“When I was young, I didn’t understand. But as I grew older and thought back, I truly envied Senior Brother Hao Yue. The love between my Senior Brother and Sister-in-law was the most beautiful relationship I had ever witnessed from childhood to adulthood. They were truly what you would call divine lovers.”
Sun Muqing spoke with a sigh, then continued, “The last time I saw Sister-in-law was over ten years ago. Come to think of it, I saw less and less of Senior Brother Hao Yue too as time went on. Things were better when we were children. Ninth Miss probably doesn’t know, but all the children from the different branches of the Sun family in Medicine King Valley studied together at the clan school. We learned to read and write together, took exams together, and even got punished together. Those were the happiest times.”
As Sun Muqing spoke, it made Qin Wan recall her own childhood memories, though hers weren’t as enjoyable as Sun Muqing’s. At that time, her father was just a minor criminal investigator at the patrol office, and their family lived quite modestly. Unlike others, however, she had started watching her father perform autopsies from an early age.
Qin Wan thought for a moment, then suddenly asked, “Does Madam Sun have a brother?”
Sun Muqing’s eyes lit up. “How did Miss Qin know?”
Qin Wan’s eyes shifted slightly as she smiled and said, “Earlier when we went to the back, I heard some noise from a courtyard. At first, I thought someone was inside, but soon Uncle Dong came over and said there were some dogs inside that Madam Sun’s brother had sent.”
Sun Muqing made a surprised sound but didn’t pursue the matter further. He just nodded and said, “Yes, Sister-in-law does have a brother. I met him once when we were young. Master Bai had excellent calligraphy. I remember when we met, Master Bai was writing by himself while the rest of us just stood watching. I heard that when Master Bai injured his right hand by accident as a child, he temporarily switched to writing with his left hand. The family elders were worried at first, but surprisingly, Master Bai managed to write almost as well with his left hand as his right in just half a month. When this news reached us, even our teacher mentioned it—”
Qin Wan nodded, then frowned and asked, “Does Madam Sun like dogs? Or is it Master Bai who likes them? Or perhaps Doctor Sun?”
Uncle Dong had mentioned that Master Bai sent dogs over, but since Madam Sun was here to recover from illness, it seemed odd to send dogs without reason. Someone must have liked them for them to be sent. Sun Muqing frowned slightly at the question. “I’m not sure about that. We were all young when we met, and we weren’t always together. I don’t recall hearing about anyone’s particular fondness for pets, though it’s possible I just didn’t know, or they might have developed such interests later.”
Qin Wan found this reasonable, then suddenly remembered the person she’d seen last night. “Is Doctor Sun still treating patients here? Last night when I was accompanying Sixth Sister to get something, I saw someone with disheveled hair. Later, Uncle Dong said it was a patient staying in this residence who had run out of their courtyard due to being mentally unclear.”
Sun Muqing showed a moment of surprise. “That happened? Were you frightened?”
Qin Wan shook her head, and Sun Muqing continued, “I only arrived yesterday myself, so I don’t know about these things. However, Senior Brother Hao Yue was one of Master’s most outstanding disciples. Though he left the mountain early, Master still often mentioned him to me. His medical skills are superior to mine, so it’s natural for him to be treating patients now.”
Qin Wan sighed, “Those from Medicine King Valley are truly different…”
Sun Muqing smiled. “Miss Ninth flatters me. This is simply a physician’s duty.”
As they talked, the two had walked along the main path to the east of the residence’s central axis. Ancient trees cast shadows overhead, with layers of snow piled up, making the residence appear particularly gloomy and cold. Qin Wan’s breath formed white clouds as she looked around and asked, “Why did Doctor Sun choose to buy this residence? It’s so large, yet only the two of them live here. It must be quite lonely usually.”
