Chapter 121: Heavenly Department
After leaving the Hua Family’s residence, Hua Changxi took out the Ghost Market Token given to her by Eunuch Lin from her Storage Prayer Beads and placed it in the sachet at her waist. On the way back to the Medical Affairs Department, she kept checking if the Ghost Market Token had any reaction.
Midway, she also made a trip to the Shennong Apothecary Shop in Feng’an Ward.
Unfortunately, the Ghost Market Token showed no reaction throughout the journey.
“The Capital City is so vast; if I have to wander all over the Capital City for the Ghost Market Token to react, then what?”
Because she was in a hurry to set up the Teleportation Array to cultivate quickly, Hua Changxi returned to the Medical Affairs Department and went to Number Six Qihuang Hall to inquire about the Ghost Market from Lin Sheng: “Have you been to the Ghost Market with Eunuch Lin?”
Lin Sheng shook his head: “Only Cultivators can enter the Ghost Market.” He paused, “Master, Godfather said that the entrance to the Ghost Market changes randomly, and the location is different each time.”
Hua Changxi: “It seems I really have to wander all over the Capital City.”
Upon hearing this, Lin Sheng thought of something and quickly said: “Master, I remember that every time Godfather goes to the Ghost Market, he wanders around the area where the Inner and Outer City Boundary is. That might be where the Ghost Market entrance often appears.”
Hua Changxi’s expression brightened: “Really? Then I’ll go wander around this afternoon.”
At this moment, she saw Wang Yun Chu appear at the Courtyard Gate and knew it was time for class, so she left Number Six Qihuang Hall.
Hua Changxi saw Lin Sheng following her out: “You don’t need to follow me; I’ll call you if I need anything.”
Lin Sheng nodded in agreement and stood still, preparing to see Hua Changxi off. As his eyes looked forward, he suddenly exclaimed, “Eh?”
Hua Changxi had already walked two or three meters away. Hearing the sound, she stopped and turned to look at Lin Sheng: “What is it?”
Lin Sheng took two steps forward and lowered his voice: “Master, I think I just saw the Seventh Prince.”
Hua Changxi’s expression perked up, the Seventh Prince?
The Great Jin Dynasty’s royal surname is ‘Chu’. She instantly thought of that Young Master Chu.
Because she often saw Mu Qingying greet Young Master Chu, she guessed that Young Master Chu’s identity was not simple. She hadn’t expected him to be so extraordinary as to be a Prince.
Hua Changxi looked at Lin Sheng: “How do you know the Seventh Prince?”
Lin Sheng: “The people from the Eastern Depot are specifically tasked with serving the Emperor and often enter the Imperial Palace. With Godfather’s care, I have quite a few opportunities to enter the palace and have met many Benefactors within the palace.”
Hua Changxi nodded. As it was almost time for class, she didn’t ask more about the palace situation and let Lin Sheng leave first.
Today, it was her turn to lecture in Number Four, Number Five, and Number Six Qihuang Halls. During the lecture, she suddenly realized that giving three lectures in a single morning was too much.
Before, she had been rushing to teach because she wanted to quickly secure all the Qihuang Halls. Now that she had the Wooden Token Keys for all nine Qihuang Halls in the Labor Department, there was no need for her to rush anymore.
Hua Changxi immediately decided that from now on, she would only lecture for one hour in one Qihuang Hall each morning. She informed the attendees in the classroom and asked them to help spread the word to other Laborers who weren’t present.
For those Laborers who desperately wanted to learn more Medical Skills and couldn’t find other avenues to learn, Hua Changxi’s decision was too sudden and left them feeling a bit lost.
Shen Qianfan had been attending Hua Changxi’s lectures every day during this period, and each time he gained something. He also wanted to listen to Hua Changxi lecture more, so he directly asked: “Steward Hua, didn’t you always give three lectures before? Why the change?”
