Chapter 110: Fifth Lady Hanging by a Thread

Gu Jinfan was a rather famous figure on Jiujie, first because she hailed from the Duke Prefecture and was the first to join the Medicine Bureau when no one else valued it.

Second, she had taken Master Tong, one of the most formidable alchemists in the Medicine Bureau, as her teacher; possessing extraordinary talent in pill refining, she could already refine Spirit Pills while many experienced alchemists could still only produce Mortal Pills.

Third, the Duke Prefecture had recently advanced with fierce momentum, having reaped abundant rewards from the ruins on Mount Kunlun not long ago; rumor had it that the Duke Prefecture even controlled its own secret realm.

For these reasons, Gu Jinfan had always been a figure of intense scrutiny within the Medicine Bureau, so when everyone now saw her so agitated over a female laborer, they were all exceedingly curious about the laborer's origins.

Feeling the weight of everyone's gazes, Hua Changxi furrowed her brows slightly, turning her head to look at Zhu Yu, the big-bearded man among the laborers; it was he who had just shouted her name loudly.

Seeing her look, Zhu Yu offered an embarrassed smile, his expression tinged with apology.

Hua Changxi withdrew her gaze; seeing Gu Jinfan still staring at her, she could not help but ask, "Young Lady Gu Qi, is there something else?"

Gu Jinfan stepped closer to Hua Changxi and whispered, "You obtained the cultivation technique from the Zhu Que Transmission Stone, didn't you?"

Hua Changxi's eyes flashed; so the red stone she had thrown into the magma was indeed the Zhu Que Transmission Stone.

A transmission stone...

No wonder that upon touching the red stone, she had received the Zhu Que breathing and circulation cultivation method; this was the reason.

Seeing Hua Changxi remain silent, Gu Jinfan, eager to confirm her suspicion, gathered spiritual energy in her hand and suddenly attacked Hua Changxi.

Hua Changxi had not expected Gu Jinfan to strike so suddenly; forming her five fingers into a claw, she seized Gu Jinfan's wrist in one move, her gaze cold and condensed: "Young Lady Gu Qi, what is the meaning of this?"

Looking at Hua Changxi who held her firmly, Gu Jinfan felt shaken in her heart; Hua Changxi had actually blocked her attack so easily.

"Your luck... is truly excellent."

The "Zhu Que Divine Art" was the most powerful fire-element cultivation technique in the Four Spirit Realm; she had coveted it for two lifetimes without success, yet Hua Changxi had obtained it with ease.

However unwilling Gu Jinfan felt, she was helpless; reborn into this life, she knew more than others, but she could not control every event.

"A high starting point does not guarantee a long journey; Hua Changxi, I hope you do not disgrace that technique."

Gu Jinfan withdrew her spiritual energy, pulled back her hand, and then left directly.

Hua Changxi watched her retreating figure, her heart filled with displeasure.

This person appeared straight away with the posture of a judge, as if Hua Changxi's very existence required her approval.

The technique from the Zhu Que Transmission Stone was obtained by chance, yet she had nearly paid for it with her life; whether it was disgraced or not was none of this woman's damn business!

She had arrived to shock the entire assembly and left cleanly and decisively, yet left Hua Changxi behind to face the scrutiny and probing in the eyes of those around them.

She disliked dealing with such troublesome people the most!

Fortunately, the Bureau Chief came down from the upper floor.

Everyone's gaze finally shifted from Hua Changxi to the Bureau Chief.

"I have called you all here today to ask who among you took the wooden tablet from the Old Courtyard in the square; whoever took it must register with this official."

The Bureau Chief had not expected so many people to have visited the Old Courtyard, including many children of noble families and even involvement from the imperial clan; since using coercion to force confessions was impossible, he simply decided to ask directly.

"Rest assured, this official will not confiscate the wooden tablets; we are merely registering them to facilitate future management of the Medicine Bureau."

Seeing that no one stepped forward to admit taking a tablet, the Bureau Chief thought for a moment and increased the pressure: "The Medicine Bureau will soon undergo reorganization; those with wooden tablets will be given priority in job assignments."

"Positions such as the Street Master of Jiujie can only be held by those who possess a wooden tablet."

At these words, the crowd finally reacted, beginning to murmur among themselves in low voices.

Hua Changxi's eyes flashed; it seemed the Bureau Chief was determined to find whoever took the tablets, going so far as to openly promise positions.

Seeing that although the discussion was lively, still no one stepped forward, the Bureau Chief added, "If you do not register now, by the time this official has assigned all positions elsewhere, it will be too late to present your wooden tablets."

The scene fell into silence.

Seeing this, the Bureau Chief laughed helplessly: "The wooden tablet is merely proof of identity; if you wish to hide it, then hide it." With that, he prepared to lead Yuan Tianchou and Mu Qingying away.

"Bureau Chief!"

At this moment, someone stepped forward.

From the ranks gathered by the Disciple Hall, a young man in his twenties walked out holding a wooden tablet; approaching the Bureau Chief, he bowed deeply: "Greetings, Bureau Chief; this disciple is Shen Qianfan, who fortunately obtained a wooden tablet."

