Time passed quickly.

After the last exam paper was completed and the chief examiner collected all papers, the three-day spring examinations officially came to an end.

Students who had finished the exam stood in the Examination Compound stretching their arms and legs, their faces full of anguish. Having these pampered young masters and ladies cooped up in cramped examination cells answering questions for three days was indeed torture.

Lu Tong was fine—being locked in a dark room for three days was routine for her. Moreover, when concentrating on answering questions seriously, one never really felt the passage of time.

Finding her medical box and putting away her writing brushes, Lu Tong walked out of the Examination Compound. At first glance, she spotted several people standing under the pillars at the entrance. Du Changqing and Miao Liangfang were squatting with their heads down counting ants, having waited there for who knows how long.

“Miss!” Yin Zheng’s eyes lit up when she saw her, waving vigorously. When Lu Tong approached, she hugged her with heartache: “You’ve clearly lost weight, and there’s nothing decent to eat in that Examination Compound. A’Cheng has been stewing pork bone soup at the medical hall—let’s go back and eat.”

Miao Liangfang and Du Changqing’s faces showed no joy, especially Du Changqing, who looked as if he were mourning the dead.

“Little Lu,” Miao Liangfang looked at her complexion, choosing his words carefully, “the spring examinations added a ‘forensic examination’ subject—we all know about it… this… not passing is no big deal, participation is what matters, right?”

“What participation!” Du Changqing flew into a rage the moment this was mentioned. “Didn’t you claim to know the spring examinations inside and out? How could you not even know what subjects would be tested! Quack doctor harming people!”

Miao Liangfang collapsed: “How was I supposed to know? When I served in the Medical Academy, there was no damn forensic examination subject. Who would have thought the Medical Bureau would start managing dead people too!”

In his agitation, crude words slipped out.

Three days ago, Lu Tong had gone to the Examination Compound to take this year’s Medical Bureau spring examinations.

Because Lu Tong’s participation in the spring examinations had caused quite a stir on West Street, and because it involved the grievances with the Supreme Court Minister, even the medical trade had been alarmed. Any slight disturbance in this spring examination would bring people over to watch the excitement and spread gossip.

On the second day of Lu Tong’s participation in the spring examinations, the gossipy Widow Sun got fresh news from the medical trade and hurried to Renxin Medical Hall to pass along the message.

The news Widow Sun brought struck Miao Liangfang like a thunderbolt.

This year’s Medical Bureau spring examinations had added a “forensic examination” subject!

Forensic examination—that was the forensic examination subject for coroners examining corpses!

When he had taken the spring examinations originally, there had been no such subject. Even until he was expelled from the Medical Academy, the spring examinations in all those years had never tested this subject.

What decent person would have nothing better to do than look at dead people!

The Medical Bureau people were truly petty-minded, secretly adding new academic subjects at the Medical Bureau without notifying anyone externally. Commoner medical workers participating in the spring examinations were completely unprepared—how could they possibly answer correctly?

Lu Tong was already from an unconventional background, not having received Imperial Medical Academy training. Whether she could pass this year’s spring examinations was uncertain, and now adding a medical subject she had never encountered before made failure a certainty!

The people at the Medical Academy were just wearing masks into coffins—shameless to death!

Learning of this matter, everyone on West Street was sympathetic, but Bai Shouyi, that old piece of tree bark from Apricot Grove Hall, felt vindicated and specially came to Renxin Medical Hall to make sarcastic remarks, only to be swept out the door by Du Changqing with a broom.

Du Changqing cursed outwardly, but turned around pale with anger, breathing heavily. Miao Liangfang had to pour two bowls of medicinal soup down his throat before he recovered.

“These officials change their minds with just a word, clearly not wanting commoners to enter the Medical Academy,” Du Changqing sneered. “That’s fine too—a bunch of quack doctors sticking together, saves you from suffering there.”

He looked Lu Tong over and, seeing her expression was normal without the dejected disappointment he’d imagined, felt slightly relieved. He flicked his sleeves: “I think you should just stay peacefully at the medical hall. With the boss providing meals, you won’t starve.”

Yin Zheng frowned: “Shopkeeper, the results aren’t out yet. How do you know my miss can’t pass?”

“Nonsense, could she possibly pass?”

