Chapter 17

Chapter 17: Giving Alms to the Refugees, An Unexpected Bond

Grandma Qin finely chopped the green, sprouting garlic shoots from the garlic bulbs.

She rendered the fat from the pork belly until it was fragrant, then added the garlic shoots to stir-fry, followed by the sliced pork.

She sprinkled fine grains of salt and tossed in a few Sichuan peppercorns.

Smoke gently billowed from the chimney, and a roaring fire cooked a deliciously fragrant dish of stir-fried garlic shoots with pork!

Shen Ningning had been standing by the stove from the start, eagerly anticipating, licking her lips several times.

She was tantalizingly hungry!

Just then, the pot of rice cooking nearby began to bubble and gurgle.

Lifting the lid, the white grains were distinct, emitting a pure rice aroma.

Shen Ningning felt her mouth water.

The meal was ready.

Green garlic shoots and marbled strips of meat laid atop the rice, a simple stir transformed it into a delicacy!

Grandma Qin and the little one each held a bowl, sitting on the threshold to savor their meal.

"Granny, you should eat more meat!" Shen Ningning noticed that Granny Qin was giving her all the meat and quickly put some back into her grandmother's bowl.

Only then did she start to eat herself.

However, her small hands struggled with the chopsticks.

By the end of the meal, her face was speckled with two grains of rice, which Granny Qin lovingly wiped off.

This was the most delicious meal Shen Ningning had ever had, finishing an entire large bowl.

Granny Qin chuckled, "My dear child, eat slowly. I’ve started to regrow the garlic in water. When the sprouts grow again, I'll stir-fry them with eggs for you!"

Shen Ningning's eyes immediately sparkled with delight!

Tasting the fruits of her labor, she spent the entire night planting in the fairyland.

Although she didn’t recognize the types of seeds, Shen Ningning chose eight kinds that looked good to her and buried them in the soil.

Occupying sixteen square plots and leaving fourteen fertile plots unused, Shen Ningning decided to save them for later.

The next morning, she packed the Polygonum multiflorum into her bag, ready to sell it in the city.

Granny Qin had already cooked delicious Yangchun noodles for her.

The handmade noodles were chewy, seasoned with light salt and pepper, topped with a fried egg, and sprinkled with wild chives.

Shen Ningning ate to her heart's content, her cheeks rosy with satisfaction.

The Black Wolf King and the wolf pack stood nearby, watching over her as she left Wolf Mountain.

The pharmacy owner and his coachman were already waiting at the foot of the mountain.

Seeing the little girl, the owner hurriedly greeted her, "Miss, the sun is quite harsh today. Here is a sachet to help cool you down, please accept it."

His overly ingratiating attitude was evidently a response to recognizing Shen Ningning's capabilities.

The little girl graciously accepted it, "Thank you, Storekeeper Grandpa."

"Miss, just call me Storekeeper Fang," he said with a round-faced smile, helping Shen Ningning onto her carriage.

Aboard the carriage.

The pharmacy owner brought out prepared snacks and set them on a small table.

"Miss, I have important business back at the pharmacy. Could I possibly inspect the herbs here in the carriage? If they're good, we can agree on a price. Once we reach the shop, I’ll have someone bring you the money," Storekeeper Fang asked, his tone eager to please.

Shen Ningning, who was eating her red fruit, nodded gently in response.

She took off her backpack and opened it to reveal three black-brown Polygonum multiflorum roots.

They were thick and robust, with leaves and stems, top quality!

Storekeeper Fang couldn’t take his eyes off them, touching them repeatedly.

He felt like he was about to make a fortune!

Last time, the purple Ganoderma lucidum Shen Ningning sold him was quickly resold for 900 taels!

He suggested, "How about this, Miss, I offer eighty taels per root, but this time we'll weigh them.

"These two are about three catties each, and this larger one, let's say four catties. I’ll round it up and give you six hundred taels in total. What do you think, Miss?"

Hearing this number, Shen Ningning hesitated for a moment.