Hua Changxi sensed the Laborers’ disappointment. Looking at Shen Qianfan, who had asked the question, her eyes darted around, and she glanced at Mu Qingying and Zhu Qinghuan in the classroom: “Because I have other matters to attend to.”
“I cannot lecture for extended periods, and as a result, what everyone learns is indeed limited. It would be great if other Physicians and Pharmacists from the Medical Affairs Department were willing to lecture as well.”
Upon hearing this, the Laborers’ eyes lit up at first, but then quickly dimmed.
How could the Physicians and Pharmacists of Ninth Street be willing to lecture for them, mere Laborers?
Mu Qingying felt Hua Changxi’s gaze on her and vaguely guessed that Hua Changxi wanted her to step forward, lead the way in lecturing to the Laborers, and then influence other Physicians and Pharmacists from Ninth Street.
However, she did not respond to Hua Changxi.
Time was precious. She not only had to cultivate and practice Alchemy but also handle some matters entrusted to her by her Master. Lecturing to Laborers would undoubtedly take up her other time.
She couldn’t bring herself to spend her precious time on a group of strangers.
Seeing Mu Qingying avoid her gaze, Hua Changxi shifted her attention to Shen Qianfan.
Among all those who came to her lectures, besides Mu Qingying, Shen Qianfan possessed the highest Medical Skills. The questions he raised during class also stimulated her thinking.
Shen Qianfan saw Hua Changxi looking at him, opened his mouth, but ultimately said nothing.
Hua Changxi then looked at Zhu Qinghuan, who simply lowered her head, appearing very busy organizing her belongings.
At this moment, Hua Changxi seemed to understand why, before her, no one had ever activated a Wooden Token.
Mu Qingying, Shen Qianfan, and Zhu Qinghuan were all Wooden Token holders. Looking at other Wooden Token holders through them, it was likely they would act the same way.
And her coming to Qihuang Hall to lecture was also due to many coincidental factors.
To activate a Wooden Token, one needed a certain degree of altruism.
Hua Changxi asked herself, if she hadn’t known that lecturing in Qihuang Hall could improve her Cultivation, would she have been willing to lecture to Laborers for free?
Even if she were willing, how long could she have sustained it?
Hua Changxi smiled. In the end, she was just a utilitarian mortal!
“Class dismissed!”
Chu Junhao watched Hua Changxi’s receding figure, his eyes flickering: “Just as innocent.”
In her haste to find a Talisman Master to set up the Teleportation Array, Hua Changxi left the Medical Affairs Department after class with Lin Sheng, heading straight for the Inner and Outer City Boundary.
On the way, Hua Changxi inquired about the Royal Family: “How many sons does the current Emperor have?”
Lin Sheng: “The Emperor has over twenty Princes and over thirty Princesses.”
Upon hearing this, Hua Changxi’s eyes widened: “So many?”
Lin Sheng: “And that’s not even counting the Princes and Princesses who are still in the wombs of the Consorts and haven’t been born yet.”
Hua Changxi was shocked: “How can they have so many children? Isn’t it said that the harem concubine struggles are very intense?”
Lin Sheng: “This is because the Grand Emperor issued an imperial decree during his reign that concubines could compete for favor, but they were absolutely forbidden from harming Princes and Princesses. Otherwise, no matter who it was, they would be banished to the cold palace, and their families would have their property confiscated and be exiled.”
“The Grand Emperor’s first wife, Empress Su, was not only deposed from her position as Empress for being involved in poisoning the imperial heirs but also implicated her family in confiscation and exile.”
“Even an Empress would be deposed, let alone other concubines.”
“With Empress Su’s precedent, the harem concubines dared not lay hands on the imperial heirs. The Grand Emperor had thirteen sons and twenty princesses.”
Hearing that both the Grand Emperor and the Emperor had so many children, Hua Changxi’s eyes flickered, and she asked again: “Did the Grand Emperor abdicate voluntarily?”
Lin Sheng nodded: “Yes.”
