Chapter 14: Leaving Home
Because she had spent some time in the Labor Department, by the time Hua Changxi left the Medical Affairs Department, it was already late. By the time she returned to the Hua Family, Hua Minghe and his two brothers had already returned from their duties.
Although Hua Minghe and Madam Yao had found various excuses to appease Old Madam Hua and the rest of the family, the Old Madam was still displeased that Hua Changxi had not informed the family about her application to the Medical Affairs Department.
After waiting for a day, her ninth granddaughter finally returned. Old Madam Hua was just about to make a sarcastic remark when she saw her ninth granddaughter dash back to her room and close the door.
Seeing that Hua Changxi had returned without so much as a greeting, Old Madam Hua was very angry. She pointed at Madam Yao and said, “Look at the daughter you raised, does she have any semblance of a young woman?”
Fourth Aunt Hua stood by and chuckled, “Mother, please calm down. I think Jiu Niang probably knows she won’t get into the Medical Affairs Department, so she’s hiding in her room to cry.”
Upon hearing this, Old Madam Hua’s expression faltered, and the anger on her face slowly subsided. Madam Yao, however, showed a look of worry.
Hua Liulang quickly said, “It’s almost time for dinner, I’ll go call Jiu Niang to eat.” With that, he dashed off to knock on Hua Changxi’s door.
“Jiu Niang, come out for dinner!”
“Slam~”
The sound of a water basin falling to the ground echoed from inside the room.
Then, the door creaked open.
Looking at the water all over the floor, Hua Liulang asked doubtfully, “Jiu Niang, what are you doing?”
Hua Changxi crouched down to pick up the water basin, “My hand slipped.”
Hua Liulang said “Oh” and then lowered his voice, “Grandfather and Grandmother seem to have strong opinions about you applying to the Medical Affairs Department. Be careful during dinner later.”
Hua Changxi nodded, “I know, Sixth Brother. You go back to the main hall first. I’ll sweep up the water in the room and be right there.”
Hua Liulang, without any suspicion, returned to the main hall.
As soon as Hua Liulang left, Hua Changxi closed the door again, then clenched her fists and jumped around the room excitedly a few times.
《Pure Body Technique》 After the minor accomplishment condition was met, Hua Changxi gained many methods for cleaning spiritual plants and spiritual beasts in her mind.
There were wind control techniques, water control techniques, and flame control techniques.
Just now, Hua Changxi had put her hand into the water basin and manipulated the water according to the method described in ‘Pure Body Technique’. Soon, the water in the basin began to spin according to her will.
When a vortex appeared in the center of the water basin, Hua Liulang came to knock on the door, startling her, which caused the water basin to fall.
Hua Changxi looked at the water stains on the ground. She pointed her right hand at the water stains, and the next moment, a strong wind blew over the water stains. In less than a minute, the ground was half dry.
Hua Changxi had intended to dry the ground completely, but
『Realm: Qi Refining Realm 0/1000』
This line of text that popped up in her vision indicated that the power stored in her body had been completely depleted.
Even though she had to start accumulating power from scratch again, Hua Changxi was still incredibly excited.
She now knew how to use the power she had cultivated!
This ‘Pure Body Technique’ could not only be used to clean medicinal herbs but also for other aspects of daily life.
As her cultivation realm points increased in the future, could she use it for self-preservation?
“Jiu Niang, come out for dinner!”
Madam Yao’s voice came in. Hua Changxi quickly calmed her emotions and opened the door to go out.
In the main hall, the dishes had already been served, and the Hua Family members were all seated.
“Jiu Niang, you sit at the main table tonight.”
As Hua Changxi was walking towards the table where the younger generation was eating, Old Master Hua called out to her.
Because Fifth Sister had gone to the He Family as a concubine, the atmosphere in the family had been somewhat strange these past few days. The Old Master decided to use his ninth granddaughter’s private application to the Medical Affairs Department as an opportunity to set things right in the family.
Hua Changxi walked to the main table and sat down next to Hua Minghe and Madam Yao.
The main hall fell silent. No one picked up their chopsticks; everyone was looking at Old Master Hua and Hua Changxi.
Hua Changxi glanced at Old Madam Hua, who was looking at her with a stern face and not speaking, and then at Old Master Hua, who was frowning and smoking dried tobacco. Not wanting them to set rules for her, she decided to strike first: “I’m going to report to the Medical Affairs Department tomorrow.”
“Ah~”
“What?!”
The silence in the main hall was instantly broken.
Hua Liulang even walked directly to the main table, “Jiu Niang, aren’t the apprentice recruitment lists supposed to be announced in three days?”
Hua Minghe also spoke, looking sternly at Hua Changxi, “Jiu Niang, what exactly is going on?”
Hua Changxi briefly recounted what had happened at the Medical Affairs Department today, “Pharmacist Xu told me that all the spots for the female medical apprentices this time have already been pre-assigned.”
“I was lucky to meet Eunuch Jia from the Labor Department. I helped him with a small favor, and he agreed to let me join the Labor Department.”
“The Labor Department?!”
Madam Yao exclaimed in surprise, looking at Hua Changxi in disbelief. She had never expected her daughter to make such a decision.
“Heh~”
Old Madam Hua let out a scoff and looked at Hua Changxi, “I thought you were so capable. After all that fuss, you’re just going to be a laborer for someone!”
“I think you’ve had too easy a life and look down on the simple work of embroidery and weaving. You just have to go out and find hardship for yourself. Why don’t you go to the docks and carry heavy loads for people!”
What did laborers do?
They were manual laborers.
Even if it was the Medical Affairs Department, once inside, they would be doing the most tiring and menial tasks.
