Chapter 32, Level

Chapter 32, Level

Chapter 32, Level

After the misunderstanding with Yu Hui was resolved, Hua Changxi went to the warehouse to collect medicinal herbs, and the types of medicinal herbs he received increased.

"Sister Changxi, you only take a few plants of each herb, don't you find it annoying?"

Yu Hui looked at Hua Changxi in confusion. You know, when other servants came to collect medicinal herbs, they would like to take only one kind back so that it would be easier to clean.

Hua Changxi shook his head: "I don't mind it."

Yu Hui asked again: "Do you have any intention in receiving the herbs in this way?"

Hua Changxi looked around and saw that no one else was paying attention to them, so he whispered, "The Medical Department has a wide variety of medicinal materials, many of which I can't even get in touch with outside. Now that I've come across them, of course I have to study them carefully."

Yu Hui: "A choresman cannot damage the medicinal materials, how can you study it?"

Hua Changxi pointed at the herbs on the cart and said, "For herbs with many roots, I will pinch off a small piece of root to taste; if it is a herb with many leaves, I will taste the leaves. In this way, I can understand the medicinal properties of the herbs without damaging them."

Yu Hui stroked his chin and said, "It's too troublesome for you to get the herbs like this. So, when Wan Xiaozhou, Li Meng and I are on night duty, you can come to the warehouse to study."

"But we have to agree beforehand that the herbs must not be damaged. Otherwise, neither you nor I will be able to escape unscathed."

Hua Changxi's face suddenly brightened: "Brother Yu, don't worry, I promise not to cause you any trouble."

Seeing Hua Changxi's excitement, Yu Hui also smiled and said, "The monthly allowance will be distributed tomorrow. After you finish breakfast, don't come to get the herbs. Go to the Ministry of Internal Affairs to get the money first. If you go too late, I don't know how long you will have to wait in line."

When people came to the storehouse to get medicinal materials, the only people in line were the errand boys from the third office.

However, when going to the Ministry of Internal Affairs to collect money, the people lining up included all the servants from the first and second offices.

Hearing that he could get paid, Hua Changxi was also very happy: "How much money can we get?"

Yu Hui looked surprised: "You don't even know this?"

Hua Changxi smiled awkwardly: "I didn't have the courage to ask." The main reason was that her relationship with her roommates was not very good, so no one told her.

Yu Hui did not ask further questions and began to introduce: "All the chief stewards receive a monthly salary of 10 taels. The monthly salary of the second steward, the third steward, and the menial servants is divided into male and female."

"The monthly salary for the male second and third stewards is eight taels and five taels respectively, and the monthly salary for male errand boys is three taels of silver."

"The monthly wages for the second and third female stewards are five and three taels respectively, and the monthly wages for female servants are two taels of silver."

"As for the three eunuchs who manage the Miscellaneous Affairs Hall, I don't know how much their monthly salary is."

Hua Changxi: "Why are the monthly allowances for men and women different?"

Yu Hui smiled: "Of course it's different. Men put in much more effort than women."

Hua Changxi: "But the number of medicinal herbs that male and female servants are responsible for cleaning every day is obviously the same."

Yu Hui: "Male servants are sometimes assigned other tasks, such as transporting medicinal materials to medicine shops and medicine valleys, which female servants cannot do."

Hua Changxi said "Oh" and said nothing more.

On October 30th, before daybreak, a long line formed in the Menial Services Hall and the Internal Affairs Department. When Hua Changxi came over after breakfast, people could no longer enter the yard.

"Qingluo, come quickly, I'll give you a position."

Hua Changxi was standing at the gate of the courtyard and heard Wang Yunchu's voice coming from inside. He turned his head and saw Lu Qingluo pulling another young lady into the courtyard quickly.

When the two passed through the courtyard gate, they saw Hua Changxi and were stunned for a moment.

Wang Yunchu, who was standing at the front of the line in the yard, also saw Hua Changxi. However, she did not call Hua Changxi. Instead, she turned around and talked to Shi Sao and the other two who were standing in the same line.

Mrs. Shi and the other two also looked at Hua Changxi and didn't say anything.

Hua Changxi quickly shifted his gaze and looked at the crowded Internal Affairs Department. After thinking for a while, he decided to go to the warehouse to get the medicinal materials first.

After watching Hua Changxi leave, Lu Qingluo looked at Wang Yunchu and the others and asked, "Is this not a good idea for us?"

Wang Yunchu snorted: "What's wrong with that? Hua Changxi usually doesn't want to interact with us. Isn't it normal for us not to call her?"

After a pause, he asked, "If she came over on her own initiative, would we reject her?"

No one said anything more about it, and soon they started happily talking about what they were going to buy with their monthly allowance.

On the other side, Hua Changxi cleaned all 500 herbs, and took them to the second office to hand them in. When he came to the Internal Affairs Office again, there were still many people inside.

Hua Changxi glanced at the sky and saw that it was almost noon, so he went straight to the cafeteria to eat.

