novelraw Chapter 93: Stealing Skills
Chapter 93: Stealing Skills
In the Taiping Medical Clinic, only Old Yao remained alone, standing behind the counter and flicking the abacus.
Flicking and flicking, he suddenly stopped and looked at the bustling crowd outside the door.
In the past, he disliked the bunch of little bastards making a noise in the clinic, but today it suddenly became quiet, and he conversely felt a sense of emptiness in his heart.
Old Yao took out six copper coins from his sleeve, threw them on the counter, and muttered while interpreting the hexagram: "Not coming back tonight? Heh, at least it saves me from having to leave food for them."
A "meow" cat cry came from the backyard. He slowly walked to the backyard, only to see Wu Yun squatting obediently on the wall eaves, and beside it there were over twenty more tabby cats.
Old Yao said with a smile: "Wait a moment."
Saying this, he went into the room to take out the box of snacks from Zhengxin Studio, pulled open the drawer, and held the snacks in his palm one by one. The tabby cats lined up to jump down from the wall eaves, politely carrying the snacks away in their mouths.
When it was finally Wu Yun's turn, Old Yao simply opened the box: "Pick whichever one you want to eat."
Wu Yun didn't eat, but instead looked up at him.
Old Yao was amused. He rubbed Wu Yun's head and said: "You even know to keep me in mind to eat first? I can't eat anymore."Wu Yun didn't understand.
Old Yao smiled and explained: "Humans all go through birth, aging, sickness, and death. Once you can't eat things anymore, it's time to go. I used to be unconvinced before, but later I also saw clearly. Being able to live to ninety-two, what else is there to be dissatisfied about."
At this time, a voice came from the clinic's main hall: "Physician Yao?"
Old Yao raised his eyebrows, walked to the main hall with his hands behind his back, only to see the clinic filled with people. The one leading them was Chen Liqin in a blue official robe.
Behind Chen Liqin, Chen family servants carried eight boxes of gifts, and neighbors gathered outside the door, poking their heads in to watch the excitement.
Seeing Old Yao come out, a young servant immediately shouted loudly: "Today, the Chen Estate has made up the eight-item dried meat bundle (tuition gift) for Chen Ji: two jars of fine wine, ten strips of cured meat, one pork hind leg, two lambs, one box of traditional snacks, ten silver ingots, two bolts of silk, and one silver discipline ruler."
Old Yao scoffed: "What are you shouting about? Do you want the left and right neighbors to know the Chen Estate's wealth, or do you want them to all know you don't understand the rules, only sending the tuition gift after two years of apprenticeship? Lord Chen, what great official prestige, coming to my small clinic wearing an official robe."
Chen Liqin's face was somewhat awkward as he hurriedly cupped his fists: "I still have to attend the Autumn Examination Entering the Curtain Banquet at noon, so I went out wearing my official robe. Please forgive me, Physician Yao. My visit today is truly to express my apologies and make up for the Chen Estate's lack of protocol."
"Easily said, put the things down and leave then," Old Yao waved his hand.
Chen Liqin didn't leave. He hesitated for a moment and said: "I heard my dog-son has turned over a new leaf. How is his performance here with you?"
"How is his performance?" Old Yao thought for a moment and said: "He gets up early every morning to fetch water, sweep the floor, and wipe the tables, making such a racket that this old man cannot find peace."
Chen Liqin asked again: "Has he continued gambling?"
Old Yao stroked his beard and shook his head: "Many people said he used to be addicted to gambling by nature, but he hasn't gambled for a single day since coming to my clinic."
Chen Liqin breathed a sigh of relief: "Coming to the clinic today, there is actually another matter I want to discuss with you."
"What matter?"
Chen Liqin said: "Chen Ji has been exceptionally intelligent since childhood. These past years, it was also because I was tied up with official duties and had no time to take care of him that he grew up crooked. Now that he has realized his errors and turned over a new leaf, I'm thinking of bringing him back to the estate, and next spring, send him to Donglin Academy to study for three years."
"Study?"
"Correct. Chen Ji is only seventeen this year; studying for three years to participate in the imperial examinations is still not too late."
