After three years of apprenticeship, the two or three dozen medicine-gathering boys who survived were assessed by the Deputy Hall Master of the Herb Gathering Hall. Under the supervision of the senior Herb Gatherers, they slaughtered a chicken to consecrate the gods and performed the blade-handing ceremony, officially advancing to the rank of Herb Gathering Apprentices in the Herb Gathering Hall.
Ye Qin received a symbolic small gathering knife from Herb Gatherer Wang, carefully tucking it close to his body. Possessing this knife meant he had completed his training and was qualified to venture out to gather herbs, either alone or in a group.
Following this, Deputy Hall Master Ji announced the rules that Herb Gathering Apprentices must observe: after becoming an apprentice, all gathered medicinal materials must be submitted to the Herb Gathering Hall, where Appraisers would determine their value. A reward, equivalent to five percent of the herb's price, would then be issued.
There was a minimum monthly gathering quota—medicinal materials valued at the equivalent of five Silver Leaves.
(This refers to the monetary reward the apprentices received after gathering herbs, not the intrinsic value of the materials themselves, which was far greater. Subsequent calculations, unless specifically noted, generally refer to this reward money. In the Wu Kingdom, one hundred Copper Coins exchanged for one Silver Leaf, and one hundred Silver Leaves exchanged for one Gold Leaf.)
Failing to meet the minimum quota for two consecutive months would result in punishment, mild penalties including a reduction in the reward rate, or severe discipline from the Penal Hall.
If the amount of herbs collected during each mountain excursion was substantial, the Herb Gathering Hall would gradually increase the reward rate to six percent or even ten percent, sometimes even granting extremely precious, life-saving medicines refined by the Hall itself. Exceeding a ten percent reward rate qualified one for promotion to Herb Gathering Artisan, at which point rewards would be significantly higher, ranging from ten to twenty percent. Reaching twenty percent qualified one to advance to Herb Gatherer.
All the newly promoted apprentices were overjoyed.
Previously, when accompanying Herb Gathering Artisans, they received a meager reward of only one to two hundred Copper Coins monthly for their arduous work. From now on, gathering independently meant their income would certainly surpass the previous amount, calculated based on the value of the gathered herbs—a minimum of five hundred Copper Coins (five Silver Leaves).
With this incentive fueling them, the newly ascended apprentices were eager to set out.
Yang Yicheng, Ye Qin, Feng Xiao, Qian Ruoxiu, and Sun Ying, the five fellow disciples, agreed to form a team to gather herbs, intending to look out for one another on the journey.
Before leaving, Ye Qin visited the Yang Family Iron Forge to bid farewell to Cheng Daniu. Cheng Daniu had spent three years hammering iron alongside Old Man Yang, and his muscles were now considerably hardened; he was no longer the frail child he once was. He earned enough money each month from forging to support himself.
Ye Qin felt relieved. Even without him present, Daniu could manage well, allowing Ye Qin to enter the mountains to gather herbs with peace of mind.
Subsequently, the five departed the county town, heading toward the deep mountain forests hundreds of miles away.
They maintained their previous team formation: Ye Qin carried the herb basket, bearing everyone's burdens, walking in the center. Yang Yicheng scouted ahead, Sun Ying provided support on the flank, Qian Ruoxiu walked beside Ye Qin, driving away insects and ants, while Feng Xiao drifted around a few hundred paces away, picking up low-value herbs.
Without the Herb Gathering Artisan Xie Ze around, they no longer had to fear being forced into perilous situations as substitutes for others. Their journey was relaxed and enjoyable; they chatted and laughed, deliberately avoiding dangerous peaks and gorges.
For Ye Qin, carrying the load was relatively easy. His practice of the preliminary chapter of the Zuowang Jing—
After more than ten days, their pace had become somewhat leisurely, akin to sightseers enjoying a trip.
Ye Qin grew concerned.
Every night, he calculated the value of the herbs in the basket. Accurately appraising medicinal materials was one of the most fundamental skills for a gatherer.
Because the group lacked focus, the quantity of herbs collected so far was small. He calculated carefully: divided equally among the five, it amounted to barely more than one Silver Leaf per person—far short of the five Silver Leaf minimum. Yet, a third of the first month had already passed.
When Ye Qin explained the situation, Yang Yicheng and Feng Xiao leaped up in alarm, while Qian Ruoxiu and Sun Ying also showed shock.
This was no trivial matter.
If they failed the mission in the first month, the next month would be perilous. The Herb Gathering Hall's punishments were not a joke. They had personally witnessed the bloody flayed skins and the figures dismembered by tendon-pulling and bone-breaking within the execution rooms—all disciples punished for violating certain hall rules. Some failed their quotas, others sold gathered materials privately, and some were brought back after betraying the sect.
