Chapter 321: Pure and Virtuous

However, speaking of Jia Jing, together with Madame Xue and Xue Baichai, three persons, accompanied by a bunch of maidservants and attendants, left Jia Mu's small courtyard.

Madame Xue had only taken a few steps when she said she remembered an urgent matter in the courtyard, and she took the maidservants and servant girls ahead first.

Afterwards, only Xue Baichai and Jia Jing remained, walking slowly side by side, with only Ying Er following not far nor near.

The bright moon hung high; Jia Jing led Xue Baichai by half a body length, his large red gold-threaded python robe shimmering faintly in the moonlight, making his stature appear as solid as a mountain.

His steps were neither fast nor slow; his boot soles tapped on the blue stone slabs, producing a dull, rhythmic sound.

Moonlight filtered through the leaves above, scattering in mottled patches onto his shoulders like broken silver.

Xue Baichai walked at his side, half a step behind, wearing a honey-colored robe.

Since it was cold at midnight, when she went out she also draped a silver-fur half-sleeve over her shoulders; the clear, cold moonlight fell upon her white, plump face,

making her skin appear rich and lustrous like snow, with a faint pink hue showing through her fair complexion, as if fine mutton-fat jade were soaked in milk.

A gentle breeze arrived, blowing the refreshing, heart-soothing cold fragrance from Baichai's person to beneath Jia Jing's nostrils.

Jia Jing's expression paused slightly, and he glanced at Baichai.

Sometimes one cannot help but admit, she truly lives up to being ranked first among the golden hairpins alongside Daiyu!

Compared to Daiyu's grace reminiscent of the Xiao Xiang consort, Baichai's bearing—versatile in all aspects, dignified yet not lacking charm—is in no way inferior!

Yet one is slender and sorrowful yet lovely and charming, the other calm and majestic; their temperaments are completely different!

Hearing the cold fragrance draw near once more, Jia Jing's eyes focused, breaking the silent atmosphere between them, and he asked in a gentle voice:

"Xue younger sister, have you recently taken ill again, and are you taking the Cold Fragrance Pills?"

Xue Baichai blinked slightly, then nodded, speaking in a soft voice:

"Was it Xiangling and Third Brother who told you? This heat toxin is something I carried from the womb; fortunately I am innately strong, so it does not affect me much."

"Ordinary medicines are useless; luckily, in my early years a leper monk gave me a prescription from overseas, called the Cold Fragrance Pill."

"Speaking of it, this prescription is also rather strange; the medicinal ingredients, both Eastern and Western, are limited, and only the words 'opportune' are hard to come by."

"It requires twelve taels of the buds of white peonies that bloom in spring, twelve taels of white lotus buds that bloom in summer, twelve taels of white hibiscus buds that bloom in autumn, and twelve taels of white plum buds that bloom in winter."

"These four flower buds are to be dried on the following spring equinox, then mixed with the powdered medicine and ground together."

"Furthermore, one needs twelve qian of rainwater on the day of Rain Water, twelve qian of dew on the day of White Dew, twelve qian of frost on the day of Descent of Frost, and twelve qian of snow on the day of Minor Snow."

"Mix these four waters evenly, combine them with the medicine, then add twelve qian of honey and twelve qian of white sugar, form them into pills the size of longan fruits, store them in an old ceramic jar, and bury them beneath the flower roots."

"When illness occurs, take one pill and wash it down with a decoction made from twelve parts of Phellodendron bark; then you will feel better."

"The production of this pill is quite elaborate, yet fortunately the ingredients can be gathered within a year or two, and it is not easy to compound a batch. Now, having been brought from the south to the north, it is currently buried beneath the pear tree in Li Xiang Courtyard."

"Lately the weather has been gradually growing hot; I indeed feel somewhat vexed at heart, so I have taken a few pills."

While Xue Baichai carefully explained to Jia Jing the origin and formula of the Cold Fragrance Pill, she also let her clear, lustrous eyes rest upon the youth's face beside her.

Speaking of which, this is actually the first time she has ever taken a solitary walk and conversation with Jia Jing like this!

Jia Jing listened to Baichai's words, his gaze deep, and a few thoughts arose in his heart.

