Resplendent – Chapter 565

Chapter 565: Grudges and Debts

“Hey! Miss Ye, you’re here!” A familiar figure instantly bounded before Gu Ye. That speed was absolutely on par with a top-tier martial artist. The Chu brothers startled, instinctively shielding their sister behind them before their brains could process the situation.

Gu Ye tugged at her brothers’ collars, slipping between their pillar-like forms. She stared at the dark-clad man and asked, “Xiao Ba, what are you doing here?”

“Ha! Don’t even ask! Half a month ago, the Master tossed me a blueprint and ordered me to find the finest craftsmen to help build a house. At the time, I thought I must have committed some heinous crime without knowing it, causing my master to despise me. Little did I know he was entrusting me with a crucial task, to oversee the construction of your pharmaceutical factory! It’s truly an honor!” Yin Ba was the most talkative, smooth-talking, and slickest of the Four Shadow Guards. In plain terms, he was a total sly fox!

Recalling yesterday’s scene where this kid had donned Brother Chen’s clothes and been chased by her father, Gu Ye cleared her throat, suppressing a laugh. “Xiao Ba, how are you holding up?”

“Fine! I got plenty of exercise last night and slept like a log! I almost didn’t wake up this morning!” He finished with a wink at Gu Ye.

The Chu brothers, Chu Musong and Chu Mubai, couldn’t help but frown. Where did this kid crawl out from? Greasy-haired and sly-eyed. He was clearly no good!

“Who are you? Our younger sister’s factory is managed by the Defender Duke’s family. We don’t need your help!” Chu Mubai stepped forward, cutting off the kid’s shifty gaze from his sister.

Oh! The Defender Duke’s family? How impressive! If not for Miss Gu’s presence, Yin Ba would have retorted with scathing sarcasm. But since he was Miss Gu’s brother, he held his tongue.

He stepped around Chu Mubai, gesturing toward a sturdy middle-aged man nearby. “Miss Ye,” he said with a smile, “this is the master craftsman under our master’s command. The heated room you requested, along with the sun terrace featuring glass sliding doors were both completed by him. Oh, and he oversees the underfloor heating and fire proof wall at the factory. With him on board, the factory’s heating will be absolutely fine!”

Though Fanjing’s winters were shorter than those in Yan City, they still lasted over three months. Thus, heating was essential.

“Uncle Min, thank you for your help!” Gu Ye knew craftsmen of this caliber were usually extremely difficult to hire. Were it not for Brother Chen’s influence, the mere status of the Defender Duke might not have earned them a second glance.

The middle-aged man hastened to respond with humility, “You’re too kind, Miss!”

With such a skilled person on hand, Gu Ye’s mind began to race with ideas. She smiled and said, “Uncle Min, I have a concept. Could you help me see if it’s feasible?”

She described her concept: harnessing wind power to draw water from the lake, storing it in a water tower, and creating a rudimentary form of running water. This would eliminate the need for manual water drawing, saving both labor and time.

The craftsman clearly found her proposal intriguing. He pulled out a charcoal pencil and paper, squatting down to sketch and write. By the time he stood up with a smile, Gu Ye’s legs had gone numb from standing. “Young Miss, your mind is ingenious and your heart is as delicate as orchids. This running water idea is feasible! I’ll report back to you in a few days with the specific implementation plan.”

Gu Ye was overjoyed, exclaiming repeatedly, “Excellent! Excellent! Then I’ll trouble Uncle Min. I’ll await your good news!”

Craftsman Min took the blueprints and headed straight for the Yan Kingdom’s inn. After lengthy discussions with his master, he departed with complete satisfaction. 

Ling Juechen, with his engineering background, designed items like faucets and metal pipes. He ordered the Hidden Soul Palace’s R&D team to drop all other tasks and focus solely on manufacturing these components. Finally, before the pharmaceutical factory’s completion, they produced a batch.

“Sister, who exactly are they? Why are they helping us?” Chu Musong frowned deeply, eyeing Yin Ba warily.

“Relax, Fourth Brother. Don’t worry about their origins. Just know they’re here to help us!” Gu Ye strolled casually around the construction site. 

The scale of the pharmaceutical factory was already taking shape. With Brother Chen’s people present, she felt at ease.

Chu Mubai clapped his hands. “Sister, are these people you saved in the past? Are they helping us out of gratitude for saving their lives?”

Yin Ba, who had been accompanying Gu Ye on the inspection, chuckled at this. “Fifth Young Master is sharp! Our master’s life was snatched back from King Yama by your sister. Compared to saving his life, this little favor is nothing.”

“Not long ago, Minister Xue paid a visit to express gratitude for saving his father—the former Grand Secretary. Sister, how many lives have you saved?” Chu Mubai gazed at her as if she were a priceless treasure, his eyes brimming with boundless pride.

Gu Ye replied without hesitation, “As a healer, I never abandon hope, no matter how slim. Healing the sick is a physician’s sacred duty. What’s so extraordinary about that?”

Ordinary ailments could be treated by common doctors, rarely requiring her intervention. She only took on the most complex and intractable cases. Naturally, the debts of gratitude accumulated over time!

“Little Sister, if you hadn’t become an apothecary, you’d surely have been a divine healer!” Chu Mubai couldn’t help but exclaim.

“Being an apothecary doesn’t stop me from healing the sick!” Gu Ye couldn’t resist reminding him.

