Chapter 16: Adaptation

The quarters for the laborers were naturally far from good; they slept on an earthen kang that stretched the entire length of the room from head to tail. Opposite the kang stood a row of wooden cabinets, and there was nothing else.

Hua Changxi glanced at the communal bed; the inner section was already occupied, leaving only a spot by the window available.

After quickly laying out her quilt and changing into the blue laborer's uniform, Hua Changxi went out to find Du Ruo.

"Steward Du, my family doesn't know I'm staying in the Laborer Hall. I'd like to request leave to send someone to deliver a message to them."

Du Ruo looked at Hua Changxi in surprise: "Who are you going to find? What, do you have acquaintances in the Medical Bureau?"

Viewing entry into the Laborer Hall as entering a workplace, where elders look after newcomers and treat fresh recruits kindly, Hua Changxi smiled and said, "I have an elder who is an apothecary on Ninth Street."

Upon hearing this, Du Ruo indeed regarded Hua Changxi with greater importance and asked curiously, "Since you have such connections, why still come to work as a laborer?"

Hua Changxi laughed: "My elders are quite busy, and I cannot trouble them with every little thing."

Du Ruo asked no further, nodding as she said, "Then go quickly and return soon. If you don't finish cleaning two hundred medicinal herbs tonight, you won't be allowed to sleep."

Hua Changxi agreed with a smile, then quickly left the Laborer Hall.

Outside Apothecary Shop No. 12 on Ninth Street, Apothecary Xu had just stepped out when he saw Hua Changxi dressed in laborer's attire, his jaw dropping in shock: "Ninth Lady, you..."

Hua Changxi smiled: "Uncle Xu, I've entered the Medical Bureau; I am now a laborer in the Laborer Hall."

Hearing this, Apothecary Xu felt deeply pained: "Didn't I tell you? If you couldn't become an apprentice this year, just try again next year. Why did you rush off to become a laborer?"

He knew all too well how heavy the daily workload in the Laborer Hall was; how could a young lady like Ninth Lady endure it?

Hua Changxi smiled: "Uncle Xu, I entered the Laborer Hall with my own intentions; there's no need to worry about me."

Apothecary Xu sighed as he looked at Hua Changxi: "Your family didn't even stop you!" He paused, then added, "Although the Laborer Hall is a place for rough and exhausting work, the interpersonal dynamics within are complex. If you encounter any trouble in the future, be sure to come find me."

Hua Changxi nodded and agreed with a smile: "Uncle Xu, I'm starting my shift today. I didn't know I'd be staying in the Laborer Hall. After your shift ends, could you trouble yourself to go to the Hua Family Shop and deliver a message for me? Tell my Third Brother that I'll return home as soon as I get leave."

Apothecary Xu shook his head: "I truly don't know what you're thinking, insisting on entering the Laborer Hall to suffer. Don't worry, I will speak to your Third Brother."

Hua Changxi expressed her thanks, listened to another round of instructions from Apothecary Xu, and then returned to the Laborer Hall.

Upon returning to the Sixth Bureau, Hua Changxi sought out Du Ruo to receive her assignment.

"These two cartloads of medicinal herbs must be cleaned thoroughly by you today."

Du Ruo led Hua Changxi to the two carts of herbs, handed her the tools for cleaning them, and then went off to attend to her own duties.

As the Third Steward, she also had a daily task of cleaning four hundred medicinal herbs.

The layout of every courtyard in the Laborer Hall was much the same: divided in half by a five-meter-wide artificial ditch running through the middle, with all the laborers cleaning herbs on both banks of the ditch.

Many laborers, to work faster, simply rolled up their trouser legs and stood directly in the ditch to clean.

Hua Changxi examined the herbs she needed to clean; they were all varieties used by martial artists. Seeing nothing requiring special attention, she followed the others' example, rolled up her trouser legs, stepped into the water, and began working.

[Stainless Technique (Great Success): Cleaning Medicinal Herbs 256/1000]

[Stainless Technique (Great Success): Cleaning Medicinal Herbs 257/1000]

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Watching the numbers constantly change, the corners of Hua Changxi's mouth gradually curved upward.

