Green-tiled roofs, red pillars, and carved beams adorned the structure. The doorway was well over ten meters wide, with four open doors leading into an incredibly spacious and grand entrance. Large red lanterns hung on both sides, below which stone lions crouched. Right at the center, above the entrance, it read—Medicine King Hall. The couplets on each side declared:
"Though the processing is complex, we dare not skimp on labor,"
"Though the ingredients are precious, we dare not stint on materials."
Chen Ku walked into this establishment, a facade that represented a juggernaut of influence within the entirety of Baojiao County.
Stepping over the threshold, he found the steps led downwards. This meant the street level was several stories higher than the Medicine King Hall; to enter, one had to descend numerous steps into a sunken area.
He couldn't help but wonder. With such a design, wouldn't rainwater flood in on rainy days?
"Are you here to buy medicine?"
As soon as Chen Ku entered, a Medicine King Hall attendant in a long gown approached him. As the attendant drew near, Chen Ku felt a wave of heat wash over him, giving him the impression that the young man possessed potent Flame Qi, as if he could roast a person. Looking closer, he saw that this Medicine King Hall attendant's eyes were brighter than average, and he stood with a perfectly straight posture, his entire being exuding a vigorous spirit. This spirit was not at all like that of an attendant merely serving guests; a confidence emanated from him, a confidence rooted in the Medicine King Hall and the long gown he wore.
"No, I am here to deliver medicine," Chen Ku responded. "May I ask your name, Brother?"
"I am Wu Gui. Deliver? Deliver medicine?" Wu Gui asked in surprise. "What medicine? The medicinal ingredients for Medicine King Hall are specially collected by people from the shops below. We don't accept privately sourced herbs."
Upon hearing this, Chen Ku was not disappointed but instead smiled faintly. Then, he deliberately raised his voice to attract attention.
"'Treasure Herb! You don't accept that either?'"
His shout was so loud that many people inside Medicine King Hall turned their heads to look.
"Treasure Herb?"
"Someone has brought a Treasure Herb?!"
Suddenly, dozens of pairs of eyes were fixed on Chen Ku.
At the counter, an elderly man with white hair and a youthful complexion was seated on a chair, dressed in a black long gown. He had been resting with his eyes closed, but now he suddenly opened them and looked towards Chen Ku.
When Wu Gui heard those two words, his expression also turned serious. "Treasure Herb? You came to deliver a Treasure Herb?"
Chen Ku replied earnestly, "Indeed. I heard that Medicine King Hall once publicly declared that whoever could procure a Treasure Herb and bring it here would have the opportunity to apprentice. Is that true?"
Wu Gui was about to speak when a voice, aged yet resonant, suddenly boomed from the old man on the chair. His voice was powerful enough, it seemed, to lift the very roof.
"Of course, it's true! Admission to Medicine King Hall isn't cheap because we have genuine teachings to offer. Thus, even starting as an attendant or doing miscellaneous tasks requires One Hundred Taels of Silver to be admitted. However, if you have a Treasure Herb to offer, the Silver Coin payment is waived, and you can be accepted directly."
As he spoke, the old man walked over slowly with his hands behind his back, each step measured and steady. He exuded a powerful aura, a commanding presence natural to an elder of his standing.
"May I presume to ask, Elder, who you are?" Chen Ku asked, cupping his fists.
"I am today's Presiding Pharmacist at Medicine King Hall. My surname is Nong, and my given name is Baosen. I am in charge of everything in this hall today, including your recruitment." Nong Baosen appraised Chen Ku, his gaze settling on the wooden box in the basket on Chen Ku's back. He added, "However, what's in that box on your back must truly be a Treasure Herb."
Nong Baosen. Chen Ku, being from the countryside, had naturally never heard of such a person. But since the man himself claimed to be the Presiding Pharmacist of the hall, nothing more needed to be said.
He then took off his carrying basket.
"I was just about to ask for your expert eye, Elder."
Seeing Chen Ku's actions, the other patrons buying medicine in Medicine King Hall, as well as the dozens of attendants in the main hall, all turned their gazes, curious to see if it truly was a Treasure Herb.
After Chen Ku opened the wooden box, exclamations arose.
"Is this a lotus flower?"
"No, look closely! This lotus actually has a ghost-faced appearance!"
"A botanical anomaly! It's truly a Treasure Herb!"
"This young man is so lucky!"
"He seems to come from humble beginnings, yet he had such fortune to find a Ghost-Faced Lotus! Now he wouldn't have to pay even a single cent and could enter Medicine King Hall to learn a trade..."
