It took them nearly half an hour to cover the roughly fifteen-mile journey from the dock to the foot of the mountain, and by the time they arrived, they were practically crawling. Zhu Changle now had a clear understanding of their poor physical condition.
"You don't think this is the end, do you?" Zhu Changle sat cross-legged in a tree, munching on salted beans with a mischievous grin. She pointed to the mountain path behind them, "We still have to climb up there!"
Zhou Zheng looked down at his legs, which seemed to have become strangers to him. He couldn't imagine being able to climb up there. They had already experienced how deceptive mountain distances could be, and this mountain, despite its apparent modest height, didn't look particularly small to him.
"From now on, as soon as the city gates open each day, you'll run here and back, then practice horse stance and body techniques when you return."
"Miss Zhu, after running like this, we won't be able to move at all when we get back," Zhou Zheng couldn't help but protest.
"You'll get used to it," Zhu Changle laughed. "You only have a few days to adapt, then we'll add sandbags while running."
A deathly silence fell over the group, making Zhu Changle's laughter sound particularly loud.
"I wonder if you'll cry? I can't wait to see!"
Aunt Feng turned her head away, thinking that her young miss was indeed being quite provocative.
"Come on, let's start climbing."
Zhu Changle kicked Zhou Zheng, who was closest to her, and the others gradually stood up. The fatigue from running was easy to recover from, and after this short rest, they felt much better. But climbing the mountain – would they really be alright?
Aunt Feng led the way while Zhu Changle brought up the rear. They certainly wouldn't be making good speed up the mountain today; they needed to clear a path first, either by cutting through or by hand. The commotion they made, combined with their large number, scared away all the wildlife.
"Young Miss, there's wild garlic here."
"Is there a lot?" Zhu Changle ran over as she spoke, breaking into a smile at the sight of the lush green wild garlic. She pulled some up to check – they were a decent size. She held them out to the others who were looking over, "Do you usually eat these?"
"When someone in the family catches a cold, we boil some of this to drink. If you drink it in time and sweat it out, it usually helps."
"That's right," Zhu Changle nodded in agreement. "Mark this spot, we'll come back to harvest it on our way down."
Having found something useful, Zhu Changle cheered up. "Aunt Feng, don't worry about this area anymore. Go look for those medicinal herbs from the drawing. I think this mountain has quite a lot to offer."
"Yes, Miss."
"Move faster, all of you! This isn't a leisure trip!" Zhu Changle brandished a stick she had broken off. Though she usually seemed very approachable, at times like this she was anything but, and none of them escaped her stick when they moved too slowly.
Finally, Aunt Feng returned from her scouting, "I found five types."
"That's enough. Let's go collect them, starting with the farthest ones."
The farthest herbs were on the fourth peak. Zhu Changle looked at the tree roots Aunt Feng had pulled up and recognized them by their smell – mountain pepper roots. Though the mountain pepper hadn't fruited yet, these would serve as a decent substitute.
"Miss Zhu, this..."
"We'll collect some medicine while we're at it. Whatever you find is yours, and I'll teach you how to use them later."
By now, they had developed a blind trust in Miss Zhu, believing everything she said was right. Even though their legs were too weak to stand, they all started moving. If they couldn't stand, they could sit and work with their hands.
Zhu Changle didn't collect herbs herself. Instead, she drew her sword and made several passes to clear the sides of the path they had just created, widening it into a proper trail.
"Aunt Feng, starting tomorrow, you'll lead them here. Go further in, and maybe hunt some game while you're at it."
"Yes, Miss."
Looking at the group who were using every ounce of strength they had, Zhu Changle suppressed a smile. "Tomorrow, have them bring tools. If they find any herbs, they should collect them – wouldn't want to waste anything. I'll go to Gu'an tonight; we can't rely on the mountain for spices."
"Indeed. Most fruits ripen in autumn. I saw some trees, but without fruit, they're useless."
"Well, that wasn't my main purpose for coming here anyway."
Aunt Feng smiled, noticing that her young miss was becoming increasingly methodical in her actions.
They collected herbs as they made their way back. Having nothing to carry them in, they wove grass into ropes and hung their findings over their shoulders. They were already exhausted, and this made every step even more challenging. Not collect? That wasn't an option – these herbs could be sold for money!
By the time they reached the bottom of the mountain, it was already afternoon.
Zhu Changning, drenched in sweat, was waiting for them under a tree at the mountain's foot. Seeing their condition, his eye twitched, and he looked questioningly at his youngest sister, who was surely responsible for this.
"These are medicinal herbs. They're useful."
Zhu Changle looked up at the sky, not wanting to delay any longer. She brushed the dirt off her hands and said, "I'm heading to Gu'an now. Take them back and wait for me at the dock."
Aunt Feng approached, "You're going now?"
"Yes." Zhu Changle waved her hand and leaped into the tree canopy, whistling. The little golden eagle that had been circling overhead swooped down, and Zhu Changle grabbed its talons. Master and pet flew away together, leaving the others watching in envy.
"When the young miss started training at age four, she worked much harder than all of you. Don't let a four-year-old girl outdo you." Aunt Feng cracked her whip, "Move faster."
With the golden eagle's help, Zhu Changle made the round trip quickly, though she brought back quite a lot. She first went home to bring three cooks, then had Zuo Qing prepare three sets of kitchen equipment and their usual seafood supplies delivered to the dock. After that, she sent a message to invite Tang Ming over, and began demonstrating proper cooking techniques in the open air.
The group who had just been forced by Aunt Feng's whip to practice body techniques in the sea after a brief rest were first surprised, then delighted at this sight. They wondered if Miss Zhu was preparing food for them because of their hard work today.
After washing what needed to be washed and preparing what needed to be prepared, Zhu Changle clapped her hands to gather everyone. "Three stoves, sixteen people per stove. Pay attention and learn."
They looked at each other in confusion but obediently divided themselves up. When they saw the familiar seafood beside the cooks, they became even more puzzled. What was there to learn about this? They had grown up seeing and eating these foods their whole lives – the mere smell usually made them want to stay away.
But they soon realized their mistake. Though it was the same cooking process, once the cooks added several ingredients they couldn't name, a delicious aroma filled the air.
Following the Fourth Miss's instructions, the cooks served the food and indicated they could eat freely, then started preparing something else.
Someone nudged Zhou Zheng in the back, and without hesitation, he picked up the topmost piece and put it in his mouth. Delicious!
Someone swallowed and asked quietly, "How is it?"
"It's amazing!" Zhou Zheng picked up the bowl and offered it to them. Already hungry and tempted by the aroma, they all reached for the food, and only upon tasting it did they truly understand what delicious meant.
Then came the smell of wine, and they saw the cook pouring wine into the wok. They all stopped chewing – who knew you could cook with wine?
