Chapter 99: Fated to be with me

By the time Hua Hua Changxi returned to the Miscellaneous Affairs Hall from the Old Square Courtyard, the sky had turned completely dark. She did not return to her own courtyard, but instead went to the street of the Imperial Physician Pavilions at the very end of the Miscellaneous Affairs Hall.

Nine Imperial Physician Pavilions were lined up in a row. Heading west led to the Old Square Courtyard, and further west were the nine Imperial Physician Pavilions at the very end of the Apprentice Hall.

Judging by this layout, the eighteen Imperial Physician Pavilions were essentially guarding the Old Square Courtyard.

Holding the two wooden plaques, Hua Hua Changxi walked from the No. 9 Imperial Physician Pavilion to the No. 1 Imperial Physician Pavilion.

During this time, the wooden plaque with the sword pattern did not flash again as she passed the other pavilions, but the newly acquired wooden plaque flashed at every pavilion except for the No. 9 Imperial Physician Pavilion.

Since the No. 9 Imperial Physician Pavilion was the place for teaching "Look, Listen, Ask, and Feel," the other pavilions should also have their own specialized subjects.

Hua Hua Changxi thought of the systematic alchemy inheritance she had obtained; she could not help but link the Shennong Cauldron's alchemy inheritance with the Imperial Physician Pavilions.

There was no other reason: the "Look, Listen, Ask, and Feel" techniques were also present in the alchemy inheritance.

Following this line of thought, could the medical knowledge taught in the other eight Imperial Physician Pavilions also be related to the contents of the alchemy inheritance?

The numbering of the Imperial Physician Pavilions certainly wasn't random. Adhering to the principle of proceeding from the simple to the complex, Hua Hua Changxi stood outside the No. 1 Imperial Physician Pavilion.

The first thing the Shennong Cauldron taught her was to "taste a hundred herbs" and distinguish the types and properties of medicinal materials. Could the No. 1 Imperial Physician Pavilion be a classroom for teaching herbal knowledge?

She was currently explaining medicinal materials to the people of the Fourth, Fifth, Sixth, and Seventh Bureaus of the Third Department, so she didn't lack students. However, bringing people over to teach would definitely alarm others, and this No. 1 Imperial Physician Pavilion was the territory of Eunuch Zhou of the First Department.

Not just the No. 1 Imperial Physician Pavilion, but she also had to find a way to obtain the usage rights for the other Imperial Physician Pavilions.

Thinking about the Imperial Physician Pavilions, Hua Hua Changxi returned to her courtyard, refined pills for an hour, and then went back to her room to cultivate.

The next day, when Hua Hua Changxi woke up from her cultivation, the excitement in her eyes was almost uncontrollable.

【Realm: Golden Core Stage 36.2 million/10 million】

Her cultivation speed had increased again; cultivating for one hour now increased her cultivation by 300,000 points!

In just one day, her cultivation speed had risen by another 100,000 points!

The only thing she had done yesterday was unlock the No. 9 Imperial Physician Pavilion.

Lighting the alchemy fire on Nine Streets could increase cultivation speed, and unlocking the Imperial Physician Pavilions could also increase it, with a significant boost at that. For Hua Hua Changxi, the benefits were too great, giving her infinite motivation.

Last night, she was still feeling a headache about snatching the usage rights of the Imperial Physician Pavilions from Eunuch Zhou, Eunuch Zhao, and Eunuch Jia. At this moment, she had made up her mind: she must obtain the usage rights for all nine Imperial Physician Pavilions.

"Sister Hua Changxi, why are you here?"

Ever since Hua Hua Changxi took over Eunuch Lu's position, she didn't have to do manual labor and hadn't come to the warehouse area. Yu Gui was very surprised to see her.

"Brother Yu, I have something to ask you."

"What is it?"

Hua Hua Changxi led Yu Gui to a corner: "What is the relationship between Eunuch Yu and Eunuch Xuan from the Eastern Depot who came yesterday?"

Yu Gui looked at her and fell silent for a moment before saying, "My godfather and Eunuch Xuan are from the same village. They were sold into the palace together when they were young, castrated together, and for the first few years after entering the palace, they relied on each other for survival."

