Chapter 14: Leaving the Family Home

Because she had spent some time in the Labor Hall, it was already late when Hua Changxi left the Medical Bureau; by the time she returned to the Hua family home, Hua Minghe and his two brothers had already finished their duties and come back.

Although Hua Minghe and Lady Yao had offered various excuses to placate Old Lady Hua and the rest of the household, the old lady still harbored resentment over the fact that Hua Changxi had applied to the Medical Bureau without informing the family.

After waiting all day, they finally saw their ninth granddaughter return; just as Old Lady Hua prepared to hurl a few sarcastic remarks, the girl darted straight into her own room and slammed the door shut.

Seeing that Hua Changxi had returned without even offering a greeting, Old Lady Hua flew into a rage, pointing at Lady Yao and snapping, "Look at the fine daughter you've raised! Does she have any semblance of a proper young lady?"

Standing aside, Second Aunt Hua smiled and said, "Mother, please calm your anger; I suspect Ninth Sister realizes she failed to gain entry to the Medical Bureau and has hidden in her room to cry."

Upon hearing this, Old Lady Hua paused, the anger on her face gradually subsiding, while Lady Yao's expression shifted to one of worry.

Sixth Brother Hua spoke quickly, "Dinner will be served soon; I'll go call Ninth Sister to eat." With that, he dashed off to knock on Hua Changxi's door.

"Ninth Sister, come out for dinner!"

"Slap~"

The sound of a water basin hitting the floor rang out from inside the room.

Then, the door creaked open.

Looking at the puddle covering the floor, Sixth Brother Hua asked in confusion, "Ninth Sister, what are you doing?"

Hua Changxi squatted down to pick up the basin, saying, "My hand slipped."

Sixth Brother Hua let out an "Oh," then lowered his voice to warn, "Grandfather and Grandmother seem very upset about your application to the Medical Bureau; be careful during dinner."

Hua Changxi nodded. "I understand. Sixth Brother, please return to the main hall; I will sweep up the water here and join you shortly."

Suspecting nothing, Sixth Brother Hua returned to the main hall.

As soon as he left, Hua Changxi closed the door again, then clenched her fists and jumped around the room several times in excitement.

After meeting the conditions for minor mastery of the "Stainless Technique," Hua Changxi's mind was filled with numerous methods for cleansing spiritual plants and spiritual beasts.

There were water-control methods, wind-control methods, fire-control methods, and more.

Just earlier, Hua Changxi had dipped her hand into the basin and manipulated the water according to the instructions in the "Stainless Technique"; instantly, the water began swirling at her command.

Just as a vortex formed in the center of the basin, Sixth Brother Hua arrived and knocked, startling her and causing the basin to fall.

Hua Changxi looked at the wet patch on the floor, raised her right hand toward it, and the next moment, a gust of wind swept over the spill; in less than a minute, the floor was half dry.

Hua Changxi had intended to dry the floor completely, but...

[Realm: Qi Refining 0/1000]

The line of text appearing in her vision indicated that the power stored within her body had been completely exhausted.

Even though she would have to start accumulating power from scratch again, Hua Changxi felt incredibly exhilarated.

She now knew how to utilize the power cultivated through her practice!

This "Stainless Technique" could be used not only for cleaning medicinal ingredients but also for various other aspects of daily life.

If her cultivation realm points continued to rise in the future, could she perhaps use this power for self-defense?

"Ninth Sister, come out for dinner!"

Hearing Lady Yao's voice, Hua Changxi quickly composed herself, opened the door, and walked out.

In the main hall, the dishes were already on the table, and the Hua family members had all taken their seats.

"Ninth Sister, you will sit at the main table tonight."

Hua Changxi was walking toward the table designated for the younger generation when Old Master Hua called out to stop her.

Due to Fifth Sister becoming a concubine in the He family, the atmosphere at home had been strange for days; Old Master Hua decided to use the matter of his ninth granddaughter taking the Medical Bureau exam privately to rectify the family's conduct.

Hua Changxi walked to the main table and sat down between Hua Minghe and Lady Yao.

The main hall fell silent; no one picked up their chopsticks, as everyone watched Old Master Hua and Hua Changxi.

Hua Changxi glanced at Old Lady Hua, who wore a stern, silent expression, then at Old Master Hua, who frowned while smoking his pipe; unwilling to let them impose rules upon her, she decided to strike first: "I am reporting to the Medical Bureau tomorrow."

"Ah~"

"What?!"

The silence in the main hall was instantly shattered.

Sixth Brother Hua walked directly to the main table, asking, "Ninth Sister, isn't the apprentice recruitment list supposed to be announced in three days?"

Hua Minghe also spoke, looking at Hua Changxi seriously, "Ninth Sister, what exactly is going on?"

Hua Changxi briefly explained what had happened at the Medical Bureau that day: "Physician Xu told me that all the female apprentice quotas for this round have been pre-assigned."

"I was lucky enough to meet Eunuch Jia from the Labor Hall; after I did him a small favor, he agreed to let me join the Labor Hall."

"The Labor Hall?!"

Lady Yao exclaimed in shock, looking at Hua Changxi in disbelief; she had never expected her daughter to make such a decision.

"Heh~"

Old Lady Hua sneered, looking at Hua Changxi: "I thought you were so capable; after all this fuss, you're just going to be a laborer for someone!"

"I suppose life has been too easy for you; you look down on the light work of embroidery and weaving, insisting on going outside to seek hardship for yourself—why don't you just go to the docks and carry heavy sacks for people!"

What did laborers do?

They performed hard physical labor.

Even if it was the Medical Bureau, entering meant doing the most exhausting and miscellaneous tasks.

