"Grandma, aren't medical women hard to find?"
Qin Junyao already knew from Sheng Yining that there were very few women who studied medicine and understood medicine.
Qin Grandma leaned against the wall and sat down, "There are few medical women here, but there are indeed many in the imperial city."
"The methods in the inner chambers are nothing more than framing, drugging, and whispering in ears."
"Women trained by noble families to be principal wives would disdain to use such methods. If she doesn't use them, others will. The family will arrange for a medical woman or a knowledgeable old woman to accompany them as dowry."
Qin Junyao understood that where there is demand, there is a market, and where there is a market, there are places that specialize in training these medical women.
Compared to the imperial city, the northwestern city had fewer noble families and more merchants.
It was common for merchants to change their principal wives, or to keep their principal wives at home while traveling with concubines.
The market for medical women was huge in the northwestern city, but consequently nonexistent in Yan County.
Qin Junyao looked at Qin Grandma and said, "Grandma, medical women are rare even in the northwestern city, so I don't think Sister Manshuang will be able to find one."
"Your Sister Manshuang is not simple. She opened her own shop in her twenties and has a steward and servants. You should ask her, it might be better."
Qin Junyao nodded and kept this in mind.
She chatted with Qin Grandma for a while longer before going out to help.
The person who delivered the wolfsbane root had already left. Qin mother and Qin's second aunt were stirring the wolfsbane root in the basin with sticks.
This was a method they had figured out over time that was both water-saving and cleaned the roots without hurting their hands.
"Mom, Second Aunt, I'll help you," Qin Junyao stepped forward to see what needed to be done.
Qin mother waved her hand, "No need. Your father and your second uncle will be back soon. There's less wolfsbane root today, it's really the season. Once summer arrives, this wolfsbane root is different from spring. Your Aunt Hou Si and the others have wasted time and haven't dug much."
Qin's second aunt looked up and suggested to Qin Junyao, "Yaoyao, why don't you go to where they're digging the well? Xiaoyu just said they're building the wellhead. Your third uncle is there, and it should be finished in a day or two."
There was indeed less wolfsbane root in Qin Junyao's yard than usual. Qin mother and the second aunt had already washed half of it. She thought for a moment and went to the wheat field.
The well-digging team from Yan County was now digging a well for the Qin family. Qin Junyao later went with silver and found them again. The next day, they checked the water level and found a suitable spot for digging.
Three suitable spots for digging were found relatively close to the Qin residence, so many locations that the well-digging team doubted their own professionalism.
After all, the vast Yangshu Village only had three wells.
The Qin family finally chose the drilling site near the wheat field.
Smart people in the village immediately wanted to buy the wasteland near the Qin family's property, but those lands had long belonged to Zhao.
"Third Uncle, Big Brother, Second Brother, San Niu, Xiaoyu," Qin Junyao greeted everyone as she arrived at the site.
"Big Sister, did you buy anything for me? Uncle's mask is so cool," Qin Er Niu, who was helping the well-digging team shovel mud, didn't forget to ask Qin Junyao for things.
"I bought it," Qin Junyao walked over to Qin Er Niu and said three words.
"Bought what?"
As Qin Er Niu asked, Qin Xiaoyu also leaned in, cupping her ear to listen.
"Two pork knuckles for dinner tonight."
"Hooray, hooray!" Qin Xiaoyu was the first to cheer. Being clever, she didn't shout out that they were having meat tonight.
"That's it?" Qin Er Niu was a little unconvinced.
"Mm, also a chicken and big bones for the festival tomorrow."
"Oh, oh, oh!" This time, Qin Xiaoyu happily spun and jumped around Qin Junyao.
Clearly, this wasn't the answer Qin Er Niu wanted. The originally upturned corner of his eyebrows drooped, and he turned back to shovel mud.
Seeing Qin Er Niu's eyebrows fall, Qin Junyao burst out laughing, "Second Brother."
"What?" Qin Er Niu's tone was clearly different from his earlier expectant one.
"I bought you thick-soled shoes with iron plates in the front and back."
Qin Er Niu's lowered eyebrows rose again, "Big Sister, are you serious?"
Qin Junyao nodded.
"Oh, oh!" Qin Er Niu raised his shovel and cheered just like Qin Xiaoyu.
Before he could cheer more, Qin Sen kicked him. Half the mud on the shovel was flung onto Qin Sen.
Qin Er Niu did have a talent for martial arts. Although he started late, his foundation was good, and he could achieve something if he was willing to work hard.
Therefore, Deng Zui was teaching him very diligently. He discovered that Qin Er Niu's footwork was unstable and had many flaws.
Even with sandbags and extended training, it was still not enough. Deng Zui suggested that Qin Er Niu wear shoes with iron plates on the soles. The added weight directly on his feet would aid his training.
These shoes were expensive to make, and besides iron and cloth, they also required leather. Since they were for martial arts training, they wore out quickly, and the family had never bought Qin Er Niu a pair.
This time, Qin Junyao bought Qin Er Niu five pairs directly.
Qin Junyao spent the whole afternoon watching them build the wellhead and set up the windlass, which was very therapeutic.
"They've hit water, Sister! They've hit water!" Qin Xiaoyu was overjoyed as she watched her eldest brother operate the handle to bring up the water bucket.
"I know. You step back, don't go forward. Do you want to go call Grandma and the others to come and see?" Qin Junyao pulled Qin Xiaoyu's clothes, preventing her from going near the well.
In the four months since the beginning of the year, one adult and three children had fallen into wells in the village, and only one child had been rescued.
"That's right! I'll go call them, and I'll call Hou Shan and the others to come and see too!" Qin Xiaoyu said and then ran off.
Only after she left did Qin Junyao dare to step closer to listen to the well-digging team leader talking to Qin Sen.
"This well water will need two more days before it's drinkable."
"Thank you for your hospitality during this period. I have a few more words to say."
Qin Sen: "Please do."
"Your well is dug large. When no one is around, be sure to cover it properly. Make a thick wooden well cover with a lock. In difficult times, many people jump into wells. Don't let your own well be tainted with bad luck."
Just as Qin Sen was about to thank him, he saw many villagers carrying buckets and poles rushing towards them.
Qin Junyao listened intently.
"Quickly, quickly! Our family must be the first to get water!" a woman urged the man walking behind her.
"Who told you that drinking water from this well will make you rich?" This man seemed to be from the same family as the woman.
"Old Woman Liu said so. Look at the Qin family, they came here as refugees. In less than a year, look how their wheat has grown, and they've married their daughter to General Zhao. I heard General Zhao is coming back to propose."
"What does that have to do with drinking water?"
"Water is wealth. Drinking water means absorbing wealth. If we drink this water, our family will also become rich. Hurry up!"
Qin Junyao frowned and walked up to the well-digging captain, "Uncle Xu, help me put on a show. Just go along with what I say, and I'll pay you extra."
"Niece, what's wrong?" Qin Sen stopped the foot he was about to take to look, but then stopped again upon hearing Qin Junyao's words.
"Third Uncle, I'll tell you later."
Seeing the villagers getting closer, Qin Junyao took a deep breath, thinking of Qin Grandma's performance at the village chief's house, and silently encouraged herself.
She could do it.