C16 Not Medicinal Herbs

During this time, Mrs. Sunn had been unusually quiet, probably intimidated by the aura Xuanniang carried, fearing she might actually harm her. Every time she saw Xuanniang, she would avoid eye contact and keep her distance. Xuanniang didn't mind; it just gave her more freedom.

Xu Fangfang, on the other hand, often watched with a half-smile, as if mocking. Xuanniang assumed Fangfang simply disapproved of her, unaware that Fangfang's amusement had a different source.

Take now, for example: Xuanniang was drying some herbs she had just gathered from the mountains, while Fangfang stood nearby, her curiosity evident.

Xuanniang was using a basket to dry the freshly washed Solomon's seal, when Fangfang asked with a puzzled expression, "Xuanniang, people usually say wild ginger is inedible and might be toxic. Why are you drying it?"

Xuanniang was confused. Wild ginger? It did look like it, but it was definitely Solomon's seal.

"Sister, this is a medicinal herb. Don’t you know?"

"Xuanniang, you probably haven't read any medical books. It's a toxic plant, not a medicinal herb. You're not planning to sell these to a pharmacy, are you?"

As Fangfang asked, her lips curled into a mysterious smile, seemingly mocking Xuanniang's ignorance.

Xuanniang understood that people of this era probably didn't see these as medicinal herbs. However, as a military doctor from the 21st century, she was certain they were. She just wasn't sure which of the herbs she gathered were yet to be recognized.

Feigning humility, Xuanniang asked Xu Fangfang, "Sister-in-law, could you please tell me which of these herbs are useful?"

Xu Fangfang pointed to each one in turn: "Look at these three—this one is a root, this one a small white flower, and this one is bark. They don't have any use and have a strong smell. The last one might be somewhat useful; people use it to repel mosquitoes. These aren't medicinal herbs, and no medicinal house would take them."

Xuanniang put on a look of sudden realization. "Thank you, sister-in-law. I was just hoping to earn a little extra money for the household, but I didn't know better."

She hadn't expected the daughter of a guard to have such knowledge. Xu Fangfang, who usually appeared gentle and reserved, actually knew a lot about herbs, which was a big help to Xuanniang.

Normally, Xu Fangfang would watch her with an amused expression, and Xuanniang thought it was just disapproval. But now she realized it was because Xu Fangfang thought she was clueless. It turned out many herbs in this era hadn't been discovered yet.

Xuanniang was in a bit of a dilemma. If those unrecognized herbs couldn't be sold, what would she do with them? Suddenly, an idea struck her. Why not use them for free clinics? If she held free clinics in town, the herbs wouldn't go to waste. After all, people in need wouldn't know the difference between these herbs and the ones sold at the pharmacy. Plus, these herbs were just as effective and would save the poor some money.

So, Xuanniang decided that after selling her herbs, she would offer free clinics for the poor in town each day. However, she didn't expect an unexpected visitor after her latest sale.

As she left the pharmacy, she was stopped by a familiar face, Mr. Chiyan, who worked closely with the Official Master. He blocked her path with a serious expression.

Xuanniang was puzzled. Had she broken any promises? Since their last conversation, she hadn't seen the Official Master, nor had she had the chance to express her gratitude.

"Mr. Chiyan, why are you stopping me like this?"

Chiyan looked a bit helpless. He had insisted that this woman not disturb the Stabilization Duke anymore, yet now he had to personally bring her back. His master had fallen ill and refused to see a doctor. Last time, in an effort to save this woman, he had gotten scratched by thorns. The wounds, initially thought to be minor, turned out to be toxic and hadn't healed. Despite applying ointment, the injuries kept flaring up.

During this time, the Stabilization Duke was overwhelmed by the headless corpse case. Despite investigating the Escort Agency, no leads were found, and the stress took a toll on his health. He had shown signs of illness after getting caught in the rain a while back, which started as a mild cough. Now, the cough had worsened, and it was clear that Nangong Han had lost a significant amount of weight. Chiyan couldn't sit idly by any longer.

Coincidentally, Nangong Han's condition worsened last night, leaving him in a daze and unwilling to let any other doctor near him. Remembering that the Duke had once mentioned his wife was a skilled doctor capable of curing his lung ailment, Chiyan decided to swallow his pride and personally invite her to help.

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