Chapter 100: Rights and Responsibilities Must Be Equal

The day after obtaining the third wooden tablet, Hua Changxi began teaching the laborers under her command at Qihuang Hall No. 2 the tricks and methods for cleaning medicinal herbs.

The wooden tablet glowed exactly as Hua Changxi had expected!

Hua Changxi worked with great vigor, lecturing for three consecutive days, yet she found the white glow on the tablet remained faint; it was only when she happened to answer several questions regarding the processing of medicinal herbs that the white light suddenly intensified.

Qihuang Hall No. 1 taught the types of medicinal herbs and their properties, while Qihuang Hall No. 2 taught the techniques and methods for processing them.

After learning the content taught at Qihuang Hall No. 2, Hua Changxi found herself in a dilemma once again.

The Third Bureau was primarily responsible for cleaning medicinal herbs; explaining herb identification and cleaning methods to the laborers could still be justified as improving their work efficiency, but now teaching them herb processing would likely make anyone suspect something was amiss.

Although Eunuch Jia and the other two had politely handed over Qihuang Hall, Hua Changxi had discovered that since she took charge, several groups had been secretly watching her.

At such a time, if she took any further initiative, it would surely make those lurking in the shadows even more suspicious of her.

"Yun Chu, I notice you seem very interested in the processing of medicinal herbs? You asked several questions on this topic during class."

"Changxi, am I delaying your lecture time? If so, I won't ask next time."

"Not at all; I quite enjoy students who ask questions. In the future, whenever you have doubts about processing medicinal herbs, feel free to ask me during class."

"Are you sure it doesn't delay your time?"

"It does not; teachers always appreciate students who ask many questions."

"Changxi, don't laugh at me, but I just want to learn more. If I master herb processing, then when I'm older and can no longer work in the Laborers' Hall, I can return home and open a small workshop, making my living by processing medicinal herbs."

"Since you wish to make your living this way, ask away; whatever I know, I will certainly teach you."

"Really? Thank you, Changxi."

"Changxi, did you know that everyone in the Laborers' Hall is very grateful to you? In the past, although we cleaned medicinal herbs every day, we knew very little about their efficacy and properties; once we left the Laborers' Hall, we would have been unable to make a living from this."

"Now it is different; you have taught us so much knowledge about medicinal herbs. Even if we cannot prescribe medicine like physicians, whether we gather herbs ourselves to sell or seek employment at apothecaries, we will still be able to find ways to make a living after leaving the Laborers' Hall."

Looking at Wang Yunchu's face, which shimmered with longing, Hua Changxi fell somewhat silent: "...What I have taught is still too little; I will continue lecturing in the future."

Most people working in the Laborers' Hall were born into poverty; given the chance to learn something genuine, many cherished such opportunities deeply.

Therefore, during subsequent lectures at Hall No. 2, thanks to Wang Yunchu's active questioning, many others joined in the study of medicinal herb processing.

The laborers communicated privately among themselves; under the influence of the fourth, fifth, sixth, and seventh divisions, laborers from other divisions of the Third Bureau learned that Hua Changxi did not mind if people from other divisions attended her lectures, and one by one, they began finding time to attend classes at Qihuang Hall No. 1 and No. 2.

On the twentieth day of the fourth month, Hua Changxi stood before the stone pillar at the entrance of Qihuang Hall No. 2, gazing at the sword patterns marked upon it; a smile touched her lips as she shook off the several groups tailing her in secret and walked briskly once again toward the Old Courtyard of the Square.

Half an hour later, under Gu Xing's silent gaze, she took away the fourth wooden tablet.

Confirming the content taught at Qihuang Hall No. 3 truly cost Hua Changxi great effort; only after trying nearly every aspect of her alchemy inheritance did she realize that Hall No. 3 was meant for teaching how to plant and cultivate medicinal herbs.

Upon learning that Hua Changxi had established a herb garden at Qihuang Hall No. 3 and was teaching the laborers how to cultivate and plant herbs, the several groups secretly monitoring her felt utterly baffled and unable to comprehend her actions.

On the twenty-eighth day of the fourth month, Eunuch Jia, Eunuch Zhou, and Eunuch Zhao summoned Eunuch Yu, and the four gathered together.

"Eunuch Yu, you were the first to come into contact with Hua Changxi; what exactly is her purpose in demanding Qihuang Hall?"

"Hua Changxi said she intended to hold lectures in the courtyard; beyond that, this old one knows nothing."

"Eunuch Jia, Hua Changxi was recruited and promoted by you; you even told us not to oppose her. What exactly is her background?"

"This old one can only say that she has a powerful backer; as long as she does not infringe upon our interests, let her do as she wishes."

"Let her do as she wishes? What kind of talk is this? The Laborers' Hall is our territory; allowing a young woman like Hua Changxi to stir up trouble in our domain, do you truly have no objections?"

"But what can you do? Our backers cannot compare to hers, and we cannot defeat her in a fight; apart from letting her be, what else can we do?"

"Enough, enough; Hua Changxi's affairs are trivial. Let us think more about ourselves; do you not know how fiercely First Street is being contested?"

