Is Uncle Village Head home? I'm Yan'er from the Huo family. There's something I'd like to discuss with you."
With a creak, the person inside responded and opened the door; it was Liu Zhengshan's wife, Feng Aihua.
Seeing that it was the Huo family, she quickly ushered them in, saying, "The old man is here, please come in and talk."
Gu Fengyan and Huo Xiuling went inside, while Huo Duan stopped at the door. "I'll wait for you here."
“Erdan, come in. It’s alright. Jing’er is sick and doesn’t dare to call out from his room.” Feng Aihua noticed his worry.
Huo Duancai went inside. Gu Fengyan, upon hearing that Liu Jingyu was ill, hurriedly asked, "Ill? Auntie, what illness does Jing-ge have? Is it serious?"
Feng Aihua led the group into the main room, called out to Liu Zhengshan, and then said to Gu Fengyan, "Hey, it's a minor illness. It's something I was born with, I'm weak, and even with daily medication, I'm not getting better. It's so frustrating."
Although she said she was fine, Feng Aihua was still worried about her son, and her brows were furrowed with worry. She called out to Liu Zhengshan again before saying to the others, "You all sit down first. The old man will be here soon. I'm going to check on Jing-ge."
"Auntie, I know a little about pharmacology. I'll go with you to take a look. You can tell Brother Duan and the others about it." Gu Fengyan thought he might be able to help, so he looked at Huo Duan and said.
Huo nodded, indicating that he understood.
Feng Aihua naturally didn't expect Gu Fengyan to cure Liu Jingyu's congenital defects, but she was still moved by his sincerity.
"Talk to Jing-ge'er, he must be feeling down being all alone. Thank you, Auntie." Feng Aihua led Gu Fengyan into the back room.
Liu Jingyu lived alone in the back room.
Besides a pine bed with a gauze curtain, there was a wardrobe and a dressing table in the room. On the dressing table were a bronze mirror, rouge, earrings, and other items.
Knowing that Jing-ge'er was a clean person, the room was tidy and smelled nice, and there were occasional coughs coming from inside the curtains.
"Mother?" Liu Jingyu lifted the gauze curtain with one hand, looking out with hazy eyes.
He was thin and handsome. The red birthmark under his right eye somewhat concealed his sickly appearance, but it couldn't hide the paleness of his lips.
This was the first time Gu Fengyan had seen Liu Jingyu, and he sized him up.
"Mother, who is this?" Liu Jingyu also looked at him.
Feng Aihua touched his face and then used a soft pillow to help him sit up. "You haven't seen him before. This is the husband of Huo Erdan from the other side of the river. You can call him Brother Yan."
Gu Fengyan smiled at him, "No need to call me brother, just call me Brother Yan... Are you feeling better? How are you feeling?"
Liu Jingyu doesn't meet many strangers, and when he met Gu Fengyan for the first time, he was a little timid. "I don't sleep well at night, and I'm always short of breath. It's never been this bad before."
Gu Fengyan smiled and asked, "Are your limbs cold?"
Liu Jingyu nodded weakly, but her eyes lit up. "You know about this?"
Feng Aihua hadn't expected that Yan Ge'er actually knew how, so she didn't disturb the two of them. She took the wooden basin outside to pour water and asked them to talk.
...
After a while, Gu Fengyan came out of Liu Jingyu's room. He could tell that Liu Jingyu was weak due to qi deficiency. He needed to replenish his qi.
However, if you're looking to replenish qi, the best herb is ginseng. Ginseng is not only expensive, but also extremely rare.
Gu Fengyan wanted to help Liu Jingyu but was powerless to do so, unless he was lucky enough to encounter ginseng.
When they came out, Liu Aihua asked him how he was feeling. Gu Fengyan told her everything and comforted her, telling her to just take some medicine to replenish her energy and rest.
Upon hearing this, Liu Aihua realized that ginseng was an extremely expensive commodity, and that even selling their entire family wouldn't be enough to buy just one root. However, as long as it could cure Jing Ge'er, they would find a way to make the money... It was just a pity that this kind of thing wasn't something that could be obtained so easily.
"Don't worry, Auntie. It's a chronic illness. Duan and I also do some medicinal herb business. If we really come across ginseng, we'll tell you first," Gu Fengyan comforted her.
While Huo Duan was talking to Liu Zhengshan, Liu Aihua went in to pour water and listened for a few minutes. She learned that the couple were in the medicinal herb business.
Although she didn't have much hope, she still thanked Gu Fengyan, "If that's the case, then just tell me and his father. Thank you, Auntie."
Gu Fengyan comforted her a few more times, and after a while, Huo Duan and the others came out.
The whole family had just left Liu Zhengshan's house.
After lunch, Gu Fengyan, Huo Duan, and Huo Xiuling began to make arrangements for finding jobs.
There were still many sheets of paper left over from the medicinal recipes for Dongfulou. Gu Fengyan and Huo Duan took a stack of them and went to the village entrance with their writing brush and ink.
At noon, Huo Duan told Liu Zhengshan about recruiting workers in the village. Liu Zhengshan thought it was a good thing. If the business grew, Heqing Village might become richer.
Before afternoon, Liu Zhengshan had already found several reliable people to convey the news of the Huo family's recruitment to each household.
However, there were only a few scattered people under the big willow tree at the village entrance. The rest were just watching the spectacle while eating sunflower seeds.
Gu Fengyan and Huo Duan placed the table they had borrowed from the village head under the willow tree and set out the writing brush, ink, paper and inkstone.
No one was surprised that there were only so few people.
After all, the Huo family was so poor just a month ago that they had to borrow money everywhere. Who would believe it if word got out that they were hiring?
Huo Duanqing cleared his throat and said, "The village head should have already told everyone that Yan Ge'er and I have signed contracts with restaurants and pharmacies in the county to do medicinal herb business, but we don't have enough manpower, so we want to find a few people in the village to help us... We will pay for the labor, and you will provide the medicinal herbs at three copper coins per pound."