Sun Muqing tilted his head in thought. “I haven’t asked about that. Perhaps it’s because Sister-in-law is ill. I noticed Senior Brother is even less talkative than before. When I saw him yesterday, we didn’t talk for long. Later, when I mentioned having some friends staying at the Laifu Inn, including one who had shown me great kindness, Senior Brother suggested you all come to stay here since the residence is so large. I haven’t had much chance to talk with him. The residence is indeed quite large, but perhaps Senior Brother likes the climate here. Plus, this residence is below Goddess Peak, and legend has it that a goddess truly lives on the peak, blessing the locals with good health…”
Sun Muqing laughed, “I must seem foolish to Miss Ninth, as medical practitioners shouldn’t believe in such things.”
Qin Wan shook her head. “Medical practitioners are ordinary people too. There’s no harm in seeking good fortune. Now it’s winter, but in summer, this Cloud Mist Mountain area must be very cool. By the way, Doctor Sun came here half a year ago, right?”
“That’s right. Senior Brother said he was originally treating his Sister-in-law’s illness in Yizhou, but the Sister-in-law prefers cool weather, so near the end of spring, approaching summer, he brought her south for a change of scenery. Since Sister-in-law doesn’t like traveling by boat, they didn’t cross the Yan River but just visited several places around Cloud Mist Mountain. Later, when Sister-in-law came to Goddess Peak and saw the vast bamboo forest here was cool and pleasant, she fell in love with the place. Seeing this, Senior Brother had people look for a residence, and I suppose this was the only one that suited them both.”
As she listened to Sun Muqing’s steady narration, Qin Wan couldn’t help but turn to look northwest. When they had arrived last night in the heavy snow and cold wind, the mountain peak had been shrouded in thick fog, and their vision had been limited by the snow and mist. But now that the snow had stopped and daylight had fully arrived, they could see for ten miles.
With just one look, Qin Wan saw a tall peak in the northwest direction. The Hundred Herbs Garden was already situated on a gentle slope halfway up the mountain, and following the mountain a few miles further up, there was a peak that rose straight into the clouds like a giant stone pillar. Because of the protruding rocks on its surface, it vaguely outlined what appeared to be a human figure, and the clouds at the peak’s summit were like a veil, subtly hiding the beautiful goddess’s face…
Though Qin Wan didn’t believe in ghosts and spirits, she had visited temples and worshipped Buddha with her parents before. There was no harm in seeking good fortune. Moreover, this residence on the mountainside amidst the bamboo forest had excellent views and fresh air, and was peaceful and scenic—truly an ideal place for recuperation. She wondered how the previous owner could bear to part with it.
As they walked and talked, they soon arrived at what appeared to be a particularly spacious courtyard. Qin Wan looked up to see the character “Benevolent Heart” inscribed above the door, clearly indicating this was Sun Hao Yue’s main residence.
“This is it. Senior Brother and Sister-in-law live here.”
Just as Sun Muqing finished speaking, a round-faced elderly maid walked out from the courtyard. Upon seeing Sun Muqing and Qin Wan, she was startled at first but quickly recovered, “Is… is this Young Master Cousin?”
Sun Muqing quickly nodded, “Yes, it is. What is Senior Brother doing? I’ve come to see him.”
The elderly maid nodded repeatedly, “Very well, very well. This servant will announce you right away. Please wait a moment, Young Master Cousin.”
The maid didn’t recognize Qin Wan and gave her another glance before entering. Sun Muqing looked at Qin Wan and smiled slightly, “Senior Brother doesn’t like to talk much. Please don’t take offense when you meet him, Miss Ninth.”
Qin Wan quickly nodded, “Of course not. I’m afraid I’m intruding on your reunion with Master Sun.”
“Not at all!” Sun Muqing waved his hand. “Senior Brother is busy all day, though most of his time is spent accompanying Sister-in-law. Since Sister-in-law fell ill, he hasn’t wanted to leave her side…”
Hearing this, Qin Wan felt somewhat moved to sigh. In her previous medical studies, she had seen many couples face various issues when one partner became seriously ill. In wealthy families, even if the couple had been deeply in love before, the husband would usually take concubines or remarry if his wife fell ill. It was even more tragic for ordinary poor families—a wife’s illness would burden the entire family, and among common people who had to make a living, how many could maintain their unity of heart and mind under the grinding pressure of illness and poverty?
