The backyard of the Qi family.
The female members of the Liao family only included Madam Gao, Yao Huang, and Aji's mother, making three in total. A table was set for eight people. Squire Qi's second wife, Madam Lü, not only accompanied them personally but also arranged for the town mayor's wife and daughter-in-law, as well as Scholar He's wife, Madam Zhu, and daughter, He Wenqi, to join them.
No matter how much Madam Zhu's temper was disliked or envied, the academic achievements of Scholar He and his son, He Wenbin, were clear for all to see. He Wenbin even had the potential to pass the imperial examination and become an official. Therefore, the townspeople always maintained a highly respectful facade toward the He family.
However, today Madam Zhu had lost her usual arrogance. She rarely initiated conversation, and even when someone spoke to her, she would occasionally steal glances at the Liao family's mother-in-law and daughter-in-law.
Yao Huang didn't pay attention to Madam Zhu; she had plenty of socializing to do on her own end.
"Xiao Yao, living in our town is comfortable, isn't it? I see your scholar husband's complexion is getting better and better. He's so handsome that I feel I can never get enough of looking at him every time we meet."
Yao Huang replied, "It is comfortable. The mountains and waters here are beautiful. I only regret not moving here sooner."
Someone else chimed in, teasing, "It has nothing to do with the scenery. It's because our local chicken-head ginseng is good. I see your second uncle collecting chicken-head ginseng every day. Besides making medicine, you must be using a lot of it for stewing soup and boiling porridge at home, right?"
As soon as this was said, everyone began to envy the Liao family's wealth.
After listening to the chatter, Yao Huang finally realized that the plain-looking chicken-head ginseng, which resembled ginger, actually sold for a hundred copper coins a catty—more expensive than chicken, duck, fish, or meat!
"And that's just for the raw ones. It's said that properly processed dried chicken-head ginseng can sell for five or six mace of silver a catty, and older ones are even more expensive. It's a pity that we locals don't know how to process it. We can only sell the chicken-head ginseng we painstakingly dig up from the mountains at a cheap price to the medicine merchants who come to collect them. After generations of digging, there's less and less chicken-head ginseng in the mountains, and the medicine merchants don't come as often anymore."
"Yes, when my old lady was young, if anyone in the village or town had a headache or fever, they could go to the mountains anytime to dig some chicken-head ginseng to boil soup and nourish themselves. But for us, we can't find any ourselves and can only wait for those brave villagers to go deep into the mountains to look for it. Sigh, they put in so much effort, of course they have to sell it at a high price."
"Doctor Liao is still the most honest one. He's willing to pay a high price for old chicken-head ginseng. He's much better than those random wild merchants from who knows where!"
The more Madam Gao listened, the more she sweated for Doctor Liao. Would the Princess Consort think that Doctor Liao was using the prince's mansion's money to play the philanthropist?
She leaned close to the Princess Consort's ear and explained in a low voice, "I heard Old Liao say that the price he offers is only twenty percent higher than the peddlers. Whether for making soup or medicine, it's still much cheaper than buying it in the city."
Yao Huang smiled and said, "It's only right. It's not easy for everyone to gather herbs."
The banquet for the female guests lasted for a full two hours. By the time Yao Huang returned to the eastern courtyard, Prince Hui had already changed into his inner garments and was waiting on her bed to take a midday nap.
Perhaps finding the black bed curtains ugly, Prince Hui had her put them away after using them twice. Anyway, since they had already started doing this during the day, Prince Hui no longer needed to be reserved.
Yao Huang first went to the west room for a simple wash. Wearing a white silk outfit with pink trim, she sat by the bed, brushing her hair while telling Prince Hui about the price of chicken-head ginseng: "So I really am enjoying a life of luxury with you, Second Master. Otherwise, how could I afford to drink nourishing soup every few days, with both chicken and chicken-head ginseng? A pot of that soup costs a tael of silver."
Zhao Sui had long noticed that the Princess Consort liked to chat. Most of the time, she didn't need him to respond; he just had to listen.
The Princess Consort's voice was soft and light, her expressions were vivid and lively, and her choice of words was simple and unadorned yet very pleasant to hear.
"Oh, Second Master, have you been drinking?"
Yao Huang suddenly smelled a faint scent of alcohol.
Zhao Sui turned his head and said, "When everyone was toasting Squire Qi, I took a small sip."
Yao Huang held the comb in one hand and used the other to turn Prince Hui's handsome face back toward her. "It's not like I'm complaining. I actually find this slight scent of alcohol quite pleasant. What I can't stand is the strong stench my dad and brother bring back when they drink heavily with others. It's suffocating."
Zhao Sui replied, "...I rinsed my mouth."
He had rinsed his mouth and drank tea, but the alcohol scent was stubborn and still lingered.
