Chapter 54: Fengshan City
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At dawn, Xu Yan and Mei Sanniang hastily ate breakfast and, despite Little Black’s snorting protests, came early to a large pharmacy on the west side of town.
The pharmacy was indeed opened by the Mei family. Even Xu Yan could tell at a glance, because the pharmacy’s signboard clearly read “Mei Family Pharmacy” in four large characters.
The early-rising young apprentice pushed open the main door, stretched lazily, and prepared to sweep the entrance. Looking up, he saw a pale-faced woman and a disheveled little Taoist.
“Are you two here to see a doctor or get medicine?” The young apprentice at the pharmacy forced a smile and said: “If it’s for medicine, just give me the prescription. If it’s to see a doctor, you’ll have to wait – the physician isn’t awake yet.”
“Who’s the current manager? Is it Wu Kuan?”
Mei Sanniang asked first. She had been away from home for five years. Though there was still a Mei family pharmacy in Lijia Town, the manager might not be the original one.
The young apprentice immediately shook his head: “Our manager isn’t surnamed Wu, he’s surnamed Zhou.”
This was bad. Mei Sanniang’s heart sank. A manager surnamed Zhou – she didn’t know him at all.
She had nothing to prove her identity. Mei Sanniang was a smart person. She knew that staying here to wait for the manager would be useless. Better to think of other solutions quickly.
Seeing Mei Sanniang’s expression, Xu Yan knew the situation wasn’t good. Hearing the young apprentice shake his head saying the manager wasn’t surnamed Wu further confirmed that this Mei family pharmacy had a new manager. Though Mei Sanniang was indeed from the Mei family, if people didn’t recognize her, they absolutely wouldn’t give away medicinal herbs for free, let alone provide money.
Without money, they couldn’t hire a horse carriage. Without a carriage, Mei Sanniang’s poisoning would be even more troublesome.
The two came to the side of the pharmacy. Mei Sanniang pulled out a silver hairpin inserted in her hair bun. She had no money on her, but she wore jewelry. The Mei family were wealthy merchants. This hairpin was bought for her by her family when she was in her teens. It was quite valuable. Even after being captured to Yuan Mountain Stronghold, Mei Sanniang had always kept this hairpin with her.
“Let’s go to the pawn shop.”
Mei Sanniang pointed the direction. Pawning the silver hairpin would at least provide enough money to hire horses and carriages.
Just as the two were walking toward the pawn shop, several merchants dressed in leather clothes and hats happened to pass by the pharmacy entrance. The leading young man seemed to also be coming to the pharmacy for medicine, walking almost face-to-face with Mei Sanniang and Xu Yan.
“You are…”
The two groups had already passed each other when the leading young man in leather suddenly turned around, frowning as he stared at Mei Sanniang, saying puzzledly: “Mei Third Sister?”
Hearing the other call her, Mei Sanniang began carefully identifying him. After a while, her face showed joy: “You’re the Li family’s third son, little Gui!”
“You really are Third Sister!” The young man in leather was obviously overjoyed. Qi Nation’s customs were bold and straightforward, not concerned about physical contact between men and women. He grabbed Mei Sanniang’s hand joyfully: “It’s me, Third Sister! I’m Li Gui!”
“Five years without seeing you, little Gui has grown so big.” Seeing a familiar face, Mei Sanniang’s heart warmed.
The Li and Mei families had business dealings for years. The two families had an excellent relationship. When Li Gui was young, he often ran to the Mei house, following behind Mei Sanniang like a little tail, very close to this Third Sister. Unexpectedly, after five years apart, the Li family’s third son had become a grown young man.
“Third Sister, it’s so good that you didn’t die! Where’s Little Cheng?”
The Li family naturally knew about the Mei family’s troubles five years ago. Not only did the Mei family think Mei Sanniang was no longer in this world, even Li Gui thought his Third Sister had long died. He never expected to encounter her in Lijia Town.
Hearing the other ask about Little Cheng, Mei Sanniang’s complexion immediately paled several shades. Her body swayed. If Xu Yan hadn’t supported her, she probably would have fallen.
