Chapter 35, Moving Forward Step by Step

Chapter 35, Moving Forward Step by Step

Chapter 35, Moving Forward Step by Step
Seven days have passed since Hua Changxi met Eunuch Yu, but she has not waited for Yu Hui to notify her to go and make medicine. On the contrary, every time she went to the warehouse to get medicine, Yu Hui would avoid her.

Yu Hui's attitude made Hua Changxi understand that Eunuch Yu did not really want to cooperate with her.

She was not particularly anxious about this.

There are two reasons why Eunuch Yu was unwilling to do so. First, he felt that she took too much profit. Second, he felt that she was difficult to control. She was just a small servant, but she actually wanted to cooperate with him on an equal footing. This was probably a provocation to Eunuch Yu.

But who can resist the temptation of making money?

The pills she refined used very few medicinal herbs, most of which were discarded herbs from the service hall. For Eunuch Yu, the cost was almost zero.

If a person with a normal mind comes across a project that is 100% profitable and only allows for inflows and no outflows, he will definitely hold on to it and not let go.

She believed that it would not be long before Eunuch Yu would come to find her on his own initiative.

"Brother Six!"

Seeing Hua Liulang waiting at the back door of the Medical Department with a large bag on his back, Hua Changxi began to wave from afar.

"Jiu Niang."

Ever since Hua Wuniang went out and received Hua Changxi's instructions, Hua Liulang would come to see Hua Changxi every few days. Every time he came, he would either bring food made by Yao or buy braised food, roast chicken, and desserts.

The Hua family's son worked in a pharmacy and was paid 500 coins a month.

Hua Liulang spent almost all of his salary this month on buying food for Hua Changxi. He felt a little painful at first, but every time he saw his sister smiling happily while eating the food he brought, the money he spent didn't seem so important.

"Sixth brother, what delicious food did you bring me this time?"

Hua Changxi loved to eat a lot. Even though she could occasionally eat from the small kitchen in the canteen when she was in the servants' hall, she was still very greedy.

Hua Liulang handed the package to Hua Changxi. Seeing his sister busy looking for food, he couldn't help but say, "Don't just focus on the food. Mother has prepared a cotton coat and trousers for you."

"My mother told you to keep warm and wear more clothes, as the weather is getting colder. Don't stand in cold water to wash the herbs, as women cannot stand the cold."

Hearing this, Hua Changxi paused for a moment.

After entering November, the weather became colder day by day. She was practicing, and her physical fitness improved greatly. Even when she went into the water to wash medicinal herbs, she did not feel that cold. However, it was not the same for other chores.

Two or three of her roommates had frostbite on their hands and feet.

Seeing that Hua Changxi didn't say anything, Hua Liulang thought about the winters of previous years when his sister would stay in bed all day because she was afraid of the cold, and said worriedly: "Jiu Niang, why don't you go back and apologize to your grandparents?"

"Grandpa and grandma won't really do anything to you, so you should stay away from the errand hall."

Before he could finish his words, Hua Liulang saw his sister throw a three-finger-wide paper bag to him. He instinctively reached out to catch it and said, "What is this?"

After opening the paper package, looking at the pill inside and smelling the medicinal fragrance emanating from the pill, Hua Liulang's eyes suddenly widened and he looked at Hua Changxi excitedly: "Nine Lady, is this a Qi and Blood Pill?"

Hua Changxi snorted and gave the other two paper bags to Hua Liulang.

Hua Liulang opened it quickly and his eyes widened even more.

Qi and blood pill!
Body Tempering Pill!
Strengthening pill!
He was familiar with all three types of elixirs. He had taken the Qi and Blood Pill and the Body Tempering Pill, and he had seen the Body Strengthening Pill from Hua Minghe and Hua Dalang.

Hua Changxi raised his eyebrows and admired Hua Liulang, who had a shocked look on his face, with a smug look on his face.