The Bureau Chief looked at Shen Qianfan with a satisfied smile, glanced at the tablet in his hand, and instructed Yuan Tianchou behind him to make the registration: "Are there any others who wish to come forward and register?"

"Bureau Chief, I also have a wooden tablet."

Hua Changxi walked forward holding the tenth wooden tablet, which bore no sword pattern.

Seeing Hua Changxi step forward, Gu Qiming showed not a trace of surprise in his eyes; he had investigated thoroughly and knew it was this girl who had pushed open the gates of the Old Courtyard.

He was very curious: how exactly had she managed to push open the courtyard gates?

"This official has heard that you were giving lectures in the courtyard behind the Laborer Hall?"

"Yes, Bureau Chief."

"Why did you wish to give lectures to the laborers?"

"Because I am the steward; when the laborers clean and process medicinal herbs, they often get injured. By teaching them about the properties of herbs and methods of cleaning and processing, they will suffer fewer injuries and thus work better for the Medicine Bureau."

"It seems you are quite confident in your medical skills; know that even the physicians and alchemists of Jiujie dare not casually give lectures. This official is somewhat curious; you have not yet reached the age of fifteen, so where did you acquire such medical expertise?"

"My family operates a pharmacy, and I have possessed photographic memory since childhood; any medical text I read once, I can remember. After joining the Medicine Bureau and encountering so many medicinal herbs, my knowledge has grown even greater; this learning is entirely sufficient to guide the laborers."

"Bureau Chief, am I not allowed to give lectures to the laborers?"

Gu Qiming looked at Hua Changxi, who responded with ease and even turned the question back on him, his gaze flickering uncertainly: "No, lecture as you please; when this official has free time, I too will come to listen to your lectures."

"If the lectures are good... this official will send all the physicians and alchemists of Jiujie to listen to you."

Hua Changxi's face lit up with joy: "Does the Bureau Chief think so highly of me? Then I must work hard and surely will not disappoint the Bureau Chief's expectations."

Gu Qiming: "..."

Standing behind him, Yuan Tianchou and Mu Qingying both looked at Hua Changxi, who was skillfully climbing up the pole, with admiration, thinking to themselves: Indeed, she is a fierce person who dares to wrestle with the Embroidered Uniform Guard!

The others present also displayed varied expressions.

Just as Gu Qiming, unable to suppress Hua Changxi's spirit, planned to press down harder, another person walked out.

A young lady of seventeen or eighteen walked out from the ranks of the Apprentice Hall.

"Greetings, Bureau Chief; this apprentice is Zhu Qinghuan, who also fortunately obtained a wooden tablet."

Gu Qiming sized up Zhu Qinghuan, then glanced at the wooden token in her hand, before turning his gaze to Hua Changxi and Shen Qianfan.

That people from the Laborer Hall, Apprentice Hall, and Disciple Hall had all obtained wooden tokens was something he hadn't anticipated.

Before this, he hadn't paid much attention to those three places; his focus had been entirely on Ninth Street. He never expected that during this investigation into the wooden tokens, it would be these three locations that surfaced first.

Of course, the alchemists and physicians on Ninth Street either had powerful backers or their own factions; even if they held wooden tokens, they wouldn't expose themselves so readily.

With Shen Qianfan, Hua Changxi, and Zhu Qinghuan stepping forward today, they now knew the owners of three wooden tokens; as for the owners of the remaining nine...

Gu Qiming's gaze fell upon the gathered crowd from Ninth Street; the other nine wooden tokens were likely in their hands.

However, these people acted with impunity; they wouldn't be as easily swayed as Shen Qianfan and the other two, taking the bait with just a little lure.

Sigh, what a headache.

To find out who had taken the other nine wooden tokens, he feared he would have to expend considerable effort.

Realizing no one else would step forward to admit taking a token, Gu Qiming publicly praised Shen Qianfan and the other two, promising them future positions, before dismissing the crowd.

As everyone returned to their respective homes, those from Ninth Street and the Disciple Hall departed in small groups of two or three, while those from the Apprentice Hall and Laborer Hall moved in unison, with few straying from the group.

The Apprentice Hall had no obvious leader, their clustering together more instinctive; but the people of the Laborer Hall all followed Hua Changxi.

Watching this scene, Gu Qiming narrowed his eyes.

He might have underestimated Hua Changxi's influence from her lectures in the Laborer Hall; although only about twenty laborers came today, the fact that they spontaneously followed her lead suggested the Laborer Hall clearly regarded her as their mainstay.

"This girl is not simple!"

Gu Qiming took Yuan Tianchou and Mu Qingying back to his office and immediately issued orders: "Go, immediately investigate the backgrounds of Shen Qianfan, Hua Changxi, and Zhu Qinghuan thoroughly. Do not just look into their family histories; investigate all their connections and interactions within the Medicine and Alchemy Bureau."

Like Gu Qiming, Gu Jinfan was also ordering her subordinates to investigate Hua Changxi: "I want to know everything that has happened to Hua Changxi since she entered the Medicine and Alchemy Bureau; do not miss a single detail."