Her face, flushed from the warm breeze, framed her bright, clear black eyes.

She expressed her confusion, "Storekeeper Grandpa, last time you said Polygonum multiflorum is one of the most expensive herbs in your shop. If it's so valuable, is it only eighty taels per catty? Then why did you pay per piece for the purple Ganoderma lucidum last time?"

Storekeeper Fang’s heart skipped a beat.

He internally cursed his luck.

"This little girl is too smart!"

He tried to placate her with a smile, "The market is tough nowadays. High-priced medicinal herbs have few buyers, and even if I purchase them, I worry about not being able to sell them."

Shen Ningning, kindly, nodded in agreement, "Okay then, six hundred taels it is."

Storekeeper Fang beamed with joy, "Great! As soon as we reach the shop, I'll have the money ready for you, Miss!"

The little girl was already calculating in her mind.

She planned to give two hundred taels to Granny Chen, then buy some gifts for her brother as she had moved and needed to inform him of her new address.

Lastly, she needed to buy essentials for her new home.

"Hmm, and I should also check out some jade stores. My fairyland seems to like jade, so I should see if there's anything good!"

"Six hundred taels should be enough, right?"

As they neared the city gate, a foul stench wafted in through the window.

Storekeeper Fang quickly covered his nose and mouth, warning Shen Ningning, "Miss, this is the smell of decay, you should hold your breath too."

The little girl covered her nose and mouth, peering out through the curtains.

"Last time I was here, there were many refugees sitting by the roadside."

"Now, most of them are lying on the ground, their faces deathly pale."

"They're dead?" Shen Ningning was somewhat shocked.

Storekeeper Fang sighed, "Yes, the drought has led to a lack of food. The rich and powerful are fine, but it's these common folk who suffer."

"They die of either hunger or thirst. I've heard that the small river in the city is drying up too. Summer has just begun, and if it doesn’t rain soon... ah!"

He lamented, "Four years ago, the national priest predicted the birth of a 'Blessed Girl' who would end the drought. It did rain heavily on the day she was born, nearly flooding the capital. Unfortunately, there hasn't been much rain since then."

"I think, not everything the national advisor says is correct," said Shopkeeper Fang, realizing he had spoken too much and quickly changed the subject with a chuckle, "What does the young miss plan to sell to me next time?"

Shen Ningning pondered, "Hmm... depends on my mood."

If she needed more money, she'd sell expensive herbs; if not, she'd sell common ones.

Just then, the carriage came to an abrupt halt.

They had already reached the city gate, and the surviving refugees nearby, hearing the sound of the carriage, rushed over like starving ghosts!

"Food! Food!"

They, reeking and filthy, surrounded the carriage, blocking it completely.

The apothecary's shopkeeper angrily yelled through the curtain, "Scram, get out of here!"

However, the desperately hungry refugees didn't care, and some were even trying to pull the coachman down to get into the carriage.

Shen Ningning quickly threw the pastries on the table out the window.

Instantly, all the refugees' attention was drawn to the food, and they lunged for it.

Just then, a dirty, agile refugee snatched away all the pastries in one swift move.

He was immediately surrounded by all the refugees, who pummeled him with heavy fists, yet he desperately stuffed food into his mouth.

Seeing him stubbornly protecting his food while continuously getting hit, Shen Ningning became anxious.

"Stop hitting him! Here's some water!" She threw out her water skin.

The refugees instantly stopped attacking the man and started fighting over the water skin.

The apothecary shopkeeper thought these people were crazy and urged the coachman: "Go, get into the city!"

Shen Ningning anxiously leaned out of the carriage window, looking back.

The man who had been beaten was sitting on the ground, eating pastries and watching her direction with his dark, shining eyes.

It seemed he was okay.

Shen Ningning retracted her gaze, relieved.

Today, Ningning is being recommended, so everyone, to keep Ningning popular, remember to check in on her every day, vote, and leave comments! I hope Ningning shows great results in the recommendations, mwah!