36. I'll trade your blood for my life.
Save him? You'll have to trade your life for it.
About six years ago, Miss Fang came to Guiyue Tower as a servant.
At that time, she was only fourteen years old. Her family was poor and she had nowhere else to turn. She gritted her teeth and signed a contract with Guiyuelou to sell herself into servitude. She immediately received fifty strings of cash.
The old woman in charge of her named her Fangyi, which also retained the sound of her given name "Fang". Fangyi was efficient at work and had a talent for cooking. Within two years, she was transferred to work under the head chef and learned to cook.
Fang Yi worked as a cook in the building during the day, and after work she would go to other places to do odd jobs to earn some extra money. The people in the building knew that her family was poor and that she only had her grandmother by her side, so they speculated: Lixi Town is a small place, and the villagers in the surrounding area know each other even if they don't know each other. They had never heard that Fang Yi's grandmother was suffering from any serious illness, so why did she need so much money?
However, Fang Yi was introverted and didn't like to talk about his own affairs. Even when fellow servants of Guiyue Tower wanted to help, they didn't know where to start, so they could only give him two or three extra steamed buns on weekdays, and so on.
One year, when the apricot blossoms were in full bloom, Guiyuelou brewed a special apricot blossom wine and sent a servant to sell it all the way to the capital. Unexpectedly, the servant brought back a shocking piece of news: a fellow villager from Lixi Town who had been smuggling salt and iron had been publicly executed in the capital.
Everyone sighed, but Fang Yi immediately burst into tears and rushed out the door. After some inquiries, the workers finally learned that the villager who had been executed was Fang's biological father. He had made a little money in his early years, then abandoned his wife and daughter to live a life of luxury in the capital. That was how Fang's biological mother died in despair.
Fang's money wasn't actually for her grandmother's medical treatment; she was desperately giving it to that heartless man, begging him to come back and visit her mother's grave.
Merchants value profit over parting; how could they possibly give up their wealth and status to return like this? Naturally, they would take the money and then casually make a fortune off the person.
Hearing this story, everyone sighed again. Some pitied Fang's unfortunate background, some sympathized with her hard work, and some mocked her for being rejected and having too much money to spend.
"Miss Fang signed a contract of servitude with Guiyuelou a long time ago. Now that she is working as a cook in your shop, she is actually still a member of Guiyuelou."
Miss Luo hesitated, as if she wanted to say something more.
Yan Yunzhao nodded: "I had already noticed that Miss Fang was from Guiyue Tower. But I'm just curious, what does that have to do with the Floating Wine Cups Banquet?"
She had a vague feeling that the name Fang Yi sounded familiar.
"That's why I'm mentioning all this. Miss Fang is a pitiful person. I've worked with her for a long time and know that she has practiced her cooking skills for many years, all for this Flowing Wine Cup Banquet. She finally got her wish and became the chef for the Flowing Wine Cup Banquet. However, as the banquet approached, she was replaced by Master Bai for no reason."
Yan Yunzhao suddenly remembered that Lou Chengjing seemed to have mentioned that day at Biyuefang that a cook at the Qushui Liushang Banquet in Guiyuefang had been replaced due to illness, which gave her the opportunity to go.
Could it be Fang Yi, Miss Fang?
Seeing Yan Yunzhao's look of sudden realization, Miss Luo nodded and said, "That's right. That cook is Fang Yi, but whether she has other purposes for helping out at your shop, I have no idea."
Yan Yunzhao had some thoughts on the matter. Although her shop was well-known in Lixi Town, the salary was not high. Moreover, this Miss Fang came with rumors of "bloodshed" as soon as she arrived. How could it be easily regarded as a coincidence?
Upon hearing Miss Luo's words, Yan Yunzhao understood. Her words were all in Fang Yi's best interest; though she didn't say it explicitly, her meaning was clear: she wanted the two to reconcile.
Fang Yi did indeed have a difficult past, but Yan Yunzhao did not want to be a pushover. All he could do was take good care of Fang's grandmother.