In the clinic, Old Yao looked at the dense crowd of Chen family people in front of him, his expression gradually darkening: "You teach him badly in your own home and then throw him to my Taiping Medical Clinic, and once he learns to be good, you take him back? Is there such a good thing in the world? In the future, your Chen family shouldn't even teach your own heirs; just send them all here to me."
Chen Liqin said sincerely: "Physician Yao, you also understand that studying for the imperial examinations is the proper path. Before, I felt he was beyond saving, but now that he has realized his errors, as a father, naturally I have to consider his future. If you also cherish him, you would naturally hope for him to be more successful in the future, wouldn't you?"
Old Yao scoffed mockingly: "I do not agree to this matter. Take back all the gifts you sent over; this old man doesn't care for them. I already said it yesterday: from now on, your Chen Estate doesn't even need to pay the tuition fee. I have accepted him as a Son Disciple. I will manage his eating and drinking, and he will care for me in my old age and arrange my burial."
Chen Liqin's expression also became serious: "Why must Physician Yao be unreasonable? I didn't agree to you yesterday. Learning a trade from you will at most make him a seventh-rank imperial physician. But if he participates in the imperial examinations, he might govern a region and benefit more commoners in the future. As for Chen Ji, it's better to let him decide for himself. I believe he knows how to choose."
Old Yao raised his eyebrows: "He is not in the clinic."
Chen Liqin frowned: "It's useless for you to drag out the time like this."
Old Yao sneered coldly: "He's at the kiln factory in Liu Family Village. If you want to ask him, go ask him there! If he wants to return to the Chen Estate with you, I won't stop him either!"
Chen Liqin was puzzled: "He's not studying in this clinic, but ran to that dirty and messy kiln factory to associate with filthy masons? Physician Yao, why didn't you restrain him?"
Old Yao rolled his eyes: "My disciple can do whatever he wants; is it any of your business?"
Chen Liqin cupped his hands: "Now I feel even more that Chen Ji should return to the estate with me. Farewell. If he is willing to return to the Chen Estate with me, please do not obstruct him."
After saying that, Chen Liqin exited the door, got onto the carriage, and headed south of the city to Liu Family Village.
Old Yao looked at the tuition gifts left in the main hall, remaining silent for a long time.
Wu Yun leaped gracefully onto the counter and rubbed her head against the back of his hand.
Old Yao looked at Wu Yun and asked unhurriedly: "The Official Path Gateway has already been taught, and I have nothing else to teach him. On one side is the wretched old man of the medical clinic and the bitter, fishy smell of a room full of medicinal ingredients; on the other side is the massive Chen family of the current Minister of Revenue. How do you think he will choose?"
Wu Yun did not answer.
...
...
In the kiln factory, Prince Jing had his hands behind his back, watching silently like a mountain range at the downdraft kiln taking shape in front of him.
Eunuch Feng, by his side, reminded him softly and gently: "Your Highness, today is the day of entering the curtain for the Autumn Examination. According to convention, the Luo City government office will host a banquet at Yingxian Restaurant at noon for the inner and outer examination officials. You should set off to attend the banquet. On such an important day, not having you preside over it might cause the officials to feel uneasy."
According to custom, an 'Entering the Curtain Mounting Banquet' had to be held before the Autumn Examination started.
After the banquet, the Autumn Examination officials were divided into inner curtain officials and outer curtain officials. Inner curtain officials were responsible for reviewing and grading papers, while outer curtain officials were responsible for supervising the examination venue, each not meeting the other.
The Entering the Curtain Mounting Banquet was generally hosted by the most prestigious person locally.
Prince Jing said calmly: "I'm not going to the mounting banquet today; the matters here are still more important."
Eunuch Feng was puzzled: "Your Highness, early this morning you heard a few words from the Prince Heir and immediately sent people to the Imperial Workshop to summon the most capable military artisans. And now you are absent from the entering the curtain banquet... It's just a kiln for firing porcelain. I've never seen you pay so much attention to porcelain in the past. If you like kilns, this subject will immediately send someone to Jingdezhen to choose some. Why fire it yourself?"
