Chapter 43: A Post-Meal Stroll

Your health is not very good to begin with, and you have suffered two severe injuries previously, leaving your internal system in urgent need of recovery. Thinking is fine, but you cannot chronically indulge in a single emotional state. You must realize that emotions such as joy, anger, worry, pensiveness, grief, fear, and panic all negatively impact the recovery of your internal organs. Whether through nourishing medicinal pills or channeling her supernatural energy, Jiang Bai had not yet fully healed Duan Jing's body.

"Sigh, I understand. I will be mindful of it." Duan Jing knew Jiang Bai was anxious about his health, but recently he truly could not manage to properly relax and rest, leaving him no choice but to disappoint her.

"Let me send you some nourishing food later." Jiang Bai decided to intervene through his diet, employing a three-pronged approach.

"Isn't that putting you to too much trouble?" Duan Jing had not expected her to take charge of even his daily meals.

"It's no trouble at all. As long as your body can recover, everything I do is meaningful." After all, only with a strong heart and abundant vital energy and blood could she extract a larger volume of blood from herself. She had already planned it out: following modern blood donation standards, 300 cc at a time, once every half year. This meant she could leisurely draw 600 cc within a year. As long as Duan Jing lived long enough, she would sooner or later manage to break the seal on the plant.

After leaving Duan Jing's study, Jiang Bai began pondering what to prepare for him. Duan Jing's physical condition was even worse than she had anticipated, especially the condition of his heart and liver blood, which fell far short of her expected results. Although Duan Jing had promised to pay attention to resting, Jiang Bai knew that given his personality, it was unlikely he would truly put aside the affairs at hand.

Returning to her quarters, Jiang Bai began figuring out how to adjust Duan Jing's diet. She flipped through several medical texts, carefully reviewing various dietary remedies for enriching the blood and calming the heart, determined to start with his daily meals and help him recuperate without altering his usual taste preferences.

At noon, Jiang Bai brought the prepared midday meal to find Duan Jing. Duan Jing had just finished handling a batch of military affairs and was preparing to take a sip of tea and rest when he saw Jiang Bai walk in. "Jiang Bai, why are you here? Didn't you already take my pulse this morning?"

"Didn't we agree that I would be in charge of your lunch?" Jiang Bai saw at a glance that Duan Jing's complexion was even worse than it had been in the morning, and her movements in arranging the dishes involuntarily sped up.

Without saying much more, Jiang Bai placed the food box on the table and opened the lid, releasing a faint, appetizing aroma. Smelling the fragrance, Duan Jing couldn't help but look up and ask, "What is this?"

"I've prepared some pork heart and tangerine peel soup for you. It nourishes the Qi and calms the heart. You should drink it while it's hot," Jiang Bai said as she set out the bowl and chopsticks.

Duan Jing gestured to the seat beside him. "The portions of these dishes look quite large. I wonder if you have eaten yet, Jiang Bai? If not, let's eat together."

Jiang Bai nodded in agreement and sat down at the table. Duan Jing instructed Chen Tao to fetch another pair of chopsticks and place them by Jiang Bai's hand.

Looking at the brightly colored soup in the bowl, Duan Jing felt a stirring of warmth; Jiang Bai cared about even what he ate. Deeply moved by the painstaking effort she poured into his health, he stopped hesitating and scooped a spoonful of the soup. The flavor upon entering his mouth was unexpectedly wonderful—possessing both the refreshing fragrance of tangerine peel and the savory deliciousness of the broth.

"It tastes wonderful," Duan Jing praised.

Jiang Bai pointed to a flatbread nearby and urged Duan Jing to try it. "I made these flatbreads with pork lard inside. It's best to eat them while they're warm; otherwise, they might feel a bit greasy once they cool down." Jiang Bai had specially made these flatbreads to replenish his bodily fluids, as consuming too much miscellaneous food lately might have somewhat depleted them. Actually, pork lard mixed with brown sugar and rice soup would have suited him best, but she currently had no brown sugar on hand, so she had to make do with just this.

Hearing this, Duan Jing picked up a flatbread from the table and took a bite. "The taste is superb! Jiang Bai, your culinary skills are truly top-notch. I still have vivid memories of that banquet from last time."

"You flatter me, Military Counselor. However, this flatbread is best eaten paired with dishes. Would you like to try wrapping a piece?" Jiang Bai pointed to a small plate of stir-fried shredded potatoes and a small plate of shredded pork in soy sauce, wanting him to give it a try.

Duan Jing smiled and nodded, picking up a pair of chopsticks to take some stir-fried shredded potatoes along with some shredded pork, carefully rolling them into the flatbread. Watching from the side, Jiang Bai's eyes held a trace of expectation. Duan Jing brought the wrapped flatbread to his mouth and took a bite, his eyes instantly lighting up.

"This flavor... is simply peerless!" Duan Jing couldn't help praising. "The crispness of the flatbread paired with the freshness of the shredded potatoes, combined with the savory and salty kick of the shredded pork—it's a match made in heaven! Jiang Bai, your craftsmanship is truly flawless."

