Chapter 5: Fragments and Shards

No matter what kind of world she had crossed into, since a windfall had literally fallen into her lap, it made no sense for Hua Changxi to refuse it.

After sampling all the herbs on the medicine shelf, the words before her eyes changed to: [Annotated Herbal Classic (Preliminary): Sampled Herbs 22/100].

Curious about what would come after the section on common plants, Hua Changxi tiptoed to the room where her father and mother were taking their afternoon nap. Seeing them both asleep, she quickly returned to her room, changed into men's clothing, and then headed straight for the Hua family pharmacy.

“Ninth Miss, what brings you here?”
“Are you feeling better?”

Hua Sanlang and Hua Silang, who were helping out in the pharmacy, were both taken aback to see Hua Changxi showing up at this hour. Neither had expected her to come to the pharmacy at this time.

Hua Changxi offered a casual excuse: “I’m feeling a bit unwell and wanted to pick up some herbs to take home.”

Without hesitation, Hua Sanlang said, “What herbs do you need? Big Brother will fetch them for you.”

Hua Changxi shook her head to refuse, “No need, Third Brother, Fourth Brother. You focus on attending to the customers in the shop; I can get the herbs myself.”

At that moment, there were indeed a few patients in the shop. Seeing Hua Changxi moving about freely, Hua Sanlang and Hua Silang let her gather the herbs on her own.

Taking advantage of the brothers’ distraction, Hua Changxi approached the medicine cabinets, opening each one in turn to taste the herbs inside.

[Annotated Herbal Classic (Preliminary): Sampled Herbs 100/100]

Having sampled one hundred different herbs, an ethereal voice once again echoed in her mind.

“The ‘Annotated Herbal Classic’ Spiritual Plants section has been unlocked.”

Immediately, tens of thousands of detailed descriptions of spiritual plants, demon beasts, and mystical creatures flooded her consciousness.

Restoring spiritual power, regrowing severed limbs, reviving the dead, nourishing the divine soul...

As she absorbed the knowledge from the Spiritual Plants section, Hua Changxi's heart was filled with both shock and exhilaration.

Unlocking this section was like opening a skylight for her research in medicine.

At the same time, she confirmed one thing: aside from martial artists, there must be even higher-level cultivators in this world.

Perhaps because cultivators were so rare, few knew of them.

But it was not that everyone was unaware; at least those like the Red-Robed Demon Cultivator and the young lady of that caliber knew.

Although the Hua family had some clerks in the government office, they were low-level officials with limited access. Hua Changxi had been lucky to gain a chance through the demon cultivator, glimpsing a hidden corner of this world.

The miraculous effects of the herbs used by martial artists had already amazed her, but now these newly discovered spiritual plants completely reshaped her understanding.

If one were to ask where in the Great Jing Dynasty spiritual plants were most likely found, it would undoubtedly be the Medical Department!

Pharmacist Xu had told Hua Changxi that the Medical Department had a special rule: anyone who discovered new medicinal herbs would receive a Break Shackles Pill.

Martial artists were ranked by strength from first to ninth grade, with nine levels in total.

To advance from sixth-grade to seventh-grade martial artist, one had to break the shackles within their body; the Break Shackles Pill was an essential advancement medicine.

Martial artists who reached seventh-grade could transform their internal power into condensed steel energy, marking them as top-tier experts.

Thus, the Medical Department’s reward was incredibly generous.

Overseeing all medical affairs in the Great Jing Dynasty, with such attractive incentives, countless rare and unknown herbs must have been collected.

When she had previously heard that the Medical Department was recruiting apprentices in the Jingzhao Prefecture, Hua Changxi had merely sought a stable income.

Now, she had one more compelling reason to join the Medical Department.

“Ninth Miss, have you finished gathering your herbs? Need Third Brother’s help?”

Suppressing her thoughts, Hua Changxi quickly replied, “No need, I’m almost done.”

The Hua family pharmacy was not very large, with only about three hundred kinds of herbs in the cabinets. After sampling them all, Hua Changxi casually picked up a tonic to replenish qi and blood, told Hua Sanlang and Hua Silang, and then hurried home.

...

Speaking of the Hua family in Xiuzheng Ward’s South Gong Lane, they were quite renowned within the neighborhood.

