The nanny from the Tong family once again coaxed the old madam into happiness.
Even Ji Zizhao was amused.
When it came to things like music, chess, calligraphy, painting, or needlework, Ji Zizhao actually didn't understand much.
But when it came to medicine...
Ji Zizhao was no longer sleepy.
The Tong family was clever. They knew that none of the young ladies in the imperial city studied medicine. Wang Jifu had set her sights on being knowledgeable in medicine, but she had coincidentally run into Ji Zizhao.
"I didn't expect Miss Wang to have such a skill. May I ask who your teacher is?"
Wang Jifu didn't expect Ji Zizhao to continue asking. She raised her head and said, "I don't live in the imperial city either. My master is someone you probably haven't heard of even if I told you."
Ji Zizhao wasn't annoyed. She turned to Granny Xu, who was standing by, and said, "I just remembered, I forgot to bring someone over. Please trouble Granny Xu to go to Zhaoyuan. I happened to have stockpiled quite a bit of medicinal herbs before the new year. Now, I can have Miss Wang examine them for me. If they are indeed genuine, half will be left for Grandmother to maintain her health, and the other half will be my congratulatory gift to the Tong family."
Granny Xu, seeing the eldest daughter's gesture of goodwill, quickly nodded and left.
Nanny Tong, however, secretly glanced at Wang Jifu.
Wang Jifu was very calm, sitting in her chair and continuing to chat with Ji Renran.
Seeing Wang Jifu's confident demeanor, Ji Renran felt even more reassured.
Older people were extremely concerned about their health. She had recently heard her grandmother lamenting about her health several times. If Wang Jifu were to marry into the family, it would be a great advantage for her and her mother to establish themselves in the household.
In Zhaoyuan, Granny He heard that Granny Xu was coming to fetch medicinal herbs for her young lady. She became watchful and didn't immediately fetch the herbs. Instead, she inquired about the situation first.
After understanding the whole story, Granny He turned and went to get the herbs with a smile.
Her young lady had always loved fiddling with plants and flowers since she was young. The storeroom in the courtyard was piled high with them. At first, she thought these things would last a lifetime even if they were eaten every day, but now they had found their use.
Thinking of her young lady's thoughtfulness, Granny He couldn't help but chuckle secretly.
Soon, Granny Xu returned, carrying a large amount of medicinal herbs.
However, upon seeing what Granny Xu was holding, the usually calm Wang Jifu began to lose her composure.
She had heard before that wealthy families in the imperial city liked to stockpile nourishing medicinal herbs, such as ginseng and deer antler. She genuinely recognized those items.
But looking at what Granny Xu was holding now, she stared blankly for a long time, recognizing none of them!
Upon closer inspection, she also noticed many insects mixed among the herbs. Wang Jifu looked up and glared at Ji Zizhao, "How can the eldest young lady of the Ji family be so deceitful, passing off these messy things as medicinal herbs!"
Because of what Granny Xu had brought in, no one present recognized the items. Therefore, upon hearing Wang Jifu's accusation, no one dared to speak.
Ji Zizhao beckoned to Granny Xu and picked up one of the items, saying, "Longdan Cao (Dragon Gall Grass). It tastes bitter, is cold in nature, clears heat and dries dampness, and purges liver and gallbladder fire."
"You're lying! Longdan Cao is green and tender. How can it be so dry and yellow!" Wang Jifu had indeed had the good fortune to see Longdan Cao, so she questioned with righteous indignation.
"Longdan Cao grows in high mountains, tolerates cold and partial shade, and likes sunlight but cannot be fully exposed to it. Therefore, it is very troublesome to preserve. Generally, Longdan Cao transported to various places has its surface sprayed with wine and then stir-fried and dried, which is why it looks like this, making it more suitable for long-term preservation."
Ji Zizhao said, her lips curling into a smile as she continued, "When Longdan Cao is first dug up, it is indeed as you described, Miss Wang. However, besides the herb gatherers, few people have seen fresh Longdan Cao. I wonder what opportunity you had to see fresh Longdan Cao."
