Time passed quickly. As the chief examiner collected the final answer sheets, the three-day spring examination officially came to a close. The students who had finished stood in the examination hall stretching their limbs, their faces showing evident suffering. For these privileged young lords and ladies, being confined to cramped examination cells for three days was indeed torturous.

Lu Tong fared better – being locked in a dark room for three days was nothing unusual for her. Moreover, when focused on answering questions, she barely noticed the passage of time.

Finding her medicine box and putting away her brush, Lu Tong walked out of the examination hall. She immediately spotted several people standing by the pillars at the entrance. Du Changqing and Miao Liangfang were crouched down counting ants, having waited there for who knows how long.

“Miss!” Yinzheng’s eyes brightened upon seeing her, waving vigorously. When Lu Tong approached, she embraced her worriedly: “You’ve lost weight, and there wasn’t much to eat in the examination hall. A-Cheng has prepared pork bone soup at the clinic, let’s go back and eat.”

However, Miao Liangfang and Du Changqing showed no joy on their faces – especially Du Changqing, who looked devastated.

“Little Lu,” Miao Liangfang examined her expression, choosing his words carefully, “We learned that the spring examination added a new subject on ‘Death Investigation’… Well… it’s fine if you didn’t pass, participation is what matters, right?”

“What nonsense!” At the mention of this matter, Du Changqing exploded in anger, “Weren’t you supposed to know everything about the spring examination? How could you not know what subjects would be tested? You quack doctor!”

Miao Liangfang broke down: “How was I supposed to know? When I worked at the Medical Officials Academy, there was no such thing as a Death Investigation subject. Who knew the Imperial Medical Bureau would involve examining corpses!”

In his agitation, even crude language slipped out.

Three days ago, Lu Tong had gone to take this year’s spring examination at the Imperial Medical Bureau.

Lu Tong’s participation in the spring examination had caused quite a stir on West Street, and due to the connection with the Minister of Imperial Households’ grudge, even the medical community was alerted. Any slight movement in this examination had people coming to spread gossip and stir up excitement.

On Lu Tong’s second day of examination, Widow Sun, who loved to gather news, received fresh information from the medical community and hurriedly ran to Renxin Clinic to spread the word.

The news Widow Sun brought struck Miao Liangfang like lightning.

This year’s Imperial Medical Bureau spring examination had added a new subject – “Death Investigation”!

Death Investigation – that was the coroner’s subject of examining corpses!

There had been no such subject when he took the spring examination, and even in all the years since he was expelled from the Medical Officials Academy, this subject had never been tested.

What decent person would want to examine dead bodies?

The Imperial Medical Bureau people truly had hearts as sharp as needles, secretly adding new subjects without announcing it publicly. How could the civilian medical practitioners who took the examination possibly answer without any preparation?

Lu Tong was already self-taught without formal training from the Imperial Medical Academy. Whether she could pass this year’s examination was uncertain enough, and now with the addition of a completely unfamiliar medical subject, failing was as certain as a nail in wood!

Those people at the Medical Officials Academy were like wearing masks into coffins – utterly shameless!

Upon learning this, everyone on West Street was sympathetic. However, Old Bark Bai Shouyi from Xinglin Hall finally had his moment of triumph, especially coming to Renxin Clinic to make some sarcastic remarks before being poked out the door with a broom by Du Changqing.

Though Du Changqing cursed outwardly, when he turned around his face was pale with anger and he had trouble breathing. Miao Liangfang had to give him two bowls of medicinal soup before he recovered.

“These officials, they change their minds with a mere flip of their lips, they simply don’t want civilians entering the Medical Officials Academy,” Du Changqing sneered. “Well fine, let all those quacks flock together, at least you won’t have to suffer there.”

He looked Lu Tong over, and seeing her usual calm expression without the expected disappointment and loss, he felt slightly relieved. With a wave of his sleeve: “I think you should just stay content at the clinic, with the owner providing meals, you won’t go hungry.”

Yinzheng frowned: “Manager, the results aren’t out yet, how do you know my miss won’t pass?”

“Nonsense, how could she possibly pass?”

“Of course, she can!” Yinzheng was very confident, turning to ask Lu Tong: “I believe in you, miss.”

She had always been blindly trusting of Lu Tong, who gave a slight smile but said nothing.

