Chapter Thirteen: How Much Silver Is Needed to Go Where You Wish

At the age of fourteen, Li Yanhe had already taken command of the military forces at Da’an Pass. At that time, those under his command were far from convinced of his authority. To maintain order, Li Yanhe would often have to deal harshly with the more unruly soldiers, making it easier to establish unified control—such was the way of things. He had long understood this truth from his years inside the palace: the merciful could not survive for long in that cannibalistic royal court.

Lin Miaomiao watched Li Yanhe, his gaze lowered in silence, lost in thought. She wondered if she had made him particularly angry this time. Her intention had been to offer him a hug, but her legs were too short to reach, so she settled for hugging his long legs instead.

Holding onto his leg, she spoke in her childish voice, “I’m sorry, I know I was wrong.” As she spoke, she handed Li Yanhe the hundred taels of silver she had just earned selling the recipe. “Here, take this! I heard that counting silver can cheer people up, so I’ll let you count mine to make you happy.”

Hearing her words, Li Yanhe felt his heart melt. He recalled the image of Lin Miaomiao selling eggs in the market, and guilt pricked at him. With a sigh, he knelt down before her and said, “I’m sorry, it’s because of me that you…”

Lin Miaomiao shook her head. “It’s not because of you. Everyone has their own strengths, and mine just happens to be making money. It’s not your fault.” She patted her small chest and hugged Li Yanhe, reassuring him, “I never blamed you, truly. So you mustn’t think that I do.” With that, she gave him another hug.

In that moment, warmth seeped into Li Yanhe’s heart. Lin Miaomiao was a careful soul. She understood that the scene she had witnessed upon arriving in this world might have been Li Yanhe’s doing. She also knew that the family members of the body’s original owner may have died because of him. But she was not the original Lin Miaomiao—she had come from another time and space.

This Lin Miaomiao needed neither his pity nor his guilt over the fate of her parents. Some things, once set in motion, could never be undone. Thus, she did not wish to begin down that path. She did not yet trust Li Yanhe completely. If the day came when they truly trusted each other, perhaps she would reveal her origins to him, and perhaps he would reveal his true name to her as well.

Everyone harbored their own secrets; knowing the other was concealing something, there was no need to expose it, no need to dig deeper.

Li Yanhe carried Lin Miaomiao out of the alley, with An Qi quietly following behind. They bought some household necessities and returned to Yang Fugui’s home. They had bought white flour, rice, millet, sugar, oil, salt, soy sauce, and vinegar.

The three of them rented an ox cart to bring everything back. Seeing Li Yanhe, An Qi, and her own husband helping to move the goods, Yang Linshi felt a pang of envy. The groceries alone cost Lin Miaomiao two taels of silver, and she realized they would have to continue earning more money.

Lin Miaomiao paid the ox cart driver twenty copper coins. Now, they had ninety-eight taels and forty coins left. She sighed, recalling how she used to spend money freely, never worrying about running out. In the past, if she was short on cash, she could ask her parents for more or pick up a side job, and her parents would make up the rest.

Now, living on her own, she had to plan everything herself. Unexpectedly, she found herself missing her parents.

Li Yanhe, noticing the somber look on the child’s face, felt a surge of tenderness. He hugged her and asked, “What’s wrong?”

Lin Miaomiao looked up at him and earnestly asked, “How much silver do you need to reach your destination?”

Hearing such a thoughtful question from a child, Li Yanhe felt a flash of sorrow. He patted her head and said, “You don’t need to worry about money. I can…”

She shook her head. “Only when we have enough money can we travel without fear. We won’t have to walk or run; we can use other means to leave, saving time and effort.”

Li Yanhe sighed. “You know I was injured. My internal wounds are severe and need time to heal before I can use my strength again.”

Lin Miaomiao grew worried. “Do you need any medicinal herbs? We have money now; you can buy whatever you need.”

He shook his head. “No need for medicine. My injuries will heal with rest. A month should be just enough. Those after us must think we’ve fled, so they’ll pursue us along the obvious routes, never realizing we stayed put. Still, our ruse might only last ten days before they discover us.”

Lin Miaomiao nodded, recognizing the truth in his words. She glanced at the flour and the chickens in the yard and suddenly had an idea.

Turning to An Qi, Li Yanhe, and the resting Yang Fugui, she said, “Tomorrow, let’s split into three groups and sell bread in the county town. Brother Yang, you can take your wife and sell together, so you’ll finish faster and return sooner.”

Yang Fugui looked stunned. Lin Miaomiao smiled and explained, “I’ve invented a new food—bread and cake. Tomorrow, I’ll give you all some to sell. For every loaf you sell, you’ll earn a share. Let’s see how much you can make.”

An Qi protested, “Miss Lin, I can’t accept—”

She interrupted, “Brother An Qi, you’ve looked after us all this way. If you help out, you deserve to be paid.”

Turning to Yang Linshi, she said, “Sister-in-law, help me today. Let’s all work together and try to make as many cakes and loaves as we can for tomorrow’s sale.”

“Brother Yang, go buy eggs from the villagers at the usual price. Get as many as you can; we’ll pay them,” Lin Miaomiao instructed, then went into the kitchen with Yang Linshi. They set up a table in the courtyard and began preparing ingredients.

There were dairy farmers in the village, so Yang Fugui brought back a large barrel of fresh milk. Lin Miaomiao had Li Yanhe and An Qi boil the milk. During the recent epidemic, she and her parents had made cakes at home without an oven, a skill that now proved useful.

Following her recipe, Lin Miaomiao and Yang Linshi separated yolks and whites. Then Li Yanhe, An Qi, and Yang Fugui began beating the eggs—a task Lin Miaomiao’s father used to handle in her previous life.

For a time, the only sound in the courtyard was the rhythmic beating of eggs by the three men. Once the batter was ready, Yang Linshi steamed it.

They worked until nightfall, producing five large trays of cake. Lin Miaomiao cut them into triangles, yielding a hundred pieces—thirty for each seller, with the remaining ten kept for their dinner.

The five of them enjoyed a delightful meal. The three men all felt their arms aching; beating egg whites was no easy task. At first, Yang Fugui found it manageable, but as time wore on, it became exhausting. Still, the thought of earning extra money for a better life made it worthwhile.

By Lin Miaomiao’s calculations, each cake could fetch fifty copper coins, with Yang Fugui earning ten coins per cake sold. As the price was rather high, Lin Miaomiao asked him if there was anywhere in the county where wealthier people gathered.

Yang Fugui thought for a moment. “Of course—on Anping Street, where all the rich families live.”

“Let’s try there,” said Lin Miaomiao, nodding.

The next day, Yang Fugui and Yang Linshi headed to the county town. Familiar with the area, they were the first to sell out and return. Seeing the money her husband brought home, Yang Linshi marveled; never in her life had she earned so much.

A little scheme began to form in her mind. She said to Yang Fugui, “Husband, now that I know how to make those cakes, maybe we could sell them ourselves. That way, we’d make even more.”

Yang Fugui glanced at his wife. “Eggs, sugar, and milk are all costly. Just buying the ingredients cost a whole tael of silver. Can people really afford it? And besides, we shouldn’t steal someone else’s business. Taking food from others’ mouths is inviting misfortune.”

With that, he gave his wife a look and went back inside.