The gazes of those around them turned more scrutinizing and inquisitive towards Wang Jifu.
After all, they had never heard of anyone buying medicine and needing to go and collect it at the source.
Sensing the increasing number of eyes on her, Wang Jifu pointed at the pile of insects again and said, "It was fortunate for me to have seen Longdan Cao being harvested, but what is the meaning of the eldest young lady of the Ji family trying to pass off a pile of insects as medicinal herbs!"
Hearing about insects, Granny Xu almost dropped the herbs she was holding.
Ji Zizhao picked up a dead insect and, with a smile, said, "Dongchong Xiachao (Cordyceps). It tastes sweet, is neutral in nature, and enters the lung and kidney meridians. It tonifies the kidneys and lungs, stops bleeding, and resolves phlegm."
Everyone present had heard of Dongchong Xiachao.
However, they only knew that the item was prohibitively expensive and had never known it was an insect!
"I thought that Miss Wang, living outside the imperial city, would be well-traveled and knowledgeable. Yet now, faced with these medicinal herbs, you don't recognize a single one. If this embarrassing situation happens only within my Ji family, it would be one thing. But if others were to find out in the future, I'm afraid the entire Tong family would be shamed along with it." Ji Zizhao's dark eyes reflected Wang Jifu's figure. Though she didn't appear angry, she made people feel extremely uneasy.
Wang Jifu gritted her teeth, "You're just lying! Whatever you say goes, since the things are yours."
"I merely had good intentions of sending a congratulatory gift to the Tong family. I didn't expect Miss Wang to not only be ungrateful but also to slander me. My Ji family may not be as prominent as before, but it's not a place where anyone can come and smear mud."
Ji Zizhao's words had indeed brought the Ji family into the spotlight.
Regarding the reputation of the Ji family, the old madam couldn't feign ignorance any longer. "Granny Xu, please go and invite Physician Li, who is staying in the guest room, to come and take a look."
Granny Xu put down the herbs she was holding and left again.
During this period, the old madam had been feigning illness, but her health was also not very good. She had simply found a doctor in the city to temporarily stay at the Ji residence to take care of her.
The physician heard that he was summoned by the old madam of the Ji family and responded quickly. As soon as he entered, he smelled a peculiar scent. Looking towards the wooden table nearby, his eyes widened.
"Is this Rhodiola? Jinqian Gui (Golden Coin Turtle)? How come there's Longdan Cao? This, this is Dongchong Xiachao?!" No doctor would not be surprised to see rare medicinal herbs, especially so many piled on the wooden table, which was enough to dazzle Physician Li.
But the more excited Physician Li became, the more displeased the old madam's expression grew.
This meant that what Sister Zhao had said was all true, and there was a problem with that niece from the Tong family.
Granny Xu, naturally, could not allow family shame to be spread. She quickly gave Physician Li a reward and then escorted him out.
Ji Zizhao smiled and said again, "Miss Wang claims to be knowledgeable about medicinal herbs, yet now she doesn't recognize a single one. Such an embarrassing situation, if it were only within my Ji family, would be one thing. But if it were to be known by others in the future, I fear the entire Tong family would be shamed along with it."
Wang Jifu: "..."
I'm being slapped in the face, and it's you who's holding the palm!
Wang Jifu had thought that when it came to medicine, the young ladies in the imperial city would certainly be clueless, and she intended to show off. However, she had run into Ji Zizhao head-on.
When people have bad luck, they kick an iron plate. But she had kicked a city wall with a single step.
It hurt her so much!
Nanny Tong could see clearly that this eldest young lady of the Ji family was not easy to deal with. She quickly took Wang Jifu's hand to help her up.
She had seen people stripped naked to be humiliated, but this was the first time she had seen someone skinned and deboned by the eldest young lady of the Ji family. The Tong family silently feared that if they stayed any longer, the last drop of blood from their Miss Jifu would be drained by the eldest young lady of the Ji family.