Chapter Forty-Nine: Seasoning

What is "San Dan"? Unlike the alchemical practices involving lead and mercury, this was a path far from mainstream.

Chen Yu leafed through the book. The cover did not look particularly ancient, suggesting it was either a recent work or a copy made by someone else.

As expected, You Kewei said with a laugh, "I suspected you would be interested in this volume, Daoist."

He had originally obtained it from a semi-reclusive Daoist temple south of Wuhu, where it had been inscribed on bamboo slips. Fortunately, the characters were clear. Although the abbot of that temple could not explain its origin, You Kewei had managed to deduce most of its contents after much study and had transcribed and printed the entire text.

"According to the records in the book, it dates back to the time of the Yin-Shang dynasty, following the Great Kang era. The author styled himself Feng Yunzi, and this volume records methods for seeking the Dao and refining elixirs."

Despite this, Chen Yu noticed that the elixirs mentioned were very different. There was almost no mention of lead or mercury; instead, a significant portion was dedicated to pharmacology. While names may have differed between ancient and modern times, given the heavy emphasis on medicinal knowledge, it would be no exaggeration to call it a medical treatise.

"Yin-Shang?"

Hearing You Kewei’s words, Chen Yu felt a sense of recognition.

This Yin-Shang was vastly different from the one in his previous life. On this land, eight hundred years ago, there had been a dynasty known as the Great Yin, founded by the Shang clan. Together, they were called the Yin-Shang or Shang-Yin. That era was neither too close nor too distant from the present. The Daoist tradition had already emerged by then, and Daoist philosophy had existed for centuries prior. If one were to blindly believe the Daoist scriptures claiming that Daoist theory had existed since the beginning of time, that would be pure folly. Nevertheless, the Great Yin was indeed an era when Daoism flourished.

"Eight hundred years? How did these bamboo slips survive? Could they truly be miraculous, a heavenly scroll?"

"I was equally amazed. Given the texture of ordinary bamboo, no matter the preservation method, it would be difficult to keep them in such a state," You Kewei chuckled. As it turned out, the bamboo slips he received were themselves a copy made by a predecessor in the Daoist tradition.

There were likely several such copies. Over the past eight hundred years, dynasties had risen and fallen, and the Great Yin—hailed as the golden age of Daoism—had also crumbled.

"Perhaps it was copied by others, passed down for decades, until I finally discovered it in a corner of that temple."

Chen Yu nodded, finding this plausible. In his previous life, while ancient bamboo slips were often excavated, they were usually fragmented and incomplete, and even with technology far superior to the present, restoration remained difficult. The fact that these slips were so well-preserved suggested they were not truly that ancient.

The two then discussed the *Feng Pu San Dan* at length, each gaining their own insights.

Chen Yu was far inferior to You Kewei in pharmacology, but conversely, the older man was a layman with only a superficial understanding of Daoist terminology, making him no match for Chen Yu, who, while not a master, was far more adept in that regard. After all, it was an alchemical text; some of the Daoist jargon might sound obscure and profound to others. Chen Yu found it difficult to read as well, but he was still significantly better off than You Kewei.

"It records eleven elixir formulas, but five of the medicinal ingredients are unidentified. It is unclear if they are extinct or if the transcription is in error."

Closing the book, Chen Yu heard You Kewei sigh. The reason he had transcribed the book was twofold: first, the pills did not contain toxic lead or mercury; second, many of the formulas targeted ailments like dysentery, glossitis, and eye infections. Although cloaked in various Daoist terms, at their core, these were the very illnesses that plagued many physicians.

Later, You Kewei had tried preparing a few doses, and they were indeed effective; in one instance, they had proven immensely useful. The pity was that many of the formulas relied too heavily on Daoist theories, leaving one confused and frustrated when trying to study them. The prescriptions themselves were correct—at least some had been verified—but the others were either incomplete or lacked information on the ingredients, rendering them unusable.

"I seem to have seen a few of these ingredients in Daoist scriptures. If I happen to find them in the future, I will entrust a copy to you, Layman."

Chen Yu said this with sincerity. Daoist writings were often like this; sometimes, the same substance would be given a different interpretation or name in Daoist texts. You Kewei felt the same way; in fact, he had only managed to restore some of the formulas with the help of friends in the Daoist community. Since there was more than one copy of the text, giving one to Chen Yu was a gesture of goodwill.

"When the time comes, you can leave it at the Huichun Hall in Huayin County." You Kewei stroked his long beard with a smile, offering a location.

Chen Yu noted it down mentally. It was too early to send anything; he would need to find someone traveling to Huayin, perhaps a merchant caravan. In reality, during the time of the Great Zhao, such things could have been handled through the official postal stations for the price of a meal and drinks—simple and convenient.

Afterward, they chatted about various events in the north and south, and shared anecdotes.

"Layman, I must take my leave."

Chen Yu left the village. You Kewei needed to observe the situation for a while longer to ensure that the elder Sister Liu’s illness did not recur. Though he possessed martial strength, he had a benevolent heart. After a brief exchange, they agreed on a time to meet again.

"When you visit Wuhu, I shall certainly take you to see the endless sea of flowers at Baili."

"I shall keep that in mind. I will have to trouble you then, Layman."

"Hahaha, indeed!"

...

Qingtai Mountain, Yunhe Temple.

At dusk, Chen Yu walked slowly up the stone steps, carrying several bags.

Under the peach tree, a small, chestnut-red deer lay half-recumbent, a half-eaten, delicate petal dangling from its mouth.

He froze for a moment, looking around behind the peach tree for quite a while before finally relaxing. Looking at the ground, it was clean, unlike the carpet of fallen blossoms from before.

The deer let out a soft bleat.

"Eating everything on the ground, you scoundrel..."

Amused, Chen Yu rubbed the creature’s forehead and went to another peach tree nearby, plucking a blossom and offering it to the deer. The animal merely sniffed it and turned its head away, completely uninterested.

Shaking his head, he tossed it into his own mouth. It was slightly bitter, but far less so than the tree beside the deer.

"The spiritual energy is taking effect."

Yet, the deer remained foolishly guarding that one tree, ignoring all the others.

"That is fine, too." Chen Yu thought this was a good thing. He could build a wooden fence around the peach trees infused with spiritual energy to prevent the deer from damaging them.

He still needed to nurture them further. He thought about how the peach blossoms bloomed quite late in this world, and the peaches would also ripen late, likely not until the eighth or ninth month.

Avoiding the gluttonous deer that often came to beg for food, Chen Yu carried the various goods he had purchased in the county town and placed them on the stone table after pushing open the courtyard gate.

"Oil, salt, soy sauce, and vinegar..."

He had bought some of each. Except for the soy sauce and salt, they were not expensive. He took them into the kitchen. He also brought out a bundle of oil-paper, inside which were noodles. They were not as dry as those he had seen in his previous life; they were slightly moist and would not last long.

There were also some ginger chunks, a jar of fruit wine, and a package of plums pickled in aged vinegar. These were all for seasoning, especially the pickled plums. They were from the previous season; although there were plums now, they were still incredibly green and far inferior to the ones in his hand.

On the way back, Chen Yu had tasted one. Beyond the refreshing sourness, it was sweet as honey and possessed a rich, fruity fragrance—a truly excellent seasoning. It would also make a fine snack.