Chapter 82: Center of the Storm

The room for a Third Manager was the same as for a servant, both in the backyard. The only difference was that a Third Manager lived in a two-person room, and the house was closer to the kitchen.

Ten Third Managers lived in five rooms.

The Manager Zhou that Hua Changxi replaced had gone home to recuperate from illness. Her things hadn't been moved away, and it just so happened that she shared a room with Du Ruo.

Seeing Hua Changxi waiting outside the room with her luggage, Du Ruo had no choice but to step forward to open the door and tidy up Manager Zhou's things, moving them to her side.

The work of a manager was naturally not as heavy as that of a servant. Knowing that Hua Changxi had replaced Manager Zhou, they were all standing by watching the excitement.

Everyone knew that Hua Changxi was someone who could take action, so no one said any sarcastic remarks.

Hua Changxi made her bed and put her luggage into the cabinet. After thinking for a while, she went out to see the ten team members under her.

When she reached the river channel, those ten people didn't pay any attention to her, seemingly conducting a silent protest against her replacing Manager Zhou.

Hua Changxi remembered the faces of the ten people and left without saying anything.

The other managers were all paying attention to this side. Seeing that she wasn't supported, they were all watching a joke.

"Big Sister Zhou is really unlucky. She got sick and lost her manager position. When she comes back and finds out she's been replaced, I don't know how sad she'll be."

Not daring to complain to Hua Changxi's face, the managers had no such scruples behind her back.

"This Hua Changxi is really not simple. She was actually able to get Eunuch Jia to personally order her to be a Third Manager."

"Not just not simple. Think about it: ever since she entered the Servant Hall, she was first entangled with Eunuch Yu in the warehouse, then Eunuch Lu, and now it's even more powerful—even Eunuch Jia has a relationship with her. This young lady's methods are truly powerful."

"Du Ruo, Hua Changxi was your subordinate before. What is her background?"

"Hua Changxi doesn't talk much and hasn't mentioned her family's affairs, but I imagine it should just be an ordinary family. Otherwise, why would she come to be a servant?"

"I don't think she looks like an ordinary person. Do you know that the reason she was able to return from the Medicine Farm seems to be Eunuch Jia's personal order? Can an ordinary person make Eunuch Jia care so much?"

"Hua Changxi must have some background. It's best if we don't provoke her."

On the other side, Hua Changxi returned to her new residence and was tidying up her things when she heard a knock on the door. Thinking it was Du Ruo returning, she didn't expect the person who entered to be a young lady of eighteen or nineteen.

"Good day, Manager Hua. My name is Zhou Qiuyu."

Hua Changxi looked at the person who came and recognized her as one of the ten team members under her, asking with a smile: "Do you have something to see me about?"

Zhou Qiuyu was a bit nervous: "I just wanted to come and ask Manager Hua if there is anything you need me to do?"

Hua Changxi saw that the other party was here to show goodwill. After pondering for a while, seeing that there was a bench in the room, she let her sit down: "Tell me about the situation of our group."

Seeing that Hua Changxi was willing to ask her questions, Zhou Qiuyu finally let go of her tense heart and immediately introduced the situation of the other nine members.

"Manager Hua, don't worry. The people in our group work very efficiently and don't like to cause trouble. They are all very good people."

Hua Changxi looked at her: "I see you are quite united. Why did you think of coming to see me?"

Zhou Qiuyu was stunned, then straightened her body and said: "I am united with everyone because they are good people. I came to see you because you are the manager. As your subordinate, it is only right for me to come and report the situation to you."

Hearing this, Hua Changxi thought more highly of this person. Most people, when doing things, cannot separate personal feelings from work. The result of mixing the two together is that simple things become complicated.

"You also have the surname Zhou. What is your relationship with the previous Manager Zhou?"

Zhou Qiuyu: "... The previous Manager Zhou is my aunt."

Hua Changxi raised an eyebrow: "I replaced your aunt's job. You should be the person most resistant to me, right?"

Zhou Qiuyu shook her head: "Manager Hua, I have no resistance to you at all, because I know that the decision to replace my aunt's job was not made by you, and you were just following orders."

