Chapter 199: Disadvantageous Both Inside and Out

Hua Changxi still knew nothing about what subjects were taught in the tenth through eighteenth Huang-Yellow Pavilions of the Apprentice Hall. Now that the wooden tablet was not on her person, she had no way to verify it, and staying in the thirteenth Huang-Yellow Pavilion, she felt somewhat idle.

However, after seeing her return to the pavilion, several medicine boys went in and out several times, leaving Hua Changxi somewhat thoughtful.

In this Medicine Department where forces from all sides gathered, the wooden tablet was merely a stepping stone for her to hold the title of Master of the thirteenth Huang-Yellow Pavilion.

Externally, the imperial family and the high-level officials of the Medicine Department likely didn't take her seriously at all; letting her be the pavilion master was merely to make use of her. Internally, of the eight medicine boys, aside from Pharmacist Xu with whom she had some rapport, the other seven were all spies with their own agendas.

She wanted to be the pavilion master, but the situation was disadvantageous to her both inside and out!

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

Just like back then, when Mu Qingying and Yuan Tianchou wanted to give a lecture at the sixth Huang-Yellow Pavilion, a single word passed down forced her to give up the sixth Huang-Yellow Pavilion; she had felt stifled then, too.

Back then, Gu Xing asked her if she had found her place in the Medicine Department. Now, she had found her place, but she hadn't figured out what to do next.

Should she be a pavilion master with only a title and no soldiers or pawns to use? Or should she turn the thirteenth Huang-Yellow Pavilion into a fortress and become the true controller?

The former was easy; she just had to do nothing. After all, all she wanted was the title of Master of the Medicine Department's Huang-Yellow Pavilion. As for the latter, it would require her to put in some effort.

Pharmacist Xu saw Hua Changxi sitting in the courtyard in a daze. Thinking that he had watched her grow up, it wouldn't be an exaggeration to call himself an elder, so he felt inclined to offer some guidance and walked over with a smile: "Jiuniang, do you want to go pay a visit to the masters of the other pavilions?"

Hua Changxi pulled herself back from her thoughts and looked at Pharmacist Xu: "Is that necessary?"

Pharmacist Xu: "Of course. In the future, everyone will definitely have to interact. Who knows when you might need help from other pavilion masters? Building rapport in advance makes it easier to open your mouth when you need to ask for favors."

Hua Changxi felt Pharmacist Xu's words were somewhat grating, as if he were certain she would ask for favors: "You think quite far ahead." She paused, "When I wasn't here before, how did the other pavilion masters interact?"

Pharmacist Xu: "Naturally, by visiting each other's doors."

Hua Changxi: "Since it's visiting each other's doors, then let's wait for the other pavilion masters to come see me first."

"Uh..."

Pharmacist Xu looked at the matter-of-fact Hua Changxi, his expression somewhat awkward, not knowing how to respond.

Seeing him hesitate, Hua Changxi smiled: "Uncle Xu, if you have something to say, just say it."

Pharmacist Xu hesitated for a moment and probed: "Then I'll say it, but don't get angry."

Hua Changxi: "Go ahead and say it."

Pharmacist Xu: "... The other pavilion masters are all people of status."

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

Pharmacist Xu: "You said you wouldn't get angry."

Hua Changxi: "... I'm not angry, I'm just unconvinced."

Pharmacist Xu looked at her: "Jiuniang, our status and background aren't as good as theirs, we have to admit that. Taking the initiative to be friendly requires lowering one's posture. This isn't something shameful; being able to bend and stretch is what a great person does."

Hua Changxi: "I am not a great person."

Seeing her stubbornness, Pharmacist Xu became anxious: "Jiuniang, if you want to be a good pavilion master, you have to unite the people around you. You want to wait for the other pavilion masters to come visit you first, but... their status and position are too high; they only take the initiative to visit those of equal status and position."

"I know you've been very proud since you were young, but now it's us who want to climb up to them, so don't we have to be the ones to take the initiative? This is reality."

Hua Changxi looked at him: "Uncle Xu, you're wrong. I don't want to climb up to anyone."

Pharmacist Xu was somewhat exasperated: "Working in a government office, it's hard for one person to accomplish great things. No, not just in the government office, but anywhere, you can't fight alone."

Hua Changxi fell silent. Just as Pharmacist Xu was about to say something else, a vibration came from her waist.

It was Tong Yao's communication talisman!

Hua Changxi stood up directly: "Uncle Xu, it's getting late, I'm going back to the medicine shop first." After saying this, she left directly, leaving Pharmacist Xu standing in the courtyard sighing.

In the fourteenth Huang-Yellow Pavilion, knowing that Hua Changxi had left again, Duan Yuyan smiled at Chu Junhao: "Cousin, it seems your intentional show of goodwill was in vain. That Hua Changxi doesn't put you in her eyes at all. Even after returning to the Huang-Yellow Pavilion, she didn't say she would come to visit you."

Chu Junhao's expression remained unchanged, and he smiled faintly: "Capable people are always a bit arrogant."

Duan Yuyan 'hummed': "There are plenty of capable people, and they still bow their heads and bend their waists when they should. I think she simply hasn't recognized who she is and hasn't positioned herself correctly. Does she think she is Hua Changxin, with the Taisu Palace as her backing?"

Chu Junhao glanced at Duan Yuyan faintly, the smile on his face fading: "Even so, you still have to give people time and opportunity to recognize themselves."

Sensing Chu Junhao's displeasure, Duan Yuyan lowered her head and pursed her lips, then said with a mocking laugh: "I hope this time Hua Changxi won't be like last time, appearing once and then disappearing. Otherwise, the Prince will be angry again."

Thinking of Hua Changxi's erratic logic, Chu Junhao also felt quite a headache.

The secret hidden in the Huang-Yellow Pavilion—they had almost turned the Huang-Yellow Pavilion upside down and still hadn't found anything. Hua Changxi was the only one who had cracked the secret of the Huang-Yellow Pavilion. They had to rely on her to unlock all the Huang-Yellow Pavilions and thereby step by step control the Dan Saint Hall.

Duan Yuyan: "If you ask me, it's still that you, Cousin, are too soft-hearted."

Chu Junhao glanced at her: "With all sides acting rashly, relying solely on power and coercion won't solve things."

Duan Yuyan sneered: "For those with power and influence, it's true that problems can't be solved by force, but Hua Changxi has nothing, and the Hua family is also a small household. If we really want to do something to them, isn't it just a matter of a single word?"

Chu Junhao rubbed his forehead and sighed: "Then why do you think no one has stood up to move against the Hua family until now?"

Duan Yuyan hummed: "Isn't it just because the Hua family produced a Hua Changxin?"

Chu Junhao: "Not only that, but there is also Hua Changxi. The wooden tablet in Gu Xing's courtyard—what its function is remains unknown, but it is definitely a token of the Dan Saint Hall, and not an ordinary token at that."

"Let's put it this way: among everyone in the Medicine Department today, only the person who holds the wooden tablet can be considered a person of the Dan Saint Hall. And whether we can become people of the Holy Land remains to be seen."

"To be enemies with Hua Changxi, if we can't kill her, she will be a deadly enemy, and in the future, she will definitely become an obstacle to our control of the Dan Saint Hall."

Duan Yuyan curled her lips. Although Chu Junhao's words sounded very reasonable, she knew this was not the real reason he didn't take action against Hua Changxi: "Cousin, sometimes you are too persistent." After saying this, she turned and left.

Watching Duan Yuyan's back, Chu Junhao smiled and continued to look through the pill recipe in his hand. ===== CHAPTER 200 =====