CHAPTER 213: CHAPTER 83: I’M THIRD-GRADE, WHAT GRADE ARE YOU?

The next morning, shortly after the early imperial court session, Ye Lingyue took a carriage into the Imperial Palace.

It was still early for the Daxia Imperial Hospital to begin its daily routines, so Ye Lingyue first visited Chaohua Palace to pay her respects to Empress Liu, also bringing some fruits cultivated from Hong Meng Heaven.

As she approached the corridor of the palace, she saw Emperor Xia walking out from Empress Liu’s sleeping chamber.

Ye Lingyue hurriedly mimicked the palace maids and eunuchs to give her salutations.

Empress Liu’s personal old nanny came forward to greet her.

"Princess Ye, you have arrived. The Empress is grooming herself, please allow this old servant to offer you some pastries in the side hall."

People in Chaohua Palace all sided with Ye Lingyue, as she was a great benefactor to Empress Liu and the Sixth Prince, thus treating her with affection.

After chatting with the old nanny for a moment, Ye Lingyue learned that recently, Emperor Xia had started to choose Empress Liu’s placard again and had stayed overnight in Chaohua Palace.

This was indeed good news.

Ye Lingyue felt secretly delighted, as it seemed that after dispelling the Love Grass on Yao Concubine’s Hundred Fragrance Pill, Emperor Xia was no longer enchanted by that evil concubine.

In the midst of their conversation, Empress Liu appeared, her hair piled high and her black hair like Long Yu, her lips without the slightest trace of rouge, making her look as youthful and beautiful as when she first entered the Imperial Palace.

It seemed that with Emperor Xia’s care, Empress Liu looked better with each passing day.

After exchanging a few pleasantries with Empress Liu, Ye Lingyue looked around; Empress Liu, understanding her hint, commanded everyone to leave.

Ye Lingyue then revealed to Empress Liu the incident regarding the Hundred Fragrance Pill from a few days ago.

"Truly, such a thing occurred! That Hong Fang really dared to bring such an evil being into the palace, what is his true intention?" Empress Liu was furious.

"Empress, I am still investigating this matter, please do not tell the Emperor for the time being. I suspect that Yao Concubine and Hong Fang will not easily relent," Ye Lingyue cautioned, but so far, neither Yao Concubine nor Hong Fang had shown any movements.

However, intuition told Ye Lingyue that this was just the calm before the storm.

Empress Liu was also a cautious person; nearly a decade in the cold palace had made her much more prudent.

"This palace has heard that you are to take up a post at the Imperial Hospital today. If anyone bullies you, you can always tell this palace; if I am not here, you can go tell the Empress Dowager," said Empress Liu, who, along with the Empress Dowager, were the biggest supporters Ye Lingyue could rely on.

After talking for a while longer and seeing that the time was almost up, Ye Lingyue left for the Imperial Hospital.

The Daxia Imperial Hospital was a gathering place for both alchemists and doctors of Daxia.

The Imperial Hospital was responsible for the daily cuisine of elixir pills and medical diagnosis. The hospital comprised over forty court alchemists and doctors.

Guided by a palace maid, Ye Lingyue arrived at the Imperial Hospital and saw rows of well-arranged courtyards before her.

Based on the information Ye Lingyue had gathered, she knew the Imperial Hospital was divided into the Outer, Middle, and Inner Courtyards.

The Outer Courtyard was for the daily work and study of basic-level court alchemists.

The Middle Courtyard was the working area for court alchemists who had been there for over five years.

The Inner Courtyard was the territory for communication between old court alchemists, old imperial physicians, and the chief administrator.

On the first day of reporting for duty, a new court alchemist would report to the Inner Courtyard.

Just entered the Inner Courtyard and saw a fifty-year-old elder with gray and black beard, dressed in an Alchemist Robe, sitting upright on a Taishi Chair with his eyes closed.

