The Yin household is a well known and respected family in Lou Zemin Capital. They were a special case and different from everyone else.
All the Yin"s descendants for generations, female or male, were trained to become doctors. There was no such thing as a gender role within the Yin household. One must do what"s best in one"s life to help others and themselves. They didn"t want their daughters" hands and legs to be broken once married. They wanted all their children to be capable enough to take care of themselves with or without a husband or wife.
Naturally, all of them had a kin sense of taste and smell for herbs. Vast knowledge of medicine and illness that occurs. Giving them a rise in status and became trusted doctors for the Imperial family. The Yin household has served the Imperial family as long as it has existed.
Even though they are only doctors, their status doesn"t fall short from the Xiong family, who sweats of b.l.o.o.d.y tears to keep their country safe.
Out of all possible reasoning, there was one reason that majorly boosted the Yin family to what it is today. The people says it"s because the Yin family descendants are talented doctors. It"s no wonder they are where they are in life today.
Those were nothing more than gossips, far from the truth.
At the same time, the Yin household never rebuked those commoners gossips and reasoning of their raise in the hierarchy.
If the truth were let out, disaster would befall upon the Yin household and Yin Yingtai"s eldest sister.
After all these years, they chose to keep it hidden and locked away. Anyone who knew was sworn to bring it to their grave and never speak of it ever again.
However, the good thing about the Yin"s status is that the marriage between Xiong Guozhi and Yin Yingtai went on through smoothly. There was no such thing as a disagreement between both families. They were a match made in heaven! Both of them came from a respected family, have even status, wealth, and are well-known talented individuals in the Capital.
Yin Yingtai during her prime before marriage tied her down. She was known for her expertise in finding the right herbs for a person"s illness or injuries. She was conferred as a genius within the Yin household, a natural at what she was doing. If you gave her two identical leaves, she could easily identify the difference with her eyes closed. By also listing out the usage properties of them.
Thus this knowledge was eventually pa.s.sed down to Xiong Jingfei. The Yin household did not personally teach her, but it was her mother"s handwritten booklet. It wasn"t given to her until she learned to read and write. Yin Yingtai left all her knowledge and love inside a book for her child. The one who will never get to know her.
Wanting to feel a little of what her mother was like, Xiong Jingfei took on the task and study the book. She even discovered things that Yin Yingtai did not write down. It was hard at first but became easier the longer she continued her research. She thought she was extremely slow at grasping the concept of different herbs and ways to use it, especially without a guide.
It wasn"t like she could waltz herself inside the Imperial palace and request someone from the Yin household. They only work for the Imperial family, so they reside inside the palace. They weren"t like the others who lived outside those tall red walls. It was a reason why she barely knew her maternal side of the family.
What Xiong Jingfei did not realize, was that she was advancing faster than her mother and anyone her age. One thing those who knew mother will say to her is that she is a mini version of Yin Yingtai. She was in many ways like her mother and the Yin family. She only had small traits similar to Xiong Guozhi.
Eventually, news of Xiong Jingfei"s talent reached the Emperor"s ears. It was luck within a stroke of bad luck. It became a reason why she was recommended to go to a war zone. If she refused, she would be d.a.m.ned for unwilling to help her country in a crisis. If she goes, there is a chance she won"t return unharmed or ever return.
"Come," Yang Zheyan slipped his hands into hers. He led her to one of her smaller tables in the room with a bronze mirror. Xiong Jingfei was about to utter a protest but was stopped by him. "Let me do this for you."
On the table was a wooden comb used daily by Xu Song to comb Xiong Jingfei"s hair. Instead of Xu Song, Yang Zheyan picked up the comb and combed through her long black hair. As if teasing her, his fingers will glide up at the back of her neck. Pulling her hair into an updo, with an occasional finger brush against her ears lobe.
On the other hand, Xiong Jingfei was fidgeting nonstop on the inside. She tried finding words to stop him. Instead, she kept quiet and let him do it. There was no stopping him unless he wants to stop it himself.
To have the opposite gender combing your hair was one of the most intimate acts you can do as a wife and husband. By tradition, after spending their first night together as a married couple. In the early morning, the wife will help her husband comb his hair to signifies, they are now one.
They weren"t even married yet, and Yang Zheyan was the first to brush her hair. She glanced at herself in the bronze mirror. A tinge of happy s.h.i.+ver went down her back.
"What are you thinking of?" Yang Zheyan asked.
He crouched down to be level headed with her and looked at the bronze mirror. She had her eyes closed and seemed to be in deep thoughts. She didn"t seem to have noticed he had finished.
Xiong Jingfei opened her eyes, staring straight into the bronze mirror to look at Yang Zheyan. He is the right person for her.