Chapter 58 – Medicinal Cuisine
After the doctor next to Bai Mingyue finished speaking, Yan Xiaosi clapped her hands and said, “This doctor is very knowledgeable and accurate.”
The doctor looked at Yan Xiaosi with some disbelief.
This child could actually understand what he was saying.
Although his face showed an incredulous expression, he thought that a child dressed in rags like Yan Xiaosi was probably just showing off and trying to mystify others.
Bai Mingyue took over Yan Xiaosi’s conversation in a timely manner, “Young man, did you come to Jiren Hall with this half-basket of baizhu to sell it to us?”
The other doctors and assistants at Jiren Hall laughed after hearing Bai Mingyue’s words.
They were not laughing at Bai Mingyue, but at Yan Xiaosi for being ignorant.
Jiren Hall was one of the top pharmacies in Daxing Town and even the entire Xize County. They had their own channels for purchasing medicinal materials and they didn’t buy common goods gathered by ordinary people. Even more so when it came to something as common as baizhu.
“Young man, you’d better leave now. We can’t buy your medicinal materials here.”
The doctor next to Bai Mingyue spoke again, this time with a more obvious tone of mockery.
Yan Xiaosi knew that the most authoritative person in Jiren Hall today was Bai Mingyue, since the boss was absent. She changed her strategy, ignoring those who were laughing at her, and directly talked to Bai Mingyue.
“Dr. Bai, have you heard of medicinal cuisine?”
“Medicinal cuisine?”
Yan Xiaosi looked at Bai Mingyue’s curious and puzzled expression, and she knew that the concept of medicinal cuisine did not exist in the Dachu Dynasty.
“Dr. Bai is highly skilled in medicine and well-read. There’s nothing he doesn’t know. You, young man, dare to show off in front of Dr. Bai. You’re really ignorant.”
Someone in the line of patients said.
Yan Xiaosi didn’t take it to heart and continued to smile at Bai Mingyue.
“I won’t see patients here anymore. Those who haven’t been treated yet, please line up over there.”
Bai Mingyue suddenly stood up and left his seat, walking toward Yan Xiaosi, leaving his patients to the other doctors of Jiren Hall.
Those who had waited in line for Bai Mingyue’s treatment looked at Yan Xiaosi resentfully. The eyes of the other doctors in Jiren Hall were full of hostility.
Despite the public anger, Yan Xiaosi remained calm, watching Bai Mingyue approaching her with an unchanging smile on her face.
Her calmness won Bai Mingyue’s admiration.
She was quite brave at such a young age.
Bai Mingyue gave a slight smile. As he stood in front of Yan Xiaosi, his eyes fell on the bamboo basket in Yan Xiaosi’s hand.
“What is your purpose for coming to Jiren Hall today? Tell me.”
Bai Mingyue asked this question, clearly giving Yan Xiaosi a chance. Yan Xiaosi’s face brightened, and she quickly replied, “I came to Jiren Hall today to promote medicinal cuisine. Please give me a chance, Dr. Bai.”
“We are neither relatives nor friends. Why should I give you a chance? You need to give me a convincing reason.”
Bai Mingyue seemed gentle and approachable, but he was actually not that easy to get along with.
Yan Xiaosi really wanted to roll her eyes, but she managed to hold back in the end.
Bai Mingyue is the boss and she needs his help to get things done, so she endured. She trieD to maintain a brilliant smile, saying, “Doctor Bai, didn’t the young lady of the green-dressed maidservant just complain that the medicine you prescribed is too bitter? My medicinal dishes actually have the same effect as traditional decoctions, but they taste better. If you allow me, I can immediately make a spleen-strengthening medicinal dish with these baizhu.”
Bai Mingyue thought for a moment, stroking his smooth, white-jade-like chin, and said, “That’s an interesting idea.”
Yan Xiaosi’s heart rejoiced and her smile became more natural, “So, Doctor Bai, you are giving me this opportunity.”
Bai Mingyue just gave a faint nod.
Knowing that he agreed, Yan Xiaosi quickly added, “Is there a kitchen here? I need to use the kitchen. And, do you have any chicken, preferably freshly killed black-bone chicken? I need one chicken and some medicinal ingredients.”
Bai Mingyue waved to an attendant.
The attendant came over and respectfully asked, “What can I do for you, Doctor Bai?”
Bai Mingyue glanced at Yan Xiaosi and instructed the attendant, “Take her to the kitchen, and kill a black-bone chicken for her from the backyard.”
With Bai Mingyue’s permission, Yan Xiaosi took a few medicinal ingredients she needed for the medicinal dish from the medicine cabinet and then followed the attendant to the kitchen.
Ms. Zhong, Yan Shuqin, Yan Shuxue, and Yan Shuyun had been waiting outside Jiren Hall for almost half an hour, but Yan Xiaosi hadn’t come out yet, so the four of them started to worry.
“Mom, eldest sister, second sister, why hasn’t Xiaosi come out yet? Could something have happened?”
Yan Shuyun stretched her neck to look inside Jiren Hall but saw no trace of Yan Xiaosi.
Hearing Yan Shuyun’s words, Ms. Zhong became increasingly anxious.
“My daughters, stay here and watch the ox cart. I’m going in to find your fourth brother.”
Ms. Zhong handed the rope for the ox to Yan Shuqin, quickly got down from the ox cart, and hurried into Jiren Hall.
Yan Shuqin held the rope and reminded her loudly, “Mom, be careful.”
Ms. Zhong was stopped by an attendant at the entrance.
“Young man, please let me in. I’m here to find my son.”
As she begged the attendant to let her in, Yan Xiaosi appeared in front of her with a bowl of something.
“Xiaosi, what are you doing? Come out quickly and go home with your mother.”
Hearing Ms. Zhong’s voice, Yan Xiaosi looked at the entrance and saw Ms. Zhong being stopped by the attendant outside Jiren Hall. She quickly spoke up, “Mother, don’t worry. Just wait for me there, and I’ll be out soon.”
Seeing that Yan Xiaosi was unharmed, Ms. Zhong finally relaxed and waited at the entrance, but her eyes never left Yan Xiaosi.
Yan Xiaosi took her gaze away from Ms. Zhong and carefully brought a bowl of baizhu stewed with black chicken to Bai Mingyue.
There was a tea table in front of Bai Mingyue. Yan Xiaosi placed the bowl of baizhu stewed chicken on the table and lifted the lid.
As soon as she lifted the lid, the rich aroma of chicken soup wafted out of the bowl, filling the entire first floor of Jiren Hall in an instant.
Bai Mingyue gently took a breath. The aroma of the chicken soup mingled with a faint fragrance of medicinal ingredients made it smell smoothing.
In her past life, Yan Xiaosi had spent more than a year researching medicinal dishes at the field army base. She had become quite skilled at making baizhu stewed with black chicken and was confident it would pique Bai Mingyue’s interest.
“Doctor Bai, would you like to have a taste? Baizhu and black chicken are warming in nature, so even if you’re not sick, you can still eat it.”
“Hmm.”
Seeing Bai Mingyue nod, she quickly handed over the prepared soup spoon. Bai Mingyue took the spoon, gently scooped up a spoonful of the brown, thick soup, blew on it to cool it down, and then sipped it into his mouth.
