Chapter 203

Early on the morning of the twenty-eighth day of the twelfth lunar month, Hua Changxi flew away from Lingguang Hall, heading straight for Jingcheng. She arrived at the Medicine Bureau precisely at the fourth mark of the Chen hour (9:00).

Feeling she had arrived very early, she spotted from afar Apothecary Xu pacing back and forth at the main entrance.

"Oh, heavens, you've finally arrived."

Upon seeing Hua Changxi, Apothecary Xu's eyes lit up, and he hurriedly rushed toward her.

Seeing him extend his hand as if to grab her, Hua Changxi quickly shifted to the side to avoid Apothecary Xu: "Uncle Xu, let's speak properly."

Apothecary Xu had no mood to banter with Hua Changxi; anxiously, he said: "The various Hall Masters began arriving at the start of the Chen hour. Prince Shou and the Director entered the Council Hall a quarter-hour ago. My dear lady, you are the only one who hasn't arrived yet."

Hua Changxi looked surprised: "Why has everyone arrived so early?"

Apothecary Xu helplessly replied: "It's not that others came early; it's that you came late." Speaking thus, he immediately led Hua Changxi in a quick walk toward the Medicine Bureau building.

"Ninth Lady, let me tell you, Prince Shou has the worst temper among all the princes. Later, if Prince Shou scolds you, you must definitely soften your stance and admit your mistake. Under no circumstances should you openly oppose the Prince..."

"Also, all eighteen Hall Masters are present today. Regardless of what orders come from above, let's not stick our necks out. First observe everyone's reaction, then side with the majority."

"Among the eighteen Qihuang Halls, only our hall, along with Hall Eleven and Hall Twelve, lack any significant influence. At a time like this, we must develop quietly and keep a low profile. You absolutely must not act impulsively..."

Amidst Apothecary Xu's nagging, they arrived at the Medicine Bureau building.

Upon reaching the entrance of the Council Hall, Apothecary Xu seemed intent on offering further admonitions to Hua Changxi. Seeing this, Hua Changxi quickly stepped inside the meeting hall.

The Council Hall occupied half the area of the first floor of the Medicine Bureau building. In the spacious hall, seventeen Qihuang Hall Masters, Prince Shou, the Director, and officials of all ranks from the Medicine Bureau had already arrived.

The moment Hua Changxi entered the Council Hall, the room seemed to hit a pause button, suddenly falling silent as everyone turned to look at her.

Prince Shou and Director Gu sat on high seats in the central hall, while the others were divided into two sides facing each other. On the left sat the officials of various ranks from the Medicine Bureau, and on the right sat the Qihuang Hall Masters.

Hua Changxi surveyed the people in the Council Hall, feeling somewhat speechless about their seating arrangement. The chairs on both the left and right sides were arranged in only a single row. Clearly, arranging several rows would have allowed everyone to sit closer to the main seats, facilitating communication, yet they had arranged only one row.

Eighteen tables and chairs were lined up in a single row, with the last chair at least twenty meters away from those at the main seat. At such a distance, could they really hear each other speak?

There were fewer people on the officials' side, with twelve seated.

Seeing everyone looking at her, Hua Changxi steadied her mind, nodded to the assembly, glanced at the empty chair at the very end of the row on the right, paused for a moment, then decisively walked toward the officials' side and sat in the thirteenth chair.

Seeing her do this, many people displayed looks of interest.

The official sitting in the twelfth chair, seeing Hua Changxi take the seat below him, kindly reminded her: "Hall Master Hua, you ought to sit over there."

Hua Changxi recognized the officials present but was unsure of their seating order. However, the seating on the Qihuang Hall side was not arranged according to the hall numbers. Sitting in the first seat was the Seventh Imperial Prince, Chu Junhao, while Mu Qingying of Hall One was actually sitting in the fifteenth chair.

"Is there some special rule regarding where one sits?"

Of course, there were rules for seating. The officials sat according to rank, while the Qihuang Halls sat according to the power of the factions they represented. These were unspoken agreements. The twelfth official could not state this directly; looking at Hua Changxi, who seemed to be asking despite her high status, he smiled awkwardly: "Not really."

Hua Changxi immediately smiled: "Since there are no rules, then I will sit here. It is more convenient for hearing the Prince and the Director speak."

The twelfth official: "..."

On the Hall Masters' side, Tang Yufeng, sitting in the eleventh chair, leaned slightly toward Gu Jinfan, who sat in the seat below him, and whispered: "I heard long ago that you, Hua Changxi, have quite a unique personality. Seeing you today, you are indeed interesting."

Gu Jinfan glanced sideways at him: "Interesting? She simply doesn't understand the rules of the official court, that's all."

Tang Yufeng did not quite agree with this statement. However, looking at Hua Changxi opposite him, who seemed slightly tense and unaccustomed to such occasions, he shook his head with a smile. Her background was, after all, somewhat lacking.

On the main seat, Prince Shou had already been angry that Hua Changxi arrived even later than he did; now seeing her sit wherever she pleased, he became even more furious. He immediately snorted coldly: "Hua Changxi, last month, Hall Thirteen of Qihuang was the last to submit its spirit pills. This month is already the final day, yet your hall's spirit pills have still not been handed over. Shouldn't you now give this Prince an explanation?"

