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With one scoop, Qi Yue knew she had truly found a treasure this time.
In the modern world, 500 grams of Panax Notoginseng, with about ten heads, was already considered quite good, but also quite rare.
The dried herbs in her space clinic were all products of rampant and rough modern agricultural production, terribly lacking in quality, which is why she had not used them for Zhao Xiyan.
This was great, taking it back for Zhao Xiyan to use would definitely benefit his leg!
Immediately, she began digging energetically with her shovel.
As she kept digging, after more than a dozen scoops, she hadnât even reached the edges of the Panax Notoginseng.
Goodness, could this really be the essence of Thousand-Year Panax Notoginseng?
With that thought, she simply stopped and examined the Panax Notoginseng plant.
It wasnât tall, but its trunk was very thick, which didnât match its meter-plus height at all.
Qi Yue felt a bit regretful, thinking that if she really dug it out, the plant probably wouldnât survive.
Who cares, since it landed in her hands, she was determined to dig it out no matter what.
After digging for a while longer and finding the soil quite hard, Qi Yue decided to sprinkle Spiritual Spring Water while digging.
After all, the stream in her space was full of Spiritual Spring Water, so she could use it as she pleased.
Indeed, with water, the digging went much faster.
Even so, it took Qi Yue a full Shichen to unearth the Panax Notoginseng, which was as large as a washbasin.
âIâm rich, Iâm rich!â
Qi Yue didnât dare to shout for fear of attracting attention, so she was just ecstatic in her heart.
If she displayed this find, she wouldnât show it to anyone without demanding an astronomical price.
Without delay, she chopped off the Panax Notoginseng and with a command of âcollect,â she instantly transferred it into her space.
Good things should be put away first; sheâd admire it slowly later!
Looking at the Panax Notoginseng plant she had chopped down, she felt a bit of remorse in her heart.
It had been growing here just fine for who knows how many years, and with her one cut, it lost its life, which seemed rather unjust.
Thinking of how plants thrive without care in her space, Qi Yue decided to put the trunk into a vacant spot in her space as well.
Controlling her consciousness, she replanted it and watered it with some Spiritual Spring Water.
âWhether you can live or not is up to your fate!â
Once everything was packed away, Qi Yue left the valley satisfied and was excited for quite a while on her way home.
When she calmed down, she suddenly remembered that Panax Notoginseng was also known as Panlong Seven, and wondered if the old man and the boy were talking about the Panlong Seven she had dug up?
Her scalp tingled at the thought.
As a fellow physician, she well knew that if someone took away a treasure she had guarded for many years with one scoop, she would be out for blood!
Not to mention that old man seemed to be in league with the locals?
If he found out that it was she who had dug up the Panax Notoginseng, her family would certainly be in turmoil again!
She looked around like a thief, and upon seeing no one in sight, she finally felt a bit relieved.
She decided then and there to avoid this area in the future.
She hadnât left the forest yet when she heard several anxious voices calling for her.
âYueyue, Yueyue!â
âSister-in-law, sister-in-law!â
âNiece-in-law, niece-in-law!â
Qi Yueâs mouth twitched.
Were they making such a fuss calling her, as if they wanted everyone to know she had been gone for a day?
She hurriedly quickened her pace toward the source of the voices.
âIâm coming, stop yelling!â
Shen Yu and the others were all concerned when they saw her return.
âYueyue, why did you go for so long today? Didnât encounter any danger, did you?â
âSister-in-law, why are you only coming back now? I made soup, why didnât you come when I was waiting?â
âNiece-in-lawâ¦â
Good heavens, so many people had come, even Cong Zhonglan had brought her two sons on her back to look for her!
Qi Yue responded to each of them in turn, only to hear Shen Yu suddenly say.
âEh, whereâs Yanyan, wasnât he just with us looking?â
Hearing that Zhao Xiyan had also come, Qi Yueâs heart involuntarily tightened.
â`
The forest was dense with leaves, and a wheelchair couldnât enter; he surely couldnât have used crutches to climb the mountain, could he?
At this moment, Zhao Yongzhe hurried up, gasping for breath.
