Time flowed like water, and in the blink of an eye, March arrived, bringing increasingly warm weather.

The willows were green, and willow catkins floated everywhere. By Luoyue Bridge, beautiful people and scholars strolled endlessly, admiring famous flowers and gathering with good friends. The streets were filled with fragrant carriages and horses, their golden saddles competing for space on the roads, adorning the capital with a patchwork of red and green, making the spring scenery magnificent.

With more people going out, Spring Water Tea sold well. Lu Tong arranged the medicinal tea containers into a small tower on the yellow wooden table at the front of Renxin Medical Hall, and had Yin Zheng write a piece of calligraphy to hang on the wall behind the table.

Often, scholars who came to buy medicinal tea would enter the medical hall and, before noticing the tea, be captivated by the writing behind it.

“A lonely guest sits quietly alone, brewing tea with spring water from a single bottle. A few plum trees welcome early spring, as fine rain and gentle wind watch the falling flowers.” Someone standing at the medical hall’s entrance mumbled the poem on the wall, then softly praised: “Beautiful writing!”

Lu Tong looked up to see a middle-aged man dressed as a scholar, wearing a square cloth on his head and a faded blue robe with patches hidden at the elbows. The man seemed somewhat embarrassed, his face reddening as he asked Lu Tong at the medicine counter: “Miss, do you sell nasal congestion medicinal tea here?”

Lu Tong didn’t say much, only gesturing to the mountain-like stack of canisters: “Four taels of silver per container.”

Though this man’s attire showed his poverty, with a sallow complexion indicating his struggles, a container for four taels of silver would certainly not be cheap for him. However, upon hearing the price, he only took a deep breath and pulled out a worn pouch from his chest, shaking out a collection of scattered silver pieces.

Ah Cheng took them to weigh – exactly four taels of silver. Lu Tong then gave him a container of medicinal tea, instructing: “Take it two to three times daily after brewing. One container can be divided into five or six servings.”

The scholar nodded in acknowledgment, tucking the medicine container into his chest like a treasure before slowly walking away.

After he left, Yin Zheng watched his retreating figure, somewhat puzzled: “This person seems to be in financial difficulty, why would he buy such expensive medicinal tea? Isn’t he just adding to his burden?”

Lu Tong followed her gaze for a moment, then lowered her head to rearrange the containers, saying softly: “Perhaps it’s for someone he cares about.”

…

The scholar left West Street, went around the temple entrance, and entered a fish market.

The market had dozens of fish stalls reeking of fish and blood, but it was already closed for the day. He carefully avoided the blood stains and fish scales on the ground, turning into a thatched cottage.

The cottage was very dilapidated but kept very clean. Hearing movement, a hoarse voice of an old woman came from inside: “My son?”

The scholar responded with an “Ah!” putting down the tea container and hurrying in to help the person inside sit up.

This scholar was named Wu Youcai, a learned man with some talent, but for unknown reasons, he always seemed to lack luck in the examinations. After repeated failures, he remained unsuccessful even in middle age.

Wu Youcai lost his father early in life, and his mother raised him single-handedly by killing and selling fish. Perhaps due to years of hard work, a few years ago, Madam Wu fell seriously ill and remained bedridden. After this year’s Spring Festival, her condition worsened. Wu Youcai sought out many good doctors, but they all said her lamp of life was running out of oil, and she was just counting her days.

Wu Youcai was a filial son. After the initial heartbreak, he found various ways to fulfill his mother’s lifelong wishes. One day he would buy her a bowl of flower soup, the next day he would have clothes made for her. When he wasn’t studying, he would kill fish to earn some silver and have some savings. These days, he spent his savings liberally, all to see his mother smile.

Madam Wu was gravely ill, often in a daze, sometimes lucid, sometimes confused. Now, her lucid moments were becoming increasingly rare, and for long periods, she couldn’t recognize her son. A few days ago, she told Wu Youcai she wanted to see the willow catkins by the river embankment.

Seeing willow catkins wasn’t difficult, but Madam Wu had always suffered from nasal congestion. In previous springs, she never went without a handkerchief. Just then, Wu Youcai heard from a scholar friend returning from the Peach Blossom Festival that there was a medical hall on West Street selling a kind of medicinal tea that was remarkably effective for nasal congestion and rhinitis. Wu Youcai was very interested upon hearing this. Although four taels of silver per container was truly expensive for him, it would be worth it if it could fulfill his mother’s wish.