Du Changqing couldn’t stand these servant and master’s forced optimistic self-comfort, turning to roll his eyes dramatically before saying: “Stop dawdling, the carriage is at the door, let’s return to the clinic for food.”

“Any later and the bone soup will boil dry!”

…

While some cursed and raged about the Imperial Medical Bureau adding a “Death Investigation” subject to the spring examination, others felt quite pleased and satisfied.

At the Minister of Imperial Households’ residence, Madam Dong reclined on a soft couch, listening to her maid’s report.

“…Your servant has inquired with people from the medical community, and they say this new ‘Death Investigation’ subject is considered difficult even by the Imperial Medical Bureau’s students. Moreover, this year’s questions were personally set by Official Ji, and Lu Tong is just a young doctor from outside the capital – she definitely won’t pass. Madam need not worry.”

Hearing this, Madam Dong’s expression relaxed somewhat.

“Good that it’s difficult.” She smiled, lifting her teacup lid and bringing it to her lips, taking an unhurried sip. “Lu Tong merely relied on having some medical skill to put on airs, truly thinking she was the only one in the capital who could treat illness. Every student at the Imperial Medical Bureau knows more than her, yet she’s so full of herself, even daring to look down…”

At this point, she suddenly stopped speaking.

The maid quickly lowered her head, not daring to respond.

Everyone knew that the young master of the household, Dong Lin, had been captivated by the female doctor from Renxin Clinic, even having a huge argument with Madam Dong over it. Madam Dong had sent servants to humiliate Lu Tong at the clinic entrance, trying to make her back down, but who knew that medical woman would be so stubborn, joining with the lowborn people of West Street to retort that young master Dong was plain-looking and unremarkable in build.

The underlying meaning was that she, Lu Tong, looked down on young master Dong!

When the servants reported these words back, Madam Dong was immediately furious.

If before she had still remembered how Lu Tong had saved Dong Lin at Wanen Temple and treated his illness, now with these words, whatever goodwill was completely severed.

It should be known that Madam Dong cherished Dong Lin like a precious jewel – even a heavenly match would be considered inadequate for her son. Yet Lu Tong, a lowly female doctor, dared to publicly humiliate her son – this was slapping the Dong family’s face.

The Dong family had some connection with Cui Min, the current head of the Imperial Medical Academy. Madam Dong had someone pass the word to Cui Min that this year’s examination spots for palace entry must not include Lu Tong’s name.

Cui Min managed the entire Imperial Medical Academy – one spot was just a small favor to him. For commoners without status or background, their future and fate were merely a matter of a single word from the powerful.

As insignificant as dust.

Madam Dong asked: “How is the young master lately?”

“He still keeps himself locked in his room all day, ignoring everyone.”

Madam Dong had confined him, so Dong Lin couldn’t go out. At first, he had tried to protest through a hunger strike, but having lived in luxury all these years, he really couldn’t bear hunger – he gave up after just one day. But he was still displeased, so he protested his mother’s “tyranny” with silence.

“So stubborn.” Madam Dong sneered, “Let him be, see how long he can hold out.”

“Oh right,” she remembered something else and instructed the maid, “Go to the storehouse and get two fine Tao inkstones, have someone deliver them to Academy Head Cui at the Medical Officials Academy.”

The maid acknowledged this, then after some thought, spoke again: “Actually, people from the medical community have already said that this year’s questions are difficult, even the Imperial Medical Bureau students are competing fiercely amongst themselves, Lu Tong definitely won’t pass. Madam has already sent money before, so why bother…”

“What do you know.” Madam Dong scoffed lightly, “That medical woman is no simple person.”

Though she kept calling Lu Tong “lowborn” and “countryside doctor”, in her heart she still remembered how Lu Tong had previously cured Dong Lin’s lung disease.

Her dear Lin had suffered from lung disease for many years, with countless famous doctors at a loss, yet after just a year of Lu Tong’s medicine, he was nearly cured. Then there was Princess Consort Pei Yunzhu of the Wen Commandery – that so-called “child’s anxiety”, which even the palace doctors couldn’t diagnose, Lu Tong had spotted at a glance and had kept both mother and daughter safe.

Though she despised Lu Tong, she had to admit that Lu Tong was no fraud.

The Imperial Medical Bureau’s students indeed had proper training, but who knew if there might be some unexpected development.

Better to be certain.

“What are you standing there for, hurry up and go!” she urged the servant.

“Yes, madam.”