âYanyan has gone back first; letâs go back too!â
Once the family left the woods, Qi Yue hurriedly looked towards their home and indeed saw Zhao Xiyan walking on the path with difficulty, his arms clasping the crutches.
Since he couldnât apply any force to his legs, he could only rely on the strength of his arms to use the crutches; at most, his legs could serve as a point of support.
There were several times she thought he was going to fall, but in the end, he stood firmly.
Today he wore a blue outfit, and as he moved, he resembled a beautiful pine swaying in a fierce storm.
Seeing him finally enter the courtyard, Qi Yueâs tightly clenched heart relaxed a little.
Turning to look at Shen Yu by her side, she noticed that Shen Yuâs face had long been streaked with tears.
âYueyue, if Yanyan werenât like this, how well matched you two would be!â
Qi Yue opened her lips, at a loss for words.
If Zhao Xiyan hadnât had the accident, if he were still the young War God of Beiyuan, it wouldnât have been her turn, a fallen daughter of the General, to offer congratulations in marriage.
And the original host would most likely have stayed in the General Residence, continually gorging herself; she would never have come here.
Could this really be fate?
Perhaps, her coming here was meant to heal him, to help him stand up again?
That evening, after the family had dinner, they sat chatting for a while, and when it was about time, they went to clean up and sleep.
Zhao Xiyan, as usual, was the first to return to his room, and half a shichen later, Qi Yue also went in.
The room was lit with a candle as usual, and Qi Yue tiptoed in and closed the door.
For some time now, the two of them had continued this way, generally speaking, by the time she entered the room, Zhao Xiyan would be asleep.
They talked about everything during the day, but when it came to sharing a bed at night, neither dared to make a sound, which was quite funny, really.
Thinking to herself, she walked over to the table, intending to extinguish the light and go to bed.
Just as she reached out to snuff out the candle, she heard Zhao Xiyan call out to her, âYueyue.â
Her heart immediately panicked, and she quickly turned to look at him.
Sure enough, she saw Zhao Xiyan propping up his body, his head leaning against the headboard, watching her.
âWhy havenât you slept yet?â
âI have something to tell you.â
In the dim candlelight, a complicated glimmer shone in Zhao Xiyanâs eyes, indicating this was a conversation he had pondered for a long time.
âGo ahead.â
Qi Yue brightened the candle slightly and settled down at the table.
âHave you been looking for some kind of medicinal herb lately?â
âHow do you know?â
Qi Yue was a bit surprised; she had never revealed to anyone her need for White Rhino Horn to treat his legs.
Zhao Xiyan didnât answer her question but asked his own, âIs it related to my legs?â
Qi Yue was even more surprised but replied, âYes, I already have a plan. As long as I find this herb, youâll be able to stand up.â
âThat herb isnât easy to find, is it?â
âIâve already found some leads. Iâm sure I can find it.â
Originally, Qi Yue thought Zhao Xiyan would be happy to hear this news, but unexpectedly, he fell silent and then said after a long time, âStop looking, donât go looking for any herbs⦠Iâm quite alright as I am.â
Qi Yue abruptly remembered the scene she had witnessed during the day.
ââClutching the crutches, he walked, helpless but stubborn.
A surge of anger welled up inside her and her voice rose a few notches.
âI donât think itâs fine. You should stand up! And I will make sure you do, as I promised you.â
ââ¦Yueyue,â he called her, his voice a bit grim, âI donât want you to encounter danger because of meâ¦â
âThere wonât be any. Itâs just looking for a herb, what danger could there be?â
Qi Yue decisively interrupted his words, decisively snuffed out the lamp, and decisively climbed into the inside of the bed to sleep.
Her series of actions completely blocked any further words Zhao Xiyan might have said.
He lay down in the darkness, closing his eyes.
It felt as if his heart was split in two; half of it was tumultuously surging like it held ten thousand rabbits, a warm flood coursing through, while the other half was tormented in an icy world.
How he wished he could stand up, stand shoulder to shoulder with her, but today, she came back so late that he couldnât even go looking for her.
In this state, how could he have the face to claim her as his own?