Chapter 49: A Day of Rest

While training was important, it was equally important to rest when one’s muscles so they could recover and rebuild.

It was their day off from training; Wu Jian, Wu Meiying, and Hou Jingshu had decided to visit the market that day, to see if there was anything interesting for sale. While it didn’t happen often, sometimes one of the merchants or shop owners would get an unusual trinket or an item that could be used to increase a person’s training.

Wu Jian had once discovered an item called a gravity stone, which could be used to increase the gravity around a set area. Working with a heavier than normal gravity had allowed him to increase his training’s productivity. Sadly, the gravity stone had been of subpar quality and only lasted for one month. But that one month had been enough for him to receive an explosive growth in his strength.

“I love how it’s so lively but not crowded like the Imperial Capital,” Hou Jingshu commented as they wandered through the streets.

“Is the Imperial Capital really that bad?” asked Wu Jian.

“It’s horrible. You can’t walk ten feet without bumping into at least fifty people, and there are pickpockets who use the crowds to steal your money and slip away. I remember one of the few times Father let me leave the palace. My wallet was stolen. Then I got lost chasing after the thief. I was almost kidnapped by some ruffians after that. Honestly, if it wasn’t for Liu Bei finding me when he did, I might not be here.”

Wu Jian and Wu Meiying could only gawk at Hou Jingshu as she regaled them with her biggest misadventure when she was younger. They had no idea what her life had been like before arriving in Zahn City. Hearing her tale of woe made them wonder if she might have been cursed with bad luck.

“That’s… pretty crazy,” he said at last.

Wu Meiying nodded. “Very crazy, though I guess I’m not too surprised. The more people who exist within one place, the more crime there will be.”

“That’s why I like Zahn City. It’s small and doesn’t have all the luxuries of the Imperial Capital, but it’s also pretty and there aren’t so many people that I have no breathing room,” Hou Jingshu said.

“I could imagine,” said Wu Jian with a slow nod. “Anyway, let’s check out Won Ju’s Medicine.”

The group wandered down the main street to Won Ju’s Medicine, but they all stopped when they got there. Nothing about the shop had changed outwardly. There didn’t appear to be anything different. Yet Wu Jian noticed how there wasn’t a single customer inside, which was unusual in and of itself. 

While Won Ju’s Medicine was not the only store that sold medicine and ingredients, they did have the largest and most extensive selection available. The vast majority of Zahn City’s residents came there for their everyday needs.

“Something seems wrong here,” Hou Jingshu murmured, fingers pressed to her lips.

“Let’s go inside and see what’s going on,” Wu Meiying suggested.

They entered the store to see that it was just as empty on the outside as it was on the inside. Only one person was inside of the store, Won Ju, the proprietor, and he looked like he had seen better days. His face was drawn and there were bags under his eyes. It looked to Wu Jian like he had been going days on end without sleep.

“Mr. Won, what’s going on? Is everything okay? Why are there no customers?” asked Wu Jian.

“Ah. Young Jian and Meiying. It’s good to see you both. Hello, Ms. Hou, it is a pleasure to see you again,” the disheartened proprietor said. If Wu Jian had to describe the man’s voice with a single word, he would have said the man sounded “defeated.”

“What’s wrong, Mr. Won? How come there are no customers?” asked Wu Meiying.

Won Ju released a long, drawn out sigh. “All my customers are… gone. I’m guessing you haven’t heard yet since you’re asking. About three days ago, the Ming Family began selling Healing Pills in the north market. Word spread, and ever since then, my business has been dead.”

The three youngsters exchanged stunned looks. Wu Jian could see the same shock he felt reflected in the eyes of the two girls. He looked back at Won Ju.

“You mean they’re selling alchemy pills? Legitimate alchemy pills?” asked a shocked Wu Jian.

“That’s right,” Won Ju said with a bitter smile.

Wu Jian was shocked, though he didn’t think anyone would blame him. Alchemy pills were rare this far out since no alchemist worth their cauldron would bother coming to such a rural city. This place was the sticks. Literally. Even the Zhou Clan branch in Zahn City did not have their own dedicated alchemist from what he understood. They imported pills from Dahua City—a city that was several days travel from here and far bigger.

Hou Jingshu bit her thumb in worry. “Do you think they managed to hire an alchemist? I have trouble believing it. Alchemists are revered because there are so few of them within the Shang Kingdom. Even a third-rate alchemist would be welcome almost anywhere. Why would an alchemist bother coming all the way out here to the sticks? Zahn City doesn’t even have an Alchemist Association branch office.”

The Alchemist Association was an international sect that had branches in every nation. They were just below the Three Celestial Sects in power, but while the Three Celestial Sects possessed martial power, the Alchemist Association’s power came in the from of it's alchemists and connections. Not even the three most powerful sects on the Xiao Continent would pick a fight with them since it meant going against every nation on the continent.

