Chapter 21: Chapter 21 Part 1

After eating the sweet potatoes, Ming Rou leaned against the wall to rest for a while. Ye Qiuniang brought over a bowl of medicine and approached her.

Staring at the pitch-black medicinal broth, Ming Rou’s fine brows instantly knitted together.

Before Ye Qiuniang arrived at the Ming Residence, Ming Rou couldn’t go a single day without medicine, but as her health gradually improved later, she rarely drank it anymore. Now seeing this bowl of black medicinal soup, the fear she felt from drinking medicine long ago instantly surged back.

Ye Qiuniang saw her scrunching up her little face and said lightly, “Just as you said, once you get better, you’ll go see the head of Paulownia Village. If you don’t take your medicine, how will you recover?”

Ming Rou naturally understood the principle that one must take medicine when sick, but she couldn’t help wanting to act spoiled. Suddenly recalling the bitter taste in her mouth when she woke in the morning, she asked again, “Did you feed me medicine last night?”

Ye Qiuniang’s hand holding the medicine paused inexplicably. She gave a light cough and said, “Mhm, you had a fever last night. Coincidentally, there were fever-reducing herbs behind the temple, so I boiled a bowl for you.”

Ming Rou said with some regret, “Why didn’t you feed me while I was asleep? That way I wouldn’t have tasted the bitterness. Now that I’m awake, it’s hard to swallow.”

Hearing this, Ye Qiuniang seemed to recall the previous night’s events. Her expression became a little strange, and she said with a hint of disapproval, “It’s naturally comfortable for Eldest Miss to drink while lying down, but it’s not so easy for the one doing the feeding.”

Ming Rou replied innocently, “Do I fuss a lot in my sleep? Did the medicine not go in?”

“Mhm, you fussed a lot.” After saying this, Ye Qiuniang pressed her lips together and said nothing more, bringing the bowl to Ming Rou.

Since it had just been said that she should recover quickly to take care of the matters ahead, Ming Rou dared not be willful now. She brought the bowl to Ye Qiuniang’s hand and drank the extremely foul-tasting medicine in small sips.

At home before, there were candied treats, but how could such expensive delicacies be found here? Yet Ye Qiuniang somehow produced a small, unripe, green fruit and stuffed it into her mouth, saying, “Chew it, and it won’t be so bitter.”

Ming Rou hurriedly chewed a few times. Only when the fresh, crisp flavor filled her entire mouth, replacing the bitter medicinal taste, did her previously furrowed brow finally relax.

“Jiujiu, you’re so good.”

The young girl expressed her gratitude at just the right moment.

Ye Qiuniang set the small, shabby bowl aside. Her hand reached out and gently pressed the spot on Ming Rou’s back where she had crashed into the pillar the day before. Caught off guard, Ming Rou cried out in pain with a hiss.

Startled, Ye Qiuniang quickly pulled her hand back. She had actually secretly applied medicine on Ming Rou while she was asleep last night, thinking she would be much better today. She hadn’t expected it to still be so painful.

Imagining Du Xian’s crazed demeanor the day before, and then looking at Ming Rou’s little face contorted in pain, her gaze instantly turned icy cold again.

“Lie down. Let me take a look at your back.”

The spot on her back did still hurt a bit, but it was no longer as painful as when she had first been driven out of the Ming Residence. Yet seeing Ye Qiuniang’s non-negotiable look, Ming Rou obediently bent over and lay on Ye Qiuniang’s lap.

Ye Qiuniang lifted the clothes on her back, revealing a fair but thin back. On it was a patch of bluish-purple, set against her jade-like back, which looked truly awful.

It had been dark the night before, so she hadn’t seen it clearly. Now it looked more serious than she had first thought. Ye Qiuniang couldn’t help but clench her teeth, wishing she could cut Du Xian into a thousand pieces.

“Jiujiu, it doesn’t hurt as much as it did at first. After sleeping last night, it got a bit better. It only hurt just now because you happened to press right on the center.” It seemed Ming Rou could feel Ye Qiuniang’s low mood and hurriedly explained.

Ye Qiuniang gave a low hum, and from who knows where, she produced a small piece of plaster and gently stuck it on Ming Rou’s back.

“Jiujiu, where did you get this dog-skin plaster?”

A cool sensation spread across her back, making Ming Rou feel much more comfortable.

“I carry it with me,” Ye Qiuniang said casually.

Seeing her expression, Ming Rou pouted unhappily. “Jiujiu, you’re being so fierce. You’ve been fierce since yesterday.”

Ye Qiuniang was momentarily stunned, then she rubbed her face and softened her tone. “How could I ever be fierce to Eldest Miss!”

Seeing this, Ming Rou couldn’t be bothered to argue. She humphed twice and continued lying on her lap.

“Jiujiu, you still smell so fragrant. It smells so good.”

“It’s the scent of the spirit herb. It can be picked on the mountain.” Ye Qiuniang recalled the little tricks she had played when she first arrived at the Ming Residence.

“Whatever. If you’re carrying it, then it’s your scent. I like it.”

As Ye Qiuniang gently massaged her back, the corners of her mouth lifted slightly. Once she felt it was enough, she let her turn over and lie down to rest.

But Ming Rou struggled and said, “Jiujiu, we can’t just keep living in this dilapidated temple. I’m fine now. Let’s go to Paulownia Village right now.”

“Looking at your unsteady steps, can you even walk? Rushing things isn’t always good.”

“It’s fine. We’ll just walk slower.” Ming Rou insisted.

