The night was still young, and Pill Workshop Street was bustling with people.
Through the window, Zhao Ci watched the people come and go.
The vast majority were commoners loitering outside the shops, hesitating. They all carried heavy moneybags, which stood in stark contrast to their attire. Their indecision reminded him of a poor boy about to empty his parents' retirement savings to pay a bride price.
A good number of them eventually clutched their moneybags, steeled their resolve, and walked inside.
Many others hesitated for a long time before leaving, clutching their moneybags and looking back with every step.
Of course, these shops had their share of major customers as well.
Most were richly attired and walked with a confident stride, chatting and laughing with the shopkeepers of the various Pill Workshops.
Then, under the envious gazes of the commoners, they would leave with bottle after bottle of high-quality pills and board their family carriages.
But they weren't completely aloof.
When they occasionally encountered a young person who was full of vigor but short on cash, they would kindly ask if they wanted to return to their mansion and become a Household Servant.
The answer was almost always yes.
"Master the civil and martial arts, and sell them to the house of an emperor."
Zhao Ci sighed. This world had imperial examinations for both civil and martial pursuits. It wasn't that commoners had no path to advance, but it was far too narrow compared to what was available to the scions of great houses. Besides, even if they did succeed, building a true legacy on talent alone was impossible.
Becoming a dependent of a great clan was commonplace.
The system gives you hope, while simultaneously hinting that you should conform to its rules.
The system of private manors was the ultimate product of these rules taken to their extreme.
He turned his head to look at Kan Luotang. "Miss Luotang, weren't you supposed to be playing it safe? Boarding my carriage isn't a very wise move."
Kan Luotang smiled faintly. "Your Highness once said that if one's actions are just, there's no need to worry about playing it safe. Besides, I'm here for Zhu Li. If she doesn't have enough money for the Fire Manipulation Pill, I'll have to cover the difference."
"Oh..."
Zhao Ci nodded and said no more.
He didn't have any particular feelings for Kan Luotang.
'She was certainly beautiful, with the air of a pure, innocent flower. The idea of taking her home as his wife was, of course, somewhat tempting.'
'But his mind was currently consumed with his ambitions, and he really couldn't muster any interest in such things.'
'Whatever. I'll let her be.'
'Asking the Emperor to annul the engagement was beyond his power. He felt he had already done everything he could for her, which was more than enough.'
'Whether to play it safe was a decision for the Kan Mansion to make.'
"Zhao Ci!"
After agonizing for a long time, Zhu Li finally spoke up. "Are you really going to sell me the Fire Manipulation Pill? How much are you going to mark it up? I might not have enough money, and it would take me a very long time to pay you back."
Zhao Ci spread his hands. "I'm already three hundred and fifty thousand taels in debt. You think I need your small markup to pay it back?"
"Huh?"
Zhu Li jumped in alarm and subconsciously grabbed Kan Luotang's hand.
'He doesn't want money?'
'Don't tell me he wants me to pay with my body instead!'
'Although, she had a feeling Zhao Ci wouldn't dare do something like that.'
'But when she recalled his behavior at the auction, she had a feeling he was no saint.'
'Combined with this sudden show of goodwill, she was getting a little scared.'
'She had no idea how, after all that, Kan Luotang could still think he was a gentleman.'
Zhao Ci noticed her expression but didn't say anything more. The Xiang's Pill Workshop was quite a distance from the auction house, but since they were both on the same street, they arrived shortly.
He hopped straight down from the carriage and led the two women into a courtyard through the back entrance.
The Xiang's Pill Workshop was the new headquarters Gu Xiangzhu had established for the Elixir Medicine Small Alliance, and it looked quite impressive.
Seven ancient, stately Pill Furnaces were now arranged in the main Alchemy Room, complementing the impressive architecture. The auction house had been impressively efficient to have delivered them so quickly.
Seeing the Hundred Refinements Furnaces, Zhu Li's eyes went wide.
She swallowed and tugged Kan Luotang's hand, whispering, "Luotang, if I could use this Pill Furnace to practice Alchemy, I guarantee it wouldn't explode!"
Before Kan Luotang could reply, Zhao Ci suddenly stopped and turned around with a teasing look. "Oh? Is that so? I don't believe you."
"And why wouldn't you believe me?"
"I heard from Li Fugui that every single Pill Furnace you've ever used has exploded!"
Hearing this, Zhu Li reacted like a cat whose tail had been stepped on. Her face flushed red as she craned her neck. "H-how is that my fault? The furnaces only exploded because the Li Family's Pill Furnaces are too crude! You have to believe me! The Zhu Family has a Hundred Refinements Furnace too, and when I used it for Alchemy, it never once exploded!"
"Oh?"
