Zhaoning

Refining the Essence-Nourishing Pill had brought more than just financial gains.

The gains in reputation had surprised Chen Chong even more. It seemed that overnight, the way everyone in the apothecary looked at him had changed.

The title "Alchemist Chen" had once referred to Chen Huaixu, but without anyone noticing, it had shifted onto him.

When Chen Huaixu occasionally came to the apothecary to collect a few things, everyone had begun calling him "Elder Chen" instead, their respect carrying the polite deference reserved for an elder who had retired from the world.

Chen Chong noticed these changes, and could not help feeling a little moved.

Chen Huaixu, however, acted as though nothing had happened. He drank tea when he should drink tea, had maidservants knead his back when he should have them knead his back, looking perfectly content to enjoy his leisure.

There were more gift-givers too. Wealthy households sent servants with pastries, bolts of cloth, and medicinal ingredients, their words invariably courteous. "Just something new for Alchemist Chen to try."

Chen Chong accepted them all, returning a few Essence-Nourishing Pills in exchange. Everyone was happy.

A few days earlier, Lu Yun had actually come to call in person.

When Chen Chong opened the door, Lu Yun stood outside the courtyard gate with two jars of wine and a packet of pastries in hand. The expression on his face was hard to call either awkward or nervous, while his lips had been pressed white.

He wore his usual short brown jacket, though it was much neater than before, and his hair had been combed without a single strand out of place.

"Al... Alchemist Chen." Lu Yun spoke, his voice a little dry. "What happened before was my fault. I came specially to apologize."

Seeing how ill at ease he was, Chen Chong could not help smiling. To be honest, he had forgotten about it long ago.

Those minor frictions over patrol rotations and technique handovers were not even enough to make a ripple in his life now.

"You are too polite, Brother Lu." Chen Chong took the wine. "Come in and sit."

Lu Yun sat for the time it took an incense stick to burn, drank three bowls of tea, barely spoke a few sentences, then took his leave. His steps were much lighter when he left than when he had arrived.

After becoming famous, there were troubles too. Like this one.

Inside the main room of the alchemy workshop, Chen Chong sat behind a desk, with a young woman standing before him.

The atmosphere between them was inexplicably awkward, reminding him of the blind dates from his past life—an unfamiliar person sitting opposite him, both sides waiting for the other to speak first.

The young woman was Chen Qian, Chen Huaixu's granddaughter.

She was eighteen or nineteen, tall and slender, dressed in a moon-white short jacket with narrow sleeves, a leather belt around her waist, matching trousers below, and a pair of thin-soled boots.

Her hair was tied in a high ponytail, revealing a sharply defined face. Her brows were carved like blades, her eyes cold stars, her nose bridge straight, her lips slightly thin, and her jawline clean and crisp.

Standing there, she resembled a sword freshly drawn from its sheath. Its edge had yet to be tested, but one look at the blade told anyone it was fine steel.

Most striking were her eyes. Bright—exceptionally bright—filled with certainty and confidence.

When she looked at people, she neither dodged nor avoided their gaze. Her eyes met theirs directly, as though she were examining them, and weighing them.

A few days earlier, Chen Chong had deliberately gone to visit Chen Huaixu. Who would have thought that the little old man would still be as carefree as ever, lounging crookedly on his couch while two maidservants massaged his legs and shoulders, grapes popping into his mouth.

When Chen Chong mentioned that people outside were increasingly overlooking Chen Huaixu, the little old man spat out a grape seed and waved his hand. "Let them overlook me. I'm happy to be idle. You, though—when you have time, help me guide the younger generation."

Chen Chong had agreed immediately. After all, the little old man Chen Huaixu had truly treated him exceptionally well.

But he had not expected the "younger generation" Chen Huaixu meant to be such a girl.

"Alchemist Chen." Chen Qian spoke at last, her voice clear and crisp, without any beating around the bush. "Let me make this clear first. I prefer martial training. Alchemy is only something Grandfather made me come learn, and I could not defy his wishes. But I still want to train martial arts here in the alchemy workshop every day. I won't interfere with your pill refining. Is that acceptable?"

Chen Chong looked at her for two seconds, then nodded. "Fine."

Chen Qian seemed not to have expected him to agree so readily. She froze for a moment, then the corners of her lips curved upward. "Thank you."

Two days later, in the alchemy workshop courtyard.

Chen Qian was practicing swordsmanship.

A three-foot azure blade moved like a nimble snake in her hand. As her body rose and fell, sword light flashed and whistled. Her feet touched the ground without a sound, and when her waist twisted, her garments fluttered. She practiced an unknown sword technique. Its moves were not complicated, but they were fast and precise.