The relaxed atmosphere vanished instantly. Over the next few days, they rushed toward dangerous locales like steep cliffs and deep gorges, places where rare herbs might be found, endeavoring to collect as much as possible.
In these dangerous spots, Feng Xiao was the first sent out. Since his lightness skill was the best and he was the most agile, he had the highest chance of success gathering herbs from sheer rock faces.
Feng Xiao complained outwardly, though somewhat dissatisfied, but the other four unanimously insisted, so he had to comply.
Consequently, the medicinal materials in Ye Qin's basket began to accumulate gradually. As the month neared its end, they had no choice but to leave the deep mountains and hurry back towards Zhuqi County Town. Along the way, they gathered some low-value herbs in the desolate outskirts merely to meet the count.
Even so, as they neared the county town, the five emptied all the herbs from their baskets, dividing the pile into five distinct heaps for a final, meticulous accounting. The total value was roughly twenty-one Silver Leaves, perhaps slightly more. Even estimating generously, it amounted to at most twenty-two Silver Leaves. This meant they were still short by at least three Silver Leaves’ worth of herbs.
The five exchanged troubled glances.
This implied only one or perhaps two of them would meet the month’s quota, while the remaining three were certain to fail.
Who would claim the five Silver Leaves worth of herbs, and who would take four?
"I need to take five Silver Leaves. At least half of the valuable herbs in there were gathered at the risk of my life!"
Feng Xiao, after brooding for a moment, immediately demanded five Silver Leaves’ worth.
The others fell silent.
Feng Xiao had taken the greatest risks, and they had no objection to him taking five Silver Leaves.
But who would take more of the remainder?
Yang Yicheng, Qian Ruoxiu, and Sun Ying all had objections. Yang Yicheng argued that he had driven off wolves and tigers and blazed paths through the mountains, thus demanding a larger share. Qian Ruoxiu claimed she had caught many medicinal insects and snakes, finding many of the key ingredients, and insisted on a bigger cut. Sun Ying countered that she had killed her share of wild beasts; why should she receive less?
Since the completion of this month's quota was at stake, none were willing to yield easily.
Ye Qin simply watched from the side in silence. Since he had barely gathered any herbs himself, carrying the basket hardly counted as a major "contribution." He also had no desire to join the argument over such a small portion of herbs.
Watching the three bicker, a sudden sense of melancholy washed over him. Though they were fellow disciples who had united for survival over three years, faced with the cruel reality of profit, they now argued.
Teaming up for gathering was convenient, but it easily frayed relationships when disputes arose over the fairness of the division.
Perhaps it was time to consider gathering alone.
He was not the only one harboring this thought.
Upon returning to the Herb Gathering Hall in the county town, all the herbs were sent to the Appraisal Room in the inner hall for valuation. Ye Qin, Yang Yicheng, Qian Ruoxiu, and Sun Ying’s collection only reached the equivalent of four Silver Leaves. As it was the first month, leniency was shown: each received only ten lashes as punishment and had their reward docked by one Silver Leaf, receiving only three Silver Leaves in total.
Feng Xiao alone escaped penalty due to meeting his quota, receiving the reward of five Silver Leaves.
The five returned to the stone house they shared.
Feng Xiao was the first to propose splitting up. He felt that gathering alone, he could certainly collect far more herbs without being dragged down by the others.
Yang Yicheng glared at Feng Xiao and scoffed, "You’ve only learned lightness skill. If you encounter a wolf, let’s see how you defend yourself!"
Feng Xiao waved it off dismissively, "Am I an idiot? If I can't fight it, can’t I run? With my lightness skill, what wolf could possibly catch me?"
Yang Yicheng said no more. He too decided to gather alone, believing his external martial arts capable of tearing apart tigers and leopards meant there was nowhere he couldn't go.
Two days later, when they set out to gather again, the five shouldered their packs and went their separate ways.
Qian Ruoxiu and Sun Ying opted to go together. Before leaving, they asked Ye Qin if he wanted to join them, noting that more people meant better mutual support. From their expressions, they felt sympathy for Ye Qin. Among the five, he was the weakest—lacking martial prowess and lightness skill, possessing only endurance for long journeys. Their offer to include him was largely driven by pity.
Ye Qin gave a wry smile and shook his head faintly. If there were three of them, he would still be the bottom feeder in the division of spoils. He decided to go alone, relying on chance.
Moreover, Ye Qin possessed an inner pride; he refused to believe he was significantly worse than the other four.
In truth, having followed Herb Gathering Artisan Xie Ze for three years, staying five paces behind him, he had internalized every one of Xie Ze's movements during observation and collection. He had absorbed the most practical techniques. In contrast, Yang, Feng, Qian, and Sun, having spread out, had learned far less.