At first, everyone thought Qin Chen and Yao Xinlan were deeply in love too, but later it turned out Qin Chen had someone else in his heart. What about Senior Brother Hao Yue and Madam Sun? Thinking of how Sun Hao Yue’s first action upon returning home yesterday was to inquire about Madam Sun’s condition, Qin Wan felt certain that Sun Hao Yue’s feelings for Bai Feiyan were indeed different.
“Young Master Cousin, the Master invites you in—”
Soon, the elderly maid from before came out, and Sun Muqing smiled, said thank you, and walked inside. Upon entering the courtyard, they saw Sun Hao Yue standing at the door waiting for Sun Muqing. Seeing him, Sun Muqing said, “Senior Brother, am I disturbing you?”
Sun Hao Yue shook his head, naturally also noticing Qin Wan who had entered together with Sun Muqing. Sun Muqing continued, “I brought Ninth Miss to see you. This is the ninth Miss of the Qin family, the one I mentioned before who showed me great kindness.”
Hearing this, Qin Wan felt somewhat embarrassed—she had only given Sun Muqing several dozen taels of silver for travel expenses, yet in his words, it had become a great kindness.
“Qin Wan pays her respects to Doctor Sun.”
Qin Wan curtsied, and Sun Hao Yue nodded, his face still showing that compassionate expression that, while not particularly smiling, didn’t give off a sense of coldness. “No need for such formality, Miss Ninth. Please come in and sit.”
The main hall’s doors were open, and Sun Hao Yue stepped aside to invite them in. Sun Muqing smiled as he entered the hall. Having grown up together, even though Sun Hao Yue was several years older than Sun Muqing, Sun Muqing treated Sun Hao Yue as one of his own, so his words and actions were quite casual. “Senior Brother, what were you doing? Where is Sister-in-law? Now that I’m here, I must pay my respects to Sister-in-law.”
“I’m preparing medicine, and your Sister-in-law is asleep.”
Sun Muqing let out a disappointed “Ah.” “Then I’ve come at an inconvenient time.”
Sun Hao Yue met Sun Muqing’s gaze and seemed to notice the disappointment in his eyes. He said, “She’s finally managed to fall asleep, so we shouldn’t disturb her. However, since you haven’t seen her for over ten years, it wouldn’t be right for you to leave without seeing her. Come with me.”
Sun Muqing’s eyes brightened slightly, then he glanced at Qin Wan. “Senior Brother, Ninth Miss…”
“Ninth Miss can come along too,” Sun Hao Yue said considerately.
Sun Muqing’s smile immediately widened, and he quickly followed Sun Hao Yue toward the inner chamber with Qin Wan. As they walked, Qin Wan’s brows furrowed slightly. She had noticed a medicinal smell since entering the courtyard, and it grew stronger as they approached the inner chamber. The three went through the side door of the main hall and continued to the back, walking through several twists and turns before reaching the inner chamber. Sun Hao Yue carefully pushed open the door, and an even stronger medicinal fragrance wafted out.
A landscape screen stood at the entrance. Sun Hao Yue led Sun Muqing and Qin Wan inside, and they stopped in front of the first curtain after passing the screen. Qin Wan glanced around to see the room was hung with four layers of curtains and decorated with great elegance. In the corner, meditation incense burned, with the agarwood fragrance particularly noticeable. The inner chamber was extremely spacious with wide windows all around, but behind the screen hung layer after layer of curtains. Currently, all the curtains were lowered, and only the faint shadow of a bed could be seen in the innermost area.
Sun Hao Yue lifted the first curtain and walked in, then lifted the second. By the time he lifted the fourth curtain, the true appearance of the inner chamber was revealed. But here Sun Hao Yue stopped. He raised his chin slightly, gesturing for Sun Muqing and Qin Wan to look toward the bed, and said softly, “If we go any closer, we might wake her. Take a look at her from here.”
