Chapter 023: A Rather Charming Girl

Jin'er searched the city for a pharmacy, finally finding three, but none were willing to take her in.

"Little girl, you'd better go. Our shop only makes enough to feed our own family; we really don’t need extra hands," the last pharmacy owner said with a troubled expression.

"I don’t want wages, just a place to stay and three meals a day," Jin'er insisted.

"No, really, we can’t. You’ve seen it yourself—our shop isn’t big, and there’s no extra space for you to live. Why not try the Imperial Physician Hall up ahead? It's the largest pharmacy in town, and I hear the owner used to be a palace physician. He’s highly skilled, and business is good. You might have a chance there."

Hearing this, hope flickered once more in Jin'er’s eyes. After carefully asking for the address, she thanked the owner and made her way toward the Imperial Physician Hall.

Actually, the Imperial Physician Hall wasn’t always called that. Who would dare name a shop so boldly in the capital? But after the fall of the Mu Kingdom and the capital’s renaming to a prefectural city, the owner changed the name to reflect their specialty and standards.

By now, dusk was settling. Jin'er hurried forward, silently praying, “Mother, Jin'er has returned. Please watch over me.”

On her way, she passed the street outside the palace. She turned and gazed at the familiar, long-forgotten palace walls, standing in desolate silence. The huge white seals across the red palace gates were glaringly conspicuous.

Under the twilight, her small figure stood alone on the street. Her waist-length hair danced in the wind, and her beautiful, clear almond eyes glimmered with cold hatred. After a lingering, solemn glance, she turned and left, resolute.

After weaving through two more alleys, she finally found the Imperial Physician Hall.

Taking a deep breath, Jin'er stepped inside. She saw a spacious room with three large medicine cabinets, a tall cashier’s counter, a row of stools, tables and chairs for consultations, and two sickbeds—certainly larger than the three shops she’d visited before.

"Little girl, are you here to see a doctor?" A handsome young man greeted her with a smile.

Perhaps because it was late, only one customer waited for medicine; there were no other patients.

"Excuse me, do you need extra hands here?" Jin'er asked him earnestly.

The young man was taken aback, then, after a moment, almost amused, he looked at her. "You’re looking for work?"

Jin'er nodded seriously. "I can fetch medicine, decoct herbs, recognize many medicinal plants, cook and do laundry, any odd tasks or hard labor—I can do it all. I don’t need wages, just a place to stay and simple meals."

But before he could finish, Jin'er suddenly dashed to the side.

One of the assistants carrying medicinal herbs had accidentally spilled them all over the floor. Jin'er promptly ran over to help.

Nearby, an elderly white-haired man about to leave for a break happened to overhear Jin'er’s conversation with the assistant. Now, seeing her crouched down, carefully picking up the herbs, he stroked his beard, nodding in approval. What a likable girl.

Once the herbs were gathered, Jin'er dusted off her hands and stood up.

"Thank you, little girl," the assistant said with a smile. After a busy day, he was so tired he’d made that mistake.