After everyone had settled, Lin Yue poured the broth into a simple porcelain bowl and placed it before Xu Wenyi with both hands.
Xu Wenyi hesitated.
He stared at the clear, lightly golden liquid for a long moment, his brows drawn together. However fragrant it was, he could not easily trust a dish made with forbidden roots—especially one prepared by two young women who had appeared so suddenly at his door.
To dispel his doubts, Lin Yue calmly lifted her own spoon. Lin Yuqin followed suit without hesitation.
They tasted it together.
The warm broth slid smoothly down their throats, carrying a gentle heat that spread through the chest without irritation. Lin Yuqin's eyes brightened almost immediately.
"Mei Lin," she asked softly, unable to hide her delight, "why didn't you introduce this dish to me earlier? If this were brought into the world, it would surely become a hit."
Lin Yue merely smiled.
In her previous life, her mother had often prepared ginger broth to dispel cold and ease nausea. Truthfully, this was not even the most refined way ginger could be used—it was only that she felt too lazy to prepare additional dishes.
Keeping her explanation light, Lin Yue casually told Lin Yuqin how she had stumbled upon the recipe.
Without realizing it, the two women had completely forgotten about the elderly man seated across from them.
Xu Wenyi was stubborn by nature—but he was not immune to temptation.
The teasing aroma rising steadily from the bowl, paired with the unguarded delight of the two young women, finally wore down his resistance.
With a faint huff, he picked up the porcelain spoon and took a sip.
The moment it touched his lips, his eyes widened slightly.
The flavor was clear yet layered. The sharp warmth of ginger bloomed gently on the tongue, softened by the richness of slow-simmered bones. It flowed smoothly down his throat, warming his chest, dispelling lingering chill, and leaving behind a clean, lingering sweetness. Every ingredient complemented the other perfectly, neither overpowering nor wasted.
Before he realized it, he had finished the bowl.
Then another spoonful.
And another.
By the time Xu Wenyi came to his senses, the bowl was spotless.
He nearly rose to fetch more from the pot, only to halt when he caught sight of the two young women watching him with poorly hidden amusement.
"Is… everything all right, Mr. Xu?" Lin Yuqin asked lightly, biting back a laugh.
Xu Wenyi frowned deeply, though he knew he was fooling no one. After a pause, he said stiffly, "…I'm impressed."
Lin Yue raised an eyebrow slightly. She set her spoon down, wiped her lips neatly, and asked calmly,
"So, what do you have to say, Mr. Xu?"
Xu Wenyi looked at her with newfound respect.
From the moment she had entered his cottage, Lin Yue had remained composed and deliberate. She spoke plainly, moved with purpose, and never once tried to curry favor. Standing before her now, Xu Wenyi felt as though he were facing a seasoned warrior—quiet, restrained, and dangerous in her own way.
Judging from her manner and insight, he suspected she had far more hidden beneath the surface.
"…Twenty thousand taels of silver," he said slowly. "How does that sound?"
Lin Yue's lips curved faintly.
Lin Yuqin, however, was stunned. They had expected perhaps twenty or thirty taels—nothing more.
Xu Wenyi was far more generous than they had imagined.
"No—no, that's too much, Mr. Xu," Lin Yuqin said quickly.
Lin Yue nodded in agreement. "We cannot accept that."
Xu Wenyi chuckled softly.
His impression of them shifted once more. Most people, upon hearing such a sum—especially after witnessing the value of the herbs and broth—would have grown greedy and demanded more.
Yet these two refused.
"It is the least I can offer," he said calmly. "You have shown me the true worth of ginger—and these herbs."
After much insistence, they finally reached a compromise. Xu Wenyi paid one thousand taels of silver and finalized the agreement.
By the time the negotiations concluded, dawn had long passed. It was nearly seven in the morning, and the sun had fully risen, bathing Cold Mountain in clear golden light.