Hua Liulang swallowed his saliva and muttered, "The Qi and Blood Pill is 5 taels of silver each, the Solidifying Pill is taels of silver each, and the Tempering Pill is taels of silver each. I need pills of each."

More than five hundred taels of silver
After Hua Liulang's brief surprise, a look of panic appeared on his face. He looked around and anxiously grabbed Hua Changxi: "Jiu Niang, where did you get these pills? What have you been doing?"

Hua Changxi wanted his sixth brother to worship him, but seeing that he looked frightened, he was speechless: "Sixth brother, what are you thinking? Of course, I made these pills."

"Did you refine it?"

Hua Liulang's tone was filled with doubt and distrust: "No way, Jiu Niang, don't lie to me."

Hua Changxi was unhappy and crossed his arms: "Why would I lie to you? Is there any money to be made? Don't forget that most of the pills in our pharmacy are made by me."

Hualiu Lang muttered, "But those are ordinary pills, not medicine for warriors."

Hua Changxi snorted: "If grandparents had agreed to my suggestion earlier and bought some medicinal herbs for warriors so that I could study them, maybe our pharmacy would have already started selling medicines for warriors."

Hua Liulang still didn't quite believe it, so he asked again to confirm, "Did you really make this pill?"

"If you don't want it, forget it." Hua Changxi pretended to take the medicine bag back.

Hua Liulang immediately covered the medicine bag and quickly took a step back, smiling apologetically as he retreated: "I believe in you, isn't that enough?"

Hua Changxi was too lazy to argue with him: "You don't need the Guben Pill. When father comes back, give it to him, and keep the Qi and Blood Pill and the Tempering Pill for yourself."

Hua Liulang's face lit up, but then hesitantly asked, "Aren't we going to give it to grandparents to distribute?"

Hua Changxi glared, "My things, I have the final say." After a pause, "There are only a few pills here. There are so many people in the family. What effect will it have if each of them gets one? It's better to give it to you alone."

Then, he patted Hua Liulang on the shoulder and said, "Sixth Brother, I want to train you to become a master, please don't let me down."

Everyone has their own sense of closeness and distance. In the entire Hua family, apart from her parents, only this silly sixth brother treats her the best. She goes along with him in almost everything and knows that he likes to practice martial arts. Now that she has the elixir, of course she has to give him first.

Seeing his sister thinking of him like this and wanting him to be a master, Hua Liulang was very moved: "Don't worry, Jiuniang, I will practice martial arts well and won't let anyone bully you."

Hua Changxi looked at Hua Liulang with full trust: "Sixth brother, I believe you. Remember, you are not allowed to tell your family about the elixir I gave you."

"If you tell your family and cause me trouble, forget about taking the elixir from me and find a way to practice martial arts on your own."

Hua Liulang nodded hurriedly: "Don't worry, I won't tell."

Hua Changxi saw that she had been out for quite some time: "Sixth brother, I have to go back to work, you should go back soon too. Remember to hide the elixir."

After watching Hua Liulang go away, Hua Changxi returned to the sixth bureau and continued to practice as usual.

Two days later, when she went to the warehouse to get medicinal materials again, Yu Hui took the initiative to greet her.

Seeing this, Hua Changxi's lips curled up slightly.

"Sister Changxi, my godfather has got a new batch of discarded medicinal herbs. After you finish your work today, go to the yard where you saw my godfather last time, okay?"

Yu Hui looked at Hua Changxi nervously. He knew this girl's temper. He had been avoiding her these days. He wondered if she was angry.

Hua Changxi didn't make any excuses and just agreed with a smile: "I'll be there after lunch."

Yu Hui's heart suddenly dropped back into his stomach. He wanted to explain, but Hua Changxi waved his hand: "Brother Yu, I know it's not easy for you. Fortunately, it's done. Other things are not so important."

This made Yu Hui feel even more uncomfortable: "Sister, you will be my real sister from now on."