Hua Minghe looked at Hua Changxi, “Jiu Niang, I’ll go to the Medical Affairs Department with you tomorrow and decline the position in the Labor Department.”
Hua Changxi looked directly at Hua Minghe, “Father, your daughter is thirteen years old and knows very well what she is doing. Since I have made this decision, I will be responsible for my actions. Whether it turns out well or badly in the future, I will accept it.”
Madam Yao became anxious and quickly said, “Jiu Niang, have you forgotten why you wanted to enter the Medical Affairs Department? You wanted to study medicine, not be a laborer. How will being a laborer help you learn medical skills?”
Hua Changxi smiled, “Mother, one can learn medical skills by being a laborer too. Let me tell you, I saw many herbs in the Labor Department today that I’ve never seen on the market.”
“Father, Mother, believe me. If I gain nothing in the Labor Department, I definitely won’t go. Your daughter isn’t that foolish.”
Hua Minghe rubbed his temples with a headache, and Madam Yao also looked helpless.
Old Madam Hua’s sarcastic voice rang out again, “Hua Jiu Niang, just keep making trouble. You’ll know when you’re looking for a husband later. What good family would marry a laborer?”
Laborers, they were no different from servants!
Old Master Hua took puff after puff of dried tobacco and looked at his ninth granddaughter, who had been disobedient since childhood. He asked in a deep voice, “You are determined to be a laborer at the Medical Affairs Department?”
Hua Changxi replied, “Yes, I must go.”
Old Master Hua was silent for a moment, then asked, “Even if you can’t marry into a good family in the future, you still want to go?”
Hua Changxi nodded firmly, “Yes.”
Old Master Hua took two more puffs of tobacco, “If the family doesn’t allow you to go, what do you plan to do?”
Having lived in the Hua Family for thirteen years, Hua Changxi understood Old Master Hua’s temper.
Hearing him say this, she knew he intended to use his authority as the head of the household to suppress her forcefully.
Hua Changxi understood that today either she would convince the family, or the family would suppress her. So, she no longer held back, “Grandfather, I want to learn skills, I want to earn money, and I don’t want to face Fifth Sister’s situation one day.”
As soon as these words were spoken, Old Master Hua’s face instantly turned grim, and Fourth Uncle Hua and Fourth Aunt Hua also looked very displeased.
No matter how they tried to cover it up or how grand their reasons sounded, they couldn’t hide the fact that the Hua Family was selling their daughters for their sons’ future.
Second Uncle Hua and Second Aunt Hua watched the spectacle from the side, while the younger members of the Hua Family looked on with expressions of “Jiu Niang is so bold, daring to go against Grandfather.”
Hua Minghe and Madam Yao exchanged glances. Their initial firm resolve to prevent Hua Changxi from going to the Labor Department of the Medical Affairs Department began to waver.
Fifth Sister becoming a concubine seemed like the Hua Family had a choice, but in reality, they didn’t.
The clan appeared to be very accommodating, but that was only if their family cooperated well. Once they disobeyed the clan’s arrangements, they might face more than just ostracism from the clan.
Hua Changxi continued, “Grandfather, since the family cannot arrange a good future for every son and daughter, perhaps choosing to let go and allowing us to find our own paths might lead to unexpected gains.”
Old Master Hua raised his eyelids and looked at Hua Changxi, his expression very displeased, “Good, very good. Our family has produced a remarkable young woman.”
“It’s not easy for a man to make a living, yet you, a young woman, speak with more ambition than any man.”
“The laborers in the Labor Department of the Medical Affairs Department are people that the entire Medical Affairs Department can order around as they please. Do you think you can establish yourself there just because you have some medical skills?”
“I’m putting my words here today. If you dare to bring disaster upon this family, or disgrace our name, I will directly kick you out of the house.”
Seeing that Old Master Hua was no longer stopping her from joining the Labor Department, Hua Changxi said no more. As for his threats and intimidation, she didn’t take them to heart.
The next morning, Hua Changxi took the steamed bun handed to her by Madam Yao and smiled, “Mother, don’t mind how the world views laborers. You must believe your daughter. Perhaps I can make a name for myself in the Labor Department.”
Madam Yao smiled noncommittally, only instructing, “Take good care of yourself. If you don’t get used to it in the Labor Department, come home.”
Hua Changxi smiled and said, “I know. I’m leaving!”
The other members of the Hua Family, whether sitting in the main hall or standing in the courtyard, watched Hua Changxi walk out of the house. No one spoke.
After walking out of the Hua Family gate, Hua Changxi looked back at the Hua Residence, her eyes shining with a brilliant light.
From this day forward, her world would no longer be confined to the Hua Family courtyard.
Hua Qiniang and Hua Shierniang stood at the doorway, looking at Hua Changxi, who was leaving with a happy expression and a brisk stride, their faces filled with complex emotions.
Hua Shierniang muttered, “Being a laborer is hard and tiring. Grandmother was so right, Ninth Sister is really too much of a troublemaker.”
However, Hua Qiniang said, “But… being a laborer can also earn money.” With money, one could do many things and wouldn’t have to listen to the family for everything.
Hua Shierniang looked surprised, “Seventh Sister, why do I feel like you actually support Ninth Sister becoming a laborer?”
Hua Qiniang was silent for a moment, “When we want to buy something, we have to ask the family for money. Do you think it feels good to have to ask for money?”
Hua Shierniang fell silent.
Hua Qiniang added, “Jiu Niang has found a job for herself. I think it’s quite good. Just you wait, Jiu Niang will have more and more confidence in the family in the future.”
