Chapter 92: Stealing Skills

In the Taiping Medical Hall, only Old Man Yao was left standing behind the counter, flicking the abacus.

He stopped flicking it suddenly, looking at the bustling crowds outside the door.

In the past, he disliked a group of little rabbit cubs making noise in the medical hall, but today, with the sudden quietness, he felt an emptiness in his heart.

Old Man Yao took six copper coins from his sleeve and threw them onto the counter. As he interpreted the divination, he muttered, "Not coming back tonight? Heh, that saves me from having to leave food for them."

From the backyard came a meow.

He slowly walked to the backyard and saw Black Cloud sitting obediently on the wall eave.

Beside it were twenty more calico cats.

Old Man Yao squinted and smiled, "You all wait a moment."

Saying that, he went into the house and took out the pastry box from Zheng Xin Zhai.

He opened the drawer and held the pastries in his hand one by one.

The calico cats lined up and jumped down from the wall eave one by one, carrying the pastries away quite politely.

Finally, when it was Black Cloud's turn, Old Man Yao simply opened the box, "Pick whichever one you want to eat."

Black Cloud didn't eat, instead, it lifted its head and looked at him.

Old Man Yao was amused. He touched Black Cloud's head and said, "Still know to let me eat first? I can't eat anymore."

Black Cloud didn't understand.

Old Man Yao smiled and explained, "People all experience birth, old age, sickness, and death. Once you can't eat anymore, it's time to go. I wasn't resigned before, but later I let go. To be able to live to ninety-two years old, what more is there to be dissatisfied with?"

At this moment, a voice came from the main hall of the medical hall, "Imperial Physician Yao?"

Old Man Yao raised his eyebrows and walked to the main hall with his hands behind his back.

He saw the medical hall was full of people, led by Chen Liqin, wearing a blue official robe.

Behind Chen Liqin, the young servant Chen Ji was carrying eight boxes of gifts. Neighbors were gathered outside the door, craning their necks to watch the excitement.

Seeing Old Man Yao come out, a young servant immediately shouted, "Today, the Chen Residence is making up Chen Ji's eight kinds of tuition fees: two jars of fine wine, ten strips of cured meat, one pig hind leg, two lambs, one box of pastries, ten pieces of silver ingots, two bolts of silk, one silver ruler."

Old Man Yao sneered, "What are you shouting for? Do you want the neighbors to know how wealthy your Chen Residence is? Or do you want them all to know you don't understand the rules, only sending tuition fees after two years of apprenticeship? Official Chen has great official power. You even wear your official robe to my small medical hall."

Chen Liqin looked a bit embarrassed and quickly cupped his fists, "I still have to attend the Autumn Examination entry curtain banquet at noon, so I came out in my official robe. Imperial Physician Yao, please forgive me. I came to express my apology today and make up for the incomplete etiquette of my Chen Residence."

"Alright, put the things down and go."

Old Man Yao waved his hand.

Chen Liqin didn't leave. He hesitated for a moment and said, "I heard my son has reformed. I wonder how he has been performing here?"

"How is he performing?"

Old Man Yao thought for a moment and said, "He gets up early every morning to carry water, sweep the floor, and wipe the tables, disturbing my peace as an old man."

Chen Liqin asked again, "Has he continued gambling?"

Old Man Yao stroked his beard and shook his head, "Some people say he was once a rotten gambler, but since he came to my medical hall, he hasn't gambled for a single day."

Chen Liqin breathed a sigh of relief, "Coming to the medical hall today, I actually have another matter I want to discuss with you."

"What matter?"

Chen Liqin said, "Chen Ji has been clever since childhood. These past few years, because I have been busy with public affairs, I haven't had time to take care of him, and he grew crooked. Now that he has reformed, I am thinking of taking him back to the residence and sending him to Donglin Academy to study for three years next year in the spring."

"Study?"

"That's right, Chen Ji is only seventeen years old this year. Studying for three years and participating in the imperial examination is still in time."