There was no reason for them to stay any longer, so the group packed up and returned to Lixi Town.
Xiao Qi was naturally on the carriage as well. It is said that he was lost when he was young and was sold to a restaurant to do odd jobs. Because he privately hired child laborers, he violated the laws of Daqi. The restaurant owner was investigated and punished, but the child laborers could not be properly resettled due to the negligence of the local officials. They could only live by begging for alms.
Upon hearing this, Miss Luo covered her face with her sleeve and began to sob again, regretting that she had not found him sooner and that her younger brother had suffered in vain.
The children begging in the same courtyard as Xiao Qi were just as pitiful, even worse off than those at the Dragon King Temple. Now, Cui Liang's shop was making a lot of money growing vegetables in the winter, and the shop was doing quite well. Yan Yunzhao generously donated twenty strings of cash to the Cui Family Village County Government, specifying that it be used to provide clothing and food for those children.
Twenty strings of cash a month, though not much, were their life-saving money during the long, bitterly cold winter.
After the siblings chatted about everyday matters, Miss Luo suddenly remembered to ask Yan Yunzhao how he had found Xiao Qi.
Yan Yunzhao then used the explanation he had prepared a few days ago: "Jingming and I are from this area, so we are naturally familiar with it and have a wide network of connections. We asked our fellow villagers and found it by chance."
This statement was puzzling, but Miss Luo believed it wholeheartedly. She pulled Xiao Qi along and said, "Call her Sister Yun Zhao. She's your savior, and from now on, she'll be your second sister."
Xiao Qi obediently greeted Yan Yunzhao, "Sister Yunzhao."
Yan Yunzhao smiled and patted his head. Little Qi was well-behaved, and she was happy too. She smiled and agreed.
The journey there was quick, filled with sightseeing, but the return trip was incredibly long. Yan Yunzhao idly watched the sunset and clouds drift by, his cheeks flushed red by the setting sun.
After saying goodbye to Miss Luo and Xiao Qi in the market, the four of them finally breathed a sigh of relief upon returning to the familiar Cui Liang shop.
The funding problem that had been bothering me for days was finally resolved, and I even made a fortune. I can't say how relieved I felt.
Rongrong usually likes to run in the mountains. Today, she picked up a round pine cone from somewhere and was playing with it at the entrance of the shop.
The chickens in the coop grew even fatter in winter. At this time, they hunched their necks and nestled themselves in their thick feathers, not wanting to move an inch, which was a stark contrast to the lively Rongrong.
Everything is the same as before, except that Lou Su, who used to play with the cat and feed the chickens, is no longer there.
Fortunately, there have been few customers at the shop these days; otherwise, without accommodation, the source of ingredients would be a serious problem. In the past, the small shop had no costs and needed to hunt in the mountains. Later, Yan Yunzhao gradually realized that obtaining ingredients from the mountains was the best decision.
Yan Yunzhao had never considered herself a sentimental person, but these past few days, for some reason, she had felt a little empty inside.
Perhaps she was used to having five people, and would definitely feel uncomfortable if one was missing. But for some reason, when the girl from that teahouse blushed and asked her if Lou Su was married, she felt a little annoyed.
Seeing Yan Yunzhao staring blankly at the chicken coop, Shuyu, understanding her situation, comforted him, saying, "I heard from Master Liu Jiang a while ago that he invited Master Jichen from the Tianlin Sect to treat Young Master Lou's illness. Since he is Master Liu's master, he must be very powerful. I'm sure Young Master Lou will recover soon."
Yan Yunzhao thought this made sense, but couldn't help but wonder: "Where there is poison, there must be an antidote. We even gave them the top-grade spiritual herb, Deer Life Grass. Why would we need the Medicine Master to come here?"
Just as they were racking their brains trying to figure it out, a fair-skinned, round figure happened to swagger over from a distance.
"Boss Yan!"
