Surviving in the General's Mansion - Chapter 73

Xia Heng had gone two whole weeks without using the lottery.

During that time, she had either been sick or teaching.

The former had left her so miserable that she spent almost every day asleep, while the latter had been psychological torture.

Now that she finally had some free time, Xia Heng opened the lottery wheel after stockpiling two weeks’ worth of draws.

“I love wealth, and wealth loves me! Money comes to me from every direction!”

As she chanted, she spread both hands and made a scooping motion, as though raking money into her arms.

She had two draws to use at once. A proper ritual was essential!

She had considered saving ten draws and using them all together, partly to see whether a ten-pull came with some sort of guaranteed prize.

But she could never save that many. How could anyone possibly resist the urge to use the lottery?

Eyes full of anticipation, Xia Heng tapped the draw button.

“Congratulations! You have won: two-person outdoor tent ×1. Your reward has been issued. Please check your inventory!”

Hmm. An outdoor tent was not much use to her at the moment.

Still, its army-green color was inconspicuous. Perhaps she could use it someday if she went on an outing alone or with Xiao Yaqing.

Xia Heng studied the tent’s instruction sheet for quite some time before returning her attention to the lottery.

She had one draw left. Tap!

“Congratulations! You have won: portable first-aid kit ×1. Your reward has been issued. Please check your inventory!”

Xia Heng opened the palm-sized kit.

Inside were a sheet of adhesive bandages, a small bottle of medical alcohol, two rolls of gauze, and a pair of disposable medical gloves.

The other side held iodine swabs, a disposable CPR face shield, and other supplies. It was tiny, but it had everything one could need.

“Not bad at all. This is actually useful! At least it isn’t another spring-loaded dagger.”

Besides the one Cang Chuli had confiscated, she still had two in her possession. If she drew a few more, she would have enough for a complete set of throwing knives.

Delighted, Xia Heng returned the first-aid kit to the system inventory and headed outside to inspect her garden plot.

As soon as she rounded the back of her room, she saw Zhao Die crouching in the little vegetable garden, staring at the section planted with potatoes.

“What’s wrong?”

Xia Heng walked over guiltily. Zhao Die could not have discovered the fertilizer, could she? Surely not. Even Xia Heng could barely see it herself.

Zhao Die pointed at the potato leaves.

“I think they have bugs.”

“What?”

Xia Heng hurried over. Zhao Die turned over one of the leaves, revealing several insects clinging to its underside.

“There are still bugs in weather this cold?” Xia Heng asked in confusion.

Zhao Die glanced at her.

“You didn’t air the soil in the sun before planting. It’s only because it’s winter that there are so few.

“It’s nothing serious. Get some lime and sulfur and scatter them over the plants. If that doesn’t work, soak tobacco leaves in water and sprinkle that on them. The bugs won’t cause much harm.”

Xia Heng nodded repeatedly. She hastily pulled paper and a brush from inside her robe and wrote down everything Zhao Die had mentioned.

“Lime, sulfur, tobacco leaves…”

She had just been wondering whether to buy agricultural pesticide from the system store. Its effectiveness certainly would not be a problem.

But these seeds were meant to reach ordinary farmers one day. Where would they obtain pesticide?

It would be better to try local methods first whenever possible. One should never underestimate the wisdom of people who worked the land.

Zhao Die continued examining the other plants. She was about to tell Xia Heng how much to buy when she looked up and found Xia Heng staring at her with shining eyes.

“What are you doing…?”

“Die, you really are incredible! How do you know everything?”

Zhao Die grew a little embarrassed by the praise.

“What’s so special about this? Anyone who has farmed knows what to do when there’s drought, flooding, insects, or disease. You simply follow the proper method.”

Xia Heng shook her head.

“That’s real expertise! Look at me—I don’t know any of it. Without you and Siyan, who knows whether my vegetables would even produce a harvest next year? I’ve already promised them to so many people!”

She gently stroked a leaf and spoke with complete sincerity.

“Every trade has its master. Die, in my eyes, you’re the expert in this one!

“Hahaha! With you here, we’ll definitely be eating these fresh new crops next year!”

“…Really?”

Zhao Die did not know whether to laugh or sigh at Xia Heng’s excitement. Were a few vegetables truly worth making her this happy?

“I’m going to get an exit token from Uncle Zhao and buy the supplies right now!”

Xia Heng was a woman of action. She slapped her thigh, rose, and strode away.

“Don’t buy too much!” Zhao Die shouted after her.

If no one warned her, there was no telling how much she would bring back. The moment she had a little money in her hands, she spent it recklessly!

Zhao Die crouched beside the plants again and gazed at the leaves, lost in thought.

Something seemed to be quietly taking root and sprouting in her heart as well.

When Uncle Zhao heard what Xia Heng wanted to buy, he waved a hand grandly.

“Why buy lime for that tiny patch of yours?

“The mansion uses plenty every day just for the privies, not to mention Old Xiang’s chicken coop and when we bury… Ahem! In short, we can spare you some.”

Xia Heng kept a pleasant smile on her face.

All right, Uncle Zhao. I understand. The General’s Mansion scatters lime when burying people.

“You’ll still need to buy sulfur and tobacco leaves, though. Here.”

Uncle Zhao took a token from a drawer, then fished out ten copper coins and handed them over.

“Bring Wude some snacks on your way back.”

“Got it, Uncle Zhao.”

Xia Heng accepted the token and ran off.

“Wow! Sugar-glazed fried twists!”

She should buy plenty of those. Chuqing loved them!

Fried sugar cakes! Little Wude would definitely like those. She would bring two back for him.

Candied hawthorn! Was this not the favorite snack of every transmigrated heroine? She had to try one!

“Ugh.”

The hawthorn was far too sour, and there was barely any sugar coating. Forget it. She would bring the rest back for Wude.

Xia Heng shopped all the way down the street without the slightest financial pressure. She had money now!

The silver alone in the dowry the Xia family had sent filled two chests. There had to be at least ten thousand taels.

It was laughable. When they sent their daughter away, they gave her only twenty-five taels to live on.

But the moment they thought they could throw money at the General’s Mansion of Northern Pacification, they immediately delivered ten thousand taels of silver—and that was probably only their opening gift.

That did not even include the gold and silver jewelry her mother had prepared.

Still, everything remained sealed inside the chests, untouched.

Cang Chuli did not want it, and Xia Heng currently had no need to spend a large sum.

She did not dare put such visible assets in her system inventory. If someone came to inspect them and found all the money gone, she would have no idea how to explain herself.

She might as well leave it where it was. In all likelihood, no one would dare steal from the General’s Mansion.

Even setting that aside, she had not finished spending her original twenty-five taels.

Moreover, she now received wages every month, and Boss Cang had promised to triple them!

Food in ancient times was inexpensive too.

Hahahaha! She could not spend it all. She simply could not!

What was that? Flaky pastries? Buy them! How else could she reward herself for working so hard?

Before she had covered half the street, Xia Heng was already carrying a large collection of bags.

After buying the pastries, she stopped and thought for a moment.

Wait. What had she come out to buy?

She struggled to extract her little note and looked at it.

Only then did Xia Heng begin searching the street for a shop that sold tobacco and sulfur.

“Qian’s General Store.”

Ah! This was probably Qian Zimo’s family store. It should have plenty of stock. She would take a look.

Xia Heng was laboriously explaining to the proprietress that she wanted the cheapest possible tobacco leaves when she heard someone beside her call out.

“Miss Xia?”