Hearing this, Old Man Yao looked at the mass of Chen family people in front of him, and his face gradually darkened, "You taught him badly, so you threw him to my Taiping Medical Hall. When he learned well, you want to take him back? Is there such a good thing in this world? All the future descendants of your Chen family don't need to teach themselves, just send them all here."

Chen Liqin said sincerely, "Imperial Physician Yao, you also understand. Studying for the imperial examination is the proper path. Previously, I felt he was incurable, but now that he has found his way back after being lost, as a father, I naturally have to think about his future. If you care for him, you will naturally also hope he has a more promising future, won't you?"

Old Man Yao said sarcastically, "I don't agree to this matter. You can take back the gifts you sent. I, this old man, don't care for them. Yesterday, I said that from now on, your Chen Residence doesn't even need to pay for tuition. I will take him as my child apprentice, manage his food, manage his drink, and he will support me in my old age and bury me."

Chen Liqin's face also sank, "Imperial Physician Yao, why must you be so unreasonable? I didn't promise you yesterday. Learning a craft from you, at most, he can become a seventh-rank Imperial Physician. If he participates in the imperial examination, he can later guard a region and benefit more common people."

"What about Chen Ji? Why not let him decide for himself? I believe he knows how to choose."

Old Man Yao raised his eyebrows, "He is not in the medical hall."

Chen Liqin frowned, "It's useless for you to delay time like this."

Old Man Yao coldly laughed, "He is at the kiln factory in Liu Family Village. If you want to ask him, go there and ask. If he wants to follow you back to the Chen Residence, I will not stop him."

Chen Liqin was puzzled, "He is not learning in this medical hall, but ran to that dirty and chaotic kiln factory, associating with filthy masons? Imperial Physician Yao, why don't you restrain him?"

Old Man Yao rolled his eyes, "My apprentice can do whatever he wants. Can you manage him?"

Chen Liqin cupped his hands, "Now, I feel even more that Chen Ji should follow me back to the residence. I will take my leave. If he is willing to follow me back to the Chen Residence, please do not obstruct him."

Saying that, Chen Liqin went out the door, got into a carriage, and headed towards Liu Family Village in the south of the city.

Old Man Yao looked at the tuition fee gifts left in the main hall and remained silent for a long time.

Black Cloud lightly leaped onto the counter and rubbed his hand with its head.

Old Man Yao looked at Black Cloud and slowly asked, "I have already taught him the ways of the official world, and I have nothing more to teach him. On one side are the old masters of the Imperial Medical Bureau and the bitter smell of medicinal herbs in this room. On the other side is the vast Chen family of the current Minister of Revenue. How do you think he will choose?"

Black Cloud did not answer.

Inside the kiln factory.

Jing Wang stood with his hands behind his back, quiet as a mountain, silently gazing at the inverted flame kiln being built in front of him.

Feng Da Companion was by his side and reminded him warmly, "Wang Ye, today is the day of the Autumn Examination entry curtain. According to custom, the Luocheng government office will host a banquet for the inner and outer curtain officials at Yingxian Building at noon. You should set off to attend the banquet. On such an important day, without you in charge, I fear the officials will be uneasy."

According to custom, before the Autumn Examination begins, an entry curtain mount horse banquet is held.

After the banquet, the Autumn Examination officials are divided into inner curtain officials and outer curtain officials.

Inner curtain officials are responsible for reading and grading the papers.

Outer curtain officials are responsible for supervising the examination hall.

They do not see each other.

The entry curtain mount horse banquet is generally hosted by the most prestigious person in the locality.

Jing Wang said calmly, "I will not go to the mount horse banquet today. The matters here are more important."

Feng Da Companion was puzzled, "Wang Ye, you listened to the words of the Son of the World this morning, and then immediately sent people to the Crafts Bureau to summon the most capable military craftsmen. Now you are absent from the entry curtain banquet. Although it is just a kiln for firing porcelain, I have never seen you so attentive to porcelain before. If you like kilns, this minister can immediately send people to Jingdezhen to select some. Why must you build one yourself?"

