Chapter 13: Working as a Menial

Hua Changxi stood at the corner of the plaza for a long time, but in the end, she didn't dare to walk over and confront that Medical Officer Sun. Just as she turned to leave, bursts of clamor came from the neighboring courtyard.

"I'm itching to death!"

"Help!"

Apothecary Xu had just instructed Hua Changxi not to wander around the Medical Department at will. Hua Changxi had intended to leave directly, but when she passed the courtyard gate, she heard Eunuch Jia's voice.

"Everyone be quiet! I have already sent someone to invite a physician."

Hua Changxi stopped her steps and stood at the courtyard gate to peer inside.

In the courtyard, more than twenty people were wailing repeatedly. These people were constantly scratching their hands and arms, and even though their arms were scratched until they were bloody and mangled, they didn't stop.

Hua Changxi scanned the medicinal herbs piled up in the courtyard and immediately understood what was going on, then cast her gaze toward Eunuch Jia.

Earlier on the plaza, when Medical Officer Sun faced Eunuch Jia, he was suppressed the whole time. Even when mocked, Medical Officer Sun didn't dare to make a sound. From this, it could be seen that this Eunuch Jia's status was not ordinary.

Hua Changxi raised her head to look at the plaque on the courtyard gate: Menial Hall.

She likely couldn't be an apprentice, and she couldn't come into contact with many medicinal herbs outside, so she couldn't waste a year waiting for the Medical Department to recruit apprentices again next year.

If she could get into the Menial Hall to work as a menial, perhaps it would also be an opportunity.

Since it was an opportunity, she couldn't miss it.

Thinking this, Hua Changxi stepped out and cupped her hands in a salute toward Eunuch Jia: "Little girl greets Eunuch Jia!"

Eunuch Jia was feeling very irritable at this moment. Suddenly hearing someone call him, he frowned. Turning around, he discovered it was someone he didn't recognize at all, and the expression on his face immediately turned gloomy.

Seeing this, Hua Changxi hurriedly explained: "Eunuch Jia, please forgive me. Little girl was passing by the Menial Hall and heard people shouting inside, so I took a look."

Then, she quickly pointed to those who were still screaming: "The problem with these people is very easy to solve. Crush the Frost-Ice Grass and apply it to their arms; they will improve within a quarter of an hour."

Eunuch Jia had wanted to send someone to arrest Hua Changxi, but after hearing her words, he changed his mind: "Oh, do you know what problem they have?"

Hua Changxi nodded and pointed to the medicinal herbs in the courtyard: "Fire-Crystal Grass has fire poison and cannot be cleaned directly with water. If Fire-Crystal Grass is placed in water, the toxicity will spread rapidly. After people come into contact with it, the outcome is just like them."

Eunuch Jia raised his eyebrows high: "You recognize the medicinal herbs in the courtyard?"

Hua Changxi nodded again: "Replying to Eunuch Jia, little girl's family runs a pharmacy. I know some medicine merchants and vendors, and I have learned quite a bit of medicinal herb knowledge from them."

In order to increase her value, Hua Changxi added: "In the courtyard, not only can Fire-Crystal Grass not be cleaned with water, but Thunder Bamboo cannot either."

Thunder Bamboo is not bamboo, but a medicinal herb that looks like bamboo.

"If Thunder Bamboo is placed in water, the person who comes into contact with it will have paralyzed arms. In severe cases, the arms will necrose, and in the end, they will directly become disabled."

Hearing this, the people from the Menial Hall present all showed looks of lingering fear. If it weren't for the fact that the person processing the Fire-Crystal Grass had an accident, they would have already started processing the Thunder Bamboo.

Anger surged in Eunuch Jia's eyes. He knew that the Menial Hall was being targeted.

The young eunuch beside him stepped forward and whispered: "Godfather, Apothecary Gong from the Fourth Street is probably giving us a hard time on purpose because we supplied the medicinal herbs to Apothecary Ji of the Fifth Street last time instead of him."

"He specifically designated the use of Fire-Crystal Grass and Thunder Bamboo but didn't tell us how to process these two herbs. This is pushing us to our deaths."

Eunuch Jia didn't speak. Seeing the menial cleaning the Fire-Crystal Grass wailing miserably, he summoned a young eunuch: "Go to the warehouse and take some Frost-Ice Grass."

Frost-Ice Grass is a medicinal herb commonly used by martial artists, and its value is not low. Martial artists outside might not even be able to buy it if they wanted to.

But this is the Medical Department. The Menial Hall is responsible for the preliminary processing of all medicinal herbs entering the Medical Department, and there are several thousand catties of Frost-Ice Grass in the warehouse that haven't been processed yet.