“Of course!” Yin Zheng was very confident, turning to ask Lu Tong: “I believe in you, Miss.”

She had always trusted Lu Tong blindly. Lu Tong smiled slightly and said nothing.

Du Changqing couldn’t stand the forced optimism and self-consolation of this master and servant pair. He turned around, rolled his eyes dramatically, and said: “Stop dawdling. The carriage is at the door—let’s go back to the medical hall to eat first.”

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

…

While some people cursed and stamped their feet over the Medical Bureau spring examinations adding a “forensic examination” subject, others felt comfortable and quite satisfied.

At the Supreme Court Minister’s manor, Madam Dong leaned against a soft couch, listening to reports from the maid before her.

“…This servant inquired with people from the medical trade. They said the newly added ‘forensic examination’ subject is usually considered difficult even by Medical Bureau students. Moreover, this year Master Ji personally set the questions. Lu Tong is just a young doctor from out of town—she definitely can’t pass. Madam need not worry.”

Hearing this, Madam Dong’s expression relaxed somewhat.

“Difficult is good,” she smiled, lifting the tea cup lid and bringing it to her lips, taking an unhurried sip. “Lu Tong is just relying on having some medical skills to act high and mighty, truly thinking she’s the only one in Shengjing who can treat illnesses. Which of those Medical Bureau students doesn’t know more than her? Yet she’s so conceited, even daring to disdain…”

At this point, she suddenly stopped speaking.

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

Everyone knew that Young Master Dong Lin had been so bewitched by the medical woman from Renxin Medical Hall that he had eyes for no one else, even having a big fight with Madam Dong. Madam Dong had sent servants to humiliate Lu Tong at the medical hall entrance, trying to make her back down, but that medical woman was ungrateful and argued back with West Street’s lowly people, saying Young Master Dong was plain-looking and had an unremarkable figure.

The implication was that she, Lu Tong, looked down on Young Master Dong!

When the servants brought this news back, Madam Dong was immediately furious.

If before she had still remembered Lu Tong’s kindness in saving Dong Lin at Wan’en Temple and treating his illness, now with these words, even that bit of friendship was completely severed.

Madam Dong cherished Dong Lin like a pearl or treasure. Even if a fairy were matched with her son, she would still feel dissatisfied. For Lu Tong, a medical woman of lowly status, to dare humiliate her son in public was tantamount to slapping the Dong family’s face.

The Dong family had some friendship with Cui Min, the current Director of the Hanlin Medical Academy. Madam Dong had someone greet Cui Min, ensuring that Lu Tong’s name would definitely not appear among this year’s spring examination candidates entering the palace.

Cui Min managed the entire Hanlin Medical Academy. One quota was just a trivial matter for him. For commoners without status or background, their future and destiny were merely a matter of one sentence from the powerful and wealthy.

Insignificant as dust.

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

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

Madam Dong had confined him to quarters, so Dong Lin couldn’t go out. At first he had tried to protest with a hunger strike, but having lived in luxury for so many years, he really couldn’t bear hunger. He gave up after just one day. But still feeling resentful, he used silent resistance against his mother’s “tyranny.”

“Stubborn and unrepentant,” Madam Dong sneered. “Let him be. Let’s see how long he can persist.”

“Oh,” she remembered something else and instructed the maid, “go to the storehouse and get two fine Tao inkstones, have someone send them to Director Cui at the Medical Academy.”

The maid acknowledged, thought for a moment, then spoke again: “Actually, people from the medical trade already said this year’s questions are difficult, competition among Medical Bureau students is fierce, and Lu Tong definitely can’t pass. Madam already sent silver before, why must…”

“What do you understand?” Madam Dong scoffed lightly. “That medical woman is not simple.”

Though she kept calling Lu Tong a “lowly commoner” and “country doctor,” in her heart she still remembered how Lu Tong had cured Dong Lin’s lung disease.

Her son Lin had suffered from lung disease for years. So many famous doctors were helpless, yet after Lu Tong’s medicinal soups for one year, he was nearly completely recovered. There was also Princess Wen, Pei Yunshu—that “Little Child’s Sorrow” thing that palace medical officials couldn’t detect, Lu Tong spotted at a glance and kept Pei Yunshu and her daughter safe.

