Chapter 199: Unfavorable Both Internally and Externally

Hua Changxi knew nothing about the specific subjects taught in Qihuang Halls numbered ten through eighteen at the Apprentice Hall; with the wooden plaque no longer on her person, she could not verify them either, and so she found herself with nothing to do while staying in the Thirteenth Qihuang Hall.

However, after seeing her return to the hall, several medicine boys entered and exited multiple times, leaving Hua Changxi somewhat thoughtful.

In the Medical Bureau, where various factions gathered, the wooden plaque was merely her stepping stone to the title of Master of the Thirteenth Qihuang Hall.

Externally, the imperial family and the upper echelons of the Medical Bureau likely did not take her seriously, appointing her as Master only to exploit her; internally, among the eight medicine boys, except for Physician Xu, with whom she had some rapport, the other seven were spies each with their own agenda.

She wanted to be the Master, yet both internal and external circumstances were unfavorable to her!

Facing such a situation, Hua Changxi felt stifled; she had always believed that as long as she was strong enough, she could do as she pleased, but reality forced her to realize once again that strength could not solve everything.

Just as before, when Mu Qingying and Yuan Tianchou wanted to give lectures at the Sixth Qihuang Hall, a single word from them demanded she vacate it, leaving her equally stifled at that time.

Previously, Gu Xing had asked her if she had found her place within the Medical Bureau; now, she had found her place, but she had not yet figured out what her next step should be.

Should she remain a Master in name only, without a single soldier or footman at her command? Or should she forge the Thirteenth Qihuang Hall into a fortress, becoming its true controller?

The former was easy; she needed only to do nothing, for all she desired was the title of Master of a Qihuang Hall within the Medical Bureau; the latter, however, would require some careful thought on her part.

Seeing Hua Changxi sitting dazed in the courtyard, Physician Xu, who had watched her grow up and could rightly be considered an elder, felt compelled to offer advice; smiling, he approached and said, "Jiu Niang, would you like to pay respects to the Masters of the other halls?"

Pulling herself from her thoughts, Hua Changxi looked at Physician Xu and asked, "Is that necessary?"

Physician Xu replied, "Of course; in the future, we will surely need to interact with one another. Who knows when you might need the help of another Master? Building relationships now will make it easier to ask for favors later."

Hua Changxi found Physician Xu's words somewhat grating, as if he were certain she would be the one begging for help: "You certainly think far ahead." After a pause, she added, "When I was absent before, how did the other Masters interact?"

Physician Xu answered, "Naturally, they visited each other's doors to pay respects."

Hua Changxi stated, "Since it is a mutual exchange of visits, then let the other Masters come to see me first."

"Uh..."

Looking at Hua Changxi, who spoke as if her stance were only natural, Physician Xu felt somewhat embarrassed and did not know how to respond.

Seeing him hesitate, unable to speak, Hua Changxi smiled and said, "Uncle Xu, say whatever is on your mind directly."

Physician Xu hesitated a moment before testing the waters: "Then don't be angry after I say it."

Hua Changxi replied, "Go ahead and say it."

Physician Xu said, "...The other Masters are all people of status."

"So, I should be the one taking the initiative to visit them?" Hua Changxi's tone was not pleasant.

Physician Xu reminded her, "You said you wouldn't be angry."

Hua Changxi replied, "...I am not angry, just unwilling to accept it."

Looking at her, Physician Xu said, "Jiu Niang, we must admit that our background and status are not comparable to theirs; taking the initiative to build goodwill requires lowering one's posture. This is nothing shameful; only those who can bend and stretch are true heroes."

Hua Changxi retorted, "I am not a hero."

Seeing her impervious to reason, Physician Xu grew anxious: "Jiu Niang, if you wish to be a good Master, you must unite those around you. You want to wait for the other Masters to visit you first, but... their status and position are too high; they will only take the initiative to visit someone of equal standing."

"I know you have been proud since childhood, but now we are the ones seeking to climb up to them; must we not take the initiative? This is simply reality."

Looking at him, Hua Changxi said, "Uncle Xu, you are mistaken; I have no intention of climbing up to anyone."

Physician Xu felt somewhat choked with frustration: "Working in the yamen, one person cannot achieve great things alone. No, not just in the yamen; anywhere, it is impossible for you to fight alone."

Hua Changxi fell silent; just as Physician Xu was about to speak again, a vibration came from her waist.

It was a message talisman from Tong Yao!

Hua Changxi stood up immediately: "Uncle Xu, it is getting late; I will return to the pharmacy first." With that, she left directly, leaving Physician Xu standing in the courtyard sighing deeply.

Inside the Fourteenth Qihuang Hall, upon learning that Hua Changxi had left again, Duan Yuyan smiled at Chu Junhao: "Cousin, it seems your previous attempts to show goodwill were in vain; that Hua Changxi clearly does not regard you highly. She returned to the Qihuang Hall but did not come to pay her respects to you."

Chu Junhao's expression remained unchanged as he smiled faintly: "Those with ability are always somewhat arrogant."

Duan Yuyan snorted: "There are many people with ability; they still bow their heads and bend their waists when necessary. In my opinion, she simply has not recognized who she is or placed herself in the proper position. Does she think she is Hua Changxin, with the Taisu Palace as her backing?"

Chu Junhao glanced lightly at Duan Yuyan, the smile fading from his face: "Even so, you must give her time and opportunity to realize this."

Sensing Chu Junhao's displeasure, Duan Yuyan lowered her head, pressed her lips together, then offered an awkward smile: "Let us hope this time Hua Changxi will not disappear after making a single appearance as she did last time; otherwise, the Prince will be angry again."

Thinking of Hua Changxi's chaotic logic in handling affairs, Chu Junhao also felt quite a headache.

Regarding the secrets hidden within the Qihuang Halls, they had nearly turned the halls upside down without discovering anything; Hua Changxi was the only one who had cracked the secret of the Qihuang Halls, and they needed to rely on her to unlock all of them, thereby gradually gaining control over the Dan Sheng Hall.

Duan Yuyan said, "If you ask me, Cousin, you are simply too soft-hearted."

Glancing at her, Chu Junhao replied, "With all parties stirring, relying solely on power and coercion will not resolve matters."

Duan Yuyan sneered: "For those with power and influence, force cannot solve problems, but Hua Changxi has nothing; the Hua family is merely a small household. If we truly wished to act against them, would it not be accomplished with a single word?"

Chu Junhao rubbed his forehead, sighed, and asked, "Then why do you think no one has stepped forward to move against the Hua family until now?"

Duan Yuyan snorted: "Is it not simply because the Hua family produced a Hua Changxin?"

Chu Junhao said, "Not only that, but also Hua Changxi. The function of the wooden plaque in Gu Xing's courtyard remains unknown, but it is definitely a token of the Dan Sheng Hall, and not an ordinary one at that."

"To put it simply, among everyone currently in the Medical Bureau, only those who hold the wooden plaque can be considered members of the Dan Sheng Hall. As for us, whether we can become members of the Sacred Land remains uncertain."

"If we make an enemy of Hua Changxi and fail to kill her, she will become a deadly foe, inevitably becoming an obstacle to our future control of the Dan Sheng Hall."

Duan Yuyan pursed her lips; although Chu Junhao's words sounded reasonable, she knew this was not the true reason he refrained from acting against Hua Changxi: "Cousin, sometimes you are too obsessed." With that, she turned and left.

Watching Duan Yuyan's retreating figure, Chu Junhao smiled and continued reviewing the medical formulas in his hand.