Chapter 534: Exposé at the Grand Medicine Testing Convention
When Head Elder Xie saw Han Yunxi paying attention to the leftover ingredients, his guilty heart grew afraid. The secret of Xie Peng’s cheat laid in these ingredients. Has Han Yunxi discovered something?
But he showed nothing but calm as he said boldly, “Naturally, it was the Council of Elders who chose them.”
“Which person from the Council? How did they pick?” Han Yunxi pressed.
At this point, both fourth and seventh elder stood up. They were both members from the Wang Clan.
“These ingredients were chosen from a list provided by Head Elder Xie. There were a total of 53 ingredients, and six of us agreed on the selections,” the fourth elder replied.
Medicine City’s Council of Elders consisted of seven total members. Xie Deyi was the leader, while the remaining six members hailed from the Wang, Xie, and Mu Clans. Each clan had two standard seats on the council, so the Xie Clan held the most powerful with their three.
“Where is that list of ingredients? Do you dare to publicize that as well?” Han Yunxi asked next.
Ouyang Ningnuo had returned back to his seat in the distinguished guests gallery in the middle of all this. Now he smiled and said, “Esteemed wangfei, are you suspecting Head Elder Xie of meddling with the ingredients list? Is that even possible?”
There were plenty of comments offstage as well. These ingredients had gone through multiple people before ending up in the competitors’ hands. If anyone wanted to sabotage the process, they would have had to bribe every person involved, which was impossible. But why was Qin Wangfei so self-confident? Just what was the truth behind it all? They wanted to know that more than the ultimate results of the competition!
Han Yunxi only treated Ouyang Ningnuo as air and asked Head Elder Xie again, “Do you dare to publicize that list?”
Head Elder Xie’s eyes flashed with ruthlessness before he immediately provided the list. I refuse to believe she has me!
Han Yunxi swept her eyes over the list and saw that there was a total of 60 ingredients there. Aside from the 53 approved for competition use by the other six elders, only seven unused ingredients were left on the list.
“Which one of the elders can offer up the last seven ingredients? This wangfei will definitely be grateful,” Han Yunxi said loudly.
“Although these ingredients weren’t provided to the contestants, they were prepared just in case of an emergency. Someone come, bring them over,” the seventh elder spoke up.
After getting the seven ingredients, Han Yunxi once again placed them one by one on the table for all to see. Although no one had any idea what she was doing, the Xie Clan Head had long been seized with dread. He kept shooting looks at Head Elder Xie, who simply remained silent without saying a word.
“Who is willing to help this wangfei pick out any 10 ingredients at random?” Han Yunxi asked next.
“Me!” Lady Lianxin strode forward. Although Han Yunxi was hostile to the Mu Clan, she didn’t reject Lady Lianxin’s offer and generous made a motion to invite her onstage.
In front of everyone watching, Lady Lianxin quickly picked out ten ingredients.
“Which pharmacist will be willing to help combine these ingredients for this wangfei?” Han Yunxi asked next.
“This old man!” Wang Gong raised his hand.
But Han Yunxi just smiled and said, “Wang Clan Head, you should pass for this one to avoid raising suspicion.”
Although Wang Gong knew Qin Wangfei was saying it on purpose, he still didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. He could only give up on the idea. Once he withdrew, a whole crowd of hands rose in his place as volunteers.
“Qin Wangfei, let me do it! I’m from South City’s Li Clan and have nothing to do with the Xie or Wang Clans.”
“I’ll do it! I just lost to Fourth Young Master Wang!”
“Me me me! Esteemed wangfei, I–”
Even children were crowing for the chance to go onstage. Amused, Han Yunxi swept her eyes across the crowd before resting on the Xie Clan Head. “Xie Clan Head, it looks like it’s better if you do it yourself.”
“What…what kind of pill do you want to make?” the Xie Clan Head was very nervous.
“Just make one according to Xie Peng’s prescription. What, you don’t know how?” Han Yunxi grinned.
The Xie Clan Head’s white face turned even more ashen. He suppressed the anxiety in his heart and pointed at the ten ingredients picked out by Lady Lianxin, furious. “These ingredients are completely different from the ones in the prescription. How am I supposed to combine them?”
“As you like,” Han Yunxi said carelessly.
As you like? What is that woman doing?
The audience members were both confused and impatient. Finally one exclaimed, “Qin Wangfei, just what are you trying to say? Don’t fool with everyone! It’s wasting all our times.”
“If the Xie Clan Head doesn’t understand, then this wangfei will do it herself.” Han Yunxi said as she picked up the ingredients. When making pills, there were two things to be aware of: ingredient types and proportions of the quantities. But Han Yunxi simply took Lady Lianxin’s selection and combined them willy-nilly with the directions of Xie Peng’s prescription. Nobody dared to disturb her, because none of them had any idea how this was supposed to expose Xie Peng’s cheating.
Han Yunxi was nowhere near as fast as Xie Peng, so her movements were slow and clear. Because of that, everyone saw exactly what she did, and how she didn’t pull any tricks in the manufacturing process. In the time it took to burn half a stick of incense, she finally created a pill. Strangely enough, the color, size, scent and weight were identical to Xie Peng’s own—almost as if it was an exact replica!
The crowd broke into an uproar!
Once again, Han Yunxi picked 10 more ingredients at random from the pile of 60 and made another pill accordingly to Xie Peng’s prescription. Once again, the pill produced was exactly the same! Like this, the truth became apparent to everyone without explanation.
