Chapter 11

Once the news of the Medical Department's additional recruitment of apprentices came out, not only people in the capital but also those who received the news from other places came to apply.

When Hua Changxi arrived at the Medical Department, there was still a long line at the entrance.

Most of the people in line were men in their teens or twenties, and of course, there were also some older middle-aged people.

Besides men, there were also quite a few women applying.

The Medical Department was one of the few government offices that did not restrict women from taking positions.

According to Pharmacist Xu, there were very capable female physicians and female pharmacists in the Medical Department.

In the Great Jin Dynasty, although women could freely go out on the street, their social participation was still very low. Achieving economic and personal independence was very difficult, and most women had to rely on their families and men to survive their whole lives.

Therefore, as long as a job opportunity that women could handle appeared, it would attract countless women to compete for it.

Hua Changxi was a modern person. Even if she hadn't luckily obtained the opportunity for immortal cultivation, she would still have to find a job and do her best to control her own life.

After waiting in line for over an hour, Hua Changxi successfully signed up, received the admission ticket stamped by the Medical Department, and then waited for the exam on September 20th.

Afterward, Hua Changxi did not linger outside and quickly returned to the Hua family.

When she arrived home, the rest of the Hua family had already returned.

As soon as she entered the courtyard, Hua Changxi sensed that the atmosphere in the courtyard was wrong.

The adults were sitting in the main room, and the children were standing under the eaves; everyone was silent.

Hua Changxi didn't dare to touch a nerve at this time and tiptoed back to her room. Just as she was about to take a nap, Hua Qiniang and Hua Twelfth Miss came.

As soon as they entered, Hua Qiniang's tears fell: "Ninth Miss, the Fifth Sister is really going to be a concubine for an old man."

Hua Changxi was shocked: "The family has already agreed? Fourth Uncle and Aunt also agreed?"

Hua Twelfth Miss nodded dejectedly: "This morning, Grandfather, Grandmother, and Fourth Uncle and Aunt took the Fifth Sister to see that old man. After they returned, they agreed."

Hua Changxi was silent for a moment: "What about the Fifth Sister? What did she say?"

Hua Twelfth Miss's tone was somewhat irritable: "What could the Fifth Sister say? How could she defy the family?"

Hua Qiniang: "The Fifth Sister has been crying in her room since she returned, and she ignores us no matter how we call her."

Hua Changxi walked around the room twice: "Since the Fifth Sister is unwilling, then go tell Fourth Uncle and Aunt. Fourth Uncle and Aunt can't harm the Fifth Sister's whole life just for their son, right?"

Hua Qiniang: "But the Fifth Sister doesn't want to delay the Hua Shiyilang's future either."

Hua Changxi snorted coldly: "The Hua Shiyilang won't earn his own future? Even if the Fifth Sister is the older sister, she doesn't need to be responsible for her brother's life, right?"

Hua Twelfth Miss sighed: "The Fifth Sister won't not consider the Hua Shiyilang."

Hua Changxi thought of Hua Wuniang's temperament and couldn't help but sigh: "The Fifth Sister is too considerate of others. If she doesn't change this temperament, endless grievances will be waiting for her in the future."

Hearing this, Hua Qiniang and Hua Twelfth Miss looked up at Hua Changxi together.

Hua Changxi was puzzled by their gaze: "Why are you looking at me like that?"

Hua Twelfth Miss: "The Fifth Sister often receives praise from elders, and when going out as guests, elders also like her very much. You are the one who should change your temperament."

Hua Changxi rolled her eyes: "Then you go learn from the Fifth Sister—taking self-sacrifice as your duty, using your own blood and flesh to fulfill others, and in exchange for a few indifferent words of praise from others."

As she spoke, she tapped their foreheads with her index finger.

"Two little fools, use your own brains. Is a young lady as obedient and sensible as the Fifth Sister the easiest to manipulate?"

"You should be like me. It's not a bad thing for a young lady to have a bit of a temper; that way, people won't dare to bully you."

"Do you think only outsiders bully people? Family members bully people too. Picking the soft persimmon—that's human nature."

"If the one becoming a concubine this time were me, watch me turn the house upside down. Could the house be as quiet and peaceful as it is now?"

Hua Qiniang and Hua Twelfth Miss listened in astonishment, and at the same time, some confusion appeared on their faces.

Pleasing elders, receiving praise from outsiders, repaying family support for brothers—aren't these correct? These are all virtues that young ladies in the boudoir should have!

But the matter of the Fifth Sister becoming a concubine for the Hua Shiyilang's future made them feel that something was wrong.

The Ninth Miss, who they once thought was noisy and disobedient, now looked like she wasn't so bad after all?

Hua Changxi looked at them and thought for a moment: "If the Fifth Sister dared to fight for herself, I think the family wouldn't force her. If she doesn't even fight for herself..."

"Since becoming a concubine is already a settled fact, in order to make the Fifth Sister feel better, we can only persuade her to think more about the good side."

Afterward, Hua Qiniang and Hua Twelfth Miss didn't stay long before they wanted to go see Hua Wuniang. Hua Changxi thought for a moment and followed them.

In the evening, Hua Minghe returned from his shift. Hearing the Yao family say that the family had agreed to let Wuniang become a concubine for the He family, he fell silent.

While folding the dried clothes, the Yao family sighed: "The Fourth Sister-in-law usually loves her daughter, I didn't expect her to have the heart."

Becoming a concubine—even if the other party is a high-ranking household, a concubine is the same as a slave. Just thinking about it makes one worry about Wuniang's future days.

Wuniang was the Fourth Brother's daughter. Since the Fourth Brother and his wife had already made a decision, Hua Minghe didn't want to say much. Seeing the household registration document on the bed, he was surprised: "Why did you take the document out?"

