Chapter 39: This is the kind of woman I am
Hua Changxi’s first day helping out at the First Department was spent processing Ironwood Root while explaining the processing steps to the apprentices from the Apprentice Hall.
Her speed in processing medicinal herbs was fast, and she didn’t hold back when explaining. Eunuch Bao was very satisfied with this. When she requested to return to the Sixth Bureau for dinner and rest at the fourth quarter of the evening hour （18:00）, he didn’t stop her and let her go back.
The other laborers at the First Department, as well as the apprentices from the Apprentice Hall who came to help, were busy until midnight.
After dinner, Hua Changxi returned to her dormitory, took a Mid-grade Spirit Origin Pill, and began to cultivate.
Three hours later, she opened her eyes in surprise.
Previously, it took her four hours to absorb and refine a Mid-grade Spirit Origin Pill, but now it only took three hours.
“My cultivation speed has increased!”
Hua Changxi was a little puzzled. The factors affecting cultivation speed were nothing more than the cultivation method, spiritual energy concentration, and state of mind.
She hadn’t changed any of these factors, so why had her cultivation speed increased?
Hua Changxi felt helpless. Without guidance or formal training in cultivation knowledge, she could only guess when encountering problems she didn’t understand.
Fortunately, an increased cultivation speed was a good thing, so she didn’t delve too deeply into it, merely noting the issue in her mind to be resolved later.
Taking another Mid-grade Spirit Origin Pill, Hua Changxi continued to cultivate.
The next day, Hua Changxi finished cultivating at the fourth quarter of the morning hour （6:00）. By the time she had breakfast and arrived at the First Department, it was already close to the early morning hour （7:00）.
At this time, the laborers and apprentices who had left later than her last night had already arrived and were busy processing medicinal herbs.
Hua Changxi intended to use the same boiler as yesterday, but found it was already in use. She had to choose the only remaining boiler that hadn’t been lit to process the Ironwood Root.
Just as she started the fire, Steward Qin approached: “Changxi, Eunuch Bao said you are capable. Make sure to process more Ironwood Root today. Everyone was busy until midnight last night, so you should help them more today.”
“Our task today is to finish processing all the Ironwood Root in the courtyard. You can go back to rest when the work is done.”
Hua Changxi followed Steward Qin’s gaze to the courtyard, where several piles, more than twenty baskets, of Ironwood Root were stacked.
And they said everyone was busy until midnight last night, and they had to finish work tonight before resting. Was this a complaint about her leaving the Sixth Bureau early yesterday?
The others combined could process at most seven or eight baskets of Ironwood Root; the rest would fall to her.
This was an attempt to extract her remaining value to the maximum.
Hua Changxi disliked this kind of group task, as if those with strong abilities were supposed to do more. If she hadn’t wanted to upgrade the Compendium of Processing to Perfection quickly, she would have slacked off.
Not wanting to return too late at night and delay her cultivation, Hua Changxi went all out and sped up the processing of Ironwood Root.
The apprentices from the Apprentice Hall who were processing Ironwood Root with Hua Changxi turned green when they learned that they had to process over twenty baskets of Ironwood Root today.
They knew that being assigned such a heavy task was because of Hua Changxi, and they resented her. A few apprentices who couldn’t control their emotions glared at Hua Changxi with hatred.
However, soon, the apprentices from the Apprentice Hall didn’t know how to face Hua Changxi.
The Ironwood Root in the courtyard was processed at an extremely fast pace by Hua Changxi. They had thought they might have to process Ironwood Root all night, but unexpectedly, all twenty-odd baskets were processed before the evening hour （17:00）.
Steward Qin was just as stunned as the apprentices from the Apprentice Hall. When Hua Changxi told him the task was completed and she was returning to the Sixth Bureau for dinner and rest, he could only nod in a daze and agree.
Thanks to Hua Changxi, the apprentices from the Apprentice Hall had a more relaxed day at the First Department than they did studying at the Apprentice Hall.
“Sister, didn’t you go to help at the First Department? How do you have time to come see me?”
Lu Qingluo looked at Lu Qingling, who had come to see her, in surprise. She had also gone to help at the First Department and knew too well how demanding the work there had been recently.
Lu Qingling’s expression was complex: “Qingluo, I now understand why the people in the Sixth Bureau dislike Hua Changxi.”
Lu Qingluo looked surprised: “Sister, did you meet Changxi at the First Department?”
Lu Qingling: “We were in the same group, both responsible for processing Ironwood Root.”
Lu Qingluo was anxious: “Sister, did you have a conflict with Changxi?” Hua Changxi was not to be trifled with, and she worried her sister might be bullied.
Lu Qingling shook her head: “How could I have a conflict with her? However, even without any conflict, Hua Changxi is a person who is hard to like.”
Lu Qingluo was confused: “But did Changxi do anything that made you dislike her?”
Lu Qingling shook her head again: “No, Hua Changxi just followed orders. It’s just… she’s too capable, so capable that everyone feels frustrated and incompetent.”
She said, looking at Lu Qingluo.
“No one wants to feel incompetent. Being with someone like Hua Changxi constantly reminds you that you are inferior in every way. How could such a person be liked?”
Lu Qingluo fell silent. She had experienced the same kind of psychology her sister described before.
Lu Qingling continued with a smile: “Hua Changxi leaves early and arrives late every day, while others work themselves to death until midnight. Look at her leisure, then look at your own hardship. It’s no wonder the people in the Sixth Bureau dislike Hua Changxi.”
“Even when helping at the First Department, she’s still not likable.”
“The apprentices from the Apprentice Hall have always considered themselves superior to the laborers in the Labor Department. Now, being surpassed by Hua Changxi, a laborer, they won’t think Hua Changxi is amazing; they’ll only feel inferior and lose face. They won’t try to befriend her; instead, they’ll distance themselves and reject her.”
Lu Qingluo didn’t quite understand her sister’s meaning and asked, “Sister, what exactly are you trying to say?”
Lu Qingling’s smile faded, and she said seriously: “Hua Changxi is too sharp-edged. Those above won’t want to see her rise above them, and those below won’t want to see her stand out.”
“The rumors about her are rampant in the Labor Department. Do you think you know why? Too many people don’t want to see her succeed.”
“Qingluo, remember this: you must never be too ostentatious; learn to conceal your abilities.”
Lu Qingluo nodded: “Sister, I will.”
At the corner of the backyard wall, Hua Changxi overheard everything the Lu sisters said. After the two sisters walked away, she emerged and returned to her dormitory.
She was too sharp-edged?
Hua Changxi didn’t think so. She merely displayed her value at appropriate times and showed her unyielding nature when being bullied.
It was by displaying her value that she befriended Yu Hui and arranged the cooperation with Eunuch Yu for alchemy.
Letting people know she was not to be trifled with prevented them from casually provoking her.
If this was considered ostentatious, then she was ostentatious.
She always believed that for a person to establish themselves in the world, they needed their own value and an untouchable bottom line.
Concealing one’s abilities could indeed avoid some trouble, but it also led to a life of being downtrodden.
If one dared not seize opportunities, they would likely live a mediocre life forever.
Heaven had given her the opportunity to cultivate, and her self-preservation ability was stronger than many in the world. Under such circumstances, if she still couldn’t live for herself or stand up for herself, she would deserve to be struck by lightning.
Not being liked, hmph, was she born to please others?
If she were to do anything, she would be someone everyone else would vie to please!