Hua Changxi laughed: "Brother Yu, just remember that we are friends." Then, she went to get the herbs. After lunch, Hua Changxi went to the courtyard where she had met Eunuch Yu before. Last time, the eunuch walked too fast, and she didn't look carefully around the courtyard.

"Qihuang Hall."

Hua Changxi noticed that the courtyards around this courtyard were all called this name. These courtyards had no plaques. The three words "Qihuangguan" were engraved on the door wall, and the wall was made of stone.

She didn't enter the wrong yard, because Yu Hui was standing at the gate waiting for her.

"Sister Changxi, remember, this is Hall No. 9. Don't go into the wrong yard next time you come here."

Yu Hui pointed to a stone pillar at the entrance that was about 13 feet high, on which was engraved the word "镹".

Hua Changxi asked: "This courtyard is quite old, it looks very historical."

Yu Hui: "It should have been built for a long time. I heard that the buildings of the Medical Bureau have been like this since the previous dynasty and have never changed."

Hua Changxi was surprised: "Is it like this in the previous dynasty? That's a long time."

You know, the Great Jin Dynasty is different from the feudal dynasties she learned about in her textbooks in her previous life. It is a dynasty that has been passed down for nearly a thousand years.

She has always been curious about why this dynasty could maintain its rule for such a long time?

Unfortunately, the circle of contacts is too narrow and I have no way of knowing.

As they were talking, the two of them walked into the yard.

As soon as he entered, what caught Hua Changxi's eyes were more discarded medicinal materials than last time.

Hua Changxi looked at Yu Hui with some concern, "Is it really okay to bring so many discarded medicinal materials here?"

Yu Hui quickly whispered, "Don't worry, it's okay. I just found out these past two days that my godfather has the right to move these discarded herbs. As long as you don't go too far, even if the higher-ups find out, they'll turn a blind eye."

"It's the Miscellaneous Affairs Hall where you work. For example, before the prepared medicinal materials are sent to the medicine storehouse, Eunuch Jia and his men can also extract some for their own use in advance."

"These are considered as a kind of hidden benefits of the Medical Department. Everyone from the director to the steward of the Miscellaneous Affairs Hall has them."

Hua Changxi was immediately envious, but also somewhat puzzled: "Since Eunuch Yu can use discarded medicinal materials, has he never thought of finding a pharmacist to help him make medicine?"

Yu Hui: "My godfather probably didn't think much of these discarded medicinal herbs before."

Didn't you hear Pharmacist Xu from Sixth Street say that these discarded medicinal materials were garbage? I guess his godfather also thought so before.

Hua Changxi sighed in his heart, a warehouse manager can mobilize so many resources, it’s really good to have power.

Eunuch Yu did not come this time, as if he had left the matter entirely to Yu Hui.

Looking at the pile of discarded medicinal herbs in the yard, Yu Hui looked at Hua Changxi worriedly: "Sister Changxi, can you handle it by yourself?"

Seeing that there was a well in the yard and all kinds of tools for refining medicine, Hua Changxi nodded and said, "I can do it." There was no time limit anyway, so she would just do it slowly, rolled up her sleeves and walked towards the discarded medicinal materials.

From about ten carts of discarded medicinal materials, Hua Changxi picked out three carts of usable ones.

After picking out the usable medicinal materials, they were washed and removed the parts that could not be used as medicine. In the end, only two carts of medicinal materials were left.

After that, it is dried and processed according to its medicinal properties.

Some medicinal materials take a long time to dry and prepare, while others take a short time. In addition, it may not be possible to collect a complete medicinal formula by picking them once or twice. Hua Changxi can only store the medicinal materials in the house.

In the following period, Grandpa Yu would bring ten carts of discarded medicinal materials every day and pile them in the yard.

Hua Changxi works as an errand boy in the morning and comes to pick usable medicinal herbs in the afternoon, then washes, dries and prepares them.

