Alchemists are scarce, so it is not surprising that forces that possess alchemists would hide their own alchemists.
It is almost a consensus among all cultivators not to ask about the source of the elixir, but Gong Chou's behavior broke this consensus. His purpose was to force Ling Xiang to reveal the alchemist behind the scenes.
Yuan Zhengqing felt very sympathetic towards Ling Xiang, but he was unable to help her. "Ling Xiang, what's your explanation for Gong Chou's accusation?"
"I have nothing to explain," Ling Xiang said. "Jishitang is a legitimate pharmacy and is licensed to sell medicines, including elixirs. Furthermore, the elixirs sold by Jishitang have no quality issues. Anyone who questions Jishitang for any reason is accusing them of slander."
Ling Xiang's words were very effective and he threw the issue of Gongchou back.
Gongchou was stunned for a moment, then immediately counterattacked:
"Ms. Ling, people without alchemy qualifications cannot sell pills! Excuse me, are the pills sold by Jishitang made by people with alchemy qualifications?"
Ling Xiang glanced at him and said, "The Alchemist qualification is issued by the Alchemy Palace and is solely under the control of the Alchemy Palace. Gong Chou, what right do you have to question me?"
Yuan Zhengqing nodded. "That's right. This government has no control over the qualifications of alchemists. Gongchou, if you can't provide evidence to prove that Miss Ling is not qualified to sell pills, this government will have no choice but to sentence you to the crime of false accusation according to the rules!"
Gong Chou immediately pulled out a token from his storage bag. It was the token of a director of the Alchemy Palace. "I am a director of the Alchemy Palace. Miss Ling, please tell me, is the alchemist you have qualified as an alchemist?"
"I underestimated you." Ling Xiang hadn't expected Gongchou, who was an orphan not long ago, to have so quickly colluded with the Dan Palace and even secured a director position. Did the Dan Palace issue director tokens so casually? Did their Palace Master know about this?
At this moment, the master of the Dan Palace, who was leisurely drinking tea, suddenly sneezed.
"Gong Chou, as far as I know, your talent is average, and you've only just started working with medicinal herbs. You haven't shown any talent for alchemy before. The Alchemy Palace has always been very strict in selecting candidates. Is this director token of yours real?"
"I dare to take it out, so I'm not afraid of being investigated!" Gong Chou respectfully presented the token to Yuan Zhengqing: "Please make the decision, Master Yuan."
Yuan Zhengqing took the token and examined it carefully, then looked at Ling Xiang: "It's real."
"Really?" Ling Xiang was puzzled. "Can you let me see it?"
Yuan Zhengqing waved the token to Ling Xiang. Ling Xiang examined it carefully and secretly smeared a colorless and odorless medicinal powder on it before returning it to Yuan Zhengqing. "I never thought that a director of the dignified Dan Palace would be willing to condescend to work as a small errand boy for my Jishitang."
"Miss Ling, just because you have no vision doesn't mean others don't have it either."
Gong Chou smiled complacently: "Ms. Ling, you won't let me ask the same question three times, right?"
Ling Xiang smiled: "It's okay, keep asking, I don't mind you talking too much."
Gong Chou said coldly: "This director is now representing the Dan Palace to check the qualifications of the alchemists in Jishitang. Miss Ling, please cooperate!"
Ling Xiang raised an eyebrow: "What if I don't cooperate? What will you do?"
The more Ling Xiang refused to cooperate, the happier Gong Chou became:
"If Miss Ling can't produce your alchemist qualifications, then Jishitang is illegally selling elixirs. According to the laws of the Dajing Empire, all illegal gains must be confiscated and a fine must be imposed. Miss Ling, you'd better think it over before answering this director."
This is a blatant threat.
Even if Yuan Zhengqing wanted to help Ling Xiang, he couldn't do anything about the Alchemy Hall's directors at this point. He kindly reminded her, "Ling Xiang, please ask the alchemist from the Zhenguo Marquisate to come over. We guarantee that no one will know about what happened today, and we won't leak any information about the alchemist from the Zhenguo Marquisate."
