When spring arrived in the capital, small stalls selling snacks gradually increased on the streets.

People went out for spring outings, and lady customers went up the mountains to burn incense. Finding the journey boring, they inevitably bought some sesame candy and orange cakes. Granny Feng’s cloud slice cakes sold the best – thin as snow flakes, fragrant and sweet.

In “Renxin Medical Hall,” in front of the long counter, Du Changqing had half a cloud slice cake in his mouth and was staring blankly at the street across in complete boredom.

The Du family of Nanwang Ward in the capital originally started with a medicine shop. Later, as the medicine shop grew bigger and bigger, they built a medical hall. The medical hall’s reputation grew day by day, and Old Master Du’s residence also expanded larger and larger.

Old Master Du was busy creating and maintaining the family business when he was young, and only took a wife when he was approaching middle age.

His delicate wife was eighteen years old, beautiful as a flower, and became pregnant a year later. Having a son in his old age delighted Old Master Du immensely. He wished he could pamper his wife to the heavens.

Unfortunately, Madam Du truly had no fortune – she passed away a year after giving birth to their son. Old Master Du pitied his young son for losing his mother at such a tender age, and since this child was indeed clever and adorable, he spoiled him even more. So with all this spoiling, he raised this son into a wastrel who couldn’t lift with his hands or carry on his shoulders, spending his days only listening to music and drinking wine.

Du Changqing was this wastrel.

When Old Master Du was still alive, the family property was abundant. After Old Master Du passed away, the Du family had no one to support it.

Du Changqing had been pampered since childhood, his learning was mediocre, and he only knew how to race horses and play with dogs all day, never having a proper appearance. He was also big-hearted and careless with money, generous and righteous. A bunch of fair-weather friends only treated him as a sucker to fleece – today Zhang San would borrow three hundred taels from him because his old mother was gravely ill, tomorrow Li Si would ask him for five hundred strings of cash to start a business when leaving the capital. Bit by bit, over time, all the farmland and shop fronts were converted to silver and squandered away. In the end, only this dilapidated small medical hall on West Street remained.

This small medical hall was the one Old Master Du had acquired when he first made his fortune. Du Changqing didn’t dare sell it, so he asked a street scholar to write a plaque and hang it up, making himself the proprietor of Renxin Medical Hall.

The original resident physician of the medical hall had already been hired away by Apricot Grove Hall at a high price, and for a while they couldn’t find a suitable resident physician. Moreover, this medical hall’s income couldn’t cover its expenses, so whether there was a doctor or not made no difference. On ordinary days, occasionally some neighbors would come to this shop to pick up a few prescriptions, barely making ends meet. It seemed that before long, even this medical hall would have to be sold.

A horse carriage came down the street, its wheels rolling over the ground and stirring up light, floating willow catkins.

Someone got down from the carriage.

Du Changqing’s eyes lit up. He swallowed the cloud slice cake in his mouth in three bites, swept away his just-now listless appearance, hurried forward to greet them, and called out loudly and warmly: “Uncle!”

The visitor was a man wearing a square cap, about fifty years old, dressed in an aloes-colored silk robe, holding a paper fan in his hand. In his other hand he held a handkerchief, pressing it to his nose and lips as he walked and coughed.

Du Changqing welcomed him into the medical hall to sit down, calling to the young assistant who was wiping tables inside: “A’Cheng, don’t you see my uncle has arrived? Quickly go make tea!” Then he pretended to scold: “Blind little rascal, Uncle, don’t mind him!”

Master Hu put down the handkerchief in his hand, waved dismissively, and pulled out a prescription from his bosom, saying: “Changqing…”

“This month’s medicinal materials, right?” Du Changqing grabbed the prescription and walked to the counter. “Your nephew will get them for you right away!”

A’Cheng placed the freshly brewed tea in front of Master Hu and looked at him with some sympathy. There were many suckers in the world, but Master Hu was the only one he’d ever seen who was a sucker yet thought he was getting a good deal.

Master Hu was a good friend of Old Master Du. The two had similar family circumstances and had been friends since childhood. On the surface they were harmonious and friendly, but privately they competed with each other. From their wives’ appearances to their children’s studies, from height and waist measurements to clothing and accessories, they always had to compete over everything.

After Old Master Du passed away, Master Hu had no one to compete with and felt somewhat bored, so he turned his attention to Old Master Du’s son, Du Changqing. Every two months he would come to pick up medicine, and incidentally, in his capacity as an elder, lecture the younger generation a bit, seeking some spiritual comfort.

Du Changqing always put on an obedient appearance of listening respectfully, which made Master Hu feel very satisfied. Anyway, he had to buy some nourishing medicines every month. This bit of silver was nothing to Master Hu, but for the fallen Young Master Du, it could keep Renxin Medical Hall going for another month or two.

It could be said that after Old Master Du died, Master Hu was Du Changqing’s benefactor.

