Chapter 153: Person to Person

Hua Changxi did not want to return to the Hua family early; she planned to stay at the Shennong Pharmacy refining pills until the twenty-third. Who would have known that the very next day, Eunuch Yu would come looking for her?

"Master, Prince Shou intends to distribute the eighteen Qihuang Halls among different individuals for management. The Seventh Imperial Prince sent someone to inform me of this matter and instructed me to find you immediately so you can rush back. Although you possess a wooden token, if you are not present on site, you might not be allocated a single Qihuang Hall."

Hearing this, Hua Changxi furrowed her brows: "Distributing the Qihuang Halls? What is Prince Shou up to?"

Eunuch Yu shook his head: "Since Prince Shou took over the Medical Bureau, he has changed quite a few regulations. Now, there is even a new Street Master on First Street who oversees all alchemists."

Hua Changxi understood clearly that although spiritual energy had revived, cultivators were emerging one after another, and turmoil had broken out in many places, the basic order of Great Jin remained intact. Under such circumstances, the imperial family and the court were the most legitimate authorities.

Since Prince Shou had taken control of the Medical Bureau, as long as she wished to remain there, she had to comply with his management.

"Let's go; we are returning to the Medical Bureau."

The predecessor of the Medical Bureau was the Hall of the Alchemy Saint, and the Hall of the Alchemy Saint was deeply connected to the Shennong Cauldron; naturally, Hua Changxi was unwilling to sever ties completely with the Hall of the Alchemy Saint just like that.

When Hua Changxi and Eunuch Yu returned to the Medical Bureau and entered through the back gate, they saw laborers carrying bundles on their backs, leaving with dejected heads.

Seeing this, Eunuch Yu sighed: "Prince Shou has dismissed all the original laborers."

Hua Changxi asked: "Without laborers, who will do the work?"

Eunuch Yu shook his head; nowadays, he held no administrative authority in the Laborer Hall anymore. All management personnel had been appointed by Prince Shou. He was not familiar with them and could not gather any useful information.

Hua Changxi silently watched the dispirited laborers departing, passing by them and sensing their helplessness and powerlessness, before walking silently toward the row of Qihuang Halls at the very end.

"Steward Hua, you have finally arrived. Please follow this humble servant to the Old Courtyard in the square immediately; His Highness the Prince and the Bureau Chief have already gone there."

On the row of Qihuang Halls, Little Li, a eunuch serving the Seventh Imperial Prince, had been waiting there for quite some time. Seeing Hua Changxi arrive, he immediately smiled and hurried forward to greet her.

Hua Changxi glanced at him, instructed Eunuch Yu to return and attend to his own affairs, and then followed Little Li alone to the Old Courtyard in the square.

Along the way, Little Li was extremely enthusiastic, constantly striking up conversations with Hua Changxi.

"Steward Hua, my master, the Seventh Imperial Prince, greatly admires your medical skills; he even wishes to take you as his master."

Having specifically sent someone to notify her and arranged for people to wait for her, Hua Changxi could see that the Seventh Imperial Prince was intentionally seeking to build a good relationship with her. Although she did not yet understand his motives, she was unwilling to make an enemy of an imperial prince. Accepting this goodwill, she smiled wryly and said: "I am not qualified to be the Seventh Imperial Prince's master."

Little Li replied: "Steward Hua is too modest. The Seventh Imperial Prince often praises your medical skills. Although this humble servant understands nothing, after following the Seventh Imperial Prince to attend your lectures, I too felt I gained greatly."

"The Seventh Imperial Prince often says that although he has not formally bowed to you as a master, having attended so many of your lectures, you two already have the substance of a master-disciple relationship. In his heart, he has long regarded you as his master."

"Regardless of whether you acknowledge it or not, he respects you as an elder. As long as the Seventh Imperial Prince remains in the Medical Bureau for one day, no one will dare to show you disrespect."

Listening to these words, Hua Changxi thought of something and asked with a smile: "Previously, when I was the steward of the Laborer Hall, I could live alone in a courtyard. But now that I am merely a lowly laborer, the courtyard I inhabit has not been reclaimed. I suppose the Seventh Imperial Prince put in a good word?"

Little Li laughed lightly: "These are trivial matters not worth mentioning; Steward Hua must absolutely not take them to heart."

Hua Changxi's eyes flashed with light. For the Seventh Imperial Prince, these were 'trivial matters not worth mentioning,' yet it was precisely such insignificant things that could trap her.

If the current steward of the Laborer Hall truly wished to reclaim the courtyard, she would have no 'legitimate reason' to continue residing there.

Soon, Hua Changxi followed Little Li to the Old Courtyard in the square.

The originally spacious old courtyard had become somewhat crowded because Prince Shou had brought quite a few people with him.

