Zhang Yu Imprisoned on the Third Day

The Dingsheng Workshop had already descended into utter chaos.

Zhang Heng had completely lost the confident swagger he had when he first took charge yesterday.

He was darting back and forth between the Alchemy Zone, the accounting room, and the reception hall like a headless chicken, completely overwhelmed.

The Earth Fire Formation and Alchemy Furnace Inscriptions, "upgraded" by Chen Dongpeng, were like a meticulously tuned precision instrument. Without the only master craftsman who understood them, they began to malfunction everywhere.

"Young Master, the Earth Fire in Alchemy Furnace No. 7 in the East District has suddenly weakened. This batch of 'Blood Coagulating Powder' is likely ruined."

"Young Master, the temperature in the main Earth Fire conduit in the West District is fluctuating abnormally again. Alchemist Liu says if it doesn't stabilize soon, we might have to temporarily shut down some alchemy furnaces!"

"Young Master, Master Zhao, whom we invited from the south of the city, says there's a crucial point on the blueprint that he simply cannot understand and dares not tamper with. He suggests we find someone more capable..."

Bad news kept piling up, making Zhang Heng dizzy and disoriented.

His pride in his intelligence and resourcefulness seemed utterly inadequate and pale in the face of complex, profound formation problems and the intricacies of alchemy.

"Waste! All of you are waste! Keep looking, and double the reward. You must find someone who can understand the blueprints and stabilize the formation."

Zhang Heng roared, his eyes bloodshot.

He couldn't imagine the predicament the Marquis Estate would face if the Dingsheng Workshop's alchemy business truly ground to a halt, wiping out their monthly profit of 128,000 taels.

How would he explain it to his Mother, to the family?

Meanwhile, in the Ministry of Personnel Official's Residence, Jiang Luohan's boudoir.

Jiang Luohan finished her day's cultivation and breathing exercises. Habitually, she reached into her robes, preparing to take a top-grade Qi Nurturing Pill.

These pills were highly beneficial for consolidating her cultivation and advancing her internal energy. She had taken them almost without fail for the past three years.

However, this time, her hand found nothing.

She froze for a moment, then her delicate willow brows furrowed. She instinctively spoke in annoyance, "What is Zhang Yu doing? He didn't deliver the Qi Nurturing Pills for these three days on time? Is he getting..."

Her words cut off abruptly.

She suddenly remembered that Zhang Yu was already in prison.

Furthermore, their engagement had been broken, and they were now like strangers.

A wave of inexplicable irritation and emptiness washed over her.

For the past three years, she had grown accustomed to Zhang Yu's meticulous "provisioning," especially these cultivation-aiding pills, which had never been in short supply.

This had made her cultivation efforts twice as effective with half the effort.

While her seventh-rank cultivation was undoubtedly built upon the heaven-defying foundation laid by the Bodhi Pill, the subsequent accumulation of a massive quantity of Qi Nurturing Pills had also played a significant role.

"Damn Zhang Yu..."

Jiang Luohan muttered under her breath, her tone complex. "Why didn't you send more before? You had to send them every three days, so stingy."

She completely forgot how nonchalantly she had accepted the gifts back then, even deeming Zhang Yu's offerings "not high-class enough."

She also selectively ignored that Zhang Yu's "steady stream" supply method was a deliberate contingency plan, precisely for a situation like this.

Complaints aside, she still needed the pills.

Helplessly, she summoned her personal maid. "Go to an external pharmacy and buy me some Qi Nurturing Pills. Get good quality ones."

The maid paused for a moment and asked cautiously, "Miss, how many... how many should I buy?"

Jiang Luohan was about to blurt out, "Buy a hundred."

She didn't want to be like Zhang Yu, being so stingy. She intended to buy a large batch to prepare for unforeseen needs.

"Miss, top-grade Qi Nurturing Pills are eight hundred taels of silver each."

The maid offered a kind reminder and then said no more.

"So expensive?"

Jiang Luohan was somewhat surprised and immediately understood what the maid meant.

Although her father was a Minister of Rites, a high-ranking official of the third rank, the Ministry of Rites was not a "lucrative post" like the Ministry of Revenue or the Ministry of Works. His salary, combined with official gifts and some shop income, amounted to no more than 100,000 taels annually.

While 100,000 taels of silver seemed like a lot, the household expenses were also substantial, and they had to maintain their status in official circles and fulfill social obligations. The amount of disposable income they could freely use was not much.

Eighty thousand taels was not a small sum that could be casually squandered, neither for her personally nor even for the Jiang household.

Before, with Zhang Yu's "tribute," she hadn't felt it. Now, having to pay out of her own pocket, she immediately felt the pinch.

At this moment, her heart was filled with mixed emotions.

On one hand, she truly felt the value and "convenience" of Zhang Yu's past "support" once again.

On the other hand, she felt helpless and annoyed by her current situation.

She was annoyed at Zhang Yu for being "stingy" and annoyed at herself for now having to worry about such "trivial matters."

"Forget it..."

Jiang Luohan waved her hand, changing her mind. "Prepare the carriage, I'm going to the Dingsheng Workshop."

She didn't have money to buy them herself, but Dingsheng Workshop was an industry of the Marquis Estate, currently managed by Zhang Heng.

Zhang Heng was now her fiancé-to-be. Previously, Zhang Yu had been in charge of the supply, so it was only right that he take over.

Given Dingsheng Workshop's profits, these Pills were merely a drop in the ocean.

Thinking of Zhang Heng's bold declaration yesterday about "taking over the Marquis Estate and achieving great things," Jiang Luohan felt a little more at ease, regaining her noble and entitled demeanor.

After a brief freshen-up, she took her maid and a carriage to Dingsheng Workshop.

However, when she arrived at Dingsheng Workshop, the scene that greeted her shocked her, and the certainty in her heart wavered instantly.

Outside Dingsheng Workshop, carriages and horses still bustled by, but inside, an unusual tension and chaos permeated the air.

The shop assistants hurried about, their faces etched with worry.

Besides the familiar scent of herbs, the air seemed to carry a faint trace of scorching and... panic?