For cultivators, pills weren't strictly essential.
But during critical periods of cultivation, pills could often provide a huge boost, even having a long-term impact on their future cultivation path.
The opening of other Divine Treasures each had its corresponding pills. However, these pills were high-grade, produced in low quantities, and only suitable for high-level cultivators. As such, they were beyond the consideration of commoners.
Take the Qi Cultivation Pill, for example.
Besides shortening the accumulation period of the Qi Recognition Stage, this pill also played a crucial role in later stages. This was because commoner cultivators were very likely to find their True Qi reserves insufficient.
The first time one underwent Body Refining, Tendon Changing, and Bone Forging was also when the potential for improvement was greatest. If their True Qi was insufficient at this critical juncture, it could genuinely impact the rest of their lives.
Therefore, for commoner cultivators, the ideal situation was to have three Qi Cultivation Pills on hand when trying to break through to the next realm.
But in this world, alchemists were scarce. Even though the main ingredient, Heart Nourishing Grass, was very cheap, Qi Cultivation Pills were outrageously expensive, costing at least several years of a common family's income.
Faced with this situation, commoners would fight tooth and nail to enter a large clan as household servants, shifting the cost to the great clan.
Those who couldn't get in would brew medicinal soups themselves, or soak herbs in wine.
Some extreme cases were even willing to become Pill Slaves for alchemists, testing new pills for them in exchange for a supply of Qi Cultivation Pills, doing whatever it took to avoid having insufficient True Qi.
This was why the Pill Workshop street was never empty. It wasn't just buyers and sellers; customers of every kind imaginable thronged the area.
The carriage from the Tenth Prince's Mansion swayed leisurely as it entered the street of Pill Workshops.
It quickly attracted some attention.
On the second floor of a certain Pill Workshop.
"Hm? Zhao Ci's carriage?"
When Zhao Yong saw the carriage, his eyelids twitched violently.
For the past few days, he had buried himself in work and had just barely managed to crawl out from the shadow of that day's utterly humiliating incident. Plus, since the affair had occurred within aristocratic circles, no one dared to spread the story.
That was why he had finally mustered the courage to go out again.
And yet, the moment he saw Zhao Ci's carriage, he felt himself being dragged back into that shadow.
His expression soured. "What is that bastard doing here?"
Beside him, Zhu Yan thought for a moment, then smiled faintly. "Your Highness may not be aware! That day, while Your Highness was busy meeting with His Majesty and the Crown Prince, I took advantage of the moment to connect the stewards of the Zhu and Feng Families.
Who would have thought that later that night, Zhao Ci went to the Feng Family Pill Workshop with Feng Kucha and even tried to force his way into the Alchemy Room. But they knew when to quit; after failing a few times, they gave up!"
The Zhu Family produced the Empress, making them the current imperial relatives by marriage.
The Feng Family produced the Crown Prince Consort, making them the future imperial relatives by marriage.
However, according to the ancestral laws of Great Yu, it was difficult for imperial in-laws to gain too many extra benefits.
Therefore, the Feng and Zhu Families had now joined forces to form the Crown Prince Faction.
Zhao Yong's eyes lit up, and he couldn't help but sneer, "Oh? Don't tell me he's planning to use pills to accumulate merits?"
Zhu Yan nodded. "I believe so, but he should have given up by now!"
Zhao Yong's mood brightened considerably. "You've done well. Although it feels a bit like using a sledgehammer to crack a nut, crushing his ambitions early is a good thing for him.
Speaking of which, my dear little brother is quite pitiful. It's been seven days since his mansion was established, and even with Father Emperor helping by posting an imperial notice, not a single person in Lingge has applied to be his Mansion Official. Not even that waste from the Feng Family.
He's just established his mansion, and he's already become the laughingstock of all of Lingge. In the entire history of our Great Yu, his case is one of a kind. Ah..."
He let out a fake sigh, but his control over his expression was already failing.
His mouth was stretched into such a wide grin that his back molars were almost showing.
It wasn't that he was usually so bad at hiding his feelings.
It was just that over the past few days, the matter of Zhao Ci establishing his mansion had become a hot topic in Lingge.
To call him the laughingstock of the entire city was no exaggeration at all.
That, combined with their long-standing enmity, made it truly difficult for him to hold back his smile.
Zhao Yong stood up. "His coming to the Pill Workshop this time must be to seek help from Princess Consort Jing. But Princess Consort Jing can hardly protect herself, so how could she possibly support this foolish son of hers? Let's go down and take a look. We might even be able to help my dear little brother."
"Mm!"
Zhu Yan nodded and followed Zhao Yong downstairs.
These past few days, Zhao Yong had consumed a great deal of intestine-protecting pills. On top of that, an Imperial Physician had treated his "rear court," screening for and treating any potential hidden ailments.
