Chapter 36: Letting you have a good look (1/2)
Chapter 36: Letting you have a good look Original and most updated translations are from volare.
After taking care of everything, Han Yunxi rushed back to the Duke of Qin’s house in the nick of time. Within his rooms, Long Feiye had already changed his clothes and was reclining in a rocking chair in the study. His robes were embroidered with golden threads, enhancing his inherent aristocratic aura with vivid intensity. This was the first time Han Yunxi had seen any man wear gold so well. It was easy to feel inferior in his presence.
She adjusted her breathing before stepping forward. “Your Highness.”
“The three ingredients you asked for are on the table. You can start making the antidote now,” Long Feiye said simply, not even sparing her a glance.
Han Yunxi looked to the side and saw three giant piles of medicinal ingredients, divided up into summer zi, autumn zi, and winter zi. Goodness, these ingredients aren’t easy to find. I didn’t expect this guy to bring back piles of them.
Han Yunxi was secretly delighted. In fact, she only needed to use a bit, but the rest could be put in reserve in the detox system storage space. Depending on the poison, these ingredients could be used in various prescriptions for treatment.
“Your Highness, please wait until chenqie creates the mixture,” Han Yunxi said, preparing to store all the medicine in her pouch. Yet Long Feiye’s cold eyes turned to look at her instead.
“Just make the antidote here, your lordship wants to have a good look, too.”
Tch…
This guy was still suspicious of her!
Han Yunxi secretly rolled her eyes. Be suspicious all you want. In any case, you’ll never guess the truth.
“Your Highness, chenqie doesn’t have any other ingredients on hand. I need to go to the Leisurely Cloud Pavilion to get them. If you’re interested, you might as well walk with me there,” Han Yunxi said with a smile.
“Leisurely Cloud Pavilion?” Long Feiye grew curious. He didn’t recall the Hibiscus Courtyard having a place like this.
“Chenqie fixed up the discarded building in the northwest corner of the courtyard and named it the Leisurely Cloud Pavilion. In the future, chenqie will be living there so as to not disturb Your Highness,” Han Yunxi replied truthfully.
Actually, she was feeling a bit nervous, fearful that this guy would chase her out of the Hibiscus Courtyard to face Grand Concubine Yi and Murong Wanru. Unexpectedly, he didn’t seem to have any complaints, but rose to his feet to follow her. She relaxed in response, nimbly storing the three piles of medicinal ingredients into her pouch. Long Feiye didn’t pay much attention to her movements, but he couldn’t have known that it was just a move to mislead him. She’d long stored the ingredients into her detox system dimension instead and had it mix with precise proportions of other medicines to make the antidote. There was even an automatic sensor to adjust cooking temperature for the medicine while it boiled.
In the time it took for Long Feiye to walk from his sleeping quarters to Han Yunxi’s Leisurely Cloud Pavilion, the detox system had already prepared the antidote decoction. Han Yunxi snuck it out and hid it inside her medical pouch. At the door to her rooms, Long Feiye paused to ask, “What is the meaning of this ‘Leisurely Cloud’?”
“A cloud naturally has no desires, just as the water is naturally leisurely,” Han Yunxi said simply, turning to look at him. “Your Highness, after marrying into the Duke of Qin’s house, chenqie’s only wish is to be a leisurely cloud in a corner.”
Actually, what she really wanted to tell Long Feiye was, ‘Dear, stop suspecting me. I was forced to marry into the Duke of Qin’s household, but there’s nothing that I’m looking for. I just want to live a calm and peaceful life by myself. I won’t bother you, so don’t you guys bother me, either!’
But she was very clear that if she said this out loud, Long Feiye would probably kill her with his glare. Didn’t the ancients like using verses and poetry to express their high ideals? When in Rome, do as the Romans do.[1]
‘A cloud naturally has no desires, just as the water is naturally leisurely[2]’ should be one of Bai Juyi’s[3] famous lines. Han Yunxi thought that Long Feiye would be impressed, but he only looked at her expressionlessly before walking inside.
This guy, it’s not just his facial muscles that are paralyzed. His heart must be, too.
Han Yunxi followed him in and saw Long Feiye sitting in a chair as he measured up her quarters. His haughty, looming figure made her little parlor seem suddenly imposing. At her entrance, he withdrew his gaze and asked, “Can you start making the antidote now?”
“Un, chenqie will go get a few medicines,” Han Yunxi sounded particularly respectful.
You’re that curious, huh. Then I’ll let you have a good look today!
Beneath Long Feiye’s penetrating scrutiny, Han Yunxi took out a few ingredients from the study next door, along with a pestle and mortar. Then, she took out a few ingredients from her pouch and mixed everything together. The items from her pouch were precisely the ones pre-prepared by the detox system on their way here. In terms of allocation, measurements, and cooking times, everything had been done automatically to perfection. Human labor couldn’t compare to this level of accuracy.
Western medicine placed emphasis on fine details in their pharmacies, while traditional Chinese medicine relied more on estimates. But if one could combine the meticulous nature of Western medicine with traditional Chinese medicine, then the effects could far surpass that of a traditional Chinese medicine doctor. In other words, even if she was creating the exact same medicine as any doctor of this time period, Han Yunxi could make a better, more potent version. How would Long Feiye understand all of that? Who told him to be ignorant of modern times? The ingredients that Han Yunxi had retrieved from the study were all commonplace antibiotics, and would have no effect when mixed with the actual antidote.
“Your Highness, it’s actually very easy to make medicine,” Han Yunxi had a very pretty smile as she mixed and pounded the antidote with the extra ingredients in the mortar. “The prescription isn’t that important either. As long as you’ve gathered all the ingredients, just crush them together and you’ll get about what you want.”
As she pounded the medicine, she kept explaining with a professional air. “Of course, there’s been research into grinding medicine as well. Strength is a crucial factor. You can’t be too rough or too gentle.” She offered the stone pestle towards him. “Your Highness, do you want to try?”
Long Feiye had already lost his patience. “How long do you need?”
Han Yunxi wore a look of concentration as she spread the ingredients over her palm for an experimental sniff. “I’m estimating around one shichen.”
One shichen was equal to two hours.