Resplendent – Chapter 507

Chapter 507 — Mutual Generation and Restriction

“Our Dongling girls can participate in the imperial examinations! That’s why I chose to study pharmacy! The pharmacist exams don’t discriminate between men and women!” Gu Ye showed no trace of modesty. 

Lady Jun brushed her cheek affectionately. How could her Bao’er be so adorable!

“You’re right, Cousin. A Grand Pharmacist is essentially the top scholar in the world of medicine. And you, at only thirteen, have already passed the sixth-level pharmacist exam. If you pass the next stage, you’ll join the ranks of Senior Pharmacists. If we think of it like this: Junior Pharmacist is like a beginner scholar, Intermediate Pharmacist is like a county-level exam passer, and Senior Pharmacist is like a provincial exam passer. At such a young age, you’re already a provincial exam passer of the pharmaceutical world! In a few years, once you achieve Grand Pharmacist, won’t you essentially be the top scholar?” Jun Li grew more and more excited as she spoke, as if the pharmacist exams were a simple game of make-believe, easily passed with no effort at all.

Lady Jun held a handkerchief to her mouth and chuckled softly. “Li’er, your metaphor is quite vivid. By that time, our family could have a top scholar too!”

“Thanks to the blessings of Cousin and Mother, I’ll carry your wishes and work hard!” Gu Ye clenched her tiny fists and waved them in the air, expressing her determination.

Lady Jun couldn’t help but remind her, “You also need to balance work and rest, and don’t overexert yourself. Relax a little. At your age, passing the sixth-level pharmacist exam is already incredible. Many male pharmacists couldn’t even manage that!”

“Yes, yes! The most outstanding female pharmacist, when she passed Level Six, was already fifteen, right? Cousin, you reached it two years earlier than her!” The female pharmacist Jun Li mentioned was the only woman in history to become a Level 9 pharmacist. 

From her tone and expression, it was clear how much she admired and envied her. The female pharmacist had truly become the ideal every woman dreamed of being!

Gu Ye allowed herself a rare moment of humility. “The pharmacist exams are held once every three years. Perhaps the timing just wasn’t in her favor! Anyway, let’s not talk about that. By the way, I heard that adding almonds to goat’s milk while boiling can remove the gamey taste. Was that method suggested by Cousin Miao’er?”

Jun Miao had been quietly listening to their lively chatter and hadn’t expected the topic to suddenly turn to her. Her eyelids flickered slightly, and she suppressed the nervousness in her heart, slowly nodding. “Yes. Is there something wrong?”

“Not at all! The method is excellent. Almonds with goat’s milk can strengthen the body and help with weakness. How did you come up with such a brilliant idea, Cousin Miao’er?” Gu Ye asked casually, pretending not to notice her nervousness.

Jun Miao felt a pang of guilt. She paused a moment before answering cautiously,  “It wasn’t exactly my idea. I don’t remember which book I saw it in. A doctor mentioned that drinking goat’s milk would benefit Auntie’s health, so I decided to try it.”

“That’s thanks to you, Miao’er. Plain goat’s milk is almost unbearable to drink. I have suffered through two days of it—it was worse than taking medicine! With the almonds and the sesame seeds that Bao’er suggested, the taste is much improved.” Lady Jun looked at Jun Miao with approval, praising her while also including her own daughter in the compliment.

Gu Ye, pretending to be very interested, pressed on eagerly, “Which book did Cousin Miao’er see it in? I want to borrow it and take a look! You know, if ingredients are combined correctly, it can greatly benefit the body. Especially for us girls, we should understand these things!”

Jun Miao’s eyes seemed slightly distant as she hesitated. “I just happened to see it in some random books I was leafing through before. I honestly don’t remember which book it was. If Cousin is interested, I can check the books in the courtyard… Although, I’ve loved reading these miscellaneous books since I was little, so I’m not even sure if that book was brought from Yan City.”

“Oh…” Gu Ye’s small face fell, and her whole body gave off an air of disappointment, looking like a frost-bitten little eggplant.

Lady Jun comforted her with gentle reluctance. “That’s all right. There are plenty of bookstores and private studies in the capital. If you are interested, your father and brothers can visit a few places for you during their days off.”

Gu Ye nodded, lifting her spirits again, and turned to Jun Miao to continue her questioning. “So… in the book you saw, Cousin Miao’er, did it say which foods shouldn’t be eaten with almonds? The other day I had almond and walnut paste, and then I ate a lot of Dongpo pork. Soon after, my stomach started hurting. My master said that eating almonds and pork together can cause abdominal pain!”

Jun Miao’s expression became even more flustered. She forced herself to calm down and gave a strained smile. “Really? That’s serious… I’ll go back and look for any notes on food incompatibilities. Cousin, you should also ask your master about almonds and see if there are any other warnings…”

Seeing the tiny beads of sweat forming on her forehead, Jun Li hurried to comfort her, “Don’t worry, Cousin Miao’er. Luckily, Aunt usually eats lightly, so it didn’t cause any serious trouble…”

Lady Jun also patted her hand gently. “Miao’er, don’t blame yourself. You meant well.”

At this moment, Jun Miao felt a storm of anxiety churning in her heart. What did her cousin mean by that remark? Had she discovered something? 

Eating a small amount of almonds with pork usually didn’t cause a strong reaction; only the very young or weak might show obvious symptoms. Was her cousin speaking carelessly, or did she have another meaning?

Her thoughts turned to the jade-orchid in her aunt’s room. Though blood is thicker than water, when arriving in a new environment, especially leaping from an ordinary farm girl to a lady of the Duke of Zhen’s Manor, someone naturally would be somewhat nervous. 

Some mutual testing would be expected. But her cousin, having just returned, had immediately asked her aunt for such a precious item. That wasn’t normal.

Moreover, after requesting the jade-orchid, her cousin had shown no particular attachment to it. The orchid had been transplanted to a corner of the bamboo grove rockery and entrusted to the maid who tended the courtyard’s plants, treated as if it were just an ordinary orchid.

Jun Miao was certain her cousin knew something. The scent of the jade-orchid combined with almonds could deplete one’s qi and blood, gradually weakening the body. She had stumbled upon this in a book once. That book had long since been destroyed, so her cousin could produce no proof. 

Calm down!

She must not expose herself. Without evidence, her cousin could do nothing to her.

Besides, she had first used almonds to remove the gamey taste from her aunt’s goat milk, and only afterward had her father acquired the jade-orchid. She had no intention of harming her aunt; she had merely withheld a warning out of selfishness.

Besides, her aunt consumed only a small amount of almonds daily, posing no threat to her life. She had already taken the Wuji Baifeng Wan, and her health had improved greatly. The reason she hadn’t warned Aunt was to prevent her cousins from taking time away to search for the so-called lost cousin.

Events were unfolding in her favor. Aunt was weak, and the cousins who had been away had returned to the capital to care for her. Yet she hadn’t expected that her Sixth Cousin would actually track down her cousin and bring her back to the capital.