Chapter 68: You Know So Much

“If I’d known, I would have come earlier to pick,” Xie Ying muttered, but still managed to select from the remaining blind boxes the heaviest and the lightest. As for the method, she couldn’t explain it herself—it was all a matter of intuition.

“I’ll buy one too,” Wei Ruo said, taking out silver and handing it to the shopkeeper. She then chose the box closest to her.

Seeing this, Xie Ying leaned in and whispered, “Each person can buy two. The more you buy, the more chances you have. If you don’t have enough silver, I’ll lend you some. Don’t feel embarrassed; we’re going to work together to plant the medicinal fields, aren’t we? You can pay me back from your profits later.”

Wei Ruo sensed her good intentions. She had deliberately whispered, likely to spare her any embarrassment.

“No, it’s fine. I’m not short on silver, I have enough. I just don’t want to buy two,” Wei Ruo explained.

“Really?”

“Really!”

“Well, all right then.”

Once both had paid, the shopkeeper produced the registry book and recorded their names. Wei Ruo wrote her second brother’s name, Wei Jin Yi, while Xie Ying wrote her brother’s name, Xie Jue.

After their purchases, Wei Ruo and Xie Ying headed west to the city, where the Xie family had a villa. The courtyard was exquisitely landscaped, with small pavilions, terraces, and ornamental ponds.

In Xing Shan County, not a particularly large place, the Xie family’s villa was certainly among the finest.

They first rode in a carriage for part of the way, but when they neared their destination, Xie Ying suggested they get out and walk, since the scenery was beautiful and well-suited for a stroll.

Wei Ruo agreed, spotting some motherwort by the roadside and deciding to gather it.

Seeing Wei Ruo picking herbs as she walked, Xie Ying asked, “What are you collecting the grass for?”

“This is motherwort. It’s very beneficial for women. There’s so much here, but no one’s picked it yet—probably because they don’t recognize it,” Wei Ruo replied.

Most common folk knew little about medicinal herbs; even when they saw them, they often mistook them for ordinary weeds.

“Motherwort? Good for women? How so?” Xie Ying pressed.

“Well…” Wei Ruo hesitated, glancing at the two guards following them a few steps behind.

She leaned in to whisper to Xie Ying, “It’s used for irregular menstruation and menstrual pain.”

At her words, Xie Ying’s cheeks flushed bright red.

“You… How do you know about such things?” she stammered.

“I want to grow medicinal herbs, so of course I need to understand their uses and properties.”

“That makes sense. But about that… How much do you know?” Xie Ying asked curiously.

They were both thirteen, not far from coming of age. Her mother had spoken vaguely about such matters, but she’d found it all confusing.

“I know… pretty much everything.” After living two lives and studying medicine, it was impossible not to.

“Is it scary?”

“Not at all. You don’t need to worry. As long as you take good care of yourself, you’ll be fine. When the time comes, tell me, and I’ll show you how to make convenient menstrual pads,” Wei Ruo said.

“How can you talk about such things?” Even the usually carefree Xie Ying felt embarrassed at the mention.

“We’re both girls; there’s nothing wrong with discussing such matters. It’s a normal part of life, bound to happen sooner or later. It’s better to know than to ruin your health from ignorance. People fear things because they don’t understand them. What we should do is learn objectively and rationally, not shy away blindly,” Wei Ruo explained.

Her words left Xie Ying astonished.

“It’s strange. You’re the same age as me, but sometimes you speak so maturely,” Xie Ying said with curious admiration.

She rarely admired her peers; Wei Ruo was the first.

“There’s wisdom in books. The more you read, the more you know,” Wei Ruo attributed it to reading.

“What sort of books do you read? The ones in my house are all boring except for military texts, and those are dull too unless my grandfather explains them. Mr. Wang’s lessons are pretty good now, almost as interesting as my grandfather’s.”

As she spoke, Xie Ying began helping Wei Ruo collect motherwort.

The two chatted and laughed as they gathered a large bundle of motherwort.

At that moment, Xiumei approached and quietly said to Wei Ruo, “Miss, there’s a suspicious figure lurking in the woods over there. He’s been following us for quite some time and doesn’t seem like a good person.”

The path to the villa ran along a stream on one side and mountains on the other, flanked by shrubs and weeds. Wei Ruo and her companions were searching for motherwort among the grass.

The suspicious person Xiumei mentioned was hiding in the woods very close to the road.

Xie Ying glanced over, but the bushes obscured her view. She could only make out a moving shadow, unable to see the face.

“He’s avoiding the main road and walking through the woods—definitely up to something! Besides, there’s only my family’s villa ahead; no one else lives here. Strangers wouldn’t come without reason!” Xie Ying declared.

With Xie Ying so certain, the stranger was indeed suspicious.

“Meimei, are you confident?” Wei Ruo asked.

“Yes, Miss. Don’t worry. As soon as he gets close, I’ll subdue him!” Xiumei replied confidently.

“Good. Let’s act like nothing’s wrong for now,” said Wei Ruo.

So Wei Ruo and Xie Ying pretended to know nothing and kept gathering motherwort, while Xiumei hid in a strategic spot.

Sure enough, the shadowy figure descended from the mountain, about to pass through the overgrown grass.

Xiumei seized the moment, lunging forward and grabbing the man with a deft hold.

He immediately resisted, swinging a fist at Xiumei, but she reacted swiftly, sweeping his legs out from under him.

He landed face-down, meeting the weeds with his face.

Just as he tried to lift his head, Xiumei pressed her knee into his back and twisted his arms behind him, completely subduing him.

“Meimei, hit him for me!” Wei Ruo ordered.

Xiumei’s fist struck the man’s back.

Struggling, the man raised his head to plead, “Don’t! Please—it’s me… it’s me…”

“Wait…” Xie Ying rushed over and stopped Xiumei. “Ruo Ruo, I think this is my brother!”

“Your… your brother?” Wei Ruo blinked in surprise.

Pinned to the ground, Xie Jue managed to lift his head a bit higher so they could see his face. “It’s… it’s me… sister, it’s me…”