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Was the inn aware of his current feelings of bitterness and uselessness?
How irritating.
Xun Yuanbai fiercely finished the large pot of pickled fish in front of him.
Meanwhile, since “contracting” a cold, Song Jingyun had been lying down all day.
Not only was he lying down, but he often complained of feeling cold all over, unable to get warm no matter how thick the covers were.
So…
He wanted his wife to hold him!
Jiang Mixia, “…”
But since her husband rarely acted so spoiled, Jiang Mixia indulged him a little and let him be.
With the continuous autumn rain and the extremely cold weather, Jiang Mixia had no desire to go out for a stroll. Instead, she decided to stay indoors at the inn with Song Jingyun, having all their meals delivered to their room by the inn’s staff.
Similarly affected by the weather, Jiang Junli had also been holed up in the inn for several days. Feeling bored, he planned to have a meal in the inn’s dining hall today and then visit the neighboring bookstore.
With the Autumn Examination approaching, even if resorting to last-minute efforts, he needed to make a final push to prove his capabilities and distance himself from his humble family background.
As he sat down, the waiter brought him the Buddha Jumps Over the Wall dish he had ordered. He overheard the innkeeper urging the waiter, “Hurry and take these dishes upstairs to Master Song and Madam Jiang.”
“Yes,” the waiter hurried off to deliver the food.
Jiang Junli chatted with the innkeeper, “Has Master Song been eating and drinking in the inn these past few days?”
“Yes,” the innkeeper nodded, “I heard that Master Song caught a cold and didn’t want to risk infecting others, so he hasn’t ventured out recently.”
With the Autumn Examination fast approaching, Song Jingyun had caught a cold?
For individuals from humble backgrounds, the imperial examination was often seen as the sole path to change their life’s trajectory. The significance of the Autumn Examination for Song Jingyun was as crucial as it was for himself.
At such a critical moment, if Song Jingyun had indeed caught a cold, wouldn’t it potentially affect his performance in the exams and even alter his future prospects?
Jiang Junli anxiously inquired, “How severe is his illness? Has a doctor been called?”
“It doesn’t seem so,” replied the innkeeper. “I was also concerned earlier and asked a few questions. Madam Jiang mentioned it wasn’t a serious illness, so they didn’t think it necessary to call a doctor. Just drinking more ginger soup should suffice.”
“When we took the food upstairs a moment ago, I instructed the waiter to prepare ginger soup and some ginger candies that can help ward off the cold. I’m not sure if Master Song will like them.”
Upon hearing this, Jiang Junli’s expression turned grave.
If he had indeed caught a cold and they hadn’t called a doctor, it was likely due to concern over expenses.
Alas, it was truly a pitiful situation.
Jiang Junli sighed and shook his head, “In that case, why didn’t you arrange for a doctor to be called for Master Song?”
The innkeeper looked troubled, “I did consider that option. However, since Madam Jiang and Master Song are so close, and if Madam Jiang insists that a doctor isn’t necessary, it suggests that Master Song’s illness might not be too severe. There may also be some sensitive matters at play that we’re unaware of. If I were to hastily summon a doctor, it might cause unnecessary disturbance, so I had to let it go.”
“That makes sense,” Jiang Junli nodded, but he still felt a sense of regret.
While it was suggested that there might be undisclosed reasons, the underlying issue likely involved a lack of funds.
Even if the illness wasn’t severe, if money wasn’t a concern, they would have surely called for a doctor to ease their minds.
Jiang Junli sighed and gestured to Xinghe beside him, “We’ve come across a few ginseng and lingzhi mushrooms these past days. Let’s gift them to Master Song.”
“Young Master,” Xinghe hesitated before speaking, “You mean well, but I’ve heard some rumors lately suggesting that Master Song has an unusual fate. While his luck is good, it seems to be mainly due to absorbing the fortunes of others.”
“They say that anyone associated with Master Song will inevitably face misfortune and financial loss in the future…”
Financial loss?
Jiang Junli’s eyes lit up instantly.
Wasn’t this exactly what he had been hoping for?
“Hurry, quickly send those herbs over and inquire if Master Song is available and willing to have a conversation with me.”
Excited, Jiang Junli’s nose turned slightly red. After pacing around for a while, rubbing his hands together, he waved his hand repeatedly, “Well, I’ll go myself then.”
This opportunity to incur financial losses was too good to miss!
Xinghe, “…”
It seemed that the young master’s disregard for money remained unchanged.
Without waiting for any response from Xinghe, Jiang Junli hurried back to his room to fetch something. Once he found what he needed, he went to the room where Song Jingyun and Jiang Mixia were staying and knocked on the door.
Upon seeing Jiang Junli at the door, Song Jingyun and Jiang Mixia, surprised, quickly welcomed him in and asked the inn’s waiter to bring some hot water and snacks.
The waiter, seeing Jiang Junli there, took the initiative and brought a pot of Longjing tea instead of hot water.
As Song Jingyun was about to add tea leaves to the pot, realizing it already had some, he stopped and instructed the waiter, “Next time, just bring hot water. I have my own tea leaves.”
The waiter nodded and quickly left the room.
As he descended the stairs, he sighed as well.
He also understood why Jiang Junli was showing such special consideration towards Song Jingyun.
Preparing his own tea leaves and not wanting to drink the inn’s tea likely indicated a desire to save some money.
Thinking along these lines, he couldn’t help but feel a twinge of bitterness, thinking, ” Brother Song is quite frugal.”
“It’s not just about being frugal. These tea leaves were specially given by the overseer of a tea garden in Fengyang County. They are top-quality winter tea. While not as famous as Longjing, the taste is exceptionally clear and fragrant. I’ve grown accustomed to it, so I prefer not to switch,” Song Jingyun explained.
To Jiang Junli, Song Jingyun’s explanation seemed more like an excuse than the truth, but he didn’t expose it and simply nodded, saying, “I see.”
“If that’s the case, I am very interested in this winter tea. I wonder if Brother Song would be willing to part with a canister and exchange it for one of mine? I have some Maojian tea, not the best quality, but decent enough. I drink it regularly, but it’s nothing exceptional,” Jiang Junli suggested.
Jiang Junli continued, “Let’s just swap a canister of tea, Brother Song.”
“Why bother with exchanging? If Brother Jiang likes it, consider it a gift. Here, take two canisters,” Song Jingyun said generously, taking out two red porcelain canisters from a nearby box and handing them to Jiang Junli. “If you find it to your taste, feel free to ask for more in the future.”
Jiang Junli protested, “Brother Song, I can’t accept this for nothing. How about this – my luck has been good these past days, I won a small estate in a pitching game. Let’s consider it a token of gratitude for the tea.”
Song Jingyun, “…”
Jiang Mixia, “…”