As he spoke, thinking of something, Hua Minghe stood up with a "whoosh": "Did the Ninth Miss take the document to sign up at the Medical Department?"

The Yao family didn't stop her movements and gave an indifferent "hmm."

Hua Minghe frowned: "Why didn't you stop her? The Medical Department is also a government office, and the matters in the government office are not something a young lady like the Ninth Miss can handle."

The Yao family put down her work and looked at Hua Minghe: "He-lang, I didn't want the Ninth Miss to enter the Medical Department before, but Wuniang's matter changed my mind."

Hua Minghe was anxious: "Wuniang is Wuniang, Ninth Miss is Ninth Miss. How could I possibly let the Ninth Miss become a concubine for someone?"

The Yao family: "I know you wouldn't, but in this capital, many things are not up to us to decide."

"Did the Fourth Brother and Fourth Sister-in-law want Wuniang to become a concubine?"

"It's the clan. The clan used the Hua Shiyilang's future to coerce and lure the Fourth Brother and Fourth Sister-in-law. Do they have a choice?"

"I'm afraid that one day, someone will hold your life, or the future of the Eldest Son and the others, to coerce me. At that time, even if I am unwilling, I will probably give up the Ninth Miss."

"How many things can the young ladies of the family decide for themselves? Even for major life events like marriage, they can only listen to others."

"Since they can't escape the fate of being manipulated in the end, now that the Ninth Miss has something she wants to do, why shouldn't I let her go and try? Regardless of whether the result is good or bad, it is her own wish."

Hua Minghe's momentum weakened, and he said somewhat dejectedly: "It's my fault. It's that I didn't let you and the children live a good life."

The Yao family walked to Hua Minghe's side and held his hand: "No, you are not wrong. You have already worked very hard. The world is like this, and we can only go with the flow."

The Second Branch.

The Second Aunt was also sighing: "With the Fifth Sister's temperament, becoming a concubine for someone, I'm afraid she will suffer grievances."

The Second Uncle said: "Don't just look at the bad side. Think about what kind of family the He family is. Becoming a concubine for the son of the Marquis of Wu Yi is the Fifth Sister's good fortune. If it weren't for the Count's mansion acting as a go-between, such a good thing wouldn't be our family's turn."

The Second Aunt rolled her eyes at the Second Uncle: "You say it lightly. Are the twists and turns in high-ranking households something we commoners can handle?"

"And the Fifth Sister's temperament is a bit soft. If you ask me, it would really be better to let the Ninth Miss be this concubine. With her temperament, she might really be able to carve out a world in the Marquis's mansion."

The Second Uncle rolled his eyes: "Shut up. They are looking for a concubine, not an ancestor. Look at which family's concubine isn't gentle and obedient?"

"Letting the Ninth Miss be a concubine—that's not making a match, that's making an enemy!"

"We don't need to worry about the Fifth Sister. As long as she behaves herself, for the sake of the Count's mansion, the Third Master He won't make things too difficult for her."

"Third Master He is already thirty this year and has no sons yet. If the Fifth Sister's belly is a bit promising and she gives birth to a son for Third Master He, her good fortune will still be ahead."

The Second Branch discussed endlessly, while the Fourth Branch was very quiet, with only suppressed sobbing sounds audible.

The Fourth Aunt and Fourth Uncle's expressions were not good. It was very uncomfortable for them to let their daughter become a concubine, but they had no other choice.

Hua Hua Shiyilang was pacing at the door of Hua Wuniang's room, wanting to go in, but in the end, he couldn't take the step.

At the Great Clan Elder's house.

"How was it?"

"Is Third Master He satisfied with Hua Wuniang?"

Old Madam Zhou asked her eldest son, Hua Tai.

Hua Tai was all smiles: "How could Third Master He not be satisfied with someone selected by Mother?" As he spoke, he took out three martial arts academy admission passes.

"Third Master He gave ten martial arts academy admission passes. The Count's mansion took six, one was given to Hua Bin, and we will distribute the remaining three ourselves."

"Only three..."

Old Madam Zhou pondered: "The Count's mansion calculated it well, just enough to let our family's Third Son, Fourth Son, and Fifth Son enter the martial arts academy."

Hua Tai had no objection to the distribution of the Count's mansion. After all, with a family status like the He family, they couldn't climb up to them without the Count's mansion, and the entire Hua clan relied on the support of the Count's mansion.

"By the way, Mother, Third Master He's intention is to take Hua Wuniang into the mansion within a month."

Old Madam Zhou laughed: "It seems Third Master He is very anxious about having offspring."

Hua Tai picked up his tea and took a sip, laughing: "Can he not be anxious? Third Master He is a concubine-born son and is already thirty. He only has one daughter under his knees. If he doesn't give birth to a son, the Marquis's mansion's property will have nothing to do with him."

Old Madam Zhou: "That branch of Hua Bin's has flourishing descendants, and I have also looked at Hua Wuniang; she is healthy, so Third Master He will get his wish."

Hua Tai smiled: "That couldn't be better. Mother, the matter of Hua Wuniang entering the Marquis's mansion still requires you to come forward and arrange it."

Old Madam Zhou waved her hand: "These are all small matters; I will handle them. You worry more about the big matters outside and in the clan."

Hua Tai hurriedly said: "Mother, this is not a small matter. Third Master He said that if he truly gets a son, there will be more thanks later."

Old Madam Zhou thought for a moment: "Then I will take Hua Wuniang over and train her for a few days. Third Master He's wife is not someone easy to deal with; don't let her be broken before she even gives birth to a son."

Hua Tai stood up and bowed: "Thank you for your hard work, Mother. With your training, Hua Wuniang will definitely be a fortunate person."