Chapter Eighteen: The Luo Family

  Leaving the Western Courtyard, they walked along the willow-lined path towards Chunhui Garden. This time, Ling Yun's return to Beijing for work was met with the greatest excitement from Old Lady Xiao in the Ling household. Parents doting on their youngest child is a common human emotion; how could it be otherwise when Ling Yun's natural talent surpassed that of his two older brothers? Already more doted upon, coupled with Ling Yun having spent many years serving as an official away from home and rarely gathering together, now that they were reunited under one roof, the old lady was overjoyed to the point of not knowing what to do.

  Ling Yun had only one son and one daughter, his daughter Yuan Xuan was older, exactly 29 years old, with a beautiful appearance and a pleasant personality. His young son Yuan Hua was still young, only nine years old this year, but he was born with a delicate and lovely face, extremely likable. The old lady originally doted on her youngest son, now seeing these two grandchildren, she was even more delighted, immediately deciding to keep them in Chunhui Garden to accompany her.

  So above, the place where Ling Yuexuan lives now is Qinfangzhai in Chunhui Garden. When Yan Liu entered the house, she saw Madame Luo, Ling Yun's wife, sitting on the kang and talking to Ling Yuexuan. She hurried forward a step, smiled and greeted: "Madam, you are safe!"

  Luoshi saw that it was her and couldn't help but smile. She had already learned about Yan Liu's whereabouts from Ling Yuexuan when she came. Now seeing her return, she naturally asked: "Have all the things been sent? How are Zhou Yiniang and Ninth Miss? Did they say anything?"

  Yan Liu quickly turned around and took the Tianxiangtang pastry from Xiao Yatou's hands, presenting it to Luo Shi and Ling Yuexuan while answering: "Auntie is indeed ill, her face is yellowish, and her complexion isn't very good. When she saw me deliver the gifts, her expression was a bit strange, looking like she wanted to cry. After receiving the gifts, she didn't say much, only saying thank you to Madame and Miss Shao for remembering her."

  Yan Liu said, and then pointed to the small blue-and-white porcelain vase that had just been presented to the two of them, saying: "This vase was a return gift from Ninth Miss, who said she made it herself using an ancient recipe for Tian Xiang Tang Bing!"

  Ling Yuexuan accepted the small porcelain vase with green flowers from Yan Liu, shook it first, then opened it curiously and poured out a pill to sniff. Only then did she raise her head and smile at Madame Luo: "Mother, look at this thing, it's indeed very exquisite!"

  As soon as she said that, Luo naturally turned her head to take a look. The Tianxiangtang cake made by Yuandai was amber in color and as big as a longan, placed on the pale pink palm of Lingyu Xuan, it was quite pleasing to the eye. Just for this moment when it was taken out of the bottle, the fragrance had already spread out quietly, refreshing and pleasant.

  Tian Xiang Tang was not considered a secret recipe, and the ingredients used were only osmanthus flowers, licorice roots, and salted plums. The preparation method is also very simple, just during the golden autumn season, morning dew weather, use a wooden stick to knock down the freshly opened osmanthus flowers, put them in a cloth bag, remove the stem, mash the flowers into mud, then add licorice root and salted plum, seal the jar. After preparation, drink it every day with boiling water.

  Because this soup is often drunk down, it can make the body scatter and smell fragrant, so many people in the Great Zhou Dynasty use it, including Ling Yu Xuan.

  Ling Yuexuan thought for a moment before suddenly shouting, "Baitao, Baitao, go get me the Tianxiang soup I usually use!"

  Someone outside responded with a voice, and in a short while, a green-clad maid walked in. She glanced at Ling Yuanshuang with a hint of surprise, and Baitao asked in puzzlement: "Miss had already drunk the Tianxiang soup this morning, why did you think of it again?"

  Ling Yuexian saw that she had nothing in her hands, and couldn't help but feel a little helpless. She glanced at her and said, "Alright! You come!" Bi Tao responded and walked forward, Ling Yuexian thought for a moment, then poured out another small cake from the small jar, handed over the two cakes of Tianxiang soup to Bi Tao, and instructed: "Take it down and brew two cups to see!" Bi Tao responded, stretched out her hand to receive them, turned around and went down.

  Luoshi couldn't help but chuckle and shake his head, saying: "You little girl, you're really something else!"

  Ling Yu Xuan pinched her nose and smiled mischievously: "There's no one else around, what are you afraid of others laughing at?"

  "Right now you're at home, and your parents spoil you, but later when you get married, remember not to be like this!" As she spoke, she suddenly thought of her daughter getting married and couldn't help feeling a pang of reluctance in her heart.

  Ling Yuexuan said with a nonchalant tone: "Didn't I say it already? We have to wait until Ninth Sister gets married before it's my turn!"

