Chapter 146: Imperial Takeover of Medical Bureau

October sixteenth, Hua Changxi arrived at the Medical Department early in the morning. Two months later, stepping into the Servant Hall again, she immediately noticed something amiss—there were many unfamiliar faces in the hall.

"Manager Hua, you're finally here."

Zhou Qiuyu saw Hua Changxi and quickly trotted over.

Hua Changxi led her to her own courtyard before asking, "Did something happen in the Servant Hall?"

Zhou Qiuyu nodded. "A month ago, the emperor issued a decree putting Prince Shou in charge of the Medical Department."

Hearing this, Hua Changxi looked surprised. "What about the Director?"

Zhou Qiuyu said, "The Director's position remains the same, but instead of being the top authority in the Medical Department, he’s now an official assisting Prince Shou."

"As soon as Prince Shou arrived, he replaced people everywhere. Now the head of the Servant Hall is no longer Manager Jia but someone appointed by Prince Shou. Even the warehouse staff have all been replaced."

Hua Changxi frowned. "Then where are Manager Jia and the others?"

Zhou Qiuyu said, "Manager Jia and the others used their connections, so they're still in the Servant Hall, but just as ordinary servants."

"The Qihuang Hall has also been taken over by Prince Shou's people. We can't go in and out freely anymore. It was a good thing Manager Jia had timely information; he heard the news and packed away the body-tempering equipment in Hall No. 8. Otherwise, Manager Jia and the others might have been taken for interrogation."

As she spoke, her face showed worry.

Hua Changxi saw this and said directly, "If you have something to say, just say it."

Zhou Qiuyu said, "I also heard from Manager Jia that soon all the servants in the Servant Hall will be dismissed. Then we won't be able to stay here anymore."

Hua Changxi fell silent, thought for a moment, then asked, "You, and Wang Yunchu and the others—how is your alchemy progressing?"

Zhou Qiuyu said modestly, "Not well, but we can produce finished pills."

Hua Changxi looked at her. "If you leave the Servant Hall now and work at my medicine shops, would you be willing?"

The royal family had interfered with the management of the Medical Department, and she had lost her wooden token. Now it was hard enough for her to stay in the Medical Department, let alone protect others.

Zhou Qiuyu paused, then nodded. "We all listen to Manager Hua."

Hua Changxi said, "Go talk to Wang Yunchu and the others. If they're willing to work at the medicine shops, they should resign from the Servant Hall and go find Yu Gui. He'll arrange things for you."

Managing ten medicine shops was no easy task. As early as last year, Yu Gui had resigned from his warehouse position to focus on helping Hua Changxi run the shops.

Zhou Qiuyu nodded in agreement.

Then Hua Changxi asked about Mu Qingying and Yuan Tianchou giving lectures at the Qihuang Hall.

Zhou Qiuyu said, "In August, they gave lectures almost every day, but in September, the number started to decrease. By October, they only gave a lecture once every ten days."

Hua Changxi was surprised. "Why so few?"

Zhou Qiuyu said, "I heard some physicians and pharmacists from Nine Streets discussing that their lecture content overlaps too much, and they can't come up with new material. They need time to research."

Hua Changxi's eyes flickered. Indeed, giving lectures at Qihuang Hall not only requires many students but also deep accumulation and high attainments in medical skills. Mu Qingying, who even needed her guidance for a first-rank mid-grade pill—what could she really teach others about alchemy?

As for Yuan Tianchou, his level of alchemy and familiarity with spirit plants was even lower than Mu Qingying's.

It seemed her earlier worry—that Mu Qingying and Yuan Tianchou might condense the three-dimensional small sword on the wooden token and bind themselves to Qihuang Hall—was unnecessary.

Just then, a knock came from outside the courtyard gate.

Hua Changxi glanced over, saw it was Lin Sheng, and dismissed Zhou Qiuyu for now.

"Master."

Lin Sheng entered respectfully, quickly scanned Hua Changxi's expression, and seeing her silent and looking at him indifferently, wisely did not mention what Eunuch Lin had instructed. Instead, he brought up the Imperial Guards.

"Baihu Pang of the Imperial Guards says he knows you. Recently, the Imperial Guards handled a case that left many injured. Knowing you are highly skilled in medicine, he wants to invite you to have a look."

