People in the Qin Dynasty sought good fortune and avoided misfortune.

Chapter 49, Transaction of Favors, A Second-Rank Opportunity
Before long, the carriage came to a stop.

Xu Qing stepped down from the carriage and was greeted by a grand and dignified mansion. Above the main entrance hung a plaque with the three characters "Qianlong Hall" in gold lettering on a black background.

Many carriages had already stopped outside the Qianlong Hall, and maids stood at the door to greet the guests who had come to participate in the Yibao Conference.

Upon seeing Xu Qing arrive, the maids of Qianlong Hall respectfully led him inside.

Xu Qing was unaware of the procedures for the Qianlong Hall's treasure exchange meeting, so he could only follow the maid toward the inner courtyard.

Upon entering the inner courtyard, a sharply defined building came into view, and a more ornately dressed maidservant stopped Xu Qing.

"Imperial Physician, my master, Master Situ, requests your presence," the maid said respectfully.

"What business does Hall Master Situ have with me?" Xu Qing asked.

"I don't know," the maid said, shaking her head.

"Alright, take me to see Hall Master Situ." Xu Qing thought for a moment and then nodded in agreement.

This was his first time visiting Qianlong Hall, and he was unfamiliar with the rules here. Moreover, the fortune teller had reminded him that he did not intend to participate in this treasure exchange event, but instead go to Jiazi Tower to exchange treasures.

Go and meet Situ Wanli, the head of the Hidden Dragon Hall. Firstly, you can familiarize yourself with the rules of the Hidden Dragon Hall, and secondly, you can make your own requests.

"plz follow me!"

The maid led Xu Qing toward the inner courtyard, and at a corner they went up the stairs to the third floor, where they arrived at the second room.

"Master, the Imperial Physician has arrived," the maid said, knocking on the door.

The door opened, and a middle-aged man dressed in fine clothes, with a goatee and a mustache, and white hair in the middle and black hair on the sides, walked out. This man was none other than Situ Wanli, the leader of the Qianlong Hall.

"I am honored by the presence of the Imperial Physician. I was preoccupied with other matters and was unable to greet you properly. Please forgive me," Situ Wanli said to Xu Qing with a smile.

"Master Situ, you're too kind. I should thank you for the invitation; otherwise, I wouldn't have been able to come to Qianlong Hall and broaden my horizons," Xu Qing replied with a smile.

After exchanging a few polite words at the door, Situ Wanli gestured for them to enter.

"Haha, Imperial Physician, let's not stand here, please come in and have a chat."

Xu Qing walked into the house, and Situ Wanli closed the door behind him.

"Please sit down, Imperial Physician."

Xu Qing and Situ Wanli sat facing each other, with a pot of fine wine and two wine cups in front of them.

"I have long admired the Imperial Physician and long yearned to meet you, but unfortunately I have never been able to. I can only take the liberty of inviting you to today's Qianlong Hall Treasure Exchange Conference. It would be an honor for Qianlong Hall if you could grace us with your presence."

Situ Wanli smiled and poured Xu Qing a glass of wine.

“Actually, I’ve long admired the Hidden Dragon Hall, but I’ve never had the chance to come. I’m honored to receive an invitation from Hall Master Situ,” Xu Qing replied with a smile.

Upon hearing Xu Qing's reply, Situ Wanli continued to engage in mutual flattery with Xu Qing.

Looking at Xu Qing's flawless answer, Situ Wanli couldn't help but raise his opinion of Xu Qing.

Ever since Xu Qing became famous in Xinzheng, Qianlong Hall has been collecting relevant intelligence.

Through this intelligence, Situ Wanli also realized that Xu Qing was not as young and harmless as he appeared on the surface. Otherwise, he would not have been able to gain a foothold in the cannibalistic Han King's palace and become the Imperial Physician at a young age before he had come of age.

Through his verbal exchange with Xu Qing, he could sense that Xu Qing's shrewdness far exceeded his years.

"Haha, this is the Imperial Physician's first time at Qianlong Hall, so he may not know the rules of the Treasure Exchange Conference. The Treasure Exchange Conference, as the name suggests..." Situ Wanli began explaining the Treasure Exchange Conference to Xu Qing, then paused and continued, "..."