They were already quite close to the bed, though its curtains were also lowered. Through the thin white gauze, they could faintly see a woman lying there. Bai Feiyan lay flat, her face unclear, but Qin Wan could see her ink-black hair spread across the pillow like a waterfall. She was covered with thick brocade quilts, and it was difficult to see the rise and fall of her chest. Looking at her like this, Qin Wan could barely detect signs of life. Her heart sank—what illness could this be? Had it perhaps reached a terminal stage?
Sun Muqing also sighed, naturally sensing something was wrong. Afraid of disturbing Sister-in-law, he turned to leave after looking for just a moment. Sun Hao Yue lowered the curtains one by one, and after leaving the inner chamber, he quietly closed the door.
Sun Muqing had remained silent until they returned to the main hall, where he finally asked, “What illness does Sister-in-law have exactly?”
Sun Hao Yue sighed, “It’s a deficiency condition she’s had since birth.”
Sun Muqing blinked. “Even with Senior Brother’s excellent skills, it can’t be treated?”
As Sun Hao Yue thought of his beloved wife’s condition, his eyes darkened slightly, and a shadow fell over his usually calm, compassionate expression. “I once wrote to Master about it. Master said my prescription was correct, but she’s physically weak and needs time. Half a year ago, her condition became somewhat serious. It improved a bit after coming to Cloud Mist Mountain, but now winter has arrived and it’s difficult again. Sometimes she sleeps for several days at a time, and sometimes when she wakes she can’t sleep at all. She’s growing increasingly weak.”
Both Qin Wan and Sun Muqing were medical practitioners, so hearing this gave them some understanding. If even Sun Xi said Sun Hao Yue’s prescription was correct, then it was just a matter of time, or perhaps, they couldn’t rule out the possibility that Bai Feiyan’s weakness might lead to her life burning out.
“With Senior Brother here, Sister-in-law’s illness will surely improve. It’s just that this winter is indeed difficult to endure. Things will be better once winter passes.”
As Sun Muqing offered these words of encouragement, Sun Hao Yue nodded and called toward the door, “Aunt Lin… bring some tea.”
There was a response from outside, and the elderly maid who had welcomed them earlier entered the main hall. Qin Wan and Sun Muqing took their seats in turn, and after Aunt Lin served them tea, she withdrew…
Sun Hao Yue spoke softly, “Try it. It’s grown in our tea garden in the back.”
While holding his teacup and using the lid to brush away the floating tea leaves, Sun Muqing said, “Not far from the residence Senior Brother bought, there’s a very large tea garden to the east. A few years ago, it was a famous recreational spot within a hundred li. Later, the owner stopped growing tea and left the area, and the garden fell into disuse. Then this residence also became empty. I suspect Senior Brother chose this place partly because of that tea garden. Now Senior Brother has planted many medicinal herbs there.”
Upon hearing this, Qin Wan suddenly understood. Wei Changfu had mentioned that his inn was busiest because of that tea garden. So the tea garden he spoke of was owned by this old residence’s previous owner…
Qin Wan nodded in response, feeling there was some mysterious destiny at work.
After Sun Muqing and Qin Wan tasted the tea, both showed expressions of satisfaction. Sun Muqing then asked, “How long does Senior Brother plan to stay here? Or do you plan to live here with Sister-in-law from now on?”
Sun Hao Yue replied softly, “We’ll stay here for now. Once your Sister-in-law’s condition improves, we’ll see what she wants to do.”
When Sun Hao Yue spoke these words, his voice softened slightly. Though it was just a small change, Qin Wan noticed it sensitively. Hearing this, Sun Muqing smiled and said, “Senior Brother and Sister-in-law truly make others envious. Though this residence is quite large, the location is excellent.”
Sun Hao Yue lowered his eyes slightly. “Yes, she likes it here.”
