CHAPTER 54: CHAPTER 52 SHE IS FINE

The shadow moved closer and closer towards Xie Liangchen, yet Xie Liangchen remained motionless.

Finally, the person stopped, squatted down, and added firewood to the stove.

The sound of burning wood echoed in the tranquil house, and the steaming heat was now much denser than before, falling onto the girl’s nose and turning into droplets of sweat.

The girl instinctively wanted to raise her hand to wipe the sweat, but as her arm moved, she suddenly awoke with a start and hurriedly looked into the large pot.

She saw the large pot was still shrouded in steam, and the girl breathed a sigh of relief. Her eyes glanced over and saw the shadow squatting by the stove not far away.

Xie Liangchen was startled and quickly stood up. Seeing it was the granny who lived with them, she finally relaxed and said, "Granny, why are you here?"

The granny replied, "I saw your fire wasn’t strong, so I came to add some wood."

"Thank you for your help. You should go rest," Xie Liangchen looked at the hourglass beside her, "I accidentally fell asleep earlier. Now that I’m awake, I can watch it myself."

The granny asked, "Are you processing those herbs drying outside?"

Xie Liangchen responded.

The granny stood up again and looked at the wooden box beside Xie Liangchen. The box was divided into several compartments, each containing Huang Jing that had been steamed and dried.

Curious, the granny asked, "What is this?"

Xie Liangchen pointed at the compartments and said, "This has been steamed and dried once, this twice, this three times... and this is the eighth time."

The granny asked again, "Why do you do this?"

Xie Liangchen smiled and said, "Do you see the change in color of the herbs? As the number of steaming and drying increases, the surface of the herbs becomes more glossy and black.

Do you recognize this herb? In the future, if you see it, feel free to harvest it. If you trust me, sell it to the Chen Family Village."

As Xie Liangchen spoke, she went to check the Huang Jing in the pot.

The granny stared at the slender back of the young girl, and after a while, she said, "Is this a good medicine?"

"Good medicine," Xie Liangchen replied without hesitation, "The herb named Huang Jing is said to grant longevity when consumed. Though it’s not so miraculous, it indeed replenishes deficiencies, fills the essence, calms the organs, and strengthens the muscles and bones."

Upon hearing this, the granny’s eyes sparkled, and even her expression softened: "How does someone as young as you know such things? Who taught you?"

Xie Liangchen shook her head straightforwardly and recounted how she was abducted and lost her memory.

After a pause, Xie Liangchen voiced her guess: "Someone must have taught me, most likely the people who adopted me."

Though in her past life it was Old Master Su who taught her about herbs, she had already shown a talent for recognizing herbs before then. Most herbs were remembered after a single introduction.

It’s as if there were already some vague shadows in her mind, and a small hint in reality would bring them to light.

This is why she said her knowledge of herbs had something to do with her adoptive parents. It was a convenient excuse, but not a complete lie.

The granny’s gaze turned distant as if contemplating something. After a while, she said, "With wars lasting decades, many things left by our ancestors have been lost. Back when Prince Guangyang was alive, he protected the people and preserved the ancient scrolls. His wife, Princess Guangyang, was skilled in medicine and collected many medical books.

Unfortunately, Prince Guangyang died when attacking remnants of the previous dynasty alongside the current emperor. His territory was also overrun by the soldiers of the previous dynasty’s remnants, and even now, the court has not fully reclaimed it."

When the granny finished speaking, she suddenly realized she had spoken too much.

Perhaps it was the deep night, or facing a girl who wanted to make good medicine, she became emotional and let slip these words, hoping the girl wouldn’t overthink them.

Yet often things don’t go as one wishes.

Xie Liangchen asked, "How do you know these things?"

The granny pressed her lips together, "Living many years, one hears a lot. I came from the Northwest, fleeing before remnants of the previous dynasty invaded. That was Prince Guangyang’s territory."

After saying this, the granny glanced at the hourglass, "Don’t forget the time."

With that, she headed for the door, "Tired, I’m going back to rest."

After taking a few steps, the granny’s arm was suddenly supported, and Xie Liangchen’s voice came, "Granny, do you know about herbs? If you could, would you teach me?"

The granny shook her head, "I’m just a village woman, how would I know?"

But upon hearing this, the girl beside her laughed.

The granny looked up to see why, and for some reason, the girl’s appearance seemed pleasing to her, especially her gentle smile, creating a sense of closeness.

The granny asked, "Why are you laughing?"

"When I went to collect herbs, I met an herbal merchant, and I was told the same thing. A village woman couldn’t know these. Why can’t a village woman know?" Xie Liangchen’s eyes sparkled, "In the future, many people will know."

The granny’s eyes rippled slightly, but she quickly lowered her head to hide it.

Xie Liangchen helped the granny back to her room to lie down, and then she went into the kitchen again.

After preparing the herbs, Xie Liangchen climbed back onto the bed.

Old Mrs. Chen was already asleep, but Chen Zigeng had been waiting for Sister.

"Sister."

Although Chen Zigeng hadn’t gone into the kitchen, some things don’t escape his eyes: "What did that granny say to Sister?"

The brother and sister whispered across Old Mrs. Chen.

After hearing Sister recount the recent events, Chen Zigeng lowered his voice and asked, "Does Sister think that granny is a good person?"

Xie Liangchen first nodded, then shook her head, "I don’t think she means harm, but we can’t draw conclusions hastily. Whether meeting people or dealing with things, you need to remember, besides judging on your own, to add a bit more caution."

Chen Zigeng solemnly nodded, "I remember."

The siblings lay down again, and, accompanied by Old Mrs. Chen’s snores, they both fell asleep.

As dawn broke, Xie Liangchen opened her eyes. Chen Zigeng was putting on his outer garment, but before Xie Liangchen could speak, he dashed out and returned shortly with news: "That granny left."

...

Mr. Dongli’s courtyard.

Li You had just finished practicing his martial arts when he noticed his teacher emerging from the house. Recently, the teacher would sleep before Li You arrived and get up after he left, intentionally avoiding him and refusing to speak.

"Teacher." Li You stepped forward to pay his respects.

Mr. Dongli glanced at Li You, "Coming here every day, don’t you have much work at the government office?"

Li You suppressed his joy, his eyes slightly red, "If it weren’t for the emperor’s orders, I would accompany you constantly."

Mr. Dongli stepped forward.

Seeing this, Li You quickly stepped forward to open the door for his teacher.

Mr. Dongli stood at the doorway, gazing into the distance as if waiting for someone. Li You dared not be negligent and stood by his side, accompanying him.

After a while, a figure approached, a granny in coarse clothing.

Spotting the granny’s figure, Mr. Dongli dropped his scholarly and profound demeanor and rushed forward to greet her.

The granny’s expression remained unchanged as if she disdained Mr. Dongli’s enthusiasm.

"How was it?" Mr. Dongli asked in a low voice.

The granny’s mind returned to the scenes in Chen Family Village and the busy young girl in the kitchen.

"The village is nice, and the people are too," the granny said, adding, "That girl is truly remarkable."

Mr. Dongli asked, "Would you consider taking her as a disciple?"