Chapter 100 Yao Han's Doubts

Just as Zhang Xuan went to the Alchemist Guild, Zhao Ya also returned to her residence.

"Finally, it can be resolved!"

Looking at the medicinal herbs Teacher Zhang had given her, a faint excitement appeared on her fair face.

That discomfort had tormented her since childhood, and she had long been unable to bear it. Hearing that it could be resolved, she could no longer restrain herself.

"First, grind this herb into powder and swallow it with water..."

Just as she was about to find something to grind the herb, she heard footsteps, and the steward Yao Han crept over furtively.

"Miss, after I... left, no one caused you trouble, right?"

He had offended Elder Shang Chen's grandson and even fought with other teachers. To avoid trouble, he had directly left the academy and only returned when he thought Zhao Ya's school day was over.

"Cause me trouble? Who would cause me trouble?" Zhao Ya looked at Yao Han. "Uncle Yao, please stop being so suspicious. Teacher Zhang is really good to me and is a very capable teacher. Please don't cause him any more trouble!"

She knew her father's steward distrusted Teacher Zhang and couldn't help but persuade him.

"Good to you? Hmph, Miss, you grew up in the city and haven't seen the evil in people's hearts..." Yao Han snorted, about to finish his sentence, when his eyes suddenly fell on the herb in Zhao Ya's hand. He froze, then began to tremble uncontrollably.

"Miss... this herb... where did you get it?"

"This?"

Looking down, Zhao Ya raised the herb in her hand. "Teacher Zhang gave it to me. I've been feeling unwell, and he told me to grind it and swallow it."

"Teacher Zhang gave it to you? How is that possible? How could a poor teacher..." Yao Han was full of disbelief.

"What's wrong, Uncle Yao? Is there something wrong with this herb?" Zhao Ya knew he was a steady man, and such an expression must have a reason.

"Not wrong, but... too precious! If I'm not mistaken, this is... Cold Yang Mother Herb!" Yao Han said.

"Cold Yang Mother Herb?" Zhao Ya didn't understand.

"It's the mother root of Cold Yang Herb, with ten times the potency of ordinary Cold Yang Herb! Cold Yang Herb isn't very valuable, but this thing is extremely rare and precious. When I accompanied the city lord on a journey to other kingdoms, I saw it once. A single plant is worth no less than a hundred thousand gold coins!"

Hearing it was so valuable, Zhao Ya was startled, her pretty face changing. "Uncle Yao, are you... mistaken?"

"I can't be mistaken. This is definitely Cold Yang Mother Herb! It's the most expensive herb I've ever seen, and it left a deep impression. How could I remember it wrong?" Yao Han took another careful look and couldn't help but confirm.

"Cold Yang Mother Herb? A hundred thousand gold coins?"

Zhao Ya's delicate body trembled.

"You say... this is from that Zhang Xuan... Teacher Zhang?"

Yao Han was full of disbelief, and in his tone, he changed Zhang Xuan to Teacher Zhang.

Wasn't he the worst teacher in the academy? Didn't he have the lowest salary and no money?

Yet he casually gave away such a precious herb...

"Yes!" Zhao Ya nodded.

When Teacher Zhang had given it to her, he had tossed it over casually, like something worthless, without even packaging. She had always thought so too... A hundred thousand gold coins! That was enough to buy a house in the royal city.

And a sizable house at that.

When others gave gifts, they made a big show of it, eager for everyone to know the value. But this Teacher Zhang, on the contrary, had created a cultivation technique for her and given her such a precious herb without any self-importance, looking completely unconcerned. If Uncle Yao hadn't recognized it, she might have eaten it thinking it was worthless...

Thinking of this, Zhao Ya felt an inexplicable gratitude, her eyes reddening.

"I can't accept this. It's too precious!"

Straightening her delicate body, she stood up, her gaze firm.

Although she very much wanted to resolve her physical problem, as a student, she couldn't keep taking without giving anything in return. She couldn't do it!

Other students gave gifts to their teachers, but Teacher Zhang had given so much for them. If she hadn't known, it would be one thing, but now that she knew, if she could still accept it calmly, she wouldn't be human!

"Uncle Yao, how much gold notes do you have on you?" She turned to look at him.

"Only twenty thousand!" Yao Han rummaged and took out a few gold notes from his pocket.

Although he was the steward of White Jade City, this time he had only come to escort the young lady to school and hadn't brought much money.

"Give them all to me!" Snatching them, Zhao Ya hurried out without pausing.

Yao Han, feeling uneasy, followed closely.

Soon they arrived at the classroom, but it was already empty.

Zhang Xuan's dormitory was also empty.

Seeing the young lady's anxious look, Yao Han had no choice but to use some connections and soon learned that Teacher Zhang had gone to the Alchemist Guild.

Zhang Xuan hadn't concealed his whereabouts when he left, and as a steward of the city lord's mansion, Yao Han had the connections and means to find out.

"Alchemist Guild? Could it be that this herb... Teacher Zhang bought it there?"

Zhao Ya clenched her fists, hesitated for a moment, then bit her lip. "Uncle Yao, let's go find Teacher Zhang!"

If she didn't give him the money, she would feel unworthy of accepting this herb!

If someone treated her with the utmost respect, she would treat them the same!

Now that she knew the value of such a precious herb, how could she possibly eat it silently without a word? Zhao Ya could never do that!

Soon they arrived at the Alchemist Guild.

Once there, it was easy to inquire about someone. Before long, they found Wen Xue, who still looked angry.

"You say... Teacher Zhang is taking the alchemy apprentice exam?"

"Teacher Zhang? You mean that wastrel... Zhang Xuan is a teacher?" Wen Xue was puzzled for a moment, then nodded. "Yes, he went to take the alchemy apprentice exam."

"Alchemy apprentice?"

Zhao Ya and Yao Han exchanged glances.

Especially Yao Han, who was full of disbelief.

"To become an alchemy apprentice, one must memorize the properties and principles of medicinal herbs, with over a hundred thousand herbs to study. Without years of research and study, it's impossible to pass..."

Zhao Ya didn't know much about the alchemist profession, but Yao Han, as the steward of White Jade City, knew very well the difficulty of the apprentice exam.

A young, useless teacher taking the apprentice exam?

"He probably can't pass... I know this exam is very hard," Yao Han couldn't help asking.

"Can't pass? I thought so too!" Remembering what had just happened, Wen Xue still found it unbelievable and couldn't help biting her lip. "The apprentice exam has three parts. The first part was a written test. Not only did he pass, but he got a perfect score. Now he's taking the second part!"

"Perfect score?" Yao Han staggered.

The first part tested the properties of medicinal herbs, where countless people were stuck and couldn't advance. This teacher, whom he had always considered a waste, had passed smoothly and even got a perfect score...

Casually giving away a herb worth a hundred thousand gold coins, making the young lady willingly become his student, and getting a perfect score on the first part of the alchemy apprentice exam...

Was he really the wastrel of legend?

For the first time, Yao Han began to doubt the rumors outside.