Sun Muqing’s lips curved slightly. “With the New Year approaching, Senior Brother and Sister-in-law can have a quiet celebration. If you were in Yizhou or Lianzhou, all the family branches would gather together, which wouldn’t be good for Sister-in-law’s recovery.”
“That’s right. This year it will just be the two of us celebrating.”
Though they would be celebrating alone, there wasn’t a trace of regret in Sun Hao Yue’s voice. Instead, there was a faint sense of contentment, as if he had long looked forward to spending the New Year just the two of them.
After saying this, Sun Hao Yue looked at Qin Wan. “I heard from Muqing that Miss Ninth’s group is heading to the capital?”
Qin Wan nodded. “Yes, we’ve imposed on Doctor Sun’s hospitality, but once the snow melts, we’ll be setting out.”
Sun Hao Yue shook his head gently, the tenderness from moments ago now gone. “It’s no imposition. The residence is extremely large, and having more people stay here is no trouble. Since you are Muqing’s friends, we naturally should host you properly. It’s just that we don’t have many servants here, so please be understanding if there are any shortcomings. You can find Uncle Dong or Aunt Lin if you need anything.”
Qin Wan quickly bowed her head. “Yes, Doctor Sun need not worry. My siblings and I are all staying very comfortably.”
Seeing Sun Hao Yue speaking with Qin Wan, Sun Muqing’s smile widened, and he began to talk about his connection with Qin Wan. He started from their meeting in Jinzhou to their encounter in prison, omitting only the details about Qin Wan treating venereal disease and Qin An’s crime, then spoke of their meeting at the inn, finally exclaiming excitedly, “I never expected to have such a destined connection with Miss Qin—”
Listening to this, Qin Wan felt her face grow hot, as her gift truly didn’t count as a great kindness. “Master Sun has a pure heart. If not for this, my siblings and I would have been stranded in the snow and ice. Having Master Sun as a friend is truly Qin Wan’s good fortune!”
After they exchanged such compliments for a while, Sun Hao Yue listened with a calm expression, occasionally asking a question or two. Most of the time it was Sun Muqing speaking. After finishing a cup of tea, Sun Muqing finally said, “Senior Brother mentioned you were preparing medicine earlier. Would you like some help?”
Having studied medicine at Medicine King Valley, everyone was accustomed to preparing medicines themselves, which is why Sun Muqing offered to help. Sun Hao Yue’s lips curved slightly. “No need. This residence is quiet with little entertainment. Please keep Ninth Miss and her siblings company on my behalf.”
This arrangement was quite good, so Sun Muqing stood up and said, “Very well then, I won’t disturb Senior Brother any further. Ninth Miss hasn’t had breakfast yet, so I’ll escort her back—”
Sun Hao Yue and Qin Wan both stood up, and Qin Wan curtsied to take her leave from Sun Hao Yue.
As the two came out, they happened to see Aunt Lin standing at the courtyard gate holding a food box while talking to another elderly maid. Aunt Lin had a round face with rosy cheeks and appeared very kind. Seeing Sun Muqing and Qin Wan emerge, she smiled, said something else to the other maid, and then waved her away. Once the maid left, Aunt Lin turned and said, “Are Young Master Cousin and Miss Qin leaving? I didn’t realize it was Miss Qin earlier. Please forgive me.” She curtsied to Qin Wan as she spoke.
Qin Wan waved it off, and Aunt Lin smiled, “This servant was just about to take some snacks to the west side. Young Master Cousin and Miss Qin, please go ahead.”
Sun Muqing looked at the food box in Aunt Lin’s hands and smiled, “What delicious treats do you have there, Aunt Lin?”
Aunt Lin lifted the box and opened the lid. “They’re tea pastries. Would Young Master Cousin like to try one?”
Sun Muqing laughed heartily and took one, popping it into his mouth with a “chomp.” After a moment, he exclaimed “Excellent!” “Did you make these, Aunt Lin? They taste much better than the ones by the Yan River!”
As the three walked and talked, Aunt Lin’s face showed pride at these words.
