Chapter 2556 — Ask Wei Zhao

"Then wait until you've finished casting it and we'll talk." Han Jingyi was no fool. The distinction among first-rank, second-rank, and third-rank cauldrons had long since been learned from Wei Zhao's materials: first- and second-rank cauldrons could be made by any third-rank alchemist, needing only alchemical fire to finish, with no casting process at all.

The third-rank cauldron, however, was a different matter entirely—only a tool-caster could forge one, and in this age tool-casters had long since vanished from the world. In theory, then, a third-rank cauldron could never be cast anew; every third-rank cauldron in existence was a legacy handed down from the past.

As for cauldrons in general, first- and second-rank ones could indeed be damaged—being the work of alchemists with no forging involved, it was only natural they lacked sturdiness. But a third-rank cauldron was essentially indestructible; so long as one did not refine some heaven-defying pill, using a third-rank cauldron to refine fourth-rank pills would leave it entirely unharmed.

As for You Panhu's talk about the next batch not being cast yet—that was pure nonsense. But Han Jingyi did not call him out; she had no wish to let You Panhu see just how much she understood of the alchemical arts.

"That... well, that would take a long time!" You Panhu said hurriedly. "How about this: I don't have a third-rank cauldron on me, but I do have some of the materials used to cast one. What if I give you a set of materials, and you have Wei Zhao do the casting?"

"Oh..." Han Jingyi nodded and said, "And it's free?"

"Naturally not. All you have to do is make me a copy of the materials Wei Zhao gave you," You Panhu said.

"That won't do. Forget it, then," Han Jingyi said flatly.

"..." You Panhu was on the verge of tears. All that talk for nothing—one sentence from Han Jingyi and everything was back to square one. "Then what will it take for you to copy it for me? Just say it plainly!"

"Whatever other good things you have, just say them plainly," Han Jingyi tossed the question right back at him.

"...This..." You Panhu hesitated a moment, then said, "Fine, I'll be honest with you. I can give you one second-rank cauldron, one set of casting materials for a third-rank cauldron, and some materials for third-rank pills as well. How about that? Is that enough?"

"Is that all?" Han Jingyi asked.

"Yes—isn't that enough?" Having laid all his cards on the table at once, You Panhu felt rather deflated.

"I don't know. When Brother Wei Zhao comes back, I'll ask him for you," Han Jingyi said.

"What? I still have to ask Wei Zhao?" Han Jingyi's words struck You Panhu like a thunderbolt from a clear sky, leaving him scorched outside and raw within. So all his talking had been for nothing—he had thought he could sweet-talk Han Jingyi, and in the end she still meant to consult Wei Zhao!

"That's right. These materials belong to Brother Wei Zhao. If you want to copy them, naturally you have to ask Brother Wei Zhao," Han Jingyi said, as though it were the most obvious thing in the world.

"But the materials are in your hands right now, aren't they? Copy them for me on the sly, and then all these fine things are yours. Think how good a deal that is—if I were you, I'd agree," You Panhu said. He did not want Han Jingyi to go asking Wei Zhao; he wanted to go around him. Otherwise, if Wei Zhao heard of it and tossed out another demand for Qi-Gathering Pills, where on earth was You Panhu supposed to find them?

"That won't do. Jingjing doesn't deceive people," Han Jingyi said with a shake of her head.

Stubborn as a mule! You Panhu cursed inwardly, though he dared not say a word of it aloud. He only said, "All right then. When Wei Zhao comes back, ask him and see whether these things will do!"

He had meant to cut through the knot with one swift stroke—to bowl Han Jingyi over with this great heap of benefits and close the deal while Wei Zhao was away. But now it was clear that You Panhu had been far too optimistic: Han Jingyi had no intention of conducting any backroom dealings behind Wei Zhao's back.

You Panhu left. Han Jingyi smiled faintly. She had drawn out every one of You Panhu's cards, and once Wei Zhao returned, all she had to do was keep adding to the stakes on top of these things—saving herself all the trouble of negotiation.

Wei Zhao drove to the Songshan City orphanage. The place was now quite different from what it had been—bright new buildings rose one after another, the orphans lived in spacious, clean dormitories, and more children of school age could go to school. But with that, the troubles had come as well!

Thanks to the orphanage's expansion, its fine conditions had drawn more abandoned infants; many hospitals, unsure what to do with the babies left in their care, sent them all to Yu Xiaoke's orphanage. That would have been manageable if the infants were healthy—but the crux was that most of them had congenital illnesses. Living expenses were one thing; the medical costs were astronomical!

And with Yu Xiaoke's temperament, now that these children had come, there was no chance she would turn them away at the gate. So all of this had saddled Yu Xiaoke, who had only just caught her breath, with a heavy burden once more. Otherwise, with her earlier savings and Fatty Lai's sponsorship, she could easily have given the old orphans a good life—but that no longer held. There were more and more orphans, and more and more staff to hire!

These people were not like the volunteers the orphanage had before. They had families to feed; they could not all work for nothing. Yu Xiaoke had to shoulder an enormous payroll, and with month's end and payday fast approaching—and Fatty Lai abroad negotiating business—she was naturally sick with worry. How was she to cash such a vast sum in Swiss francs?

She could hardly pay these employees their wages in Swiss francs, could she?

"Sister Xiaoke, someone's come to help you with your troubles!" Little Ken, seeing Wei Zhao's car arrive, happily ran off to tell Yu Xiaoke.

"Someone to help me? Who?" Yu Xiaoke looked at the excited Little Ken and blinked in surprise.

"Brother Wei Zhao is here—he's sure to help you sort out your troubles!" Little Ken said.

"Wei Zhao? Why is he here?" Yu Xiaoke's expression shifted slightly. She frowned at Little Ken. "Little Ken, was it you who told Wei Zhao about my troubles?"

"I... no, I didn't. I don't know how he found out either..." Little Ken started in alarm and hurriedly denied it. He dared not tell the truth—and he certainly could not reveal that Wei Zhao was the Gentleman Thief.

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