The young man seemed surprised: "You can do that?"
"Wait here." Nie Qingyue waved her hand without turning her head, took a deep breath, shook her head, trying to banish her chaotic thoughts, and brazenly entered the kitchen. At this hour, apart from mice and herself, there were probably no other creatures in the kitchen.
Why doesn't this era have flatbread? You could just throw it into boiling water, so convenient! Nie Qingyue found a piece of fermented flour in the covered plate, seemingly left over from last night, and looked around for ready-made fillings. There was some pork, cabbage, green peppers, citrus fruit, and... Nie Qingyue smiled broadly.
They lit a fire, boiled water, and steamed in a large pot. Facing the roaring fire in the stove, Nie Qingyue coughed repeatedly as she threw firewood in, the scorching air making her cheeks burn.
"Do you need any help?" The young man walked into the kitchen at some point, took the firewood from her hands, and naturally squatted down in front of the stove.
"Isn't it said that a gentleman keeps away from the kitchen?" Nie Qingyue watched him skillfully toss firewood and fan the flames.
The young man smiled and frankly said, "That's a wealthy gentleman."
Nie Qingyue nodded, busy agonizing over the oddly shaped fillings. After she finished wrapping them rather unattractively, the water on the young man's side was boiling. She placed them on the rack and covered the pot. It was so inconvenient not having a watch; she had to check every now and then to see if they were cooked. Nie Qingyue glanced at the leisurely watching young man and pointed with her small hand: "Go make some tea."
The young man nodded cooperatively and went to find tea leaves in a nearby cabinet.
After trying one, Nie Qingyue waited a while longer, then slowly placed each one onto a saucer on a tray and carried them into the pavilion. The young man had already prepared tea and was waiting in the pavilion.
Nie Qingyue and the young man rinsed their mouths with tea, then picked up the still-steaming buns and ate them with beaming smiles. The kitchen lady had added something, making the buns soft, fluffy, and sweet. As Nie Qingyue ate with satisfaction, she unexpectedly noticed the young man's slightly furrowed brow.
"Is it hard to eat?"
"...Very special." The young man hesitated for two seconds before giving a fair assessment.
Nie Qingyue grabbed his wrist and flipped it over to look at the remaining half. "You really did find a dried radish." She smiled innocently.
"What's the meaning?"
"It means each bun has a different filling, so you get to eat it by chance." Nie Qingyue patted his shoulder like a brother, "These dried radishes are crisp, sweet, and nutritious. Oh, you got to eat the whole one." His regret was evident.
Countless lessons have taught us that gloating is wrong. As a small warning, Nie Qingyue encountered a rather unusual-tasting green pepper in the next steamed bun. The young man ate the meat filling and sipped his tea with satisfaction.
As dawn broke, a couple in the pavilion finished their breakfast amidst the fragrant aroma of tea.
From about ten meters away, the kitchen lady who was preparing breakfast let out a loud, powerful roar: "Damn it, who stole my flour?"
Is someone stealing flour?
The two exchanged a knowing glance and then turned and walked away.
When Nie Qingyue returned to her room, the little girl had long since run off to learn some skills from another girl.
Not having to do laundry meant she was free. On the table were some needlework, scissors, and colored paper. An idea struck Nie Qingyue, and she picked up the scissors, deftly twisting the paper to cut out a petite girl with double buns—a perfect little maid. Then came a circle of elegant, flourishing magnolia blossoms entwined around the sprawling green willow branches. Nie Qingyue's interest was piqued. She recalled a kind old woman in the countryside who had given her various patterns while cutting paper-cuts for the New Year during a field trip to the north. She leisurely spent the entire morning cutting.
After lunch, he took the folded paper cuttings to Ruoyun's room to find the little maid and try to please her.
"Girl." Nie Qingyue pushed open the door with a smile, only to see a handsome, scholarly-looking man sitting at the table beside Ruoyun. She remembered that this was Chen Tao, a civil official from the Hanlin Academy of the Imperial Court, who had always been fond of Ruoyun and would visit her every two or three days.
The two seemed engrossed in their conversation when Nie Qingyue pushed the door open and entered, clearly startled. Ruoyun still politely told her, "The girl is learning wine tasting in the Red Smoke Room." Nie Qingyue nodded, said sorry, closed the door, and left, casually placing the paper cutting in her hand on the corridor floor.
She recalled clearly that when Chen Tao pushed open the door, he had spoken with a complaining tone: "The Prime Minister has been ill for a month and has not attended court. The factions are fighting each other, and people's hearts are in danger."
What kind of illness would require a month of absence from work? Nie Qingyue leaned against the old tree in the yard. She couldn't imagine what it would be like for that elegant, steady middle-aged man to be seriously ill.
