Chapter 434

Heng Xian walked out of the princess's mansion gate and saw Han Fuyao, dressed in male attire, accompanied by three maidservants, waving a fan, looking like a scholar with a feather fan and silk headband, captivating a group of passing aristocratic ladies from noble and official families.

Translation: Heng Xian stepped out of the princess's mansion gate and saw Han Fuyao, dressed in male attire, accompanied by three maidservants, waving a fan, looking like a feather fan and silk headscarf, enchanting a group of passing aristocratic young ladies from noble and official families.

We need to keep it concise but include all info. Let's produce a single line.

Seeing Heng Xian come out, she smiled slightly: "Master Heng, we meet again!"

Translation: Seeing Heng Xian come out, she smiled slightly: "Lord Heng, we meet again!"

Actually, that statement is mistaken, because she has met Heng Xian before and is familiar with him, but he has never met her.

Translation: Actually, that sentence is wrong, because she has met Heng Xian before and is familiar with him, but Heng Xian has never seen her!

Heng Xian had a vague impression of this woman, but wasn't sure, so he asked: "Who are you?"

Translation: Heng Xian had a vague impression of this woman, but didn't dare to confirm, asking: "You are……"

Han Fuyao then realized, clasped his hands and laughed: "I am Han Fuyao, a pill-master of the Eighty Nations Qinggu Altar of the Pill Masters' Alliance!"

Translation: Han Fuyao then realized, clasped his hands and laughed: "I am Han Fuyao, pill refiner of the Eighty Countries Qinggu Main Altar of the Pill Refining Alliance!"

"My apologies!"

Translation: "My apologies!"

Heng Xian himself is also a pill-master; since the other party is from the Pill Masters' Alliance, they share some connection, so he waved his hand: "Please come in for a chat."

Translation: Heng Xian himself was also a pill refiner; since the other party belonged to the Pill Refining Alliance, they shared some connection, he waved his hand: "Please come in for a chat!"

The two entered the princess's mansion together, and the palace maids served tea.

Translation: The two entered the princess's mansion together, and palace maids served tea.

Han Fuyao looked at Heng Xian: "I don't know whether I should address you as Champion Marquis or Elder Brother Heng?"

Translation: Han Fuyao looked at Heng Xian: "I don't know whether I should address you as Champion Marquis or Brother Heng?"

Heng Xian laughed: "Whatever you like, but your information is quite well-informed!"

Translation: Heng Xian laughed: "Either way is fine, but you're well-informed!"

Han Fuyao played with the hair at his temples and said: "The imperial capital never sleeps; the eunuchs come with great fanfare to announce the edict, and no one can hide it."

Translation: Han Fuyao toyed with the hair at her temples and said: "The capital never sleeps; the eunuch comes with great fanfare to announce the edict, impossible to hide from others!"

"Hmm." Heng Xian nodded; he dislikes pleasantries, so he got straight to the point: "I don't know what business Lady Han has with me."

Translation: "Hn." Heng Xian nodded; he disliked pleasantries and got straight to the point: "Miss Han, what business do you have with me?"

Han Fuyao closed his folding fan and said: "Simply! Our Pill Masters' Alliance has branches in all seven hundred twenty cities of the Great Zhou, except we cannot enter the capital."

Translation: Han Fuyao closed her folding fan and said: "Simple! Our Pill Refining Alliance has branches spread across the seven hundred twenty cities of Great Zhou, yet we cannot enter the capital!"

"Why is that?" Heng Xian asked.

Translation: "Why is that?" Heng Xian asked.

Han Fuyao said: "In the Great Zhou capital, the Heavenly Observation Bureau, the Divine Martial Office, and the two great academies all have pill-masters; the capital's nobles believe that if the Pill Masters' Alliance entered, it would disturb their established pill-making order."

Translation: Han Fuyao said: "In the Great Zhou capital, the Office of Heavenly Mandate, the Divine Martial Bureau, and the two great academies all have pill refiners; the capital's nobles believe that if the Pill Refining Alliance entered, it would disrupt their existing alchemical order!"

