The steward watched them constantly toss medicinal herbs into the basket, his heart aching, "Imperial Doctor Zhou, are these all unnecessary?"

Manbao nodded, comforting him, "They can be used to make compost."

Bai Shan added, "We can also use it as a learning experience."

Steward: ...

Manbao spent half a day with Zhou Liru turning over the storeroom full of herbs. After sorting everything out, they began to consider which medicines could be made from the available herbs.

Fortunately, when they purchased the herbs, they didn’t buy them randomly but did so based on the medicinal needs for common illnesses.

So, after rummaging through, Manbao turned to Zhou Liru and said, "Let’s make some Fangfeng Tongsheng Pills, Yinqiao Detoxification Pills, and some hemostatic powder."

Zhou Liru often made these medicines at Jishi Hall, so she quickly skimmed through a list, pointing to a few herbs, "Little aunt, these herbs can’t be preserved and will definitely be leftover, what should we do?"

After taking a look, Manbao said, "Didn’t they say the wine here is very strong? When the time comes, ask them to bring wine, and I’ll mix a few medicinal wines for them, distinguishing between internal and external use."

Zhou Liru hadn’t learned this before, so she hurriedly said, "I’ll assist you."

Manbao nodded, "Alright."

The medicine was prepared at the Town Leader’s house, partly because he was not at ease and partly because Manbao didn’t want the courtyard where they lived to be filled with the smell of medicine.

The mild scent of medicine is considered fragrant, but when a large pot is used for frying to make various pills, it doesn’t smell pleasant.

The Town Leader found it hard to tolerate.

The Small Town was only so big, and the Town Leader’s house wasn’t that spacious. The courtyard for preparing medicine was next to the main courtyard, and he couldn’t endure it any longer, so he couldn’t help but walk over to take a look, only to see the courtyard bustling with activity as everyone was diligently grinding medicinal powder.

Manbao and Zhou Liru were refining honey, which would later be used to fry with the pills.

Meanwhile, Bai Shan and a few others were casually helping to cut the herbs, and Bai Erlang said while cutting, "Tomorrow I must go out and have fun, I won’t come here again, and no one can stop me."

Bai Shan replied, "No one is stopping you, wasn’t it you who insisted on bringing everyone here this morning?"

Bai Erlang turned to look at Yin Huo and Liu Huan, "Are you coming with me to play? I heard there’s a kind of sand rat in the desert, just as delicious as rhizomys, but not as big."

That was also a creature Manbao wanted to collect, so she immediately said, "I want to go."

Bai Erlang looked at Bai Shan with pride and then refused Manbao, "You can’t go, anyone else can be missing here but not you."

"Exactly," the Town Leader quickly walked in and smiled at Manbao, "Imperial Doctor Zhou, whatever you want to eat, I’ll have someone find it for you, why do you need to go yourself? Ingredients should be left to the cook."

Bai Shan’s eyes flashed, and he said, "Town Leader, do you know about the fish in the lake that likes to hide in the stones?"

The Town Leader couldn’t help but turn his head to look at Bai Shan, amazed, "Young Master Bai, you’re really impressive, how long have you been here and you already know about the fish in the lake?"

Bai Shan bashfully smiled, "We’re young and don’t have many hobbies, we just love to eat, we learned by chance, we’d like to try it, and of course, if we can see a live one, that’s even better."

Manbao immediately added, "I have some spices, Town Leader, if you can have someone catch it, we can eat it in our courtyard, Sister-in-law He’s cooking is quite good too."

Keke had been helping to look for fishing tools these past few days and found that the suitable equipment was either too huge to hide or required someone to go into the water, while the kind controlled by a handle was quite appropriately sized, but very expensive.

Not only was the price high, but the technology tax was also high.

If they could catch it themselves, it would be great.

The Town Leader said, "Those fish are very clever, we might not catch them."

Manbao said, "Catching even one is good."

Town Leader: ... That kind of fish is only as big as three fingers, one fish isn’t even enough to stuff the gaps between one’s teeth, how to eat it?

However, the Town Leader just thought about this in his heart, as long as she stayed earnestly to make medicine, things outside would be handled by them, regardless of whether or not they could accomplish it, it’d first be agreed upon.

And as they were happily engrossed in making medicine, the Liangzhou City nearly five hundred miles away had its gates closed, and the officials directly locked down the city to search.

Governor Duan walked into the prison with a grim face, staring down at the prison warden, "Can’t even guard a person properly?"

The warden kneeled on the ground, kowtowing repeatedly, "We never thought Shi Ergou would be so bold, he drugged the guards and escaped."

Governor Duan asked, "Where is Shi Ergou?"

"He escaped," a soldier came in from outside to report, "Sir, when we got there, we found the place empty. Upon questioning the neighbors, they said his wife and children left two days ago, saying they were going to visit her parents, I’ve already sent people to check there."

Governor Duan: "Investigate! Track the traces and go out to find him, make sure to catch Shi Ergou back, the traitor, does he think he can get away?"

After giving the instructions and most people left, Governor Duan frowned and puzzledly asked the steward, "Why did those people only save Nalge? Shouldn’t they have rescued their chief first? Or at least the third in command?"

The steward thought for a moment and said, "Perhaps Nalge has something as leverage?"

Governor Duan sneered, "These people’s mouths are really foul and stiff, even with so many tortures, they won’t speak."

Although they discovered three piles of treasure from the mountains, which was quite a gain, Governor Duan always felt they had hidden more elsewhere, but they refused to confess.

Nalge jumped off the carriage and couldn’t help but vomit for a while before looking up at the man standing with others beside them.

He straightened up, "Kui’an."

The man who had stayed with Manbao and others at the desert inn said flatly, "I’ve changed my surname, I think the Han people’s surnames sound nice, so I chose one for myself and now I’m called Jin Kui’an."

Nalge: "...Thank you for rescuing me."

"There’s a price," Jin Kui’an said indifferently, "We agreed back then, I would help you deal with your big brother and third brother, helping you take control of the mountain stronghold, and you would give me the treasures the late General had left behind. Now your big brother and third brother are in prison, I’ve rescued you, so our deal is settled, where is the stuff?"

Nalge’s eyes swept over the people behind him, and after a moment of silence, he said, "It’s in the mountains, but I heard, it was already taken by the soldiers."

Jin Kui’an scoffed, "You think I’m stupid, your hidden treasures would be found?

If it could be found, would the mountain stronghold leader tolerate him for so many years?

If it could be found, would he need to make this deal with him?

Simply put, when the late General entrusted him with something to be transported, apart from him, no one knew where the items were hidden, and since he didn’t like women or want children, they couldn’t threaten him with anyone.