Hearing this, Hua Changxi only then remembered the matter of submitting the spirit pills.

Prince Shou naturally knew that Hua Changxi had spent only half a day in Hall Thirteen of Qihuang throughout the entire twelfth lunar month and had not returned to refine spirit pills. Without finding someone to help, this month's spirit pills could not be submitted: "The Medicine Bureau distributes full portions of spirit herbs every month, yet you cannot submit the refined pills. Since you cannot manage Hall Thirteen of Qihuang properly, someone by my side..."

Hearing Prince Shou about to insert someone else into Hall Thirteen of Qihuang again, Hua Changxi decisively interrupted him: "I have already refined the spirit pills. After the meeting concludes, I will hand them over."

Prince Shou's brows knotted together, his tone unpleasant: "Then hand them over now."

Hua Changxi deeply resented being coerced by others. Furthermore, with everyone in the Council Hall staring at her with ambiguous expressions, she felt an uncontrollable surge of anger. She truly had an impulse to punch someone. At that moment, a hidden pain shot through the back of her hand, instantly waking her up.

"Hoo~"

Hua Changxi took a deep breath, quickly reined in her thoughts, and glanced at Prince Shou. She prepared to take thirty bottles of first-grade spirit pills, which she no longer needed, from her Sumeru Mustard Seed. However, upon reaching for them, she realized she had sold the lower-grade and middle-grade pills at the pharmacy, and distributed the upper-grade pills to the Zhu Que Army at Lingguang Hall. Now, she only possessed first-grade supreme-grade pills.

Handing over supreme-grade pills to the imperial family was something she could not bear to do.

Hua Changxi looked at the various Hall Masters sitting opposite her, then at those she knew: Chu Junhao, Duan Yu, Mu Qingying, Shen Qianfan, and Zhu Qinghuan. Finally, her gaze settled on Mu Qingying: "Hall Master Mu, could you lend me thirty bottles of spirit pills? I will return them to you after the meeting ends."

At these words, Prince Shou laughed in anger, while the others present also felt somewhat speechless.

Mu Qingying had not expected Hua Changxi to ask to borrow pills under such circumstances and was unsure how to respond. She involuntarily glanced up at Director Gu.

Director Gu gave no hint, clearly indicating that his disciple should not meddle in unnecessary affairs.

After understanding her master's intention, Mu Qingying looked at Hua Changxi apologetically: "I am sorry, Hall Master Hua, but I do not have any spirit pills on me."

Hearing this, Hua Changxi looked again at Shen Qianfan and Zhu Qinghuan, but both turned their heads away, avoiding eye contact with her.

Among the acquaintances present, only Chu Junhao and Duan Yu remained.

Considering the identities of these two, Hua Changxi had not intended to ask them. Just as she was preparing to take out the supreme-grade pills, Chu Junhao stood up.

"Imperial Uncle, allow your nephew to submit this month's spirit pills for Hall Master Hua first. I believe she did not intend to delay; I beg Imperial Uncle to give her another chance."

Watching Chu Junhao bow and plead with Prince Shou, not only was Hua Changxi full of surprise, but the others present were also greatly taken aback.

Prince Shou looked at Chu Junhao. He was quite fond of this nephew and granted him face: "For your sake, I will let it pass this time. But if Hall Thirteen of Qihuang fails to submit its spirit pills on time next time, the Hall Master will be replaced."

Chu Junhao quickly expressed his thanks: "Thank you, Imperial Uncle." Speaking thus, he took out thirty bottles of spirit pills right before everyone.

Just as Prince Shou was about to accept the spirit pills, Hua Changxi suddenly stood up with a swish and spoke out to stop him: "Wait a moment."

Everyone's gaze converged on Hua Changxi once again, unable to understand what she was about to do.

Hua Changxi looked at Chu Junhao: "Thank you for your kindness, Seventh Imperial Prince, but I cannot accept your spirit pills."

Chu Junhao smiled: "Hall Master Hua, I have attended your lectures; we share the bond of teacher and student. It is only right that I help you."

Hua Changxi shook her head: "Help that I need is help; help that I do not need is not help. Please put your spirit pills away." Finishing her sentence, she flipped her wrist, and three wooden boxes instantly appeared in her hand.

Everyone watched Hua Changxi curiously until she opened the wooden boxes, at which point an extremely rich aroma of pills rushed into their noses.

Supreme-grade spirit pills!

The wooden boxes were made of black-iron wood, offering excellent preservation. Having already taken out the supreme-grade pills, Hua Changxi did not wish to lose three more wooden boxes. She took out a handkerchief and decisively poured the three hundred pills from the three wooden boxes out.

During this process, the scent of pills in the Council Hall grew increasingly intense. Watching Hua Changxi's crude behavior, everyone was dumbfounded and deeply pained.

"Prince, these are the spirit pills submitted by Qihuang Hall No. 13; please count them."

Hua Changxi, looking as though her heart were bleeding, used her spiritual energy to wrap the top-grade spirit pill in a handkerchief and presented it to Prince Shou, then sat silently with a gloomy expression, unmoving.