Firstly, because the Hua family was related to the Dingyuan Bo household. Although only distantly connected, they shared the Hua surname.

For ordinary folk to be linked to noble families was certainly something that attracted attention.

Secondly, there was Old Master Hua’s life story, which was a model of against-all-odds success.

Hua Changxi’s grandfather, Hua Bin, lost his father at age two and his mother at age five. Without uncles or elder relatives to care for him, and no siblings to support him, he barely survived to adulthood with the clan’s aid.

Many people doubted Hua Bin could marry, thinking he would remain a lifelong bachelor and that his line would end with him.

But fate smiled upon him. By chance, he saved a merchant surnamed Fan from another region. After receiving a monetary reward from the merchant, Hua Bin used the money to bribe his way into the Southern City Military Office as a clerk.

Once employed, the merchant saw potential in him and gave his youngest daughter in marriage to Hua Bin, along with the house the Hua family now lived in as dowry.

After settling down, the Hua family, once a single lineage, suddenly flourished.

Today, the household had more than twenty members.

Their descendants’ prosperity was truly enviable.

Thirdly, the three Hua brothers—Hua Minghe, Hua Ming’ang, and Hua Mingcheng—all worked as clerks in government offices.

The eldest, Hua Minghe, was a detective in the Six Doors Bureau; the second, Hua Ming’ang, succeeded Old Master Hua as a patrol officer in the Southern City Military Office; and the youngest, Hua Mingcheng, was a prison guard in the Ministry of Justice.

Though none held high rank, they all earned government salaries and thus had better access to information than commoners.

For these reasons, the Hua family’s every move was closely watched by their neighbors.

After entering Xiuzheng Ward, Hua Changxi became more cautious, avoiding encounters as much as possible.

In these times, any incident in a household was hard to keep from neighbors’ gossip, especially for a family as conspicuous as the Hua’s.

News of Hua Changxi’s abduction by the demon cultivator had long spread through the neighborhood.

She had been rescued only yesterday and was still injured, so she did not want anyone to know she was already out today.

Hua Changxi returned home through the back door. The Hua family pharmacy was only two streets away from Xiuzheng Ward, and her round trip took just over an hour.

The courtyard was still quiet. She had thought sneaking out would go unnoticed, but upon entering her room, she saw her mother sitting expressionlessly on her bed.

“Mother, I was feeling unwell, so I went to the pharmacy to get some herbs.”

Hua Changxi quickly held up the tonic she had gathered for her mother to see.

Yao looked at her daughter, both angry and worried. “You were just kidnapped and now you dare sneak out alone? Ninth Miss, your courage is reckless.”

Hua Changxi whispered back, “Mother, this is the city, not outside the walls. There are patrol officers everywhere.”

Yao was speechless but continued, “You lost so much blood. Even with the Medical Department’s medicine, you should be resting properly.”

“Why didn’t you ask your Sixth Brother to fetch the herbs for you?”

“I think you don’t cherish your own body at all.”

Seeing her mother truly angry, Hua Changxi quickly apologized, “Mother, I’m sorry. I won’t do it again.”

Yao found her daughter impossible to manage. Since childhood, Hua Changxi had been headstrong; unless she truly agreed in her heart, no amount of adult discipline would stop her from repeating mistakes.

Before Yao could say more, a noise came from the main hall.

Hua Changxi hurried to the door, peeked out, then put a finger to her lips, signaling her mother to be quiet, whispering:

“Mother, Grandmother has gotten up to weave. Don’t scold me. If Grandmother finds out I went out, she’ll surely berate me.”

In the Great Jing Dynasty, customs resembled those of the Tang Dynasty. Daughters were not forbidden from going out, but it was not encouraged either.

Grandmother Hua disliked the young lady of the house wandering about, believing it showed a rebellious spirit.

Yao did not want her daughter scolded by her mother-in-law, so she shot Hua Changxi a glare and left.

Soon, voices of Grandmother Hua and Yao could be heard conversing in the courtyard.

Hua Changxi breathed a sigh of relief, closed her door, lay on her bed, and began to reflect on the events of the past two days.

Martial artists, demon cultivators, cultivators...

She truly knew very little about this world. Though she had crossed over thirteen years ago, she had only glimpsed fragments.

To fully understand this world, staying within the small confines of the Hua family was clearly insufficient.

The Medical Department—she must get accepted!