From Evil Sect Leader to Doctor

The Mulan Chinese Herbal Medicine Planting Base is the largest in terms of area among the many bases in Qiaocheng, and it cultivates the most diverse types of herbs, including over a hundred varieties, with more than three hundred types in total. Among them, the Bo White Peony, the Blood Flow Stopper, and the Moutan are listed as the top ten Anhui medicines.

When Yan Hong arrived at the planting base, it was almost eleven o’clock at night. He gathered his courage to call Cao Mulan since he didn’t have the privilege to meet with her directly, so he invoked the monastic name of his uncle Yuanrong.

Yan Hong’s uncle Yuanrong is a monk at the Celestial Gate Temple in Canghuang Valley. Before becoming a monk, he was part of the Weary Sect and one of the key supporters of Xiahou Zun becoming the Weary Sect Leader. He shared a close relationship with Xiahou Zun, which led him to write to Yan Hong, proving that although he had left the Weary Sect, he still held influence.

After receiving Yan Hong’s call, Cao Mulan informed the gatekeeper to let him through and to meet her directly at the trading center.

Xu Chunliang drove into the Mulan base, where the roads were wide with tall water cedar trees uniformly planted on both sides, flanked by two waterways that extended in all directions, intersecting the entire base.

The planting base is divided into different areas based on the types of herbs grown. Xu Chunliang had previously visited Wu Yuanyi’s Shennong Planting Base and thought it was large enough, yet compared to this, it was dwarfed.

Hua Zhuyue had checked the information on the Mulan Chinese Herbal Medicine Planting Base. Where they were now should be phase one of the base, which mainly covers an area of eight thousand acres for growing traditional Chinese herbs. Including phase two, the intelligent project under construction, the base’s total area reaches thirty thousand acres.

This is an incredibly astonishing figure. Times are changing, and traditional sects, including Orchid Sect and Weary Sect, are continuously evolving to adapt to today’s world.

In this evolution, internal divisions are inevitable. Take Orchid Sect, for example; Ji Buyao decided to dismantle and rebuild, eradicating all business within Orchid Sect that does not comply with legal norms. This naturally infringed upon too many interests of the powerful figures within the sect, leading to the recent crisis.

To resolve Orchid Sect’s internal crisis, Ji Buyao made numerous concessions, and in reality, Orchid Sect has split into two major factions. Hua Zhuyue leads Blue Star in a comprehensive transformation, while Orchid Sect’s traditional businesses have been entirely taken over by Pan Tianhua’s He Dong Group.

Although Ji Jiajia successfully succeeded Ji Buyao’s position, she does not hold actual power. Since she became the Sect Leader, more and more members of Orchid Sect have switched allegiance to He Dong’s faction.

After being frustrated in Nanjiang, He Dong Group chose to keep a low profile. Pan Tianhua and Hua Zhuyue reached a certain understanding; Hua Zhuyue leads Blue Star out of Orchid Sect’s traditional business model, and Pan Tianhua continues to grow in this field, no longer forcing Ji Jiajia to give up her position as Sect Leader.

The so-called Sect Leader is just a title, having lost its former meaning of commanding the entire sect without question in today’s era.

Hua Zhuyue has always believed that the internal faction of the Weary Sect is more like a scattered sand, each acting in their own interest. This group of people is accustomed to dealing in shady businesses; they neither want nor have the capability to completely switch to doing legitimate business. It is too difficult to consolidate such a group.

But change must be chosen, no matter how difficult it is, or the ancient Orchid Sect is destined to be eliminated by the times.

Online information about Cao Mulan is scarce, and only a few photos exist, all wearing sunglasses. The scant information indicates that Cao Mulan is not old and does not look bad.

Yan Hong said, "The place with the lights ahead should be the trading center."

Xu Chunliang slowed his speed. Though it was over eleven o’clock at night, there were still quite a few delivery trucks coming and going, showing that the business at the Mulan Traditional Chinese Medicine Planting Base was good.

Xu Chunliang said, "Remember what I said earlier?"

Yan Hong nodded repeatedly, "I remember."

Xu Chunliang said, "I promised to spare your life and will not go back on my word. If you dare to play tricks, you won’t see the sun tomorrow."

They entered the entrance of the trading center warehouse, where a Jeep Wrangler was already waiting. A burly man with a thick beard in the car flashed his headlights at them and shouted, "Follow me!"

The Wrangler led the van along the back roads of the cargo area to the office area, stopping in front of a Chinese-style courtyard in the southeastern region of the office area.

The bearded man got out of the car.

Xu Chunliang also parked the car and patted Yan Hong’s shoulder, reminding him to behave well.

Hua Zhuyue was the first to get out of the car. The bearded man glanced at her with a heavy Central Plains accent, "Beauty, from Dongzhou?"

Hua Zhuyue rolled her eyes, ignoring him. She disliked people who called others "beauty" at every turn, thinking themselves witty and trendy, but every pore of theirs exuded rusticity.

Yan Hong walked over, "Brother, hello, I have an appointment with President Cao."

The bearded man looked him up and down, "Green Grass Square Herbs."

Yan Hong replied, "Money in Moss Stone!"

"A thousand herbs in the garden."

Yan Hong hesitated, not remembering this connecting password from the past?

The bearded man looked at his expression with some disdain.

"All clearly hand-planted."