Hua Hua Changxi: "So, Eunuch Yu and Eunuch Xuan have a very strong relationship."

Yu Gui scrutinized Hua Hua Changxi's expression: "Sister, have you encountered some difficulty and want to ask Eunuch Xuan for help?"

Hua Hua Changxi did not deny it: "Brother Yu, didn't I tell you? I want to give lectures in the Imperial Physician Pavilions."

Yu Gui was puzzled: "Aren't my godfather's three Imperial Physician Pavilions already being used by you?"

Hua Hua Changxi: "It's not enough." She looked at Yu Gui, "I want all nine Imperial Physician Pavilions."

Yu Gui stammered: "Do you really need nine courtyards?"

Hua Hua Changxi: "I do. Each courtyard has a different use: one for identifying herbs, one for cleaning herbs, one for processing herbs..."

"If we break it down, nine courtyards aren't even enough. I heard there are nine more Imperial Physician Pavilions over at the Apprentice Hall..."

Yu Gui hurriedly stopped Hua Hua Changxi: "My good sister, isn't the Imperial Physician Pavilion at the Miscellaneous Affairs Hall enough for you to toss about? You still want to go to the Apprentice Hall to make trouble?"

Hua Hua Changxi looked at him: "Isn't Eunuch Xuan from the Eastern Depot? I heard that all eunuchs are afraid of people from the Eastern Depot. Do you think that if Eunuch Xuan steps in, he can help me get the Imperial Physician Pavilions from Eunuch Zhou, Eunuch Zhao, and Eunuch Jia?"

Yu Gui: "Sister, are you serious?"

Hua Hua Changxi nodded: "Of course. I saved Eunuch Xuan's life yesterday, and he said he wanted to repay me. I don't want anything else, just for him to help me ask for a few courtyards. He can help with that, right?"

Yu Gui: "...... Sister, you just saved Eunuch Xuan yesterday, and today you're going to ask for a favor. Isn't that a bit too urgent? Why don't you use my godfather's three courtyards first and talk about it later?"

Hua Hua Changxi shook her head: "Brother Yu, time waits for no one. I need them urgently."

It wasn't that Yu Gui didn't want to help Hua Hua Changxi, but he was genuinely thinking for her: "Sister, I know you are very motivated, but you just got ten pharmacies from the merchant Zhuo, and now you plan to lecture in nine courtyards. Do you have that much time and energy?"

Mentioning the ten newly acquired pharmacies, Hua Hua Changxi looked at Yu Gui with burning eyes.

Although this person had some small schemes of his own, he was generally capable of getting things done. She indeed had too many things on her hands and couldn't do everything herself; she needed to find someone to share the burden.

"Brother Yu, how about you help me manage those ten pharmacies?"

Yu Gui was stunned: "I help you manage the pharmacies?"

Hua Hua Changxi nodded: "I don't intend to overhaul the Zhuo family's pharmacies. Just change the store names and sell the medical books I teach in the shops; everything else can remain the same."

Yu Gui swallowed hard, feeling tempted: "But I've never managed a pharmacy before?"

Hua Hua Changxi smiled: "You can manage such a large warehouse; a pharmacy will be even less of a problem."

With the increase in his martial strength, Yu Gui's ambitions had gradually grown. Managing the warehouse could no longer satisfy his current desires: "Since you trust me so much, sister, then I'll give it a try?"

Hua Hua Changxi smiled: "Then it's settled."

Yu Gui couldn't hide his joy, but he quickly restrained it: "Sister, are you sure you want to go to Eunuch Xuan to repay your favor right away?"

Hua Hua Changxi nodded affirmatively.

Yu Gui: "Alright then, I'll go find my godfather."

"What? Hua Hua Changxi wants all the Imperial Physician Pavilions?"

After hearing Yu Gui's words, Eunuch Yu was also very surprised.

Yu Gui: "The other six Imperial Physician Pavilions are used by Eunuch Zhou, Eunuch Zhao, and Eunuch Jia. Sister Hua Changxi wants Eunuch Xuan to step in and resolve it."

Eunuch Yu: "...... I know about this now. You go back to your work."

Once Yu Gui left, Eunuch Yu went to the Imperial Physician Pavilions.