Heng Xian nodded and said: "I see, but telling me this is useless—I don't do business, and I can't change the capital's people's minds."

Translation: Heng Xian nodded: "I see, but telling me is useless; I don't do business, and I can't change the capital's people's minds!"

Han Fuyao opened his folding fan, his face brimming with confidence: "Entrusted by the Qin prince Ying Zhi, I will set up a platform after one incense stick's burning time, inviting the Great Zhou's pill-making geniuses to compete, in celebration of the Great Zhou heavenly empress's birthday!"

Translation: Han Fuyao opened her fan, face brimming with confidence: "Entrusted by the Qin prince Ying Zhi Hou, I will set up a stage after one incense stick's time, inviting the Great Zhou alchemical geniuses to participate, to celebrate the Empress of Great Zhou's birthday!"

"A pill-making contest?" Heng Xian asked.

Translation: "A pill-refining contest?" Heng Xian asked.

Han Fuyao shook his head: "No! Pill-making contests are boring, time-consuming, laborious, and lack fun; we should instead compete in... pill identification!"

Translation: Han Fuyao shook her head: "No! Pill-refining contests are dull and tedious, wasting time and effort with no fun; we should instead… identify pills!"

Heng Xian exclaimed: "Pill identification?"

Translation: Heng Xian exclaimed: "Identify pills?"

Han Fuyao nodded: "I will present a hundred pills; Great Zhou pill-makers, standing three zhang away, will use their eyes and noses to analyze the pills' properties and effects. Identifying thirty correctly counts as a draw; fifty means I lose. Conversely, if no one can identify them, I will establish a Pill Masters' Alliance branch in the Great Zhou capital!"

Translation: Han Fuyao nodded: "I will produce a hundred pills; I ask the Great Zhou pill refiners, from three zhang away, to use eyes and nose to analyze the pills' properties and effects; identifying thirty counts as a draw, fifty means I lose; otherwise, if no one can crack them, I will establish a Pill Refining Alliance branch in the Great Zhou capital!"

Heng Xian nodded: "Supported! I just won't participate."

Translation: Heng Xian nodded: "Supported! I won't participate!"

"No! You must participate!" Han Fuyao laughed, revealing a row of white jade-like teeth: "But you can't keep using children to deceive! Come forward honestly and match wits with me!"

Translation: "No! You must participate!" Han Fuyao laughed, revealing a row of white shell teeth, "But you can't keep using a child to deceive! Come upright and fair, and match wits with me!"

Heng Xian exclaimed: "You want to match wits with me?"

Translation: Heng Xian exclaimed: "You want to match wits with me?"

Han Fuyao said: "I don't want to! However, your fame is now blazing purple; if I defeat you in pill-making and win outright, the reputation of the Pill Masters' Alliance will soon spread throughout the capital!"

Translation: Han Fuyao said: "I don't want to! But your fame is now blazing purple; if I defeat you in alchemy, win outright, the Pill Refining Alliance's prestige will soon spread throughout the capital!"

Heng Xian said slowly: "How do you know I will definitely lose??"

Translation: Heng Xian drawled: "How do you know I will definitely lose??"

Han Fuyao said leisurely: "I began studying pill-making at three, tasted hundreds of herbs and thousands of medicines by ten, passed the fourth-grade pill-master examination at twenty, and have authored one hundred eleven single-ingredient formulas!"

Translation: Han Fuyao leisurely said: "I began studying alchemy at three, tasted hundreds of herbs and thousands of medicines at ten, passed the fourth-rank pill refiner exam at twenty, and authored one hundred eleven single formulas!

"Even if you are talented in poetry and skilled in warfare and chess, the way of pill-making is still far beyond you; I will let you come within three zhang, and you will still lose!"

Translation: Even if you are skilled in poetry, adept at war and chess, but the way of alchemy, you are still far behind; I let you come within three zhang, and you would still lose!"

