3 How to Get Started 3

The grey-haired Luo Junyuan froze when he heard the Second Ducal Prince speak to the man in the straw hat. This was not what he had expected to happen! Why did he have to be sending off their esteemed guest at that very moment?

Wasn't this just asking for a face-smacking?

To tell the truth, he had forgotten that Hall Manger Zheng Zhanqi was meeting with the Second Ducal Prince that day. It was written down in the list of appointments that Fu Lai Medicine Hall used, to keep track of the famous, or infamous, people that visited their Hall. So that they would be able to keep track of the services that they have provided, to the major characters and such, in the Kingdom.

And the Second Ducal Prince was one of the personal guests of the Old Marquis! And the only son of his only daughter! In fact, it was no secret that he had been specifically invited to Changqing City by the same, so that his maternal grandfather could guide him on the martial arts that he was practicing. Apparently, both of them belonged to the same Martial Arts School, albeit different branches. So the Old Marquis was doing his best to ensure that the Second Ducal Prince would not let down its good name.

Of course, to ensure that he did not let down his Senior, the Second Ducal Prince had been scouring the City and all of its shops, in hopes of finding some miraculous medicinal herb that could be used to enhance his gains. After all, it was only three more years until the Martial Arts Competition was to be held in the Capital, and everybody knew that he could not afford to waste any time.

Which was probably why he had taken the initiative to speak out to this seemingly unassuming itinerant harvester of herbs, simply because of the unusual medicinal smell that was issuing from the bundle on his back.

The same herbs, it appeared, that had caused Luo Junyuan to send him up to the third floor earlier, so that the Hall Manager could deal with the sale of the same. After all, Assistant Hall Manager Luo had already suffered a loss at the hands of the same fellow, a short while back.

The Hall Manager glanced at him then, probably to bring to mind the humiliating experience that Assistant Hall Manager Luo had gone through back then, when the whole thing came to light at the Medicine Hall's official staff meeting. And that brief gaze was enough to promise him a lifetime's worth of pain, if the situation got any worse than it did.

Luo Junyuan felt as though there was a huge hand, squeezing at his urinary bladder! For a brief moment, he could feel as though he was about to let go, and leak all over the place. And on the Medicine Hall's third floor, at that!

Then he got himself back under control. And waited anxiously for the man in the straw hat to make his answer.

And from the intent looks on Hall Manager Zheng, and the Second Ducal Prince, so were they! Which meant that all three of them, who were perhaps, the most important people on the third floor of Fu Lai Medicine Hall at the moment, were waiting for the man in the straw hat!

"Oh? You can smell it already? That is a fine nose that you have on you! And good sense as well, to make me an offer like that! It might save you a bit of money!" laughed the man in the faded green robe. His straw hat dipped, as though he was nodding in acknowledgement of the Second Ducal Prince's greeting.

Which was enough to warm Luo Junyuan's heart. There! I didn't lie about that man's hubris, at least, he thought, as he shot a glance at the Hall Manager beside him. That had been one of the things that he had been taken to task for, during the monthly meeting. That he had allowed a simple itinerant martial artist to mock the good name of the Medicine Hall.

Well, they couldn't blame him for that now, could they? Especially since he was doing the same thing to the Second Ducal Prince. And right before your eyes at that!

Then the man in the straw hat gestured, as if he was the host! And even the Second Ducal Prince seemed a little surprised at the way how this one had taken over the whole proceedings! He was inviting the Second Ducal Prince back upstairs! To talk about the herbs in his possession! On the sacred third floor of Fu Lai Medicine Hall, no less!

Hall Manager Zheng's face darkened briefly as soon as he saw that. But the old man whose hair and beard had all turned white was not incapable of following the flow when there was no other choice. So he gestured too, and led the pair to back to the place where the Second Ducal Prince had been entertained earlier.

In the brief time that the Hall Manager and the Second Ducal Prince had left their seats, the highly efficient maids on the third floor had already cleared up the tea cups and other signs of their earlier meeting. Which allowed for the trio to take up their places freely, there at the open-styled meeting zone.

There was a long bench-like chair, that was covered with elaborate, red-threaded upholstery, much like a couch, at one end of the meeting space. That was clearly where the head of the meeting was supposed to be seated. And soft, square pillows that were covered in a cloth that matched the design of the seat cushions, were left on either side of where the host would sit.

As for the other chairs, they were obviously smaller in size, although similarly upholstered. Next to them were side-tables of a dark red Rosewood. And there was a small incense-burner in the corner of the whole arrangement, throwing a soft, subtle, soothing scent over the whole area.

And much to the surprise of everyone else present, the stranger in the faded green robe strode directly towards the longest bench, without any hesitation whatsoever. And promptly sank his bottom down on the same!

Heavens! Luo Junyuan almost fell to his knees at once, when he saw that.

Was this fellow not giving the Medicine Hall, or Hall Manager Zheng, any face at all?

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