Chapter 18: Chapter 17 Fame_1
Two days later, it was the annual Peach Blossom Festival in Shengjing.
In the midst of Luoyue Bridge, light boats shuttled back and forth like shuttles. On both sides of the riverbank, smoke-willow trees were heavily clustered. Following the riverbank for about six or seven miles, there was a small lake with a pavilion in its heart. Around the pavilion, three or two small boats were moored, which were the elegant scholars gathered here for pleasure during the Peach Blossom Festival.
This place was serene, surrounded by the lake on all sides, with a grand view of the riverbank upon lifting one’s gaze and the moving sight of peach blossoms in the distance. Literary men and scholars favored this spot the most, gathering each year at the heart of the lake during the Peach Blossom Festival to compile several collections of poetry and literary selections.
This year was no different.
Scholars and literati were engaging in lively discussions here, their poetic inspirations at a peak, when another small boat stopped in front of the pavilion and a person disembarked. Wearing a headcloth and clad in a brand-new chestnut-colored long robe, he appeared lively and especially spirited.
It was Official Hu.
When the people in the pavilion saw Official Hu, they were first startled, and then exclaimed in surprise, "Official Hu, how come you are able to attend the Peach Blossom Festival today?"
Official Hu pursed his lips, "Why wouldn’t I be able to come?"
"Aren’t you the one who suffers from nasal congestion every year, and start to have an endless runny nose at the sight of poplar and willow catkins?" Another person curiously asked, "In previous springs, you barely ever left your house, so how come you stepped out today? There’s no shortage of poplar flowers along the way."
Some also stared at him in astonishment, "And we haven’t seen you covering your face with a handkerchief, old Hu, you this..."
Official Hu walked to the table in the pavilion and sat down, maintaining his composure as he lifted his arm, and waited for everyone to look at him before he began to speak slowly and deliberately, "Not only did I attend the Peach Blossom Festival today, but I also strolled around the riverbank a few times. Before boarding the small boat, I even bought a bowl of marinated duck to eat under Luoyue Bridge. As for the handkerchief," he suppressed his pride with a light smile, "my nasal congestion has been relieved, so naturally, I no longer need a handkerchief."
"Old Hu, surely you’re not kidding us?" Before he could finish, a fellow guest expressed his doubt, "Nasal congestion is always difficult to treat, and many of our old friends suffer from it, unable to attend the Peach Blossom Festival and miss the gathering for poetry and wine. How did you manage to cure it?"
Hearing this, Official Hu snorted, "Why would I decieve you all? It’s not like it benefits me much. If you don’t believe me, just go to Renxin Medical Hall on West Street Alley and buy some Nasal Congestion Herbal Tea. Drink a couple of packets and you’ll see whether I’m lying."
He casually pulled the poetry book out of everyone’s hands, "For so many years, this is the first time I’ve seriously looked at the poplar flowers. I think for today’s poetry gathering, we should make the poplar flowers our theme!"
...
Lu Tong was destined not to witness the lively scene of the poplar blossom poetry gathering.
The owner of Renxin Medical Hall, Du Changqing, who used to live the life of a dandy, flirting with women and indulging in pleasures, had since turned over a new leaf and paid no mind to past romances. On the day of the Peach Blossom Festival, he hid in the shop, looking over the account books all day.
Although those account books were not much to look at.
Yet, even if he had the inclination, Lu Tong would not have had the leisure. On those days, Lu Tong was busily yet unhurriedly making herbal tea.
The ingredients for the Nasal Congestion Herbal Tea weren’t expensive, so Du Changqing was quite generous, allowing Lu Tong to go ahead with the making. Yin Zheng, however, was always worried and asked Lu Tong, "Miss, we’ve made so much herbal tea, but haven’t sold a single jar yet. Should we stop for now?"
"No need," said Lu Tong. "Someone will buy it eventually."
"But..."
Before the words were out, suddenly someone called out, "Excuse me, does your esteemed medical hall have Nasal Congestion Herbal Tea for sale?"
Lu Tong looked up and saw that in front of the medical hall, a group of about five or six people had gathered, all dressed as literati with headcloths and long robes. Upon seeing Lu Tong’s face, they too were momentarily taken aback, seemingly not expecting the resident doctor to be a young and beautiful lady.