Heng Xian was speechless; he had seen confident people, but never someone this confident, and for a moment he didn't know how to respond.

Translation: Heng Xian was speechless; he had seen confident people, but never this confident, and for a moment didn't know how to respond!

Han Fuyao lightly laughed: "I await your challenge."

Translation: Han Fuyao lightly laughed: "I await your challenge!"

Having said that, he turned and left.

Translation: Having said that, she turned and left.

…… (ellipsis) - we need to output something? The line is just "……". We must translate it. Probably keep as "……" or "...". The instruction: translate faithfully. So we output "……". But we need to keep it as a single line with 【32】 prefix.

The imperial city.

Translation: Imperial City.

"Qingyang Palace," a vast palace complex capable of holding one hundred thousand people, filled with countless palace maids and eunuchs, and additionally, officials from the Ministry of Rites arrived in droves.

Translation: "Qingyang Palace," within its huge palace compound capable of holding a hundred thousand people, palace maids and eunuchs abounded, and officials from the Ministry of Rites also came in droves!

The nobles and envoys from all nations coming to celebrate the heavenly empress's birthday would soon arrive, making things even busier.

Translation: For the Empress's birthday celebration, royal nobles and envoys from all nations were about to arrive, making things even busier.

Crown Prince Ji Qian and Prince Wu Ji Yingfan even came personally to oversee.

Translation: Crown Prince Ji Gan and Prince Wu Ji Yaofan even came personally to oversee.

Just then, a piece of news arrived unexpectedly—

Translation: Just then, a piece of news arrived unexpectedly——

The Great Qin envoys, outside Qingyang Palace at the Deer Wu Terrace, arranged pills to form the characters "Wan Shou Wu Jiang" and added an illusion, creating the "Pill Identification Contest": to celebrate the Great Zhou heavenly empress's birthday and to invite Great Zhou pill-making masters to come and solve it.

Translation: The Qin envoy, outside Qingyang Palace on Luwu Terrace, arranged pills to form the characters "Ten Thousand Longevity, No End" and added an illusionary formation, creating the "Identify Pill Contest," both to celebrate the Great Zhou Empress's birthday and to invite Great Zhou alchemical masters to come and crack it!

"Again?!!"

Translation: "Again?!!"

Ji Qian and Ji Yingfan brothers immediately rushed to the outer gate, looked, and indeed!

Translation: Ji Gan and Ji Yaofan the brothers immediately rushed to the outer gate, took a look, and sure enough!

On the tall Deer Wu Terrace outside Qingyang Palace, the two Qin princes, a group of Qin generals, and a woman once again "set up the platform"!

Translation: On the tall Luwu Terrace outside Qingyang Palace, the two Qin princes, a group of Qin generals, and a woman once again "set up the stage"!

One hundred pills with a faint glow floated, forming the large characters "Fu Shou Ankang"; the light was dazzling, and the unique pill fragrance refreshed the heart and mind.

Translation: A hundred pills with a faint glow floated, arranging themselves into the large characters "Fortune, Longevity, Health, Peace," their light dazzling, the unique pill fragrance refreshing the heart and mind!

Already, nobles, officials, and noble ladies had slowly gathered around.

Translation: Already, royal nobles, officials, and ladies had slowly gathered around.

The two brothers exchanged a glance, immediately sent people to spread the word, inviting masters to come and compete.

Translation: The two brothers exchanged a glance, immediately sent people to spread the word, inviting masters to come and compete!

In fact, there was no need to deliberately invite anyone, because so many people were coming to the palace to celebrate the birthday that almost everyone could clearly see the Qin envoys setting up the platform again as they arrived.

Translation: Actually, there was no need to deliberately invite, for the number of people entering the palace to celebrate was so great that almost everyone, upon arriving, could clearly see the Qin envoy again setting up the stage!

The second platform!

Translation: Second stage!

Since the birthday celebration time was still early, they all crowded over.

Note: The line originally said, "The birthday celebration time was still early, so they all crowded over."

Translation: The birthday celebration was still early, so they all crowded over.

