Evading Service

Hearing the commotion outside, Elder Wu frowned.

Before long, an apothecary hand came rushing in, his face pale. "This is bad. People from the county yamen are here."

Elder Wu said in a deep voice, "What are you panicking for? Explain yourself clearly."

The hand hurriedly said, "The county yamen is conscripting martial artists according to the roster. Senior Brother Deng Qing is listed as well. They say every martial artist whose name was called must gather at the south gate."

Deng Qing's heart sank.

He knew full well that going out at a time like this was absolutely the worst possible choice.

Yet caught in the web, he could not act on his own wishes. Deng Qing clasped his fists toward Elder Wu and headed for the door.

Elder Wu suddenly reached out and clamped a hand onto his shoulder. "Where are you going?"

Deng Qing said, "My name is on the roster. I can't exactly defy the order."

Elder Wu lowered his voice. "Trust this old man. Don't go be cannon fodder."

Deng Qing stopped in his tracks. Of course he did not want to go.

But the county yamen was calling people by name from a roster. Refusing on the spot would, at best, be defying orders; at worst, it would be evading service.

Deng Qing said quietly, "But the law is strict."

"Law, my ass."

Elder Wu grabbed Deng Qing by the arm. "Come. Follow me to Tianshun Apothecary."

Though Deng Qing did not understand why, he followed.

The two crossed the small courtyard behind the apothecary and left through a side door.

Outside lay a narrow back alley.

As they walked, Elder Wu said in a low voice, "Tianshun Apothecary has an extraordinary backer and deep ties to the authorities. Enter one of Tianshun Apothecary's refining rooms. If they are willing to protect you, you'll get through this trial."

Deng Qing gave a grunt and quickened his pace.

By now, the streets had become a pot of boiling porridge.

The shops that had still been open were now hastily putting up their door planks.

Several yamen runners hurried past from the end of the street, iron rulers in hand.

The two hurried on, crossed half the long street, rounded two alley mouths, and finally reached Tianshun Apothecary.

While chaos reigned outside, Tianshun Apothecary still had its doors open for business. No one had come to disturb it.

The moment Deng Qing and Elder Wu arrived, Steward Liu came out to greet them. "You two, didn't we agree to test the furnace tomorrow?"

Elder Wu said, "The sooner, the better. With this turmoil everywhere, if Little Deng gets sent to defend the city, it'll be too late for anything."

Steward Liu's eyelids twitched. He immediately turned and ordered, "Open Refining Room Three and prepare the smoke-drawing medicine. Tell the gatekeepers to keep their eyes peeled too. No one is to barge into the rear courtyard today."

The clerk acknowledged the order and left.

Steward Liu turned back to Deng Qing, his expression solemn. "Brother Deng Qing, let me lay the ugly words on the table first. The medicinal smoke used for the furnace test is much the same as the medicinal poison used during actual refining.

"If you can endure it, you can enter the main furnace. If you cannot, do not force yourself. Withdraw at once."

Deng Qing nodded. "I understand."

Of course he understood.

This furnace test was no longer merely a matter of silver.

If he failed to endure it, Tianshun Apothecary would have no reason to protect him.

When the county yamen's men came after him, he would most likely be hauled off to defend the city.

That was not what he wanted. After all, Tu Wei's precedent lay before him.

Steward Liu said no more and personally led the two toward the underground refining rooms.

At the entrance to Furnace Room Three, two apothecary clerks were already waiting.

The stone door stood half open. Inside, a huge black furnace stood silently at the center.

Its body was taller than the furnace Deng Qing had tended before the New Year, and its belly was broad.

Several iron pipes still connected to the furnace top, running in through the wall from outside and leading toward the unseen depths of the apothecary.

Steward Liu pointed at the fire tongs, hard firewood, and fire-monitoring token before the furnace.

"The rules are the same as before the New Year. The test furnace will only run the medicine-drawing process. Your task is to watch the fire, keep the flames steady, and endure for this one hour."

Elder Wu cautioned, "Once the test begins, do not concern yourself with whatever happens outside.

"Watch only the furnace. If you truly cannot hold on, knock on the door without hesitation. Don't gamble your foundation."

