Chapter 154: Selecting the Halls

Gu Xing flew into a rage; since Prince Shou had already been driven out of the old courtyard, the others naturally could not remain there either, so they followed the Director out of the yard.

The Director led everyone straight toward Prince Shou, and upon reaching him, asked with apparent concern, "Your Highness, are you unharmed?"

Prince Shou, perhaps beaten too severely, had not yet regained control of his expression; he glared viciously at the Director and snarled, "You knew all along that Gu Xing possessed great strength, yet deliberately withheld this from me. Did you intend to make a fool of me?"

Hearing this, the Director's face immediately displayed an exaggerated look of grievance: "Your Highness, you wrong your humble servant. First, you never once asked me about Gu Xing's capabilities; second, as a gatekeeper, it should be obvious that Gu Xing's strength is formidable." If one lacked even such basic common sense, then being beaten was entirely deserved.

Upon hearing Gu Qiming's words, Prince Shou grew even angrier; he resented Gu Qiming for failing in loyalty by not warning him beforehand of Gu Xing's danger, and he resented even more that Gu Xing dared to openly attack him, a Prince of the Blood.

He represented the imperial house; for Gu Xing to strike him was tantamount to showing no respect whatsoever for the imperial lineage.

Prince Shou cast a sinister glance toward the old courtyard, making no effort to conceal the murderous intent in his eyes.

Seeing this, and recalling the Minister of the Heaven Department's instruction to protect Gu Xing, the Director stepped forward with a smile, blocking Prince Shou's line of sight with his own body, and deftly changed the subject: "Your Highness, regarding the eighteen Qihuang Halls, those holding wooden tablets shall choose first; the remainder can be allocated by you. How does that sound?"

Prince Shou looked coldly at the Director and scoffed, "In all my life, apart from my father the Emperor and my two elder royal brothers, no one has ever dared to choose before me."

The Director smiled and reminded him gently, "Your Highness, in the hands of the Unfated, the Qihuang Halls are merely dilapidated courtyards; who chooses first or last makes little difference. If you truly wish to choose first, then please do so."

Prince Shou did not actually intend to choose first; he simply refused to act according to Gu Qiming's wishes. Moreover, what he truly sought to take over was not the Medicine Bureau, but the Hall of the Pill Saint.

He also knew that the key to opening the Hall of the Pill Saint lay with those few individuals who held the wooden tablets.

Were it not for this reason, during their previous summons, given their disrespect toward him, he would have already punished them.

Prince Shou turned his gaze to Mu Qingying, Yuan Tianchou, Gu Jinfan, Shen Qianfan, Zhu Qinghuan, and Hua Changxi, asking, "Tell me, which Qihuang Hall does each of you wish to select?"

Yuan Tianchou and Mu Qingying exchanged a glance, then both simultaneously looked toward Hua Changxi.

Seeing his two disciples looking at Hua Changxi, Gu Qiming also smiled and turned his gaze her way: "Hua Changxi, you shall go first this time."

Prince Shou glanced at Gu Qiming but raised no objection.

Seeing everyone's eyes upon her, and noting the stares of both Prince Shou and the Director, Hua Changxi made no pretense of modesty; since they wanted her to choose, she would: "I choose Qihuang Hall Number Eighteen."

At these words, Mu Qingying, Yuan Tianchou, Gu Jinfan, Shen Qianfan, and Zhu Qinghuan all showed surprise, gazing at Hua Changxi with thoughtful expressions.

Hua Changxi had previously operated only within Qihuang Halls One through Nine in the Laborer Hall; she had never visited Halls Ten through Eighteen in the Apprentice Hall, so why did she now choose Hall Number Eighteen?

Mu Qingying and Yuan Tianchou exchanged another glance, both guessing that Hua Changxi had seen through the trap of letting her choose first; no matter what she picked, either Prince Shou or their own master would intercept it, so she was merely choosing randomly here.

Sure enough, Prince Shou spoke up: "Qihuang Hall Number Eighteen will not do; this hall serves another purpose for me. Choose another."

Hua Changxi snorted inwardly and said, "In that case, I choose Qihuang Hall Number One."

Hearing this, Gu Qiming looked toward his two disciples.

Yuan Tianchou and Mu Qingying wore expressions of helplessness; Hua Changxi was choosing halls at random, so attempting to glean which hall benefited them from her choices was clearly futile.