At these words, all four eunuchs fell silent.

Hua Changxi lecturing to the laborers at Qihuang Hall truly amounted to nothing; speaking frankly, it had not touched their interests, and compared to the various factions nearly beating each other to a pulp over the struggle for First Street's apothecaries, it was utterly insignificant.

"First Street is a battlefield for the nobility; let them fight to the death; it has nothing to do with us."

"It may have nothing to do with us now, but that does not mean it will remain so in the future."

"What do you mean?"

"Have you not noticed that ever since those two lanterns on First Street were lit, the Medical Bureau has become different from before?"

"The air seems fresher..."

"More than that; in the past, even after a day of light work, our bodies would feel exhausted, but recently, have any of you felt physically tired?"

"Now that you mention it, it is true; I find that staying at home leaves me less energetic than staying here within the Medical Bureau."

Eunuch Jia heaved a heavy sigh: "Benefits that even we can notice, others surely cannot fail to discover. Once the struggle for First Street concludes, I fear other places will also become targets for contention among the various factions."

Eunuch Yu looked at the other three and, after a moment of hesitation, said: "I have heard a piece of unofficial news."

Hearing this, Eunuch Jia and the other two turned to look at him; Eunuch Yu had connections within the Eastern Depot, which specialized in handling secret affairs for the Emperor, so his information was certainly more reliable than that from other channels: "What news?"

Eunuch Yu said: "Previously, there were rumors circulating that the Medical Bureau was a holy land in ancient times." He then looked toward Eunuch Zhou: "Eunuch Zhou, why did you previously attempt to seize the Old Courtyard of the Square?"

Eunuch Zhou replied: "This old one knew nothing; I was merely following orders, and even that was disrupted by Hua Changxi. The noble person in the palace was furious; had the lanterns on First Street not been lit that night and the Minister of the Celestial Division not arrived the next day, that noble person would certainly have ordered me to deal with Hua Changxi."

Hua Changxi was a cultivator; how could he possibly deal with her?

To be honest, he was quite grateful to the thief who had broken into the Medical Bureau; without that incident, he would surely have clashed with Hua Changxi.

Eunuch Zhao furrowed his brows: "If even the Old Courtyard of the Square has been targeted, it is only a matter of time before the higher-ups set their sights on the Laborers' Hall. When that happens, will the few of us still be able to remain in the Laborers' Hall?"

Eunuch Jia suddenly said: "Let us give Hua Changxi a push."

Hearing this, the other three quickly turned to look at him.

Eunuch Jia continued: "If the Medical Bureau truly is the 'holy land' that Old Yu mentioned, then Hua Changxi's occupation of Qihuang Hall surely serves a purpose beyond simply wanting to teach the laborers medicine; she must have ulterior motives."

"Since we cannot discern her true purpose, we might as well join her. Whatever her goal may be, if we align ourselves with her, we should at least be able to share in some of the spoils, correct?"

Hearing this, Eunuch Zhao was tempted; Eunuch Yu was already doing exactly this; only Eunuch Zhou hesitated.

It could not be helped; he had previously clashed with Hua Changxi, after all.

Eunuch Yu, perceiving Eunuch Zhou's concerns, said: "As for Hua Changxi, as long as one has not utterly offended her, there is always room for maneuver in her actions."

Eunuch Zhou had the shallowest seniority in the Laborers' Hall; he understood clearly that Eunuch Jia and the other two had included him only to stabilize the situation; regardless of anything, the Laborers' Hall was a single entity, and while outsiders watched with hungry eyes, internal discord could not be allowed.

"Very well, this old one agrees as well; however, if Hua Changxi seeks to make things difficult for me, will you speak up on my behalf?"

As four eunuchs who had climbed their way up from among thousands, Jia Lu and his companions were all decisive individuals; having reached an agreement, they went straight to Hua Changxi.

"What? You want all the laborers of the Labor Hall to come listen to my lectures?"

Upon learning the purpose of Jia Lu and the other three eunuchs' visit, Hua Changxi felt immense joy in her heart, yet on her face she feigned a look of difficulty.

Jia Lu looked at her and said, "Changxi, the people from the First and Second Bureaus are merely coming to audit your classes; you will teach exactly as you did for the Third Bureau before, so it will not delay your time."

Eunuch Yu added, "The laborers here in the warehouse are also eager to learn more; whatever you teach, they will listen to."

Hua Changxi looked at the four of them and asked with a smile, "Four Lords, previously you did not think highly of my lecturing at the Qihuang Hall, yet now your attitude has shifted so drastically that I feel quite uncertain."

Jia Lu exchanged glances with Eunuch Yu and the other two, deciding it was time to speak some truth: "Changxi, we will not hide it from you any longer; the Labor Hall... is likely about to undergo a massive purge."

Hua Changxi's expression indeed changed: "Why do you say that?"

Jia Lu asked, "Have you been paying attention to matters on First Street recently?"

As for this, Hua Changxi truly had not paid attention, as all her energy had been devoted to unlocking the Qihuang Hall: "What has happened on First Street?"

