"Sure," Zhu Yanyi said without refusing. She knew they wouldn't understand her methods even if they watched. "The treatment takes seven days. You can come with me every day."
"Okay," Cole agreed. He felt responsible for the villagers now that he was here.
Zhu Yanyi turned back to her work. She needed to make both a drink and a paste. Today, she would make the paste. Tomorrow, she would bring the herbs and boil the drink on site.
"Junior Sister, I’m done washing," Dong Bo Cao said with a smile.
Zhu Yanyi nodded. "Senior Brother, please get these other herbs for me." She put down her work, opened her medicine box, and handed her a list.
Dong Bo Cao checked the list and nodded. "I’ll get them right away." Thanks to Old Man Yao, many herbs were available here. If any were missing, they could easily find them nearby.
After crushing the herbs, Cole watched Zhu Yanyi filter the moss juice. She poured the juice into a clay pot and placed it on the stove, heating it slowly.
While the juice boiled, Zhu Yanyi prepared other herbs. She ground some into powder and added them to the pot. Cole noticed the liquid turning red and thickening. A sweet scent filled the air. Then, Zhu Yanyi took a small bottle from her box and poured Spirit Spring water into the pot. The liquid slowly thickened into a clear, ruby-red paste.
When it was ready, Zhu Yanyi poured the paste into a sandalwood box and closed the lid. She didn’t seem to worry about cooling it down.
"What is this paste?" Cole asked, surprised. He had never seen moss turned into a paste before.
Zhu Yanyi smiled. "It’s for outside use. It clears the red rash. But you also need the drink inside. That must be boiled fresh to work." She explained, "This box isn’t much. It’s only enough for two days. We need more."
"Keep it in just this wooden box?" Cole asked curiously.
Zhu Yanyi nodded. "I must apply the first dose myself. Only my Senior Brother can help much. After that, others can help. So, keeping the first dose in this box is simple and convenient." She packed the medicine away.
Just then, Yan Aohan sent another basket of moss. Zhu Yanyi started the process again. Cole helped her all day.