Resplendent – Chapter 390

Chapter 390: It’s Over!

But having only just met Grand Pharmacist Jiang for the first time today, bringing other people along so suddenly might risk displeasing him—and then everything would fall apart!

“Fatty! Weren’t you offering to treat us? Leaving your guests standing here while you whisper to someone else—is this how the esteemed Prince Tai treats his guests?” Gu Ye seemingly sensed that something was off. She smirked slightly, ready to give the plump prince a hard time.

“Coming, coming!” Prince Tai wiped the sweat from his forehead and turned to Guo Chao. He said, “This is my final question—are you lending me the private room or not?”

Guo Chao gritted his teeth. “No! Unless you tell Grand Pharmacist Jiang and the Gu family that I, Guo Chao, am the host of this meal!”

“Fine! You win!” Prince Tai stamped his foot in frustration, giving him a fierce glare.

“Well, well! Isn’t this Ninth Brother? Why are you standing outside Qingfeng Pavilion? Did you forget to make a reservation?” A mocking voice drifted over from behind them.

Prince Tai’s heart sank. It was his rival, his Eleventh Brother, who always loved to oppose him. 

No way—he couldn’t let Eleventh know he had bragged about hosting the grand pharmacist, only to be caught unprepared. Otherwise, who knew how badly this guy would mock and undermine him?

“I have some business to settle with Chao. Eleventh Brother, go ahead inside!” Prince Tai’s urgent tone carried a hint of unease.

Nangong Che, ever perceptive, noticed his brother’s discomfort and paused, a sly smile playing on his lips. “Is Ninth Brother treating? In that case, I’ll shamelessly join and beg for a drink! Which private room is it? Surely Ninth Brother wouldn’t mind my company?”

“Eleventh Brother, today isn’t a good time. I’ll treat you another day… Your friends are waiting for you, don’t keep them waiting!” Prince Tai glanced toward the main hall of Qingfeng Pavilion, beads of sweat forming on his forehead again. 

It was over—if he offended Grand Pharmacist Jiang and the Gu family today, his own ailment would likely remain unresolved…

Nangong Che grew even more curious. Who could make his usually indifferent Ninth Brother this tense? 

Right! He’d heard that lately that his brother had been persistently visiting the Pharmacist Hall, seeking meetings with Master Jiang and Master Baili. Could it be that today he’d actually succeeded?

Following Prince Tai’s gaze into Qingfeng Pavilion, Nangong Che saw an older man and four younger companions chatting leisurely inside. Among the younger ones, one boy looked familiar—ah, wasn’t that Grand Pharmacist Jiang’s only son?

Nangong Che inwardly scoffed. So much for important people—it was just a young boy who hadn’t even earned his intermediate pharmacist certification. 

It seemed his Ninth Brother was trying to take a roundabout route by getting to know Jiang Qiu’s son to ultimately meet his father. Too bad—many had tried that approach, and not a single one had succeeded!

Nangong Che shook his head, dismissing the thought. Recently, he’d been making overtures to another Grand Pharmacist. Grand Pharmacist Huang, in his fifties, wasn’t nearly as aloof as he pretended to be! Compared to the other two Grand Pharmacists of Dongling, he was relatively easier to approach.

Nangong Che decided to let his brother off the hook, giving him a disdainful smile before striding confidently into Qingfeng Pavilion. 

Prince Tai exhaled deeply. His Eleventh Brother was as cunning as a thousand-year-old fox—if he got involved, there’d be no room left for anyone else.

But as soon as he turned around, his plump face turned into a picture of despair again. What was he going to do? He’d invited such esteemed guests, yet there was no table reserved to entertain them! Turning around, he noticed Guo Chao had slipped away at some point. Prince Tai’s face fell into despair—this was a total disaster! 

“Fatty! What’s going on with you?  Eating one meal at your expense shouldn’t cause you to show so much pain on your face, right? Besides, you’re the one who offered to treat us as an apology. Are you backing out now?” Gu Ye teased him, her tone dripping with mockery.

Prince Tai shuffled closer, wearing a mournful expression. “It’s not about the money… I got carried away and forgot that dining at Qingfeng Pavilion requires reserving a table in advance…”

“You didn’t reserve?” Gu Ye feigned surprise. “So where do you expect us to eat without a table?  Are we supposed to hold our plates and squat in the main hall?”

Prince Tai looked utterly defeated, mumbling, “Little Aunt Master, could you put in a good word for me with Grand Pharmacist Jiang? Please wait here for a bit—I’ll try to figure something out…”

Who do you think you are? How could you ask me to put in a good word for you? Just because you call me ‘Little Aunt Master’ a few times doesn’t mean we’re actually related!  Gu Ye rolled her eyes dramatically.

“Fine, you go figure it out at your own pace. We’ll head over to Buchan Palace to rest and have some tea in the meantime!” Gu Ye put away the jade token in her hand. 

As soon as she entered, she presented this token. Her Brother Chen had told her that possessing this jade token was akin to him being present in person. 

Sure enough, the shopkeeper treated her with the utmost respect, mentioning that their master had instructed to reserve the Buchan Palace private room for her, and wished her success in the upcoming Pharmacist Convention.

Many of the senior pharmacists attending the Great Pharmacists Convention in the capital were wealthy and eager to secure auspicious meanings, so they flocked to reserve the Buchan Palace room. Upon learning it was already reserved, they left disappointed.

In the main hall, several senior pharmacists dining there couldn’t help but glance over upon hearing mention of the Buchan Palace. They were curious to see who had managed to secure it.

At that moment, Grand Pharmacist Jiang, having just finished catching up with some acquaintances, returned to stand by his Junior Sister. He too had heard of the Buchan Palace private room and assumed it was reserved by that Prince Tai. This impressed him and left him feeling satisfied with the prince’s attentiveness.

This year, his son, Junior Sister, and one of his disciples all signed up for the competition. The Buchan Palace was indeed a good omen. By a twist of fate, Grand Pharmacist Jiang appreciated Prince Tai’s thoroughness in handling things!

Any apothecary who had passed the rigorous exams would surely know Grand Pharmacist Jiang. 

When they saw him heading towards the third floor, they realized that the Buchan Palace had actually been reserved by Grand Pharmacist Jiang himself! No wonder he was called a Grand Pharmacist! 

If Qingfeng Pavilion belonged to their family, they would certainly reserve the best private rooms for the Grand Pharmacists as well!

Under the guidance of Shopkeeper Zhang, the group entered the Buchan Palace. This room was even more refined than the one at Qingfeng Pavilion in Yan City. Every ornament, every painting, exuded understated luxury. 

Jun Qicheng pointed to a painting in awe, saying, “This is a piece by the renowned painter from the previous dynasty, Zhu Zhai, and it’s here! What a waste of such a treasure!”

“Good calligraphy and paintings should be appreciated to reflect their value.  Letting more people enjoy the works of the former dynasty’s artists here is better than hoarding them at home like some old broom,” Gu Ye replied. 

In her past life, many famous paintings were displayed in museums for people to view, so she didn’t find it so remarkable.