Hua Changxi then asked: “After abdicating, did the Grand Emperor cling to power?”
Lin Sheng shook his head: “The Grand Emperor let go very decisively, handing over all state affairs to the Emperor to handle and never interfering in political affairs again.”
Hua Changxi’s expression shifted slightly. Would someone at the pinnacle of power so easily relinquish the power they held?
“Is the Grand Emperor unwell and unable to handle political affairs?”
Lin Sheng: “I haven’t met the Grand Emperor, but the Grand Emperor enjoys practicing Buddhism and Daoism, so his health should be very good.”
After hearing this, Hua Changxi understood why the Grand Emperor had so readily passed the throne to the Emperor. While power was important, eternal life was clearly more enticing.
The Royal Family must have known about the Spiritual Energy Revival long ago. Having so many children, besides increasing the chance of more children having Spiritual Meridians, was likely also a preparation for the potential impact the Royal Family might face under the General Trend.
Under the heavens, all land belongs to the King. In the eyes of the Royal Family, the entire territory of the Great Jin belonged to the Royal Family. Having many Princes was necessary to protect the Royal Family’s assets.
“Is the Seventh Prince favored in the palace?”
“He is favored. The Seventh Prince is Consort Duan’s second son. He has an elder brother, the Second Prince, and a younger sister, the Fourth Princess, from the same mother. With the Consort and the First Prince protecting him, the Seventh Prince is one of the few Princes living relatively freely in the palace.”
As they spoke, the city wall separating the inner and outer cities appeared in their line of sight.
Hua Changxi treated the matters of the Royal Family as mere stories. Upon seeing the city wall, her attention was diverted.
“Do you know what that place is?”
Hua Changxi pointed to a magnificent complex of towers and pavilions surrounded by the city wall and asked.
The pavilions were not only tall but also occupied a vast area. From afar, it felt even more imposing than the Imperial Palace.
She had been here before, and each time, she was awestruck.
Lin Sheng looked and showed a fearful expression: “That is the Heavenly Department.”
“It’s actually the Heavenly Department.”
Soldiers patrolled around the pavilions, strictly prohibiting civilians from approaching. Before, Hua Changxi only knew this was a government office, but she hadn’t expected it to be the renowned Heavenly Department.
Lin Sheng was also looking at the Heavenly Department: “I read a biography in the Eastern Depot’s library that recorded events during the reign of the First Emperor.”
“Following the guidance of the Divine Lamp, the First Emperor established the capital in the Capital City. Upon entering the city, he was also awestruck by the current Heavenly Department and wanted to establish the Imperial Palace here.”
“However, this matter was dissuaded by the Imperial Astronomical Bureau at the time, who said it was not conducive to the Royal Family’s Inheritance. In the end, the Imperial Palace was built at the northernmost end of the Capital City.”
“I have seen the map of the Capital City. The layout of the Capital City is actually circular, with the Heavenly Department situated at the very center of the Capital City. This is clearly the best location in the Capital City.”
The information revealed by Lin Sheng’s words was quite extensive, and Hua Changxi pondered it carefully.
The Great Jin Dynasty was a miraculous dynasty. The First Emperor founded the nation with the help of a Divine Lamp, and the capital was also established based on the lamp’s guidance. This matter was widely rumored among the populace.
At this moment, she recalled what Steward Leng had said, that the Royal Family had stolen the Asura Gate’s sect-protecting treasure, the Black and White Lotus Lamp, leading to a great battle between the two sides, and the Divine Lamp had shattered.
Hua Changxi looked at Lin Sheng: “Does the Royal Family truly possess a Divine Lamp?”
Lin Sheng nodded: “Yes, but the Divine Lamp is no longer complete. It is said that over four hundred years ago, the Divine Lamp was coveted by a group of Demonic Daoists, causing the Divine Lamp to shatter, its fragments scattering everywhere. The Royal Family has yet to collect all the fragments.”
Hua Changxi asked again: “Is the Divine Lamp lotus-shaped?”
