"Chun Ning, I'm going to take a walk around. I'll come back here and find you in half an hour."
"Big sister, the pier is full of shady characters..."
"It's fine, it's daytime, don't worry. I'm not going far, just looking around."
Chun Ning wanted to say something, but then she thought about the journey from the Capital to Shu City. Along the way, it was her sister who took care of the whole family. She was brave and meticulous, and she herself just needed to not hold them back.
The pier was bustling, with boats of all sizes docking from time to time, full of life.
No wonder people are flocking here even though the Xiao family charges 20 coins for setting up a small business. It really is a good place for business.
Passengers disembarked from the boat onto the pier, speaking in various dialects.
Suddenly, Chun Nuan heard someone talking about the Capital's affairs.
"All the men from the noble consort's family have been executed, even the children weren't spared, and the women have been sent to the Bureau of Music."
"Ah, being near the Emperor is like being near a tiger. The benevolence of the imperial family comes and goes quickly."
"Isn't that the truth? Honor and disgrace are just a moment away."
"The noble consort's case implicated many court officials, and even an Imperial Physician from the Imperial Hospital was executed..."
"I heard the eldest prince is unwell. Previously, it was Doctor Xiao who treated him. Now the imperial physicians are at their wits' end, and the Emperor has posted an edict to recruit renowned doctors from across the land."
From others' mouths, Chun Nuan heard news of her grandfather, and her heart was full of bitterness. How innocent her grandfather was!
A fake pregnancy from the noble consort, her family uprooted, involving the Imperial Hospital, and both her grandfather and the imperial physician responsible for diagnosing and maintaining the pregnancy of the noble consort lost their lives.
Once, Xiao Chunnuan thought it was the Empress's handiwork. Now it seems unlikely because the eldest prince's illness had indeed been treated by her grandfather. So, the person who set up this trap was the one waiting to reap the benefits.
And who could have set this trap?
She hadn't heard news from the Capital for a long time. Chun Nuan wanted to hear more, but those two boarded a large boat that then sailed away... Watching the direction of the boat, Chun Nuan didn't know when she would hear news from the Capital again.
Counting the time, her elder sister was about to give birth, and her time at the Wu family might not be comfortable.
Piece by piece, Chun Nuan was anxious but couldn't reach far. The only thing she could do was to protect the family to survive... Survive to have hope!
Turning her head, she found a lot of Chenhao growing by the riverbank.
In March, Artemisia annua; in April, Chenhao; in May and June, they can be used as firewood.
Chun Nuan quickly stepped forward. Perhaps because it was by the riverbank, these Chenhao grew very well and were tender, and could be made into medicinal herbs.
Thinking of this, she hurriedly started picking them up.
As she was picking, she suddenly heard a loud commotion on the pier.
"We paid money; here's the receipt for payment. Why are you taking our things? Give them back."
It was Chun Ning's voice!
Chun Nuan couldn't care about the Chenhao she picked and ran over quickly.
"What's going on?"
As Chun Nuan asked, Xiao Changfu also spoke up.
"We paid money, and these people said we have to listen to them because this is their territory and we have to pay them," Chun Ning, unwilling to call on the Xiao family direct, explained the situation clearly.
"You... Are you Third Master Xiao?"
The few young men demanding money from Chun Ning were instantly terrified upon seeing Xiao Changfu: "We... we were just joking with him, nothing serious."
But in fact, it wasn't a joke. They were bullying newcomers at this pier, hoping to take advantage of them.
It was just bad luck today; they didn't expect Xiao Changfu to be there and get caught.
"This joke isn't funny at all." Xiao Changfu grabbed two of them and threw them into the river: "Daring to be unbridled at the Xiao Family Pier! Do you take me for dead?"
"Third Master, we were wrong, we won't dare next time."
The two people in the river struggled to get up, but Xiao Changfu's servant casually took a wooden pole from the crowd and held it horizontally there, clearly not letting them ashore.
"The Third Master is really good."
"Third Master, they often bully newcomers."
"Yes, what's the point of bullying two kids?"
Those doing small businesses at the pier all criticized, while the people in the river begged for mercy.
"Let them soak for an hour before they can leave," Xiao Changfu walked a few steps before turning back: "In the future, don't let me see you at Xiao Family Pier. Remember, this pier belongs to the Xiao family!"
"Yes, yes, yes, Third Master, I remember, we won't dare again, we won't dare again."
Watching Xiao Changfu leave, everyone started talking.
"Serves them right! Daring to make trouble on the Xiao family's territory. They met the Third Master; if it were the Sixth Master, they'd be ripped apart."
"Exactly, with Third Master watching the pier, we all feel at ease."
Chun Nuan… It turns out 20 coins can actually buy peace!
Are these small business people really willing to pay?
No, the Third Master they mentioned seems kind, but that gentle-looking Sixth Master is actually ruthless.
You cannot judge a book by its cover, nor the sea with a bucket of water. It's true indeed.
Third Master Xiao, Xiao Changfu, a concubine's son, Chun Nuan noted.
"Big sister"
"Chun Ning, how many packages are left?"
"Big sister, only two packages left."
Just then, a maid came over.
"Selling flower cakes, what kind of flowers do you use?"
"It's..."
"It's purple magnolia, not only fragrant but also has benefits like warming the lungs, opening the orifices, dispelling wind, and relieving cold."
"Oh, really, then I'll buy them all." The maid counted the money and gave it to Chun Ning, carrying away the two packs of flower cakes.
"Big sister?"
Wasn't it called the hope-spring flower?
Why is it called purple magnolia now?
Right, it's also known as the Xinyi Flower.
"If something is too ordinary, who would want to spend money on it?" Chun Nuan instructed him, "Scarcity increases value; changing the name makes it seem less ordinary."
People here call it hope-spring flower; they may not understand other names.
"Sister Chun Nuan, are we selling again tomorrow?"
Luo Xiaogang was already excited; he should earn money today.
"Yes, but you'll have to work hard to pick flowers early tomorrow morning."
"We are not afraid of hardship, really, Sister Chun Nuan, we'll do more tomorrow and sell early."
"Okay."
Chun Nuan calculated that after giving the Xiao family 20 coins, there were still dozens of coins left. Excluding costs, they could earn more than ten coins.
Spending money is like sand through a sieve, earning money is like picking sand with a needle.
In the past, she couldn't even bring herself to reward a maid with 20 coins, and now she works hard for a whole day to earn just this little.
Of course, every coin counts, and she wouldn't despise it.
"Big sister, should we go home now?"
The family should be worried.
"Don't rush, help me bring those Chenhao back."
"Sister Chun Nuan, these are everywhere on the mountains, why bring them back?"
"To make medicinal herbs and brew it into water," Chun Ning feared her sister would say it could earn money, and then Luo Xiaogang might spread it, making it hard for the family to find herbs, so he quickly cut in.
Chun Nuan glanced at Chun Ning: Experience does make one smarter. This little boy is getting more cunning.