In the courtyard, Gu Xing was still the same as ever, lying on a rocking chair with his eyes closed. Prince Shou must have already communicated with him, but judging by his gloomy expression, the exchange between the two had not gone smoothly.

Seeing that Mu Qingying and the others who possessed wooden tokens had arrived, Hua Changxi automatically walked over and took her place beside them.

Standing opposite Mu Qingying and her group was a crowd of imperial relatives; these people were now the alchemists in those pharmacies on First Street occupied by the royal family.

The Seventh Imperial Prince stood among them. Seeing Hua Changxi arrive, he actively smiled and nodded at her.

Hua Changxi saw this and also smiled, nodding in return.

"Your Highness the Prince, my opinion is that those possessing wooden tokens should each manage one Qihuang Hall exclusively. As for the other Qihuang Halls, they are at your disposal to arrange as you see fit. What do you think?"

The Bureau Chief smiled as he looked at Prince Shou; although he was asking for an opinion, his tone was very forceful.

Prince Shou glanced at the Bureau Chief, then turned his gaze again to Gu Xing, who remained silent with closed eyes: "Senior Gu, what is your opinion?"

Gu Xing opened his eyes, looked at Prince Shou, and said: "I have already told you my opinion. The Hall of the Alchemy Saint will choose its own master, and the Qihuang Halls also have their own selection rules. My opinion is simply to let nature take its course. But will Your Highness listen? If you will not listen, why bother asking for my opinion?"

Prince Shou's face darkened: "Senior Gu truly is unwilling to offer this prince a few words of guidance?"

Gu Xing sighed: "My Gu family is merely a gatekeeper; we know no more than you do. If Your Highness does not believe us, this old man is helpless."

Saying this, he closed his eyes once again.

Seeing this, rage flared in Prince Shou's eyes. Taking over the Medical Bureau was something he had volunteered and fought for; he absolutely had to secure this holy land of alchemy for the imperial family.

"If you are completely useless, then perhaps you can no longer remain in this courtyard?"

Upon hearing this, Gu Xing suddenly opened his eyes, stared at Prince Shou with a cold gaze, and said: "Want to drive me out? Don't even think about it. Even if the Retired Emperor came in person, he would not have the qualification. Get out."

The moment the word 'out' left his mouth, everyone in the courtyard saw Prince Shou struck flying by an invisible force, followed by a heavy crash coming from outside the courtyard.

Hua Changxi craned her neck to look and saw Prince Shou had knocked over a stone cauldron in the square and was sliding off it. Although he was not spitting blood, the distortion of his facial features indicated that the blow had been extremely painful.

In contrast to Hua Changxi, who was merely watching the spectacle, Mu Qingying and the others were somewhat shaken.

There was no other reason for it; in their eyes, Gu Xing appeared to be on his last legs, yet Prince Shou, who was at least a Core Formation realm cultivator, had been sent flying by him so easily.

The Bureau Chief also wore a face full of surprise. Although he had guessed at Gu Xing's strength, this was the first time he had seen him make a move. Witnessing his formidable power, which was even greater than his guesses, he could not help but be shaken.

At this moment, Gu Jinfan's heart was filled with nothing but shock. It was unavoidable; in her previous life, Gu Xing had been beaten to death by several mortals. Now, seeing him become so powerful, she even began to doubt herself.

Gu Xing was bound to the Hall of the Alchemy Saint; Gu Xing becoming stronger indicated that the Hall of the Alchemy Saint was reviving. The Hall of the Alchemy Saint had slowly activated in a place unknown to her.

"Did these people do something?"

Gu Jinfan shifted her gaze to Hua Changxi and the others who possessed the wooden tokens.

After driving Prince Shou out of the old courtyard, Gu Xing closed his eyes again. Before closing them, he glanced in the direction where Hua Changxi stood, a trace of confusion flashing in his eyes.

During this period, this girl had rarely come to the Medical Bureau, yet his Hall of the Alchemy Saint had not stopped reviving. What had she done?

Could it be that she had spread the contents of the Qihuang Halls outward?

Spread them to whom?

Hua Changxi had noticed Gu Xing's gaze, but she did not understand it. She had never considered Gu Xing to be a mere mortal; today, when he revealed such a move, she felt it was perfectly normal.

However, what she did not know was that the increase in Gu Xing's strength was precisely because she had given the Qihuang Body Refining Technique to the Hua family.

Old Master Hua had given the Body Refining Technique to the Hua clan; after the Hua clan obtained it, they shared it with some allied families; the daughters-in-law of the Hua family had also copied the technique and given it to their respective natal families; Hua Minghe had even shared the technique with the Six Doors. Thus, person to person, family to family, clan to clan, the number of people cultivating the Qihuang Body Refining Technique naturally increased.