First, the leper monk mentioned by Baichai—this monk and Daoist in the Red Chamber world are quite extraordinary, and I do not know where they come from!

He had once dispatched the Embroidered Uniform Guard to secretly investigate the two, but they yielded no news at all, leaving not a trace!

Second, Baichai's illness is also unique; she is clearly a 'cold beauty,' yet she innately carries a heat toxin.

This heat toxin is probably not merely a physiological ailment, but also a kind of psychological imbalance!

According to Chinese medical theory, body and mind are not two; a person's body and mind constantly influence each other, being interior and exterior aspects of the same!

Therefore, Baichai's illness differs from Daiyu's frail constitution.

Daiyu is innately deficient, while Baichai is innately strong inside; the two seem to be reversed!

Jia Jing pondered for a moment, then spoke slowly, as if with deep meaning:

"This formula gathers white flowers from all four seasons; white signifies purity, simplicity, and coolness."

"All four flower buds are white; in medical doctrine there is the saying that the five colors enter the five organs, and white enters the lung."

"Madame Xue's younger sister's ailment is 'asthmatic cough,' located in the lung; using white flower buds thus conforms to this principle."

"And twelve is the extreme number of the yearly cycle, representing completeness and extremity; moreover, the four seasons' wind, frost, rain, and dew are used to nourish it, beforehand there is the sweetness of honey and white sugar, afterwards the bitterness of Phellodendron bark taken with it."

"This prescription appears to treat illness, but in fact it cultivates the mind; only by experiencing the heat and cold of the four seasons and tasting all the sweetness and bitterness of the world can one refine a character of utmost purity and cleanliness! Indeed, it is ingeniously rare."

Upon hearing this, Xue Baichai's pear-blossom face twitched slightly, her eyes showing a hint of astonishment.

She never expected that Jia Jing, after hearing the formula of the Cold Fragrance Pill only once, would utter such a profound life principle.

However, this talk of character seems to have a hidden meaning……

Xue Baichai raised her clear, water-like eyes, remained silent for a moment, letting her gaze glide over Jia Jing's profile, and then spoke softly as if unintentionally:

"Such a character of utmost purity and cleanliness—perhaps only someone like Miss Lin, who is like a celestial being, could possess it?"

"Didn't Third Brother once comment that she possesses 'innate purity, returning to purity,' preferring purity over defilement, a lofty and proud, aloof excellence?"

Upon hearing this, Jia Jing slightly startled, he could not help but recall the snowy winter day last year when he and the two, Baichai and Daiyu, chanted snow and composed poetry together,

Lin Daiyu took snow as her tears, and he praised her as 'innate purity, returning to purity,' a worldly transcendent fair maiden, the lonely forest of Lin.

At the same time, he also praised Baichai as 'crystalline snow of the lofty scholar in the mountains.'

Unexpectedly, Baichai actually remembered his offhand remarks from that day until today,

and even now she has expanded upon it, using it to probe his feelings.

Jia Jing smiled, choosing not to respond further.

The two walked on a bit further, passing a rockery where several clumps of green bamboo were planted among the stones; the bamboo leaves rustled in the wind, casting a fine, scattered shadow in the moonlight.

Meanwhile, seeing Jia Jing silent, Baichai's eyes flickered, and her heart felt somewhat flustered.

For a moment she thought she had misspoken and displeased Jia Jing; her complexion turned as white as paper, her watery almond eyes gathered mist, and she spoke in a trembling voice:

"Third Brother, is it that my words were improper, I……"

Jia Jing's expression remained calm, and he spoke slowly:

Sister Xue, why must you compare with Sister Lin!

Sister Lin's moral character is valuable; indeed she has the pure, childlike heart, and an untainted straightforwardness; her love and hatred are distinct, she is clear‑bright and aloof, and she has a purity in her temperament.

But Sister Xue is equally virtuous and gentle, upholds righteousness, sees through worldly affairs, handles matters comprehensively, and has her own clear‑sightedness in character.

You two are one pure, one virtuous; there is no hierarchy, no right or wrong, only a difference in life philosophy—why must you seek trouble yourself!