Qi Hua’s lips curled slightly upward. “I’m not that kind of person. How can there be a hereditary class for marquises and ministers? Not to mention, many of today’s officials and nobles might have been peasants just two generations ago.”
Seeing Qi Hua’s attitude soften, Ji Cheng seized the opportunity. “Sister Qi, I’ve been wanting to apologize to you for a while, but I never found the chance to speak with you. I was too rash that time.”
Hearing this, Qi Hua knew Ji Cheng was referring to the incident at the Shen family’s Hundred Flowers Banquet. Her face immediately turned cold.
Ji Cheng continued as if she hadn’t noticed, “I had just arrived in the capital from Jin at that time. I was impulsive and ignorant.” Ji Cheng was effectively portraying herself as a country bumpkin.
Qi Hua lifted her eyelids to glance at Ji Cheng but remained silent.
Ji Cheng smiled, somewhat awkwardly and sadly. “Well, let’s not dwell on this. There’s no medicine for regret in this world.”
Qi Hua thought to herself, why are you only telling half the story? She had more or less understood Ji Cheng’s meaning but wanted to hear her say it explicitly. “Why bring this up suddenly? What do you have to regret?”
Ji Cheng didn’t answer directly, only lowering her head and saying, “I’m not young anymore but until now… I had thought…”
Ji Cheng had said nothing and everything at the same time.
Qi Hua had always been eager to marry, which was why she had acted as she did back then. Even now, she couldn’t hold her head high in front of those who knew about it. The young ladies she used to associate with hardly paid attention to her anymore. She felt ashamed. If things had worked out back then, she could have married into the Shen family. Even if others looked down on her methods, they would still have to flatter her on the surface. It was no wonder Qi Hua blamed Ji Cheng.
Although Qi Hua still resented Ji Cheng, the situation had changed. Ji Cheng’s regret and the unspoken meaning behind her words made Qi Hua feel like she had found a kindred spirit. It turned out she wasn’t the only one with such unseemly thoughts.
Qi Hua pursed her lips and said, “It’s too late for you to realize now. Don’t be fooled by how polite others seem to you. That’s just their upbringing. In reality, they look down on people of your background. Not just you, even I might not meet their standards. They all have their noses in the air. No matter how talented or beautiful we are, it’s useless. Some of them would flock to even an ugly woman or a loose woman if she had the right background.”
Hearing this, Ji Cheng naturally understood that Qi Hua was implying something. “Sister Qi, last time at…”
Before she could finish, the shopkeeper led the store assistants to invite Ji Cheng and Qi Hua to drink tea in the back room. He took the prescription from Qi Hua’s hand to prepare the medicine.
Qi Hua had been to Changchun Hall many times but had never received such treatment. She liked coming to Changchun Hall firstly to show her filial piety, hoping someone would notice and spread the word of her filial actions. Secondly, Changchun Hall indeed had an excellent reputation and credibility. But the biggest advantage was that their medicinal herbs were slightly cheaper than other pharmacies. Her mother had been ill for years, and although it hadn’t bankrupted the Earl’s manor, their family was only prosperous on the surface. They tried to save money wherever they could.
After the shopkeeper left to prepare the medicine, Ji Cheng continued, “Sister Qi, was what you said about Wang Yueniang true?”
“Of course it’s true. No matter how well Wang Yueniang pretends, she can’t hide the fact that she was once sold into a brothel,” Qi Hua said.
“How do you know, Sister? If this were true, wouldn’t it be all over town by now?” Ji Cheng asked.
“My brother heard it from his friend. It’s true. He wouldn’t have told me normally, but he suddenly forbade me from going out, not even to get medicine for Mother. I naturally refused, so he had to tell me the reason,” Qi Hua explained.
“I see. But if Wang Yueniang has already… how can she enter the palace as a consort?” Ji Cheng asked curiously.
“You don’t know, there are many tricks. A bit of chicken blood can make one appear to be a virgin.” Perhaps because of the admiring light in Ji Cheng’s eyes, Qi Hua became more talkative. By the time the shopkeeper returned with the prepared medicine, Qi Hua and Ji Cheng had become close confidantes.
It’s easy for girls to become close. As long as you’re willing to play second fiddle, share her joys and sorrows, gossip about others with her, and share unseemly thoughts, the relationship can quickly grow closer.
In the end, Qi Hua is so flattered by Ji Cheng that she feels completely at ease and cannot say anything. “By the way, Sister Ji Cheng, does your Changchun Hall have thousand-year-old ginseng?”
Of course, they had thousand-year-old ginseng, from Changbai Mountain, in perfect condition and well-preserved. It was Changchun Hall’s prized possession. Every such large pharmacy had its prized item.
Ji Cheng thought to herself, has Yunyang Earl’s wife’s condition become so severe that she needs thousand-year-old ginseng to sustain her life? No wonder Qi Hua was so anxious back then. If something were to happen, how could she afford to wait three years? Then wouldn’t Qi Zheng also be delayed? Ji Cheng couldn’t afford to wait; three years was too long for too many variables.
It seemed this matter indeed needed to be hurried along.
Ji Cheng nodded to Qi Hua.
Qi Hua’s heart leaped with joy. The doctor had said her mother wouldn’t last much longer, but if she had thousand-year-old ginseng to prolong her life, she might live another year or so.