Jing Wang pointed remotely at the kiln being built and asked with a smile, "Porcelain? Porcelain may not make me rush here."

Feng Da Companion was even more puzzled, "Is Wang Ye referring to the thing that Little Doctor Chen said can replace glutinous rice mortar?"

"Yes, and no."

Jing Wang said slowly, "Currently, the court's annual official iron production is barely enough. More is allocated to the border army, and for civilians, even iron pots are sky-high in price. But if more is allocated to the border, the border army will suffer. Which general returning from the border town doesn't complain about the shortage of military weapons?"

He continued, "Feng Da Companion, do you know what it means if this inverted flame kiln can raise the temperature by another two-tenths?"

Feng Da Companion cupped his hands and lowered his eyes, "Although this minister is a eunuch, I only know how to serve and protect Wang Ye well. Other things do not need to be known. Knowing too much will only make my heart chaotic."

Jing Wang smiled, "Feng Da Companion, still so cautious."

Feng Da Companion also smiled, "Please enlighten me, Wang Ye. Why are you so attentive to this kiln?"

Jing Wang slowly explained, "If this inverted flame kiln can raise the temperature by two-tenths, it means that iron ore can directly turn into molten iron. At that time, the border army of my Ning Dynasty will no longer have to repair broken military weapons, and can even yearn for the style of heavy cavalry once again."

Feng Da Companion showed a suddenly enlightened expression, "This is a national policy. Compared to it, the Luocheng Autumn Examination indeed doesn't count for anything. But Wang Ye always handles matters steadily. Why put such a heavy bet on a young man? What if he is just boasting?"

Jing Wang laughed, "Do you believe in divination?"

"Huh?" Feng Da Companion didn't understand.

Jing Wang no longer explained.

Jing Wang changed the topic and teased, "Chen Ji is clever, but still inexperienced in the ways of the world. He only wants to make that thing that replaces glutinous rice mortar, but he hasn't thought that this modified kiln technology is the real pearl."

Feng Da Companion was puzzled, "Does Wang Ye want to buy this modified kiln technology?"

Jing Wang chuckled, "Buy? Let's first give this inexperienced young man a lesson."

At the entrance of the kiln factory, Chen Ji had just returned from outside, driving an ox cart loaded high with green bricks.

Liang Mao Er and the Son of the World were pushing the cart behind.

A man walked over, "Little Doctor Chen, I have some doubts. Can you answer them for me and resolve my confusion?"

Chen Ji called She Dengke to lead the ox and patted the dust off his palms, smiling, "Yes, let's go to the kiln and talk. What do you want to ask?"

He saw Chen Ji stopped in front of the kiln and explained casually, pointing to different places.

"Little Doctor Chen, why is the main flue buried directly below the kiln? Shouldn't there be a chimney erected at the back?"

"The suction fire hole is buried directly below so that the flame can form an inverted roll in the kiln."

"Little Doctor Chen, why must the size of the spray fire hole be two-tenths of the furnace grate?"

"Because if it's bigger, it will burn out the furnace grate."

Chen Ji stood side by side with a man in front of the kiln.

Behind the two of them, a man silently took out a small notebook from his bosom and used a charcoal pen to record Chen Ji's explanation.

After Chen Ji finished answering, he pretended as if nothing had happened, stuffed the notebook back into his bosom, and continued working.

Bai Li silently gazed at Chen Ji's tall and slender back, only feeling that the other person at this time was not like a medical hall apprentice.

No matter how embarrassed he looked with his gray face and messy hair, the other person only needed to pat off the dust on his body, and he was like a gentleman preaching, receiving, and resolving confusion, warm and composed.

This warm young man, and that night's assassin with a broken knife, seemed like two split people.

Like the natural alternation of day and night.

But she suddenly discovered the small actions of that military craftsman. She immediately lifted her foot and went to report to Chen Ji.