Hua Minghe looked at Hua Changxi and said, "Ninth Sister, tomorrow your father will go with you to the Medical Bureau to cancel your assignment in the Labor Hall."

Hua Changxi met Hua Minghe's gaze directly: "Father, I am thirteen years old; I know clearly what I am doing. Since I have made this decision, I will take responsibility for my actions. Whether the outcome is good or bad, I will accept it."

Lady Yao grew anxious and quickly said, "Ninth Sister, have you forgotten why you entered the Medical Bureau? You went to study medicine, not to perform hard labor. What benefit does being a laborer offer your medical studies?"

Hua Changxi smiled and said, "Mother, one can still learn medical arts while working as a laborer; let me tell you, today in the Labor Hall, I saw many medicinal herbs that are never seen in the markets."

"Father, Mother, please believe me; if I expected to gain nothing from the Labor Hall, I certainly would not have gone; your daughter is not that foolish."

Hua Minghe rubbed his temples in headache, while Lady Yao wore an expression of helplessness.

Old Lady Hua's mocking voice rang out once more: "Hua Ninth, go ahead and wreak havoc; when the time comes for you to be considered for marriage, you will see—which respectable family would seek a laborer as a bride!"

A menial laborer? That's no different from being a servant!

Old Master Hua took puff after puff of his pipe, looking at this ninth granddaughter who had been unruly since childhood, and asked in a deep voice, "Are you absolutely set on becoming a menial laborer at the Medical Bureau?"

Hua Changxi replied, "Yes, I must go."

Old Master Hua fell silent for a moment, then asked again, "Even if it means you won't be able to marry into a good family later, you still want to go?"

Hua Changxi nodded firmly. "Yes."

Old Master Hua took two more puffs of his pipe. "If the family forbids you from going, what do you plan to do?"

Having lived in the Hua household for thirteen years, Hua Changxi understood Old Master Hua's temper well enough.

Hearing him speak like this, she knew he intended to use his authority as head of the household to forcefully suppress her.

Hua Changxi realized that today would either end with her persuading the family or the family crushing her will, so she stopped holding back. "Grandfather, I want to learn skills. I want to earn money. I don't want to face the same situation as Fifth Sister someday."

At these words, Old Master Hua's face instantly darkened, while Fourth Uncle and Fourth Aunt also looked extremely grim.

No matter how much they tried to conceal it, or how noble their stated reasons sounded, they could not hide the fact that the Hua family was selling their daughters to secure their sons' futures.

Second Uncle and Second Aunt watched the spectacle from the side, while the younger generation of the Hua family all wore expressions saying, "Ninth Lady is so bold, daring to oppose Grandfather."

Hua Minghe and Lady Yao exchanged a glance; their original firm resolve to prevent Hua Changxi from entering the Menial Labor Hall of the Medical Bureau began to waver.

Fifth Lady becoming a concubine seemed like a choice the Hua family had made, but in reality, they had no choice at all.

The clan appeared very reasonable, but only as long as the family cooperated properly. Once they disobeyed the clan's arrangements, what awaited them might be far worse than mere ostracism from the clan.

Hua Changxi continued, "Grandfather, since the family cannot arrange promising futures for every child and grandchild, perhaps letting go and allowing us to find our own paths might lead to unexpected rewards."

Old Master Hua lifted his eyelids to look at Hua Changxi, his expression exceedingly unpleasant. "Good, very good. Our family has produced an extraordinary young lady."

"Men struggle enough to make a living, yet you, a young lady, speak with even greater arrogance than a man."

"The menial laborers in the Medical Bureau's Menial Labor Hall are at the beck and call of everyone in the entire bureau. Do you think relying on a bit of medical skill will allow you to establish yourself there?"

"Let me make this clear today: if you bring disaster upon this family or disgrace us, I will throw you out of the house myself."

Seeing that Old Master Hua would no longer stop her from entering the Menial Labor Hall, Hua Changxi said nothing more. As for the threats and intimidation he voiced, she paid them no mind.

Early the next morning, Hua Changxi accepted the steamed bun handed to her by Lady Yao and smiled. "Mother, regardless of how the world views menial laborers, believe in your daughter. Perhaps I can carve out a place for myself in the Menial Labor Hall."

Lady Yao smiled without committing either way, simply instructing, "Take good care of yourself. If you cannot adapt to life in the Menial Labor Hall, just come home."

Hua Changxi laughed and said, "I understand. I'm off!"

The rest of the Hua family, some sitting in the main hall and others standing in the courtyard, simply watched Hua Changxi walk out of the house without saying a word.

After stepping out of the Hua family gates, Hua Changxi turned back to glance at the Hua residence, her eyes shimmering with bright light.

From this day forward, her world would no longer be confined to the Hua family courtyard.

Seventh Lady Hua and Twelfth Lady Hua stood at the gate, watching Hua Changxi leave with a happy expression and long strides, their own expressions complicated.

Twelfth Lady Hua muttered, "Being a menial laborer is bitter and exhausting. Grandmother was absolutely right; Ninth Sister really knows how to stir up trouble."

Seventh Lady Hua, however, said, "But... being a menial laborer can still earn money." With money, one could do many things and wouldn't have to obey the family in everything.

Twelfth Lady Hua looked utterly surprised. "Seventh Sister, why do I feel like you actually support Ninth Sister going to be a menial laborer?"

Seventh Lady Hua fell silent for a moment. "We have to ask the family for money whenever we want to buy something. Do you think begging for money feels good?"

Twelfth Lady Hua fell silent.

Seventh Lady Hua added one more thing. "Ninth Lady found a job for herself. I think that's quite good. Just wait and see; in the future, Ninth Lady's standing within the family will only grow stronger."