Chapter 219 - - Our best laid plans... (1/2)
The meal consisted of six meat dishes, three vegetarian and one soup as well as a bowl of rice each, which seemed a bit extravagant to Leon considering that it was just Sun and two guests, but neither Sun nor Jin Li said a word about it, as if this was a normal fair to be had. Leon did not know that usually the servants were given the left overs to eat, hence the quantity, but he also did not know that this was not Sun's usual practice either. In the second family's part of the Ramas Palace, such was just not done, servants should not be given scraps but served their own meals, however the kitchens dished out food to their Masters equally on the instructions of the Matriarch and this was the result.
Again, this was a pointless detail, whether there would be leftovers or not, only Jin Li's stomach was aware.
Small talk revolved mostly around what Jin Li and Leon had been up to today and though the more personal details were left out, Sun came to understand that the pair had explored the extravagant north town and its many expensive shops and venues. As expected, they came away as empty handed as they arrived.
”I'm not surprised,” Sun admitted as his chopsticks grabbed quickly a few pieces of red braised boar into his bowl before Jin Li could sweep clean the juicy chunks of glistening meat and leave him without. When it came to dining, Sun could admit that he preferred Leon's company, at least the alchemist's tastes were light and would not fight him for the richer flavours available. They only shared a liking of sweet dishes, but again Leon was too polite and would always concede to others. Not that it was a problem at the Institute, there was always plenty of food to go around, it was buffet style and one filled their plate as they liked, but when it came to dining such as this...
Jin Li did glare at him for half a heartbeat, but his chopsticks redirected their path towards the sliced horned oxen in chilli sauce and attacked this delicious dish instead.
”I know! I'll take you both to the west town and market!” Sun continued between savoured bites. ”It's nearest the river to the port town, there are always interesting things to look at there! Plus the shops prices are more reasonable, even though they aren't cheap, the things aren't bad either.”
This agreement, the weather did not agree with and the heavens that had not managed more than a smattering of snow released a cold fury onto the land below it, suddenly covering everything in white. It was not much more than ankle deep, but its slippery legacy would make carriage travel more difficult and as the trip was not urgent, they did not feel brazen enough to request horses nor wish to unkindly drag servants from the palace in order to care for them. The labour servants had it difficult enough clearing the paths of the palace in order that their Masters did not trip and damage their tender skin.
Knowing their trip was cancelled, Jin Li and Leon lingered over tea following breakfast, but unused to feeling so lazy, Leon headed to a side room prepared as his alchemy space and began to prepare herbs. Jin Li had followed him like a second shadow, glancing about the space for one second and losing interest within the next. While the Ramas palace did have a few alchemists living in an area to the rear and technically just outside the palace walls, which was where all of the Ramas army and personnel to support them lived, these had a high sense of their own existence and looked down on others. So all the things in the side room had been brought along by Leon and he had arranged them much as he would at home, so there was nothing really new to look at.
The currently empty kegs had been placed against one wall. Herbs had been organised into baskets or bottles, depending on their state. The single, portable stove had been placed upon an old table (which was one of the very few things that didn't belong to Leon) and empty jade bottles lined the shelf, ready to be filled. Leon's cauldron and the old kettle he'd kept for boiling water to use for potions were also on the table in wait.
The stove's mage stones were activated and Leon placed the cauldron on top. His able fingers had already reached for familiar herbs used in making his improved one heart pills, which he made at least once every ten days to keep in practice. Improved One Heart Pills were a little trickier than normal ones after all, as were Improved Blood Pills, so he liked to remind himself of their recipes. These sold well and steadily in Pharmacist Clawse' shop back in Julip Town anyway, so it was of no loss to Leon to continue making them.
However Jin Li was not resigned to watching Leon making pills for very long, as although he often enjoyed watching the serious concentrating expression on his small alchemist's face, he also enjoyed the expressions he made when frustrated, tearful, lost in pleasure...