"I wonder what treasures the Imperial Physician has brought this time? May I have a look?"

"Just a vulgar thing."

As Xu Qing spoke, he took out the gilded jade ball that Hu Meiren had once bestowed upon him from his medicine box.

Upon seeing the treasure Xu Qing had taken out, a strange expression flashed across Situ Wanli's face, and his smile vanished.

"Imperial Physician, do you know the origin of this treasure?" Situ Wanli asked.

"But I'd like to hear the details?"

Xu Qing's interest was also piqued. This was a gift from Hu Meiren, and he didn't know its origin.

"This treasure belongs to the State of Chu," Situ Wanli said, giving Xu Qing a deep look before continuing.

“A month ago, the Fourth Young Master Han Yu participated in the Treasure Exchange Conference and exchanged his most beloved jade pendant and a large sum of money for this treasure. And the Fourth Young Master has also come to this Treasure Exchange Conference.”

Upon hearing this, Xu Qing immediately understood Situ Wanli's meaning. This treasure was exchanged by Han Yu at great expense from Qianlong Hall. Later, in order to curry favor with Hu Meiren, he gave it away, and finally Hu Meiren bestowed it upon him as a reward.

After calculating the time, Xu Qing realized that Han Yu had just given the items to Hu Meiren, and Hu Meiren had given them back to him that same day.

If he were to use this jade ball at the Treasure Exchange Conference, it would be a slap in the face to Han Yu. No wonder Situ Wanli's expression changed upon seeing the jade ball; it turns out there's this connection involved.

"This item was a gift from Consort Hu, and I don't know the story behind it," Xu Qing said.

"This isn't your fault, Imperial Physician; it's just a coincidence. However, it's inconvenient for you to sell this jade ball. Do you have any other treasures with you?" Situ Wanli inquired.

"No."

Xu Qing shook his head. He didn't have much wealth to begin with, and this was the only thing he could offer.

Looking at Xu Qing's appearance, a glint flashed in Situ Wanli's eyes.

“Actually, Imperial Physician, you have something else you can offer that’s priceless. Once you bring it out, I wouldn’t say everyone, but most people will be scrambling to trade with you,” Situ Wanli said with a smile. Xu Qing was taken aback, then realized what he meant and gave Situ Wanli a deep look.

"Could it be that Hall Master Situ is referring to my medical skills?"

Xu Qing thought to himself that Situ Wanli was indeed a shrewd person who would one day become one of the six hall masters of the Farmer's School and build the Four Mountains Gambling House.

A hint of surprise flashed across Situ Wanli's face, but it disappeared in an instant. He hadn't expected Xu Qing to see through his true thoughts.

But this is good, he no longer needs to hide it, and he spoke up.

"That's right, Imperial Physician, you are known as the number one doctor in Korea, and you even saved the Crown Prince of Korea from the brink of death."

"Now, your legend is not only circulating in South Korea, but there are countless legends about you in other countries and in the martial arts world. Countless people want to befriend you or ask you to cure their illnesses."

As a member of the martial arts world, one often faces life-or-death tests. Fighting with others, practicing martial arts, and many other reasons will inevitably lead to injuries or even death.

If they wanted to treat their injuries, they could only seek help from a skilled physician. But a skilled physician was not so easy to find, and even if they did find one, they might not be able to persuade him to treat them.

Therefore, doctors, especially those with excellent medical skills, have a very high status in the medical community.

Xu Qing is known as the number one doctor in Korea. He personally cured the Crown Prince of Korea of ​​his incurable cold and has a great reputation among the people.

For Situ Wanli, this was an untapped treasure trove. As long as he befriended Xu Qing and used Xu Qing's medical skills, he could profit immensely.

"There's a reason why Hall Master Situ has been able to build Qianlong Hall into such a large enterprise," Xu Qing said with a smile.

He naturally understood Situ Wanli's thoughts, and he had also considered using his reputation and medical skills to participate in the Yi Bao Conference.

However, his medical skills were not as miraculous as the outside world claimed, which is why he gave up.