Lin Sheng nodded: “Yes, the Divine Lamp burns with Black and White Flames, and it is said to be incredibly miraculous.”
Hua Changxi confirmed that the Divine Lamp mentioned by Steward Leng, the sect-protecting Divine Lamp of the Asura Gate, was the same one as the Divine Lamp that founded the nation during the First Emperor’s reign.
Both sides claimed the other coveted their Divine Lamp. So, whose Divine Lamp was it?
The First Emperor founded the nation over nine hundred years ago, while the Asura Gate was only established a few hundred years ago.
Judging by this, it was likely the Asura Gate that coveted the Royal Family’s Divine Lamp.
However, if they hadn’t stolen the treasure, where would a sect get the audacity to challenge the Royal Family?
Hua Changxi asked again: “Does the book mention how the First Emperor obtained the Divine Lamp?”
Lin Sheng: “The book says the Divine Lamp descended from the heavens and happened to land right in front of the First Emperor. The author called the First Emperor a chosen one.”
“Descended from the heavens?”
Hua Changxi fell into thought, recalling Old Daoist Jiang, an Outer Realm Cultivator. If Outer Realm Cultivators could infiltrate, could the Divine Lamp have fallen from the outside?
If the Divine Lamp was from the outside, then the Asura Gate, which claimed the Divine Lamp as its sect-protecting treasure, was also very likely from the outside.
Hua Changxi frowned. There were indeed quite a few Outer Realm Cultivators infiltrating the Four Spirit Realm.
Soon, she stopped dwelling on the matter of the Divine Lamp, as it wasn’t of much concern to her. She looked up again at the Heavenly Department.
“You noticed that the Heavenly Department is the best location in the Capital City. The Royal Family couldn’t have missed it; why didn’t they consider relocating the Imperial Palace?”
“They did consider it, but it all ended inconclusively.”
“Why?”
“Whenever the Imperial Palace was moved to the Heavenly Department, a large number of people in the Royal Family would die. During one such attempt, an Emperor also died.”
“That’s so bizarre?”
“Yes.”
“Then why was the Heavenly Department established here?”
Lin Sheng shook his head: “I don’t know about that.”
Hua Changxi walked towards the Heavenly Department and soon saw two tower buildings standing to the east and west of the Heavenly Department. The height of these towers was no less than the tallest pavilion of the Heavenly Department.
“What departments of the Imperial Court are those two towers?”
“The tower to the east is Qintian Tower, where the Imperial Astronomical Bureau offices are located. The tower to the west is Guangyin Tower, where the Historians compile records.”
After hearing this, Hua Changxi scoffed. The Imperial Astronomical Bureau advised the Royal Family against moving the Imperial Palace here, yet their own offices were established in this very location.
Soon, Hua Changxi’s attention was no longer on the two towers.
For no other reason than that she felt the Ghost Market Token vibrating, an invisible force was pulling the token.
“Lin Sheng, you can go back now. I’ll wander around by myself.”
After sending Lin Sheng away, Hua Changxi followed the pulling force from the token and soon arrived in front of a land temple shrouded in incense smoke.
Seeing the commoners burning incense in front of the land temple, Hua Changxi hesitated and then walked into the alley next to the land temple.
The moment she stepped into the alley, the scene before Hua Changxi’s eyes changed. The alley, which had been bathed in bright sunlight, transformed into a dark, misty, and eerie long path.
The clamor of human voices also disappeared from her ears. The surroundings were eerily quiet.
Hua Changxi looked around, but her visibility was only a few dozen meters. Everything was hazy, and she couldn’t see clearly. It felt as if she were the only person in the entire world.
To be honest, Hua Changxi was a little scared now, her heart pounding. She hadn’t expected the entrance to the Ghost Market to be so bizarre.
All she could see before her was this ghostly long path under her feet. Hua Changxi gritted her teeth and walked forward, feeling as if she were walking on the Yellow Springs Road.