“Young Master Cousin guessed correctly! I did make them! The Young Master also found them delicious… I thought since we don’t have many elaborate dishes in the residence, I’d bring some for Young Master Cousin and our guests to try.”
Qin Wan just smiled faintly as she listened, but Sun Muqing was quite interested. “Thank you for your trouble, Aunt Lin. Did you come with them from Yizhou?”
At this question, Aunt Lin nodded. “Young Master Cousin has good eyes! When Young Master and Madam came here, they only brought a few people with them. Old Servant and Old Dong were among them. After arriving here, they bought a few more servants, but since Young Master personally takes care of Madam, we only need to serve Young Master himself.”
Hearing this, Sun Muqing immediately asked, “Does Sister-in-law come out often?”
This question seemed to stump Aunt Lin, who smiled wryly. “To tell Young Master Cousin the truth, this servant only started serving in the Benevolent Heart Courtyard about ten days ago. Shortly after arriving here, my old chest pain condition flared up. It was so bad I thought I was going to die, but unexpectedly, Young Master saved my life. Afterward, I spent three whole months recovering. At first, I couldn’t do heavy work, so I just helped in the kitchen. That’s when I started making these tea pastries. Strangely enough, my style of cooking matched the local taste quite well.”
Sun Muqing was surprised and carefully examined Aunt Lin’s complexion before nodding. “So Aunt Lin recently recovered from a serious illness? No wonder your complexion seems slightly off. What illness did you have? With Senior Brother here, how could it not be cured!”
While Aunt Lin was talking about her illness, Qin Wan had also been observing her complexion. She was about to ask something when Sun Muqing beat her to it. Aunt Lin replied, “I don’t know exactly what the illness was, just that my chest would often hurt. Sometimes the pain was so bad I’d black out and faint. It wasn’t usually severe, but suddenly became serious after coming here. Fortunately, Young Master was here.”
Aunt Lin wasn’t versed in medicine, and Sun Hao Yue hadn’t explained the details to her. Sun Muqing’s eyes darted about before he asked, “So how did Senior Brother cure you…”
At this question, Aunt Lin’s eyes immediately lit up, filled with admiration for Sun Hao Yue. “Young Master Cousin is also skilled in medicine, so you must know about opening the chest… Young Master diagnosed me multiple times and said there was likely something growing inside my chest, so he later used the chest-opening method to remove it.”
Sun Muqing’s eyes also brightened. “Opening the chest?”
Aunt Lin nodded continuously. “That’s right, I still have a scar on my chest!”
Sun Muqing looked at Qin Wan. “Ninth Miss knows something about medicine too, right? Have you heard of this method? To actually open someone’s chest and remove the growth inside—Senior Brother truly has miraculous skills!”
When Sun Muqing first met Qin Wan, she was getting medicine, and when he heard her hesitating between different medicines, he knew she had written the prescription herself. He didn’t know she was the famous Little Immortal Doctor, nor did he think the Qin family would send their daughter to study medicine, so he just assumed she had some medical knowledge out of personal interest.
Qin Wan naturally understood what Aunt Lin meant. She had used this method when treating Princess Tai Zhang, though the difference was that Sun Hao Yue had operated on the chest—one wrong move could damage vital organs. Qin Wan nodded, her admiration for Sun Hao Yue growing even stronger. “Doctor Sun truly lives up to his reputation as a divine physician—”
As Qin Wan spoke, Aunt Lin’s face showed pride by association. “Indeed! The old Valley Master once declared that Young Master had such talent that he could become the next Medicine King.”
Sun Muqing nodded, but Aunt Lin sighed slightly. “However… with Madam so ill now, Young Master’s thoughts are all with her. I see him studying medicine all day, which is good, but he’s lost his smile.”
At these words, Sun Muqing’s heart sank. Though they had been talking with Sun Hao Yue earlier, he indeed hadn’t seen him smile at all. Compared to that outstanding senior brother among the younger Sun disciples years ago, today’s Sun Hao Yue has become much more reserved and heavy-hearted. Illness not only the patient but also those who love them.