Yao Huang glanced at Prince Hui's lips. This time, it was her turn to turn her head away. Blushing, she said, "What does it matter to me whether you rinsed or not?" It wasn't like he was going to kiss her.
Zhao Sui fell silent.
His gaze fixed on her full, rosy lips, then shifted away.
Some things had to be done on the wedding night when a couple consummated their marriage. He was a prince, and even if the Princess Consort felt disgusted in her heart, she wouldn't show it.
Once their bodies became familiar with each other, Zhao Sui knew that the Princess Consort could find pleasure in his actions, so he could act as he pleased.
But what pleasure could be found in pressing lips and teeth together?
Zhao Sui couldn't imagine it. It was only now that he would have such thoughts about the Princess Consort; if another woman hinted at this to him, Zhao Sui would be furious.
However, regarding an unnecessary intimacy devoid of pleasure, he could accept the Princess Consort, who was as delicate and sweet as a peony in every way. But could the Princess Consort accept him?
Zhao Sui didn't want to see any reluctance in her eyes. Since he wasn't certain and it wasn't necessary, it was best to keep things as they were.
At dusk, Yao Huang pushed Prince Hui's wheelchair along the riverbank all the way to the foot of the mountain to the south. This was a small hill, and from here to the east, west, and south, it connected to countless hills of varying heights. The most majestic and towering peak in sight, worth climbing for a panoramic view, was about a dozen miles away from Lingshan Town. It was precisely because there were no famous mountains or extraordinary peaks near Lingshan Town that this small town was not as prosperous as the other towns scattered around the foot of Mount Ling.
Zhao Sui gazed toward the high mountain peaks.
Pushing the wheelchair, Yao Huang saw Prince Hui looking out at the mountains for such a long time and with such obvious intent for the first time, and she figured that Prince Hui wanted to climb a mountain.
Yao Huang really wanted to fulfill Prince Hui's wish, but the famous peaks of Mount Ling suitable for tourists to climb all had stone steps built on them, which a wheelchair couldn't navigate. The nearby hills looked low, but they were actually hundreds of feet high. The mountain paths were all rugged and uneven, trodden over the years by mountain folk cutting firewood, hunting, and gathering herbs. No matter how strong Yao Huang was, she would have to push for most of the day, sweating through her clothes and looking extremely disheveled, to push Prince Hui up there alone.
Yao Huang didn't think Prince Hui would enjoy such a mountain-climbing trip. Not only would he not want to put her through such an ordeal, but even if it were Qingai, Feiquan, or other guards, Prince Hui simply wasn't the type of person to torment others for his own amusement.
Seeing Prince Hui gazing for longer and longer, Yao Huang thought for a moment and said, "Second Master, they say that deep mountains and old forests like this are the most likely places for spirits and monsters to appear. Do you think there really are spiritual beasts and spiritual herbs in the world that cultivate and become spirits? Or are those storybooks purely making things up?"
Zhao Sui replied, "...I do not believe in tales of ghosts, gods, immortals, and demons."
Yao Huang said, "In the past, a bunch of emperors loved to take immortality pills. I thought emperors were well-informed and that there really was a way to become immortal."
Zhao Sui answered, "They were just highly nourishing medicinal pills that the common folk rumored to be immortality pills."
Yao Huang remarked, "I actually hope there really are immortals in the world. That way, there might be a chance for an immortal to manifest and satisfy some of my foolish delusions."
Prince Hui stopped looking at the mountain and glanced behind him. "What would you ask the immortals for?"
Yao Huang smiled, "Immortality, of course. With my beautiful looks, I can't bear the thought of becoming a wrinkled old lady in the future. And you too, Second Master, it would be best if you could stay this handsome forever."
When she mentioned him, Zhao Sui's blood ran cold for a moment, but then quickly returned to normal.
"Sigh, let's just change places. I'm afraid that instead of a deity, a female demon might pop out. The female demons in the storybooks love handsome scholars like you, Second Master."
Turning the wheelchair around, Yao Huang muttered to herself as she quickly walked away.
Zhao Sui: "..."
As night fell and the Princess Consort returned to the backyard to sleep, Doctor Liao finally passed through the moon gate connecting the two front yards to give His Highness Prince Hui a massage.
Zhao Sui asked, "Why is the polygonatum from Mount Ling more effective?"
He hadn't experienced this efficacy firsthand; rather, Zhao Sui had seen it recorded in medical books by famous doctors of the previous dynasty.
Doctor Liao had grown accustomed to Prince Hui's occasional bursts of conversation lately. He pondered and said, "A specific climate and geography nourish a specific kind of people, and the same goes for medicinal herbs. It must be that the soil of Mount Ling is better suited for the growth and medicinal accumulation of polygonatum."
He could identify the age and quality of medicinal herbs, but as for what exactly made the soil of Mount Ling so good, Doctor Liao couldn't say for sure.