Toward one’s benefactor, one’s attitude should always be humble and respectful.

After Du Changqing finished preparing the medicine, he sat down beside Master Hu. Sure enough, after Master Hu drank a few sips of tea, he began lecturing Du Changqing again.

“Changqing, when your late father was gravely ill, he entrusted me to take extra care of you after his passing. Having been friends with your father for many years, I treat you as half a son. Today let me speak some heartfelt words to you.”

“Others your age have already established careers and families. When your father was alive, the family had considerable property, so it didn’t matter if one medical hall’s income wasn’t abundant. Now it’s different. You depend on the medical hall for your livelihood, and though this medical hall is in a good location, the storefront is too small and few people come to pick up medicine. If this continues, it certainly won’t be sustainable. Even if you sell the medical hall and convert it to silver, just sitting and eating away the capital isn’t a solution.”

“I see that you’re clever and have some talent. Why don’t you take the imperial examinations and seek an official position? Look at my two unfilial sons – they don’t match your intelligence, but the family taught them to read from childhood, and now they’ve achieved small successes in their careers. Do you know that my younger son recently got another salary increase…”

Du Changqing listened respectfully for a long time, until Master Hu had drunk half a pot of tea and talked until his mouth was dry before he stopped. When Master Hu was about to leave, Du Changqing wrapped up the remaining half box of cloud slice cakes in the room. With a glance, he spotted a package of medicinal tea left on the table – this was the bonus gift from that girl who sold pollen typhae carbonisata last time. A’Cheng couldn’t bear to throw it away, and after drinking it for two days without any problems, he kept it.

Du Changqing wrapped this package of medicinal tea together with the leftover cloud slice cakes in red paper and stuffed it into Master Hu’s hands as he was boarding his carriage, saying with a smile: “Uncle is very busy, so your nephew won’t see you off far. Spring has just passed, so I specially prepared this spring gift for you. The medicinal tea inside can relieve nasal congestion and sinusitis. You must take care of your health.”

Master Hu laughed heartily: “Changqing is so thoughtful.” He instructed the carriage driver and departed.

As soon as the carriage left, the smile on Du Changqing’s face collapsed. As he walked back into the room, he said irritably: “That old pedant, finally got rid of him.”

A’Cheng said: “Actually, what Master Hu said wasn’t wrong. Boss, you could go take the imperial examinations…”

Du Changqing glared at him: “Easy to say – do you think I don’t take the examinations because I don’t want to?” He cursed and continued: “Even my father never lectured me like this!”

“As the saying goes, even dogs wag their tails at their masters. Now the medical hall’s income all depends on him,” A’Cheng smiled. “Boss should be more tolerant.”

Du Changqing kicked toward his backside: “Who’s the dog? Who are you calling a dog?”

A’Cheng rubbed his backside and grinned: “I am.”

…

When Master Hu returned to the Hu residence, his wife was in the room looking over account books sent by the steward.

Seeing the oil paper package in Master Hu’s hand, Madam Hu snorted: “Went to Renxin Medical Hall again?”

“Brother Du’s deathbed request – how could I refuse?”

Madam Hu smiled without warmth: “You’re rushing to give people money, and they treat you like a sucker. He doesn’t even try to improve himself – what business is it of yours to worry about?”

“You women don’t understand!” Master Hu waved his hand, not wanting to say more to her. “Besides, he gives tea gifts every time. What sucker? How unpleasant your words are!”

Madam Hu looked at him sideways and said sarcastically: “Just some leftover cakes and tea dregs – what spring gift? Only you are so sincere.”

“I can’t out-argue you, I’m too lazy to talk to you.” Master Hu opened the oil paper package. Usually it was just some worthless tea cakes, and today was the same.

He took out the cloud slice cakes, his gaze falling on the wrapped tea leaves.

This paper package was tied with thick red thread, and there were words written on the white oil paper. Master Hu’s eyesight wasn’t good, so he leaned in close to look and discovered two lines of poetry: “Willow catkins also mock human feelings for being shallow, deliberately clinging to clothes and brushing faces.”

The handwriting was a woman’s decorative small script, every stroke carefully written, elegant and charming.

Master Hu’s eyes lit up – he loved these refined things most. This oil paper package with poetry written on it, even if it contained tea dregs, seemed to have much more charm.

He instructed the servants: “Brew this medicinal tea. I’ll drink this for the next few days.”

Madam Hu looked at him, somewhat puzzled: “Usually the tea sent over goes to the servants. Why do you want to drink it yourself today?” She glanced at the tea package again. “Not drinking the good tea in the house, but drinking this instead – what’s wrong with you?”

“Refined taste cannot be measured by money!” Master Hu flicked his sleeve and was about to argue, but seeing his wife’s expression, he quickly coughed softly. “Changqing said this tea can regulate sinusitis and nasal congestion…”

He said quietly: “Let me drink it for a few days and see.”