The sword tip drew streak after streak of silver through the air. Whenever it brushed the pomegranate leaves drifting through the courtyard, the leaves split in two, their cuts thin as threads.

Chen Chong sat beneath the eaves with a bowl of tea in hand, watching for a while. It truly was beautiful, carrying a peculiar sort of grace—like writing the "cease warfare" within the character for "martial" backward.

Before long, a servant entered from outside and bowed. "Alchemist Chen, Manager Yuan requests that you come over."

Chen Chong set down his tea bowl, thoroughly puzzled.

He and Yuan Zhiwu did not interact much in ordinary times. Apart from settling accounts for pills, they hardly had any dealings. Calling him over during pill-refining hours today—he had no idea what it was about.

He passed through two corridors and arrived at Yuan Zhiwu's room. Chen Chong knocked, then entered. Two people were seated inside.

Yuan Zhiwu sat behind his desk with a smile on his face. A woman sat in the chair beside him.

She was in her early twenties, with poised and dignified bearing. She wore a lotus-purple long robe with a crossed collar, made of the finest cloud brocade, its surface faintly rippling like water beneath the light.

Over it was draped a plain gauze layer as thin as cicada wings. The cuffs and collar were embroidered with exceedingly fine silver-thread patterns, understated yet densely stitched upon closer inspection, clearly beyond the work of ordinary embroiderers.

A silk sash of the same color circled her waist, from which hung a piece of flawless mutton-fat white jade. Its quality was excellent, yet its form was simple: merely an unadorned jade ring without any carving. A pair of tiny pearl drops hung from her ears, each the size of a grain of rice, their luster soft and warm.

Her hair was arranged without a strand out of place, secured with a plain silver hairpin, and she wore no other jewelry.

Her entire appearance was simple, yet far from simple. Like a blade stored within a case, needing no gold inlay or jade embellishment—those who knew their trade needed only one glance at the wood and patina of the case to know the weight of what lay inside.

Yuan Zhiwu introduced her. "This is the Li Family's eldest young lady."

Chen Chong was taken aback.

The Li Family was one of the prominent great families in Dingshan County. Their businesses were extensive, ranging from grain shops and cloth stores to apothecaries. Jichuntang Hall was one of the Li Family's properties.

Chen Chong greeted her. Li Zhaoning gave a slight nod, her gaze sweeping over him. It was neither cold nor warm, yet carried a hint of scrutiny.

"I came so suddenly today. I hope I have not disturbed Uncle Yuan." Li Zhaoning spoke in an even tone.

Yuan Zhiwu's genial smile stiffened briefly before returning to normal. "What are you saying, Eldest Young Lady? Jichuntang Hall and I are both your property. How would I dare speak of disturbance?"

Li Zhaoning did not say more. Changing the subject, she stated the purpose of her visit.

"There are increasingly more refugees in the city. As one of Dingshan County's great families, the Li Family should bear responsibility for Dingshan County. I came this time for the matter of providing relief to the refugees."

Her voice was not loud, but every word was clear, as though she were reading out a strategy she had long since prepared.

"The servants and others will distribute porridge and grain. Several of Jichuntang Hall's stewards will distribute common medicinal ingredients. Uncle Yuan will take several guards—" Her gaze shifted to Chen Chong. "—and go with Alchemist Chen beyond the city to refine pills."

She took a sheet of paper from her sleeve and placed it on the desk.

Chen Chong leaned closer and glanced at it. Illness-Repelling Essence Pill.

The medicinal ingredients listed in the pill formula were atractylodes, patchouli, mugwort leaves, angelica root, and sweet flag. All were common things, found in the wilderness and stocked in considerable quantities at the apothecary.

The combination was simple, and the refining method was not complicated either. It appeared to be a pill for preventing and treating epidemic disease. The difficulty was very low, not much greater than that of the Qi-Nourishing Blood-Boosting Pill.

Li Zhaoning looked at Chen Chong. "Alchemist Chen should be able to refine this medicine, correct?"

Chen Chong nodded.

Li Zhaoning withdrew her gaze, rose to her feet, and gave Yuan Zhiwu a slight nod. "Then let it be arranged as such. Gather outside the north gate at dawn tomorrow."

She left. Her footsteps were light, yet the distance of every step seemed measured, without the slightest deviation.

Only after the door closed did Yuan Zhiwu let out a long breath, giving Chen Chong a bitter smile.

Chen Chong said nothing. He merely folded the pill formula and tucked it into his sleeve.