Zhao Sui: "The Princess Consort heard people say that polygonatum used to be quite common on Mount Ling, and it only became increasingly rare due to years of continuous harvesting. Does this indicate that Mount Ling's polygonatum is naturally easy to survive and propagate?"
Doctor Liao: "Yes. If the mountain dwellers didn't dig it up, polygonatum would likely grow in large patches. However, mountain treasures and wild game belong to no one. Since it can be sold for money, the mountain dwellers will definitely dig it up whenever they see it. Leaving it there would only benefit those who come after."
Zhao Sui: "I see that this area is full of barren mountains and wild ridges. If we could clear the wasteland to plant medicinal herbs, the surrounding commoners would have an additional way to make a living, while simultaneously supplying more good medicine to various regions."
Doctor Liao finally understood what the Prince was worrying about. He sighed, "Most commoners are hardworking and frugal. With polygonatum selling for such a high price, if it could be planted just by clearing wasteland, the commoners would have definitely done so long ago. There must be many difficulties in growing polygonatum. The commoners probably gave up on the idea after finding they couldn't grow it or couldn't grow it well."
"Furthermore, Mount Ling is a famous mountain, not a barren one. The local government manages it strictly and forbids commoners from logging at will."
Zhao Sui: "The fact that polygonatum can grow deep in the mountains shows that it prefers shade and fears drought. Therefore, when clearing the land, there is no need to cut down tall trees; simply clearing the weeds and shrubs in the forest will suffice. This is just my guess. Tomorrow, I will summon Li Dechun and a few guards to go into the mountains and investigate the methods for planting polygonatum. When he comes down the mountain, the two of you can discuss it further."
Li Dechun was the other Doctor Li of the princely estate.
Doctor Liao: "Yes, we will certainly handle this matter with utmost care."
Yao Huang did not know what Prince Hui had ordered outside. This morning, after finishing their time in the sun, Prince Hui went to read, and Yao Huang came to the west courtyard. In the kitchen, she found Madam Gao sitting on a small stool, watching the fire.
Yao Huang waived her formalities, glanced at the large pot covered with a lid, and asked curiously, "So early in the morning, auntie, what time-consuming food are you preparing?"
Madam Gao smiled and said, "It's not food. Hasn't old Liao been collecting chicken-head ginseng? Previously, the ones used for stewing soup were three or four years old. Old Liao said it wasn't a pity to use those directly for nourishing soup. But five-year-old chicken-head ginseng has sufficient medicinal properties, and it's best to save up a lot to process into dried herbs. That way, the medicinal properties are stronger, and it's more nourishing for regulating the body. See, we've saved up over a dozen catties, so he had me boil them all in one pot."
Yao Huang lifted the lid to take a look, and sure enough, there was a whole large pot full of washed chicken-head ginseng.
"Is boiling it enough?"
"Not by a long shot. He says it needs to be boiled nine times and sun-dried nine times. The first boil takes three double-hours. It has to be sun-dried during the day and kept in the shade at night. Just talking about it sounds troublesome, which is why the nearby villagers all sell it raw."
Yao Huang: "...Collecting the herbs isn't tiring for him, but you certainly have your hands full, auntie."
Madam Gao: "He'll help when he gets back. A'ji, Qingai, and Feiquan will all share the burden for me too, so it's not that tiring!"
Troublesome as it was, whether it was raw polygonatum or processed polygonatum, there were always leftovers every time soup was stewed. Madam Gao was the most favored person in the kitchen; she could earn her wages while also nourishing herself alongside the masters. So, no matter how troublesome it was, she was happy to do it.
A few days later, guests arrived at the west courtyard of the Liao family. It was Doctor Liao's good friend, Doctor Li, who said he was taking two apprentices into the mountains to search for medicine, and thus asked to lodge at the Liao family's home.
Yao Huang went to take a look at the commotion and then ran to the study in the east courtyard to ask Prince Hui what exactly was going on.
Zhao Sui briefly explained it to the Princess Consort.
Yao Huang: "..."
So that day, when Prince Hui was staring at the mountain, he was pondering how to plant polygonatum, not thinking about climbing the mountain?
After her surprise, Yao Huang heaved a deep sigh of relief. She had been secretly pondering for days and still hadn't figured out a way to easily push Prince Hui to the top of the mountain.
Sitting down next to Prince Hui, Yao Huang smiled and said, "If they can really be planted, are you going to contract a mountain peak to do medicinal herb business, Second Master?"
She knew that the princely estate also had many shops and agricultural estates, and their annual income was more than Prince Hui's noble stipend.
Zhao Sui: "No, this matter needs to be spearheaded by the county magistrate to encourage the local commoners to clear wasteland. Chicken-head ginseng takes at least five years to be used as medicine, and only the commoners who live nearby can take care of it long-term."
Yao Huang understood. Prince Hui was thinking about the chicken-head ginseng not for himself, but to benefit the commoners around Mount Ling.
