Chapter 20: Pharmacopoeia, Turning Point of Fate
The sky was clear, and the breeze was gentle.
The quiet village seemed to have an indescribable, captivating charm, like a pearl adorning the lush land.
Young, strong people were busy in the fields, while children played, running from house to house, with occasional sounds of scolding from the homeowners.
There was no competition for fame or wealth, nor life-and-death struggles; only the bustle and joy of a peaceful life.
"Big sister, you're so pretty."
A little girl with horned braids suddenly ran over. She looked like she had an appreciation for beauty, her bright, sparkling eyes fixed on Zhu Zhuqing, who noticed the girl drooling.
"Thank you, you're very pretty too…"
Zhu Zhuqing pinched the girl's chubby cheek. Her previously tense and cold face softened, and she forced a warm smile.
Her eyes were crescent-shaped and full of fondness for the little girl in front of her.
"..."
She's pinching me!
I'm here to collect dates!
Knowing that this would not end well, Su Ye turned his head and teased:
"Call me 'handsome big brother,' and I'll let you have some dates. Say it, and you'll get one."
The little girl's eyes sparkled, and she shyly pulled her hand away from Zhu Zhuqing, heading toward Su Ye.
Her soft, pink lips puckered, and she said loudly in a childish voice, "Handsome Gege~"
"Ah, I like girls who speak the truth like you. Come on, take two for yourself."
Su Ye gave Zhu Zhuqing a provocative look, like saying, "You just don't get it."
"Handsome Gege~~" The girl seemed to have discovered the secret to wealth, with both fists clutching two plump dates, looking like she was about to punch someone. Her bright eyes darted between the dates and Su Ye.
Su Ye nodded in satisfaction, "Not bad, not bad. I like the way you speak, so take two more."
"Mm, yes. Mm, yes." The girl struggled hard, but with one small hand, she couldn't hold two dates. She was so focused that tears almost started to form.
Finally, with Su Ye's reminder, she wrapped her outer garment around the dates.
Seeing that there were dates, a group of children ran over.
In the midst of loud calls of "Big Gege," the little "bandits" carried off the basket.
In the yard, the warm, playful atmosphere among the children made Zhu Zhuqing a little dazed. She had long forgotten this feeling back at the Zhu family.
"…Childish!"
Seeing Su Ye look at her with amusement, Zhu Zhuqing coldly snorted and turned her head away.
Damn, she had been tricked by the little girl.
Jealousy~
Jealous women are terrifying~
Su Ye clicked his tongue and laughed, "I remember you're two years younger than me, probably only twelve years old this year, right?"
"What, do you think I can't tell you're just a little girl just because you have a big chest and a strong backside?"
As he spoke, Su Ye politely glanced at her body.
"You…!"
If looks could kill, Zhu Zhuqing would have turned Su Ye into dust with her eyes.
The calm, cold aura she had cultivated since childhood seemed completely ineffective against this mischievous boy, who could always make her grit her teeth in frustration.
Being in the situation, Zhu Zhuqing didn't realize…
During her time with Su Ye, her face had gained more lively energy, no longer cold and distant, her heart no longer as heavy or lonely.
The atmosphere quieted slightly.
After enough teasing of the little kitten, Su Ye, who was still relying on her for care, raised his chin and spoke firmly:
"Little kitten, show me what's left in the storage ring…"
"Those are my treasures, don't you dare embezzle them."
Embezzle?
You think I'll steal your things?
That storage ring still belongs to me!
Zhu Zhuqing's face turned as cold as ice. With a flick of her wrist, she casually took out everything from the storage ring.
There wasn't much.
A bow and arrows, an empty quiver.
A few gold coins.
Then there was a bottle of medicine and a gold card.
And then… a thick bundle wrapped in cloth.
"Open that bundle," Su Ye instructed.
Though reluctant, Zhu Zhuqing still reached out and tore the cloth open, revealing two thick books.
Books??
Zhu Zhuqing was stunned. This guy had tossed out everything else, but he left two books behind.
The one on top was titled…
Pharmacopoeia??
Could it be about medicinal herbs?
Zhu Zhuqing was puzzled and was about to ask, but saw Su Ye lazily leaning back in his chair, yawning. As his eyes closed, his voice drifted out.
"Study it well, take a good look…"
"Later, make me some medicine, don't mix up the herbs."
Mix up?
I wish I could poison you with something!
Driven by curiosity, Zhu Zhuqing, holding back her frustration, opened the Pharmacopoeia.
At first, she didn't feel anything was off, but gradually, she realized something was wrong.
Having grown up in the Zhu family, she was much more familiar with the current state of the continent than most people.
Pharmacology of Medicinal Herbs was a secret not passed down to outsiders by the great alchemy families, something that ordinary people could never touch. Even she had only obtained a detoxification pill.
"This..."
"These pharmacological details, how can they be so thorough?!"
The more she read, the more shocked she became. Zhu Zhuqing's breathing grew rapid.
Without a doubt, the Pharmacopoeia in front of her was an immense treasure.
If the great families were to learn of it, they would probably pay any price to acquire it.
Taking a slight breath, Zhu Zhuqing tried flipping backward through the pages.
Boom—!
"Dan..." She seemed to have seen something, her delicate face contorting in shock. Her mouth opened in an expression of disbelief, and she quickly slammed the book shut.
Her gaze swept the room, and seeing no one, she exhaled deeply, her heart racing, looking as though she had just stolen something.
"How... how could this guy have something like this??"
Her chest rose and fell rapidly, her eyes gleaming as if she had discovered a new world. Shock, amazement, and intense joy spread across her face.
She stole a glance at the person pretending to nap, and the girl's eyes, sparkling like waves, flashed with a complex expression. Her face flushed, and she lightly bit her pink lip, her shyness palpable.
If this thing were to be revealed, the entire continent would go mad.
She wasn't foolish—she understood that the boy's mention of making medicine was just a cover…
This book was deliberately shown to her.
Realizing this, a strange, indescribable emotion flashed through Zhu Zhuqing's mind, and her face slowly became flushed.
Lowering her head, the girl seriously began reading, her posture reminiscent of a studious student preparing for exams, except with a very stunning figure.
Above, the clouds floated lazily.
At this moment, time seemed to stand still, warm and serene.
...
In the silent night.
The oil lamp illuminated the dark room, and a hissing sound came from the medicinal pot.
With Granny Mu moving about, many medicinal herbs for healing had been collected from the village, but unfortunately, Su Ye's hands were immobile.
Since Zhu Zhuqing was by his side, he couldn't make higher-level medicines and could only rely on brewing potions to recover slowly.
Seeing Zhu Zhuqing's meticulous manner, Su Ye couldn't help but remind her.
"Hey, watch carefully, don't let the medicine burn dry."
"Ah—" Zhu Zhuqing responded obediently, quickly checking the pot, looking a bit like a silly little girl.
Then, she lowered her head and continued reading.
Su Ye didn't disturb her. On the way to the Star Dou Forest, the original Pharmacopoeia, Volume 1 had been synthesized into the Complete Pharmacopoeia.
In it, aside from knowledge about medicinal herbs, there were also methods for refining pills, which might be a huge opportunity for someone.
Soon, the medicine was ready.
"Here, drink it while it's hot."
Gulp~ Gulp~
After drinking the medicine, Su Ye felt warm all over, and sleepiness soon overtook him as he drifted off to sleep.
Warmly, Zhu Zhuqing adjusted the blanket for him and then continued sitting at the table, reading.
Clearly, she had realized that this was something that could change her fate!
(End of Chapter)
ps: read advance chapters at https://www.patreon.com/c/lilsakka419/posts