Deng Qing clasped his fists. "This junior understands."

With that, he entered the furnace room, and the stone door slowly closed.

Deng Qing walked to the furnace, crouched down, and opened the firewood port.

There were still smoldering embers at the furnace bottom, their sparks dark red.

He added firewood, then used the tongs to stir it a few times, letting the flames slowly lick upward.

Immediately afterward, a faint sound came from the iron pipes above, as though medicinal liquid and powder were being fed into the furnace.

The next moment, a wisp of medicinal smoke spilled out.

Deng Qing had barely inhaled a trace when his chest felt scorched. This medicinal poison really is far fiercer than what I encountered before the New Year.

Deng Qing immediately sat cross-legged and activated the Violet Palace Method with a thought.

Deng Qing had just steadied his breathing when a burst of noise suddenly came from beyond the stone door: first footsteps, then angry shouts.

"Where is he? The county magistrate's writ is here! Who dares hide a man!"

Though separated by the stone door, the voice still carried in with perfect clarity.

Deng Qing's brow stirred. Elder Wu's voice suddenly came from outside the door. "Settle your intent, calm your heart, let nothing distract you."

Elder Wu's voice was not loud, yet it nailed down Deng Qing's wavering mind in an instant.

Deng Qing slowly exhaled and stopped paying attention to what was outside.

In the apothecary's rear courtyard, Zhu Shun wore a constable's uniform, a saber at his waist and the county magistrate's writ clenched in his hand. His face was dark.

The men he had brought blocked the entrance to the underground chambers. The apothecary clerks did not dare stop them outright and could only force smiles as they stood in their way.

Zhu Shun stared at Steward Liu and said coldly, "Steward Liu, Tianshun Apothecary has quite the nerve.

"The county magistrate has issued a strict order. Celebration Hall is to fully cooperate in defending the city, and every martial artist on the roster must report at the south gate today.

"My men saw a disciple of Celebration Hall slip in here, yet you still tell me you know nothing?"

Steward Liu repeatedly clasped his hands, a smile piled across his face. "Constable Zhu, please quell your anger, please. The clerks below are ignorant and failed to make things clear."

As he spoke, he flicked his sleeve, and a heavy silver ingot naturally slipped into Zhu Shun's hand.

Zhu Shun's hand sank. His expression eased slightly as he said in a low voice, "This time is different from usual.

"The county magistrate is pressing hard. I have to go back and account for myself too."

Steward Liu's smile did not fade. "Constable Zhu, the law cannot stand apart from human feelings."

Zhu Shun frowned. "Don't try to fob me off with that sort of talk."

Steward Liu did not argue. He merely raised a hand and pointed skyward. "This round of medicine refining concerns a matter of great importance.

"If anything goes wrong with this furnace of medicine, forget whether this humble one can bear the responsibility—even Constable Zhu may find it difficult to explain."

Zhu Shun's gaze sharpened. Naturally, he understood what that meant.

Tianshun Apothecary had operated in Everjoy County for so many years; its backing ran deep.

It had people in the county and people in the prefecture as well.

If it were merely an ordinary martial artist, taking him would be no great matter.

But if it truly involved medicine for those above, that was not something a mere constable like him could bear.

Still, he could not be dismissed by a single sentence. "Steward Liu, don't use those above to pressure me.

"The county magistrate's writ is right here. If I cannot bring someone back today, I will have a hard time accounting for it as well."

Steward Liu immediately said, "This humble one would not dare put Constable Zhu in a difficult position."

As he spoke, he pointed at the tightly shut stone door. "That man has already entered the test furnace room. After one hour, we will know the result."

Zhu Shun frowned. "What do you mean?"

"After one hour, if he cannot endure the medicinal poison test, proving that he is unsuitable to tend the medicine furnace for this refining, you may take him away at once. I will not say half a word."

Steward Liu said quietly, "If he can endure it, that proves he is precisely the help Tianshun Apothecary urgently needs.

"When that time comes, I ask Constable Zhu to grant this humble one some face.

"County Magistrate Gong will have words to say later."