“I don’t know, but maybe we should check it out. What do you think, Mei… ying?” Wu Jian turned to his closest friend to get her opinion, but he trailed off when he saw the glazed over look in her eyes. He shared a look with Hou Jingshu as Won Ju lamented his misfortunate, communicating with their eyes alone.

It looks like Wu Meiying is having a vision.

We should wait and ask her what she saw. It might have something to do with the alchemy pills the Ming Family is selling.

Good idea.

They waited for Wu Meiying to come back to them. The young girl blinked several times, eyelids fluttering as her eyes regained their clarity and focus. That was the easiest way to tell she had finished seeing whatever future she had been shown.

“What did you see?” asked Wu Jian.

Wu Meiying turned to him and Hou Jingshu, her expression serious, lips drawn into a thin line. “I saw trouble.”

***

Wu Meiying explained what she had seen in her vision while they were on their way to the north market. The group had unanimously decided to see the situation for themselves.

They wove through the crowd, which became more crowded the closer they got to the north market. It was like everyone in the city had decided to congregate there.

“I saw the Wu Clan’s destruction. A large army descended upon the compound, killed all the men, and kidnapped the women. I don’t think they were affiliated with any clan. Their armor was old and worn and they looked like brigands. My best guess is the people in my vision are mercenaries of some kind. They were probably hired by someone to take out our clan.”

What she had to say chilled Wu Jian’s blood. He did not doubt that this would happen if they did nothing. Wu Meiying’s visions always came true unless they directly interfered to stop it.

“What should we do?” asked Hou Jingshu. “Should we tell Lord Wu?”

“We will tell him what I saw, of course, but I don’t think this is going to happen for a while yet. It seemed like something that will happen in the not-so-distant future.” Wu Meiying paused as a couple of kids raced past them, playing a game of tag. “The first thing we should do is scout out the situation with those alchemy pills. I’m curious to know if they are selling real alchemy pills or skilled fakes.”

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“There’s also a chance that your vision and those alchemy pills have something to do with each other. I don’t believe it’s a coincidence that you saw a vision of the Wu Clan’s destruction just as we learned the Ming Family is selling alchemy pills,” Wu Jian said.

“I agree. It’s too convenient to be pure coincidence,” Hou Jingshu added.

“Well, we’ll see what’s going on soon enough. We’re at the north market,” Wu Meiying said.

The north market was named such simply because it was located in the northern section of Zahn City. It was a broad square with cobblestone roads centered around a fountain. The fountain was the only one in the city. It wasn’t anything special, just a small fountain with floral designs and water spouts from which water poured. A couple of kids were tossing a coin into the fountain and making wishes. Some old people sat on the bench surrounding it.

While north market was always busy, it had never been this crowded before. People were standing shoulder to shoulder as they crowded around a single stand. Wu Jian was, unfortunately, too short to see what the stand looked like. He grabbed Wu Meiying and Hou Jingshu by the hand and used his smaller size to slip through the crowd.

He eventually made his way to the front, where a young man and a young woman were standing. The two looked similar. Both had dark hair and eyes, pale skin, and young features. The woman was a bit older than the man and had crows feet around her eyes, making Wu Jian think her youthful appearance was the result of makeup and alchemy. Both of them wore a hanfu far more luxurious than anything he or anyone else in the Wu Clan could afford. Above the stand was a sign that read “Ming’s Alchemy Pills.”

“Welcome! Welcome, one and all! We will soon begin selling Healing Pills! Please, form a line! No rushing, no pushing. If you attempt to cut in line like some uncouth barbarian, you will be going home with nothing. That’s it, everyone. Good. Good. Now, the selling of Healing Pills shall commence!”

All the people who had been crowding around the stall soon formed a line. It was done with such single-mindedness that Wu Jian could only gape. He, Wu Meiying, and Hou Jingshu were soon pushed away from the crowd and stood some distance away, just watching as the young man handled all the sales.

The man was good at what he did. Not only was he able to make everyone who wanted alchemy pills form a single line, but each person who came up to him would get a dazzling smile as he handed them a small box that probably couldn’t contain more than two or three pills.

Of course, even one pill was a treasure in this city. The fact that they were being sold to commoners like they were candy stunned Wu Jian.

“What do you two think?” asked Wu Jian.

“That woman is the alchemist,” Hou Jingshu said.

He looked at her from his peripheral. “How can you tell?”

“Just look at how laid back she is. That arrogant posture is something I’ve come to expect from third-rate alchemists. There are many like her who, once they learn the basics of alchemy, get a big head and begin thinking they’re suddenly more important than they really are. Of course, alchemists are in short supply and even third-rate hacks are given special treatment. Hmph. That’s probably why people like her get such inflated egos to begin with.”

Wu Jian couldn’t keep himself from smiling as he listened to Hou Jingshu complain about alchemists. He should have expected this. As the Shang Kingdom’s only princess, her position was quite a bit higher than most alchemists.

The palace also had its own dedicated alchemist. She would not be impressed by the pills being sold here, unlike him.