Should she ask to go back? Nie Qingyue unconsciously bit her finger in thought. Suddenly, a lively and endearing paper-cut figure appeared before her eyes. The young man who had eaten breakfast with her that morning had a gentle smile on his face: "The hands that can write lyrics can also cut paper."
"You can also steam buns." Nie Qingyue took the cut-out paper patterns.
"She seems a bit down." The young man casually sat down beside her, mimicking her leaning against the old, gnarled tree.
Nie Qingyue casually fiddled with the grass along the hem of her dress: "I wouldn't say I'm depressed, but I am a little regretful."
"Regret what?"
“I’ve met the wrong person.” Nie Qingyue turned around and looked at the unfamiliar face and familiar eyes. She leaned closer and breathed into his mouth. The scent of medicine lingered around her nose. Suddenly, she reached out and poked his cheek with her finger.
The young man did not back down: "Why would you do such an indecent thing to me?"
"I want to see if there's a wolf in sheep's clothing beneath the human skin." Nie Qingyue stepped back. "He disguised himself and came here to flirt with his confidante, while leaving his newlywed wife to live in a brothel for a month." His tone was matter-of-fact, without a trace of jealousy or complaint. In fact, he sounded childish and vague because he was yawning as he spoke.
"Isn't it true that we don't interfere in each other's internal affairs? Madam seems to be living quite comfortably in the Forget-Worry Pavilion." Like ink seeping into paper, the smile on his face slowly spread, and his voice, which had been concealed, remained calm, natural, and even a little joking.
Nie Qingyue naturally knew that wasn't the reason; she had an inexplicable trust in him. Why hadn't he disguised himself and stayed by her side soon after her arrival, without making contact earlier? There must be a reason. Besides, she was used to relying on her own strength; if things hadn't been so sudden, she would have taken her own steps and walked out on her own instead of rashly speaking up today.
"But what trouble have you encountered?" he asked, turning to her.
"I just heard from a drinker that Father has been ill for a month and hasn't attended court." Nie Qingyue wasn't overly worried, but she was still somewhat concerned. Without her father, Nie Anru, this body might not have been able to regain consciousness after her soul transmigrated to this strange place. Nie Qingyue looked up at those calm and clear eyes, which suddenly showed a hint of anxiety. She was about to make a joke when her mouth opened, but then everything went black and she fainted.
When she opened her eyes, she was already in a sturdy sedan chair. Yan Shu had changed back into a simple blue robe and looked indifferent. If it weren't for the wind lifting the sedan curtain and revealing the moving street scene outside to Nie Qingyue, she would have thought she was just in a small house.
"Where are we going now?" Nie Qingyue suddenly felt a little cold.
“Go back to the courtyard where we are staying.” Yan Shu picked up an autumn robe and draped it over her shoulders. “You haven’t had acupuncture for a month. You may seem fine, but you’re actually just putting on a brave front.” After a while, he added, “It’s not as serious as you think about Prime Minister Nie. There’s no need to worry.”
"Hmm." Nie Qingyue nodded, leaning against the side of the sedan chair and squinting.
“The situation at Wangyou Tower is a bit complicated, so…” He paused for a few seconds before slowly speaking.
"The sedan chair is too hard, let me lean against it for a while." Nie Qingyue frowned and leaned lazily against him like an old friend she had known for many years. "Don't we not interfere in each other's internal affairs, husband?"
Yan Shu looked down at the weariness in her eyes and withdrew his explanation: "Yes, the autumn sacrifice is approaching, and Madam should be back soon."
"Autumn Festival?" Nie Qingyue relied on her vague memory. The Autumn Festival was considered one of the most important traditional festivals in the Mo Kingdom besides the New Year celebrations, usually occurring around the time of the winter solstice. It commemorated the autumn harvest and welcomed the auspicious winter, a day for family reunions and celebrations, similar in nature to the Mid-Autumn Festival. There were some special customs, though Nie Qingyue's mind was foggy and she couldn't recall them immediately.
The sedan chair stopped.
Nie Qingyue stood in the courtyard filled with green bamboo, looking around. The inner courtyard wasn't large, but the outer activity space was quite spacious. Bamboo groves, flowers and trees, lotus ponds, rockeries, pavilions and corridors—it resembled a private hospital sanatorium area she had seen before.
However, Nie Qingyue did not expect that there were other people in the courtyard. Yan Shu always preferred quiet, and apart from the coachman, he had no other attendants or servants on his journey from the Nie residence.