Around them, many of the Medicine King Hall attendants looked at Chen Ku with envy. Seventy to eighty percent of them had paid their way in. This person's luck was exceptionally good.
Across from them, Nong Baosen also nodded upon seeing it. "A Ghost-Faced Lotus, and a mature one at that, one that has produced seeds. It is indeed a top-quality Treasure Herb."
Receiving Nong Baosen's nod of acknowledgment, Chen Ku also breathed a sigh of relief. Although he had been ninety percent certain it was a Treasure Herb, he hadn't known how Medicine King Hall would react.
At that moment, Nong Baosen reached out and picked up the two-foot-long Ghost-Faced Lotus to examine it closely. Then, smiling at Chen Ku, he said, "You are also fortunate to have encountered a Ghost-Faced Lotus when it was bearing seeds. The most valuable part of this Treasure Herb are these seeds—the Ghost-Faced Buddha's Heart. Each seed can be worth Four or Five Taels of Silver. These seeds are particularly beneficial for martial artists in controlling their Blood Qi and boosting their Vital Energy. Your plant has at least twenty seeds, making the seeds alone worth around One Hundred Taels of Silver, not to mention the value of the Ghost-Faced Lotus itself."
Upon hearing this, Chen Ku inwardly regretted not having just dug out the seeds to deliver, keeping the Ghost-Faced Lotus itself.
As if seeing through Chen Ku's thoughts, Nong Baosen smiled and said, "Don't worry, Medicine King Hall will not take advantage of you. We'll take you on as an associate. The Treasure Herb you've brought is equivalent in value to what you'll receive from Medicine King Hall over the next year. With this premium Ghost-Faced Lotus, your year as an associate at Medicine King Hall will be much better than that of others."
Chen Ku understood. Isn't this just like paying tuition for room and board while learning a trade? The more you pay, the better the treatment you receive. Thinking this way, it felt acceptable.At least, trading the entire Treasure Herb for a year of training at Medicine King Hall is far better than being exploited layer by layer at the Medicine and Firewood Market.He was essentially using Medicine King Hall's colossal influence to, in a way, 'legally' avoid being fleeced and secure the greatest benefit for himself.
"So, when can this junior start his apprenticeship at Medicine King Hall?" Chen Ku asked.
"We can arrange for you to register today. You'll receive one of our Medicine King Hall attendant's long gowns and an identity waist token for you. If you have other matters to attend to, you can register first and handle your personal affairs before returning. However, keep in mind this should not exceed one month," Nong Baosen said.
"To be honest, Elder, this junior indeed has to return to my village. So, may I register first?" Chen Ku asked.
Nong Baosen nodded and said to Wu Gui, who was nearby, "You, take him to the Inner Treasury to register. Then, have them arrange which courtyard he'll be assigned to help in."
Wu Gui asked, "Brother, your name?"
Chen Ku replied, "I am Chen Ku."
"Brother Chen, follow me."
And so, Chen Ku arrived at the back courtyard of Medicine King Hall, listening as Wu Gui spoke along the way:
"Congratulations, Brother Chen, on entering Medicine King Hall. However, as a newcomer, you can only start as an attendant; this covers the tuition for one year. During this year as an attendant, if you demonstrate good Talent in martial arts or as a Pharmacist, you can be promoted to an Apprentice. If not, you'll eventually either have to go home or, like me, truly become a permanent attendant of the hall. But that means being just an attendant for life."
"Thank you for the advice, Brother Wu."
Before long, Chen Ku was at the storeroom, where he received his Medicine King Hall attendant's long gown and a wooden waist token inscribed with 'Medicine King Hall Attendant xxx'.
"With this waist token, Brother Chen, you'll no longer need to pay the entry fee for the Inner City. You'll also be able to buy a courtyard home in the county seat. This is the status that comes with Medicine King Hall, and for most of us, it's the most valuable thing we bought with our One Hundred Taels of Silver," Wu Gui said. "But you can only have it for one year. Whether you can keep it after that depends on your own abilities."
Chen Ku cupped his fists, looking at the waist token. Isn't this just a temporary identification and a residence-work permit?A temporary identity is still an identity. But indeed, it's already equivalent to becoming half a County Household member.With this legitimate, overt identity, the money I earned through less-than-reputable means can finally be spent openly.
After completing the formalities for joining Medicine King Hall and informing them he would be taking leave for about half a month, Chen Ku changed into a new long gown in town. Then, with confident strides, he headed back to his village.
This whole affair, he mused, was what they call 'a new long gown on one's back, returning home in splendor!'