  Luoshi gazed at his daughter, wanting to say something, but ultimately swallowed his words. He turned back to Yan Liu and asked in a gentle voice, "I heard that Ninth Miss is frail and often ill. How did you find her today?"

  Yan Liu thought for a moment before answering: "Ninth Miss doesn't look very well, I went to see her and she was leaning on the kang, her face was pale yellow, with some signs of illness, her spirit was tired, and when she spoke, it was slow and listless!"

  Lu smiled slightly and suddenly said: "I'm asking, when she saw you coming, did she have any unusual reactions?"

  Yan Liu was taken aback, then shook her head and said: "That's not it, when she saw me coming, her expression was still calm, as if she didn't care at all!"

  Ling Yuexuan listened to her mother's questions beside her, and couldn't help but feel surprised. Out of curiosity, she asked: "Mother, why are you asking these things?"

  Luo smiled and suddenly said: "Xuan'er, this afternoon when you have some free time, can you accompany me to visit your ninth sister?"

  Ling Yuexuan was taken aback, just as she was about to ask something, the door curtain moved and Baitao had already brought in a pair of pink ceramic cups with lids. After presenting the cups to Luo Shi and Ling Yuexuan, Baitao said with some surprise: "The young lady gave me something, but I don't know what it is, as soon as it entered the water, it dissolved and the fragrance is somewhat like our family's Tianxiang soup, but even more fragrant."

  Lu took the porcelain cup, and as soon as he lifted the lid, a strange fragrance wafted up to his nose. He took a shallow sip, and suddenly a wave of fragrance spread across his chest, giving him the feeling that his internal organs were all being permeated by the aroma.

  She was secretly wondering in her heart, but on the other side, Ling Yu Xuan had already exclaimed: "Wow! This thing is really good!"

  Luoshi couldn't help but laugh when she heard her comment on the Tianxiang Tangbing was "esoteric". She glanced at her and said, "You child, you always speak nonsense, I don't know when you'll become more steady!" After saying that, she finished drinking the Tianxiang soup in the bowl. Only then did she seem to be thinking deeply and say, "This recipe is so precious, I wonder how she came up with it."

  Ling Yuexuan spat out the small tongue of Tong Xiang, and then laughed and said: "This prescription is even better than mother's secret recipe, when I see Ninth Sister later, I will ask her for a copy of the recipe, so that we can make it ourselves in the future!"

  Luoshi nodded in agreement, with a look of approval. The Tianxiang Tang recipe had been circulating for many years and was often used by women in the inner chambers. These women were not lacking in leisure time, meticulousness, and patience. As a result, over the years, countless variations of this simple recipe had emerged. However, these innovative recipes were mostly kept within the family and rarely spread outside. Nevertheless, among the women in the inner chambers, there was still a significant amount of exchange and learning from each other to make up for their deficiencies.

  …………

  Yan Dai sat idly at the edge of the table, her hands carelessly tapping the black stones on the chessboard, producing a crisp knocking sound. Sitting opposite her was Wen Ping, who was now frowning with a helpless expression.

  Wenping had good reason to be worried. Ever since that day when Yuandai suddenly thought of the Go board in the trunk, her miserable days began. Accompanying Yuandai to play Go was not a troublesome task, but if they played for two days and didn't win a single game, how could she not feel disheartened?

  "Miss..." Wen Ping's voice was full of pleading. She really couldn't understand, after playing chess for two days, how this miss could still be so self-satisfied and not show the slightest bit of impatience.

  Yan Dai smiled and asked, "What's wrong?"

  Miss, what do you think of meeting a worthy opponent in chess? This was the most tactful way she could think of to remind Yuandai that she wasn't very good at playing chess and it would be a waste of Yuandai's skill to play against her.

  When she said that, Yuandai's face suddenly showed an inexplicable expression, and after a long time, he smiled vaguely and said: "Wenshu, what kind of person do you think I am?"

  Wen Ping was taken aback, and didn't know how to respond. The longer he followed Yu Dai, the more he felt that this young lady seemed simple on the surface but was actually unfathomable. Now she suddenly asked him like this, how could Wen Ping not be at a loss for what to think?

  She was hesitating, not knowing what to say, when Yuandai on the other side let out a soft sigh and said with a hint of self-mockery: "Actually, I'm a very lazy person. When doing anything, I always think about how to save some energy... just like playing chess..." Wenping was taken aback, but Yuandai suddenly smiled and said: "Since it's just for leisure, then not wasting energy is the best!"

  Wen Ping couldn't help but laugh and cry at the same time, and could only say: "I think Miss is not always so lazy!"

  Yuandai finally put down the chess piece in her hand with a faint smile and said ambiguously: "Is it?"

  Just as Wenjing was about to respond, Hui'er's voice suddenly came from the doorway: "Miss, Huilian has arrived at Miss Shanyin's place and is asking if it's convenient for you now. Third Madame and Miss Shanyin are planning to come over for a visit."