291: Chapter 291 Invitation, Intelligence

Bai Nianci was slightly taken aback, instinctively wanting to refuse.

She had grown up in Ciyin Medical Valley since childhood, accustomed to days of ascetic cultivation, and rarely went to noisy places.

Furthermore, she had never been to places like teahouses and taverns alone with a strange man.

"Young Master is too polite. I am merely here to deliver medicine, and I will leave once it is delivered. There is no need for such expense."

Bai Nianci gently shook her head and reached out to take off the medicine basket on her back.

However, the pedestrians around were gathering more and more.

The Changle Bridge was naturally a bustling place in the capital, with people coming and going in an endless stream.

The shouting of vendors on both sides rose and fell in succession, and the sound of stringed and wind instruments drifted from the painted boats on the river.

Chen Ran had handsome features, appearing out of place standing in the crowd.

Bai Nianci was exceptionally refined and otherworldly, dressed in a plain and elegant moon-white long dress, resembling a Fairy stepping out of a painting, untainted by a speck of dust.

Standing together, the two naturally drew countless curious gazes.

The passing pedestrians all slowed their pace, and some even stopped to watch.

"Such a handsome Young Master, no wonder this young lady is willing to wait for so long."

"This young lady looks unfamiliar, not like a local of the capital. Could she be the daughter of some wealthy family?"

Although the murmurs of the common folk were kept very low, they still clearly reached Bai Nianci's ears.

Her cheeks flushed slightly, and her expression grew a bit constrained and uneasy.

She had never experienced such a spectacle, and for a moment she did not know how to respond.

Chen Ran's expression remained normal, turning a deaf ear to the surrounding murmurs.

He simply looked quietly at Bai Nianci and made a gesture of invitation.

"There are many eyes here, and it is inconvenient for the young lady to hand over so many medicinal materials while carrying them."

"The teahouse is quiet, which makes it just right to rest for a moment and convenient for the young lady to explain the pharmacology."

Listening to the increasingly unbridled discussions around her, Bai Nianci felt more and more uncomfortable in her heart.

She silently calculated the time.

There were still about two hours before the people from the Medical Valley left the capital.

Just drinking a cup of tea and handing over the medicinal materials shouldn't take long.

If she continued to stay here, she feared it would attract even more onlookers.

Thinking of this, she gently sighed and ultimately nodded.

"Then I must trouble the Young Master."

The two walked through the bustling long street and arrived in front of a teahouse named "Tingyu Pavilion".

This teahouse was exquisitely decorated, antique, with flying eaves and painted beams.

Two large red lanterns hung in front of the door, gently swaying in the wind.

In the capital, Tingyu Pavilion was quite famous, and those who frequented it were high-ranking officials, nobles, and literary scholars.

Chen Ran led Bai Nianci into the main hall.

The main hall was filled with the fragrance of tea, and faint sounds of stringed and wind instruments drifted from upstairs, serene and elegant.

The shopkeeper was manipulating an abacus behind the counter. Looking up, he saw that Chen Ran had an extraordinary bearing; although his attire was not lavish, that aura was definitely not something ordinary commoners could possess.

He hurriedly put down the abacus and greeted them with a beaming smile all over his Face.

"This Young Master, would you like a private seat?"

Chen Ran nodded slightly, his tone as calm as water.

"I have a reservation."

Hearing this, the shopkeeper nodded repeatedly, his waist bending even lower.

"So it is Young Master Chen. The Heaven-grade private room has already been reserved. Please go upstairs, the two of you."

The two followed the shopkeeper up to the second floor, passing through a corridor paved with red wooden flooring.

Hanging on both sides of the corridor were a few ink landscape paintings with delicate brushwork and a profound Concept.

Pushing open the carved wooden door of the Heaven-grade private room, a faint fragrance of agarwood rushed toward them.

By the window was placed a rosewood round table, on which various exquisite pastries and seasonal fresh fruits had long been prepared.

A white jade plate held crystal-clear grapes, and a bowl contained fragrant osmanthus cakes.

Outside the window was a patch of emerald-green bamboo forest. A gentle breeze blew past, causing the bamboo leaves to rustle, making one's mind peaceful and calm.

Bai Nianci followed behind Chen Ran into the private room, a trace of undisguisable surprise flashing in her clear eyes.

She had grown up in Ciyin Medical Valley since childhood; although she lacked for neither food nor clothing, most of it was light and plain, focusing on purity of mind and few desires.

Even during festivals and New Year celebrations, when the Senior Sister and fellow female Disciples gathered to celebrate, it was nothing more than making a few extra signature dishes and boiling a pot of clear tea.

This was the first time in her life she had ever seen such a luxurious setup and such exquisite food.

Bai Nianci quietly surveyed the surrounding furnishings, her gaze lingering on those exquisite pastries for a moment.

Those osmanthus cakes were made extremely exquisitely, resembling blooming white magnolias, emitting an enticing sweet fragrance.

Her expression revealed undisguised curiosity as she swallowed her saliva.

She was like a child stepping into the Mortal World for the first time, full of novelty toward everything in the world.