Jiang Bai smiled, waved her hand, and said, "You overpraise me, Military Counselor. These are merely everyday home-cooked dishes; how could they possibly deserve such high praise?"

Duan Jing shook his head, wrapped another flatbread, and ate as he spoke. "How can these be mere home-cooked dishes? With a culinary skill like yours, if you were to open a restaurant, business would undoubtedly be booming."

Jiang Bai ladled a bowl of soup for herself and smiled, shaking her head at his words. "Open a restaurant? I have no such inclination. Things are quite fine as they are now."

Duan Jing knew very well that Jiang Bai excelled far more as a physician than as a cook. "That's true. If you opened a restaurant, your medical skills would be buried."

Jiang Bai smiled without replying, lowering her head to wrap a flatbread for herself and eating it leisurely alongside the soup.

After Jiang Bai and Duan Jing finished their meal, Jiang Bai looked at the relaxed expression on Duan Jing's face and said, "Military Counselor, let me take your pulse once more today to see if these dietary choices are suitable."

Duan Jing nodded and extended his wrist. Jiang Bai pressed her fingers against his pulse, carefully sensing it for a moment. Duan Jing's pulse remained weak, especially at the heart meridian; however, the good news was that his stomach was strong and his digestive function was quite good, allowing him to digest and absorb nourishing foods immediately. The food she made was also very well-suited to his body. She would prepare more dietary recipes so that the kitchen staff could cook them for Duan Jing every day.

"When you find yourself deep in thought, you can choose to go out for a walk and clear your mind; it helps the brain relax," Jiang Bai suggested. She had been trying very hard to nurse Duan Jing back to health.

"Then I wonder if this Duan might have the honor of inviting Dr. Jiang out for a stroll?" Duan Jing recalled his decision to earnestly give things a try with Jiang Bai.

"Certainly, it would be Jiang Bai's honor." Jiang Bai raised her hand in a light, polite gesture of salute.

Somehow made awkward by this formal greeting, Duan Jing gave a light cough, feigned composure, and said, "I think Dr. Jiang makes a lot of sense. Given my recent preoccupations, I was hoping to invite you to accompany me for a walk. Well, although the scenery in this courtyard is lovely, it can never compare to the vastness of the world outside."

Sensing his awkwardness—though still not quite understanding what triggered it—Jiang Bai said nothing more, simply nodding and following Duan Jing out of the courtyard. The two walked side by side along a path paved with bluestone slabs. The spring sunshine cast a warm glow over them, and a gentle breeze swept past, carrying a faint fragrance of flowers.

"Has the Military Counselor been troubled by something lately?" Jiang Bai turned her head to look at him, her tone casual; walking together in absolute silence was rather awkward.

Duan Jing remained silent for a moment before shaking his head. "I wouldn't quite call it troubled, but rather... some matters are momentarily difficult to sort out."

Jiang Bai chuckled softly. "When things are difficult to sort out, speaking them out to vent, or going out for a walk, can be a good solution."

Continuing their stroll, the two unconsciously arrived at a secluded spot. It was late autumn, and the tall trees ahead possessed withered yellow leaves that rustled down as the wind swept past. Sunlight filtered through the gaps of falling leaves, casting mottled light and shadow, creating an exceptionally tranquil atmosphere.

"This place is quite serene." Duan Jing paused, looking up at the withered yellow tree with curiosity in his eyes. "Trees like this are rarely seen in Hengcheng."

Jiang Bai also stopped, following Duan Jing's gaze. "This is a pagoda tree, a rarity in Hengcheng. Pagoda trees usually grow in the north; they are cold-resistant and drought-tolerant, with deep roots and lush foliage. However, since it's now late autumn, most of the leaves have fallen, leaving the tree looking rather bare."

Listening with rapt attention, Duan Jing reached out to catch a falling pagoda tree leaf, inspecting it closely. The leaf was withered and yellow, its edges slightly curled, with clear veins visible like the carved lines of the passage of time. Gently rubbing the leaf, he murmured, "This leaf is quite special, almost like a feather."

"Yes, it's an odd-pinnately compound leaf. You would probably like the summer foliage even better; back then, it carried a sense of lightness."

Duan Jing reached out and touched the trunk. The plant's stem was also quite unique, presenting an overall grayish-brown color with a rough surface and distinct longitudinal grain patterns. Far from the lightness Jiang Bai described, it instead gave off a sense of weathered age.

"This tree trunk possesses quite a strong sense of vigor."

Jiang Bai also felt that the grain of the tree trunk was powerful and vigorous. Since she personally liked them and knew a great deal about them, she explained, "In the north, the pagoda tree is often regarded as a tree of good fortune. Ancients said that 'the pagoda tree's shade offers protection,' believing it brings blessings. In summer, the shade beneath the tree is always cool and breezy, and people often gather under it to rest and chat. By autumn, when the leaves have all fallen, the tree trunk appears exceptionally rugged and steadfast, like an old man who has weathered many storms yet still stands tall."