Chu Mubai naturally hadn’t forgotten how his younger sister had saved both Elder Doctor Liang’s grandson and Prince Li’s lives at the exam grounds. Indeed, pharmaceutical production and saving lives weren’t mutually exclusive. He just feared that once her reputation spread, she’d be overwhelmed by the demands!

After inspecting the construction site, Gu Ye couldn’t help but ask before leaving: “Xiao Ba, Steward Zhou, can the pharmaceutical factory be fully completed before the New Year?”

The two exchanged a glance before Yin Ba finally spoke up, “If we push the pace, it should be manageable!”

“Increase the wages and ensure the factory can commence production smoothly by next spring.” Starting operations sooner was undoubtedly beneficial. Delays meant squandered silver! Gu Ye’s penny-pinching nature was something that would never change.

Yin Ba solemnly assured her, “Rest assured, Miss! We’ll get it done!”

“Thank you for your hard work!” Gu Ye nodded. “Once it’s finished, I’ll treat you to a feast, delicacies so fresh that even Qingfeng Pavilion doesn’t have them!”

“Oh my! This servant couldn’t possibly refuse such an invitation. I’ll shamelessly impose!” Yin Ba grinned cheekily. 

Most of Qingfeng’s new dishes over the past two years had been created by Miss Gu herself. She was practically a walking, breathing cookbook. Who could resist the allure of fine cuisine? Yin Ba couldn’t help but feel excited!

Gu Ye returned home and headed straight to Rong’an Garden. No matter how busy her days were, she always made time to spend with Lady Jun, spoiling her and making her laugh. When her spirits were high, Lady Jun seemed to come alive. Though she never looked old, she appeared several years younger than before.

“Bao’er, tomorrow your mother will fulfill a vow at Anguo Temple. Will you accompany me?” Before her daughter’s exam, Lady Jun had made a solemn promise before the Bodhisattva. 

Now that her daughter had become the youngest female pharmacist in the field, though this hadn’t been publicly announced, her wish had finally come true. Naturally, it was time to repay that vow!

“Sure! I was just bored with nothing to do!” Gu Ye replied cheerfully.

The next day, Lady Jun dressed Gu Ye up beautifully. They boarded a carriage, escorted by her two most idle twin sons, and made their way to Anguo Temple outside the city.

It happened to be the first day of the twelfth lunar month, drawing a large crowd to the temple. Outside, a bustling market had formed: vendors hawked their wares with loud cries, acrobats drew cheers with their dazzling acts, and sugar-blowing artisans were surrounded by circles of wide-eyed children…

Stepping down from the carriage, Gu Ye wore a water-red, butterfly-embroidered, double-breasted light jacket that made her delicate face appear even more fair and tender. She wore a tea-colored, white magnolia-embroidered long skirt, resembling a graceful, upright lotus blossom. Hearing a burst of applause, she craned her neck to peer into the crowd watching the acrobats, her exquisite, jade-like face brimming with curiosity.

Lady Jun smoothed her daughter’s skirt hem and smiled, “After we make our offerings, I’ll have your two brothers escort you around the temple fair. Poor Bao’er, you’ve been in the capital for nearly two months and haven’t had a proper chance to explore!”

Indeed! The Great Pharmacists Convention stretched from autumn into early winter. Over these one and a half months, Gu Ye had endured five or six major and minor pharmacist examinations. How could she find time to wander the temple fair? 

Her last visit to Anguo Temple was marred by the presence of Lord Huang, Young Master Huang, and the detestable Crown Prince of Li Kingdom—leaving her no chance to step outside the temple grounds.

“Well, well! If it isn’t our esteemed Grand Pharmacist Chu! Our ever-busy one, how did you find time to burn incense and worship Buddha? I thought you only paid respects to the God and Goddess of Medicine. Oh, right! Miss Chu is far more formidable than the Goddess of Medicine these days!” That sarcastic tone and haughty attitude. 

Gu Ye didn’t need to turn around to know exactly who it was.

Sure enough, when she turned around, she saw Princess Anya staring at her with a faint, ambiguous smile. The princess wore a deep crimson robe embroidered with a hundred butterflies against a gold-flecked background, paired with a scarlet hibiscus-patterned skirt. Her delicate eyebrows were long and arched upward, her eyes clear and luminous, her nose high and straight, her lips red and teeth white. She possessed the vibrant beauty of peaches and plums, the regal splendor of peonies.

“Princess Anya, my sister has done nothing to offend you. Stop being so sarcastic!” Chu Mubai, aware of Princess Anya’s capricious nature, rushed to protect his younger sister, fearing she might be wronged.

“Nonsense! If I, Anya, take a dislike to someone, do I really need them to offend me? Get out of my way! This princess doesn’t speak to stinking men!” Princess Anya cast a dismissive glance at Chu Mubai, her posture dripping with arrogance.

“Stinking? Have you smelled us? How can you say we stink if you haven’t?” Chu Mubai retorted, refusing to be outdone. “Could it be that all the men in your Prince Qing’s manor reek so badly that it gives you this mistaken impression?”

“You… Chu! Xiao! Wu!” Princess Anya gritted her teeth so hard they ground together. Whenever she encountered this scoundrel, she rarely gained the upper hand—whether in combat or in verbal sparring.

Their ‘feud’ dated back to the royal hunt three years prior. At fourteen, Chu Mubai had accidentally saved Princess Anya when her poor horsemanship nearly caused her to fall from her horse. 

The rescue inevitably involved physical contact. With everyone watching, it risked tarnishing the young princess’s reputation. Both families then began discussing a marriage alliance…