At this time, Hua Changxi was still explaining the cleaning of medicinal materials to the miscellaneous workers of the Fourth, Fifth, Sixth, and Seventh Bureaus. There was no one in the No. 7, No. 8, and No. 9 Imperial Physician Pavilions, so Eunuch Yu searched through the three courtyards one by one.

After searching a circle, he found nothing.

Eunuch Yu pondered for a while, then went to the Eastern Depot to find Eunuch Xuan.

Upon learning that Hua Changxi wanted to claim all nine Imperial Physician Pavilions for herself, Eunuch Xuan's first reaction was the same as Eunuch Yu's: he thought there might be something in the Imperial Physician Pavilions that was beneficial to cultivators.

"Have you checked inside the Imperial Physician Pavilions?"

"I have, there's nothing. I basically use those three courtyards of mine to store medicinal materials. Although I haven't lived there much, I know exactly what's inside; there's nothing special."

Eunuch Xuan thought for a moment and said: "After dark, I'll go with you. If there really are good things in the Imperial Physician Pavilions, you're a mortal and wouldn't be able to perceive them."

Eunuch Yu: "Then, should we still help Hua Hua Changxi ask for the other six courtyards?"

Eunuch Xuan: "We'll talk about that after I've seen the Imperial Physician Pavilions." He paused, "As for that Hua Changxi, try to be on good terms with her in the future. You aren't a cultivator, so you don't know how scarce healers who can treat cultivators are."

Eunuch Yu gave a bitter smile: "I don't dare not to be on good terms with her now."

Eunuch Xuan saw his reluctance: "Little Yu, many things are different now than before. You need to change some of your thinking quickly."

Eunuch Yu was stunned and looked at Eunuch Xuan in confusion.

Eunuch Xuan knew that his childhood friend's information channels were blocked, so he could only explain more clearly: "Do you know what place the imperial family and various powerful figures have been most concerned about these past few months?"

Eunuch Yu shook his head.

Eunuch Xuan: "A ruin appeared on Mount Kunlun in Liangzhou in the northwest. The momentum was so great that it was no less than the commotion caused by the eruption of Mount Wuzhi in Qingzhou last year."

"Mount Mount Kunlun has always had the name of a divine mountain. Everyone wanted to claim it for themselves to establish a sect. After months of fighting, there was finally a result a few days ago."

"Do you know who ended up with Mount Mount Kunlun?"

Eunuch Yu shook his head again.

Eunuch Xuan let out a long sigh: "A wild boy. Not only was he without power or influence, but his parents were both dead, and he grew up eating from a hundred families."

Eunuch Yu stammered: "How could such a person compete against the imperial family and various powerful figures?"

Eunuch Xuan smiled and sighed: "I used to think that the most important thing in this world was to have power and influence, but now, I'm starting to waver."

"That wild boy really had nothing, but the mountain spirit of Mount Mount Kunlun recognized him as its master."

"The fight for Mount Mount Wuzhi last year was like this, and the fight for Mount Mount Kunlun this year is the same. The powerful figures were busy running around, only to end up as mere foils."

"It is said that Mount Mount Wuzhi was obtained by someone called Fairy Fire Lotus. If she is also a small figure like that wild boy, then those forces that relied on power to enter the fray will become a joke."

"So, Little Yu, don't look down on small figures with lower status than you."

"Our status is given by the nobles; it's hollow and can be taken back at any time. The usual showing off and feeling superior is just us deceiving ourselves."

Seeing that Eunuch Yu had taken his words to heart, Eunuch Xuan didn't say anything more. He let him stay for dinner, and then they returned to the Medical Department together.

After watching Hua Changxi return to her courtyard, Eunuch Yu took Eunuch Xuan to investigate the No. 7, No. 8, and No. 9 Imperial Physician Pavilions.

Eunuch Xuan took out a spirit-detecting device and checked every courtyard, but found nothing unusual.

Eunuch Yu felt that Hua Changxi's request for the Imperial Physician Pavilions was definitely not because she wanted to teach, and he wanted Eunuch Xuan to search a few more times.

Eunuch Xuan shook his head and refused: "Let's go."

After leaving the Imperial Physician Pavilions, Eunuch Xuan said to Eunuch Yu: "Tomorrow, you step forward and invite Eunuch Zhou and the other two. I'll treat them to a drink."