A repeat of last time's embarrassing scene was unlikely to happen.
...
CLIP-CLOP, CLIP-CLOP...
The carriage stopped in front of a rather dilapidated Pill Workshop.
"Li's Pill Workshop."
Zhao Ci dismounted, looked up, and an indescribable disappointment filled his eyes.
This Pill Workshop was located almost at the very edge of the Pill Workshop street.
The worn-down decor was one thing, but the fact that it was completely deserted was truly unacceptable.
He glanced at the other Pill Workshops; they didn't even need attendants to attract customers, as each and every one was bustling with activity.
Looking back at this place, the contrast was just too stark.
Of course, the Li Family was not among the seven great Merit Clans, and even among ordinary noble families, they weren't particularly prominent. However, they were a mainstay of the Xiang Clan's Pill Association. Since the Xiang Clan's own Pill Workshop was not yet complete, this place served as the Pill Association's main base of operations.
"Your Highness! Your Highness!"
A portly, middle-aged man in brocade robes ran over, saying obsequiously, "This one is Li Fugui. Greetings, Your Highness!"
Li Fugui was the second-in-command of the Li Family and was also responsible for the Pill Workshop's business.
He was quite enthusiastic.
At least, much more enthusiastic than Gu Xiangzhu.
'Then again, Gu Xiangzhu may not see me as her son, but other people don't know that. They still have to humor me.'
Zhao Ci cupped his hands. "Shopkeeper Li! I have urgent business today and need to borrow one of your esteemed shop's alchemists."
Li Fugui quickly said, "Her Ladyship has already given instructions. Your Highness, please come with me!"
With that, he respectfully led Zhao Ci into the shop.
Then he ordered a subordinate, "Quickly! Summon all the alchemists in the Pill Workshop and let His Highness choose."
A short while later, the alchemists were lined up in a row, about a dozen or so people in total.
Each one of them stood ramrod straight, with their chests puffed out and heads held high.
Zhao Ci: "..."
'I suddenly feel like I'm in a karaoke bar picking out hostesses.'
'These people looked spirited, their attitude was impeccable, and their response time was absurdly fast.'
'But it gave me an ominous feeling... True masters always carry themselves with a certain air.'
'I've met many alchemists before. They would bow to me, of course, but they always seemed more reserved.'
'These ones...'
'Putting aside that "air" of dignity, alchemists from other workshops spent any time not dedicated to alchemy on their own cultivation. They were busy from dawn to dusk.'
'These guys, on the other hand, looked like they'd been caught slacking off by the boss during an inspection.'
Looking again at the deserted business inside the Pill Workshop, Zhao Ci understood everything.
He cleared his throat. "The Gongdan Conference is approaching. Isn't everyone busy?"
"Not at all!"
Li Fugui explained, "The Gongdan Conference requires on-site alchemy to evaluate the production capacity of each clan's pills. Before the conference begins, all we need to do is prepare the materials and build up our energy.
Other than Her Ladyship occasionally sending over a Secret Technique to improve our alchemy, which we need to study carefully, there's nothing else to do."
"But the business..."
Zhao Ci looked perplexed. "Aren't Qi Cultivation Pills said to be in high demand? Although we can't compare to the major pill clans, it shouldn't be so bad that we don't have a single customer, right?"
As soon as he said this, everyone's expression turned a little awkward.
Li Fugui gave an embarrassed laugh. "Your Highness may not be aware, but in terms of pill quality, we are indeed a bit worse than the major pill clans, yet our costs are no lower than theirs. If we lower our prices, there's no profit, and our alchemists are unwilling to work for that. Those who can afford Qi Cultivation Pills won't come here to buy them. As for Pill Slaves who might be interested, we don't develop new pill formulas, so they have no reason to come here either.
So, for our few families, the Qi Cultivation Pills we refine are mostly for internal use or for trading resources with a few closely associated clans to recruit our own household servants.
It's become harder and harder to sustain things recently. If Her Ladyship hadn't been willing to step forward and open up a new path for us, our Pill Workshops would have likely been forced out of the Lingge market months ago."
"Oh..."
Zhao Ci had a sudden realization. He hadn't expected the pill business to be so brutal.
Fearing he might be angry, Li Fugui quickly gave his assurance, "But rest assured, Your Highness, as long as we can acquire this batch of pill furnaces from the Zhuge Family, we will definitely be able to secure a spot in the Gongdan Conference."
Before his voice had even faded, a mocking, sardonic voice called out from outside the door.
"The Zhuge Family's pill furnaces are being sought after by quite a few people. Is Shopkeeper Li really so confident, so certain that you'll be the one to acquire them?"