It was Xu Chunliang who couldn’t help but assist him as Yan Hong failed to respond, countering with a phrase. These passwords were ancient poetry, all related to medicine, and even those who study ancient poetry usually wouldn’t pay attention to such non-celebrity works—mostly those interested are from the world of medicine.

Xu Chunliang wasn’t familiar in the past, but after arriving in this era, his grandfather had him copy the Huichun Hall’s secret formulas when idle; many of these formulas begin and end by quoting ancient poetry, coincidentally, he had written this one.

The bearded man turned his gaze towards Xu Chunliang and said, "Medicine Sect disciple?"

Xu Chunliang smiled and nodded.

Yan Hong said, "I have an important matter, I request to see President Cao."

The bearded man said, "Follow me."

Entering the courtyard ahead, they suddenly found themselves in a delicate Chinese garden. Green trees shaded the view, artificial hills stacked upon each other, strange rocks jutted, and flowing streams cascaded. Ancient-style towers, pavilion, and kiosks were scattered throughout.

Even the worldly-wise Xu Chunliang felt like Granny Liu visiting the Grand View Garden. It was astonishing that Cao Mulan not only knew how to enjoy life in a Traditional Chinese Medicine Planting Base but also built such an antique garden scene.

The bearded man pointed inside and said, "Follow the curved bridge, and my lady awaits you at the waterside pavilion."

Hua Zhuyue walked onto the Nine-Curve Bridge, having just come from the trade center, she felt as though she’d traveled through time and space. Looking down, colorful koi swam to and fro, these koi were unlike any she’d seen before; their scales shone with various phosphorescent lights.

Xu Chunliang had never seen glowing carp like this either and leaned down to take a closer look, thinking they were fake.

Yan Hong, worried about his life, had no heart to appreciate even the most beautiful scenery. Seeing Xu Chunliang and Hua Zhuyue not moving forward, he couldn’t help but urge, "Let’s hurry up and go..."

Hua Zhuyue coldly looked at him and said, "Did I hear wrong, are you urging us?"

Yan Hong said with a bitter smile, "Aren’t we here to take care of important matters?"

Xu Chunliang said, "No matter how big the matter, it doesn’t delay enjoying the scenery. This garden is really well-made, it’s almost like the Imperial Garden."

Hua Zhuyue said, "The Imperial Garden isn’t actually that beautiful, I prefer the Gusu Garden, this one captures its essence."

Crossing the Nine-Curve Bridge, a rockery appeared in front, an artificial waterfall flowed down from the rockery, forming three tiers with the mountain’s contours, splashing with torrents, under the light it looked as if someone continuously threw bright large and small beads into the dark blue water surface.

After passing the rockery, there was an arched bridge, with the Hundred Herbs Building that the bearded man mentioned just across.

In front of the building stood a beauty clad in a red Hanfu, under the light she seemed enchanting.

Yan Hong was startled upon seeing the woman, mentally prepared as he was, he didn’t expect Cao Mulan to appear dressed like this so late at night. He took a deep breath before approaching the woman, "President Cao, I am Yan Hong."

The Hanfu-clad woman twirled her fingers around her long hair, eyes looking at Yan Hong with a sinister smile, sending shivers down his spine. If not for the presence of Xu Chunliang and Hua Zhuyue behind him, he might have thought he encountered a female ghost.

The woman said, "I am not, the lady is waiting for you inside."

As Hua Zhuyue passed the woman, she couldn’t help but spare a look, "Nice clothes."

The woman said, "It would look even better on you."

Hua Zhuyue smiled it away. Since entering this garden, beauty was absolute, but there was an indescribable strangeness everywhere.

The three entered the Hundred Herbs Building, seeing two girls dressed as maidservants standing at the curtain entrance, they offered a shallow blessing upon seeing them come in.

Hua Zhuyue whispered to Xu Chunliang, "Didn’t we travel through time?"

Xu Chunliang laughed without speaking, privately thinking it must be a personal hobby of Cao Mulan’s, perhaps she was a fan of ancient culture or a seasoned role-player. Undeniably, Cao Mulan had aroused their curiosity, leaving them wondering how she would appear tonight.

The two young girls lifted the beaded curtains, with Yan Hong entering first, followed by Xu Chunliang and Hua Zhuyue.

Baihua Building’s interior had an antique decor, its room layouts and furnishings revealing the proprietor’s care.

A woman in armor was seated behind a long table, with sword-like eyebrows and bright eyes, full of heroic spirit—she was Cao Mulan.

No one had expected Cao Mulan would welcome them in such a manner. Xu Chunliang thought to himself that this woman truly considered herself Hua Mulan? Hua Zhuyue had seen many Jianghu figures, though some say life is a play; yet she hadn’t met anyone treating the play as life—could this woman be too deep into her act?

Yan Hong said, "Are you President Cao?"

Cao Mulan said, "I cannot perform etiquette in armor, please sit, all three of you."

Even Yan Hong felt Cao Mulan was absurd, wondering why she wore armor so late at night—performing? But there was no film crew around.

The three sat down, and Cao Mulan instructed her subordinates to serve tea.

Hua Zhuyue glanced at Xu Chunliang, who sniffed the tea aroma, took a sip, and Hua Zhuyue finally felt safe to enjoy the tea.

Wishing everyone a happy Mid-Autumn Festival, today celebrating with family, only one update, will return to normal tomorrow.