Yan Yunzhao looked closely and finally spotted a face in the white halo: "So it's Senior Brother Yuan."
Without saying a word, Brother Yuan flicked his sleeves and sat down in the small shop: "Tomato beef pizza, double crispy chicken burger, hot pot noodles, mushroom and chicken stew, and a steamed fish, please. Okay, I'll eat less today, that's all for now."
"Uh... okay."
Yan Yunzhao couldn't help but feel ashamed. Senior Brother Yuan almost ate all the remaining ingredients in the small shop before he would stop.
How come Master Jichen didn't scold him for eating like that? If it were Yan Yunzhao in the past, he would have been dragged away and whipped long ago.
Sizzling beef cubes are drizzled with thick tomato sauce, while golden-brown, battered chicken oozes fragrant oil. Dried chilies are tossed into the pan with oil to infuse them with flavor, and finely chopped scallions and garlic crackle and release their aroma...
The smooth and vibrant dishes were served, and Brother Yuan ate three large bowls in silence.
He ate silently, but with enormous bites, his chopsticks seemingly scooping straight into his mouth like a large spoon, chewing haphazardly before quickly swallowing the food.
Each time, the four of them liked to sit next to him and watch him eat; it was both novel and interesting.
After finishing his meal, Senior Brother Yuan slowly wiped his mouth and finally got to the point: "Master recently came down the mountain to treat Young Master Lou's illness. He said he was missing a Spirit-Gathering Grass to neutralize the strong effects of Deer-Living Grass, and asked me to find you to get it. *burp*"
Yan Yunzhao, who had just been smiling, suddenly trembled upon hearing these words, and found it hard to breathe: "The Spirit-Gathering Herb? You want me?"
Senior Brother Yuan looked at her with some surprise: "Yeah, I don't know why Master is so determined to ask you for it. There are only a few top-grade spiritual herbs, and you've already given out two. How could there be any left... Boss Yan, what's wrong with you?"
Seeing that her face suddenly seemed a little pale, Senior Brother Yuan, with his peculiar way of thinking, slapped his forehead and hurriedly said, "Oh dear, I was so busy eating that I don't know if Boss Yan is hungry or not."
As he spoke, he pushed the porridge that Jingming had ladled for him but which he hadn't had a chance to drink yet in front of Yan Yunzhao, staring at her expectantly.
Yan Yunzhao glanced at the porridge in front of him, speechless for a moment, then swallowed hard and said, "Your master said that this immortal herb is in my hands?"
Senior Brother Yuan tilted his head and gave an affirmative answer.
"Boss Yan, how come all these immortal herbs and divine trees are in your possession? Could this be...?"
"What's your secret to making delicious food?"
Upon hearing the first half of the sentence, Yan Yunzhao's heart jumped, but upon hearing the second half, her heart relaxed again, her emotions like a rollercoaster.
"Uh...maybe..." Yan Yunzhao said somewhat guiltily.
"Since it's for Lou Su to treat his illness, I won't delay any longer. Let's go together."
Since Immortal Master Jichen said so, he must know that his true form is the Spirit-Concealing Grass. Although the Spirit-Concealing Grass can conceal a person's aura, Yan Yunzhao's current magical power is too weak to maximize its effect. Given Immortal Master Jichen's profound cultivation, it is not surprising that he could see through it.
As a top-grade spiritual herb, the Spirit-Gathering Grass was coveted by everyone in the Immortal Realm. Given her relationship with Ye Qin, she believed the Heavenly Arrival Sect wasn't the type to turn against her for a mere herb. Thinking this, she felt slightly more at ease.
Inside Biyuefang, Senior Brother Yuan led her to pay her respects to Master Jichen.
Master Jichen had a serene and refined appearance, exuding an air of otherworldly elegance. He was still dressed in white robes and carried a whisk. Upon seeing Yan Yunzhao for the first time, he asked directly, "If saving Young Master Lou requires your life, would Miss Yan be willing?"
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