The Martial Doctor-Chapter 42: Entering the Examination Hall

If it weren’t for the upcoming "medical examination" and the signing of a six-month lease, this move would not only incur huge losses but also completely disrupt all plans.

Lin Miao now really wants to move directly.

However, in this world, nothing ever goes smoothly.

Ah, time travel and rebirth are just like reincarnation, you have to maintain a balance, you can’t have all the benefits to yourself.

...

"Has the person gone next door again?"

"Yes, the Glazed Palm Dance took the person directly next door." Nanny Rong knelt on the ground, not daring to take a deep breath, knowing punishment awaited for failing to stop the person.

Qin Yanran frowned slightly. This Shi Yin had overdosed on drugs, nearly costing her own life, and no one could treat her. Qin Yanran knew that taking this kind of drug in excess could only be endured personally, but the probability of dying was extremely high, and those who survived ultimately went insane.

Moreover, she was sent back by Baoan Hall, and everyone in Dongshan City knows that being sent back by the four renowned medical halls means:

"Uncurable, go back and prepare for the funeral."

Therefore, she gave the contract of selling herself to Glazed Palm Dance, since the person was going to die anyway, keeping the contract was useless.

As a result, not only did Shi Yin survive, she recovered well, which was completely breaking the norm. But Qin Yanran doesn’t believe it was Lin Miao or Sun Youwei who saved her.

It must be that Shi Yin was fortunate, maybe the dosage wasn’t large, and with other unclear reasons, she managed to survive.

However, when Han Si found out Lin Miao was indeed a "medical apprentice" and had signed up for this year’s "medical examination", she started to have doubts.

Could it be that Shi Yin was really saved by that young Mr. Lin?

Impossible, a mere "medical apprentice", even if he learned medicine from birth, only studied for a dozen years, could he compare with the decades of experience of Baoan Hall’s renowned doctors?

So it can’t be possible.

"Nanny Rong, you did a great job, go and collect five taels of silver as a reward!" Qin Yanran did not punish, instead giving a reward.

This really made Han Si, standing at the side, envious and jealous with his eyes bulging.

Five taels of silver, that is half a month’s salary for him.

"Han Si, assign someone to keep an eye on next door, report immediately if there’s any situation!" Qin Yanran glanced at Han Si and ordered.

"Yes, Tower Lord."

...

Half a month passed in the blink of an eye, only ten days remained until the "medical examination", Lin Miao basically didn’t go out, showing a demeanor of preparing for the exam at ease.

"Young Mr., this is the profit submitted by the branch and franchise store today, now the profit basically stabilizes at around five hundred thousand to eight hundred thousand coins daily, roughly fifty taels of silver." After dinner that day, Yun came over holding an account book to report the current operating situation of the "Neighbor" store to Lin Miao.

"Maintain the current scale first, don’t expand blindly, unless the location is good with potential customers, don’t open branches or franchise stores." Lin Miao nodded, this profit approximately matches his expectations.

In a city with a population of one million, there is a limit on how much tofu products can be consumed daily, you can’t take all the money.

End of the day, leave some food for others.

If blindly expanded, capacity can’t keep up, and strongly rebound from others arises. Even though making tofu is small business, wealthy individuals won’t pay attention. However, if a brand and scale are formed, then there will be someone coveting it.

Even though the "Neighbor" store’s tofu took some of the customers, it also expanded some new ones, after all, the tofu quality surpasses that of other tofu stores.

Thus, Lin Miao arranged for Yun to secretly increase the price by one coin, creating a slight gap with other tofu stores.

Raising the price by one coin seems like self-destructive business practice, but after raising it, two days of sales for "Neighbor" store’s tofu dropped, but then quickly rebounded, with some increase.

Good things aren’t cheap!

So, Yun felt Lin Miao’s operation was somewhat capricious and reckless, but surprisingly, the result was beyond her expectations.

Yet Lin Miao returned this extra profit to franchisees, securing the market share for "Neighbor" store’s tofu and tofu products.

Fifty taels of silver daily pure profit, after a year that’s a little under two thousand taels. Buying this house in half a year seems not so unrealistic.

Also, redeeming the "Sun Family’s Herbal Hall" and medical officer decree, poses no half problems.

So now, Yun is following Lin Miao’s every word, even if incomprehensible, she will comply unconditionally.

Life now is over a hundred times happier than before.

Don’t see her clothes changed to better satin now, previously, it was when married she tore a piece of satin for a good garment, reluctant to wear, only wore during festivals, then pressed into the bottom of the chest.

Now, buying ten pieces of eight in one shot without blinking.