Seeing the timing was about right, Han Fuyao clasped his hands and loudly declared: "Using pills to celebrate longevity, wishing the heavenly empress mother myriad years of boundless life! Using pills to make friends, I invite the Great Zhou pill-making masters to spare no effort in instruction; the rules are as follows……"

Translation: Seeing the moment was right, Han Fuyao clasped his hands and loudly said: "Using pills as longevity, celebrating the Empress's myriad longevity! Using pills to make friends, I invite the Great Zhou alchemical masters, kindly instruct, rules as follows……"

The onlookers heard the rules clearly, then looked at the floating hundred pills whose fragrances mingled, and instantly felt overwhelmed.

Translation: The spectators heard the rules clearly, then looked at the floating hundred pills and their mingled fragrance, and instantly felt overwhelmed!

How can we distinguish what kind of pill this is?

Translation: How can we tell what kind of pill this is?

First, a few people stepped forward to test; this attempt left their faces flushed, and they couldn't even identify three or five pills correctly.

Translation: First, a few people stepped forward to test; this attempt left their faces flushed, unable to fully recognize even three or five pills!

"Pill identification" relies on talent and sensitivity to medicinal properties; sadly, such ability is rare!

Translation: "Identifying pills" depends on talent and sensitivity to medicinal properties! Such a thing is exceedingly rare!

First three people went up, then five, then eighteen……

Translation: First three people went up, then five, then eighteen……

Until the thirty-seventh person, not a single one had identified more than ten types!

Translation: By the thirty-seventh person, not a single one recognized more than ten types!

Compared to Han Fuyao's benchmark of thirty for a draw and fifty for a win, the gap is enormous!

Translation: Compared to Han Fuyao's thirty for a draw, fifty for victory, the gap is too huge!

It's over!

Translation: It's over!

Yesterday's feeling of being swept away in the "Jiangshan Sheji Chess" game reappeared!

Translation: Yesterday, the feeling of being swept aside in the "Jiangshan Sheji Chess" game appeared again!

Therefore, the nobles and officials immediately ordered the pill-masters in their mansions to come forward!

Translation: Thus, the nobles immediately ordered the summoning of manor pill refiners to come!

Crown Prince Ji Qian even sent word to the Sheji Academy and the Tai Xue Academy, insisting that, no matter what, this troublesome platform must be removed!

Translation: Crown Prince Ji Gan even sent people to notify the Sheji Academy and the Taixue Academy, no matter what, to remove this troublesome stage!

Otherwise, if Heaven were to find out, it would surely fly into a thunderous rage!

39 people!

43 people!

52 people!

In just half an hour, fifty-two noble alchemists have already been defeated!

In an instant, everyone was left dazed.

Soon, people from the Fèngtiān Jiàn and Shénwǔ Sī rushed over!

Fèngtiān Jiàn Junior Secretary Situ Le and Shénwǔ Sī Li Jingfeng stood in the corner.

"The medicinal fragrance is unique; all one hundred pills are of the highest quality from third to fourth rank, but they are completely unfamiliar. Fortunately, we only need to guess their general ingredients and uses!" Li Jingfeng said.

Situ Le shook his head and said: "Guessing the ingredients and uses is even harder! The medicinal fragrance has been mixed up, so smell won't work! The color has been altered by roasting, so sight won't work! Appearance is ordinary, size won't work either!"

Li Jingfeng remained silent.

At this moment, more and more people rushed in from outside: the Taixue Academy, the Sheji Academy, the Six Ministries and Nine Ministers, imperial relatives and nobles, and even envoys from vassal states came!

Many people stepped forward to try, and without exception, they all failed!

Li Jingfeng thought seriously and said: "I suddenly... inexplicably want to go seek guidance from Heng Xian!"

Before Situ Le could answer, Yè Xíngruò, clad in fine robes nearby, gave a cold smile: "No need to consult Heng Xian! Identifying pills is different from other things; he cannot possibly be good at everything!"

(End of chapter)