According to Emerson, what is the response of the "valued
adviser?"

i believe it is "“i’ll beat thee, but i would infect my hands.”

explanation:

  this riddles' answer is library.

  the "leaves" are a reference to the books' pages that the library contains; the branches are a network of libraries that connect multiple libraries' collections, resources, and items in a system of a common database, integrating them; the branches' organization are a useful management tool for coordinating the multiple collections many libraries have.

it should be

hard work gives a person a sense of satisfaction; likewise, it to pay the bills.

so the punctuation is not correct.