“That’s pretty lucky.”

Feng Jiu’er smiled and gently patted Gong Xinyue’s shoulder.

“Jiu’er.”

Gong Xinyue turned back, hugging her arm with an excited expression.

“So, you’re agreeing?”

“The temptation is too great, how could I not agree?”

Feng Jiu’er replied.

“Wonderful!”

Gong Xinyue was so excited she nearly jumped.

“Hey.”

Qiao Mu tugged at Gong Xinyue’s clothes. “Don’t get too happy too soon!”

“This woman isn’t tall, but her appetite is huge! She eats people without blinking, and I’m the best example.”

Gong Xinyue turned back and looked Qiao Mu up and down for a moment, then said, “It’s fine, you’re doing great!”

She grabbed Qiao Mu’s arm and squeezed slightly.

“Pretty good, still firm too!”

Qiao Mu narrowed her eyes and pushed her hand away.

“You willingly let yourself be gnawed down to nothing, what can I do about it?”

“It’s fine.”

Gong Xinyue gave her a smile. “This bit of me isn’t worth much anyway. If it can bring my ten thousand clanspeople food and clothing, it’s worth it!”

As soon as she finished speaking, Gong Xinyue turned and looked at Feng Jiu’er with a beaming smile.

“Jiu’er, let’s go, I can’t sit still anymore.”

“Tsk!”

Qiao Mu rolled her eyes. “Not listening to a beauty’s words, suffering right before your eyes.”

“It’s fine, it’s fine.”

Gong Xinyue smiled and patted Qiao Mu to comfort her.

“Suffering a loss is a blessing, the more you lose, the more blessed you become.”

“You say it like I earned a hundred million!”

Feng Jiu’er said helplessly.

She had lured Qiao Mu over — more thrilling than earning a hundred million — but could she, Feng Jiu’er, say such things?

Gong Xinyue looked at Feng Jiu’er, the corner of her mouth curling slightly. “Jiu’er, what are you saying?”

Feng Jiu’er shook her head with a smile and stood up.

“Let’s go, go take a look at your stronghold, and besides, whether your herbs are suitable or need to be changed is still unknown.”

Gong Xinyue was no longer sorrowful, and she stood up too.

“So you’re saying, even if they aren’t quite suitable, Jiu’er will make them suitable?”

“Yes.”

Feng Jiu’er let out a light sigh. “Heaven rewards diligence! As long as you’re willing to work hard, there’s no life you can’t attain.”

The three of them left the tavern, all looking rather pleased.

Feng Jiu’er and Qiao Mu truly went into the stronghold — Zhao Yusheng, Feng Yinan, and Jian Yi went as well. Besides these five, there was no one else.

It was said that Gong Xinyue was held as a hostage, but the three women chatted and laughed all the way, walking, riding horses — where was there any sign of a hostage?

With Gong Xinyue leading the way, whatever stone forest formation there was turned out to be just piles of rocks.

Of course, aside from Zhao Yusheng, the other four did not truly believe this was just piles of rocks.

Feng Jiu’er and the others had entered the stone forest formation before; at the time it hadn’t been long, and they hadn’t managed to find a way to break through it.

Past the stone forest formation, a carriage was waiting.

Everyone got into the carriage, and the three women continued chatting and laughing, looking as if they were merely sightseeing, not doing anything important.

“Jiu’er, Qiao Mu.”

After sitting in the carriage for a while, Gong Xinyue lifted the carriage curtain.

“Look, this is one of our medicinal herb fields. There are several kinds of herbs on it, and they’re almost ready to harvest.”

Feng Jiu’er and Qiao Mu leaned toward the middle, both turning to look outside.

They saw a vast stretch of fields — emerald green, dark green, yellow-green, dark purple, white, yellow, and so on — one glance was enough to tell there were many different kinds of herbs.

Feng Jiu’er’s and Qiao Mu’s gazes both fell, without meaning to, on the medicinal plants toward the back and middle.

“Isn’t this…” Qiao Mu withdrew her gaze and looked at Feng Jiu’er.