…

After the Imperial Medical Bureau’s spring examination in the capital, all student answer sheets would be sent to the Imperial Medical Academy, to be graded by ten selected medical officials.

During the seven-day grading period, all grading examiners were not allowed to leave, eat, and sleep in the side hall to hurry and complete grading in time for the spring examination results to be posted on the red notice board after seven days.

Today was the final day of grading.

Chang Jin was one of the chief grading examiners.

This year’s spring examination differed from previous years in two ways. First, the questions were personally set by the most stringent examiner, Medical Officer Ji Xun, and as soon as the examination ended, students coming out of their cells were wailing like ghosts and wolves. Second, there was the newly added “Death Investigation” subject. The Imperial Medical Bureau students had already struggled with this new medical subject during regular studies, but during the spring examination, their submitted answer sheets were unbearably terrible, instantly revealing their true level.

In the side hall stood a massive long table, with medical officials seated on both sides. Each had a tall stack of answer sheets before them, and occasional sighs could be heard.

“Take the Artemisia, cut it finely, add three shengs of water, fifty shengs of child’s urine, boil together until one and a half sheng remains, strain the dregs and keep the liquid to boil into a paste, make into pills, take twenty pills per dose, on an empty stomach, lie down and take with warm wine… fifty shengs of child’s urine… fifty shengs…”

The voice suddenly turned sharp: “Fifty sheng – is this treating consumption? I think this is trying to kill people!”

Chang Jin glanced at the speaking official and shook his head – another one had lost it.

Staying in the side hall endlessly grading papers for so long was unbearable. Especially when seeing answer sheets full of errors, it often infuriated people and made them worry about this new batch of incoming medical officials for the academy.

“Getting such a simple question wrong, what have they been learning at the Imperial Medical Bureau all day, eating dung?” The official who had just lost his composure clutched his chest, gasping.

A nearby official passed him a cup of water, consoling: “Great anger harms the body. There are hardly any decent papers among this year’s submissions. If you ask me, it’s Medical Officer Ji’s fault.”

Chang Jin looked up and asked: “What does this have to do with Medical Officer Ji?”

“Everything! He made the questions so difficult that those youngsters at the Imperial Medical Bureau lost heart at first glance, barely answered a few questions, then just gave up and wrote nonsense for the rest!”

This was indeed true.

An official across the table propped his chin, nearly biting through his brush handle, “Hardly any papers are passable, I don’t know if we can fill this year’s twenty medical official positions.”

This year’s spring examination would select twenty students from top to bottom, with some entering the Imperial Pharmacy and others the Imperial Medical Academy. In previous years, selecting twenty medical officials wasn’t difficult, but this year Ji Xun’s questions were too hard, making the papers look terrible. Appointing twenty medical officials made people somewhat uneasy.

“Ha, that’s nothing, look at Medical Officer Chang’s batch – those are truly awful!”

The speaker was gleefully schadenfreude, but Chang Jin, who was mentioned, showed a pained expression.

It was bad enough for others, but he was responsible for grading the newly added “Death Investigation” subject.

This was a new medical subject, and honestly, even the Imperial Medical Academy officials couldn’t claim to be experts. The reason he was responsible for grading was that in his youth, he had worked under a coroner for some time, understanding more about death investigation than other officials. But even so, Chang Jin felt that Ji Xun’s questions were somewhat excessive.

If even he found them excessive, what about those youngsters at the Imperial Medical Bureau? Some only answered halfway before giving up, some made things up, and worse still, some simply submitted blank papers without writing a single character, obviously having given up entirely.

For five whole days, he hadn’t seen a single complete answer sheet.

They were all equally terrible.

“This year we can’t even select an exemplary paper, how will we face those stubborn old men at the Imperial Medical Bureau? Heavens above, please send us a genius to save this year’s spring examination!” The speaking official clasped his hands in prayer.

Chang Jin smiled skeptically.

How could there be so many geniuses in this world? Most people were merely mediocre. In all these years, the capital had only produced one genius – Ji Xun. Compared to this genius, they were like rice bags that only knew how to eat.

People were truly different from one another.

Chang Jin mused on this while picking up a new answer sheet to grade.

As soon as he opened this answer sheet, Chang Jin couldn’t help but frown – the reason being the handwriting was far too messy.

