Spoiled and mad critic of powerful ministers

Granny Kong looked at her in surprise, "This prescription... you just gave it to me like that?"

Shen Qiongju smiled and said, "Without Granny's willingness to provide the ingredients and lard, this recipe would be nothing but empty talk. Granny is willing to go to such lengths for everyone, so what's a recipe to me?"

That's a very apt way of putting it.

Granny Kong's usually stern expression softened a bit. She pondered for a moment and said, "You're a reasonable person. But I won't take advantage of you for nothing. From now on, you won't have to do laundry anymore. You'll oversee the production of this frostbite ointment, and you'll get 10% of the profits for every jar sold."

Shen Qiongju's heart skipped a beat.

"As for the women in your family," Granny Kong continued, "they don't all have to spend their time doing laundry. You can assign two women to help you each day on a rotating basis."

As soon as she finished speaking, Shen Qiongju was almost stunned on the spot. She would no longer have to soak in ice water to wash clothes every day. Pei Junlan and Liu Shi would also have a chance to take a break.

Overjoyed, she tried to suppress the smile on her face: "Granny, you've thought this through so well, Qiongju is extremely grateful."

Granny Kong waved her hand, and the scar on her face appeared softer in the firelight.

"Come to the kitchen to collect the ingredients first thing tomorrow morning." She turned and walked out.

.

Since the frostbite ointment was successfully sold, most people in the laundry workshop would go to Granny Kong's shop and spend a few coins to buy a small jar of frostbite ointment.

Because they are cheap and easy to use, some people will even buy several cans to bring home.

These days, Shen Qiongju has also received thirty coins in interest. Although it's a small amount, it's still a considerable sum in the laundry shop.

The amount of laundry done by the women in the Pei family dropped sharply, and each of them was able to take turns resting for two days.

Perhaps without comparison there is no sense of happiness. Seeing the other female servants still washing clothes day and night, they treated Shen Qiongju much better, and sometimes they would even help her get meals when she was busy.

That night, Shen Qiongju sat on the communal bed, holding her little Zhichun and playing cat's cradle, enjoying a rare moment of warmth and tranquility.

Pei Junlan sat against the wall, her face still pale, but her spirits had improved considerably. Looking outside, she sighed, "I wonder how Father is."

Shen Qiongju raised her head, met her worried and sorrowful gaze, and pursed her lips.

I wonder if Pei Zhiyan is flexible enough to take her two large silver coins and whether he has managed to get a doctor for the old man.

Pei Zhihui has always respected his grandfather. If his grandfather were to die here, he would probably hate her even more.

The next day, Shen Qiongju got up very early.

As soon as she opened the door, the cold wind whipped up the snow on the ground and hit her face. Shen Qiongju, enveloped by the cold air, wrapped her cotton-padded coat tighter, took a deep breath, and walked toward Granny Kong's room.

Granny Kong was standing in the room, holding an account book and checking the clothes that were drying. Hearing footsteps, she looked up and her gaze fell on Shen Qiongju's face.

"What's up?"

Shen Qiongju walked over.

"Granny," she said in a low voice, "my aunt and I would like to visit our family at the labor camp. Could you please make it possible for us?"

Granny Kong stared at her excessively beautiful face and said, "Is it really necessary to go see it?"

Shen Qiongju sighed helplessly: "My grandfather fell seriously ill on the way here. I don't know if he can survive this cold winter. I'm really worried."

Granny Kong was silent for a moment, then said, "There's a batch of mended clothes that we need to send to the T-shaped camp by the city wall. Take someone with you."

"Go, but you must be back before noon." She paused. "Your looks are too striking. Stay away from those thugs, or I won't be able to handle what happens to you."

"Thank you, Granny." Shen Qiongju curtsied.

Back inside, she told Pei Junlan the news.

Incredulous, she immediately got off the kang (a heated brick bed) and went out with her.

The two walked one after the other towards the T-shaped camp, leaving deep and shallow footprints in the snow.

Pei Junlan was weak and had to stop to catch her breath after walking a few steps. Shen Qiongju had torn a piece of cloth to cover her face, but it didn't help much.

The two moved forward step by step. The cold wind whipped up snowflakes and lashed their faces, their lips turning purple from the cold.

The T-shaped camp was located at the foot of the city wall. From afar, you could see those gray tents, which looked like mushrooms growing in the snow.