He carefully divided the medicinal tea and slowly brewed it in a porcelain pot for half a day, poured it into a bowl, and when it was warm, fed it to his mother spoonful by spoonful. After drinking, his mother became drowsy and fell into a confused sleep. Wu Youcai then went outside to continue processing the fish he hadn’t finished during the day.

After three days of drinking the tea, early on the third day, Madam Wu became lucid again and called out wanting to go see the willow catkins by the river embankment. Wu Youcai carried his mother on his back, covered her nose and mouth with a handkerchief, and took her to the river embankment by Luoyue Bridge.

There were pavilions along both banks of the embankment for visitors to rest. Wu Youcai went in with his mother to sit down, letting her lean against him while cautiously removing the handkerchief from her face bit by bit.

Madam Wu showed no signs of discomfort.

Wu Youcai’s eyes gradually brightened.

This Spring Water Tea worked!

There was an endless stream of visitors on Luoyue Bridge, with thousands of new green leaves swaying indefinitely in the wind. Wu Youcai became momentarily dazed. Since his mother fell ill, he had been busy selling fish and caring for her during the day and studying by lamplight at night. It had been long since he had leisure time to look at the scenery. Only now did he realize that, unknowingly, spring had come again.

“These are willow catkins—” someone beside him spoke. He turned to see his mother gazing at the smoky willows along the embankment, her eyes showing rare clarity.

Wu Youcai’s heart ached, and he nearly burst into tears as he said gently: “Mother, these are willow catkins.”

Madam Wu slowly turned her head, staring at him for a while, as if just remembering who he was: “You’re Youcai.”

She could recognize him! Wu Youcai grabbed his mother’s hand, feeling how skeletal it had become, and choked out: “Yes, it’s me, Mother.”

The new willows on both banks were emerald green, making the woman’s hair appear silver in contrast. Madam Wu smiled and patted his hand, speaking softly as she used to comfort him when he was scolded by his teacher: “Thank you, my son, for bringing your mother to see the willow catkins.”

Wu Youcai felt great anguish in his heart.

His mother didn’t notice his expression and smiled while looking at the distant smoky willows: “Come to think of it, when you were little, you loved to come to the embankment to fly kites. Every time we crossed Luoyue Bridge, you would always pester your father to buy you flour snacks.”

Wu Youcai choked up as he agreed.

Back then, he was still at a carefree age. His father was still alive, and his mother would endure her nasal congestion, covering her face with a handkerchief to accompany father and son to the embankment, complaining while holding his kite and following behind.

Later, after his father passed away, his mother worked at the fish market, having to deal with fish scales and fishy smells daily. He was determined to succeed through studies, working extremely hard, and no longer had time for leisure activities around town. Hearing his mother’s words today, he realized that coming to the embankment with her to chase the spring breeze was already something from more than twenty years ago.

Wu Youcai finally couldn’t hold back his tears.

Looking at his mother’s hunched and withered body, he cried: “It’s all because your son is unfilial. All these years, I haven’t achieved any official rank to let you enjoy a good life. Mother, you’ve suffered for me for many years, but as your son, I have nothing to show for it, only knowing how to read a few dead books, still unable to pass the examinations…”

A hand stroked his head.

The woman’s smile was gentle, hiding her heartache, as she looked at Wu Youcai and said softly: “My son, don’t say such things. If anything, your father and I were useless, leaving you nothing. Studying is your aspiration, but official rank is ultimately external. As your mother, I only wish for my son to be safe and healthy – that is my blessing.”

“Your mother hasn’t studied, but I know the principle that good things come to those who persevere. My son has talent, you will earn your way eventually, why worry about it now?”

Wu Youcai wept uncontrollably.

The woman smiled again and said: “Besides, what do you mean you have nothing to show? Didn’t you just give me a wonderful gift?”

Wu Youcai was stunned.

Madam Wu pointed to her nose and smiled with a sigh: “That medicinal tea you bought works very well. In all these years, this is the first time your mother has been able to come to the embankment to see flowers so comfortably. Don’t be sad, take a good look at the scenery. Tomorrow, come with Mother to look again, and we must buy a bowl of hot pork trotters to eat!”

Wu Youcai wiped away his tears and smiled: “Yes.”