Was he a friend? The man wore a tall hat and a wide belt, his white robes edged with intricate, dark patterns. One hand casually rested on his jade-like chin, while the other carelessly scattered fish feed to tease the red koi in the pond. His beauty was androgynous; describing him as having a face like a lotus and eyebrows like willow branches might be an exaggeration, but his refined and resilient aura was in no way inferior. Nie Qingyue had seen too many alluring men in her life, so she was only slightly surprised. What caught her attention was how familiar this beauty looked.
Seeing Nie Qingyue staring blankly at him, the man immediately beamed. With a rustling of his robes, he stood firmly in front of Nie Qingyue and began to tease her: "Miss Yue, long time no see." His androgynous voice was clear and deep, and his phoenix eyes shimmered with tears.
Wait. Nie Qingyue was startled and slapped away the hand that was playing with her hair. "...Shu...Shu Song?"
The beauty squinted her eyes in satisfaction, ignoring Yan Shu standing to the side, and took Nie Qingyue's arm as they walked towards the inner courtyard: "Come, let's ignore that fox, go inside, sit down, have some tea, and talk slowly."
This led to the discussion about the sky darkening.
It turns out that Shu Song was originally from a noble family. Due to personal grudges, he had been investigating the black market human trafficking in Wuhuang City. Using his distinctive appearance, he disguised himself as a woman and set a trap to have himself kidnapped. When Yan Shu found Shisan Niang and the others, the first thing he looked for was another carriage, and naturally, he spotted Shu Song inside. Shu Song wasn't looking for the black market trafficking gang, but rather the behind-the-scenes force that had been manipulating things for profit. If Yan Shu took Nie Qingyue away directly, it would alert the enemy and disrupt the entire plan, so he had no choice but to accompany them.
Originally, Yan Shu planned to take Nie Qingyue away the day after she entered Wangyou Tower. However, Shu Song's investigation uncovered that someone in Wangyou Tower was involved in the black market for human trafficking and information transmission. Yan Shu and Shu Song agreed on a one-month deadline. Regardless of whether Shu Song completed the deadline, Yan Shu would take Nie Qingyue away immediately upon its expiration.
Shu Song, lounging casually on the bench, spoke with a mixture of anger and ambiguity: "Little Yue, you have no idea that that damned fox initially agreed to give me half a month. I begged and pleaded for three days before he finally agreed to extend the time, and he even had to personally disguise himself and sneak into the Forget-Worry Pavilion. Tsk, I've known him for over ten years and I've never seen him so anxious about anyone."
Nie Qingyue smiled but remained silent. If the two hadn't clearly defined their future relationship on their wedding night, she might have had some wild thoughts. But since it had been agreed upon beforehand, Nie Qingyue knew very well that Yan Shu was only worried about her health, which required continuous acupuncture and medication. Knowing this, she felt only a subtle sense of gratitude and emotion.
Dinner was completed amidst Shu Song's casual, unrestrained conversation and Nie Qingyue and Yan Shu's cooperation and indifference. As soon as Shu Song finished eating, he went back to his room, changed into his night clothes, and slipped out. The case wasn't finished, and Nie Qingyue had been taken away. The people in Wangyou Tower would definitely be on guard. It seemed he would be busy for a while.
Nie Qingyue watched as Shu Song nimbly leaped across the rooftops and disappeared into the night, as if watching a stunt.
"We might have to deal with the little girl's situation a while, and I don't want to cause Shusong any more trouble." Yan Shu walked to the window and stood with her to look at the moonlight outside.
Nie Qingyue nodded. Her life of learning martial arts wasn't too difficult. She seemed to remember something and smiled slyly and cunningly. After the brief friendship fostered by that pot of wine and breakfast at Wangyou Tower, and the slight emotion she felt after learning the inside story, she was no longer bothered to act like a proper young lady of the Nie family and treat him with the same respect as before.
Nie Qingyue patted Yan Shu's shoulder, "Husband, who is this Shu Yan?" The question lingered in her voice, carrying a profound meaning that sparked the imagination.
The shoulder under his palm shifted slightly. After pondering for a while, Yan Shu smiled and asked, "Shouldn't Madam be asking who Ruoyun is?" Under the clear moonlight, Nie Qingyue's bright eyes still caught a glimmer in someone's eyes.
"Little Beauty Yan, please don't change the subject." Nie Qingyue was pleased to see a subtle embarrassment appear on Yan Shu's face, which was usually only gentle and composed.
Unfortunately, this joy was short-lived, and the consequences came quickly.
Yan Shu took a small medicine bag resembling a sachet from his bosom and placed it in her hand: "Keep it with you so it will be easy to find you if something happens in the future."
