Chapter 6

    After finishing breakfast, Zhao Ying reminded Father Lu to stay off his feet to help his leg heal, and she also made sure Xiao Bao knew he could have some snacks and fruit at midday. Skipping lunch, as was common here, wasn’t ideal for a growing child.

    With everything in order, Zhao Ying set out for the township to buy supplies. Xiao Bao wanted to come along, but she declined, knowing she’d need to carry a lot back. Alone, she could store items in her mystical dimension to lighten the load.

    The walk from Lu Village to the township was about thirty li, a round trip of about four hours, not including shopping time. If she was delayed, she’d be returning after dark, so she quickened her pace. The path out of the village was a dirt road skirting the forest, with fields on one side and woods on the other, occasionally crossing small streams. Luckily, with the rainy season approaching, it wasn’t too hot, though the humidity made her sweat.

    'This heavy body is exhausting. I can hardly keep up a steady pace.'

    There was an ox-cart service in the village for a small fee, but Zhao Yingying’s previous self had made herself unwelcome with the villagers, particularly after a quarrel with the cart owner, Madam Lan, and his nephew, Lu Geng. With no cart to rely on, she resolved once again to lose weight and get this body fit like her original one, so she pressed on. Nearly two hours later, she reached the large wooden sign marking the entrance to the township, with the words “Liangxi Township” carved into it.

    Zhao Ying didn’t enter immediately. She rested in the shade to cool off, knowing her sweaty, disheveled appearance would likely get her a cold reception and possibly inflated prices at the apothecary.

    Once she had dried off, she entered the township. A straight road ran through the center, wide enough for two carts to pass slowly side by side. Shops lined the street, with mostly single-story buildings and a few two-story ones. Vendors called out to passersby from both sides, with about fifteen to twenty storefronts and various roadside stalls where villagers sold forest goods from mats spread on the ground. The place was bustling, lively, and relatively prosperous.

    As she walked, she noticed a clean-looking two-story clinic with a bearded man seated at a table in front and another doctor examining patients. Observing the doctor, her interest piqued. He was slim but sturdy, with fair skin and an age of perhaps thirty-five, though a full beard made him look older. His manner of examining and conversing with patients revealed clear expertise—a demeanor that seemed out of place in a small clinic in a modest township like this.

    Zhao Ying didn’t enter the first clinic immediately. Instead, she walked to the other side of the market to see how many clinics there were and which one might be the most suitable for her needs.

    On the far side of the market, she found another clinic, twice the size of the first. An elderly man with a long beard sat cleanly dressed at the entrance, and a worker was sweeping leaves outside. There were no patients or customers in sight. Just then, a well-dressed woman, clearly the wife of a wealthy family, entered the clinic. Zhao Ying kept her distance, observing from afar without drawing attention.

    Two women passed by Zhao Ying, gossiping about the woman who had just entered the clinic.

    “That’s Madam Zhang! I heard her husband hasn’t been out trading for days and that he’s sick. They’re nearly out of money—why didn’t she go to Cui Zhu’s clinic? The doctor there isn’t as greedy as the one here.”

    “Shh... don’t speak so loudly. She’s too proud to be seen there, that’s why!”

    Their voices faded as they walked away, and Zhao Ying made up her mind to return to the first clinic she’d seen.

    The attendant at the clinic noticed the large woman who’d been watching the doctor earlier approaching again, so he walked over to ask if she needed assistance.

    “Miss, do you wish to see the doctor?” he asked with a friendly tone.

    “I’m not here for treatment. I’ve come to buy and sell medicinal herbs. May I ask if you accept herbs for sale?” Zhao Ying inquired.

    The attendant gave her a quick look, then smiled politely. “Yes, we do. May I ask which herbs you’re looking to sell?”

    “I have some high-quality dried ginseng I’d like you to appraise,” Zhao Ying replied.

    “Please, follow me to the counter,” he said, leading her to a tall table resembling a cashier’s counter. As Zhao Ying followed, she noted the subtle scent of herbs in the air—faint hints of ginseng, lingzhi mushrooms, Solomon's Seal root, and angelica—very similar to her own collection of traditional medicines.

    Zhao Ying took out two pieces of fifty-year-old dried ginseng and two palm-sized lingzhi mushrooms, selecting the youngest and smallest items from her collection. She wanted to avoid attracting attention with anything too rare and valuable. In a small town like this, the locals rarely encountered herbs of exceptional quality, so she chose to display her least valuable stock, wary of potential threats.