“Don’t worry, Sister-in-law will surely recover.”
Aunt Lin sighed. “I hope so. I hope Madam gets better soon. Things were so good before…”
The three continued talking as they walked back to the west side. Before they reached their destination, Qin Wan suddenly saw Fu Ling and Wan Xing anxiously waiting at the path entrance. Upon seeing Qin Wan appear, Fu Ling immediately ran over. Qin Wan then realized she hadn’t told them where she was going when she left, and hadn’t returned since then—Fu Ling and Wan Xing had spent the whole morning not knowing where she was.
“Miss, why were you gone so long? When this servant woke up, I didn’t know where you’d gone!”
Fu Ling grabbed Qin Wan and looked her up and down twice before sighing in relief. She continued, “If Wan Xing hadn’t suggested we could look for footprints, this servant would have thought you’d disappeared. We followed the footprints and saw that you went north and came back, then went east. We figured you must have gone to see Doctor Sun, so we waited here.”
Qin Wan couldn’t help but laugh at this. She hadn’t thought about checking for footprints either. As she thought about this, she glanced at Wan Xing. Previously, Wan Xing rarely entered the main room, so she hadn’t gotten to know her well. Now that they had spent more time together, she discovered that Wan Xing often surprised her. “Don’t worry, I’m back now. I just woke up too late this morning.”
Seeing this, Aunt Lin smiled. “Don’t worry, Miss Qin won’t get lost in this residence.”
Fu Ling curtsied to Aunt Lin, who then handed over her basket, saying, “These are tea pastries for our guests. I’ll leave them with you, miss. Please distribute them to everyone. This servant must return to Benevolent Heart Courtyard to watch over things—it’s almost time for Madam to take her medicine.”
Fu Ling quickly accepted the basket. “Please don’t worry, I’ll take care of it.”
Aunt Lin nodded and turned to leave. Fu Ling held the food box and said, “Please come have breakfast with us, Master Sun. Everyone’s eating at Third Young Master’s place, and Fifth Miss and Sixth Miss are up as well.”
Sun Muqing smiled. “Very well, let’s eat together…”
When they arrived at Qin Yan’s courtyard, breakfast was indeed already laid out. Sun Muqing invited everyone to be seated and said, “We went to see Senior Brother, sorry to keep everyone waiting…”
Qin Xiang, sitting to the side with a delicate expression, asked, “Ninth Sister went too?”
Qin Wan, who had just sat down, nodded. “I went for a walk this morning and happened to meet Master Sun, so I went along with him. Since we’re staying here, we should express our gratitude.”
Qin Yan responded, “We should indeed thank him. I’ve been remiss.” He turned to Sun Muqing. “Master Sun, is Doctor Sun busy today? Would it be inappropriate if we visit later?”
Sun Muqing replied casually, “Senior Brother is preparing medicine, but he’ll certainly receive Master Qin. Please feel free to go. Though my Senior Brother isn’t talkative, he treats people very well. Master Qin need not worry.”
Qin Yan nodded, reassured, and everyone began eating.
After breakfast, Qin Wan returned to her room. Soon after, Qin Shuang suddenly ran over and said as soon as she entered, “Did you know? Third Brother just went to see Doctor Sun in the east…”
Qin Wan wasn’t surprised at all. “Didn’t we discuss this earlier?”
But Qin Shuang shook her head and said in a low voice, “But Fifth Sister went along too…”
Qin Wan wasn’t particularly surprised by this either. She just went to sit on the low couch by the window to make new medicine pouches. Meanwhile, Fu Ling brought over a hot water bottle for Qin Wan. “Sixth Miss, what’s wrong with Fifth Miss going east with the Heir?”
Qin Shuang blinked. “Earlier when Ninth Sister went east, Fifth Sister’s tone was so sweet, and now she’s hurrying after Third Brother. Isn’t it obvious she’s trying not to be left behind?”
