Chapter 555: Chapter 195: Couples Outfits_3
Sharpness turned into warmth, the sparse breeze through the bamboo forest, suddenly illuminated by the warm sun.
In front of the dical Officer Institute, the hustle and bustle of the crowd slowed, and the noise gradually faded, overshadowed by the presence of the two people standing beneath the carriage.
They wore robes of the sa pale blue and shared a similarly striking handsoness. However, the sa color, worn by different people, took on a completely different air.
One was cool and detached, like the long wind in the mountains, or a clear lake, always shrouded in a light mist; the other stood out brightly, elegant and superior, like the clear skies after rain, a soft midsumr night, clean and clear.
The flickering shadows of the trees fell upon the steps, but the two figures in front of the clinic made even the narrow dirt road of West Street appear dazzling.
Sister Song clutched her chest, and then looked back at Du Changqing, who was brandishing a spoon. Suddenly, she felt that the normally handso young proprietor appeared sowhat dimr today.
The two young gentlen in blue gowns locked eyes, montarily taken aback by the striking similarity in color.
At the entrance, Miao Liangfang, who was heads down arranging the red-lettered sign, widened his bleary old eyes, looked at Lin Danqing and asked, "Doctor Lin, is this the new dical Officer robe issued by the Hanlin dical Institute?" He then asked, confused, "And why did they send a piece to Marshal Pei as well?"
Du Changqing slamd down his ladle and crossed his arms, scoffing coldly, "Truly breathtaking."
Lu Tong: "..."
At the other end, Pei Yunng also caught sight of Ji Xun’s robe and his expression paused before his gaze towards Duan Xiaoyan turned imdiately cold.
Duan Xiaoyan choked slightly.
"Miscalculation," the young man said in anguished hushed tones, "I didn’t expect Young Master Ji to have such deep sches, making it seem as though the two of you clashed by coincidence. No matter... Brother, you have enough charm to outshine everyone."
"Besides, who cares what he does, it’s an accident that Young Master Ji wore the sa color. As long as we have the sa color as Doctor Lu..."
The young man’s voice vanished abruptly upon setting eyes on Lu Tong.
Pei Yunng looked forward.
Standing in front of the clinic was a woman in a yellow dress, wearing a pale yellow thin blouse over a brocaded skirt dyed with the color of marigolds. Her black hair was adorned with a dark green silk flower, her beauty radiant and figure graceful, soft and vivid just like a charming spring scene from Jiangnan.
It was Lu Tong.
Pei Yunng glanced at Duan Xiaoyan perfunctorily.
Duan Xiaoyan fell silent.
"She... she’s wearing yellow," he said.
To go through so much effort and calculation to wear a blue piece, only to learn that the other party wore yellow, accidentally clashing with another man’s attire, was truly like lifting a rock only to drop it on one’s own feet; man’s plans can’t compete with those of heaven.
Lu Tong was oblivious to the various thoughts running through the minds of the people under the tree, rely puzzled that Pei Yunng had chosen to wear a color he didn’t often wear. The yellow dress she wore was chosen by Yin Zheng at Ge Tailor Shop, who had said that Ge Tailor Shop sold the best-colored satin, perfect for making dresses.
Outside, the sun continued to blaze, but Yin Zheng approached with a smile, breaking the awkward silence, "Both Doctor Ji and Little Lord Pei have arrived, please co in quickly, Ah Cheng has already prepared the tea."
The two n exchanged a glance, nodded slightly to each other as a gesture of acknowledgnt, and walked into the shop one after the other.
Behind Ji Xun, his attendant Zhu Ling strained to place a glass jar with a slender neck and large belly on the clinic’s tea table, then proudly declared with a crisp voice, "This is a congratulatory gift from my young master, ’Green Bamboo Dew.’"
Miao Liangfang: "Green Bamboo Dew?"
"When one has a liquor in their heart, their head suffers dizziness. In the sumr heat, it’s easy to develop phlegm. My young master made this Green Bamboo Dew himself; you can’t buy it anywhere else."
Zhu Ling spoke with pride, while Du Changqing rolled his eyes dramatically behind her and silently mouthed ’worthless’ to Miao Liangfang.
Lu Tong took the glass jar and said to Ji Xun, "Many thanks."
Ji Xun nodded, "You can use it for the celebration today."
Seeing this, Duan Xiaoyan, unwilling to be outdone, squeezed forward, nonchalantly pushing Ji Xun aside and placing a bamboo basket on the table with a beaming smile, "My lord has also brought a thankful gift, Doctor Lu please see—"
Lu Tong looked down, and Ji Xun was also taken aback.