Du Changqing tossed the account book aside and eagerly stepped forward to welcome them, "Gentlemen, are you looking to buy Nasal Congestion Herbal Tea? We have it, we have it. In all of Shengjing, only our Renxin Medical Hall carries this herbal tea."
The young scholar at the head of the group didn’t dare raise his head to look at Lu Tong’s face and, with flushed cheeks, said, "Official Hu told us that there is a herbal tea here that can relieve nasal congestion..."
Lu Tong lifted her hand and took out several cans of herbal tea from the small tower, placing them in front of the group, and said, "Are you here to buy ’Chun Shui Sheng’? It’s four taels of silver per can."
"Chun Shui Sheng?" The scholar was puzzled.
Lu Tong smiled: "’When willow flowers scatter, spring water comes alive’—nasal congestion often signifies during the time when willow flowers flutter, and it usually resolves near summer. This herbal tea is greenish in hue and has a delicate fragrance, resembling the spring water. Drink the tea, and the nuisance of willow flowers will be lifted; hence the name ’Chun Shui Sheng’."
Yin Zheng and Du Changqing were taken aback, but the group of scholars got excited. One said, "How elegant, how elegant! Such an elegant name for this herbal tea, even if it doesn’t work, I must try it. Miss," he laughed, "I’ll take two cans!"
"I’ll take two cans as well!"
"My grandfather has suffered from nasal congestion for years and he loves poetry and literature. How can I not buy two cans to give to him? Give me two cans too!"
Renxin Medical Hall suddenly became bustling.
The cans of herbal tea on the yellow wooden table were gone in an instant, and Ah Cheng struggled to pop his head out from the crowd: "Gentlemen, wait a moment, I’ll get more, don’t push, don’t push—"
...
While Renxin Medical Hall was unusually lively, just next door at Xinglin Hall, Bai Shouyi was absorbed in watering his newly acquired pot of orchids.
The orchids were fragrant and elegant, just like a noble gentleman. Bai Shouyi admired them contentedly for a moment, then suddenly remembered something and asked Zhou Ji at the medicine cabinet, "By the way, old Zhou, how’s Renxin Medical Hall doing recently?"
"Not so well." Zhou Ji smiled along: "Du Changqing hired a young lady to be the Resident Doctor; how could others trust her? It’s simply a self-defeating move. I heard that since that woman arrived, not even a person buying medicine can be seen at Renxin Medical Hall. I’m afraid it won’t be long before the shop truly collapses into his hands."
Hearing this, Bai Shouyi gloated, his plump, round face beaming with schadenfreude, while still pretending to be concerned: "This Young Master Du has been spoiled by his father since childhood. Although he’s already of age, he has accomplished nothing, neither can he lift nor carry. You see, such a good medical hall, and he manages to mess it up like this, it’s really dreadful."
He affected a sigh while fiddling with an orchid leaf and continued: "If it really comes to that, I, as a neighbor, should also show some benevolence and take over that medical hall. Later, go inquire about his shop again, but the offer now will definitely not match the silver from half a year ago..."
While he was speaking, suddenly the voice of the shop assistant Wen You shouting from outside interrupted: "Shopkeeper, Renxin Medical Hall... Renxin Medical Hall..."
Bai Shouyi looked up, "What about Renxin Medical Hall?"
"In front of Renxin Medical Hall, a lot of people have gathered!"
"A lot of people?" Bai Shouyi was startled and contemplated, "Could it be that the woman caused someone’s death with her treatment, and now the patients are making trouble?"
A young female doctor who overestimates her medical skills inevitably blunders and causes someone’s death—it’s a common occurrence. Du Changqing thinks he’s being innovative when in reality, he’s digging his own grave. Now, trouble has come knocking on his door.
As Bai Shouyi was thinking this way, before he could let out a smirk, he saw Wen You stammeringly say, "No, those people said they’re there to buy herbal tea from Renxin Medical Hall."
With a "snap".
The water he was using for watering spilled all over the ground.
Bai Shouyi exclaimed in a loud voice, "What did you say?"