Caizhentang

  That thin and sallow middle-aged official picked up the last piece of beef bone from the plate and took a bite.

  "That's for sure. I, Old Li, had already sprinkled 'Three Days Without Dispersing' on the bandit chief when I discovered him in the county town. Do you know what this stuff is? This is the famous tracking powder from 'Caiyao Hall' in the county town. As long as a tiny bit is scattered,"

  The official with the surname Li used his little finger to gesture and continued with a pleased expression: "Within three days, no matter where that bandit leader escapes to, I, Official Li, can catch him. However, this thing is not something others can obtain; if it weren't for my relationship with Li Dasanren of the Medicine Hall, I wouldn't have been able to get it either."

  "Is Li Ye and Li Da Shanren from Cai Yao Tang relatives?"

  The officials all showed a look of surprise and let out a burst of astonished cries.

  Although they had heard this from Li Guan's mouth hundreds of times, and were already fed up with it. However, they knew their boss loved to show off this relationship, so each time they would put on a look of surprise and admiration to please Li Guan.

  It is said that this medicinal herb hall in Zhūqí County is also very famous. Its main business is collecting medicine, owning thousands of hectares of good fields, dozens of storefronts, and over a thousand disciples and apprentices, making it the largest and most powerful family in Zhūqí County.

  It is said that the master of the medicine hall, Li Daxin, was a fugitive in the rivers and lakes in his early years. He had a notorious reputation within the borders of Zhugui County. Later, he washed his hands and stopped fighting, and joined the famous Medicine King Gang in Pingzhou Prefecture. He became the master of the medicine hall under the Medicine King Gang, supplying medicinal materials to the gang. He also earned the title of Li Daxin on the rivers and lakes. Now, he has become the richest and most powerful man in Zhugui County, with great influence, and is also a peer of the county magistrate of Zhugui County.

  But the people of Zhujici County, who knew Li Daxin's true nature and origin, would secretly scold him as a big villain who eats people without peeling their skin or spitting out their bones. He was the most evil person in the entire county, even worse than the tyrannical County Magistrate of Zhujici County, who was notorious for extorting money from the people.

  All officials knew this, but they didn't dare say it out loud, and only dared to mutter to themselves when no one was around.

  This Medicine Hall in Zhujie County Town is far superior to those poor officials from the county government who run around exhausting themselves catching thieves. Not to mention the master Li, even if a slightly higher-ranking master were to come out, they would still be able to order these officials around with ease.

  A young official saw that Li's wine cup was empty, and hastily picked up the large jug of wine on the table to refill it. He filled it exactly to the brim, not a drop more or less, showing off his skill in pouring wine.

  He fawned on Li: "Li, I heard something yesterday. The Medicine Collection Hall is going to publicly recruit a batch of medicine collection apprentices under the age of 12 in the county town these days. Can you help me say a word and let my nephew learn a skill? I will never forget Li's kindness for the rest of my life."

  The other officials also stopped their wine cups and listened intently. Who among them didn't have a son, nephew or some relative? If they could get their children to work for the wealthy and powerful Cai family in Zhutou County, it would be a good life, with something to look forward to, and a comfortable day-to-day existence.

  Even Ye Qin, hiding in the shade on one side of the awning, heard the official say that the Medicine Hall in Zhujici County was openly recruiting medicine boys under the age of twelve. He was taken aback and his heart skipped a beat, feeling vaguely that this was an opportunity.

  Ye Qin immediately disregarded the danger and poked half of his head out from the thatched hut to carefully listen to what the officials were saying, trying to figure out what was going on.

  Li Guan was gnawing on a beef bone, and upon hearing this, the meat in his mouth stopped moving, revealing a look of difficulty. "This... Adopting Medicine Hall is going to publicly recruit medicine boys, it's true. However, being a medicine boy isn't exactly a good job!"

  He thought of something at this point, but didn't say it again.

  Li Guan often boasted about his relationship with Li Dasan in front of other officials, but whenever the subject of the medicine hall came up, he would suddenly become tight-lipped and reluctant to say a word, as if there was something holding him back.

  All the officials were anxious, at this critical moment, why didn't they say anything? Usually not saying is fine, but now that the pharmacy is recruiting young apprentices, such a good thing isn't seen every day.

  They all came up to persuade him with wine, taking turns to flatter him, saying: "Master Li, you are the closest relative of Li Dasan, and among us, you are the most familiar with the Medicine Hall. Can you tell us brothers how to get in?"

  A bowl of wine and meat was brought up, Li Guan couldn't resist the persuasion of the crowd, saying:

  Well, brothers, today I'll teach you a lesson so that you won't suffer losses in the future and blame me for not warning you beforehand. This Medicine Hall is divided into two branches: the Inner Hall and the Outer Hall. The Outer Hall specializes in training a group of medicine collectors to go deep into the mountains, old forests, precipitous peaks, and streams to collect wild herbs. The Inner Hall is responsible for identifying medicines, drying medicines, cutting medicines, making medicines, managing the storefront, delivering medicines, and other tasks, usually staying within the county town.

  If there's a way to make money and have connections, getting into the inner circle would be great, just sitting back and enjoying the wealth. It's much better than our exhausting and bloody official duties.

  If you enter the outer hall, tsk, I won't say what's inside, let alone Mr. Li, I didn't warn everyone, that mountain medicine picking job, is one or two out of ten can survive, it's more miserable than our official duties.

  "This Medicine King Hall is one of the fifth largest Jianghu gangs in Pingzhou - Medicine King Gang's hall, with strict rules and many internal secrets that won't be easily revealed to outsiders. If brothers have sons or nephews who want to join Medicine King Hall, they should find a connection to enter the inner hall, absolutely not the outer hall. If you don't know the inside story and rashly join the outer hall, that's seeking death."

  The officials were secretly delighted, as long as they knew the inside story, it would be easy to handle.

  As for the back door, isn't there one right in front of you? What's left is just a matter of silver. To get an introduction from Li Daquan, it also requires spending some silver. This aspect is a bit tricky, these low-level errand officers don't usually have much to gain. Some officials with silver will use their brains. Officials without silver simply gave up on the idea of letting their own children and nephews enter the Imperial Academy.