Although he couldn't take the medicinal herbs in the warehouse at will, taking a little to treat the injured menials was still acceptable.

After the young eunuch left, Eunuch Jia looked at Hua Changxi again: "These two medicinal herbs cannot be cleaned with water, so how should they be processed?"

Hua Changxi: "Use salt. Salt can quickly remove the dirt on the Fire-Crystal Grass and Thunder Bamboo."

The "Commentary on the Hundred Herbs" had detailed records of the precautions for processing Fire-Crystal Grass and Thunder Bamboo.

Seeing Hua Changxi speak with certainty, Eunuch Jia only hesitated for a moment before decisively ordering someone to get salt.

When the salt was brought, it was discovered that there were not enough hands.

The menials in the Menial Hall had different divisions of labor. Now that more than twenty people were injured, manpower was naturally short.

Seeing this, Hua Changxi immediately stepped forward and expressed: "Eunuch Jia, little girl happens to have nothing to do and is willing to serve as a dog or horse. I ask Eunuch to give little girl a chance to gain some knowledge."

Eunuch Jia had already remembered that Hua Changxi was an examinee applying for an apprentice position. Knowing the inside story of this apprentice recruitment, he seemed to understand what this young girl was planning.

However, how did she know that the spots for female physician apprentices had all been internally decided?

Just then, the eunuch sent to invite the physicians returned with two physicians.

Eunuch Jia didn't respond to Hua Changxi, neither agreeing nor disagreeing, and went directly to greet the two physicians.

Seeing Eunuch Jia like this, Hua Changxi simply assumed he had agreed and walked quickly into the middle of the menials, processing the Fire-Crystal Grass and Thunder Bamboo together with them.

The menials weren't sure if salt could clean the Fire-Crystal Grass and Thunder Bamboo, so they all watched Hua Changxi's operation in silence.

After confirming that there was really no danger, they started processing the medicinal herbs according to Hua Changxi's method.

"What, still need to use acupuncture?"

The two physicians also said that the twenty-plus people before had been burned by the medicinal herbs. To treat them, they would need acupuncture and medicine to detoxify, and they would need to rest for at least ten days to recover.

Eunuch Jia frowned: "I know that many new medicines have been developed in the past two years. Is there no ointment that can be applied to make them better?"

The two physicians repeated the injuries of the twenty menials, all saying that the injuries were too severe and ordinary ointments couldn't treat them.

Eunuch Jia glanced at Hua Changxi, who was busy among the menials. The method this young girl mentioned was much simpler than the treatment plan of the two physicians.

Eunuch Jia still let the two physicians take the menials to the room for treatment, but he kept a few behind. After the young eunuch brought the Frost-Ice Grass from the warehouse, he had them crush it and test it.

"Eunuch, it really doesn't itch anymore!"

After applying the Frost-Ice Grass, the few menials who remained felt the itching and pain—which had felt like being burned by fire and gnawed by thousands of ants—rapidly recede.

Seeing the few menials improve, Eunuch Jia went to see the menials treated by the physicians. Those menials were still scratching and wailing, and he couldn't help but fall into deep thought.

In the past two years, the Medical Department had discovered many new medicinal herbs. The properties of many herbs had not yet been tested, and even if they were tested, those physicians and apothecaries would hide them and not share them completely.

On the side of the Menial Hall, there had already been several injury accidents when processing and cleaning medicinal herbs.

Like the Fire-Crystal Grass and Thunder Bamboo this time, the Menial Hall knew nothing about their toxicity.

Eunuch Jia returned to the courtyard and silently watched Hua Changxi, who was processing the medicinal herbs rapidly.

This young girl's technique for processing medicinal herbs was fast, accurate, and steady, even more skilled than the other menials. One must know that these menials were all old hands who had been working for several years.

At this moment, Hua Changxi was indeed working with great enthusiasm.

【Purification Technique (Entry): Cleaning Medicinal Herbs 10/10】

When the medicinal herbs she processed reached ten, her mind was suddenly filled with various methods for cleaning ordinary plants. These methods seemed as if she had experienced them countless times, already engraved in her bones.

At this moment, whether she picked up Fire-Crystal Grass or Thunder Bamboo, she instinctively knew how to clean them.

This feeling was as if she were a novice in processing martial artist medicinal herbs, but now, she had become an experienced hand who had processed countless martial artist medicinal herbs.

