CHAPTER 90: CHAPTER 82: TREASURE PAVILION’S ROUGE IS EXPENSIVE

"Cough cough cough..."

In Steward Yan’s room, two people were sleeping, he and his fourteen-year-old only son.

Xiao Chunquan knocked on the door and took quite a while before hearing their voices.

"Steward Yan..."

"Oh, it’s Chunquan. Don’t come in; we’ve caught a chill and are afraid it’ll pass to you." Steward Yan said, "This epidemic is quite severe; I know of five or six who’ve already succumbed."

Even the worksite has halted, and the usually fierce overseers don’t have the strength to speak.

"Indeed, our whole family is coughing, and my uncle has a high fever."

"You should try to find Doctor Gu to buy some medicine." Steward Yan said sympathetically, "His medicine is expensive but at least it can save lives. As long as the mountain remains, there’s no fear of lacking firewood. When you’ve got here, just endure, there will be a day to reunite with family."

"Thank you for your help, Steward Yan." Chun Quan took out a pill, "I have a pill here that can somewhat relieve coughs."

Chun Quan only brought one pill here and was surprised at how serious Steward Yan and his son were, making him a bit hesitant.

"Really? Have you taken it?"

"Yes, it’s been taken; this is the last one left."

Never mind, some things need to be kept somewhat hidden; it’s kindness if you give it, but it’s one’s duty not to. Giving one pill is enormous kindness.

"Where did you buy it, and how much silver per pill?"

"Steward Yan, this is a gift; no silver needed." Chun Quan said, "This pill was left by Manager Ma..."

He couldn’t refuse, so he shifted the responsibility to Manager Ma, as the latter advised him on this, saying he’s done business here for over a decade, and some respect must be offered.

"That Old Ma..."

Why do I feel a bit envious?

How come he didn’t keep some of these good things for himself?

"Cough cough cough..." The father and son started coughing again, one worse than the other, until they finally stopped.

Chun Quan saw they were much more severe than his uncle and worried that they might cough until they couldn’t breathe.

"Steward Yan, why don’t you take this pill first?"

"Thank you." Steward Yan took the pill, "Kun, take this pill."

"No, Father, you take it."

"You take it; you are my son, and sons listen to their fathers."

"Father, without you, how can your son survive?"

Chun Quan... Have they come to this extent?

"Um..." Chun Quan thought, "How about you both eat half each?"

"Is that possible?"

"It should work."

The effect might be somewhat diminished, but it will definitely have an effect.

Following Chun Quan’s suggestion, the father and son split the pill, each consuming half.

Soon Steward Yan Kun joyfully exclaimed.

"Father, I feel my throat is much clearer." He previously coughed until tight-chested, barely able to breathe: "Now I feel much more comfortable inside."

"I feel the same." Steward Yan said, "Chun Quan, what is this miraculous medicine?"

"As long as it works."

Seeing this, Chun Quan also breathed a sigh of relief, "Steward Yan, you rest well; I’m heading back."

"Alright, alright, take care, let me know if I can help with anything, don’t be polite."

"Okay, thank you."

A pill exchanged for protection, Chun Quan felt this person truly understood gratitude.

He didn’t regret giving the pill.

This sudden illness swept through fiercely, and the old and frail could not withstand it. Families mourned; the entire Northern Desert was shrouded in sorrow.

Steward Yan thought he couldn’t endure, most distressed was his only son Yan Kun, only fourteen, his life just beginning and seemingly about to wither.

Initially hopeless day by day, Chun Quan’s arrival brought hope; they hadn’t slept for many nights, but that night they slept soundly, never coughing once. Awaking felt like a dream—seeing the sun again the next day.

Moreover, from this day the sun seemed larger and more radiant than ever.

The feeling of being alive was truly wonderful!

This sudden disaster persisted for over a month, taking twelve overseers, and dozens of strong laborers sent to the Northern Desert, yet those in the weak Xiao family survived.

"Without the medicine Nuannuan sent, we wouldn’t have made it through."

"Xiao Chunquan is truly our life-saving benefactor," Steward Yan said to his son Yan Kun, "That Xiao Chunquan is a bit older than you, ultimately coming from the Capital, adept in conduct, follow and learn from him."

"Yes, Father, I understand."

News travels slowly; only when the ice and snow in the Northern Desert had melted did the Capital hear news.

"An epidemic in the Northern Desert?" Chunyu couldn’t sit still hearing this news, "What about father, second uncle, third uncle, and brother?"

"Miss need not worry, remember what our second daughter does?" Molan softly consoled, "The second

daughter sent home several kinds of pills earlier in the year; they must have been sent to the Northern Desert."

"Look at me, losing calm over concern." Chunyu remembered indeed this happened, yes, Nuannuan always attends to things thoroughly, placing family health foremost."

She also formulated pills for Panpan to regulate digestion, writing that to ensure children’s well-being, a balance of hunger and warmth must be maintained, never letting them eat too much at once, promoting small frequent meals, regular timing, focused eating, chewing thoroughly, balanced diet, avoiding picky and biased eating... In short, though she’s just a girl, she knows more professionally than I, the mother."

"I still cannot send news to the Northern Desert."

Nuannuan has contact with Northern Desert relatives, but lacking relations from this end, there’s much concern, solely relying on Nuannuan’s letters for Northern Desert news.

"Miss needn’t worry, good news is never late." Molan said, "By the way, Miss, Nanny Ma sent news, our cosmetic shop’s business is doing very well, based on the second daughter’s formulas, producing fine powders, unique aromas, much liked by Capital’s wealthy ladies."

"Nuannuan said to set prices high, I worried it’d scare them off, but following Nuannuan’s advice, business indeed flourished."

"Naturally, quality goods aren’t easily obtained, selling by limited reservation works excellently."

Other’s cosmetics wouldn’t sell, yet her Treasure Pavilion required appointments.

Whether nobility or prominent officials, treated equally, all needed to pay half deposit first, picking up goods after half a month, and those who’ve used her powders find themselves enchanted, even buying to gift others.

Treasure Pavilion’s goods are absurdly expensive, a small bottle selling for dozens of taels of silver, who wouldn’t be confused?