[Pao Dian Daquan (minor achievement): processing medicinal materials 100/1000]
When the number of prepared medicinal materials reached 100, Hua Changxi's mind was filled with all kinds of knowledge on preparing spiritual plants and spiritual beasts.

She also realized that the spiritual energy of the Yuanling Powder she refined last time was not strong. In addition to the fact that the medicinal materials withered and the spiritual energy dissipated, she also did not prepare it properly.

"I wonder if the medicine shop will send us Yuanling grass?"

Hua Changxi thought to herself that she had to go to the warehouse more often. What if she came across Yuanling Grass again?

When there were enough types of medicinal materials stored, Hua Changxi began to try to refine various elixirs based on the description of medicinal properties in "Baicao Jingzhu".

She couldn't always make the elixir successfully, and she would waste a lot of medicinal materials.

Although she did not have to provide these medicinal herbs, she always cherished them. Therefore, at the end of November, she still managed to refine a lot of pills.

Eunuch Yu looked at the gourd-shaped porcelain vases on the table that were the size of an adult's palm, and his cheeks twitched slightly.

Even the most generous pharmacist would not use such a large porcelain bottle to store pills, making the pills seem worthless.

"Godfather, 100 Qi and Blood Pills, 100 Body Tempering Pills, 50 Solidification Pills, Bone Strengthening Pills, Organ Pills, and Meridian Opening Pills."

Every time Yu Hui mentioned a kind of elixir, Eunuch Yu's eyes brightened. After he silently calculated in his mind how much money he could earn from selling these elixirs, he saw Hua Changxi and Yu Hui looking at him with sharp eyes.

Damn it, I forgot to give them a share of the profits!

When Eunuch Yu thought about having to share 60% of the profits, his heart began to tremble.

But in order to ensure a long-term relationship, Eunuch Yu still gave Hua Changxi and Yu Hui's share personally with trembling hands.

Hua Changxi smiled as he held the pills: "Thank you, Eunuch Yu. I will continue to work hard next month and try to refine more pills."

Eunuch Yu glanced at her and said, "In December, the amount of medicinal herbs sent from all over the country will be greatly reduced, and the amount of discarded medicinal herbs will be even less. From now on, you will come here every five days."

Hua Changxi felt a little regretful when she heard that December could not come every day, but she also knew that haste makes waste, so she adjusted her mindset.

With this batch of pills in hand, not only will it be enough for Sixth Brother to practice for a period of time, but he can also sell them to make some money. He should be content.

Also, after processing so many medicinal herbs during this period, many of her statistics have improved.

[Commentary on the Hundred Herbal Scriptures (Perfect)]
[Perfection of the Immaculate Technique]
[The Complete Collection of Cannon Scriptures (Perfect): Cannon Scriptures 4608/10000]
[Meridian Mapping (Perfect): Disintegrating and Grinding Medicinal Materials 3511/10000]
[Fusion (Perfect): Prepare Fusion Pill 2672/10000]
[Alchemy (Perfect): Condensed Pill 2672/10000]
[Sealing Technique (Perfect): Sealing Pill 2672/10000]
"Commentary on the Classic of Materia Medica" has been completely inherited, and Hua Changxi also knows that after mortal plants, spiritual plants and divine plants, there are Taoist plants.

Taoism, to comprehend the rules of the great way of heaven and earth, to enlighten the mind and calm the nature, to transcend desires and seek the true self.
There are tens of thousands fewer species of divine plants than spiritual plants, only a few thousand species, and Taoist plants are even rarer, with only a few hundred species, and their growing conditions are extremely harsh.

Based on the four major chapters of "Commentary on the Classic of Materia Medica", Hua Changxi roughly guessed the stages of cultivation.

Knowing the approximate stages of cultivation, she had a better understanding of cultivation.

This made Hua Changxi very happy. Although she had almost no channels to obtain information about cultivation, she was still moving forward steadily step by step.

As long as you are making progress, that's enough!

(End of this chapter)