Chapter 734: An Inevitable Passion

"Doctor Hua, is there something else?" Chen Xi asked, seeing Hua Tuo turn back, knowing he had more to say.

"I want to swap my courtyard with the one next door," Hua Tuo made a rather peculiar request.

"Why?" Chen Xi asked, puzzled.

"The courtyard next door has good feng shui; it’s more suitable for me to live in. It’s always full of various medicinal herbs, and although there are dried herbs stored in Fenggao, I need fresh ones to determine their properties," Hua Tuo explained with a serious expression.

"…Those were planted by Han Mou, not something that grew naturally," Chen Xi said with a blank expression, knowing that Qu Qi would probably be on the verge of breaking down if his research garden were to be taken over.

"Herbs are naturally occurring; how could they be planted by human hands?" Hua Tuo dismissed the idea with a wave, clearly not believing Chen Xi.

"How can I put this… You know, food grains are also grown by people. What about in the beginning?" Chen Xi said helplessly, knowing how difficult it was to explain these things to someone from ancient times.

"According to the ancient texts, the divine ancestor Emperor Yan, Shennong, was the one who cultivated the Five Grains. He was a deity, beyond what mere mortals could achieve," Hua Tuo responded indignantly, refusing to allow such a comparison.

"I’m at my wit's end. Okay, look, have you ever heard of someone performing surgery on a person before?" Chen Xi asked, noticing Jia Xu gazing at the sky and Li You counting ants on the ground, realizing he’d have to handle the explanation himself.

Jia Xu and Li You didn’t have much to say about whether herbs could be planted since they had seen Qu Qi grow mushrooms and wood ear fungus before. They had come to the conclusion that Qu Qi could grow just about anything, so they didn’t bother questioning it.

"Surgery?" Hua Tuo frowned at the word but replied, "No, that’s something I discovered by chance. Unlike what others say, it’s not some immortal technique."

"Your medical skills, Hua Laoge, are even more miraculous than immortal techniques," Jia Xu interjected.

Zuo Ci's healing abilities couldn’t compare to Hua Tuo's, and the skills Hua Tuo had honed to perfection were beyond ordinary comprehension. Not only could Hua Tuo instinctively identify medicinal properties, but he could also suppress illnesses for a period of time, a talent that made him practically supernatural.

"So, you see, just because it didn’t exist before doesn’t mean it can't exist now. The person living next to you, Han Mou, is responsible for the high crop yields in Qing, Xu, and Taishan. He’s very skilled at growing things. If not for this, I wouldn’t have placed him next to you. He’s just as much a rare talent as you are," Chen Xi explained with a smile.

Hua Tuo paused in thought, clearly taken aback. "So, it really can be grown?"

"If you need, you can ask him to plant some in your courtyard too. Then you’ll see the results for yourself," Chen Xi reassured him, not caring about whether Qu Qi might get annoyed by Hua Tuo’s requests.

"In that case, I’ll go back and keep a close eye on things," Hua Tuo said, nodding before he left, swaying slightly as he walked.

"Clang." Huang Yueying suddenly appeared in front of Chen Xi, and a small hammer fell from her sleeve, nearly hitting Chen Xi’s foot.

"Miss Huang, haha, do you have something you’d like to ask as well?" Chen Xi asked, seeing that Huang Yueying was a bit embarrassed by the hammer falling out of her sleeve.

"I’m here with Master Zheng. I need some support, and Master Zheng has something to report," Huang Yueying replied gracefully, bowing slightly before she spoke.

"I’m not worthy of being called ‘Master’ by Miss Huang," Zheng Hun quickly declined the title, not wanting to accept even the slightest courtesy from her.

When Huang Yueying first appeared at Zheng Hun’s workshop, he didn’t think much of it, as most of the women who came to commission something were usually noble ladies ordering custom items. He assumed Huang Yueying was no different.

However, after observing Huang Yueying’s talent and skills, Zheng Hun was utterly shocked. She was a true genius, able to propose solutions to problems he couldn’t solve. After only a few days, Zheng Hun realized that she was far more than just a skilled worker—she was an exceptional intellect who had chosen to live and work humbly.

"Alright, what do you need?" Chen Xi asked, half-expecting the request, but still cautious due to Huang Yueying’s unpredictable demands.

"I’d like to visit different parts of the city and have a city map, if possible. I’ll need protection during these visits. I also need full access to the archives for any texts related to craftsmanship. Moreover, I need master-level craftsmen to produce some of my designs…" Huang Yueying listed over ten different requests.

"I can understand most of these, but what do you need glass ornaments, glassware, and mirrors for?" Chen Xi asked, puzzled.

Huang Yueying didn’t answer, but her eyes sparkled as she looked at Chen Xi, reminding him of the look Mi Zhen had when she first saw a set of gleaming glassware and a large glass mirror. It also brought back memories of the disappointment on Fan Jian and Chen Lan’s faces when the only set of finished products was gifted to Cai Yan instead of them. Chen Xi couldn’t help but sigh.

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