GBP Chapter 152 Distributing the Medicinal Soup
Chapter 152 Distributing the Medicinal Soup
As the saying goes, "Even the most careful person can make a mistake," and even Zhao Shouyi, who is meticulous and thoughtful in everything he does, made a mistake this time. He had already considered the countermeasures very carefully, but in the end, he still overlooked the crucial issue of medicinal materials.
Due to the unusually cold weather recently, many disaster victims have unfortunately caught colds. Initially, the government could provide hot water free of charge to alleviate the symptoms, but as time went on, this water lost its effectiveness and could no longer cure the illnesses. Worse still, the local doctors had run out of medicinal herbs and were helpless in the face of the overwhelming influx of patients. In desperation, many people had no choice but to seek help from the government, hoping to receive effective treatment. Even the usually resourceful Su Muyang was at a loss and could only sigh repeatedly.
Just when everyone was in despair and at their wits' end, something unexpected happened—the town's well-regarded Renxin Pharmacy stepped forward and announced that it would distribute medicinal soup to the disaster victims for free! This news was like a ray of dawn breaking through the dark night sky, instantly igniting the flame of hope in people's hearts.
Moreover, rumors circulated that the person responsible for distributing the medicinal soup was none other than a young and beautiful woman. This news further fueled people's curiosity, and they flocked to the pharmacy to catch a glimpse of this kind-hearted girl.
In no time, a long queue formed in front of Renxin Pharmacy, stretching as far as the eye could see. The mysterious young woman and the doctor inside worked together efficiently, distributing bowls of steaming medicinal soup to each of the disaster victims seeking treatment. Those suffering from illness eagerly drank the soup down their throats. Miraculously, before long, many people showed obvious signs of improvement; their pale faces gradually regained color, and their pain lessened considerably.
At the same time, Su Muyang, far away, also heard the news. Upon learning of the situation, he was extremely anxious and immediately led his men to the scene to express his gratitude. When he finally arrived, his gaze inadvertently met that of the busy young woman. In an instant, Su Muyang's eyes widened, his face filled with disbelief, and he exclaimed, "Wan'er! It's you! How could you be here? And you're six months pregnant, your body is so precious, how can you disregard your health like this, standing in the cold wind and busy distributing medicine? You're simply being ridiculous!"
Faced with Su Muyang's reproach, Princess Wan'er simply smiled and retorted nonchalantly, "Oh dear, I'm not that delicate! I just want to do more things so you can have a little more peace of mind." Her tone was light and playful, as if she didn't care about her own condition at all.
Looking at the stubborn woman before him, Su Muyang felt a pang of heartache. He stepped forward, gently took Princess Wan'er's hand, and said softly, "No, you should go back to your hometown and rest properly. Leave the rest of the matters here to me. Thank you so much, my precious princess, and my dearest wife, you've been a great help this time." As he spoke, Su Muyang's eyes were filled with deep affection, moving everyone who saw him.
Princess Wan'er felt her husband's love and a happy smile bloomed on her face. She nodded obediently and replied, "Alright then, since you said so, I'll go back to my hometown to wait for you. But remember, you must come back early tonight to have dinner with me!"
"Rest assured, my dear Princess Wan'er, I will return home on time, just as the sun rises in the east and sets in the west every day!" Su Muyang solemnly and earnestly made this resounding promise to Princess Wan'er. After speaking, he stood quietly, gazing tenderly and affectionately at Princess Wan'er's graceful figure as she slowly walked away. Only after Princess Wan'er's beautiful and charming figure had completely disappeared from his sight did Su Muyang reluctantly turn around, throwing himself wholeheartedly into the busy affairs that needed to be handled.
Meanwhile, when everyone learned that it was the official's wife who had personally delivered the precious medicine to relieve their urgent crisis, they all praised and admired Princess Wan'er, who was of noble birth yet approachable!
"Oh my, have you all heard? This time, it's our official's wife, the gentle and lovely Princess Wan'er, who has graced us with her presence and gone to great lengths to bring us so many urgently needed medicinal herbs!" A well-informed person excitedly spread this joyful news to the people around them.
"Indeed! It's a blessing that you, sir, could marry such a kind and charitable wife as Princess Wan'er! With such a wife, what more could a husband ask for!" Another person chimed in, their face filled with envy and admiration.
"Yes, yes, Princess Wan'er is not only beautiful and stunning, but she also has a compassionate and kind heart like a Bodhisattva. She is truly beautiful inside and out!" The people next to her couldn't help but chime in, giving high praise and commendation to Princess Wan'er's virtues.
While busy with official duties, Su Muyang overheard these chorus of praises and felt a sweet, honey-like warmth fill his heart. At that moment, he deeply realized that Princess Wan'er was not merely a highly respected princess, but also an invaluable and capable assistant in both his life and career!
A warm and joyful atmosphere filled the Su family courtyard. When their youngest daughter-in-law, Princess Wan'er, stepped into the house, Old Su and his wife's faces immediately lit up with ecstatic smiles. They rushed forward to greet her, warmly taking her hands and asking after her well-being.
Old Su excitedly rushed into the kitchen and busied himself. In no time, he brought out a plate of fragrant and delicious roasted peanuts and chestnuts that he had personally prepared. Their golden, crispy color and enticing aroma were mouthwatering. Not only that, he also specially cooked a steaming bowl of eight-treasure porridge for Princess Wan'er. This porridge was generously filled with ingredients, sweet and soft, and exuded a rich aroma of grains.