Hua Changxi understood. "The Imperial Guards coming to the medicine shop to find me—was it for this?"

Lin Sheng nodded. "It should be. I heard that over the past few days, several Imperial Guards have already died."

Hua Changxi said, "I understand. You may go."

Lin Sheng stood there without leaving, looking as if he wanted to say something but held back.

Hua Changxi looked at him, saying nothing.

Finally, unable to bear the pressure, Lin Sheng spoke up. "Master, my godfather has been looking for you several times lately, saying he had an appointment with you to visit the Ghost Market."

Hua Changxi gave a snort. "When did I ever make an appointment with your godfather? How come I don't know about it? If I want to go to the Ghost Market, the time can only be set by me. Whether or not I go with your godfather makes no difference to me."

Lin Sheng hadn't expected Hua Changxi to take such an attitude. His godfather was a member of the Eastern Depot after all. This was the first time he'd seen someone so blatantly disregard the Eastern Depot's authority.

Hua Changxi grew impatient with talking to Lin Sheng. "I'm awake now. You may take your leave."

Lin Sheng still didn't move. With some embarrassment, he said, "Master, there's one more thing I need to report. I've already reached perfection in the Skin Refining chapter. I wanted to ask—when can I start the next chapter?"

Upon hearing this, Hua Changxi smiled. "What do you think?"

Lin Sheng was silent for a moment. "...If possible, I'd like to start the next chapter right now."

Hua Changxi looked at him and refused outright. "You can't. As for why, figure it out yourself."

Lin Sheng was anxious inside and wanted to show his loyalty, but seeing that Hua Changxi didn't want to talk further, he knew it would be useless to say more. He could only bow silently and withdraw.

Not long after Lin Sheng left, Hua Changxi was pondering the meaning of continuing to stay in the Medicine Department when a knock sounded again from outside the courtyard.

This time, it was actually Mu Qingying.

"Hua Changxi, Prince Shou wants to see you."

Hua Changxi's expression flickered with surprise. "See me? What for?"

Thinking she was afraid of meeting royalty, Mu Qingying quickly said, "Don't worry, it's not just you. Prince Shou is summoning everyone who holds a wooden token. My senior brother has already gone to notify the others. Come with me to First Street."

After hearing this, Hua Changxi frowned. She felt that Prince Shou summoning them was not a good thing. Still, she followed Mu Qingying to the Medicine Department building, wanting to see what Prince Shou was really up to.

At the First Street Medicine Department building's assembly hall, Hua Changxi saw Gu Jinfan, Zhu Qinghuan, Shen Qianfan, and Yuan Tianchou.

"Prince Shou has arrived."

Amidst the eunuch's announcement, a man dressed in brocade and appearing only in his twenties or thirties appeared. Behind him followed the Seventh Prince, Chu Junhao.

When Chu Junhao passed in front of Hua Changxi, he gave her a friendly smile.

"Why are there only this few people? Wasn't it said there are eighteen wooden tokens?"

As soon as Prince Shou sat down, he swept a glance over those present and his face showed displeasure.

Department Director Gu Qiming replied with a smile, "Your Highness, these are the ones whose ownership of a wooden token has been confirmed. As for the rest, their identities have not yet been discovered."

Prince Shou gave a cold snort upon hearing this. "The Minister of the Heavenly Department always praises you before my imperial brother, saying you have managed the Medicine Department well. But as I see it, he is exaggerating. You can't even find out the identities of just over ten people. Director Gu, you have failed in your duty."

Gu Qiming's smile did not waver. "Your Highness's reprimand is well taken. This subordinate will surely correct it in the future."

Only then did Prince Shou stop pursuing the matter. He turned to look at Hua Changxi and the others.

The moment Prince Shou's gaze came over, Hua Changxi quickly lowered her eyes to conceal the disgust and repulsion in them.

This Prince Shou exuded a stench that she found unbearable, making her want to vomit.

Hua Changxi quickly glanced sideways at Mu Qingying and the others beside her. Seeing that their expressions toward Prince Shou showed nothing unusual, she realized at once that only she could smell the foul odor on him. She promptly adjusted her facial expression.