“Speaking of, don’t alchemists also have their own ranking system?” Wu Jian asked.

“They do.” Hou Jingshu nodded once before explaining what she knew of alchemists and their ranking system. “Alchemists are ranked by tiers, which are based on what kind of pills they are able to refine. There are nine tiers, with one being the lowest and nine being the highest. I don’t know too much about alchemy itself, but I do know that in order to reach the next tier, all alchemists must pass a test from the Alchemist Association. There are also tournaments that take place in and some promising young alchemists who’ve won have been allowed to skip ahead if they prove they’re able to refine pills above their tier.”

Wu Jian listened intently to Hou Jingshu’s explanation. Wu Meiying wasn’t saying anything, but when he looked at her, he saw the girl glaring at the alchemy stand with something akin to disgust. He wondered what that was about, but most of his attention was still on Hou Jingshu and her explanation.

“And what tier do you think that woman is?”

“First tier.” The answer was immediate. “Look at her pills. Can you see the bumps on them? A talented alchemist would be able to make pills that are perfectly smooth. The Healing Pill is also the most basic pill an alchemist can create. Given its imperfections, she’s probably not even that good. Also, there’s no way an alchemist who is second tier or higher would bother coming out this way.” Hou Jingshu paused, then grimaced as a thought occurred to her. “Well, unless that person is a criminal. While rare, there have been a few alchemists who’ve committed crimes so heinous not even the royal family could forgive them.”

“Why is it rare for alchemists to commit a crime?”

“I didn’t say it was rare for them to commit a crime, did I?” When Wu Jian just stared at her, unable to understand what she meant, Hou Jingshu gave him a sad smile. “Alchemists are so necessary for our kingdom’s survival that even a first tier alchemist is allowed to… get away with certain things that would get a normal person thrown into prison.”

“In other words, those with talent are given special privileges that those without are not afforded,” Wu Meiying said, finally turning away from the stand in disgust. She crossed her arms and huffed. “How typical.”

“It can’t be helped. Cultivating alchemists isn’t easy. For starters, the only people who are even able to become alchemists are cultivators who possess an affinity for both fire and wood. How many people do you think have both of those elements? In the entire Shang Kingdom, there are maybe five hundred people at most who possess both. Each time we find one, their families are paid handsomely to send them to the Alchemist Association, where they are trained with the greatest care.”

While Hou Jingshu shrugged and explained all of this as if it was only natural, Wu Jian could tell she was bothered by the way her hands were clenched. She didn’t like this anymore than Wu Meiying did. But as the princess of the Shang Kingdom, she also understood how this was a necessity.

They were a small nation. Their economy was not that great. And they were surrounded on three sides by much more powerful nations who could attack them at any moment. Their nation could not afford to reject an alchemist even if they weren’t upstanding citizens.

Wu Jian looked back at the stand. He wondered what affinities he possessed and whether or not he would be capable of becoming an alchemist. Having the aptitude for alchemy would no doubt help the Wu Clan greatly. He could only imagine what heights the Wu Clan would be able to ascend to if he were to become one.

“I think we’ve seen everything we need to here,” Wu Meiying said. “Let’s leave.”

“Yeah. I’m sure Father already knows about the alchemy stand, but we still need to tell him about your vision,” Wu Jian added.

They turned around and were ready to leave north market—

“Hold it, you three! The young boy in the black hanfu with the girl on either side of him! Turn around!”

—but they barely made it ten feet when someone with a tone laced in arrogance shouted at them. They stopped out of instinct. It was easy enough to tell the person was talking to them. How many boys in a hanfu with a girl on either side of him were present? What they couldn’t understand was who had stopped them and why.

The trio turned around and found the woman who had been lounging behind the stand walking over to them. Now that she was closer, Wu Jian could see that her beauty was indeed the product of makeup and alchemy. It looked fake, nothing at all like Wu Meiying and Hou Jingshu, who were so naturally beautiful that they didn’t need any makeup to be prettier than a jade statue.

Her hanfu was a sky blue color, possessed gold lining the hem, and was made from two pieces. The top half was a simple long-sleeved ensemble with voluminous sleeves that flared out, a high collar, and golden branches decorating the sleeves and torso. The bottom half was a blue skirt that gradiated into a lighter blue as it disappeared beneath her top. She held a folding fan in her right hand.

 “Can I help you?” asked Wu Jian. He managed to keep his voice even and his face calm, but Wu Meiying was staring at the woman like she was a bug that needed to be stepped on.

The woman ignored Wu Meiying as she stopped in front of Wu Jian and began studying him with a scrutinizing gaze that honestly made him more than a little uncomfortable.

“Hmm. Hm. Hm hm.” A smile suddenly curled her lips. “Not too old or too young. And quite handsome too. Yes, I think you’ll do nicely.” She snapped her fan shut and pointed at him. “You will come with me. I have been looking for a cute young thing to play with for a while now, and you fit the bill perfectly. You may now feel suitably honored.”

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