The morning light was faint; the sound of flowing water beneath the Yingyue Bridge broke the silence of the night.
A sudden rain last night had washed away the floating dust of the Imperial Capital and knocked down quite a few willow catkins by the riverbank. The faded red blossoms and ruined catkins drifted with the waves, gathering in clumps along the embankment.
Qingluan carried a copper basin downstairs to fetch water, happening upon the innkeeper clicking his abacus at the counter. With her pleasing appearance and sweet tongue, she was quite popular in the inn. Seeing it was her, the innkeeper stopped his work and smiled, "Up so early, Miss Qingluan?"
Qingluan pursed her lips in a smile. "Yes, I thought I'd take advantage of the early cool."
The innkeeper glanced toward the stairway and lowered his voice. "Your young lady was busy in the back kitchen until the third watch last night; the fire didn't go out the whole time. You're a thoughtful one; you should persuade her more. Her health is her own; what will she do if she ruins it by overworking?"
Qingluan agreed, though she knew Lu Li's temperament well. A few days ago, Lu Li had sent her to buy raw mugwort leaves at the medicine market and borrowed the inn's kitchen to process the herbs, working for half the night. Though the innkeeper's words were concerned, his eyes held a trace of disdain. Processing herbs was a delicate craft; a slight mistake could destroy the medicinal properties. Even the resident doctors in the city sometimes failed, so how could Lu Li, a young girl working alone, possibly succeed? She was being somewhat overconfident.
Qingluan pretended not to notice the slight contempt, exchanged a few more pleasantries with the innkeeper, and then carried the water back upstairs to their room.
Pushing the door open, a faint herbal fragrance still lingered inside. Lu Li sat at the table, carefully wrapping the processed medicinal charcoal in white paper, binding it meticulously with thick red thread, and gently placing it into a wooden box she carried with her.
"Miss?"
Lu Li stood up at the sound and smoothed her sleeves. "Let's go."
Leaving the inn, the sky outside was already bright. The morning sun wasn't harsh; a soft halo of light rested on them, bringing a slight warmth.
Mornings in the Imperial Capital always carried a leisurely air. Tea stalls were everywhere, and tea houses lined the streets. Tea guests fanned themselves and cracked melon seeds; people drinking tea and chatting could be seen everywhere. In the distance, the faint sound of opera from the pear garden embellished the bustling capital with liveliness.
"The Imperial Capital is nice," Qingluan whispered from behind, "but things are too expensive. This place is a den of squandering gold; silver flows out faster than water."
Lu Li remained silent.
Before Aunt Yun died, she had asked Lu Li to burn all the medical books in her chest along with her body, leaving the remaining silver to her. But over the years, Aunt Yun had spent money lavishly; the silver she earned was immediately turned around to buy new herbs. After Lu Li handled Aunt Yun's funeral, her savings were meager.
The cost of travel, food, and lodging all the way back from Qinghe County to the Imperial Capital had been significant. Qingluan had privately calculated a few days ago that, deducting the cost of buying herbs, the remaining silver was tight—enough to last them only half a month more in the capital.
At most half a month; if they didn't find a solution by then, they would truly have nothing left.
As they pondered this, the two walked through streets and alleys, following a bustling long street. Turning a corner, a medical hall appeared before them.
Among a row of neatly repaired shops with bright facades, this medical hall seemed particularly out of place. The storefront was narrow, moss grew on the front steps, and the paint on the plaque was peeling and very old. Four large characters were written in a flamboyant script: "Huichun Medical Hall." Despite being in an excellent location, the shabby appearance made it inconspicuous, and passersby hurried past, rarely noticing it.
Lu Li stopped and walked toward the medical hall.
Upon approaching, they found the interior even more desolate. A long table was placed at the front, almost blocking the entrance. A young man wearing a oriole-yellow gauze straight robe sat before it, crossing his legs and nodding off. Behind him stood a whole wall of redwood medicine cabinets, with yellowed wooden tags attached, used for storing herbs.
The windows in the medical hall were extremely small, and the storefront wasn't large, making the light very dim. No lamps were lit in broad daylight; it was a gray, gloomy scene that looked somewhat eerie.
Qingluan cleared her throat, about to speak, when a young apprentice in a short shirt walked out from the back room. He was about eleven or twelve, with some pockmarks on the bridge of his nose. Seeing Lu Li and Qingluan, the apprentice froze for a moment, then walked over to the dozing young man and shouted loudly, "Boss! Wake up! Guests!"
Startled, the young man nearly fell over. He scrambled to stand up from his chair and offered Lu Li and Qingluan a fake smile. "Ah, what would the guests like to buy?"
Qingluan gave him a strange look. His words didn't sound like a doctor running a medical hall, but rather like a peddler in the marketplace.
Lu Li looked calm and spoke, "I wonder if your honorable hall accepts processed herbs?"
Seeing she wasn't a patient there to fill a prescription, the young man instantly reverted to his lazy demeanor. He gave her a languid glance and asked disinterestedly, "What herbs do you have?"
Qingluan hurriedly opened the bundle and took out a large paper package.
The other party opened the paper package, skillfully pinched a bit to smell under his nose, and rubbed it between his fingers. His gaze toward Lu Li held a hint of surprise. "Mugwort charcoal. Not bad. The fire control is even."
Mugwort charcoal was used frequently in medical halls, and raw mugwort leaves weren't expensive. Lu Li had borrowed the inn's back kitchen to roast these, expending quite a bit of effort.
Qingluan had been worried the medical hall wouldn't accept the herbs Lu Li processed. Hearing this, she relaxed half way and smiled, "My young lady's roasted mugwort charcoal is always good. Boss, look..."
Her smile wasn't as effective as usual this time. The young man held up three fingers and shook them. "Three qian of silver."
Lu Li frowned slightly.
She had spent three qian of silver just to buy the raw mugwort leaves, not to mention the labor and charcoal spent busy in the inn's kitchen these past few days. This price was much lower than the market rate; it was practically giving it away.
"What?"