Upon hearing this, Nie Qingyue immediately became smug, "Well, you know your wife is a sought-after lyricist now, it won't be easy to get her back."
"Yes, it cost a whole penny."
"…… = ="
Why isn't Madam saying anything?
"...Husband, what do you think it means to see through the illusions of the world?"
Any questions refer to this clause; any inconsistencies... refer to this clause; if it still doesn't hold true after referring to this clause... please continue referring to this clause until it holds true. (Hey, that's enough!) Okay, the chatterbox is leaving.
What does a master of traditional Chinese medicine lack?
The weather is already a bit chilly as winter approaches.
Nie Qingyue resumed her carefree lifestyle, leaning against the small artificial hill and looking at the medical books she had taken from Yan Shu's room. It wasn't that she was interested in them, but rather that she was simply bored out of her mind. Yan Shu had left early that morning, and the courtyard where she was temporarily staying didn't have any other books.
It was an ancient book passed down for generations, discussing traditional Chinese medicine and diet. Many words were so obscure that their meanings were difficult to discern, directly leading to unclear and incomplete steps and methods. If it weren't for Yan Shu's meticulous annotations in the book, Nie Qingyue probably wouldn't have lasted five minutes before throwing it away. Before transmigrating, Nie Qingyue lived in an era of convenience with light bulbs and running water, where electronic products were constantly evolving and could be obsolete in the blink of an eye. Therefore, she didn't really appreciate the profoundness of ancient Chinese culture.
Now, living a thousand years ago in the past, amidst the flying eaves and pavilions, red-clad beauties and white-sleeved maidens, the mere architectural ornamentation of dragon-patterned wood carvings, stone altars, and angry lions was enough to fill her with awe, let alone the wondrous and indescribable wonders of traditional Chinese medicine. From precious things like bear bile and cordyceps to commonplace items like salt, scallions, and garlic, even things Nie Qingyue had never imagined could be used in medicine, their interactions—mutual benefit, mutual harmonization, and yin-yang balance—were wonderfully harmonious.
Before she could finish marveling at the white figure before her, a magnified, bewitching face suddenly appeared: "Little Yue, do you have time?"
"Huh?" These past few days, animals that have been either nocturnal or sleeping until late morning to hunt for food have actually appeared before lunchtime? Before I could even utter a laugh, my hand was unceremoniously pulled up and led outside.
Stepping outside, the morning market had already been open for quite some time, the streets bustling with people and their shouts. A cacophony of smells, colors, and sounds created a somewhat weary yet warm morning under the golden sunlight. Crossing the main street and turning onto the long bridge, the scenery suddenly opened up before me. Not far away lay a long embankment of evergreen grass, where small boats with short oars sat quietly on the river, seemingly still half-asleep.
"What are we doing here?" Nie Qingyue looked at the winding wooden buildings along the river. The buildings were simple and unpretentious, and the waterscape could be clearly seen through the long corridors.
"Take the book." Shu Song smiled smugly and led her into the building. It turned out to be a teahouse built by the river, mostly filled with elderly people leisurely drinking tea and chatting quietly. The whole room was filled with the leisurely atmosphere of tea fragrance.
Climbing the simple wooden stairs to the second floor, Nie Qingyue saw a long-bearded, otherworldly-looking old man sleeping on a bamboo recliner in the corridor, still holding an unfinished book in his hand. Hearing Shu Song's movement, he slowly opened his eyes: "Take it, you must do what you promised me." With that, he waved his hand, and Shu Song steadily took it.
Nie Qingyue took a look and saw that it was the second half of the ancient book she had just been reading.
Shu Song bowed and thanked Nie Qingyue before pulling her away.
Nie Qingyue said helplessly, "Beautiful Shu, why did you bring me here if you're going to bring a book?"
Shu Song rolled her eyes. "Pick a congratulatory gift while you're at it."
"Oh, who are you going to give it to?"
His eyes rolled at a 35-degree angle: "It's not me buying it, it's you buying it."
"What?"
Just as they stepped down from the small building, they heard a woman's heart-wrenching cries. The two looked over and saw a woman in plain clothes holding a pale-faced, waterlogged child, weeping bitterly. The drowning child had its eyes tightly closed and showed no reaction.
A middle-aged man with his trousers still dripping wet and shirtless stood by the woman, somewhat helplessly comforting her. His expression showed a hint of pity and regret, but not much sadness. He seemed to be a passerby who had kindly jumped into the water to save her.
"He was still breathing in the water, but he stopped breathing as soon as he was pulled out." Seeing Shu Song walk over quickly and put his finger under the child's nose, the middle-aged man muttered in frustration, "I should have found him sooner."