Not far away, Du Ruo occasionally lifted her eyes to observe Hua Changxi. Seeing her work deftly, cleaning the herbs both quickly and cleanly, she finally set her mind at ease.

As a steward, she certainly did not want to take on a useless burden who couldn't work.

At Hua Changxi's speed, the two hundred herbs could be cleaned within one or two hours. However, knowing she had just entered the Laborer Hall and shouldn't stand out too much, although she very much wanted to elevate the Stainless Technique to Perfection, she deliberately slowed her pace.

During this time, Hua Changxi secretly tasted each type of herb she cleaned.

[Notes on the Hundred Herbs Classic (Great Success): Tasting Hundred Herbs 565/1000]

Approaching noon, while Hua Changxi was still bent over cleaning herbs, someone walked past her and called out.

"It's mealtime; let's go eat first."

Hua Changxi straightened up and looked at the speaker. Just as she was about to express her thanks, that person hurried away with several others.

Hua Changxi climbed onto the bank, put on her shoes, and followed those few people to the mess hall at the rear.

After lunch, everyone rushed back to the ditch side with great urgency to continue cleaning herbs, without taking a moment's rest.

No matter how much she dawdled, Hua Changxi still finished cleaning the two hundred herbs. Seeing that everyone else was still working hard with heads down, she did not go to Du Ruo to request more tasks. Instead, she placed her hands in the water and secretly practiced her Water Control Technique.

"Changxi, have you finished cleaning your herbs?"

Du Ruo suddenly arrived.

Hua Changxi stood up: "Steward Du, I have finished washing all the herbs you assigned to me."

Du Ruo inspected the herbs Hua Changxi had cleaned; every single one was spotless, leaving nothing to criticize. "Since they are cleaned, come with me to deliver the herbs to the Second Office."

Seeing Du Ruo personally pulling a cart, Hua Changxi was slightly surprised, then quickly moved to her own two carts and grabbed hold of one.

At first, it felt somewhat strenuous, but once the cart started moving, it became easier.

Only now did Hua Changxi truly realize how exhausting the duties in the Laborer Hall were. Fortunately, she had begun cultivation; with her former physical strength, she certainly would not have been able to pull the cart.

Just as Hua Changxi hurried to catch up with Du Ruo, she failed to notice that the other female laborers around her were all watching her in astonishment.

Female laborers had less strength; when delivering herbs, they always transported them in small batches. Among all the female laborers, fewer than ten could pull a fully loaded cart like Hua Changxi.

Du Ruo was also startled by Hua Changxi and stammered slightly: "Changxi, your strength is quite considerable."

Only then did Hua Changxi notice the cart Du Ruo was pulling; the herbs piled on it were not heaped full. She offered an embarrassed smile.

Du Ruo looked at her with envy: "Having greater strength is good; with more strength, work goes faster. When work goes faster, you can sleep earlier at night. Now I finally understand why your family sent you here to be a laborer."

Hua Changxi smiled embarrassedly and asked, "Steward Du, why do we need to deliver the cleaned herbs to the Second Office?"

Du Ruo explained: "Our Laborer Hall is responsible for the preliminary processing of herbs sent from various places. After the herbs are cleaned, they still need to be processed."

"The First Office and the Second Office are responsible for processing the herbs. Only after processing are the herbs sent to the Medical Warehouse for storage."

Hua Changxi listened carefully. Before long, the two of them arrived at the Second Office.

Someone at the Second Office was responsible for receiving the herbs. Upon receipt, they had to record the types and quantities of the herbs. Only after the records were completed and Hua Changxi and Du Ruo had signed did the process conclude.

"Remember, next time you come to deliver herbs alone, you must watch the people at the Second Office count the herbs. Don't let them record the wrong amounts."

"If they record fewer than the actual amount, you won't complete your daily quota, and your monthly allowance will be deducted at the end of the month."

Hua Changxi: "Thank you, Steward Du, for the guidance; I have taken it to heart."

Afterward, Hua Changxi made three more trips to the Second Office, not only transporting all her own medicinal herbs but also helping Du Ruo carry two loads.

Only after she and Du Ruo had turned in all the medicinal herbs they were responsible for processing was her assignment on the first day at the Labor Hall considered complete.