Feng Jiu’er looked at her too, and there was a glint of surprise deep in her eyes as well. “It really looks like it.”

“Stop the carriage!”

Feng Jiu’er and Qiao Mu said in unison.

Gong Xinyue was startled and frowned. “What’s wrong?”

Feng Jiu’er and Qiao Mu’s voices had been rather loud, and Feng Yinan, who was driving the carriage outside, easily heard them.

The carriage stopped, and Feng Jiu’er and Qiao Mu, who had already stood up in advance, immediately got off.

Jian Yi followed, and Zhao Yusheng also got down.

The four of them walked rather quickly, leaving Gong Xinyue behind alone.

“What on earth is wrong?”

Gong Xinyue scratched her head, lifted the curtain that had just fallen, and got off the carriage.

Feng Jiu’er and Qiao Mu didn’t stop walking; the moment their feet touched the ground they headed straight for the stretch of field that concerned them.

The field was very large, and each different kind of herb was separated by small paths.

The paths were narrow, and with the herbs growing tall, the paths were almost invisible.

Feng Jiu’er and Qiao Mu walked one after the other along the path, with Jian Yi, Zhao Yusheng, and Feng Yinan following closely behind them.

Gong Xinyue lagged a step behind, three people between herself and the two women in front.

“Jiu’er, Qiao Mu, what on earth is wrong with you two?”

She kept glancing at the people ahead and then at the herbs on either side.

As for the cultivation of the herbs, the clanspeople had put in great care; there shouldn’t be any problem.

Gong Xinyue only worried that their herbs might not be what the Dragon Shadow Pharmacy needed; she wasn’t too worried about anything else.

“Jiu’er, Qiao Mu, what on earth is wrong with you two?

Say something!”

Gong Xinyue was still anxiously following along.

Feng Jiu’er and Qiao Mu, however, seemed as if they hadn’t heard any sound at all, and continued forward at a quick pace.

Finally, they arrived beside a stretch of herb field and stopped.

Jian Yi, Zhao Yusheng, and Feng Yinan also arrived, and Gong Xinyue stopped as well.

“Jiu’er, isn’t this…” Zhao Yusheng’s gaze fell on the herbs.

Feng Yinan bent slightly and plucked a cluster, looking at Feng Jiu’er in front of him.

“Jiu’er, it really is. The brothers in Yongshan City are saved now.”

Feng Jiu’er, who was normally composed, took the herb from Feng Yinan’s hand, examined it carefully, and then smelled it.

“It’s genuine, no mistake!”

Qiao Mu, holding the herb in her hand, boldly reached her conclusion.

Feng Jiu’er was also very pleasantly surprised — she too was certain this was the very herb the brothers had been waiting for.

Gong Xinyue, with some difficulty, pushed past Zhao Yusheng, Jian Yi, and Feng Yinan to reach Feng Jiu’er’s side.

“Jiu’er, what’s wrong with this herb?”

Gong Xinyue was somewhat anxious, and also somewhat confused.

“Xinyue, we’ll take this whole field of herbs.”

Qiao Mu looked past Feng Jiu’er at Gong Xinyue.

Only then did Gong Xinyue realize this seemed to be good news, not bad news.

“Then should I have people come collect it right away?”

She asked with a smile.

“Yes.”

Feng Jiu’er’s expression grew several shades more serious.

Gong Xinyue looked at her, her brow furrowing slightly. “Jiu’er, are you alright?”

“It’s fine! She’s just too happy!”

Qiao Mu explained. “We’re researching an antidote, and this herb was the missing piece.”

“Xinyue, have your people get ready. Once it’s all harvested, we’ll arrange for the herbs to be sent to Yongshan City.”

“Xinyue, on behalf of all those in need, thank you!”

Gong Xinyue didn’t mind the trouble, nor did she need any words of gratitude.

“As long as it’s the right fit, that’s all that matters.”

She looked at the herbs, her smile brighter than sunlight spilling from the sky.

“Tonight, I can give everyone an extra chicken leg.”

—