Jia Lu replied, "In order to secure opportunities for their own alchemists to refine pills on First Street, the nobles have employed every manner of tactic, causing numerous incidents and resulting in many deaths."

Hua Changxi showed surprise on her face: "Is it that intense?"

Jia Lu continued, "There is news that the Medical Bureau is a sacred ground, and all factions have set their sights on it; once the struggle over First Street settles, our Labor Hall will likely be dragged into the whirlpool of contention as well."

"The Medical Bureau is a sacred ground?"

Hearing this claim, Hua Changxi's eyes flashed; the Hall of the Alchemy Saint, a sacred ground for pill refining?

If this were truly the case, many questions could suddenly make sense.

Seeing Hua Changxi remain silent, Eunuch Yu spoke up: "Changxi, if outsiders truly set their sights on the Labor Hall, the few of us must bind ourselves together as one rope."

Hua Changxi was puzzled: "If those above intend to dismiss you from your posts, can you really resist?"

Upon hearing this, the expressions of Jia Lu and the other three eunuchs shifted slightly.

Jia Lu asked directly, "Changxi, if those above ordered you to leave the Labor Hall, would you leave?"

Hearing this question, Hua Changxi regarded these four eunuchs with slightly higher esteem; what keen sense of crisis, what strong desire for survival, and what decisive ability to act.

To Jia Lu and the other three eunuchs, her silence meant that she would not be threatened into leaving the Labor Hall.

"We do not wish to be kicked out of the Labor Hall like dogs; since the conflict has not yet spread to the Labor Hall, we are willing to stand on your side and help you gain complete control over it."

Hua Changxi looked at the four of them and fell into deep thought.

With their help, unlocking the Qihuang Hall would indeed become much easier for her.

During this period, she had been thinking that since someone had already taken the wooden tokens before her, if she could unlock the Qihuang Hall, others could do so as well.

If someone truly had their eyes on the Labor Hall and discovered the Qihuang Hall, would they not come to snatch it from her?

Unlocking the Qihuang Hall would take a certain amount of time; if Jia Lu and the other three eunuchs could provide cover for her during this period, they could buy her some extra time.

Yet these four had others standing behind them; how could such people be trusted?

Hua Changxi said, "Four Lords, your intentions today have far exceeded my expectations; I need some time to think this over."

Seeing that Hua Changxi did not agree immediately, Jia Lu and the other three eunuchs exchanged glances and could only rise to depart.

As soon as they left, Hua Changxi flew off toward the old courtyard in the square.

Seeing Hua Changxi arrive again, Gu Xing's eyelid twitched; only when he saw that she did not linger by the wall where the wooden tokens hung did he breathe a sigh of relief.

This girl had already taken four wooden tokens; now only six remained on the wall. If she took them all, what would be left for other destined individuals who came later?

"Old man, I just heard some news; they say this place is a sacred ground. Is this true?"

Gu Xing remained silent for a moment before saying, "The Medical Bureau was originally named the Hall of the Alchemy Saint, and the central avenue of the Nine Streets is named Pilgrimage Road."

Hua Changxi understood his meaning, her eyes shining brightly: "In other words, this is a sacred ground for pill refining."

Gu Xing did not answer.

Hua Changxi continued to ask, "Does taking a wooden token bind a person to the Hall of the Alchemy Saint?"

Gu Xing said nothing, which counted as tacit acknowledgment.

Hua Changxi asked again, "Now that I hold the wooden tokens, if someone else, such as the Bureau Chief, wants to drive me away..."

Gu Xing interrupted her: "Only the master of the Hall of the Alchemy Saint can strip away or expel those who possess the Transmission Tokens."

Hua Changxi asked, "Who is the master of the Hall of the Alchemy Saint?"

Hearing this question, Gu Xing felt somewhat speechless: "This old man does not know either; I am also waiting for the master of the Hall of the Alchemy Saint to appear."

Hua Changxi fell silent for a moment: "Old man, what do you think of me?"

Gu Xing paused slightly: "You are acceptable."

Hua Changxi asked, "Can I become the master of the Hall of the Alchemy Saint?"

Gu Xing fell silent: "...The master of the Hall of the Alchemy Saint is not for this old man to choose."

Hua Changxi said, "Becoming the master of this sacred ground surely requires paying a price, does it not?"

This time, Gu Xing answered very crisply: "Of course."

Hua Changxi asked, "What price?"

Gu Xing shook his head.

Hua Changxi pressed, "Do you not know, or do you simply not wish to say?"

Gu Xing replied, "For some matters, knowing them in advance may not be good for you, as it could influence your decisions."

Hua Changxi stroked her chin: "It seems this price is rather heavy."

Gu Xing said nothing more and even closed his eyes, appearing as though he no longer wished to deal with Hua Changxi.

"Old man, I have disturbed you long enough; I am leaving."

Hearing the sound of footsteps fading away, Gu Xing opened his eyes, then suddenly shot to his feet with such force that he strained his back, causing him to shiver from the pain.

Another wooden token was missing from the wall!