Eunuch Yu knew that Eunuch Xuan was going to help Hua Changxi ask for the other six Imperial Physician Pavilions, and he was still somewhat unwilling: "Are you really not going to look again?"

Eunuch Xuan looked at him with a smile: "Opportunities are hard to grasp and cannot be forced. Since you think Hua Changxi has ulterior motives for asking for the Imperial Physician Pavilions, then keep an eye on her. If she really finds benefits in the courtyards, we can follow behind her and drink some soup."

Eunuch Yu quite approved of this approach, and the next day he actively invited the three eunuchs to a restaurant.

On the third day of the fourth month, Hua Changxi took several miscellaneous workers she felt had talent for medicine to the No. 9 Imperial Physician Pavilion to explain the diagnosis process of "Look, Listen, Ask, and Feel."

She discovered that the more people she taught and the deeper the content, the clearer and more distinct the sword pattern on the wooden plaque became.

She didn't know what the sword pattern was for, but she could feel that continuing to deepen it certainly wouldn't be a bad thing.

After the lecture, just as the workers left, Hua Hua Changxi saw Eunuch Jia enter the courtyard with Eunuch Zhou and Eunuch Zhao.

Eunuch Jia looked at Hua Changxi: "You wanted the Imperial Physician Pavilions just to give lectures?"

Hearing him ask this, Hua Changxi knew that Eunuch Xuan had already approached them, so she hurriedly smiled: "Lecturing in other places would be interrupted, only the Imperial Physician Pavilions are relatively quiet."

Eunuch Jia looked at her: "I can't tell, you have such wide connections, even knowing Eunuch Xuan of the Eastern Depot."

Eunuch Xuan was a thousand-household officer in charge of punishment at the Eastern Depot. Since he had stepped forward, even if Eunuch Zhou and Eunuch Zhao didn't want to give up the Imperial Physician Pavilions, they had no choice.

Although the three of them all had backers, people from the Eastern Depot were the Emperor's confidants. If they wanted to fix someone, it would be hard to hide.

Hua Hua Changxi smiled: "I know, I've caused trouble for the three eunuchs. Although you didn't use those courtyards much, I did take advantage of you."

As she spoke, she took out third-grade pills and handed them to Eunuch Jia and the others one by one.

"This is a small token of my appreciation, I hope the three eunuchs won't mind."

Eunuch Jia casually opened the bottle stopper and saw that it was actually ten Heavenly Stem Pills needed by eighth-grade martial artists. His eyelids twitched, and he quickly put the pills away.

Eunuch Zhou and Eunuch Zhao saw Eunuch Jia's reaction and calmly accepted the pills as well.

"Alright, the courtyards are yours to use."

Eunuch Jia took a deep look at Hua Hua Changxi and left with Eunuch Zhou and Eunuch Zhao.

Once the three left, Hua Changxi quickly went to the Sixth Bureau, called all the workers who had finished their chores, and took them to the No. 1 Imperial Physician Pavilion.

"Zhou Qiuyu, take out the 'Mortal Medicinal Materials' you organized. Today I will explain the properties of the herbs in it to you again."

After she started the lecture, the wooden plaque Hua Hua Changxi had placed on the beam at the door indeed began to glow with a white light.

Seeing this, Hua Hua Changxi knew her deduction was correct, and she became even more attentive in her teaching.

The white light was relatively weak at first, but in the following days, after she called the workers from the Fourth, Fifth, and Seventh Bureaus to listen, the white light became increasingly intense.

On the third day of her lecturing in the No. 1 Imperial Physician Pavilion, a sword pattern appeared on the wooden plaque; on the seventh day, a sword pattern was marked on the stone pillar at the courtyard entrance.

Seeing the sword pattern on the stone pillar, Hua Hua Changxi went to the Old Square Courtyard again.

"Old man, I've come to see you again."

"Here, these are spiritual fruits I brought for you."

"The wooden plaque on the wall seems crooked, let me take a look."

Gu Xing watched helplessly as Hua Hua Changxi took down another wooden plaque, watching her look at him with an innocent expression.

"Old man, these wooden plaques are fated to be with me." ===== CHAPTER 100 =====