“Sixty Rooms!1 This is Sixty Rooms, ah!” the fourth elder was the first to slam his desk and stand up, infuriated. “Xie Deyi, what have you to say for yourself? You’re the leader of the Council of Elders, but you’ve embezzled that trust!”
The so-called ‘Sixty Rooms’ was a long-lost mystical prescription that included 60 different types of medicinal ingredients. Any 10 from the 60 could be combined in certain proportions to create the exact same pill. Every medical family without exception knew of the existence of ‘Sixty Rooms,’ but the missing formula meant that none of them knew which 60 ingredients were needed for the magic combo. Today, Han Yunxi had demonstrated the truth to them all.
Head Elder Xie had given an ingredient list consisting of nothing but the full prescription for ‘Sixty Rooms.’ In other words, no matter which ingredients were selected and how many people went through them, as long as Xie Peng got ten from the original formula, he would be able to make a Sixty Rooms pill.
There were no end of scandals at this time’s Grand Medicine Testing Convention with surprises coming one after the other at the audience. Still, this had to be the most shocking revelation of all. The Xie Clan actually had the Sixty Rooms prescription on their hands and used to it to cheat! The same Xie Clan that had always depended on the Mu Clan certainly held hidden depths of their own!
“Here’s the conclusive evidence, Head Elder Xie. What else do you have to say?” Wang Gong demanded.
Right now, it didn’t even matter who won the competition anymore. For Head Elder Xie to resort to such low methods meant that Xie Peng would be expelled from the Grand Medicine Testing Convention and that he deserved to be dismissed by the Council of Elders. Originally, the Wang Clan assumed that they’d have to give their all to oppose the Xie Clan since their pre-laid plans were changed. But who knew that Qin Wangfei had the skills to uncover Sixty Rooms? Now the Wang Clan had reaped the biggest benefits from it all!
As the commotion grew offstage, various distinguished guests in the first ring exchanged glances. They never imagined that something like this could happen at the convention. The scenes of the Mu Clan’s fall seem to re-enact themselves once again. None of the Xie Clan members dared to speak, much less raise their heads. But Head Elder Xie was still standing tall and straight, completely unaffected. He looked coldly at the fourth elder, then at Wang Gong, and snorted. “You call this conclusive evidence? Have either of you ever seen this old man purposely pick these 60 ingredients?”
This…
For a second, everyone scrambled to understand what Xie Deyi was saying. Han Yunxi immediately understood and laughed coldly. “What, Head Elder Xie means to say that you accidentally choose those 60 ingredients instead? And that you had no idea they made up the Sixty Rooms prescription?”
“Exactly!” Xie Deyi replied without the least hesitation, his voice firm and strong. “This is my Xie Clan’s good luck, not cheating!”
The Wang Clan and their supporters exploded at that statement.
“Xie Deyi, do you have any face left?!”
“Old man, thick skin! I’ve really seen it all today! Admirable, truly ‘admirable!’”
“Break up the Council of Elders! Otherwise, Medicine City will be in trouble!”
The protests grew and rose in volume. It wasn’t clear who threw the first rock onstage, but many more followed in its wake. The Xie Clan immediately retaliated with their supporters in tow. Before the people onstage had finished fighting, the crowd offstage was already starting a brawl. Chaos took over the scene as the situation grew out of control. Although people with the Council of Elders’ insignia and various directors tried to stem the crowds, it was all in vain. Meanwhile, the Wang and Xie Clans onstage started arguing back and forth.
Utter pandemonium!
Han Yunxi never thought Xie Deyi would be such a shameless old coot. She was shielded by Long Feiye and brought to a corner to watch the mess unfold with dumbfounded eyes. She couldn’t help but recall the news reports she used to see before her transmigration. A certain country had tried to gain power within its own legislative assembly and broken out into fights as a result. Wasn’t the very same thing happening before her eyes in Medicine City?
“Your Highness, what do we do now?” Han Yunxi murmured.
Long Feiye didn’t expect things to devolve into this extent, either. But he wasn’t worried and teased, “You made this mess, so you clean it up.”
Seeing that he was in a mood to joke, Han Yunxi knew she didn’t need to worry. As it turned out, the hubbub instantly died down moments later, because the free and easy melody of a flute had drifted out from the Medicine Forest!
His Excellency Pill King, Sun Zhong,2 had arrived!
This was a high-level recluse who lived in the Medicine Forest and the true owner of those woods. His medical skills were unparalleled and he was respected by all clans in Medicine City. No one dared to defy him, but all hoped to inherit his legacy one day. He had the skills to lead Medicine City, but never involved himself in mundane affairs. It had been years since he last left the forest and shown his face. Even when the Poison Pond disappeared, he only sent someone to ask the Council of Elders for details without appearing himself in person.
But today, he had come.
As the sounds of the flute grew closer, everyone turned to see an old, white-haired man emerge from the trees on a wheelchair. Four youths on flutes followed by his side. The crowd made way for him, while the Xie and Wang Clans fell silent onstage. But instead of paying attention to them, the Pill King examined Han Yunxi, who was standing on one side, and asked, “Qin Wangfei, how did you identify ‘Sixty Rooms?’”
1. Sixty Rooms (六十斋) – liushi zhai, liushi means “sixty,” zhai is a word that can mean anything from “fast, keep a fast” to “house, home.’
2. Sun Zhong (孙钟) – Sun is a surname, Zhong means “concentrate.”