"Who of you will go find Xueying? Ask her to prepare some summer-heat-relief soup for us every day." While resting at the post station in the evening, Wan Chengji gathered the whole family together and instructed his three sons, "If possible, the more the better." They could sell the extra ones to others and earn back some of the money they had spent recently.
The reason they waited two days to target Wan Xueying was because the actual consumer at the time was Lin Yingnan. Of course, not spending Lin Yingnan's money was preferable to wasting it. The Wan family had long considered Lin Yingnan's money theirs.
Since Wan Xueying had already made her position clear, from beating the Wan family members to the Dali Temple jail to now ignoring them, Wan Chengji realized that giving birth to this daughter was a waste, and she was a complete ungrateful person!
Even though Wan Hesu told the Wan family the truth that Wan Huqing had diarrhea and fainted that day, Wan Chengji and his wife still felt that Wan Qingling was innocent and that she was more loyal and righteous.
Knowing that this matter couldn't be explained, Wan Hesu didn't continue to argue. However, Wan Jiangyuan raised another question at the time: "I'm a little confused. Why didn't Qing Ling ask the Crown Prince to send us some gold, silver, and medicine?" Of course, gold, silver, and medicine would be more useful on Liufang Road than cakes. Besides, he was feigning unconsciousness at the time, when he was in need of medical care and medicine.
"Qingling may not have thought of it. Besides, what Qingling said doesn't count. It's still up to the prince to give whatever he wants." Wan Chengji still found an excuse for Wan Qingling.
Although Wan Jiangyuan didn't trust Wan Qingling as much as before, he wouldn't completely deny her just because of this speculation.
Back to the present, Wan Huqing was the first to jump out and refuse: "Whoever wants to sleep can go, but I'm not going." Thinking of the cruel force with which Wan Xueying pressed the hairpin against his neck, he still felt a lingering fear.
"Let the second brother go." Wan Jiangyuan said, "Among us, only the second brother can be listened to by Xueying." He had offended people a long time ago, and he didn't go because he knew he would run into trouble.
"My son won't go either." Wan Hesu flatly refused. Xueying had already repaid the favor she owed him, and he didn't have the nerve to ask her again.
Seeing his sons turning a deaf ear to his words, Wan Chengji shouted, "If none of you are going, do you think we should go alone? This is simply outrageous. We gave birth to her, raised her, and now you want us to beg her?"
Xu hesitated for a moment before speaking, "How about asking Jinzhi to go find Concubine Chen? Wouldn't it be easier if Concubine Chen asked Xueying for some summer-heat soup?" She then explained, "When we were at the Bo's mansion, Jinzhi learned to play the qin from Concubine Chen for a few days, so they had quite a good relationship."
Wan Chengji's eyes lit up after hearing this. "That's a good idea. Xueying is so cold-blooded and heartless that she might not give it to you if you ask her directly. Aunt Chen is a bit humane, so maybe she can get this done."
The reason why he gave such a reluctant evaluation of Aunt Chen was because last time in prison, although Aunt Chen went to see him, she took the meat buns away in the end.
Wan Chengji finally made the decision, "Then let Jinzhi go find Aunt Chen later."
Jinzhi was flattered to receive this assignment. She hadn't expected such a good thing to happen to her. Wasn't it just a matter of talking? There was no requirement for it to be done. It was much better than staying in the guest room, being ordered around by two old men.
She tidied herself up briefly, asked Xu for fifty cents, and walked towards the gate of the post station gracefully.
Fifty cents was the price set by the escort for the exile to have contact with outsiders. Without this money, Jinzhi could not leave the post station at all.
Facts have proved that Jinzhi is worth two people at once.
Others asked for fifty coins, but she delicately pleaded with the gatekeeper about her poverty, telling him how difficult it was, and letting him touch her hand, and she left the post station for only twenty coins. The rest of the money naturally belonged to her.
After leaving the post station, she looked around and quickly recognized the temporary tent camp set up by Wan Xueying and others.
In just a few words, Jinzhi arrived in front of Wan Xueying's tent. This was the first time Jinzhi had seen the simple tent Wan Xueying and her family lived in so closely. After seeing it, she was amazed and felt that the old couple of the Wan family were stupid. They didn't love their own daughter, but treated an adopted daughter like a jewel.
They deserved it! If they had treated the Second Young Lady better, why would they have suffered now? Didn't you see that Second Young Master Shen was always taken care of? He was also exiled, but he didn't suffer that much.
At this time, Wan Xueying, Aunt Chen and others had just finished eating hot noodle soup. Wan Xueying was directing several guards and "new employee" Gu Ming to use a large iron pot to cook tomorrow's summer heat-relieving soup.
Don't argue about boiling the medicine in a large iron pot, or why they can't boil it tomorrow. They're not boiling the medicine for one or two people, but for two or three hundred people. And that number is constantly increasing. And as for boiling it tomorrow? When tomorrow? They have to leave before dawn. Don't they want to sleep?
