Days of Studying
Suyin thought lightly about the sight of the fake jade of the dragon items, but she couldn't argue with others because most likely they wouldn't have seen it before. Suyin knew that only Qin Fuhua had that Jade of the dragon. It was like an identity of his, so how was someone able to impersonate him so easily? It made her furious, yet she couldn't do anything about it.
Suyin was stomping down, angry about what had occurred but then a carriage had stopped in front of her.
"Please wait." The man inside of the carriage ordered. The horses halted as Suyin stopped to see who it was. She lowered her head, trying to identify the person before she realized who it was.
"Miss Suyin." Wansun softly said, smiling as he got down the carriage.
"Ah! Wansun! What a pleasure to finally find you!" She happily said, waving at him. Some of the people around the area watched while others continued to walk past them. Wansun had his left hand behind his back and his right hand in front of him. He was wearing a silver-silk hanfu, laughing at Suyin's actions.
"What are you doing?" He chuckled at her waving action.
"Oh, this? It's a way of saying um.." She had to think for a second. Of course, it was different back in the days. No one would wave at each other like this in the old days. Suyin laughed, "it's a way of saying hello to friends!" Suyin smiled.
"Were you looking for me? I stopped to say hi to you, but if there's anything you need, don't hesitate." He kindly stated. Suyin could thank the gods that Wansun was such a kind, sincere person!
"Remember about the offer to stay at your place to study some more? Do you think I can come to stay at your place for a while to study more medicine?" Suyin asked, a bit shy since it was the first time that she had to ask someone to stay at their place. Wansun smiled, his eyes turning into a smile also as he nodded.
"Of course, Miss Suyin! It's a pleasure to be able to teach you." He said. "Come into the carriage and we shall head to my place."
Suyin shook her hands, "Ah, no! That is for you!" She quickly rejected, "I shall walk." Suyin pointed.
"Miss Suyin, please. The words of the wind whistling along with the trees do not turn back to where it came from.* (NOTE: This means that it's against his morals to allow her to walk since it isn't gentleman-like)."
With no choice, Suyin was in the carriage with Wansun, sitting in there as she looked outside in the window. The two had conversed in the carriage, with Suyin talking about her adventures and her encounter with a snake bite, not specifically talking about Qin Fuhua, but saving someone with it. She wanted to learn more about medicine so that something like that can be prevented in the future.
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Suyin pondered the counterfeit jade with a sense of disbelief and frustration.
She couldn't argue with the inn's workers; most likely, they had never seen the real thing.
The real Jade of the Dragon was an emblem of Qin Fuhua's identity, so how could someone impersonate him so effortlessly? Her anger simmered, but she felt powerless to rectify the situation.
As she stomped down the street, fuming over the incident, a carriage abruptly halted in front of her.
"Please wait," a voice commanded from within. The horses came to a stop, and Suyin peered inside, trying to discern the identity of the speaker. Recognition dawned on her, and she smiled warmly.
"Miss Suyin," Wansun greeted softly as he descended from the carriage, his face lit with a gentle smile.
"Ah! Wansun! What a pleasure to finally find you!" she exclaimed, waving enthusiastically.
Passersby glanced curiously at the scene, while others continued on their way. Wansun, dressed in a silver silk hanfu, laughed at her animated greeting.
"What are you doing?" he chuckled, amused by her modern gesture.
"Oh, this? It's a way of saying, um..." She paused, searching for the right words.
Of course, waving wasn't customary in these times.
Suyin laughed, "It's a way of saying hello to friends!" She smiled brightly.
"Were you looking for me? I stopped to say hi to you, but if there's anything you need, don't hesitate," he kindly offered.
Suyin silently thanked the gods for Wansun's kind and sincere nature.
"Remember your offer to let me stay at your place to study some more? Do you think I can come to stay for a while to learn more about medicine?" Suyin asked, her voice tinged with shyness.
It was her first time asking someone for such a favor.
"Of course, Miss Suyin! It's a pleasure to be able to teach you," Wansun said warmly. "Come into the carriage, and we shall head to my place."
Suyin quickly shook her hands in refusal. "Ah, no! That is for you!" she exclaimed. "I shall walk." She pointed down the road, emphasizing her independence.
Wansun smiled gently and insisted, "Miss Suyin, please. The words of the wind whistling along with the trees do not turn back to where it came from." His voice held a tone of unyielding courtesy, reflecting his belief in chivalry and propriety.
Realizing she had no choice, Suyin reluctantly climbed into the carriage beside Wansun.
As the carriage jolted into motion, she settled into her seat and gazed out the window, watching the bustling streets fade into the distance.
Inside the carriage, the two engaged in lively conversation. Suyin shared tales of her adventures, recounting her experiences with a sense of excitement.
She spoke of the time she encountered a poisonous encounter, though she carefully omitted any mention of Qin Fuhua, instead focusing on the medical aspect of the event.
"I was able to save someone, but it made me realize how much more there is to learn about medicine," she explained. "I want to be prepared for any situation in the future."
Wansun listened intently, his eyes reflecting admiration and curiosity. "You have a remarkable spirit, Miss Suyin. It's admirable that you wish to expand your knowledge to help others." Suyin smiled, feeling a sense of camaraderie with Wansun. "Thank you, Wansun. Your guidance will be invaluable. I hope to learn as much as I can from you."
As the carriage rolled along the road, the sun dipped lower in the sky, casting a warm, golden hue over the landscape. Despite the earlier frustrations, she knew she was on the right path, and with Wansun's help, she could deepen her understanding of medicine and continue to grow.
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Several days had passed since Suyin had settled into Wansun's household. He had graciously provided her with a guest room and introduced her as a "maiden-in-training," a convenient pretext for her presence in his courtyard to further her medical studies.
Each day followed a routine. Suyin would wake up in her cozy guest room, where one of Wansun's maids would offer her a simple but nourishing breakfast.
After eating, she would make her way through the corridors to Wansun's courtyard. Her first stop was the library, where she immersed herself in medical texts.
Following her reading, she would head to the medicine room, where she experimented with combining different herbs, learning which combinations were effective and which were not.
On this particular day, however, Wansun had different plans for her. As she walked into the courtyard, she found him waiting with a bamboo basket slung over his shoulder.
He was dressed in simple cotton clothing and topped off his attire with a broad bamboo hat. He grinned at Suyin, who looked at him curiously, lowering the book she was holding.
"Where are we going?" she asked, her curiosity piqued.
Wansun handed her a bamboo hat, still smiling. "There's a certain rare herb I want to find. It grows in the mountains, and I need it for my research. You will accompany me as my apprentice."
Suyin's eyes widened with excitement. "Really? That's wonderful! I've always wanted to learn about rare herbs in their natural habitat."
Wansun nodded. "It's a valuable learning experience. We'll head out immediately. The journey will be long and a bit strenuous, but it will be worth it."
With the bamboo hat secured on her head, Suyin felt a rush of anticipation. She quickly gathered her things and joined Wansun as they set off towards the mountains. The sun was still low in the sky, casting a golden glow over the landscape as they walked through the bustling town and into the lush, green wilderness beyond.