Because she cured the illnesses of several women in the canteen, Hua Changxi was very popular in the canteen. In addition to the original big pot meals, she could occasionally have some small meals.

When I went to the Imperial Household Department after lunch, there weren't many people there.

Hua Changxi waited in line for a while and received two taels of silver, but she did not leave immediately: "Mr. Accountant, I entered the errand hall on September 21st, and I haven't received my monthly salary for September yet."

The accountant who distributed the monthly allowance glanced at Hua Changxi and said, "It has been taken away."

Hua Changxi: "Impossible, I have never come to collect it."

The accountant was a little impatient: "Go back and ask your manager, next one."

Hearing the urging of the people behind him, Hua Changxi had no choice but to step aside and quickly returned to the sixth inning. He found Du Ruo at the end of the ditch: "Manager Du, the accountant said that my September allowance has been taken away, but I didn't. What's going on?"

Seeing that Hua Changxi was determined to know, Du Ruo did not hide it, "Your monthly allowance for September is 600 coins, and Steward Leng went to collect it."

Hua Changxi: "But she didn't give it to me." After a pause, "She might have forgotten. I'll go find her now."

Hearing this, Du Ruo and Wang Yunchu and others who were not far away looked at her as if she were a fool.

Seeing them like this, Hua Changxi knew there must be something fishy going on, so he turned around and went to find Manager Leng.

Seeing that Hua Changxi was serious, Du Ruo quickly went up to stop her and asked, "Do you really not know or are you pretending not to know?"

Hua Changxi frowned: "What do you mean?"

Seeing her like this, Du Ruo sighed: "You've never been a police officer before, right?"

Hua Changxi: "Yes, this is my first job."

Du Ruo: "Each servant has to pay 600 coins as filial piety fee every month. This has been the rule of the servant hall for many years."

Hua Changxi's eyes widened: "Respect for filial piety? Respect for whom?"

Du Ruo did not answer this question, but Wang Yunchu explained to Hua Changxi: "Of course, it is to honor the stewards."

Hua Changxi was silent for a moment, then looked at Wang Yunchu and the others and said, "You only earn two taels of silver by working hard every day for a month, but you have to pay nearly one-third of the money as filial piety fee. Doesn't anyone object?"

Wang Yunchu looked at Du Ruo and said quickly, "Some people objected, but they were eventually kicked out of the errand hall." Du Ruo saw that Hua Changxi looked unconvinced and didn't want her to cause trouble, so he persuaded her, "After handing in 600 coins, there is still 1,400 coins left, which is much more than what you can earn from doing errands outside."

"People should learn to be content and not be too concerned about the gains and losses in front of them."

"If you want to continue working in the errand hall, you must abide by the rules of the errand hall."

Hua Changxi cursed in anger: "Bullshit rules."

Seeing her like this, Du Ruo's tone became a little bad: "If you have the ability, change this shitty rule. If you don't have the ability, stop making a fuss."

Hua Changxi felt aggrieved, but she also knew that she couldn't go against the rules of the Mentoring Hall, so she put on a sullen face and prepared to go back to her room.

"and many more!"

Du Ruo stopped her and said, "You haven't paid this month's filial piety fee yet."

Hua Changxi took several deep breaths before taking out six hundred coins from his newly received monthly salary, gave it to Du Ruo, and left without looking back.

Seeing that Hua Changxi dared to give Du Ruo the cold shoulder, Wang Yunchu said to Lu Qingluo and others in surprise: "Even with Hua Changxi's bad temper, her family dared to let her work as a handyman."

Lu Qingluo looked at Hua Changxi's receding back with some envy: "Changxi's family must be very fond of her, otherwise, they wouldn't have been able to raise her to have such a personality."

Hua Changxi was upset because his salary was deducted. He couldn't concentrate on his practice, so he went to the warehouse to find Yu Hui.

"Brother Yu, do you want to pay the filial piety fee?"

Yu Hui saw that Hua Changxi was in a bad mood and guessed what was going on. He had nothing to do at the time, so he started chatting with her.

"Giving honors to the steward has been the rule of the Miscellaneous Affairs Hall for many years."

"The servants have to hand in 600 coins every month. One hundred coins are given to the third steward, two hundred coins are given to the second steward, and three hundred coins are given to the chief steward."

"As for the chief steward, he is not just taking in money but not spending it out. He also has to show respect to his father-in-law."

"This is the rule, we have to follow it. Everyone will feel uncomfortable when paying filial piety fees for the first time, but you will get used to it in the future."

"The treatment in the errand hall is much better than the jobs outside. People working outside also have to pay tribute fees."

"So, sister, think positively. No matter where you go, this is the rule."

Hua Changxi: "But this rule is unreasonable."

Yu Hui shrugged his shoulders and said, "The world is like this, so what can we do?" He lowered his voice and said, "Let me tell you, not only the errand hall, but also the apprentice hall and the disciple hall have the same rules."

