My Sister Insisted on Swapping Marriages, and I Became a Marchioness Instead

Chapter 242: Peony

Qin Yuan listened and smiled.

Sixth Master Gu wants to establish himself through poetry and painting, which requires a lot of hard work.

Xiao Dong continued, "When I come to the Marquis Mansion in the future, I will ask Sixth Master to let me see his seal and find someone outside to carve one for me. Then, whenever I write prescriptions, I’ll stamp them with my seal, and everyone will know it was my prescription."

Seeing him shaking his head joyfully, Qin Yuan laughed even more.

Xiao Dong showed her the painted orchid leaves, a few strokes arranged together, looking quite promising.

For a beginner, it was painted very well.

Qin Yuan looked and immediately praised, "Not bad, very spirited."

Xiao Dong’s interest increased, asking, "Does that mean I can paint like Sixth Master in the future?"

Qin Yuan asked, "Do you like painting?"

Xiao Dong nodded without hesitation, "I like it, but Master won’t agree. He wholeheartedly hopes I can inherit Renhe Hall. If I become obsessed with painting like Sixth Master, Renhe Hall will belong to someone else."

Qin Yuan thought for a moment and asked, "Are the peony flowers in the incense bag beautiful?"

Xiao Dong answered blankly, "Of course, they’re beautiful."

Qin Yuan asked again, "Do you know what medical uses the peony flowers in my incense bag have?"

Xiao Dong immediately replied, "Peony flowers can consolidate yin and calm the liver, nourish blood and energy. Women can brew them as drinks to alleviate blood deficiency jaundice, limb cramps, night sweats, and it can also dispel spots and nourish the liver."

Qin Yuan said, "Can you paint peony flowers?"

Xiao Dong looked at Qin Yuan, "?"

Qin Yuan said, "Have you read Li Shizhen’s ’Compendium of Materia Medica’? Or memorized the ’Medical Dictionary’? Most of the herbs in it are illustrated, indicating features that help future generations find and gather them. You can recognize peonies at first sight, but have you closely observed their morphology? Can you distinguish the differences between various peony varieties?"

Xiao Dong pondered for a while and then said, "Sister’s intention is to let me observe carefully and paint them, not only to aid in learning medicine but also to learn painting?"

Qin Yuan said, "That’s right, you can try it. If you like, you can paint continuously; if not, it’s okay. Being able to accurately depict the morphology of herbs might be useful in the future, just don’t let it hinder your medical learning."

Xiao Dong thought for a moment and asked, "Is learning to paint people also useful?"

Qin Yuan said, "Naturally, many illnesses have been described with pen and ink, but it’s always insufficiently accurate. Those who haven’t learned medicine with a master find these medical cases difficult to understand. If you can depict the patient’s symptoms and supplement them with medical cases and prescriptions, that would be remarkable. When you grow up and write such medical books, I’ll have Shen Changle print and distribute them for you, which would be a great merit."

Xiao Dong shook his little legs eagerly.

"Then I want to learn painting too, please teach me, Sister."

Qin Yuan said, "Aren’t I teaching you now? There are many schools in painting, fine brushwork and freehand are different. Some excel at figures, others at landscapes, and some at flowers and birds. I know very little, just learned for fun."

Saying this, she took Xiao Dong’s hand, drew a few strokes on paper, and then signaled him to look.

"The orchids in my painting differ from the real ones. To depict realistically, it’s best to draw as accurately as possible, but for art, it’s about capturing the charm."

"For example, when painting leaves, they should vary in length, and height should be uneven, not all aligned; when painting flowers, there should be differences in front and back, hidden and exposed, leaning and upright, open and closed for contrast, so they don’t seem dull and dry. But actually, how could real orchids grow precisely like this?"

Xiao Dong scratched his ear.

"What Sister says, I don’t quite understand, but it seems very reasonable. With Sister’s painting, these orchid leaves look much more delicate and beautiful; it turns out the secret is here."

Qin Yuan laughed, "This is basic stuff. You can learn from any ’Painting Manual’ bought at a bookstore. Regularly appreciating master’s works can enhance painting skills. You can often visit the Marquis Mansion later, I have some albums here, and Sixth Master has some too. Just follow and look more."

Xiao Dong couldn’t be happier about frequently visiting the Marquis Mansion.

"Don’t worry, Sister. I will definitely come often."

The two chatted for a while. Xiao Dong practiced painting orchid leaves and flowers, then found a peony branch to depict, vowing to paint it faithfully.

Qin Yuan let him be while she sat aside reviewing accounts.

The two were happily talking, yet Doctor Li was waiting in the house for Xiao Dong to return and order dishes for dinner. Left waiting without seeing him come back, he couldn’t help but scold, "That little brat, why’s he gone so long? Probably distracted! Wait ’til he returns, then I’ll teach him."

Before long, Gu Shiliu came by, nodded to Doctor Li without speaking, then solemnly called away the gatekeeper servant.

The blind nanny still asked, "Was it Sixteen who came just now?"

Doctor Li was also puzzled, "Sixteen’s face didn’t look good, I don’t know what’s wrong, but I better not ask."

The blind nanny comforted him, "It’s nothing, should be something with the Marquis, unrelated to us."

Doctor Li acknowledged.

Soon after, someone from Qin Yuan’s side invited him to dine at Wutong Garden, saying the Marquis was there too.

The people guarding Doctor Liu’s room door changed as well.

Learning Xiao Dong went to Wutong Garden, Doctor Li divided half of the dishes brought by the servant for the blind nanny and Brother Qi, "He won’t finish these dishes, add them for you two."

The blind nanny laughed, "Good, good, thank you Doctor Li, good deeds will be rewarded."

Doctor Li was a bit embarrassed, "I just borrowed flowers to offer to Buddha, we all live in one courtyard, no need to be polite."

The blind nanny just smiled.

Doctor Li changed clothes and left the remaining food for the servant, instructing him to guard the room well, and not wander around, then went toward Wutong Garden too.

Doctor Li didn’t especially want to see Marquis Gu, but Doctor Liu’s miserable condition made him uncomfortable.

Doctor Liu had wronged the Marquis Mansion first, and Doctor Li disapproved of his actions, but there was a subtle sadness in feeling empathy for a fellow’s downfall.

Uncomfortably, he burned incense, washed his hands, and was directly led into the dining room.

Upon entering, he saw Xiao Dong already seated, swinging his little legs, smiling brightly, chatting with the cold Marquis Gu.

If there was a tail behind him, it would surely be wagging.

"This little brat..."

Doctor Li couldn’t help muttering, his hands were itching.

Then he noticed Xiao Dong had changed into new clothes, a light green Songjiang Cloth summer shirt, tied with a pine-colored belt, with an incense bag, pocket, and Jade Pendant hanging nearby, embroidered with wisteria and cloud patterns on the spread lapels, his little face recently grew some flesh, becoming fairer, with Qin Yuan’s longevity lock around his neck...

Like a carefree, much-loved little child.

Doctor Li’s eyes suddenly felt sore, and he swallowed all the words he intended to reprimand Xiao Dong.