Chapter 96: The Tonic Powder Causes a Stir

The next morning, Tang Banxia woke with her head splitting from the pain. She clutched it and groaned twice, feeling as if her skull might burst.

She had forgotten that this body had never touched alcohol before; even the low-proof fruit wine had been enough to get her drunk.

"You’re awake. Have a glass of honey water to soothe your throat." Wen Mubai helped her sit up.

When she rose, she happened to see the scratch marks on his neck, and her old face flushed red. In a hoarse voice, she asked, "What time is it?"

"Half past eleven," Wen Mubai replied.

After finishing the honey water, Tang Banxia felt hungry. "Then it’s time for lunch."

Wen Mubai smiled. "I made shrimp and egg fried rice. Want to get up and eat?"

At that, how could Tang Banxia refuse?

She scrambled up quickly. Yet eating only fried rice seemed a little plain, so she opened a jar of spicy meat sauce. As she ate, she sighed, "Thank goodness for Amon. We never lack lamb or beef at home."

In Jiangcheng, cattle and sheep died every year from one mishap or another, so meat that was scarce on their side was easy to come by there.

Amon was an honest man too, and in gratitude for Tang Banxia saving his son, he would send over some meat every now and then.

Still, Tang Banxia never let him suffer a loss. Each time, she would send back something of equal value, rare goods from the Jiangcheng side.

"The hotpot seasoning is almost gone. When we send things this time, remember to tell Amon in the letter to send more."

It had been warm for a couple of days already, so sending things later would be inconvenient.

"I know." Seeing that Tang Banxia was not paying attention, Wen Mubai quietly reached his chopsticks toward the meat sauce.

Tang Banxia seemed to have eyes on her chopsticks and struck them away. "Do you want to keep your stomach or not?"

Wen Mubai pouted. "I’ll go to the commune this afternoon and mail the letter."

"And the one for Village Head Mao," Tang Banxia reminded him. "We can’t give up on that either."

Even if Village Head Mao never replied, Tang Banxia still insisted on sending letters—just not many, only some local specialties, a little food, that sort of thing.

"I’ll go exchange for some mushrooms and chestnuts and the like in a bit," Wen Mubai said.

"Mm."

The two of them lived serenely in the village, with a certain detachment from the affairs of the dusty world.

But outside, especially in the county town, things were in utter chaos.

Tang Xinyi had parachuted in as head of the Revolutionary Committee, and how could the two deputy heads who had fought each other for so long be willing to swallow that?

For the first time, the two men who had never seen eye to eye joined forces and reached a consensus: first drive out the one who had dropped in from above, and then the two of them would decide the victor between themselves.

Having occupied the county for many years, their roots were tangled deep and their influence far-reaching. In an instant, they really did cause Tang Xinyi no small amount of trouble.

But she was not one to be trampled on. She struck back hard, too.

Still, when she returned at night to the assigned house, fatigue showed on her face. "This can’t go on."

The matter of Monjin Powder could not be delayed. Before turning it in, she had to make use of her own methods so that both those above and below would be convinced.

Mo Ling massaged her shoulders. "What do you want to do?"

These past few days had not been easy for him either. After all, they were outsiders; winning everyone over in a hurry was never going to be simple.

"Go contact Director Yu," Tang Xinyi had already made up her mind. "The brat’s idea was to give him a share too, so naturally he can’t refuse to help."

Director Yu’s roots were here, and he was also the chief of public security. With his help, the two of them would have an easier time opening things up.

The next day, Tang Xinyi found an opportunity to go to the public security bureau.

"Director Yu, a pleasure to meet you."

"Director Tang, a pleasure."

Their eyes met for an instant, and Director Yu understood.

After waiting a bit, he found a chance to send everyone else away, leaving only himself and Tang Xinyi. "Director Tang has come to see me. What can I do for you?"

Tang Xinyi did not beat around the bush. "Can’t Director Yu guess?"

"For Tang the young educated youth." Director Yu was not the sort who liked to circle around the point either.

Tang Xinyi nodded. "Exactly. My younger sister specially asked me, so I came to you."

Director Yu was no fool. "I’m afraid it’s more than that, though?"

He had already heard that this Director Tang’s work was not going smoothly, so her purpose in coming to him was self-evident.

Tang Xinyi was equally straightforward. "You don’t think that with just a little medicinal material, you can take a share of the spoils, do you? If you want the benefit, you naturally have to contribute."

Director Yu laughed despite himself. "May I ask, how are you related to Tang the young educated youth?"

"I’m her paternal cousin," Tang Xinyi answered just as readily.

Director Yu nodded. "I guessed as much."

In truth, he had not guessed it at first. But once he learned that the newly appointed head of the Revolutionary Committee bore the surname Tang, everything became clear.

To be honest, he had been very resentful then, and even felt an urge to go to Crescent Moon Village to confront Tang Banxia.

But after so many years, he had developed some restraint. Reason still remained. Tang Banxia might indeed have wronged him, but he could not bring himself to claim the moral high ground.

Especially today, when Tang Xinyi had come to him, he felt an odd and secret gratitude toward Tang Banxia.

He very much agreed with the line Tang Xinyi had said: if you want to gain something without paying a price, that is nothing but daydreaming. So he got straight to the point. "What do you need me to do?"

Tang Xinyi smiled faintly. This was a clever man. She was equally unceremonious and laid out her demands.

Since he had decided to board the ship, Director Yu was not stingy with his help.

Thus the two reached an agreement.

And Tang Xinyi, having obtained the information she wanted, returned and swiftly dealt with the two deputy heads.

Though the process had its twists and turns, the result was good: she sent their whole families off to the far northwest to sift sand.

She also promoted several people who had been suppressed by the pair, making them new deputy heads.

A stick in one hand and a sweet date in the other, she alternated pressure and reward. In less than half a month, the entire Revolutionary Committee was completely in her grasp.

In the Revolutionary Committee, what mattered was method; what was contested was cunning.

As for the armed department, there, raw strength was all that counted. And the man Tang Xinyi had chosen was naturally no weakling either. With his formidable skills, he quickly established himself there as well.

With Director Yu of the public security bureau added to the mix, the three of them joined forces and swept through the whole county.

After that sweep, the county was more or less under the three of their control.

Only then did Tang Xinyi reveal the existence of Monjin Powder.

As soon as the news leaked out, people came knocking, wanting to take Monjin Powder away.

Naturally, Tang Xinyi refused.

After they returned empty-handed, the second group came, wanting to take Tang Xinyi and Monjin Powder away together. But Tang Xinyi still would not agree.

The third time, they came as a team. Only then did Tang Xinyi hand over the medicine, and even then it was only the original formulation.

After the team confirmed its efficacy, they immediately reported the results upward.

As expected, it caused a great stir at the higher levels. Just as Director Yu had said, a medicine like this was unique in the entire world, and the authorities naturally attached great importance to it.

Then, layer by layer, the report was passed upward until it reached the capital. When the capital heard that the person who had submitted it was Tang Xinyi, surname Tang, they understood at once.

They then sought out Old Master Tang, and learned that the medicine had been created by his youngest granddaughter.

What happened after that need not be spelled out.

So, while Tang Banxia knew nothing of it, Old Master Tang was restored to his post.

And the first thing he did after returning to work was take charge of the matter concerning Monjin Powder.

It was also for this reason that he boarded the train bound for Crescent Moon Village.