After waiting for an hour, Song Chazai’s master finally came downstairs.
The newcomer was a lean and sharp-looking elder. Though his frame was slight, his spirit was exceptional, and his steps as he descended the stairs were full of vigor and presence.
Wu Mo waited for him to reach the bottom and have a drink of water before informing him about the issue with the pharmacists.
Upon hearing that such a thing had happened in his shop, Master Song did not even have time to catch up with Song Chazai. He immediately headed back up to the third floor to resolve the matter.
A short while later, the two clerks who had made the mistake came down from upstairs looking utterly dejected; it appeared they had indeed been dismissed by the clinic. Yu Clinic was famous throughout Chuanfu Town and even Jin Province. Those dismissed from here would not be hired by any other clinic. It could be said that they had no choice but to change professions entirely.
This was for the best; the business of healing and saving lives was not something to be handled carelessly.
Jiang Jinxi watched their retreating figures without a hint of pity. He only felt that Master Song was truly decisive; such absent-minded people were not suited for medicine.
By the time Master Song came back downstairs, it was nearly the end of the hour of Wu (1:00 PM). Jiang Jinxi was worried about Song Bo and wanted to head back quickly. He leaned toward Song Chazai and whispered in her ear, “Eldest Aunt, Song Bo’s medicine has not been changed yet. We should go back early.”
Song Chazai patted the back of Jiang Jinxi’s hand and replied, “Alright.”
Master Song sat across from Jiang Jinxi. As soon as he was seated, he spoke. “I heard that you were the one who pointed out the incorrectly packaged medicine.” A clerk nearby moved to pour tea, but Master Song waved them away, telling them to get back to their own work.
Since he had done the deed, Jiang Jinxi did not act humble and answered directly, “Yes.”
Master Song stroked his beard and guessed, “I assume you are Chazai’s apprentice?”
Jiang Jinxi nodded. “I am.”
Master Song turned his gaze toward Song Chazai. “How many months have you been teaching him?”
“Not even a week,” Song Chazai replied.
At this answer, a flash of shock crossed Master Song’s eyes. To have the ability to recognize and identify herbs in less than a week meant he was a natural talent for medicine. Master Song possessed a healer’s heart; he only wished to train more doctors for the world to alleviate the suffering of the people. He would not let such a good prospect go. He looked seriously at Jiang Jinxi and asked solemnly, “Do you truly wish to study medicine?”
“Yes,” Jiang Jinxi replied firmly.
Previously, he had read medical books only out of interest. But since the wall collapsed yesterday and he saw Song Bo lying in a pool of blood, his determination to study medicine had become resolute. If something similar happened again in the future, he would not have to rush in a panic to seek help from others; he could save Song Bo with his own true skills.
“Good!” Master Song called someone to his room to find several foundational medical texts and handed them to Jiang Jinxi. “Follow Chazai and learn for now. Once you have learned everything she has to offer and wish to advance further, come find me again.”
Song Chazai was one of his most prized disciples; mastering her skills would be no easy feat. Many people spoke of great ambitions only to be driven away by the hardships halfway through. Master Song saw countless patients every day, and it was no longer possible for him to take on an apprentice to teach from the beginning. Letting Song Chazai teach served as both a test for Jiang Jinxi and a way for Song Chazai to review her own knowledge.
Jiang Jinxi held the books as if they were precious treasures. “Thank you, Grandmaster,” he said.
Master Song laughed twice, joking that he had finally become a “Grandmaster.”
After a few more minutes of small talk, Jiang Jinxi and Song Chazai took their leave. In addition to the medical books given by Master Song, they also bought some medicinal herbs needed for Song Bo that they did not have at home, as well as three jars of golden sore ointment and three jars of skin-growth cream.
“Master must really like you,” Song Chazai said. She had seen those books when she was young; Master Song had treasured them and would only allow them to be borrowed for reading, never taken away. Now, with a wave of his hand, he had given four to Jiang Jinxi, showing how much he truly valued him.
Jiang Jinxi clutched the books tightly in his arms. “I will not let Eldest Aunt or Grandmaster down.”
Having finished their business in town, Jiang Jinxi and Song Chazai intended to return to the village.
Suddenly, the area ahead became noisy. Some people were pushing their way in, and when they came out, they were clutching white objects in their hands. Because the scene was so chaotic, Jiang Jinxi could not see what they were holding before they were obscured by the crowd.
“What is happening up there?” Song Chazai, being a warm-hearted person, peered ahead and prepared to squeeze through.
Jiang Jinxi slung the bundle containing the books across his chest and squeezed into the crowd with her.
Jiang Jinxi was thin. After his face was squeezed nearly out of shape, he finally reached the front of the circle. It turned out a tofu cart had overturned. Everyone was scrambling to grab the tofu that had fallen on the ground. Those with baskets used them; those without used their hands. A woman, slightly sturdier than the average woman, was grabbing people and telling them to return the tofu. But with only her own strength, how could she stop so many? She could only watch helplessly as the tofu dwindled.
“I suggest you all put down what is in your hands.”
Amidst the din, a crisp and clear voice stood out.
Jiang Jinxi took a step forward and stood before the tofu cart. “The penalty for theft is ten strokes of the cane. For theft during a time of chaos, it is twenty strokes. If you do not wish to suffer physical pain, it is best to put those things down.” As he spoke, he eyed the crowd. The cold sternness in his gaze frightened the looters into stopping.