Zhao Ci feigned confusion. "If you don't cause explosions when you use a Hundred Refinements Furnace, why don't you just continue using one?"
That shut Zhu Li right up. "I don't want to talk to you!"
Zhao Ci smiled. "So, would you like to use our Hundred Refinements Furnace?"
"Of course I would!"
Zhu Li huffed sullenly. "But you won't let me."
A Hundred Refinements Furnace was a treasure to any Alchemy Influence. Before, when relations within her clan hadn't soured, she, as the Patriarch's daughter, had been allowed to use the one here in Lingge for a couple of hours each day.
Later, as infighting between the Zhu Family's internal factions worsened, a rule was established that only Alchemists at the rank of Chief Steward or higher could use the Hundred Refinements Furnace.
Not only was she barred from using the Hundred Refinements Furnace, but she was also increasingly ostracized within the clan. Otherwise, she wouldn't be spending all her time with Kan Luotang now.
'She didn't know if this Zhao Ci was being intentional or not. Wasn't he just rubbing salt in her wounds?'
Zhao Ci retorted, "Who said I wouldn't?"
"Hm?"
Zhu Li asked expectantly, "You'll really let me use it?"
'If she could just stop being plagued by exploding furnaces, her Alchemy might actually have a chance to improve.'
Zhao Ci smiled. "Of course, you can. Not only can you use the Hundred Refinements Furnace, but this Fire Manipulation Pill is yours too."
With that, he pulled a jade bottle from his robes and tossed it to her.
Zhu Li yelped and scrambled to catch the jade bottle, her voice sharp with panic. "Don't just throw it around! What'll I do if my Fire Manipulation Pill breaks?"
Kan Luotang: "..."
Zhao Ci: "..."
'So it's 'yours' already?'
Zhu Li clutched the jade bottle with both hands, looking at Zhao Ci with a mixture of vigilance and gratitude. "I, Zhu Li, do not like to be indebted to others. You won this pill at a high price, and I will definitely pay you back—plus an extra five hundred taels in interest. I'll also pay you rent for the Hundred Refinements Furnace; I won't let you take a loss. It's just... I don't have much money right now, so it might take me a long time to pay you back."
Zhao Ci watched her quietly. He hadn't expected this girl to be so principled.
He smiled and asked, "Then why don't you tell me the current market rate for renting out a Hundred Refinements Furnace? That'll help me set a price."
"Uh, well..."
Zhu Li was at a loss for words. A Hundred Refinements Furnace was a treasure anywhere it went; only a fool would rent one out. Since they weren't for rent, there was no rental price.
Zhao Ci shrugged. "Like I said, I don't need the markup. I won this Fire Manipulation Pill for two thousand one hundred taels, so you only need to pay back two thousand one hundred taels. However, I won't accept cash. I'll only accept payment from your wages as an Alchemist at our Xiang's Pill Workshop."
"Huh?"
Zhu Li was stunned for a moment, then pointed at her own nose. "You want to hire me as an Alchemist?"
Zhao Ci smiled and nodded. "That's right!"
"Absolutely not!"
Zhu Li looked at the jade bottle in her hand, her face filled with reluctance. But she gritted her teeth and stuffed it back into Zhao Ci's hand. "Here, take the pill back!"
Zhao Ci knew she would refuse, but he hadn't expected her to be so decisive. He couldn't help but raise an eyebrow. "You really don't want it?"
"I really don't!"
Zhu Li's tone was firm, but her gaze was practically glued to the jade bottle. "According to the Zhu Family's laws, no one may perform Alchemy for another Pill Workshop without the family's explicit assignment. My father is the Zhu Clan Patriarch, and I can't cause trouble for him."
'As expected, the Zhu Clan's rules are incredibly strict.'
'Otherwise, Gu Xiangzhu wouldn't have placed so much importance on this.'
He glanced around and lowered his voice. "We could just do it secretly, couldn't we?"
Zhu Li shook her head. "Once or twice in secret might be fine, but it wouldn't work long-term."
"You'll pay it off quickly with me."
"Do you think I don't know my own skill level in Alchemy? It would take me a lifetime to pay back two thousand one hundred taels. I'd probably just end up owing you more."
"..."
Zhao Ci cracked a grin. 'So the girl is surprisingly self-aware.'
Zhu Li's expression turned resentful. "Zhao Ci! I'm not an idiot, so why can't you just be direct? You're after my body, aren't you?"
Zhao Ci: "Huh?"
The more Zhu Li spoke, the more agitated she became. "You're a Prince, so I can't just punch you even if you admit it! But this is impossible! I can't betray the Zhu Family, I can't sell myself, and I certainly can't betray Luotang! You can't be so insulting!"
Zhao Ci: "..."
'So much for her being self-aware!'