Prince Jing pointed at the kiln being built in the distance and asked with a smile: "Porcelain? Porcelain wouldn't make me rush over here."
Eunuch Feng was even more puzzled: "Could Your Highness be here for the thing Little Doctor Chen mentioned that could replace glutinous rice mortar?"
"Yes, and no," Prince Jing said slowly. "Currently, the imperial court's annual official iron production is stretched to the limit. If more is allocated to the border army, even the price of iron pots among the commoners will skyrocket. But if more quotas are given to the provinces, the border army will have to suffer. Which general returning from the border towns doesn't complain about the shortage of military equipment?"
He continued: "Eunuch Feng, do you know what it means if this downdraft kiln can raise the temperature by another two-tenths?"
Eunuch Feng cupped his hands and lowered his eyes: "This subject is nothing more than a eunuch, I only know how to serve well and protect Your Highness well. I don't need to know anything else; knowing too much will mess up my mind."
Prince Jing smiled: "Eunuch Feng is still as cautious as ever."
Eunuch Feng also smiled: "Please enlighten me, Your Highness. Why are you paying so much attention to this firing kiln?"
Prince Jing explained slowly: "If this downdraft kiln can raise the temperature by another two-tenths, it implies that iron ore can be directly melted into molten iron. By then, our Ning Dynasty's border army will never again have to hold broken military equipment and patch them up; we might even be able to look forward to the glorious style of heavy cavalry."
Eunuch Feng showed an expression of sudden realization: "This is a national policy. Compared to it, the Luo City Autumn Examination truly counts as nothing. But Your Highness has always handled matters safely and reliably; why place such heavy bets on a young man? What if he's just bragging?"
Prince Jing smiled: "Do you believe in hexagrams?"
"Hm?" Eunuch Feng didn't understand, but Prince Jing did not explain further.
Prince Jing changed the topic and teased: "This kid Chen Ji is smart, but still lacks experience in the world. He only wholeheartedly wants to make that thing that replaces glutinous rice mortar, but never thought that this kiln modification technology is the true pearl."
Eunuch Feng was puzzled: "Is Your Highness going to buy this kiln modification technology?"
Prince Jing laughed heartily: "Buy? Let us first teach this inexperienced young man a lesson."
At the entrance of the kiln factory, Chen Ji was driving an ox cart back from the outside. The cart was loaded with high-piled gray bricks, and Liang Mao'er and the Prince Heir were pushing the cart from behind.
A man walked up to him: "Little Doctor Chen, I have some doubts, could you answer them and resolve my confusion?"
Chen Ji called She Dengke over to lead the ox, clapped the dust off his palms, and said with a smile: "Sure, let's go talk over by the firing kiln. What do you want to ask?"
Chen Ji stood in front of the kiln, casually pointing to various parts and explaining to the man.
"Little Doctor Chen, why must the main flue be buried directly below the firing kiln, shouldn't a chimney be erected in the back?"
"The fire suction holes must be buried directly below in order for the flame flow to form a downdraft inside the kiln."
"Little Doctor Chen, why must the size of the fire spray holes be two-tenths of the grate?"
"Because if it's any larger, it will burn out the grate."
Chen Ji stood side-by-side with a man in front of the kiln. Behind the two of them, another man silently pulled out a small notebook from his chest and used a charcoal pencil to write down Chen Ji's explanations.
Once Chen Ji finished answering, he pretended as if nothing happened, stuffed the notebook back into his chest, and continued working.
Bai Li silently watched Chen Ji's straight and thin back, only feeling that the other party right now did not look like a clinic apprentice.
Regardless of how wretched he looked covered in dirt and with messy hair, the other party only needed to pat the dust off his body to look like a teacher preaching, passing on career skills, and resolving confusion, gentle and composed.
This gentle youth and that night's killer with the broken blade seemed like two completely separated people, naturally alternating like day and night.
But she suddenly noticed that military artisan's secret little actions, lifted her foot, and walked towards Chen Ji to inform him.
(End of Chapter)