The pungent, sour, sweet, bitter, and salty aromas of medicinal herbs mingled together, drifting from the half-shuttered window of Daodi Ben Cao and refreshing every wizard who passed by; fabrics in blue, yellow, red, white, and black were woven together and hung from the racks of Luxi Fang, making every passing witch unable to move on; thread-bound copies of the Five Classics—Poetry, Documents, Rites, Changes, and Spring and Autumn Annals—were piled in a corner of Fendian Suoqiu, their pages yellowed and their cotton binding threads blackened.
Huizi Market was as peaceful and pleasant as ever.
Zheng Qing walked along the Bluestone Path, clasping his hands in greeting to the neighbors on either side; Deng Xiaoxian followed close behind him, both hands cradling the back of his head as he gazed up at the strip of blue sky overhead and yawned repeatedly.
"Little Qing, you're back? How many days are you staying?" Granny Cai asked with a beaming smile, leaning against the pillar outside Hundred Herbs Hall.
"I'm back." Zheng Qing stopped and answered obediently, "The school gave us a month-long winter break, but I'm a state-funded student, so I have to report back half a month early... The school arranged some public service work for us."
At the mention of his being a state-funded student, Deng Xiaoxian let out a long, disdainful snort without lowering his head.
"Being a state-funded student is good. You're more capable than Xiaoxian." Granny Cai raised a thumb in praise—Deng Xiaoxian, walking behind Zheng Qing, gave another loud snort, like a snoring wild boar—then she followed up, "Have you used up your old Rune Copybooks? Want to take a few more from the shop?"
Back when Zheng Qing practiced talismans, he got his copybooks, cinnabar, and other supplies from Hundred Herbs Hall. Granny Cai also