If not for considerations of propriety, she probably couldn't have helped reaching out to take a piece to taste.

Chen Ran walked to the side of the table, lifted his robes, and calmly took his seat.

Looking at Bai Nianci's restrained yet curious appearance, he couldn't help wanting to laugh.

"If you want to eat, then eat."

Chen Ran raised his hand in a gesture,

"Oh oh, no need, no need."

Bai Nianci only then came back to her senses, hurriedly pulling back her focus and sitting down opposite Chen Ran.

She carefully took down the medicine basket on her back and placed it on the empty seat beside her.

Afterward, she took out one oil-paper package wrapped tightly after another from it, placing them neatly on the table surface.

"Young Master, these are all the medicinal materials I have prepared for you."

After chatting about official matters, Bai Nianci's expression turned serious,

and she extended her slender, fair fingers, pointing at one of the slightly larger oil-paper packages.

"This package is the Heart-Protecting Pill, refined using century-old snow lotus and various precious medicinal materials."

"Taking one pill every morning can protect the heart Meridians and prevent the backlash of Evil Qi."

Next, she pointed to another slightly smaller paper package.

"This package is the Qi-Nourishing Powder, which needs to be decocted with rootless water and taken once every three days. It can consolidate the foundation and nourish Qi, repairing damaged Meridians."

"And this stalk of Purple-Leaf Ginseng..."

Bai Nianci carefully opened an exquisite wooden box, inside of which lay a ginseng stalk that was entirely purplish-red and exuded a rich medicinal fragrance.

"This item has extremely strong medicinal potency; Young Master must by no means swallow it directly. You need to slice it into thin pieces and hold them under your tongue to slowly absorb the medicinal power."

She carefully instructed him item by item, fearing that Chen Ran would remember even a fraction of a percent wrong.

Her crisp and pleasant voice slowly echoed within this secluded private room.

Chen Ran listened quietly, his gaze falling upon her serious Face.

He could sense that these medicinal materials were all of priceless value.

Yet the young woman before him took them all out without the slightest stinginess, solely to save a stranger she met by chance.

"Young Lady has gone to much trouble."

Chen Ran picked up the purple clay teacup on the table and gently took a sip of clear tea.

"It's just that this humble one knows nothing about pharmacology. If these medicinal materials are used up in the future, where should I go to find the Young Lady to fill a prescription?"

Hearing this, Bai Nianci's movements paused slightly.

"Young Master does not need to look for me."

"The Disciples of our Medical Valley will set off to leave the capital today and return to the valley."

Chen Ran's fingers holding the teacup paused slightly, but his expression remained calm.

"Leaving today?"

"The capital is a long distance from Ciyin Medical Valley, with towering mountains and long waters. Is your group safe on the road, Young Lady?"

Bai Nianci smiled gently.

"Young Master can rest assured. Although our Medical Valley is not good at fighting, we still have a bit of Face in Jianghu."

"Ordinary Jianghu Schools will give us some Face to some extent and will not easily make things difficult for us."

"Moreover, this time Senior Sister Liu is leading the team. She is a master of the Return to Truth Realm; ordinary petty scoundrels wouldn't dare to approach at all."

She paused and then continued:

"We plan to take the waterway, heading all the way south along the canal, and we will be able to reach the Medical Valley in about half a month."

"The waterway is stable, and there are government soldiers patrolling along the route; there won't be any danger."

Through several rounds of conversation, Bai Nianci poured out her itinerary and background without any reservation.

Even the cultivation Realm of the person leading the team and the specific route of the return journey were explained clearly.

Chen Ran listened quietly, and deep within his eyes, an imperceptible ripple flashed.

Looking at the kind-hearted and completely unworldly young woman before him, he couldn't help but feel a sense of emotion in his heart.

In this world, there could actually be such a pure person.

Ciyin Medical Valley protected her too well, so well that she had not the slightest guard against this cruel Jianghu.

She had no idea what kind of person she was facing.

If it were replaced by other villains harbouring malicious intentions, based solely on the information she just revealed, it would be enough to set up an ambush halfway and devour her group until not even bones were left.

The Jianghu is treacherous, and human hearts are unfathomable.

In this land where the strong prey on the weak, kindness is often the cheapest and most fatal thing.

People as kind and completely unguarded as her often die the fastest.

Chen Ran did not dislike kindness.

On the contrary, after being accustomed to the deceit and bloodshed of the imperial court, he somewhat appreciated this pure quality instead.

It was just that this quality was too extravagant and too dangerous in today's Jianghu.

Chen Ran put down the teacup in his hand,

and looking at Bai Nianci's appearance of still carefully organizing the medicine packages, he already had a resolution in his heart.

Since they had met by chance, and the other party had also tried her utmost to prepare medicine for him,

then he might as well teach her a lesson along the way.

Letting her know that this Jianghu was far more treacherous than she imagined.

Chen Ran lowered his eyelids slightly, his pitch-black eyes staring at the slender young woman ahead.

"It would be good to give you a lesson to remember it, so as to avoid suffering a huge loss in the future."