“Little Cheng is dead.” Mei Sanniang said heavily: “His revenge has been taken.”
“Little Cheng is dead?” Li Gui was also indignant upon hearing this, cursing those detestable bandits several times before asking: “Where is Third Sister going? The old man has me visiting some shops to discuss business. If Third Sister isn’t in a hurry, wait half a day for me to finish, then I’ll properly host Third Sister.”
This Li Gui was quite enthusiastic, without false pretense. It seemed he was indeed very affectionate toward Mei Sanniang.
“I just escaped from that demon’s lair and must return home immediately.” Mei Sanniang hesitated slightly before saying.
“Third Sister is going back to Fengshan City, I suppose. That’s good. I’ll also be returning in a while and will visit Third Sister then.”
Li Gui still had business to attend to and prepared to take his leave. He was quite clever, noticing that Mei Sanniang seemed hesitant between her brows, as if she had something difficult to say. Moreover, she didn’t even have a bundle with her. He immediately instructed several subordinate servants to take out ten strings of cash: “Third Sister just escaped from danger. Consider this money as little Gui’s travel expenses for Third Sister.”
Mei Sanniang couldn’t refuse and had to accept it. The two then parted ways.
Now they didn’t need to sell the hairpin. Xu Yan grinned foolishly. It seemed there really were benefactors in the world – no wonder he was called Li Gui (Precious).
“Little Taoist whose eyes light up at the sight of money.”
Mei Sanniang’s mood also improved, laughingly scolding him.
The two first went to the Mei family pharmacy to purchase some medicinal herbs. Though not even half of what was needed for the antidote, it was better than nothing. Then they went to the carriage and horse business, hired a horse carriage, chose a driver with broad hands, stocked up on dry provisions at the roadside, and only then left Lijia Town for Fengshan City.
At least half the medicinal herbs were still missing, but Qi Nation’s major town Fengshan City – this giant city ranking among Qi Nation’s top cities – should be able to gather the complete antidote.
Qi Nation’s horses were indeed fast, and the driver was experienced. Though the journey was dusty, it was safe throughout. The seven to eight days’ journey took only a bit over six days.
The deeper they went into Qi Nation, the larger Xu Yan found the towns they passed through became. And the larger the towns, the higher the city walls.
When he looked up at the massive city walls over ten zhang high below Fengshan City, his small face was full of amazement.
Where were these city walls? They were clearly mountains!
A youth from a small village naturally had little experience. The laughing carriage driver said: “This isn’t even high. Great Qi’s imperial city walls – now those are truly tall. They could hold up the sky if it fell.”
Using city walls to hold up the sky – Xu Yan didn’t believe it. But using a sea of people to hold up the sky might work.
Passing through the massive city gate, a prosperous scene met their eyes. Shops lined the streets, pedestrians wove like fabric. Street vendors called out their wares, their dialects sounding like opera singing. There were also traveling merchants carrying shoulder poles, speaking like pearls, rattling off a long string that Xu Yan didn’t understand a word of, though the food in their baskets wafted rich aromas. Small children, taking advantage of their small, nimble bodies, constantly shuttled through the crowd, bumping this person and patting that one as if lost, but turning their hands to slip purses from people’s pockets.
Oh, so those were the legendary thieves.
Fengshan City was also called Fengdu. The sea of people in the city brought Xu Yan not only noisy bustle but also deep shock.
Linshan Town already had quite a few people, but coming to this most famous great city of Qi Nation, Fengshan City, Xu Yan discovered that Linshan Town was like a blade of wild grass under a great tree compared to Fengshan City – there was simply no comparison.
Probably a hundred Linshan Towns couldn’t match half of this Fengdu.
Following the main street over ten zhang wide, the horse carriage, which had already slowed down, stopped and started. The lively scenes along the way gave Xu Yan quite an eyeful. When he turned back wanting to ask Mei Sanniang why the largest shops in Fengshan City weren’t taverns or inns but an enormously huge boat business, he suddenly realized with alarm that the woman who had returned to her hometown had already fainted, with a trace of bright red still remaining at the corner of her mouth.