He squinted, playing with two white jade carved little lions in his hands, behind him stood Nangong Qinglin, who was obediently massaging the elder’s back.

On the left side of the elder stood several alchemists and Imperial Physicians, reporting the affairs of the Imperial Hospital to Chief Chou, the supervisor of the Court Alchemists.

Upon seeing Ye Lingyue, Nangong Qinglin’s mouth curled into a sinister smile.

Ever since that one time, after being caned fifty times by the Empress Dowager, Nangong Qinglin had been bedridden for over half a month.

General Jin Jian pleaded several times to his master, Chief Chou, who only under the pretext of the Imperial Hospital being understaffed, begged the Empress Dowager to temporarily lift Nangong Qinglin’s confinement.

Heaven knows, the position of the court alchemist was originally Nangong Qinglin’s.

It was a pity, at that time, the Empress Dowager said Nangong Qinglin was just a Fourth Rank Alchemist, not qualified for a Court Alchemist, who would know that in the blink of an eye, the Empress Dowager designated Ye Lingyue as a Court Alchemist.

This incident, completely made Nangong Qinglin hate Ye Lingyue.

It also dissatisfied Chief Chou, who always felt he was better than Long Yu in every aspect.

The master and disciple made up their minds, they must deal with Ye Lingyue.

Ye Lingyue, oh Ye Lingyue, there is a way to heaven yet you don’t take it, and you barge into hell when there’s no door.

You think, by relying on old Long Yu’s relationship, becoming a Court Alchemist is a big deal?

You are walking into a tiger’s lair, Master hates nothing more than that old guy Long Yu, watch today, Master will not let you off.

"Subordinate Ye Lingyue, greets Chief Chou."

Ye Lingyue said respectfully.

Upon hearing the words "Ye Lingyue," the Imperial Physicians and Alchemists who were reporting duties, in unison like trained dogs at a command, turned to look at her sharply.

Is this Ye Lingyue?

Just an ordinary girl, looking at her Alchemist Robe, merely a Fourth Rank Alchemist, why would the Empress Dowager favor her so much to appoint her as a Court Alchemist?

Ye Lingyue just stood there and felt many hostile gazes.

It seems, these people of the Imperial Hospital, have some objections towards her, the new Court Alchemist.

A fourteen-year-old Court Alchemist, undoubtedly made a new record in the history of the Daxia Imperial Hospital.

"How audacious, seeing my master yet you dare to stand, not kneel down." Seeing Ye Lingyue neither kneeling nor cowering, but instead looking around with confident eyes, Nangong Qinglin immediately became furious.

This is the Imperial Hospital, her master is the supervisor, Ye Lingyue as a newcomer, first day on the job, neither kneeling nor offering a gift, is too arrogant.

Ye Lingyue, this little wild breed, actually thinks, with the Empress Dowager and Empress backing her up, she can disregard everything.

"Hehe, Nangong Qinglin, it seems your buttock wound has mostly healed. Kneel? For what reason should I kneel? My grade is Third-grade, what is yours? I am a Third-grade Princess personally conferred by the Empress Dowager and sanctioned by the Emperor. Chief Chou as head of the Imperial Hospital, is also a third-grade official. We two are of the same rank, according to Daxia Laws, same rank officials do not need to pay respects to each other. It is you... and those present, according to rank, should pay respects to me, especially you, Nangong Qinglin, someone without any official title, seeing this Third-grade Princess, not kneeling to pay respects, otherwise don’t blame me for again reporting to the Empress Dowager a great disrespect on your part." Ye Lingyue’s eyes flashed, and she snorted coldly.

Upon hearing this, Nangong Qinglin immediately looked like an eggplant hit by frost, she seekingly looked towards Chief Chou, whose hand gesture stiffened, clearly shaken by Ye Lingyue’s words.

Ye Lingyue, word by word, didn’t say anything wrong at all.

Daxia Laws, without rank kneel to Third-grade, it’s natural and rightful.