New World's Empress

Two men jumped like shadows out the walls and rushed out now silent street noiselessly.

They stopped at the tea house that was still crowded and took a private room. "What did you find out about her?"

"Absolutely nothing. That old naughty doctor asked his grandson and her name should be Liu Mei. She lost her husband and children and the rest of her family died shortly. Now she is looking for a job. For now, it seems that the woman plans to go to the forest and continue foraging the healing herbs for now." The one man that reported was the young guard while the other man excluded strong aura even if he was wearing simple clothes.

"Widow? But she looks so young. Too bad. Let people watch over her. If she has some strange doings and seems suspicious just arrest her. Strange about so much crying. Does she miss her family? It seems she is all alone. But the strange thing, why did she buy so much food? That amount fouls feed her for years."

"It seems she carefully chooses this rice. It was from last year when the rice was more abundant." Guard lived last year's rice as well.

"Tell the kitchen to cook rice fr this year and from last year. I need to see the difference." He was a bit curious.

Even tho this was teahouse they had a kitchen where they sometimes prepared food for distinguished personalities. They quickly cooked the two types of rice adding multiple foods with it.

When the man started eating his face changed. "It seems she liked the nutty flavor I. the last year's rice. It has actually better quality. How comes no one else realized that?"

The guard shrugged. "Everyone is liking fresh things. She bought the old rice in big batch maybe because she was worried that the quality won't get better?"

The man hand paused. "Buy as much as you can from last year's rice and send it to our farmstead for next year planting. If the quality of the seed becomes worse as well, it will be no wonder if we get bad quality of rice. Buy all the good quality rice and put it in storage. Later on, we will send the rice regions and let them plant better quality for the human living hood. "

He then smiled. "Now I am interested in what she plans to do in the future. That little widow."

The next morning Liu Mei woke up as the first sunlight hit her face. She felt dead tired. She dazedly looked around and realized that all it happened was not a bad dream than her new reality.

It seems that person or thing will contact her in ten years. But until then she needs to survive. In her old world, her parents and siblings will probably not even worry about her. Her husband divorced her and her children despised her.

Even if she hours back she can earn only those feelings from them. But here even if she is alone she can live contently. She had food to eat, a roof over her head and some silver in her pocket.

Silver. Maybe she should go and forage more of the herbs? Strange, why is no one else going it? The forest is not even far from town.

She shrugged. If they don't want she can. She put inside her space most of the food day before.

Somehow it made her feel more content, just in case. Before leaving she watered the plants that started again looking like they gained their life again and locked the door.

The hat on her head and the rough clothes for work made her look like one of will age people. Luckily she was not the only one with such a hat in the town so it was not very eye-catching.

She walked out of the big gate and saw a huge line of people waiting to enter the city. The forest was actually not near as well as she walked towards it.

Before she came in because she spoke with women the whole time and didn't realize how much they walked. It was definitely not near.

She slowly entered the forest breathing in the air and hearing the sounds of the wind in leaves.

The smile on her lips was planted all the time as she realized how much herbs she could forage. That voice told her she couldn't plant anything inside but she let a few herbs whole day inside the space. This morning she took it out and found them still green and fresh and even a few drops of water were still there.

She started foraging all kinds of herbs. This time she went for those that he gave her more money for.

The more she went into the forest the more rare plants she found. Some she took out with earth and planned to replant them in her garden. There were many mushrooms that she found tasty as well.

No matter is it a herb, wild vegetable or mushroom she just took it all. Luckily she put a few pots of water inside her space, small pan and could make some food even in the forest.

Making some rice porridge with mushrooms and wild vegetables made her eyes curve in delight.

She took the hat long ago do she could cleanly see the plants. At the moment her hands held small bowl when she heard someone's steps.

Even before she could reach for a hat an old man got out the bushes looking at her with hunger. "I knew I smelled something fine. The young woman could you spare some of the food for me?"

Liu Mei just blinked and just let go of the hat while giving him the bowl with porridge. She already ate a couple of bowls so she was fine even if he eats the rest.

Spoon by spoon he ate quickly making her anxious. "Grandfather please slow down. It's too hot. I already ate so just slow down. There is still more if you like it. "

It was always a delight for her when someone enjoyed her meals. Her heart was calm as she took these out her bag so even if he watched before he wouldn't be able to suspect something.

He just smiled looking at her bag that was quite bulging. "Isn't it heavy?"

Her eyes glanced at the bag and then she realized that it was enough. Even in her space, there are so many herbs that even if she doesn't come soon again she could sell them to the herb store for days.

So she just nodded calmly. "It is indeed. But its paid well. There is no other way for me. I am an orphan and a widow. If I want to survive, sitting at home and crying over my bad fate is not an answer. This will bring me enough money to survive for a while. What about you, grandfather, did you come to forage herbs as well?"

He nodded. "My granddaughter is bit sickly. So I wanted to get few herbs. But there is a huge problem. All these look the same to me."

Liu Mei knew the problem. Maybe that is the reason no one foraged it. Many herbs looked similar but were completely different. One could heal the others were harmful.

"Grandfather, I am not good at medicine myself. If you tell me what plants you are looking for there I can help you."

After he started telling her she sighed. She had all those in her bags. Bit then smiled lightly. Whatever, she can farm more.

Her hands took a different kind of plants and used a big leaf to roll the herbs inside. "Here grandfather. Hurry home."

"How much for these..." He reached to give her money but she just shook her head.

"Grandfather, even if I need money I am not that greedy. Your granddaughter having you is her luck. Just take it as a small present from me. I can always forage more. The forest is big, I will surely gather those again." A small smile appeared as she spoke.

"Then I will thank you in her name. Need to rush home, you are right. Thank you, child." He bowed in front of her and rushed back.

A sigh came out her. " No wonder he rushed to eat the food so fast. He must have been anxious for his granddaughter's health. I hope she gets well soon."

She picked the bag and continued to walk but now back the same way to the city. She found again same plants but even if she didn't, she had enough of them inside her bag.

"Her food is simple but delicious." The guard said as he took an old man mask off his face. He smacked his lips remembering the simple but rich taste.

"Don't think of that. Next time I will eat her food." The man was now truly interested in her. Not many people would share precious herbs just like her.

But those clothes seem to be too rough on her body. He could see redness on her wrists and neck. It seems her skin is too delicate for such tough clothes.

If she wore silk, his thoughts wandered off...