Hua Changxi looked at her deeply: "You see things quite clearly."

Zhou Qiuyu looked at her: "Manager Hua, please don't listen to the words of others. My aunt was good to everyone before, but everyone absolutely does not have any intention of not obeying you because of that. We all cherish our jobs and will work hard and won't cause you any trouble."

Hua Changxi smiled. This Zhou Qiuyu is truly a smart person. With her as a comparison, the things Du Ruo said to her before were really a case of good intentions leading to bad results.

"Alright, I know."

"Go tell the others in the group: do things as you did before. As long as you complete the tasks arranged by the superiors, I have no requirements here."

Hearing Hua Changxi say this, Zhou Qiuyu's face lit up: "Manager Hua, don't worry. I'll go back and tell the others to work hard."

Hua Changxi watched her leave and thought to herself: there are smart people everywhere. Seeing that the new residence was still quite spacious, thinking that she had to practice often, she prepared to go out and find a screen to use as a partition.

Du Ruo is not a bad person, but she lacks a sense of proportion in her conduct and actions. She actually doesn't want to have too much intersection with such people.

After Hua Changxi left the Sixth Bureau, many people were watching Zhou Qiuyu.

"This Zhou Qiuyu, instead of seeking justice for her aunt, went to curry favor with that Hua Changxi. She's really an ungrateful wretch."

Listening to the not-so-quiet discussion of the crowd, Zhou Qiuyu kept her head down and washed the medicinal materials without paying attention. On the contrary, when others in the group wanted to speak up for her, she would stop them.

"The mouth grows on others, and this is something we cannot control. However, we can control our own hearts and not let our hearts be affected by the words of others."

"We know everyone is seeking justice for Aunt, but the target is wrong. Manager Hua didn't do anything wrong; she was just someone following orders."

"The job is our own. If we slack off because of dissatisfaction with Manager Hua or cause trouble, and the superiors investigate, the only ones who will lose their jobs in the end will be us."

People in the same group were a bit worried: "Qiuyu, what will happen when Manager Zhou comes back?"

Zhou Qiuyu paused: "The superiors didn't say they were going to dismiss Aunt. When Aunt comes back, at worst, she'll just be a servant like us."

"Manager Zhou is really unlucky."

"Alright, stop complaining and work hard."

Hua Changxi first went to the Internal Affairs Court to collect the monthly allowance for working at the Medicine Farm, and then in a shop near the Medical Department, she used this silver to buy a simple second-hand screen.

"Little Sister Changxi, is it really you? I saw you just now and didn't dare to recognize you. When did you come back?"

Hua Changxi met Yu Gui while moving the screen back to her residence: "Just came back today."

After Yu Gui approached and looked Hua Changxi over, he smiled: "It seems you are indeed as the rumors say, living very well at the Medicine Farm."

Hua Changxi: "Rumors?"

Yu Gui whispered: "After the servant returned from the Medicine Farm, my godfather wanted to find you to continue cooperating in refining medicine, but found that you didn't follow back, so he asked around and only then learned that you had caught the eye of a grandmaster."

Hua Changxi showed a look of sudden realization. Seeing that there was no one around, she also seized the opportunity to inquire: "Big Brother Yu, I see the atmosphere in the Servant Hall is very tense now. Has something happened?"

Yu Gui: "Little sister, you are keen enough." As he spoke, he looked around, and then lowered his voice: "Someone in the palace has set their sights on the Servant Hall and all want to insert their own people into the Servant Hall."

"Eunuch Sun of the First Bureau died because he blocked the way."

Hua Changxi was confused: "What is there in the Servant Hall worth the palace's attention?"

Yu Gui shook his head: "I don't know about that. Anyway, starting two months ago, in October, many powerful people stuffed people into the Medical Department, and even the Imperial Prince lowered himself to worship a pharmacist on the Second Street as his teacher."

After hearing this, Hua Changxi's eyes flickered.

Gu Jinfan was in the Medical Department, and now the Imperial Prince and powerful people were also pouring in. Looking at this posture, the Medical Department was about to become the center of the storm. ===== CHAPTER 83 =====