The Director already knew what was taught in Halls One through Six; Hall One imparted knowledge of medicinal plants, suitable for his disciple Qingying, so he naturally intended to intercept it.

"Qihuang Hall Number One will not do either; Hua Changxi, please choose again."

Hua Changxi looked at the Director, a hint of mockery playing on her lips: "Perhaps it would be better to let the others choose first; I will take whichever hall remains last. No matter which hall I receive, I will accept it."

Gu Qiming felt somewhat awkward; he rubbed his nose and offered an embarrassed smile: "Since we asked you to choose first, just choose."

Hua Changxi smiled and said, "Since that is the case, then I shall choose Qihuang Hall Number Six."

Gu Qiming cleared his throat lightly once more: "Ahem, Qihuang Hall Number Six will not do either."

Hua Changxi looked at him and said, "Director, since you know which halls are suitable, just assign me one at random; I will no longer make a selection myself."

Gu Qiming also felt somewhat embarrassed; realizing he could learn nothing more from Hua Changxi, he decided to state his position plainly. Looking at Prince Shou, he smiled and said, "Your Highness, Halls One and Six are most suitable for my two unworthy disciples; Halls Two and Three were selected by myself and the Minister; Hall Four was chosen by the Celestial Master's Prefecture."

Hearing this, Prince Shou said little more, simply stating, "Since that is the case, then regarding the Laborer Hall side, the remaining Halls Five, Seven, Eight, and Nine shall be assigned to Xiao Qi, Yuyan, and the other two."

Turning his gaze to Gu Jinfan, Shen Qianfan, Zhu Qinghuan, and Hua Changxi, he continued, "The four of you shall each select one hall from among Halls Ten through Seventeen."

Gu Jinfan felt utterly speechless at the actions of Prince Shou and the Director; their approach was no better than direct allocation: "In that case, I choose Qihuang Hall Number Ten."

Shen Qianfan said, "I choose Number Eleven."

Zhu Qinghuan said, "I choose Number Twelve."

Hua Changxi said, "Then I choose Number Thirteen."

This time, no one attempted to snatch the hall Hua Changxi had chosen; the remaining halls were then distributed by Prince Shou to the others.

Once all eighteen Qihuang Halls had been assigned, Prince Shou declared directly, "The Qihuang Halls belong to the Medicine Bureau. Now that you are the persons in charge of these halls, you must submit thirty bottles of First-Grade Spirit Pills to me every month."

As soon as he finished speaking, Shen Qianfan was the first to object: "Thirty bottles of First-Grade Spirit Pills? I do not possess that many spirit herbs and medicinal plants; if that is the requirement, I will not serve as the manager of a Qihuang Hall."

Hua Changxi echoed him: "Neither do I."

Gu Qiming had been secretly observing Hua Changxi; during the selection of the halls, she had maintained an attitude of complete indifference, and now she was outright ready to abandon the hall entirely, which left him utterly baffled.

If the Qihuang Halls truly held some special significance, could Hua Changxi have abandoned them so easily?

Zhu Qinghuan also spoke up: "I also cannot produce that many spirit herbs and medicinal plants."

Prince Shou looked at the three with dissatisfaction: "The Medicine Bureau will be responsible for providing the spirit herbs and medicinal plants; you need only refine the pills properly."

Hearing this, Shen Qianfan breathed a sigh of relief: "If that is the case, then there is no problem."

Seeing that neither Hua Changxi nor Zhu Qinghuan spoke further, Prince Shou added, "Each Qihuang Hall may be equipped with eight medicine attendants; you may decide the personnel yourselves, but they must be members of the Medicine Bureau."

Subsequently, Prince Shou departed with his entourage; once the Director had also left with Mu Qingying and Yuan Tianchou, Hua Changxi went directly to Qihuang Hall Number Thirteen behind the Apprentice Hall.

Just like the layout of the Laborer Hall, the Qihuang Halls behind the Apprentice Hall were all situated along a single street.

Hua Changxi had long wished to inspect the Qihuang Halls on the Apprentice Hall side; now, at last, she could investigate them openly.

She had intended to tour all halls from Ten to Eighteen, but discovering that each hall was guarded by two sentries, she could enter only Qihuang Hall Number Thirteen.

Upon entering Hall Number Thirteen, Hua Changxi walked around once and found no difference compared to Halls One through Nine; they all shared the same layout of stone courtyards.

'What medical arts, then, are taught in Qihuang Hall Number Thirteen?'