Someone who should have died was still alive; Hua Changxi was a variable, and she absolutely had to know everything about her.

Returning from First Street after the morning lecture time had passed, Hua Changxi summoned twenty laborers with alchemical talent to Qihuang Hall Number Six to teach them how to refine Mortal Pills.

Once these twenty had begun practicing, she entered the side room, set up an isolation array, and started refining Spirit Pills.

She had only refined five batches of Spirit Pills when Yu Gui's voice echoed in the courtyard: "Sister Changxi, someone is looking for you."

Hua Changxi stopped refining pills and walked out of the room: "Who is looking for me?"

Yu Gui pulled Hua Changxi aside and whispered: "It's people from the Disciple Hall; they say they belong to Marquis Wuyi's household."

"Marquis Wuyi's household?"

Isn't that Fifth Sister's in-laws?

Hua Changxi quickly asked: "Where are they?"

Yu Gui replied: "I didn't dare bring them over to Qihuang Hall; I told them to wait by the storehouse."

Hearing this, Hua Changxi immediately went with Yu Gui to the storehouse, where she soon saw two young ladies barely older than herself; she recognized one of them as the young lady who had smiled at her in the square when the Minister of the Heaven Division visited the Medicine and Alchemy Bureau.

"Who are you?"

He Sirong and He Siqi first bowed to Hua Changxi as equals, then introduced themselves: "I am He Sirong, the second young lady of Marquis Wuyi's household, and this is my fourth younger sister, He Siqi."

Hua Changxi returned the bow: "You've come to find me; has something happened to my Fifth Sister?"

He Sirong said: "Concubine Hua fell yesterday and went into premature labor."

Hua Changxi's expression changed instantly: "Is my Fifth Sister alright?"

He Sirong shook her head: "When we came to the Medicine and Alchemy Bureau this morning, Concubine Hua had not yet delivered the child."

Upon hearing this, Hua Changxi turned to leave immediately, but after a few steps, she looked back at the He sisters: "Thank you for coming to tell me about my Fifth Sister."

With that, she jogged away.

Watching Hua Changxi's retreating figure, He Siqi looked at He Sirong with some worry: "Second Sister, is it appropriate for us to interfere in matters concerning Third Uncle's quarters?"

He Sirong replied: "Didn't Third Uncle instruct us to interact more with Hua Changxi? With frequent contact, how could we avoid mentioning Concubine Hua?"

Thinking of the frail and forbearing Concubine Hua, He Siqi sighed: "I wonder if Concubine Hua can deliver the child safely?"

He Sirong's eyes flashed: "The child in Concubine Hua's womb is an heir Third Uncle has long awaited; even if Third Madam is dissatisfied, she will ensure the child is born. As for Concubine Hua... that depends on whether Hua Changxi can arrive in time."

In Marquis Wuyi's household, within a small courtyard behind the main residence of the third branch, basin after basin of bloody water was carried out from the east wing room, while maids and older female servants rushed in and out in a panic.

Usually, women in childbirth screamed incessantly, but at this moment, not a single sound could be heard from the parturient woman inside the east wing room.

Third Master He sat in the courtyard, his face dark as water, his eyes fixed tightly on the east wing room.

Beside him sat Third Madam He, silent and unmoving.

"Third Master, Concubine Hua has no strength left; save the mother or save the child?"

A midwife, her hands covered in blood, ran out and looked urgently at Third Master He.

Third Master He pressed his lips tightly, his expression torn with hesitation and struggle.

Third Madam He looked at him: "Third Master, if you don't make a decision soon, both Concubine Hua and the child will be lost."

Third Master He glanced at Third Madam He, then gritted his teeth and said: "Save the child."

The midwife uttered an "Eh," and was just about to re-enter the room when she saw someone descending from the sky on clouds, blocking her path.

Hua Changxi had heard Third Master He's words "Save the child"; she gave him a cold glance, then quickly turned and entered the east wing room.

"Who are you? Get out quickly!"

In the courtyard, Third Master He and Third Madam He only felt an invisible force emanating from the east wing room; next, all the maids and older female servants attending the birth inside were "flung" out, crashing to the ground with loud thuds, all falling unconscious.

Witnessing this scene, everyone in the courtyard was terrified.

Even Third Master He was shaken to his core by the glance Hua Changxi had just given him; although Hua Changxi said nothing, he understood her look: if anything happened to Concubine Hua, someone would have to pay with their life.

"Third Master..."

Hearing his wife's trembling voice, Third Master He snapped out of his fright.

Third Madam He looked at him: "Third Master, did you notify the Hua family?"

Upon hearing this, Third Master He's eyes suddenly brightened; he strode quickly out of the courtyard and ordered Steward Kong, who was waiting outside, to immediately notify the Hua family.

"Besides the Hua family, be sure to notify Count Dingyuan's household and the Hua Tai family as well; go quickly."

Steward Kong also saw that Hua Changxi had arrived riding on clouds; knowing full well how formidable this young lady was, he realized that if Concubine Hua were to die, the young lady would surely raise a huge uproar, so he hurried off to notify people.