Ling Xiang cast a grateful look at Yuan Zhengqing, then turned to Gong Chou and said:
"I can't believe you, a country boy, know so much. The people behind you must have given you a lot of advice, right?"
Gong Chou was no fool. He could hear Yuan Zhengqing's intention to protect Ling Xiang and counterattacked, "Miss Ling, Master Yuan is here. How can you confuse the public?"
He kowtowed to Yuan Zhengqing again and said, "Master Yuan, Ling Xiang is so arrogant and lawless, and he has disregarded the court. Please make a decision, Master Yuan!"
Yuan Zhengqing always knew that Ling Xiang was very smart and knew what to do in his best interest, but today, he really didn't understand Ling Xiang.
Even if she didn't want others to know about the alchemist behind the Zhenguo Marquis Mansion, he had already made a promise that he would definitely protect the Zhenguo Marquis Mansion. Ling Xiang shouldn't have insisted on doing so.
"Miss Ling, it's only natural for you to have concerns. This government has granted you special permission to personally invite the alchemist here. You can have him wear a magic weapon and a mask to conceal his aura."
Ling Xiang bowed to Yuan Zhengqing and thanked him, "Thank you, Master Yuan, for your consideration. However, the matter of the alchemist qualification is only related to the Dan Palace, and Gong Chou is a director of the Dan Palace. It is really inappropriate to trouble Master Yuan with this. Why don't I go directly to the Dan Palace with him to avoid further trouble later."
Yuan Zhengqing didn't understand what Ling Xiang wanted to do, but he gave her full support: "That's fine, I'll go to the Dan Palace with you."
"I just don't know if Gong Chou dares to go?" Ling Xiang asked back.
"Dan Palace is my territory, why should I be afraid?" Gong Chou didn't expect Ling Xiang to dare to propose going to Dan Palace. The one who gave him the director's token was a big shot in Dan Palace. If Ling Xiang went there, he would be walking into a trap and seeking death!
The people from Shuntian Prefecture took Ling Xiang and Gong Chou to the Dan Palace.
The Dan Palace has never allowed outsiders to enter. Even if Yuan Zhengqing is the prefect of Shuntian Prefecture, he still needs permission to enter, and he is not allowed to bring yamen runners with him.
Gong Chou took out his director's token and said in a very confident tone, "I am Gong Chou, a director of the Alchemy Hall. Please invite Elder Huan Feibaihuan to verify the qualifications of the alchemists in Jishitang."
The people from Dan Palace checked Gongchou's token and passed the message after confirming that it was correct.
Before long, they were taken to a room upstairs.
A man who looked to be about forty years old came in from the door. He was wearing a dark blue Taoist robe and a token of the Alchemy Palace on his waist. On the token was an alchemy cauldron and four stars, indicating his identity as an elder of the Alchemy Palace.
"Greetings, Elder Huan." Gong Chou bowed respectfully.
Huan Feibai nodded, exchanged a few polite words with Yuan Zhengqing, then glanced at Ling Xiang, "Are you the one selling the pills? Take out your alchemist token."
Ling Xiang didn't do as he was told. He just pointed at Gong Chou and said, "I wonder if Elder Huan knows this person?"
"If you have no sincerity, why come to Dan Palace?" With Huan Feibai's status, he naturally would not take Ling Xiang seriously. He looked at Yuan Zhengqing.
"Master Yuan, please go back. This person does not have the qualifications to be an alchemist and is illegally selling elixirs. Our Alchemy Palace will handle it. Please do not trouble Master Yuan."
Yuan Zhengqing didn't move, and said calmly, "This prefecture has no intention of interfering in this matter. However, this person who claims to be a director of the Dan Palace came to my Shuntian Prefecture and submitted a complaint, so I had to intervene. Elder Huan, please take a closer look and see if you recognize this person."
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