    The attendant’s eyes widened when he saw the ginseng and lingzhi mushrooms she placed on the counter. He immediately picked them up for closer inspection.

    “Impressive, impressive. Dried fifty-year-old ginseng of excellent quality, with the roots intact and nutrients preserved. And this lingzhi mushroom, also fifty years old, is in pristine condition. Please wait a moment while I fetch the master.”

    The attendant went to the examination room, returning shortly with the young doctor Zhao Ying had seen earlier. She raised an eyebrow in interest. Impressive—so young and already running his own clinic. But something still seemed unusual, though she dismissed it quickly. I’m just an ordinary villager now, not my former scientist self; no need to be overly cautious.

    As the clinic’s owner approached, he briefly looked her over, polite but not invasive. He then carefully examined the ginseng and lingzhi mushrooms, setting them down after a moment and saying, “Miss, I can offer you three hundred silver taels per piece, totaling twelve hundred taels. How does that sound?”

    Zhao Ying had expected a slightly higher price, but she understood that business needed profit, and the offer was reasonable—not too low. Plus, she intended to build a steady trading relationship with this clinic, so she nodded in agreement.

    “Agreed. I’d also like to purchase some medicinal herbs,” she said, handing over a prescription for Father Lu’s treatment.

    “Please prepare five sets according to this list. And I’ll also need goji berries, angelica root, Chinese yam, Sichuan lovage, astragalus, licorice, codonopsis, and red ginseng. Not much, just about a handful of each—enough for a small batch,” she added.

    The two men in the clinic were genuinely surprised. She had named each herb fluently, showing a familiarity with their properties, and seemed unperturbed by the large amount of money discussed. A typical villager would have been overwhelmed. Curiosity got the better of the attendant.

    “If I may ask, Miss—do you have a specific purpose or a prescription for these herbs?” he inquired.

    Zhao Ying understood his caution, as the herbs she listed were known to strengthen blood and digestive health. She looked at the attendant with slight admiration for his attentiveness.

    “I’ll be straightforward. I have some knowledge of herbal medicine, and I still have herbs stored away. I hope to bring more here in the future to sell. As for these nine herbs, no need for secrecy—I plan to use them as health-boosting ingredients in family meals.”

    With one response, Zhao Ying had conveyed three things: she was knowledgeable about herbs, she intended to form a business relationship with the clinic, and she was skilled in making medicinal foods.

    The doctor and attendant, both sharp-witted, immediately understood. The doctor spoke up, “I am Fang Rong, and this is Manager Liu. Should you return, you may contact Manager Liu directly.”

    “Thank you, Master Fang, and Manager Liu. My name is Zhao Ying, and my husband is of the Lu family from Lu Village.”

    “Madam Zhao, no need to be formal. Please wait while we prepare the herbs for you,” Manager Liu said kindly.

    “Forgive me, I must return to my patients,” added Master Fang, as he had left a patient with minor symptoms waiting.

    “Of course, Master Fang, please go on,” Zhao Ying replied.

    While Manager Liu began gathering her herbs, Zhao Ying took a look around the clinic’s reception area. Simple, neat, with excellent ventilation, and everything organized and dust-free—not what you’d expect from a village clinic.

    She speculated that Master Fang might not be an ordinary citizen. He likely came from a prestigious family and had ended up in this remote place for reasons of his own.

    'It seems I might be imagining things like in those novels,' Zhao Ying thought to herself.

    Little did she know, her guess was actually quite close to the truth…

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Facts:

- Solomon's Seal Polygonatum odoratum: This herb is derived from its root, which has a mildly sweet and astringent taste. Often used in soups or stews, like in bak kut teh, it has cooling properties that help eliminate heat from the body, nourish yin energy, relieve internal heat, and help maintain body balance.

Medicinal Properties: Treats dry cough or phlegmy cough due to lung heat, alleviates headaches, and helps relieve stomach pain and bloating.

- Chinese Angelica Root or Dong Quai: Known as "โกฐเชียง" in Thai, this herb is valued for supporting blood circulation and is often referred to as "female ginseng."

 Medicinal Properties: With a sweet, spicy, and slightly bitter flavor, it nourishes the liver, heart, and spleen, supports blood flow, helps regulate menstruation, relieves migraine and menstrual cramps, and acts as a mild laxative.