Imperial Medical Bureau students were all taught to write clearly and properly, making it pleasant for grading officials to read, but the handwriting on this answer sheet was wild and unrestrained, clearly quite unconventional.

Chang Jin wanted to see which young lord was so unrestrained, but every paper’s name was covered with black paper that couldn’t be removed until grading was complete.

He could only contain his curiosity.

Well, though this person’s handwriting was somewhat messy, at least the answer sheet was filled. Right or wrong, the attitude was proper – much better than those who submitted blank papers.

Chang Jin continued reading with furrowed brows.

As he read, Chang Jin’s expression gradually became strange.

This answer sheet was answered beautifully!

The “Death Investigation” subject, as the name suggests, examined corpse conditions. When Imperial Medical Bureau teachers taught, they would use real corpses for on-site instruction. However, those Imperial Medical Bureau students were perhaps too young, lacking experience – whenever they saw a real corpse, they all shrank back. How could they become proficient when learning so timidly?

Thus one paper after another was a complete mess.

Yet this answer sheet before him, despite the messy handwriting, had every question answered correctly. At first, Chang Jin thought the student was just making up medical theories to fill space, but as he read through, every answer was remarkably accurate.

Especially that question about “seven-day corpse decomposition conditions” – this student had written nearly half a sheet, from external appearance to internal organs, limbs, and brain, it was as if… as if they had stayed beside a corpse for seven days, carefully studying and watching it decompose bit by bit!

It was chilling!

Inexplicably, Chang Jin shuddered and quickly called to his colleagues: “You all, come look at this answer sheet!”

Perhaps because his expression was too twisted, seeing this, everyone around put down their papers and gathered around, looking at the test paper in his hands. First, they were startled by the wild handwriting, but seeing the filled answers, they smiled knowingly: “Oh, all answered – good attitude.”

“Look more carefully,” Chang Jin shook the paper in his hand, “not a single wrong answer!”

“Let me see… Under sunlight, use a red oil umbrella to shade the corpse, spray water on the body, and injuries will appear…”

The surroundings gradually fell silent.

This was Ji Xun’s final question, asking how to handle a corpse with no obvious injuries. At the time, the Medical Academy officials had argued for a long without concluding, only learning the answer when Ji Xun provided it.

They thought no one would answer this final question, that Ji Xun was simply being excessive. Yet unexpectedly, someone had written the answer clearly on the paper, word for word perfect.

Looking at the other questions on this paper, the test-taker had answered each one carefully. Even that messy handwriting now seemed pleasing to the eye, like the natural flow of someone completely at ease.

This was a perfect answer sheet!

“When did the Imperial Medical Bureau produce such a talent? Wasn’t it said that no one could handle the Death Investigation subject?” Chang Jin muttered.

The Imperial Medical Bureau teachers frequently complained to their medical officials about how the court adding this subject was a waste of effort. But looking at this, the answer was a genius!

“Quick, look,” one official said urgently, “tear off the name slip, let’s see which Imperial Medical Bureau student is so good at Death Investigation. Could it be Miss Lin? But isn’t she best at women’s medicine?”

Chang Jin came to his senses and hurriedly picked up the paper, hastily pulling at the name slip—

After all, now that the paper was fully graded, it wouldn’t hurt to look.

Everyone craned their necks to stare at the name under the slip.

The black paper was torn away, revealing the character “Lu.”

Then, the complete name appeared.

Lu Tong.

“Lu Tong?” Chang Jin was puzzled, turning to look at his colleagues, “Why is this name so unfamiliar? Is it a relative of some Imperial Medical Bureau official?”

Since Medical Academy officials sometimes taught Imperial Medical Bureau students, they were familiar with every student’s name. But the name Lu Tong felt completely foreign to Chang Jin – he couldn’t recall this person’s appearance.

Someone asked: “I haven’t heard this name either, do we have such a person at the Imperial Medical Bureau?”

“Nonsense, if not from the Imperial Medical Bureau, could it be a civilian student from the medical community?”

“Only one civilian medical practitioner is taking the exam this year – you must be dreaming!”

As everyone around discussed noisily, suddenly, amid the chaos, one official seemed to remember something and shouted.

Everyone turned to look at him.

“That, I suddenly remembered something…”

“What is it?”

The official who had shouted looked at everyone, weakly saying: “That civilian medical practitioner recommended by the medical community this year…”

“Yes?”

“Seems to have surname Lu… Lu?”