Seeing her so insistent, Ye Qiuniang thought for a moment, then finally helped her up and walked out the door.

Paulownia Village was over twenty li from Pingle County. Whenever Ming Rou went with the Old Patriarch to inspect the estate before, she had always ridden in a carriage. This was her first time walking.

But the two of them set out early in the morning, walking and resting along the way, until it was past noon, when they finally arrived at Paulownia Village.

Paulownia Village spanned several hundred mu. Previously, almost all of it belonged to the Ming Family. Some scattered patches of land on the outskirts that weren’t connected were rented out to tenant farmers for planting.

On the estate were several large courtyards where the managers and long-term laborers usually lived, as well as some buildings used as warehouses to store grain.

After reaching Paulownia Village, it took them about the time it takes to burn a stick of incense to reach the main courtyard.

After having someone announce their arrival, it wasn’t long before the previously responsible manager, Tong Si, hurried out.

Tong Si was a man of about forty, tall and burly, but with an honest face. Seeing the two of them, he glanced at Ye Qiuniang, then turned to Ming Rou and called her Eldest Miss.

Ming Rou forced a smile and said, “Manager Tong, I’m no longer the Eldest Miss of the Ming Family. You have a new master now. You don’t need to call me Eldest Miss anymore.”

Tong Si paused briefly, then laughed. “It’s no matter. It’s just a form of address. Then I’ll call you Miss Ming, if that’s acceptable?”

Ming Rou nodded.

Tong Si continued, “Miss Ming, just call me Uncle Tong like before. There’s no need for excessive formalities. Besides, when I worked under the Old Master, I received much of his care and concern. Now that the owner has simply changed, there’s no need for such strict avoidance.”

When Ming Rou heard him mention her maternal grandfather, her eyes instantly dimmed, though only for a fleeting moment. Still, she couldn’t help but ask, “Uncle Tong, do you know why Grandfather sold Paulownia Village?”

“That was a decision made between the two masters. I wouldn’t know.”

Seeing she couldn’t get any information, Ming Rou didn’t press. “Then can Uncle Tong introduce us to the new master?”

Tong Si gave an apologetic smile. “That wouldn’t normally be a big deal, but it’s unlucky timing. The new master just happens to be out and away for a while, and I don’t know when he’ll return. Miss Ming, if there’s anything I, Uncle Tong, can help with, please don’t hesitate to ask.”

Hearing the new master was away, Ming Rou’s eyes darkened. Du Xian had sent people around, lobbying every household not to take her in. Now that she was at Paulownia Village, with the Family Head absent, Tong Si probably couldn’t make the decision to take in the granddaughter of their previous master.

But thinking that she and Ye Qiuniang had nowhere else to go, she still asked, unwilling to give up, “Uncle Tong, the Ming Family’s assets have been seized by Du Xian. Qiuniang and I were driven out, and we have nowhere to go. I was hoping to speak with the new master to see if he could take us in for a while. Of course, we won’t be idle. Grandfather had someone teach me bookkeeping. Although I haven’t had the chance to actually manage it before, if I could have the opportunity to be an apprentice and earn my keep…”

Not only was Tong Si shocked by Ming Rou’s words, but even Ye Qiuniang behind her found it somewhat unbelievable.

Before setting out, Ye Qiuniang had always thought Ming Rou intended to use the possible intricate connections between the Old Patriarch and the new master to bargain, requesting the other party’s help to stabilize herself and then strike back at Du Xian.

She hadn’t expected the young girl to not mention any of those things, instead asking Tong Si for a job.

One had to know, the Eldest Miss of the Ming Family had always been clothed in silk and fed on delicacies. She had never done any heavy or tiring work, let alone assisting anyone else.

Setting aside whether she could endure such hardship, the mere fact that she could adjust her mindset in such a short time and bow her noble head was unexpected.

After a slight pause, Tong Si laughed.

“I thought it was some serious matter. It’s just finding a place to stay and a job. I can still make this decision.”

Upon hearing this, Ming Rou’s originally anxious heart settled a bit, and her eyes sparkled with hope.

Tong Si said, “Miss Ming, you are the granddaughter of the previous master. It would be somewhat improper to let you stay directly in the manor courtyard. But there are some scattered plots of land at the edge of the estate rented to other tenant farmers. As it happens, one family moved away two months ago, leaving behind a rundown house and two mu of land. If Miss Ming doesn’t mind, you could take over their share. As for the bookkeeping, I’m afraid that will have to wait until the master returns before it can be decided.”

Ming Rou was a bit dismayed when she heard the job matter was still uncertain, but at least they had a temporary place to stay. That was already a blessing amidst misfortune. It was just that with her frail body, she might not be able to do heavy work. When the time came, the household burdens would probably fall on Jiujiu’s shoulders.

This realization made her a little sad.

“Eldest Miss, since we can first find a place to go, why don’t we settle in for now, temporarily plant the fields, and then make further arrangements for other things. Is that alright?”

“Mhm, let’s settle it like that then. Jiujiu, don’t be afraid. When we farm in the future, I can help too. I’ll build up my health and go to the fields with you.”

Hearing this, Ye Qiuniang smiled. “Very well, then it’s settled. Qiuniang is very much looking forward to the day Eldest Miss can join me in weeding and planting.”

……

Manager Tong acted quickly. He immediately brought the two to the very edge of Paulownia Village, an area near the foot of the mountain. There were several scattered patches of farmland, separated from the larger fields by some rocks. According to Manager Tong, these scattered fields were all rented out to other tenant farmers.