Chapter 56: STUDYING FOR CLASS: HERBOLOGY 101

Li Yan lowered his eyes to the first medicinal herb introduced in the manual and carefully read through its description. This time, instead of trying to remember everything written on the page at once, he followed Xiaoxiao’s advice and focused first on understanding its properties.

The herb was called Red Vein Grass, a relatively common medicinal plant that grew in places with abundant spiritual Qi. According to the manual, its leaves contained a mild warming property and were commonly used in medicines meant to improve blood circulation and treat minor internal injuries.

Li Yan read the description twice before moving to the illustration beside it.

"The red lines running through the leaves are where its name comes from?"

"Partly. Young Red Vein Grass does not have them," Xiaoxiao explained. "The veins become visible as the plant matures and absorbs more spiritual Qi. The deeper the colour, the closer it is to full maturity. That is something an Apothecary should be able to recognize without digging up the plant or damaging it."

Li Yan returned his attention to the illustration. The manual showed three stages of the herb’s growth, and now that Xiaoxiao had pointed it out, the difference between them was obvious.

He took out a blank sheet of paper and wrote a short note beside the herb’s name.

"Do I need to remember its appearance at every stage?"

"If you intend to recognize medicinal ingredients outside a book, yes. Illustrations are useful when you are beginning, but you will eventually need to identify them yourself. A medicinal ingredient will not conveniently announce its name when you encounter it."

Li Yan gave a small snort at her remark and continued reading.

The manual went beyond the herb’s appearance and medicinal effect. It explained which part of the plant was commonly harvested, the appropriate time to gather it, and the basic method used to preserve it after harvesting. Li Yan slowed when he reached a warning stating that excessive heat during drying could weaken its medicinal properties.

He tapped the sentence lightly with his finger.

"If its nature is warm, why would heat weaken it?"

"That is a better question."

Xiaoxiao moved closer to the desk and glanced at the open manual.

"Do not confuse the medicinal nature of an ingredient with ordinary temperature. Calling Red Vein Grass warm describes the effect its medicinal properties have when introduced into the body. It does not mean the plant itself should be treated with as much heat as possible."

Li Yan immediately crossed out one of the assumptions he had written in his notes.

"So when a manual describes an ingredient as warm or cold, I should not interpret those words literally."

"Not without considering the context. That mistake is common among beginners, and it becomes troublesome when they begin processing ingredients."

Li Yan wrote that down as well before turning to the next page.

After a while, he reached the second medicinal herb. This one was called Moon Dew Flower, and unlike Red Vein Grass, its medicinal nature was cooling. Its petals could be processed into remedies used to soothe certain fevers and reduce excessive internal heat.

Li Yan studied its properties first, then its appearance and harvesting requirements as Xiaoxiao had instructed.

The difference between the two medicinal plants immediately caught his attention.

"The first herb is warm and this one is cooling. Does that mean they would oppose each other if they were used together?"

"Not necessarily."

Li Yan paused with his brush above the paper.

Xiaoxiao continued, "That is another mistake you should avoid. Opposing properties do not automatically make two medicinal ingredients incompatible. Sometimes an Apothecary deliberately combines opposing properties to balance a preparation. What matters is the intended effect, the amount used, the method of processing, and the other ingredients involved."

Li Yan frowned slightly as he considered her explanation before writing another note.

"So I cannot determine whether two ingredients can be combined just by looking at one property."

"Exactly. You are beginning with medicinal herbs, so your first task is learning how to understand each one individually. Compatibility comes later. If you rush ahead without understanding the ingredients themselves, you will only confuse yourself."

In the time it took to drink a cup of tea, Li Yan had worked through several more pages. His progress was slower than it would have been if he were simply reading, but his notes had become considerably more detailed.

He stopped at the next illustration and compared it with the description underneath.

"This one has two varieties that look almost identical."

Xiaoxiao leaned over to look at the page before a faint smile appeared on her face.

"Good. Then let us see whether you can tell me which one is medicine and which one will have you clutching your stomach for the rest of the day."

Li Yan looked at the two illustrations for a while before shaking his head.

"I do not know. It is better not to assume when I have not learned enough to tell the difference."

Xiaoxiao nodded with approval.

"That is the right answer. An Apothecary should not rely on assumptions when dealing with medicinal ingredients. One wrong judgment can turn a useful ingredient into something harmful."

Li Yan carefully examined the two illustrations again.

"Their appearances are almost identical."

"Which is why you cannot depend on sight alone. The main methods of identifying a medicinal herb are colour, sight, smell, touch, and taste."

Li Yan raised his brush and began writing the five methods down.

"Colour and sight are different?"

"Of course. Colour refers to the specific shade of the herb and any changes that may reveal its maturity or condition. Sight is broader. You need to observe the shape of the leaves, the arrangement of the veins, the stem, the roots, the flowers, and even signs of damage or abnormal growth."

Li Yan nodded and added the details to his notes.

"Smell can reveal differences that your eyes cannot detect. Some medicinal herbs have distinct fragrances, while others have almost no scent. Touch allows you to judge things such as texture, firmness, moisture, and whether an ingredient has begun to deteriorate."

"What about taste?"

"Taste can help identify certain medicinal herbs, but you should never casually put an unfamiliar herb into your mouth. Some medicinal ingredients are poisonous, and you will learn how to recognize them safely before you attempt that method."

Li Yan nodded seriously and looked at the two illustrations again.

"So I should first become familiar with the herbs themselves. Once I know what they should look, smell, and feel like, I will have a better chance of noticing when something is different."

"Exactly. That is why I told you to first know your herbs. You cannot properly study their uses or learn how to prepare medicines if you cannot even identify the ingredients in front of you."