"All fallen, indeed." Duan Jing looked up at the spreading crown of the pagoda tree, feeling a wave of nostalgia for the days back in Hengcheng. Ever since the three brothers had set out, nothing had gone smoothly—first his older brother was injured, then came a traitor, and finally he and his younger brother were hurt. He couldn't help wondering if the past events and the tree before him signified that the path he had chosen was wrong.

"Well, it will sprout new buds come next spring, turning lush and full of vitality." Jiang Bai did not share Duan Jing's melancholy. Remembering the pagoda tree blossoms harvested in April and May, along with her mother's sweet-and-sour pagoda blossom rice, her mouth began to water. No wonder ancient times had the saying of "quenching thirst by thinking of plums"—today, she was quenching her thirst by looking at a tree.

"Yes, it will sprout." Duan Jing snapped out of his deep melancholy. Indeed, even a tree could sprout anew; they were merely facing some temporary troubles, so how could they not get through this?

Noticing the despondency in Duan Jing's tone, Jiang Bai turned her head to look at him. Seeing his dejected expression, she felt a slight wave of helplessness. Why was he growing so sad just looking at a tree? "Although the pagoda tree sheds its leaves in autumn and appears withered, its roots remain deeply anchored in the soil, constantly drawing nutrients. The moment spring arrives, it bursts forth with vitality once more."

Hearing Jiang Bai's comforting words, Duan Jing felt a slight jolt in his heart. Lost in thought for a moment, he suddenly raised his head, a flash of determination in his eyes. "You're right. Gathering strength through the winter is the only way to bloom with vitality come spring."

Seeing the shift in his expression, Jiang Bai let out an inner sigh of relief. These literary intellectuals were truly prone to grieving over spring and autumn; it seemed she needed to tread carefully in this regard.

The gloom in Duan Jing's heart appeared to have been dispelled somewhat by Jiang Bai's words. He turned to look at Jiang Bai and asked, "What did you think of when you looked at this tree just now?"

A familiar fascination with food flashed through Jiang Bai's eyes once again. Filled with enthusiasm, she said, "I thought of a dish—pagoda blossom rice, which is a local specialty here. Every year in April and May, when the pagoda blossoms bloom, you pluck a basket of them, wash them, toss them evenly with flour, and steam them in a pot. Pair them with a sweet-and-sour dipping sauce, and that taste... Tsk tsk, it truly leaves one endlessly reminiscing."

Listening with rapt attention, Duan Jing couldn't help swallowing hard. Although he had never tasted pagoda blossom rice, hearing Jiang Bai describe it so enticingly stirred a longing within him. With a smile, he said, "Hearing you describe it like that, I really do want to try this pagoda blossom rice."

Seeing him smile, Jiang Bai felt a sense of ease wash over her. She blinked, her tone carrying a playful hint. "You can consider trying it next year."

A spark of hope rose within Duan Jing's heart. "I will definitely get to try it next year."

"Military Counselor, little friend Jiang, how did you two end up here?" Chen Jie's voice rang out just as Jiang Bai and Duan Jing were discussing the various culinary uses of pagoda blossoms. Chen Jie had not expected to run into Jiang Bai and Duan Jing in this spot.

"Military Surgeon Chen, why are you here?" Duan Jing was equally startled.

Prompted by Duan Jing, Jiang Bai and Chen Jie finally remembered that when they told Yang斌 about moving out, they seemed to have completely forgotten to inform Duan Jing that they physicians were relocating to live outside. "Since grain silos are currently being built near the medical camp, the construction noise is a bit too loud, and none of the doctors could get a good night's rest. We thought about moving out to live here for a while and returning once the construction is finished."

Duan Jing nodded in understanding. Jiang Bai had previously mentioned that building construction was best done before October, and with very few days left now, working continuously through the night was entirely normal. It was just that they hadn't taken the rest of the people in the neighboring medical camp into consideration. "How much is the rent here? You can submit it for reimbursement when we return."

"It's not all that much." Remembering that he had failed to report such a major matter as moving out to Duan Jing, Chen Jie felt his ears burn; considering his age, making such a rookie mistake was quite embarrassing.

Seeing Chen Jie's embarrassment, Duan Jing smiled and waved a hand. "No matter. It was because of the construction noise that you were forced to move out in the first place. However, if anything like this happens again, you must still give advance notice."

Jiang Bai quickly nodded in assent, and Chen Jie echoed her agreement. Duan Jing inquired further about the situation at the medical camp and, upon learning that everything was normal, decided to accompany Chen Jie to take a look at the quarters they were currently renting. "I will assign a few more men to you; otherwise, relying solely on doctors and medicine boys isn't safe."

Without declining, Chen Jie thanked Duan Jing. While this place was indeed quiet, it was a bit remote, and having a few soldiers stationed here would certainly provide peace of mind.