【Purification Technique (Intermediate): Cleaning Medicinal Herbs 88/100】

【Purification Technique (Intermediate): Cleaning Medicinal Herbs 89/100】

【Purification Technique (Intermediate): Cleaning Medicinal Herbs 90/100】

┊

There were simply too many medicinal herbs for the Menial Hall to process. Watching the text in her vision change constantly, Hua Changxi's expression became more and more spirited.

After the processed medicinal herbs reached 100, just as Hua Changxi had thought, her mind was instantly filled with various methods for cleaning spiritual plants.

Eunuch Jia stood on the side for a while and discovered that Hua Changxi was truly an old hand at processing medicinal herbs. After thinking for a moment, he summoned the young eunuch: "Xiao Luzi, go and inquire about that young girl's family situation, and also, see which places in the Medical Department she went to today."

An hour later, when the several carts of Fire-Crystal Grass and Thunder Bamboo were almost processed, Xiao Luzi returned.

"Godfather, that young girl is named Hua Changxi, lives in Nanluo Lane, Xiuzheng Ward, is the ninth in her family, and her father is a constable of the Six Doors..."

"Hua Changxi knows Apothecary Xu from the Jiujie. After leaving the plaza earlier, she went to the Jiujie to find Apothecary Xu. Apothecary Xu and Apothecary Wang of the Apprentice Hall are good friends."

Xiao Luzi reported the information he had inquired about to Eunuch Jia one by one.

After listening, Eunuch Jia finally knew why Hua Changxi knew that the spots for female physician apprentices had been internally decided.

"Go, call Hua Changxi over for me."

【Purification Technique (Advanced): Cleaning Medicinal Herbs 250/1000】

Hua Changxi was working with great enthusiasm when Xiao Luzi came over.

Upon learning that Eunuch Jia wanted to see her, Hua Changxi looked at the unprocessed medicinal herbs with reluctance and followed Xiao Luzi to Eunuch Jia.

"Eunuch Jia."

Eunuch Jia looked at Hua Changxi. He didn't use any intimidation tactics but went straight to the point: "You helped me solve a trouble today. Tell me, what do you want to get from me?"

Hearing this, Hua Changxi didn't dawdle and cupped her hands in a salute: "Little girl wants to enter the Menial Hall. I ask Eunuch Jia for your permission."

Eunuch Jia showed an "as expected" expression: "Although the Menial Hall is not like the Apprentice Hall, where recruitment must be publicized in advance, this does not mean that the Menial Hall can be entered at will. Why should I recruit you?"

Hua Changxi didn't care about modesty at this time: "Eunuch, little girl has a good memory. I have never forgotten any medicinal herb I have seen or heard mentioned."

"In terms of processing medicinal herbs, I have my own insights. To speak boldly, even when facing an old hand who has processed medicinal herbs for decades, little girl boasts that I am no worse than them."

Hearing her say this, Eunuch Jia laughed out loud: "You little girl, you aren't afraid of spraining your tongue when you brag."

Hua Changxi looked at Eunuch Jia with full confidence: "If Eunuch doesn't believe me, feel free to test me."

Eunuch Jia stared at Hua Changxi. Seeing that she didn't dodge or evade, he didn't test her but continued: "The job in the Menial Hall is not easy. Not to mention that you are a young girl, even men here often feel they can't handle it. Are you sure you want to enter the Menial Hall?"

Hua Changxi nodded firmly: "Little girl is not afraid of hardship."

Eunuch Jia added: "According to what I know, you came to apply for an apprentice position today. Why? Do you feel that you definitely won't be hired?"

Hua Changxi thought for a moment and replied: "Little girl feels that I am more suitable for the Menial Hall."

Eunuch Jia chuckled: "Are you really not going to regret it? If I agree to you today, then you will be a person of the Menial Hall. Even if your name is on the hiring list of the Apprentice Hall in three days, you won't be able to go to the Apprentice Hall again."

Hua Changxi was silent for a second, then nodded firmly again: "Little girl only wants to enter the Menial Hall."

Compared to an uncertain result, she preferred to grasp the certain thing in front of her.

Seeing Hua Changxi like this, Eunuch Jia showed a bit of approval on his face: "You are indeed decisive. I see that you do have some ability, and the Menial Hall is indeed short of manpower. I'll give you a chance today. Come to the Menial Hall to report tomorrow."

Hua Changxi's face turned to joy, and she gave Eunuch Jia a ninety-degree bow: "Little girl thanks Eunuch for your fulfillment. In the future, I will definitely work hard in the Menial Hall."

Eunuch Jia was noncommittal: "I don't need your thanks. I hope you won't regret it after entering the Menial Hall. Xiao Luzi, send her out." ===== CHAPTER 14 =====