I Made My Fortune in Ancient Times by Growing Medicinal Herbs

Li Xiaohan is a thirteen-year-old girl living in Pingshan Village during the Taihe era. She lives with her parents, Li Xiandong and Madam Wang, under the control of her grandfather Li Shengli and step-grandmother Madam Chen. The family is part of a larger clan that prides itself on a scholarly tradition, though no member has achieved the rank of xiucai in over a decade. Li Xiandong is the eldest son but has been treated as a mere laborer while resources are diverted to support his cousin, Li Changrong, who has recently been accepted as a disciple by a local scholar. The family dynamic is strained, with the main branch bearing the heaviest workload and receiving the poorest treatment.

The central conflict erupts when Li Shengli decides to divide the family household. In a move that violates traditional norms, he separates Li Xiandong, the eldest son, from the main family. Li Xiandong is given only two mu of paddy field, three mu of dry land, and five strings of coins, a fraction of what tradition would dictate. This decision is driven by Madam Chen and Li Changrong, who fear that if Li Xiandong were to produce a male heir, the family property would remain with the main branch, threatening Changrong’s status as the heir apparent. Left with insufficient resources to survive, let alone afford medicine for Madam Wang’s chronic illness, Li Xiandong breaks down crying at his mother’s grave, contemplating desperate measures.

While at the grave, Li Xiaohan experiences a sudden headache and realizes she has transmigrated into a novel she read in her previous life. She recalls that her family are minor characters whose purpose is to serve as a foil to the male supporting character, Li Changrong. In the original story, Li Xiandong dies searching for ginseng in the mountains, and Li Xiaohan and her mother eventually freeze to death. Armed with memories from her past life as a herb cultivation base director, Li Xiaohan recognizes the danger and resolves to change their fate. She fabricates a story that her deceased grandmother appeared in a dream to reveal that the so-called fake ginseng in the mountains is actually Sanqi, a valuable medicinal herb.

Li Xiaohan leads her parents to the mountains and successfully identifies wild Sanqi plants. She harvests the roots and takes them to the Renhetang medicine hall in the city. There, Doctor Zhang appraises the herbs and offers seventy-six taels of silver, a sum far exceeding their expectations. This windfall provides the family with their first real hope. Li Xiaohan uses the money to negotiate a better division of assets with her grandfather, securing four mu of paddy field, six mu of dry land, and two additional strings of coins. She also ensures that the household division document is signed, with herself stamping it as a placeholder heir to protect her family’s interests.

With the immediate crisis averted, Li Xiaohan focuses on long-term survival. She plants the Sanqi seeds they collected in their new mountain plot, aiming to establish a sustainable source of income. She also observes the local market in the city, noting commercial opportunities and planning to potentially start a food business if farming fails. When her father begins building their new house, he faces social isolation because he lacks the connections to summon help. Li Xiaohan proactively invites her second great-uncle, Li Shengyi, who brings a group of relatives to assist, thereby restoring the family’s standing in the village. The chapter ends with the family beginning to rebuild their lives, supported by the wealth from the Sanqi and Li Xiaohan’s strategic guidance.