Chapter 201 - Chapter 201: Alright, I ’ll Listen to Mother!
Hearing Shen Yao’s explanation, Ji Zhao’s eyes lit up!
‘That’s right.” Ji Zhao snapped her fingers happily and praised from the bottom of her heart, “Shen Yao, you’re too amazing! Herbs and food come from the same source! Amazing!”
‘Ah Tao, this is not my credit. You thought of it yourself.” Shen Yao smiled and accepted the praise. Then, he waved at her. “Come over. Let’s memorize it together?”
‘Okay!”
With Shen Yao’s help, Ji Zhao actually memorized the list of medicinal herbs in less than four hours.
“It’s getting late. It’s time to rest,” Shen Yao patted the back of her hand and said gently.
‘Mm.” Ji Zhao nodded obediently and said goodnight with a smile.
‘Good night.”
After a while, Ji Zhao fell asleep.
Hearing her mutter the names of several medicinal herbs, Shen Yao could not help but smile.
‘Ah Tao, I’m so lucky to be able to marry you in this lifetime!”
That day, when Shen Yao was playing chess with Immortal Crane, he accidentally found out that Ji Zhao wanted to study medicine for him.
At that moment, Shen Yao’s heart was moved.
The Ah Tao he liked was tenacious, brave, kind, and gentle.
It was a blessing for him that she could become his wife.
Shen Yao kissed her cheek gently and fell asleep unknowingly.
The next day.
The Immortal Crane looked at the confident Ji Zhao and could not help but raise his eyebrows. “You seem very confident?”
‘Tm just excited at the thought of becoming your disciple.”
Ji Zhao smiled and said firmly.
Immortal Crane asked about a few uncommon medicinal herbs, and Ji Zhao actually answered all of them correctly.
’11t seems that I must take in this female disciple!”
‘Ji Zhao greets Master!”
Ji Zhao, who was facing Immortal Crane, immediately knelt down and eagerly served a cup of hot tea.
Immortal Crane accepted the cup of tea with a kind smile and took a sip.
‘Good tea!”
Immortal Crane took out a circular jade pendant engraved with a koi pattern and handed it to Ji Zhao. “Since you’ve already taken me as your master, this jade pendant is a gift I’ve prepared for you. I’ve been used to being idle all these years. You’re the only disciple I have now.” ‘Ji Zhao will follow Master’s teachings.”
‘The list of medicinal herbs you memorized is a medical book that I have been compiling for many years.” Immortal Crane thought for a moment and took out another medical book from the medicine box at the side. “These are prescriptions worth a thousand gold coins. Take a look at it when you’re free. If nothing goes wrong, I will look for you again next year in the third month of spring. At that time, I will teach you acupuncture.”
‘Alright.” Ji Zhao took the book solemnly and nodded obediently.
‘Ah Tao, studying medicine isn’t something that can be done in a day. Since you’ve decided to take me as your master, I’ll give you a mission now.”
‘Master, please instruct me!”
‘During the time I spent in the Shen family, I’ve been walking around in my free time. There are many natural herbs on the nearby mountains and rivers. I want you to gather 49 different herbs before March next year. Moreover, you have to mark the appearance, growth conditions, and effects of these herbs one by one. When I see you again, I hope you can submit this homework. Can you do it?”
‘Master, don’t worry. I won’t disappoint you!” Ji Zhao promised with a firm gaze.
‘Good,” Immortal Crane gently nodded, “It’s getting late, it’s time for me to leave.”
‘Master, today is a good day. Why don’t you leave after lunch?” Ji Zhao invited sincerely. “I’ll cook personally and make a table full of good dishes!”
‘No hurry, no hurry.” Immortal Crane waved his hand. “This apprenticeship banquet can wait until we meet again.”‘
The Immortal Crane insisted on leaving. Ji Zhao tried to persuade him to stay but failed.
She stood outside the Shen family’s courtyard and watched the carriage leave. She actually felt a little reluctant.
Shen Yao looked at her resting her chin on her hands on the table and could not help but call out, “Ah Tao?”
‘Yes?”
‘Are you alright?” Shen Yao asked with concern.
‘Tm fine. I just feel a little disappointed.” Ji Zhao shrugged weakly and forced a smile. “Actually, in the beginning, I felt that Master’s temper was especially bad, but after interacting with him for a long time, I realized that Master is actually quite good. He’s just an old man with an awkward temper, but he’s actually especially kind.’
‘Shen Yao, you don’t know, but everyone says that Master is especially good. Not only did Master take everyone’s pulse for free, but he also gave medicine to the old elders in the village for free.”
‘Parting is for a better reunion.” Shen Yao smiled and comforted her. “Ah Tao, you don’t have to feel sad. Since Senior has already accepted you as his disciple, he will definitely come and look for you in the future.”
“1 understand.” Ji Zhao smiled. “By the way, Master gave me a mission before he left. When you recover, you can complete this mission with me, okay?”
‘Okay,” Shen Yao agreed happily.
As the new year approached, every family in Shanghe Village began to prepare for the upcoming new year.
The Shen family was even more lively.
Shen Dashan brought Eldest Brother Shen and Second Brother Shen to the reservoir near Xiahe Village and bought a lot of fresh black carp.
One of the fat fish immediately caught Ji Zhao’s attention.
‘Ah Tao, do you think this is enough?” Zhao Lanhua cried as she cut the chili. ‘This chili is too strong!”
‘Mother, let me do it.” After simply marinating the big fish head, Ji Zhao smiled and took the kitchen knife from Zhao Lanhua.
‘Coincidentally, Second Brother You got someone to send over a lot of peppers a few days ago, so I thought I’d make a double pepper fish head for lunch today.” Ji Zhao explained with a smile, ‘Didn’t Big Brother and Second Brother want to eat some spicy dishes?”
‘Those two brats always say that my dishes are a little bland.” Zhao Lanhua stuffed firewood into the stove as she said angrily, “Ah Tao, remember to put more peppers. It’s best if you can make those two brats cry from the spiciness!”
‘Alright, I’ll listen to you!’
When Ji Zhao brought the plate of fish head with double peppers to the table,
Eldest Brother Shen and Second Brother Shen were stunned—
The colorful peppers were so spicy that it made one’s head spin just by looking at them!
‘Try it?” Zhao Lanhua said with a smile. “It’s not like you don’t know Ah Tao’s cooking. The taste of this dish is definitely not bad!”
In the end, Eldest Brother Shen braced himself and picked up a piece of fish. After putting it into his mouth, his eyes instantly lit up!
In the end, not even a single pepper was left on the plate..