Although she disliked Lu Tong, she had to admit that Lu Tong wasn’t a fraudulent quack.

Medical Bureau students did receive famous teachers’ instruction, but who knew if there might be some unexpected turn of events.

Better to be completely safe.

“What are you standing there for? Why don’t you go quickly?” she urged the servant.

“Yes, Madam.”

…

After Shengjing’s Medical Bureau spring examinations, all student exam papers would be sent to the Hanlin Medical Academy for grading by ten selected medical officials.

During the seven-day grading period, all grading examiners were not allowed to go out, eating and sleeping in side halls to rush to publish the spring examination honor roll after seven days.

Today was the last day of grading.

Chang Jin was one of the chief grading examiners.

This year’s spring examinations differed from previous years. First, they were personally set by that most stringent Ji Xun, and students could be heard wailing as they emerged from examination cells. Second, the new “forensic examination” subject was added. These Medical Bureau students had learned this new medical subject reluctantly at best. Usually it was manageable, but come spring examinations, the submitted papers were a disaster, immediately revealing their true level.

A huge long table was set up in the side hall, with medical officials seated on both sides. Each person had a tall stack of exam papers in front of them, with occasional sighs echoing through the room.

“Grind artemisia fine, add three sheng of water and fifty sheng of child’s urine, simmer together to one and a half sheng, remove residue and keep juice, simmer again into paste, make into pills, take twenty pills each time, on empty stomach, lying down with warm wine… fifty sheng of child’s urine… fifty sheng…”

The voice suddenly became shrill: “Fifty sheng—is this treating consumption? I think this is trying to send someone to their death!”

Chang Jin glanced at the speaking medical official and shook his head. Another one had gone mad.

Staying in the side hall endlessly grading papers for long periods—anyone would break down eventually. Especially seeing exam papers full of errors often made people furious and worried about the future batch of new medical officials for the Medical Academy.

“Such simple questions wrong—what does he study all day at the Medical Bureau, eating shit?” The medical official who had just lost it clutched his chest, gasping.

A nearby medical official handed him a cup of water and consoled: “Anger harms the body. There are barely any readable papers submitted this year. I say it’s Master Ji’s fault.”

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

“Everything! He made the questions so difficult that those Medical Bureau boys lose heart at first sight. After reluctantly answering a few questions, they just give up and scribble nonsense for the rest!”

This was actually true.

A medical official across the table, holding his cheek and nearly biting through his brush handle, said: “With so few passable exam papers, I wonder if we can even fill this year’s twenty medical official positions.”

This year’s spring examinations selected the top twenty candidates, with these twenty candidates split between the Imperial Pharmacy and the Hanlin 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 terribly poor. To actually select twenty medical officials would make people feel quite uncertain.

“Hey, you think that’s something? Look at Medical Official Chang’s pile—those are truly awful paper by paper!”

The speaker was gloating, but Chang Jin, being pointed out, showed a pained expression.

Never mind the others—the medical subject he was responsible for grading happened to be this year’s newly added “forensic examination.”

This was already a new medical subject. Honestly, even Hanlin Medical Academy medical officials didn’t dare claim expertise. The reason he was responsible for grading it was that he had once worked with a coroner official for a period in his youth, understanding forensic examination better than other medical officials. But even so, Chang Jin felt Ji Xun’s questions were somewhat excessive.

If even he felt they were excessive, needless to say what those Medical Bureau boys thought. Some answered halfway then stopped, some were obviously making things up, and others simply submitted blank papers with not a single character written, clearly having given up on themselves.

For five full days, he hadn’t seen a single exam paper that completed all the test questions.

Everyone was equally terrible.

“This year we can’t even select a model exam paper. How will we face those old diehards at the Medical Bureau later? Heaven above, could a genius appear to save this year’s spring examinations!” The speaking medical official clasped his hands together.

Chang Jin smiled dismissively.

Where were there so many geniuses in this world? Most people were just mediocre in talent. In all of Shengjing’s years, they’d only produced one genius like Ji Xun. Compared to this genius, they were like rice bags that only knew how to eat.

People were ultimately different.

Chang Jin sighed with emotion while picking up a new exam paper to grade.

As soon as he opened this exam paper, Chang Jin couldn’t help frowning. The reason was simple—the handwriting was far too sloppy.

