Chapter 25: Wu Niang’s wedding
『Realm: Qi Refining Realm 1078/1000』
『Hundred Herbs Annotation（Perfection）: Taste Hundred Herbs 3001/10000』
『Pure Body Technique Perfection』
『Compendium of Processing（Beginner）: Process Medicinal Herbs 1/10』
『Meridian Chart Compendium（Minor Accomplishment）: Disassemble Medicinal Herbs 25/100』
Hua Changxi joined the Labor Department on September 21st. After a month, her various stats have improved significantly, and her Pure Body Technique has directly upgraded to Perfection.
After her Pure Body Technique reached Perfection, Hua Changxi’s abilities in controlling wind and water further improved. Now, she can control both wind and water simultaneously.
Previously, medicinal herbs that were washed clean would still be covered in a lot of water. Now, Hua Changxi can wash the medicinal herbs clean and also drain them.
Besides being very useful when washing medicinal herbs, the Pure Body Technique also greatly aids Hua Changxi’s personal hygiene in her daily life.
For example, with one application of the Pure Body Technique, clothes worn for several days become as clean as new; another example is that floors covered in dust become spotless under the effect of the Pure Body Technique.
On October 21st, Hua Changxi woke up at 5:45 AM, quickly washed up, and left her dormitory.
At this time, the others in the dormitory were starting to wake up.
“It’s rare, Hua Changxi actually woke up earlier than us.”
“She’s going home today. Steward Du said she can leave as soon as she finishes her assigned tasks.”
Watching Hua Changxi quickly walk away, Sister-in-law Shi’s expression was very displeased. She regretted it now, but Hua Changxi preferred to wake up early to work rather than swap her day off with her.
Hua Changxi arrived at the storeroom around 6:00 AM. After waiting for a few minutes, the storeroom door opened.
After the incident where Mao Wei was dealt with, the people in the storeroom, except for assigning her difficult medicinal herbs to wash, dared not provoke Hua Changxi in other ways.
After loading the collected medicinal herbs onto the cart, Hua Changxi pulled the cart back to the Sixth Bureau.
The entire cart of medicinal herbs was submerged in water. Activating the Pure Body Technique, the herbs immediately tumbled and shook in the water. By the time Lu Qingluo and the others arrived, Hua Changxi had already gone to fetch the second cart of medicinal herbs to wash.
If it weren’t for the need to keep a low profile, with her current proficiency in controlling the Pure Body Technique, she could have washed all 500 medicinal herbs clean in less than fifteen minutes.
Hua Changxi dawdled until 9:00 AM, and then, under the shocked gazes of everyone in the Sixth Bureau, she pulled the cleaned medicinal herbs to the Second Department to report her work.
“How exactly does Hua Changxi wash medicinal herbs? How can she be so fast?”
Normally, it would be shocking enough for them if Hua Changxi took a whole morning to wash 500 medicinal herbs clean. Today was even more outrageous; she finished a day’s work in just one hour.
Not only were the people in the Sixth Bureau surprised, but even the people in the Second Department were quite taken aback when receiving the medicinal herbs. They even specifically checked if the medicinal herbs were cleaned properly.
The result was that they were completely up to standard.
After finishing her task, Hua Changxi quickly returned to her dormitory, changed out of her laborer’s uniform, and then jogged away from the Medical Affairs Department.
The Hua Family in Xiuzheng Ward.
Hua Wuniang, dressed in a rose-red ruqun, with a sorrowful expression and red-rimmed eyes, knelt in the center of the main hall, bidding a final farewell to the elders of the family.
After today, she would no longer be a daughter of the Hua Family, but a concubine to Third Master He of the Marquis Wu Yi’s Mansion. From now on, seeing her family would not be up to her.
In the main hall, the Hua Family members also had somber expressions, filled with reluctance for Hua Wuniang and worry for her future.
Upon seeing that the Marquis’s Mansion had only sent a steward and a nanny to pick her up, and Third Master He hadn’t even shown his face, Fourth Aunt Hua burst into tears.
The only ones truly happy in the entire room were Hua Tai and his wife, who had come to help with the send-off.
Zhong Shi, Hua Tai’s wife, seeing Hua Wuniang finish paying her respects to each elder, immediately stepped forward with a smile to help her up: “Fifth Sister, please stop crying. The Marquis’s Mansion is a place of wealth and status. Once you enter, you’ll only have a life of comfort.”
Then, bypassing Old Master Hua, Old Madam Hua, Fourth Uncle Hua, and Fourth Aunt Hua, she issued orders.
“Steward Kong and Nanny Shen from the Marquis’s Mansion have been waiting for a long time. We shouldn’t keep them waiting. San Lang, quickly carry your Fifth Sister out.”
Zhong Shi supported Hua Wuniang and was about to lead her out of the main hall.
Hua Wuniang, for once, showed some backbone. She ignored Zhong Shi, stood still, and looked at each of her relatives in the room.
Today, not only had Hua Erniang, who was already married, returned with her husband, but Hua Sangu had also brought her family.
