Married to a Villainous Minister - Chapter 54

The mountain paths were soaked from the rain, muddy and slippery. Holding a green oil-paper umbrella, Yu Jiao ventured farther and farther from the cave.

It took her nearly half an hour to reach the northern peak. The heavy rain had been falling for quite some time, and all the wild animals in the mountain had already retreated to their dens for shelter. Yu Jiao wasn’t worried about encountering any dangerous beasts.

In the mountains, rain brought two major concerns, getting lost, and landslides. But Yu Jiao had grown up wandering the hills in her previous life, and her sense of direction in the wilderness was excellent, getting lost wasn’t something she feared.

To avoid slipping on the wet rock while wearing muddy shoes, Yu Jiao took them off. In just her socks, she carefully searched the crevices along the cliff face for signs of the herb.

Back in the cave, the others waited a long time without seeing any sign of Yu Jiao’s return, and they were starting to get worried. Yu Qiaoshan, in particular, recalled what Madam Zhang had said the night before. Could it be that Meng Yujiao took the opportunity to run away? He stood at the entrance of the cave, glancing anxiously out into the rain.

“She’s been out for half an hour now. Why isn’t she back yet?” Zhou Xiang said, noticing Yu Qiaoshan pacing at the cave entrance. “Brother Yu, how about I go out with you and we look for her?”

Yu Qiaoshan had been thinking the same thing and agreed readily. “Zhixing, take care of Fuling and Changshun. Your Uncle Xiangzi and I will go find Miss Meng.”

Yu Zhixing nodded. “We’ll wait here for you. We won’t go anywhere.”

Yu Qiaoshan and Zhou Xiang wrapped themselves in their cloaks and stepped into the rain-drenched forest. They searched the surrounding area but found no sign of Yu Jiao. Zhou Xiang suggested, “Brother Yu, let’s split up. You check the west and north, I’ll go look in the east and south.”

“Alright,” Yu Qiaoshan agreed, and the two of them parted ways to search different directions.

Yu Jiao had scoured the cliffs of the northern peak but hadn’t found any yao grass. Though a bit disappointed, she had expected this result. Yao grass, also known as Immortal’s Return Herb, was exceedingly rare, as the name suggested. While it couldn’t literally bring the dead back to life, it could extend life and promote vitality.

Not wanting to worry Yu Qiaoshan and the others by staying out too long, Yu Jiao decided not to linger. She put her shoes back on and began the descent from the northern peak to head back toward the cave.

The rain was getting heavier, and the entire forest was now shrouded in mist. Yu Jiao trudged forward, step by step, when unexpectedly, she spotted a patch of reddish-brown amidst the grass on a low slope.

Her heart leapt with joy. She hurried closer to confirm whether it was Prunella vulgaris, or Summer Wither Grass. But just as she took another step, her foot slipped. She stumbled and fell hard to the ground, tumbling a few times before finally stopping. Mud and rain soaked her from head to toe, and both her basket and umbrella were tossed aside.

A voice called from behind her not far away, Yu Qiaoshan shouting, “Meng girl! Meng girl!”

Yu Jiao sat up from the ground, wincing as she tried to move her right foot. A sharp pain shot through her ankle, and she knew immediately she had sprained it. She quickly called out in the direction of Yu Qiaoshan’s voice, “Uncle, I’m over here!”

Afraid the sound of the rain might drown her out, she raised her voice and repeated herself even louder.

Soon, Yu Qiaoshan followed the sound and arrived. Seeing her sitting on the ground, soaked and disheveled, he asked with concern, “You fell?”

He stepped forward to help her up, but Yu Jiao waved him off. “Uncle, I twisted my ankle.”

The rain was still pouring down, but Yu Qiaoshan didn’t hesitate. Considering the age difference between them, he said, “Meng girl, I’ll carry you back.”

Yu Jiao shook her head. Curling her right leg slightly, she placed her hands on her ankle, gritted her teeth, and twisted it back into place.

Amidst the sound of pouring rain, there was a faint, barely audible crack. Yu Qiaoshan thought he had imagined it. But Yu Jiao let out a breath of relief, then stood up on her own. “Uncle, I can walk. Just give me a moment.”

With that, she walked over to her basket, pulled out a small shovel, and began digging up the patch of Summer Wither Grass she had spotted.