Liu Shiye and Old Meng approached the forge. The blacksmith was a broad-shouldered man with arms like tree trunks, sweat shining across his chest as he hammered a curved sheet of copper.
When he noticed Liu Shiye approaching, he stopped and wiped his hands on a leather apron.
"You're back," the smith said.
"That I am. How is it looking?" Liu Shiye asked in turn.
The man led them to a low wooden table. Several metal components rested there in an orderly display. Curved copper plates, fitted lid, a long spiraling tube of hammered copper.
Liu Shiye lifted the coil carefully, studying the curvature. He turned it slowly in the light.
"Hm." he sounded.
The blacksmith frowned slightly, "Something wrong?", he asked.
"The bends are uneven," Liu Shiye said.
Old Meng crossed his arms, listening.
"When steam travels through the tube, cooling must occur evenly," Liu Shiye explained.
He picked up a piece of charcoal and sketched quickly on a flat board. "Here. Tighten this inner curve. Widen the outer side."
The blacksmith leaned forward. His brow raised, "…That would increase the cooling surface."
"Exactly." Liu Shiye nodded.
The smith scratched his chin thoughtfully. "Never made anything like this before."
"You're doing good. Come " Liu Shiye gestured as he set the coil down and lifted the lid.
"The seal must also be improved."
"Too loose?"
"Too open."
He drew another quick diagram.
"Cut a shallow channel around the rim. Fill it with clay paste. The lid sits within the channel."
This exchange continued for a while as Liu Shiye and the smith compared ideas and refined the product that would fund Liu Shiye's future. As time passed, Liu Shiye turned toward Old Meng.
"It is time to prepare the fermentation stage."
Old Meng blinked. "You mean soaking the grain?"
"Yes."
"What do we need?"
"Clay vats."
"How big?"
Liu Shiye answered without hesitation. "Large enough for two men to sit inside."
Old Meng stared at him. "Two men?!"
"We will need several." Liu Shiye added.
The old man rubbed the back of his neck. "That's… a lot of clay."
"Then begin firing them today."
Liu Shiye looked again at the great copper vessel. Soon it would produce alcohol. Alcohol would become medicine. Medicine would become trade. Trade would become power.
His voice was calm. Old Meng and the Smith waited patiently.
"In seven days" he began, "In seven days, we will start a production that will take the region by storm. Wealth will come. I will ensure that each of you will have your fair share. For now, you must work harder than you ever had before."
_________________________________
The market grounds of the tribe had already grown lively by the time Liu Mingfei arrived.
Colorful banners fluttered between wooden poles. Rows of stalls spread across the packed earth like a living tapestry—woven rugs, leather goods, dried meats, herbs tied in bundles, and pottery stacked in careful pyramids. Horses stamped nearby while traders argued loudly over grain prices.
The scent of roasted lamb mingled with incense and crushed herbs.
Liu Mingfei walked through it all with calm composure.
Her cloak was modest but elegant, its embroidered edges marking her as someone of status without drawing excessive attention. AnYa and QingQing followed a few steps behind, carrying small baskets for purchases.
Mingfei paused first at a cloth merchant. She ran her fingers across bolts of dyed linen and soft wool.
"This one," she said, selecting a pale green fabric. "And that cream-colored weave."
Mingfei continued browsing.
Soon there were folded clothes for bedding, a small lacquered tea tray, two porcelain cups that were finer than anything currently in their home, and even a small ceramic vase painted with mountain cranes. Before long, the two maids carried a plethora of goods. But this didn't deter Mingfei.
QingQing hugged the wrapped bundle happily. "The house will look wonderful, my lady." she sang.
Mingfei allowed herself a faint smile, then said, "Our house should feel lived in."
They continued deeper into the market until the air slowly changed.
The smell of herbs thickened. The stalls changed to manuals, weapons, elixir bottles and all manners of goods prevalent in the world of cultivation.
Liu Mingfei approached a building with bundles of dried roots that hung from wooden beams, and clay jars filled with powders lined the shelves of a large wooden structure built half into the hillside.
This is the Medicine Hall. The only one in the tribe. A wooden sign carved with ancient characters hung above the entrance.
Inside, the hall was cool and dim. Shelves reached nearly to the ceiling, stacked with herbs, preserved animal parts, powders, and sealed jars. The scent of ginseng, resin, and bitter roots lingered in the air.
Behind the counter stood an elderly man with a thin beard and bright, intelligent eyes. When he saw Liu Mingfei step inside, his expression immediately warmed.
"Ah! Young Lady Liu." He stepped forward with a welcoming smile, "It is rare to see you here."
Mingfei inclined her head politely. "Master He." Her voice was soft and gentle.
The old keeper gestured warmly. "Please, come. What brings you to my hall today?"
Mingfei clasped her hands together thoughtfully.
"I came to purchase a gift."
The keeper's brow lifted with interest. "Oh?"
"An elixir," she continued. "Not one that advances cultivation… merely something that purifies the body and strengthens innate energy."
Master He nodded slowly. "Such things exist, though they are often subtle in effect."
He motioned toward a cabinet behind him. "Come, let me show you."
He opened several drawers, revealing jade bottles and wax-sealed containers.