"The pharmacists and doctors in the nine streets in front of the Medical Department also have to curry favor with the pharmacists and doctors in the streets in front."

This was the first time Hua Changxi had heard of such a thing: "Why, the doctors and pharmacists in the Medical Department are divided into different levels?"

Yu Hui: "Of course. The first street of the Medical Department is where the director and other officials work. After the second street, there are the pharmacies of pharmacists and doctors."

"The Medical Department does not usually treat patients. Pharmacists and doctors are mostly conducting research on new drugs and medical techniques."

"With so many pharmacists and doctors, how do we distribute the medicines, medical equipment and personnel? It all depends on the street where the pharmacists and doctors are located."

"The pharmacists and doctors in the Second and Third Streets have the highest status. The medicinal materials, disciples, apprentices, etc. in the Medical Department are supplied to them first."

"Of course, their medicine refining technology and medical skills are also the highest. Only they know how to refine the medicines used by eighth- and ninth-grade warriors."

"By the way, the pharmacists on these two streets are also responsible for the research of new drugs."

"The next are the doctors and pharmacists on the fourth and fifth streets. Their medical skills are also good. The elixirs needed by the seventh-grade warriors have to rely on them."

"Then there are the Sixth and Seventh Streets, which are responsible for refining and developing elixirs for fourth to sixth-grade warriors."

"Finally, the Eighth and Ninth Streets are responsible for the research of medicines for first to third rank warriors and ordinary people."

Hua Changxi: "Why do I feel that the levels of pharmacists and doctors are determined according to the grades of warriors?"

Yu Hui: "You are not wrong, that's right. Do you know what one of the main tasks of the Medical Department is?"

Hua Changxi: "What?"

Yu Hui: "Provide all martial arts academies in Dajin with the medicines needed for martial artists' training."

"Otherwise, the Miscellaneous Services Hall wouldn't be so busy. Do the math yourself, how many medicinal materials does the Miscellaneous Services Hall have to clean and prepare in a month?"

"These medicinal herbs, as well as the pills made by all the pharmacists and doctors in the Ninth Street, will eventually be sent to the Kyoto Martial Arts Academy and various local martial arts academies."

"Of course, all the medicinal materials from all over the Great Jin and Nine Provinces will be escorted to our Medical Department."

Yu Hui glanced at the warehouse gate. Today, the monthly salary had been paid, and several people guarding the warehouse had some extra money, so they gathered together to gamble.

"Let's go. Jiaozhou sent a batch of medicinal herbs yesterday. I'm sure you haven't seen them before. Don't you like to taste medicinal herbs? I'll take you to the warehouse."

"Thank you, Brother Yu."

Hua Changxi's unhappy feeling about having his salary deducted was instantly swept away.

After entering the warehouse, Hua Changxi's eyes were instantly fixed on the pile of discarded medicinal materials in the corner due to improper storage and severe damage during transportation.

Hua Changxi walked over and picked and chose: "Brother Yu, most of these herbs can still be used. Are you going to throw them away?"

Yu Hui shook his head: "No, I won't throw them away. The Medical Department discards countless medicinal materials every day. Our Miscellaneous Affairs Hall is still relatively good. The Apprentice Hall and Disciple Hall discard a lot of medicinal materials."

"These discarded medicinal materials will be taken away by designated merchants. These merchants are all well-known and have deep backgrounds. It is said that they have noble people backing them up."

As he spoke, he lowered his voice and said, "Let me tell you, the low-quality pills sold in some pharmacies outside are made from the discarded medicinal materials of the Medical Bureau."

After hearing what Yu Hui said, Hua Changxi was moved when he looked at the discarded medicinal materials. After thinking for a while, he whispered to Yu Hui: "Brother Yu, I can make the Qi and Blood Pills used by first-grade warriors, the Bone Strengthening Pills used by second-grade warriors, the Organ Pills used by third-grade warriors, the Tendon-Opening Pills used by fourth-grade warriors, the Marrow Cleansing Pills used by fifth-grade warriors, and the Shackle-Breaking Pills used by sixth-grade warriors."

Every time Hua Changxi mentioned a kind of elixir, Yu Hui's face shook a little. When she finished speaking, he excitedly grabbed Hua Changxi's arm.

"Girl, you didn't lie to me?"

Hua Changxi looked at him with a smile: "Brother Yu, you have personally experienced my medical skills."

Yu Hui's face turned red with excitement. Born a beggar, he dreamed of becoming strong and never being bullied again. Unfortunately, even if he acknowledged Eunuch Yu as his father, the money he earned was not enough to support him in practicing martial arts.

"Sister, let me tell you the truth. There is no statistics on the discarded medicinal materials in the warehouse. Just take away as many as you can. As long as you are careful, it will be fine for me to use some."

Hua Changxi smiled and said, "Brother Yu, let's cooperate. You provide the discarded herbs, I provide the technology, and we will split the profits of the refined pills 50-50."

Yu Hui wanted to become stronger so much that he nodded in agreement: "Okay."

(End of this chapter)