However, looking at Situ Wanli's appearance, Xu Qing felt that the other party seemed to believe the rumors about him very much, which gave Xu Qing other ideas.

Perhaps this time he can easily exchange the opportunity he wants from the Koshiro Tower.

Seeing Xu Qing's expression, Situ Wanli assumed the other party was unwilling to accept the proposal and couldn't help but feel somewhat disappointed. So he smiled apologetically and said...
"You're too kind, Imperial Physician. This was merely a suggestion on my part. As the Imperial Physician, you naturally cannot treat people arbitrarily. Please disregard what I just said."

"It's just a pity that it seems this YiBao conference has nothing to do with me."

As Xu Qing spoke, he got up to leave; he couldn't easily agree to Situ Wanli's request.

Firstly, he wanted to take the initiative in this deal; secondly, if he agreed too easily, it would diminish the value of his medical skills.

In the martial arts world, the reason why divine doctors and medical immortals hold such a high status is not only because of their medical skills, but also because of the vast network of connections and human resources they possess.

The reason why a doctor is called a "miracle doctor" is not only because of his superb medical skills, but also because he does not easily take action.

Situ Wanli's idea was clear: today he was using Qianlong Hall to trade his medical skills, thereby establishing a reputation for himself.

In the future, if someone wants to ask him for help, they will worry that they won't be able to get him because of his status as the Imperial Physician.

In order to get his help, they would think of the Hidden Dragon Hall and then seek help from Situ Wanli.

Situ Wanli was able to take the opportunity to gain a lot of favors and connections, gradually weaving a huge network of relationships.

Treasures can be measured in money, but human relationships and connections cannot.

Xu Qing could only sigh at Situ Wanli's shrewdness. However, he wasn't one to be taken advantage of like that.

Since Situ Wanli needed his help, how could he not bleed a little?
Xu Qing had considered cooperating with Situ Wanli, but he gave up on the idea because of the fate of the Zhu family in the original novel.

You can't talk about feelings with a gambler like Situ Wanli; you can only talk about interests.

"Wait a minute, Imperial Physician, there's no need to be disappointed. While the Treasure Exchange Conference is the signature event of my Qianlong Hall, we also have other ways to exchange treasures. If you don't mind, you can take a good look around my Qianlong Hall," Situ Wanli said with a smile.
"If you see anything you like, you can take it. I, Situ Wanli, will just have to make you my friend."

Although he couldn't persuade Xu Qing, he still wanted to befriend her, since buying and selling people is never a one-off transaction.

He was a gambler, an ambitious gambler. He didn't want to just stay in the Hidden Dragon Hall; he wanted to enter the Six Halls of the Farmer's Family, and even become a hall master.

However, he was from a different family and had a weak foundation, so he originally planned to lie low and slowly climb up the ranks.

Xu Qing's appearance showed him a ladder, a ladder that could help him reach the sky in one step.

Just as Xu Qing had planned, he wanted to use Xu Qing's status as a divine doctor and his medical skills to weave a network of connections for himself.

A network of connections spanning rural areas and various parts of the martial arts world became his stepping stone to success.

Although doing so is very risky, as a gambler, he is least afraid of risk; the greater the risk, the higher the reward.

He couldn't let Xu Qing leave under any circumstances; he had to keep her there, leave a good impression, and lay the foundation for their friendship.

Xu Qing feigned hesitation, then sat back down and asked.

"Alright, I wonder what treasures the Hidden Dragon Hall possesses?"

"My Qianlong Hall has six tall buildings, and the Jiazi Building houses the classics on bamboo slips," Situ Wanli began to explain to Xu Qing in a fluent manner.

"I have some interest in the classics of various schools of thought. Could I go to Jiazi Tower to take a look?" Xu Qing said.

"Of course, you've come at the perfect time. Jiazi Tower just received a new batch of bamboo slips yesterday," Situ Wanli said in a low voice.
“Originally, these bamboo slips could not be traded without internal verification, but I can make an exception for you privately.”

"It is said that there are not only medical books inside, but also scriptures left by the Taoist sage Liezi."

A glint of light flashed in Xu Qing's eyes; it seemed as if his second-grade opportunity was beckoning to him.

(End of this chapter)