Fearing that someone might tamper with the situation, Wan Xueying paid special attention to this. Not only did she always leave two guards around to prevent anyone from breaking in, she also had the escort send two people to help watch over the soup while they were making it to prevent anyone from causing trouble.
The ingredients of the summer heat relief soup mainly include Angelica dahurica, Poria cocos, Magnolia officinalis, patchouli oil, etc. Most doctors know this recipe.
Even the imperial physician accompanying the Third Prince, after tasting it out of curiosity, didn't find anything special about this popular summer-heat-relieving soup. He curled his lips, giving up the idea of making friends with Wan Xueying and privately discussing the prescription.
Wan Xueying didn't know if there were other hidden doctors along the way. But since she had the space and a large stock of medicine, she was the only one who could handle this business.
She was not afraid of the prescription being leaked because she did not make any improvements to it, otherwise she would not have asked Gu Ming to work on it.
In order to keep the business going, she negotiated with Captain Hao and asked them to help purchase the necessary medicinal materials along the way.
Captain Hao asked what other medicines she could make? Did they want to buy them together? Wanting to expand her business, Wan Xueying refused without a second thought. She explained that she had learned this recipe from an old man in the village back in Northern Xinjiang. She had either forgotten the other recipes or didn't remember them completely, so she wouldn't hurt anyone.
She added, "This summer-relief soup actually has many benefits. It not only prevents and treats heatstroke, but also dispels dampness and pathogens, relieves exterior symptoms, and is even effective in treating acclimatization." This is why she stockpiled large quantities of this herbal formula; it's a universal remedy for her travels.
Captain Hao wasn't too disappointed after hearing her answer. After all, he hadn't held much hope for this unknown girl from the beginning. The fact that they could make money together was a complete surprise.
At this moment, Jinzhi wandered around for a long time and saw Aunt Chen and Madam Wu walking towards the tent, so she hurriedly called her.
"Sister Lian, it's me, Jinzhi!" She was about to step forward when she was stopped by Wan Xueying's guards.
"You two are the guards of the Bo Mansion, right? Don't you recognize me?"
"No one outside of you should approach." One of the two guards knew Jinzhi; she had been Wan Chengji's favorite concubine for the past two years. But now, their master was Wan Xueying, and they obeyed her orders alone. Furthermore, making a summer-heat soup was a major matter, so anyone who approached would be stopped.
Concubine Chen, who was about to enter the tent, turned back hesitantly when she heard someone calling her, and asked, "Jinzhi, are you looking for me?" Jinzhi had been wandering around for a long time, and Concubine Chen had already seen her. She just didn't expect that the person she was looking for was her, not Wan Xueying.
"Yes, yes, Sister Lian, I came here to find you."
Someone who wasn't originally close to me suddenly showed up, especially at this time. It would be strange if I didn't have any plans! Aunt Chen asked calmly, "What do you want from me?"
"Look, there are so many people around, and it's so inconvenient for us to talk from such a distance." To keep chatting with Concubine Chen, Jinzhi quickly added, "I finally came to see you, can't I promise not to mention the summer soup?" What a joke! She and the other three concubines had been working so hard to take care of the two old ladies, but they hadn't even gotten a single sip of summer soup. Why did she come here to spread those words and upset the Second Young Lady and Concubine Chen? She was actually just feeling pent up, and to avoid work, she just wanted to chat with Concubine Chen.
How could Aunt Chen know what she was thinking? Even if she knew that they were not really familiar with each other, there would be nothing to talk about.
Jinzhi had initially sought piano lessons from her purely to build relationships, but she had little talent or patience and quickly grew tired of them. Their age gap was significant, leaving them with little in common. With one favored and the other unfavored, their relationship became a matter of face.
Concubine Chen had been brainwashed by Wan Xueying for a while now, and now the Wan family was no less than a scourge to her. Even though she was just one of Wan Chengji's concubines, she still said, as if she was guarding against thieves, "I don't have anything to talk about with you. Besides, can't you see that it's not convenient for people to come in here right now?"
After saying this, she ignored Jinzhi who was still calling for a chat with her, and turned around to go into the tent they shared with Nanny Wu.
Wan Xueying was delighted to see the transformation in Concubine Chen. One must be wary of others; who knows if this person might do something bad? However, the Wan family had shown some self-awareness by remaining silent until now, sending only a concubine.
Everyone has left, what is there to talk about?
Jinzhi glared at each of the two guards fiercely, stamped her feet, and then walked reluctantly towards the gate of the post station.
When she entered the door, she was still touched by the guard at the gate, but since she was exiled, she no longer cared about it and planned to give up completely.
Just as she was hesitating whether to go back to the guest room immediately or hang around in the inn, a pair of big hands covered her mouth and pulled her into the darkness.
The author has something to say:
The ingredients and effects of the summer heat relief soup were found on the Internet.
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