“Who are you to say?” a bold voice shouted in rebuttal.
Jiang Jinxi immediately looked toward the sound and caught the person’s gaze accurately. Not expecting to be identified, the person shrank back behind others.
“Whether it is true or not, we will know once we report it to the authorities.” Song Chazai reached the front at that moment. Jiang Jinxi asked her to report the matter to the officials.
Seeing Song Chazai actually heading toward the government office, the villagers dared not take anything more. It was not worth getting arrested and beaten just for a small bit of gain.
The crowd dispersed quickly, and no one else snatched the items that had fallen from the tofu cart.
Only then could the woman gather what was left to mitigate her losses.
“Wait, Little Brother!” the woman called out to Jiang Jinxi as he prepared to leave. She wrapped several pieces of undamaged tofu from the cart and gave them to him. “Thank you for helping me drive them away.”
“It was nothing.” Jiang Jinxi pushed the tofu back. “You have already lost so much; there is no need to give me anything.”
“I must.” The woman was determined to shove the tofu into Jiang Jinxi’s arms. “Even though I am uneducated, I know that one must repay a kindness. If you do not accept this, I will not be able to sleep all night.”
Since the woman put it so seriously, Jiang Jinxi could no longer refuse and accepted the tofu.
He had not expected that this trip to town would not only accomplish the tasks Song Bo had requested but also result in several unexpected gains.
Returning to Song Chazai’s house, the first thing Jiang Jinxi did was enter the side room to see if Song Bo had woken up. They had not managed their time well; the round trip had taken over four hours.
Fortunately, Song Bo was still asleep, so he found a place to store the items he had brought back.
Song Chazai went over to Song Bo’s house and brought back all the ingredients he had mentioned were in the kitchen. She held up a large piece of pork and said, “He certainly is willing to spend money. A piece of pork this size must have cost at least a hundred coins.”
Jiang Jinxi laid out the tofu he had brought back piece by piece. Hearing this, he replied, “Since he is inviting Eldest Aunt and Uncle for a meal, he naturally had to buy the best.”
In addition to the pork, Song Bo had also bought a small piece of mutton, two fish, and a chicken. The variety of meat was quite extensive.
For commoners, being able to eat meat three or four times a week was considered wealthy. Song Bo had not bought meat for a while, but when he did, he bought a whole pile of it. Anyone seeing it would surely be envious.
Song Chazai knew that Song Bo did not earn money easily. As she scraped the scales off the fish, she said, “A simple meal would have been fine. Why spend so much money?”
Since the ingredients were already bought, and having sat for a day they were already losing their freshness, letting them sit any longer would only lead to them rotting and going to waste. Song Chazai could only grumble about Song Bo while she set about preparing all the ingredients. “Buying so much… there are only four of us. How can we finish it all?”
Jiang Jinxi looked at the table full of ingredients. Aside from the meat, Song Bo had also bought many vegetables, which were laid out in a colorful and magnificent display. He had no concept of cooking but knew these vegetables could probably make several dishes. He remembered the cured meat his mother used to buy for him back in the capital and suggested, “Does Eldest Aunt know how to make cured meat?”
“Of course I do,” Song Chazai replied.
When commoners bought meat, they usually were not willing to eat it all at once. They would salt and air-dry the pork to form cured meat, which could be stored for a very long time. This way, they had flavor and could add a few pieces to their cooking for meatiness later, which made up for the regret of not being able to eat meat often.
“Then Eldest Aunt can turn the pork into cured meat. We can just eat the chicken and fish,” Jiang Jinxi said.
“That’s right,” Song Chazai agreed. “We will do as you say.”
As long as the large piece of pork was dealt with, the remaining fish and chicken, along with several plates of vegetables, would be enough for the four of them.
However, Song Chazai could not spare a hand at the moment, and Liu Nanmin had gone to work in the fields. It was up to Jiang Jinxi to handle the pork for curing.
Jiang Jinxi had never been in a kitchen before and knew nothing about cooking. Following Song Chazai’s instructions, he took a handful of salt and rubbed it onto the pork. The pork was slippery and greasy, a sensation that made him extremely uncomfortable. But to help Song Chazai, he could only force himself to endure the discomfort.
Hearing the steady thumping of meat being chopped beside him, Jiang Jinxi instinctively looked over. Song Chazai’s movements with the knife were very brisk; with every stroke, the chicken was divided into small pieces.
Jiang Jinxi felt a sense of respect for those who could cook, as they could handle living things without flinching. If he were asked to slaughter a chicken or a sheep, he would probably cover his eyes and run away before the knife even touched the bird.
After Song Chazai had processed the chicken, she threw the pieces into a basin to marinate. Then, after making several cuts into the fish, she placed it into a pan to fry. The oil crackled and popped, and the aroma instantly filled Jiang Jinxi’s nose. It had been a long time since breakfast, and he was already hungry.
However, Jiang Jinxi did not rush. Instead, he continued to carefully handle the pork in his hands. Thinking that it would eventually become delicious cured meat, his sense of discomfort lessened quite a bit.
After working in the kitchen for a while, Song Chazai brought the dishes out. Liu Nanmin did not eat at home during the day, so with only the three of them, she only made the fish and two plates of vegetables, intending to prepare the full spread of dishes in the evening.