Medical Bureau students were all taught to answer questions with clear, neat handwriting so grading examiners could grade pleasantly. But this exam paper’s handwriting was wild and flowing, looking especially unrestrained at first glance.

Chang Jin wanted to see which young master was so unruly, but each exam paper had names covered with black paper, not to be revealed until grading was complete.

He could only suppress his curiosity.

Never mind. Though this person’s handwriting was somewhat sloppy, at least the exam paper was written full to overflowing. Regardless of right or wrong, the attitude was fairly proper—much better than those who submitted blank papers.

Chang Jin continued reading with a frown.

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

This exam paper was answered quite beautifully!

“Forensic examination,” as the name suggested, examined corpse conditions. When Medical Bureau teachers gave lessons, they would use real corpses for hands-on instruction. However, those Medical Bureau students were perhaps too young and inexperienced. Upon seeing real corpses, they all shrank back. Learning while trembling with fear—how could they become proficient?

Thus their papers were disasters one after another.

But this exam paper before him, though the handwriting was sloppy, actually got every question right. At first Chang Jin thought the answering student was just padding with random medical principles, but reading through each answer, they were remarkably correct.

Especially that question on “corpse decomposition conditions seven days after death”—this student actually wrote most of a page, from external appearance to internal organs, limbs and brain, simply… simply as if he had guarded beside a corpse, carefully studying for seven days, bit by bit personally watching this corpse decompose!

Spine-chilling!

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

Perhaps his facial expression was too distorted, for the surrounding people, seeing this, all put down their exam papers and gathered around. Looking at the test questions in his hands, they were first startled by the wild handwriting, then smiled knowingly upon seeing the completely filled test questions: “Oh, all answered—good attitude.”

“Look more carefully,” Chang Jin held up the exam paper with shaking hands, “he didn’t get a single question wrong!”

“Let me see. Under sunlight, use a red oil umbrella to shade the corpse, pour water to wet the corpse body, and injury traces will appear…”

The surroundings gradually grew quiet.

This was the last question Ji Xun had set, asking how to handle corpses with no obvious injury traces. At the time, various medical officials at the Medical Academy had argued for a long time without reaching a conclusion, and only knew the answer when Ji Xun provided it.

They had thought no one would answer this final question correctly—Ji Xun was purely being excessive. They never expected someone to write the answer clearly on the exam paper, word for word.

Looking at other questions on this exam paper, the answerer had seriously responded to each question. That sloppy handwriting now seemed pleasing to the eye, appearing like confident ease and natural grace.

This was a perfect answer sheet!

“When did the Medical Bureau produce such talent? Didn’t they say no one in forensic examination was capable?” Chang Jin murmured.

Medical Bureau teachers frequently complained among the medical officials that the court adding such a subject was thankless work. But looking now, the answerer was clearly a genius!

“Quick, look,” one medical official said urgently, “tear off the name tag and see which Medical Bureau student this is. Forensic examination learned so well—could it be that young lady from the Lin family? But isn’t she best at women’s medicine?”

Chang Jin came to his senses and quickly picked up the exam paper before him, hurriedly grabbing the name tag and tearing it off—

Since this exam paper was already graded anyway, looking wouldn’t matter.

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

The black strip was torn away, revealing a character “Lu.”

Then the complete name appeared.

Lu Tong.

“Lu Tong?” Chang Jin was puzzled, turning to look at his colleagues. “Why does this name sound so unfamiliar? Which official at the Medical Bureau is this a relative of?”

Since Medical Academy medical officials sometimes taught Medical Bureau students, they were quite familiar with every Medical Bureau student’s name. But this name Lu Tong made Chang Jin feel completely unfamiliar—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 Medical Bureau?”

“Nonsense, if the Medical Bureau doesn’t have this person, could it be a commoner student from the medical trade?”

“There’s only one commoner medical worker taking the exam this year—you’re dreaming!”

The surroundings buzzed with discussion. In this chaos, one medical official in the crowd suddenly thought of something and shouted loudly.

Everyone looked at him in unison.

“Um, I suddenly remembered something…”

“What thing?”

The medical official who had shouted looked at everyone and said weakly: “This year’s commoner medical worker recommended by the medical trade…”

“Yes?”

“Seems to be surnamed Lu… Lu, right?”