Upon lifting the silk cloth covering the woven bamboo basket, they found that it contained a lumpy, unevenly shaped black mass and so dried branches and herbs.
Lin Danqing blinked and asked, "Is this... dicinal herbs?"
"Exactly!"
Duan Xiaoyan said earnestly, "After all, it’s a dical hall, so Lord Pei thought it’d be better to give sothing more practical rather than flashy gifts. Since Doctor Lu isn’t a person covetous of money, he had soone find so rare and exotic dicinal ingredients, which would be convenient for Doctor Lu when he wants to make new dicines or develop new formulas."
Exotic dicinal ingredients are hard to find, not because they are expensive, but so are scarce in Shengjing due to regional or environntal reasons. She flipped through quickly, so of the herbs were even hard to co by in the Imperial Apothecary and couldn’t help but glance at Pei Yunng.
Such a gift is indeed precious.
When Pei Yunng saw her looking, he hooked his lips slightly and said leisurely, "Doctor Lu won’t be sending back the gift this ti, will he?"
His words had quite a deep aning, causing everyone around to look at the two of them.
Lu Tong closed the lid of the bamboo basket, "I won’t, thank you, Lord Pei."
"Of course." He smiled.
"Ahem—"
At the doorway, Du Changqing squeezed in, scanning both of them with a smirk but not a smile, "Ti is getting on, everyone has arrived, let’s not crowd at the doorway. Please, co inside for the al."
"Ah Cheng, serve the al—"
Ah Cheng responded, moved the dicine barrels at the door inside, locked the main gate, and ran off cheerfully towards the interior.
Only Duan Xiaoyan scratched his head, speaking sowhat bewilderedly, "Wasn’t it said that we should invite distinguished guests and friends... Just a few people here?"
Of course, no one answered him.
Yin Zheng lifted the felt curtain, and everyone walked in one after another.
The small courtyard had already been cleaned up in advance, becoming even neater and more refreshing. A cloth canopy had been raised in the courtyard to block the harsh sunlight overhead, and with trees surrounding the yard, it wasn’t too hot. When the occasional breeze blew, it even felt slightly cool.
The rest had already been to the yard a few tis, with only Ji Xun and Zhu Ling visiting for the first ti, so they walked even slower.
"Young Master—" Zhu Ling tugged at Ji Xun’s sleeve, "There’s actually a plum tree in front of the window here!"
Ji Xun didn’t fancy flowers much but loved plum and bamboo. Now, he had grown a clump of green bamboo in front of his own window. When he was younger, living in the Ji family’s residence, he had planted a white plum tree outside his window. Later, as he focused on making dicines, and being young, he sotis disposed of the leftover dicinal residues under the plum tree, which over ti led to the tree withering away.
Seeing him engrossed, Yin Zheng said with a smile, "This is the lady’s room. In winter when the flowers bloom, just opening the window lets the plum blossoms drift in, which is quite a beautiful sight."
Turning her head, she saw that everyone had already gone to the stone table under the courtyard canopy and taken their seats, so she called out, "Doctor Ji, Ah Cheng is serving the al, would you two please take your seats first."
Ji Xun nodded in acknowledgnt.
He walked to the stone table where Miao Liangfang and Duan Xiaoyan had already sat down. Lu Tong was arranging the bowls and chopsticks, and Ah Cheng was swift in action. In no ti, the table was filled with an array of dishes, and the excess was placed on a small wooden stool in front of the stone table.
Fried spring goose, quails poached in a clear broth, lychee pork loin stewed with duck, mountain cooked mutton, honey glazed tofu, snow clam soup, wine braised conches...
There were so pieces of waxed paper from the restaurant, yet to be fully peeled off, sticking to so of the dishes.
But...
It was still quite bountiful.
Zhu Ling sat down next to Ah Cheng, Miao Liangfang and Yin Zheng sat together, and Du Changqing, after receiving the Green Bamboo Dew that had just been brought, asked Lu Tong to sit as well.
Watching Lu Tong take a seat under the canopy, Ji Xun saw there was a seat empty beside her. After a mont of hesitation, he walked towards Lu Tong.
He still had so things he wanted to ask Lu Tong.
When Lu Tong noticed his movent, she too paused in surprise. Ji Xun approached Lu Tong, lifted the hem of his robe slightly, and was about to sit down.
Suddenly, a voice ca from an angle.
"If I may ask—"
Ji Xun looked up.
Pei Yunng appeared at so point and had walked over.
A breeze stirred the plum tree’s branches, and the opened Green Bamboo Dew began to exude a faint fragrance. The young man stood in front of the two, with bright, smiling eyes, yet his tone carried a hint of innocence.
"May I sit here?"
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