Three days later, the harvesting of medicinal herbs began in the village, and the place was bustling with activity.
Yu Mancang didn't recognize the herbs, so he followed the group with a hoe, clearing away any remaining roots in the field to ensure that next year's planting wouldn't be affected.
The twelve or thirteen-year-old boy worked tirelessly, his palm wrapped in a tattered cloth, and with one stroke of the hoe he could remove most of the remaining roots, and he would also gather up the remaining roots that the employer didn't want.
Fan Er wanted to go up and tell him to take it easy, but out of the corner of his eye he saw Miao Dou carrying a wooden bucket and walking towards the back house. Fan Er skipped a beat, and he dropped his hoe and chased after him.
Miao Dou's heart pounded. The landlord was harvesting today, and everyone on the estate was working at the foot of the mountain. There was no one guarding the back house. She had been waiting for this opportunity for a long time.
With that thought, Miao Dou became bolder. She went straight to the room where the ointment was made. Since she couldn't read and didn't know the proportions of the ingredients, she simply grabbed a handful of each herb and hid it.
This way, nothing will be noticeable as to be missing, and it won't arouse suspicion.
Just as she turned to leave, she saw Fan Er standing coldly at the door. Miao Dou screamed in fright, and the wooden bucket in her hand clattered to the ground.
She stammered, " Fan Er... what are you doing here? Weren't you harvesting medicinal herbs at the foot of the mountain?"
Fan Er didn't reply, his eyes fixed on her, "You're stealing medicinal herbs!"
"I didn't," Miao Dou instinctively retorted, her mind blank, "I just... I just came to get water for you to drink, and to rest a bit..."
"Take a break..." Fan Er strode forward, grabbed Miao Dou's arm, and said in a chilling voice, "A few days ago you were peeking into the control room through the window, and I didn't say anything because I felt sorry for you."
"I didn't expect you to be so bold as to steal medicinal herbs... Wait, no," Fan Er's voice suddenly stopped, "The warehouse has more medicinal herbs than this, are you stealing the prescription?"
Upon hearing this, Fan Er's eyes immediately turned sharp. Miao Dou, exposed, nearly collapsed to her knees, and tears welled up instantly.
" Fan Er, I was forced... It was Yu Manzi... He forced me. He said he would beat me if I didn't get the formula, and he would Mancang..."
Fan Er held her tightly, refusing to let go, and dragged her out of the house despite her cries. He turned to head towards the foot of the mountain, but bumped into Meng Anzhi right at the side gate.
Meng Anzhi asked in confusion, "What are you doing...?"
Upon seeing Miao Dou Meng Anzhi, Miao Dou's legs went weak and she knelt on the ground. Fan Er shook off her arm, "Young mistress... I just saw her go into the ointment shop and steal our medicinal herbs."
Meng Anzhi stared blankly at Miao Dou, "Aunt Miao... do you have something to say?"
Miao Dou's hair was disheveled, her sleeves were torn, her eyes darted around, and she was flustered and couldn't find the words to say.
He stammered, "Young Master... I didn't steal the recipe, I... I..."
After a long pause, she burst into tears. She tried to pull at Meng Anzhi's clothes, but her outstretched hand remained suspended in mid-air. Her hand, roughened by years of hard work, had turned even whiter in the past year.
The white substance stung her eyes, and she slapped herself hard, crying out, "Young Master... I'm not human! I shouldn't have stolen the herbs from the estate, but..."
Before she could finish speaking, Fan Er interrupted her sharply, "You didn't steal the herbs, you stole the formula..."
The recipe was developed by our master day and night, and tested by all of us.
"You ungrateful thief! Your master has been so good to you!" Fan Er wanted nothing more than to tear Miao Dou apart. The people on the estate had been so kind to her, and she was a thief.
With tears welling in her eyes, Miao Dou stared intently at Fan Er. "I did intend to steal the recipe, but I regretted it as soon as I went inside."
"I'll teach you to talk nonsense," Fan Er picked up the wooden bucket, lifted it upside down, and dumped the medicinal herbs all over the ground.
Miao Dou looked at Fan Er in disbelief, her heart sinking into an abyss. She couldn't understand why someone who was usually so nice would kick someone when they were down.
Someone had spread the news of what happened at the manor to the foot of the mountain. By this time, the area was already crowded with people. Meng Anci was about to step forward when Jin Shanyao him back.
A silence fell over the air.
Miao Dou felt as if her soul had been ripped away. She slumped to the ground, muttering to herself, "It was Yu Manzi, he made me do this... This time he's different, he didn't hit me."
He brought me a piece of sweet cake and said, " Dou'er, I only realized this family can't function without you after you've been gone for over a year. Come back, let's live a good life as a family of three."
Miao Dou laughed as she spoke, a bitter and desolate laugh. "He said, Anzhi Hall's ointment sells for more than gold in the city. As long as you... as long as you bring the recipe back, we can make it ourselves."
No more having to be subservient to others, no more serving others, we can be our own bosses, build Mancang a new house, and marry a beautiful wife...
Miao Dou's eyes lit up little by little, as if she had forgotten all the beatings she had suffered before, and were full of longing. "Young master, you are still young... You don't know how important a home is to a woman."
"Women like us, without our own families to support us, have to endure being beaten and scolded... We can't afford to turn against our husbands' families," she said, looking at Meng Anzhi, tears streaming down her face.
"Young master... I know you are kind-hearted, I beg you, please spare my life... don't send me to the authorities."
Meng Anzhi stared at Miao Dou's eyes and brows, a sense of powerlessness washing over her. She had tried to save this woman, but had clearly failed.
She said earnestly to Miao Dou, "Domestic violence is either zero times or countless times..."
"No, no, no..." Miao Dou hurriedly shook her head, not daring to listen any further, "He said he wouldn't hit me anymore. You don't know, he's not a bad person. He was very good to me when we first got married."
"Young master... I beg you, please spare me!"
Meng Anzhi remained silent for a long while, then said, " Fan Er... send him to the authorities."
"No...!" Miao Dou cried as she tried to hug Meng Anzhi's leg, but Meng Anzhi dodged her, causing her to fall to the ground. "Young mistress, I beg you, I'm about to have a good life... Can't you just be merciful?"
" Miao Dou... I saw that you were beaten all over by Yu Manzi, so I brought you to the village, paid you wages, and gave you a roof over your head and a stable meal to eat."
Every act of kindness, every penny, and every medicinal herb donated by the Anzhi Hall did not come from thin air.
The consultation fee was paid by the patient, and it was earned day and night by the workers on the farm. If I make an exception for you today, countless Miao Dou will ask for the same tomorrow.
"Will Anzhi Hall still be able to stay in business then? What will happen to those who genuinely earn money by following the rules?"
Miao Dou cried her heart out, "Young master... I beg you, your family has piles of medicinal herbs, one more bucket won't make a difference. You've adopted so many orphans, taught them to read and identify herbs."
Haven't they wasted enough medicinal herbs? You've seen their suffering... but can't you see mine?
"I've already told you, I'll be living a good life soon, why won't you leave me alone?" She practically yelled at the end!