The guards took the clothes and glanced at them.

The two women were wrapped up tightly, with only their eyes showing. However, just by looking at their expressive eyes, one could tell that they were two beauties.

The soldier paused for a moment before taking the clothes.

"Sir, may I ask where the labor camp is?" Shen Qiongju asked in a low voice.

The soldier gestured westward with his lip: "It's just past that open space."

"Thank you, sir."

The two continued walking, and the further west they went, the more desolate the scenery became.

The labor camp was even more dilapidated than the laundry workshop. Rows of low mud houses were almost buried in snow, and in some places the mud bricks inside were even exposed.

Piles of timber and stones were stacked in the yard, and several thin, dusty men were moving them.

Pei Junlan recognized Pei Zhiyan at a glance.

The boy was dressed in thin, coarse cloth clothes, carrying a piece of wood thicker than his thigh on his shoulder. His face was flushed from the effort, and fine beads of sweat were seeping from his forehead.

As the two entered the courtyard, Pei Junlan called out to Pei Zhiyan, "Zhiyan!"

The boy turned around abruptly, saw them, and paused for a moment. He put down the wood, strode over, and his eyes swept over the two women with delight.

"Aunt... what brings you here?" He ignored Shen Qiongju and spoke only to Pei Junlan.

Pei Junlan's voice trembled: "Where is your grandfather?"

Pei Zhiyan pointed to the innermost earthen house: "It's over there, I'll take you there."

Hearing this, Pei Junlan breathed a huge sigh of relief.

On the way there, she was filled with anxiety. Her father was already on his deathbed, and she was really afraid that he wouldn't make it.

As the three walked through the courtyard, Shen Qiongju noticed that the other laborers were wearing even more tattered clothes and had numb expressions on their faces.

Only the Pei family members, though also down on their luck, were still dressed neatly, and their faces did not show the utter despair they had seen.

Pushing open the door of the earthen house, a smell mixed with musty and medicinal odors wafted out.

The room was dark, with only a small window letting in a faint light.

Pei Shoulian lay on a straw mat in the corner, covered with a tattered quilt. His face was still ashen, but it was much better than when he was unconscious on the road.

His eyes were closed, and his breathing was shallow and even.

Pei Junlan rushed over, knelt beside the straw mat, and choked out, "Father..."

Hearing the noise, Pei Shoulian slowly opened his eyes, his cloudy gaze focusing on his daughter's face.

He moved his lips, as if to say something, but only managed to utter a faint whisper.

"Father, are you feeling better?" Pei Junlan's tears rolled down her cheeks.

Pei Shoulian nodded with difficulty, his gaze passing over his daughter and landing on Pei Zhiyan standing at the door. His lips moved again, and this time Shen Qiongju saw the shape of his mouth clearly—

"Zhiyan, find... a doctor to see."

Pei Zhiyan stood to the side, wiped his face, and said in a low, hoarse voice, "Aunt, Grandfather is much better now. It's all thanks to that money that we were able to hire a doctor."

He paused, still not looking at Shen Qiongju, and said to Pei Junlan, "I ran into Commander Zhao. He used to be a soldier under my eldest cousin. He's been taking care of us privately these days, relieving my grandfather of his work and letting us stay in this tent alone."

Pei Junlan thought of her eldest nephew, and although her face showed relief, her tears flowed even more fiercely: "That's good, that's good."

Shen Qiongju stood at the door, watching this scene, her heart filled with mixed feelings.

Pei Zhiyan then turned his head and glanced at her, his expression extremely complicated.

He pursed his lips, as if he had made a great decision, and bowed solemnly to her—his movements were stiff and clearly forced.

"Although...although you have brought such harm to the Pei family," the boy's voice was taut, each word seemingly squeezed out from between his teeth, "it was thanks to your money that my grandfather's life was saved."

After saying that, he immediately straightened up, put on a stern face, turned his head away, and refused to look at her again.

Shen Qiongju looked at his stubborn profile. This child is so stubborn at only fifteen years old.

Just then, a series of hurried footsteps came from outside the door.

Several male members of the Pei family walked in; they were the brothers Pei Jundai and Pei Junchan, along with two members of a collateral branch of the family.

When they saw Shen Qiongju, their expressions turned sour.

"What are you doing here?" Pei Jundai's face darkened.