Hua Sangu and Hua Erniang, who were well aware of their lives after marriage, had somewhat forced smiles when they met Hua Wuniang’s gaze.
Even though they were married as principal wives and their lives after marriage were still difficult, one could imagine what Hua Wuniang, as a concubine, would have to face.
Although the Marquis’s Mansion was wealthy, living a life where everything was beyond one’s control and subject to others’ whims would be so stifling.
Hua Wuniang’s eyes welled up with tears, and she choked out, “It’s a pity that Da Lang Ge, Jiu Niang, and Shi Niang are not here. I wonder when I’ll see them again?”
Zhong Shi quickly said, “Oh, my dear Fifth Sister, the Marquis’s Mansion is in the Capital City. If you want to see your brothers and sisters, just send someone to let us know. It’s very easy to see them.”
Hua Wuniang gave a bitter smile. Was it really easy to see her family?
She had stayed at the Great Clan Elder’s house for a month, and Madam Zhou had arranged for Bao Yiniang, the favored concubine of Grand Uncle Hua Tai, to teach her.
From Bao Yiniang, she learned that as a concubine, she had no autonomy. To see her family, she would need the approval of both her master and mistress.
Third Master He was almost as old as her father. She truly didn’t know how to interact with him.
And Third Master He’s wife, Madam Shen, was rumored to be extremely difficult to get along with.
Madam Zhong was considered easy to get along with, yet Bao Yiniang had told her that several of Grand Uncle’s concubines had been sold off by Madam Zhong.
Once she entered the He family, would she really be able to invite her family to visit?
Zhong Shi couldn’t stand Hua Wuniang’s hesitation. She once again instructed Hua Sanlang, “San Lang, hurry and carry your Fifth Sister out.”
As Hua Sanlang stood up, Hua Shiyilang stopped him: “I’ll carry my Fifth Sister out.”
“Shiyi, you…”
Hua Shiyilang was only twelve years old, and Hua Sanlang hesitated, but seeing him walk resolutely to Hua Wuniang and squat down, he didn’t stop him.
“Fifth Sister, I’ll carry you out.”
Hua Wuniang looked at her biological brother, tears welling up again. She silently cried and leaned onto her brother’s back.
Hua Shiyilang found it a bit strenuous to carry her, but he pretended to be relaxed and said, “Sister, don’t worry, I’ll practice martial arts well to support you.”
Hua Wuniang choked out a ‘mm’.
Watching Hua Wuniang walk out of the house step by step, the Hua Family members also had red eyes.
Hua Shierniang felt upset and couldn’t help but look for something else to distract herself: “What’s going on with Jiu Niang? Today is Fifth Sister’s departure, and she didn’t even come back to see her off. Is being a laborer that important, to the point of disregarding sisterly affection?”
Regarding Hua Changxi’s absence, the Hua Family members were somewhat displeased.
Old Madam Hua had wanted to summon Madam Yao to scold her several times, but upon seeing Hua Tai and his wife, as well as the steward and nanny from the Marquis’s Mansion, she suppressed her anger.
Hua Wuniang was carried out of the Hua Family Courtyard by Hua Shiyilang, with the Hua Family members following closely behind.
At the entrance of the Hua Family, a pink sedan chair was parked. Nanny Shen, a trusted attendant of Madam Shen, the principal wife of Third Master He, stood arrogantly by the sedan chair. Seeing Hua Wuniang emerge, she made no move to help her.
After Hua Wuniang got into the sedan chair, Nanny Shen directly said, “After such a long delay, we’ve finally brought Concubine Hua. We should be heading back to the mansion.”
Her words were not directed at the Hua Family, but at Hua Tai and his wife.
Hua Tai and his wife, acting as hosts, readily engaged in conversation with Nanny Shen.
“It’s all because Fifth Sister was reluctant to leave her family, which caused the nanny to wait so long. Please don’t blame her.”
“Fifth Sister never properly learned anything at home. After entering the Marquis’s Mansion, we’ll have to trouble Third Madam to discipline her well. Please don’t let her cause trouble for Third Master and Third Madam.”
Upon hearing this, Nanny Shen’s expression improved considerably, and a smile flickered at the corner of her lips: “Concubine Hua is now Third Master’s person after entering the Marquis’s Mansion. As Third Master’s principal wife, Third Madam will naturally discipline her concubines well.”
Fourth Aunt Hua, still heartbroken for her daughter, even though Nanny Shen was arrogant and didn’t seem to care about them, still shamelessly stepped forward to plead:
“Nanny, my Fifth Daughter is the most obedient and sensible. Please convey to Third Master and Third Madam that they should look after her a bit more.”
Nanny Shen acted as if she hadn’t heard these words and was too lazy to respond to Fourth Aunt Hua.
Seeing Nanny Shen’s impatient expression, Zhong Shi forcefully pulled Fourth Aunt Hua to the back and then smiled at Nanny Shen, saying, “Nanny, you can order the sedan chair to depart now.”
Nanny Shen nodded and was about to instruct the sedan bearers to lift the sedan when a hurried voice called out.
“Wait!”
The Hua Family looked in the direction of the voice and saw Hua Changxi running towards them quickly.