"This tonic cleanses light impurities from the blood," he said, holding one up. "This one strengthens the meridians slowly over time. And this—"
He lifted a darker vial. "—encourages the circulation of internal energy."
Mingfei studied each carefully. But her mind drifted. She recalled Liu Shiye's training. His constant effort. His frustration with stagnation in his early days. Though he seemed to be more patient and diligent now, she still wanted to encourage him.
A sudden thought surfaced. She hesitated only briefly before asking.
"Master He… may I ask something?" Her voice lowered.
"Of course." Master He's brow knitted.
"Are you familiar with… men of the Zhengqi constitution?" She asked.
The old man's lips curled slightly. "Ah."
He then leaned back, stroking his beard. "That depends," he said.
Mingfei tilted her head slightly. Curiously, she asked, "On what?"
"On which Zhengqi man you mean." A knowing smirk appeared. "The one most people whisper about lately happens to take after his mother. His features are strong, almost as if he has little of his father in him."
Mingfei's eyes sharpened slightly. "A diver?"
Master He nodded. "And one with strong water affinity."
Mingfei said nothing. But the old man continued.
"For such a body, purification must be done carefully. Too much Yang energy burns the meridians. Too much Yin causes stagnation."
He turned and reached for several items. Retrieving a small cloth bag. two sealed jars. He placed them gently on the counter.
"This is iron sand."
Mingfei examined the bag.
"It will be used for body tempering."
Next he slid forward a jar filled with dark herbal powder.
"A Yin-rich bath mixture. It will draw impurities from the muscles and bones."
Then he lifted a narrow bottle of pills.
"And these Yang-rich pills will maintain balance so the body does not weaken during purification."
He then pulled out a piece of parchment and began writing carefully.
"These instructions must be followed precisely."
Brush strokes moved smoothly across the paper.
"Done correctly, the impurities will be expelled without damaging the body."
Mingfei studied the items quietly.
"Thank you, Master He."
"Do not thank me." Said Master He, "In truth, none of this may work. He is older now and has been through illness. To know what he really needs, I'm afraid he'll need someone more than this old physician."
Before Liu Mingfei could say more—
The door of the Medicine Hall slid open. A familiar voice drifted inside.
"Well… what an unexpected meeting."
Mingfei turned. Standing in the doorway was Xue Ruo. She wore deep crimson robes that contrasted sharply with the muted tones of the hall. Her expression was calm, though her eyes carried their usual calculating gleam.
For a brief moment, silence settled between the two women. Then Xue Ruo stepped forward gracefully.
"I had heard you rarely visited the market these days," she said lightly. "Yet here you are."
Mingfei's posture remained composed. "I came for household matters."
"Household matters," Xue Ruo repeated with a faint smile.
Her gaze flicked briefly to the items on the counter. "I see."
She folded her hands behind her back.
"And how is married life treating you? Lacking vigor?"
The question was gentle. Too gentle. Yet sharp.
Mingfei understood the test immediately. Her voice remained calm. A smile formed and her eyes lit up. Her small tongue subtly traced her lips at the thought of her husband's endowment. She didn't truly understand it, but what maiden hadn't heard the complaints of the aunties and desires of man with stature.
"It is…everything that a woman would want. Very strong, hard but, fulfilling."
"Strong? Fulfilling" Xue Ruo asked. She also had thoughts of Liu Shiye and the cock he carried that reminded her of a great beast or divine earthen rod.
Mingfei met her gaze directly. She caught a flash of something in Xue Ruo's eyes. But it had vanished as quick as it came.
"My husband trains diligently, conducts business, and manages his affairs. A wife who supports such efforts naturally finds life fulfilling. I simply make the home." Liu Mingfei's words were polite.
Xue Ruo's smile deepened slightly. "How fortunate."
She stepped closer. "And your feelings for him?"
Mingfei did not hesitate. "A wife's feelings grow through effort. That is how families are built."
Xue Ruo chuckled softly. "I see." she quipped.
She studied Mingfei for a moment before speaking again. "You need not worry about Liu Feng."
Mingfei raised a brow. "Oh?"
"Yes." Xue Ruo's voice remained calm, "He will likely become a eunuch before your marriage trial concludes."
Even Master He paused at that statement. Mingfei blinked once, surprised. Xue Ruo quickly lifted a hand.
"Of course… that depends on his continued foolishness." She then looked at Liu Mingfei's maids, "And lingering connections."
For a brief moment, her expression darkened—then smoothed again. She had clearly remembered something. Liu Shiye appeared before and all his insults were felt again.
A mistake. Impulsiveness. Not here. Not now. Xue Ruo, why do you do this?
Xue Ruo smiled once more.
"In truth, I hope matters settle peacefully." She glanced between Mingfei and the items on the counter. "If we both manage to keep our own men properly… we may yet become in-laws without conflict."
Without another word, Xue Ruo moved deeper into the hall.
Mingfei watched her quietly for several breaths. Then she turned back to Master He.
"Please prepare those items." She told him.
The old keeper nodded slowly, then replied, "Of course, Young Lady Liu."
But his eyes gleamed with curiosity.
The quiet war between those two women had just grown far more interesting. But who were they really fighting for? Master He couldn't really tell.