Ordinary ginseng, the Qi family naturally had, but thousand-year-old ginseng was a rare find. Once it appeared, it was usually snatched up by the wealthy. Reportedly, the Qi family ancestors once had a piece, but it had long been used up. The current Yunyang Earl’s manor didn’t have that much silver to buy thousand-year-old ginseng. Even if they were willing to grit their teeth and buy it, no one would be willing to sell. It was a life-saving treasure.
“Sister Ji Cheng…” Qi Hua began to tear up and repeated what the doctor had said to Ji Cheng.
Ji Cheng said, “Sister, please don’t cry. It’s just a piece of ginseng. Saving a life is better than building a seven-story pagoda. If the Countess’s condition requires it, Changchun Hall certainly won’t be stingy.”
Qi Hua hadn’t expected Ji Cheng to be so agreeable. She knew how hard it was to come by thousand-year-old ginseng. Even her brother had searched everywhere but couldn’t find a single piece.
Ji Cheng asked Liuye’er to fetch the shopkeeper.
When Manager Li heard that they wanted the store’s prized possession, his face immediately creased with worry. “Third Miss, this thousand-year-old ginseng was found by my master after twenty years of painstaking search on Changbai Mountain. It became Changchun Hall’s prized possession and is the reason for our current prosperity. When my master passed away, he held my hand and repeatedly instructed that unless necessary, we must never touch this ginseng.”
Hearing this, Qi Hua’s heart sank.
Ji Cheng said, “What do you mean by ‘necessary’? A human life is at stake. Isn’t this necessary? We run a pharmacy to save lives. Ginseng is just an object, how can it compare to a human life? Please bring out the ginseng.”
Manager Li had no choice but to personally fetch it. In a black lacquer box with gold inlay, lying on red velvet, was a piece of thousand-year-old ginseng as thick as a child’s arm. Qi Hua, being from a noble family, had no problem recognizing its value.
“Sister Ji Cheng, I…” Qi Hua burst into tears on the spot.
Manager Li closed the box and respectfully asked Ji Cheng, “Third Miss, such an item is hard to find even with money. Changbai Mountain hasn’t seen such a king of ginseng in many years. If we were to sell it, people would fight over it even at 100,000 taels of silver. Originally, since the Third Miss has spoken, I should offer it with both hands. But this amount of silver is enormous. I really can’t make this decision. We need the old master’s seal.”
Ji Cheng was silent for a moment, then asked, “Uncle Li, I won’t make things difficult for you. But 100,000 taels of silver is indeed too much.”
Ji Cheng looked at Qi Hua, then at Manager Li. “How about this? If we sell it at a low price, my father certainly won’t agree.”
Manager Li’s face immediately lit up with a smile, and he let out a big sigh of relief.
Ji Cheng turned to Qi Hua and said, “Sister Qi, I’ve wronged you in the past, and I’ve always wanted to make it up to you. Today is a good opportunity. How about this: let’s say this ginseng costs 50,000 taels of silver.”
“Third Miss!” Manager Li cried out in shock.
Ji Cheng waved her hand and said, “Let me finish. I’ll cover the remaining 50,000 taels of silver.”
Qi Hua had initially thought she might get the ginseng for free, but upon hearing the astronomical price, she knew it was impossible. She was well aware of the market price for thousand-year-old ginseng. Changchun Hall’s price of 100,000 taels wasn’t expensive at all. If her family had that much silver, they would have bought it long ago.
Let alone 100,000 taels, even 50,000 taels of silver was beyond the Yunyang Earl’s manor unless they sold everything they owned, including their residence.
“This won’t do, Sister Ji Cheng, it absolutely won’t do,” Qi Hua shook her head and waved her hands. Where could she find that silver to buy it?
Ji Cheng didn’t pressure Qi Hua. She only asked Manager Li to put the ginseng away safely, instructing him to keep it well and not sell it to anyone else.
Ji Cheng accompanied Qi Hua out of Changchun Hall’s main entrance. “Sister Qi, this is indeed a considerable sum of money. However, the Countess’s condition is urgent. Why don’t you go back and discuss it with the Earl and Countess?”
Qi Hua nodded, holding Ji Cheng’s hand and thanking her several times.
“Sister Ji Cheng, I’m not afraid to admit it to you, but we don’t have even 50,000 taels, let alone 100,000. Mother has been ill for many years, and Father doesn’t know how to do business. The family relies entirely on my brother. We may look prosperous on the surface, but in reality, we’re just robbing Peter to pay Paul, merely keeping up appearances,” Qi Hua said.
Ji Cheng had already guessed the Qi family’s situation. When she first met Qi Hua, Qi Hua stared intently at her clothes, full of envy, clearly showing the Yunyang Earl’s manor’s dire straits.
Ji Cheng feigned surprise and embarrassment, saying, “Ah, I didn’t know. I’m sorry, Sister Qi. If you have any difficulties in the future, just tell me directly. I can’t promise much, but I do believe in friends sharing their wealth.”
Qi Hua smiled, “That’s not necessary. We can still afford to eat. I just didn’t know that Sister Ji Cheng’s family was so wealthy that you could casually produce 50,000 taels of silver.”
Ji Cheng knew Qi Hua was intrigued and testing her limits. “Don’t laugh at me, but my father hopes I can find a good marriage in the capital, so he prepared quite a dowry for me. 50,000 taels of silver is a lot, but I can manage it.”