I Have Ginseng

Yun Wu's eyes widened sharply, disbelief filling them. "My lady, do you mean it? Do you really have five-hundred-year-old ginseng? Would you sell it to me? I would be your ox or horse to repay your kindness. Even if you wanted my life, I would give it without a word."

"You needn't go that far. What use would I have for your life? I can't guarantee the ginseng will help your mother. Come back to the residence with me to get it. The ginseng will be four hundred and fifty taels in all. Will that do?"

Bai Mo had done the math. He had five hundred taels, so she would leave him fifty. That ought to count as selling it dirt cheap, right? As for going to take a look at Yun Wu's mother... sorry, she hadn't considered it.

She wasn't a physician, and she was neither kin nor friend to them.

She had already lent Yun Wu a hand several times over the past two days, and they hardly knew each other...

"All right. Thank you, my lady."

Yun Wu bowed deeply to Bai Mo, then rose without waiting for her to tell him to. He knew Bai Mo disliked such formal courtesies, but he wanted to thank her this way.

Yun Wu smiled. The smile seemed to bring his whole being to life. A river of stars seemed to roll through those dark blue eyes, bright and clear and breathtakingly beautiful.

Bai Mo couldn't help reaching out to pat Yun Wu on the head. He was so sweet and adorable. As soon as she did it, both of them froze!!!

"Father Jiang, let's go." Shen Qing lowered the carriage curtain, his face impassive.

Shen Qing had witnessed every bit of the exchange between the two. A sudden pang pierced his chest. He reached up to touch it lightly, closed his eyes, and took a deep breath. Everything returned to normal.

Outside the carriage, Jiang You took another look at the two as they left. They were complete strangers to him and didn't seem to be well acquainted with his young master.

The two had just reached the gates of the Residence of the Earl Who Protects the State when they ran into Madam Chen and Bai Yuanshuang.

Bai Mo frowned, a little impatient, and walked straight on, too lazy to pay them any attention. Put on an act with them? There was no need, of course. When the time was right, she would simply kill them.

"Momo, you're up early today. Your second sister is going to school, so I came out to see her off."

"Shuang'er, pay your respects to your elder sister, then hurry along. You don't want to be late and have the teacher punish you."

Madam Chen spoke especially gently in Bai Mo's presence, making it seem at a glance that she treated Bai Mo even better than Bai Yuanshuang.

Bai Yuanshuang was also very well-behaved and courteous. Smiling, she greeted Bai Mo. "Good morning, Eldest Sister. I'm off to the academy. I'll come visit you in your room after school."

"Oh, do as you please, Second Sister. I'm going back to my courtyard."

"Yun Wu, follow me."

Bai Mo's face was full of impatience. She had been so tired last night, gotten up so early, and even beaten someone up. She really wanted to lie down.

Yun Wu didn't dare say much either. He bowed in greeting, then trotted after Bai Mo.

Madam Chen narrowed her eyes slightly and exchanged a glance with Bai Yuanshuang. There was a hint of scrutiny in both their eyes.

"Yun Wu..."

Bai Yuanshuang lowered her eyes in thought for a moment, then said in surprise, "Young Master Yunwu! Father, this man is a courtesan. Bai Mo actually brought a courtesan back to the residence?"

"I know. Off you go. You needn't concern yourself with this."

Madam Chen clapped her hands, then turned and entered the residence with a smile.

Bai Mo led Yun Wu straight to her courtyard.

Xiaoman was sweeping the courtyard. When she saw Bai Mo, she hurriedly put down her broom and came forward to greet her.

Lixia and Xiaohan heard the commotion inside the room and hurried out to meet her as well.

"Eldest Miss, you scared me to death! Why weren't you in your room? You..."

Before Xiaohan could finish, Lixia tugged at her and cut her off.

"Greetings, Eldest Miss. Greetings, Young Master Yunwu. Have you and the young master eaten?"

Seeing Yun Wu return to the residence with her mistress, Lixia assumed the young lady had run off to find Young Master Yunwu and wore an expression of knowing understanding.

Only then did Xiaohan catch on. She looked at Yun Wu, then at her young lady, and hurriedly stifled a giggle, like a gossiping badger in a melon field...

Yun Wu turned bright red, unsure how to explain himself!!

Bai Mo waved a hand and instructed them, "We've eaten. Go back to whatever you were doing. Don't clean the room yet. Yun Wu, come inside with me for a moment."

"Yes." Xiaohan followed them all the way. Once the two had entered, she thoughtfully shut the door, then pressed her ear against it to listen.

Lixia pinched her arm and gave her a look, telling her to hurry away.

Upon entering the room, Bai Mo walked behind the screen and pretended to rummage through a cabinet. In truth, she took a ginseng root from her space, removed its glass packaging, and put it in a wooden box.

"Keep it safe. I don't have any five-hundred-year-old ginseng. This one is seven hundred years old. Take it to treat your adoptive mother. I'll have Lixia escort you back."

"I can get back myself. There's no need to trouble Miss Lixia."

"Ginseng is very expensive."

Yun Wu: "..."

"Then sorry for the trouble."

Yun Wu's hands trembled slightly as he took the ginseng and held it tightly to his chest.

Bai Mo left him in Lixia's care to escort home and thought no more about it.

Without another word, she turned and flopped onto the bed. All she wanted was to go back to sleep!!

"Xiaohan, I'm going to sleep. Don't let anyone disturb me. When Mother returns, let me know so I can get up."

Her eyes slowly closed...

Yun Wu sat in the carriage, his heart a jumble of emotions.

He was both overjoyed and sorrowful, and he owed her yet another debt...

Near the end of the hour of the monkey.

"Young lady, are you awake? The family head has returned to the residence."

"Young lady?"

Xiaohan gently pushed open the door and entered. She peeked at Bai Mo, unsure whether she should keep calling her.

But Bai Mo wearily opened her eyes, looking as though she hadn't slept enough.

"Help me up and get me dressed. I'm going to eat with Mother."

Bai Mo held out a hand to Xiaohan.

Xiaohan hurried forward and helped Bai Mo get ready, half dragging and half pulling her along.

Bai Mo had just entered the main courtyard when she saw Bai Peilan sitting in the seat of honor, her face full of anger.

Bai Mo was very curious. Had her mother been bullied at court again?

"What's wrong, Mother?"

Bang! Bai Peilan slammed her palm on the table.

Fuming, she said to Bai Mo, "Look at you! Are you trying to anger me to death? You even brought a courtesan back to the residence today?"

"Huh? No, I didn't." Bai Mo still hadn't caught on.

"No? Fine! Tomorrow I'm going to fight that old woman! She dared accuse me in court today of failing to raise my daughter properly. How dare she slander my child like that? She truly deserves to die!"

"She said my child was utterly debauched and spent every day doing nothing but drinking and making merry. She said you even paid eight thousand taels to redeem a courtesan yesterday, then brought him home today to take him into your bed..."

Bai Peilan was beside herself with anger. She recounted what had happened at court that morning, and only then did Bai Mo understand. This...

Because what the woman said seemed to be true, only a little exaggerated!!

Bai Mo raised her eyebrows slightly, finding it quite interesting. "Mother, don't be angry just yet. Yesterday, someone asked me to lend Young Master Yunwu a hand, so I did.

"This morning, I happened to run into him while he was being bullied. Your daughter saw an injustice on the road and drew her blade to help, so I helped him again.

"Afterward, I learned that Yun Wu's mother was gravely ill and happened to need a medicinal ingredient that I happened to have. So I helped him through to the end and sold him the medicine at market price."