Gu Youyou was speechless, wondering why the old lady, knowing full well her health wasn’t good, still arranged for her to go admire the plum blossoms so enthusiastically. It turned out this was her idea.
Huh, she didn’t ask Jin Zijin last night if he was going, did she?
Alas! He probably wouldn’t go, he’s a "pure and desireless" Taoist, after all. How could he go to such a place?
In the carriage, Lin Qianqing chuckled, "Grandmother is getting more and more long-winded as she ages."
"If the grandmother hears you, watch out for your hide."
"Hehe, it’s because she can’t hear that I said it."
Outside the city was a plum grove, vibrant with a cacophony of colors.
To describe this plum grove as ’a cacophony of gorgeous colors’ was spot on because the plum blossoms here were not the common shades of pink and white, but rather came in a variety of colors.
Gu Youyou stood still, her face lit with wonder.
She liked plum blossoms, particularly the strange and rare breeds.
Palace Pink Plum, red plum, Jade Butterfly, Long E... Gu Youyou could name over thirty varieties, but that was less than half of what this grove held.
Clearly, many of the plum blossoms here did not exist in modern times.
Nature’s gifts had gradually diminished with human advancement, in both flora and fauna. Being able to see so many extinct varieties of plum blossoms could be considered some form of compensation for a person who had traveled through time.
"Naturally plump and delicate to the salt touch, leaning against the east wind, their light makeup is faintly applied."
"But the spring cold is still piercingly raw, and the morning window tests the green Luo costume."
In front of them, near a cluster of Long E, stood several young men, reciting poetry with abandon in front of a tree adorned with green and white plum blossoms.
Upon seeing this, Lin Qianqing commented to Gu Youyou, "That’s the second son of the Great Scholar from Wenhua Hall. He does have talent, but he’s infamous for his debauchery, always visiting the brothels of Yanliu Land seeking girls. His wife at home died in childbirth due to his actions, tarnishing his good reputation. No matter how talented he is, it’s worthless, and now finding another wife has become difficult. Look at him, still aiming for a romantic encounter here, hmph..."
For men at that time, debauchery was considered artistic interest, but too much of it was unacceptable.
Gu Youyou, hearing this, nodded and followed her to the other side.
"Let’s head over there. Oh, that’s Xie Qinyun from the Left Principal Minister’s Residence, we used to get along well during our school days."
Gu Youyou was pulled by her to a verdant plum tree, different from the Long E. It was so green, it seemed almost wet, and sheenthal and sparkling. Gu Youyou had never seen or heard of it before, suggesting it was a species long extinct.
"I most adore this Cui Ji, look at its petals, like the freshly sprouted tender buds," said the girl in green, smiling tenderly at the plum.
"Qinyun, what a coincidence that you also came out to admire the plum blossoms," Lin Qianqing approached to greet her.
The girl in green was indeed Xie Qinyun from the Left Principal Minister’s Residence that Lin Qianqing mentioned.
"Yes, you’re here too, Qianqing. Oh, who is this sister?"
Gu Youyou smiled faintly and greeted her, "Miss Xie."
"This is my cousin, the Gu Family’s cousin," Lin Qianqing introduced. "The Divine Doctor from Lingnan who resolved the typhoid issues, the owner of Jisheng Hall."
"Ah, so you’re Doctor Gu," exclaimed one of the girls beside Xie Qinyun excitedly. "I know you, the doctor from Lingnan who advocated for the use of herbal concoctions. Last year, when I went to Yangguan, my elder brother was ill, and it was your medicine we used. I’ve always been afraid of bitter medicine; the brewed kind is too hard to drink, but the powdered medicine was so much better."
Her excitement was loud, quickly attracting several young ladies nearby who were admiring the flowers.
A flurry of conversations started among them.
"The female doctor from Jisheng Hall, the one that’s opening the day after tomorrow, right? So she’s Miss Lin’s cousin."