"Daughter-in-law, quickly drink some hot porridge to warm yourself up." Old Su handed the porridge to Princess Wan'er with a loving expression.
Princess Wan'er took the bowl of porridge, feeling the warmth seep through her fingertips, her heart filled with gratitude. She asked curiously, "Thank you, Father! Did you prepare the ingredients for the porridge so quickly?"
Old Su laughed heartily and replied cheerfully, "This wasn't prepared by me, it's fresh ingredients delivered by the village chief. They're all homegrown, green and pollution-free, so you can drink it without worry! Hahaha!"
Princess Wan'er nodded obediently, gently blew away the steam from the surface, and then sipped the delicious eight-treasure porridge. Every bite was filled with the taste of family love, making her feel incredibly happy.
Just then, my mother-in-law came out of the kitchen, carrying a plate of freshly fried dumplings. Each dumpling had a thin skin and a generous filling, and the bottom was fried to a golden brown and crispy, emitting an enticing aroma.
"Wan'er, I fried some dumplings that the family made. They're so fragrant and crispy. Try them while they're hot! I'll make you even more delicious food tonight," her mother-in-law said, placing a plate on the table.
Princess Wan'er looked at the abundant food before her and smiled somewhat helplessly, but still politely replied, "Okay, thank you, Grandma..." Then, she picked up her chopsticks, took a fried dumpling, and slowly chewed it. The delicious filling and crispy skin instantly conquered her taste buds, making her unable to stop. Before she knew it, the entire plate of fried dumplings had been devoured.
Back in the city, Su Yuning didn't even rest for a moment before heading straight to the factory. It was the dead of winter, and the weather was exceptionally cold, but this didn't deter the workers from their hard work. Due to the sudden drop in temperature, market demand for warm clothing had skyrocketed. The quilts and blankets the workers were producing, working overtime, sold out as soon as they hit the shelves, and they even received a large number of pre-orders, with everyone eagerly awaiting their delivery. Watching the workers' busy and energetic figures, Su Yuning couldn't help but feel deeply moved: Earning money really does require double the effort!
Just then, a familiar voice called out, "Sister! You're here!" It was Zhou Dong, who had just returned from running errands. He quickly walked up to Su Yuning, a hint of excitement on his face, and greeted her politely. Then, after a slight hesitation, Zhou Dong said, "I'd like to discuss something with you. Do you have some time now?"
Su Yuning smiled and nodded, replying, "Okay, go ahead and tell me, what is it?"
Zhou Dong took a deep breath and said quickly, "We've received far too many orders lately. Even if our current workers work like crazy every day, we simply can't complete all the tasks on time. How about this, we recruit some temporary workers from the nearby villages to help out?" After saying that, he stared intently at Su Yuning, waiting for her reply.
Su Yuning's eyes lit up upon hearing this, thinking it was a great idea. She nodded repeatedly in agreement and, after a moment's thought, said, "Hmm, what you said makes a lot of sense. How about this, I'll give you two days off, and you'll be responsible for recruiting ten workers for me in Xinghua Village. Can you do that?"
Zhou Dong nodded without hesitation and replied, "No problem! I guarantee I'll complete the mission!" Before he finished speaking, he turned around and hurriedly ran towards the truck parked at the door, quickly started the vehicle, and sped off towards Xinghua Village.
Inside the magnificent, ornately decorated imperial palace, Zhao Shouyi was happily making dumplings with his beloved wife and adorable children. At that moment, soft footsteps approached, and the Empress Dowager, accompanied by a group of beautiful palace maids, slowly walked in.
"Mother, why have you come so suddenly? Is there something important?" Zhao Shouyi looked up at the Empress Dowager with a puzzled expression and asked.
The Empress Dowager frowned slightly and said with a serious expression, "My son, your father once said that since ancient times, which emperor did not have many concubines in his harem? But you only have the Empress by your side. If word gets out, won't people laugh at our royal family? So, you should hurry up and take a concubine!"
Upon hearing this, Zhao Shouyi frowned and retorted, "Mother, it's not like we haven't selected concubines before, but those concubines have been scheming and causing trouble ever since they entered the palace. Haven't you seen it all? The harem is already chaotic enough; do you want to make things even more complicated?"
The Empress Dowager snorted coldly and continued, "This matter is not up to you to decide! The desert princess is beautiful and talented in singing and dancing; the grassland princess is graceful and forthright; even your cousin is gentle, kind, and well-educated. They are all waiting in the main hall for their investiture. Go there immediately!"
However, Zhao Shouyi frowned, turned his head sharply, puffed out his cheeks in anger like an angry frog, and muttered angrily, "I'm not going! Humph!" Without even thinking twice, he resolutely and decisively rejected the Empress Dowager's request. His resolute appearance was like an unshakeable mountain.
Just then, the Empress walked slowly with light steps. She smiled and gently smoothed things over, saying, "Since the Empress Dowager has already spoken, Your Majesty, you should go and see for yourself. Regardless of whether this woman is ultimately made a concubine, you should at least give her an explanation, otherwise, wouldn't it be a waste of everyone's hopes?" The Empress's voice was soft and melodious, as beautiful as a nightingale's song.
However, Zhao Shouyi remained unmoved by the Empress's words. He looked at her with unwavering determination and replied righteously, "Empress, I have long ago made up my mind to be with you for life, and I will never have any involvement with any other woman in this lifetime. So, don't try to smooth things over with my mother!" With that, he grasped the Empress's hand tightly, as if trying to convey his steadfast resolve through this gesture.