Fu Ling tilted her head in thought for a moment, then asked puzzledly, “What’s there to compete about in visiting the east side?”
Qin Shuang snorted and sat beside Qin Wan. “She’s jealous of Ninth Sister, so whatever Ninth Sister does, she wants to do too. Today it’s seeing Doctor Sun, tomorrow it might be meeting some prince or noble…”
At this, Fu Ling seemed to understand somewhat but smiled wryly. “Well… our Miss can’t do anything about that.”
Hearing this, Qin Shuang’s brows furrowed slightly as she looked at Qin Wan, but Qin Wan showed no reaction. Qin Shuang said urgently, “She’ll try to steal from you too…”
Qin Wan looked at her helplessly. “What’s meant to be mine can’t be stolen, and what’s not meant to be mine will leave even without her taking it. Sixth Sister, are you bored in the courtyard? Would you like to borrow a book from me to read?”
Qin Shuang snorted lightly. “You don’t recognize good intentions!”
Though she showed displeasure, Qin Shuang didn’t leave. She just sat there and after a moment said gloomily, “It is indeed very boring. In the carriage, we could at least see the scenery outside and occasionally watch some activity on the road, but not here.”
Qin Wan listened without expression. “Sixth Sister isn’t feeling well, perhaps you should go rest.”
Qin Shuang snorted again, then suddenly said, “Why don’t we go out for a look? Didn’t we see a bamboo forest when we arrived yesterday? That place looked quite nice. Shall we go see it?”
She turned to look out the window. “The snow outside is so beautiful, it would be nice to play in it too!”
Qin Wan remained unmoved. After walking around this morning, she had already settled into a quiet mood. Seeing that she couldn’t persuade Qin Wan, Qin Shuang was thoroughly discouraged. Just then, footsteps sounded outside. “Ninth Miss, are you there—”
Hearing Sun Muqing’s voice, Fu Ling hurried to open the door. “Master Sun, Miss is here. What is it?”
Sun Muqing’s lips curved upward. “You must be bored staying in the room all the time. Why don’t we go look at the tea garden?”
Hearing this, Qin Shuang’s eyes lit up and she jumped up. “Where’s the tea garden? Let’s go, let’s go now!”
Sun Muqing’s smile deepened, and Qin Wan reluctantly put down her medicine pouch.
When the group of seven left the courtyard gate, Qin Yan and Qin Xiang hadn’t returned yet. Qin Shuang just told Zhou Huai, who remained in Qin Yan’s courtyard, before they headed west. As they walked, Sun Muqing explained, “There’s a side gate on the west side. After walking a short distance beyond it, we’ll reach the garden.”
Sun Muqing had clearly asked for directions and led the way. Soon, they exited the small side gate on the west and followed a snow-covered path northwest. They hadn’t walked far before seeing the well-maintained tea garden on the hillside. The old tea garden had been abandoned, with only a small patch of tea trees remaining. The rest of the area was now planted with medicinal herbs by Sun Hao Yue.
“There’s still tea here, that small garden patch over there. The rest is all medicinal herbs. Over there is Angelica, Astragalus, Costus Root, Gastrodia. On the outside are Notoginseng and a patch of Ginseng…”
Sun Muqing walked with everyone, explaining as they went. While many people grew flowers, grass, and tea, few grew medicinal herbs. Qin Shuang was highly enthusiastic, walking quickly to the front. After just a few steps, Qin Shuang suddenly stopped and pointed at the herb garden below.
“Look, someone built a large snowman there—”
At this, Qin Shuang became excited and hurriedly lifted her skirts to run down. Qin Wan was also slightly surprised. In the distance, by the stone wall of the herb garden, there indeed appeared to be a slightly crooked snowman. She exchanged glances with Sun Muqing and also walked down. Qin Shuang was the first to reach the snowman, but before Qin Wan and Sun Muqing could get close, Qin Shuang’s face suddenly changed drastically as she screamed, “This—this isn’t a snowman—”