How could Mr. Yun, as Chief Shopkeeper, dress too shabbily outside, that would be losing face for "Neighbor" store.

"Young Mr. says so."

"Mrs. Yun, previously agreed four percent share, take four percent of monthly pure profit, leave the rest for my senior sister."

"Young Mr. plans to leave the money with Youwei for safekeeping?"

"Yes, she’s my future wife, my money is her money, leaving it with her is perfectly fine?" Lin Miao asked.

"Then if Young Mr. needs money, wouldn’t it be asking for it from Madam?"

"Naturally, is there anything wrong?" Lin Miao smiled, Sun Youwei’s temperament he knows well, she certainly won’t obstruct if he needs money.

"Young man treats Youwei exceptionally well," Yun remarked with intense envy.

"The exam is in three days. I trust you will pay more attention to the household matters, Mrs. Yun, and avoid disturbing me," Lin Miao instructed.

"Yes."

Three days passed in the blink of an eye.

Lin Miao got up early, lit incense at his master Sun Simiao’s memorial tablet, and changed into a newly made outfit. He didn’t like silk; it was too ostentatious, so he chose an outfit of blue cotton.

As the weather was already cold, the outfit was lined with cotton padding. The boots were personally sewn by his senior sister, which made him feel deeply concerned when she broke her hand while fixing the soles.

Nevertheless, the gesture was heartfelt, and he accepted it sincerely.

Everything he wore was new, low-key, and unassuming, matching his personality.

He had long inquired about the required items for the exam and wouldn’t make a mistake.

After breakfast, the hired carriage arrived to pick him up. Around three-quarters past the hour of Chen, he reached Xinglin Garden. The carriages transporting candidates for this year’s "Physician Exam" filled the entire street.

Hiring a carriage directly for transportation, as Lin Miao did, was the most common approach. Hence, the parking area outside Xinglin Garden was full, and they had to find a distant spot to alight and walk over.

The entry time for candidates was at the hour of Si. Missing this time meant losing the opportunity to enter the examination hall and forfeiting the exam.

Every exam had candidates who overslept and couldn’t reach Xinglin Garden in time, and they had only regret to face as they were disqualified.

Lin Miao alighted from the carriage, checked his belongings, and swiftly moved through the carriages.

He entered Xinglin Garden and arrived at Jinxian Tower, the exam venue.

Jinxian Tower was solemnly decorated today and exceptionally strict. To enforce exam discipline, the Medical Bureau specially deployed an elite army camp to seal off the tower inside and out completely.

Such specifications could only be compared to the court exams to recruit talents, held once every three years, with an acceptance rate as low as the "Physician Exam."

This did not concern Lin Miao, as it was unnecessary for him to know.

He submitted his "bamboo tally" and identification proof, both integrated into one record, registered, and was given a card with a number indicating his exam desk.

Then came the check of belongings. Though it wasn’t required to disrobe completely, being caught with concealed items would result in immediate disqualification.

Generally, no one would be foolish enough to do so, as failing once meant another chance existed. But being caught with concealed items was a character flaw. Such individuals couldn’t be entrusted with medical practice, lest it risked lives.

Thus, their future participation in the "Physician Exam" would be revoked altogether.

Of course, one could assume a different identity and continue exams in other prefectures, but being discovered would mean more than just losing reputation.

In any case, the punishment was severe, and no one dared risk it as cheating could ruin lifelong prospects.

Lin Miao had encountered such scenes in his past life and was unfazed.

Soon he completed the checks, received his desk number card, and entered Jinxian Tower.

This year, over four hundred people had registered for the "Physician Exam," dividing them into four sections: Jia, Yi, Bing, Ding.

No one knew how they were allocated, probably randomized based on arrival order.

Lin Miao was placed in Bing section. After entering, half the seats were occupied, each candidate seated at separate desks, spaced at least sixty centimeters front and back, and over a meter apart sideways.

The lighting was ample, chosen for the brightest time of day.

No one spoke, nor dared whisper.

Leaving a bad impression with the proctor could invite extra scrutiny during the exam, causing discomfort.

Examination materials were placed on the desk.

Awaiting the distribution of exam papers.

Exam time commenced, doors to the exam section closed. Lin Miao glanced around, noticing four or five empty seats in his Bing section.

Unknown if they failed to arrive or were surplus.

Proctors for the "Physician Exam" were professors and scholars of the prefecture, ensuring no vested interest and guaranteeing utmost impartiality.

This first written exam could filter out the uninformed and close loopholes.

Passing the written test meant possessing some genuine knowledge.

In preventing cheating, this world’s measures reached commendable heights.

Next, exam papers were distributed.

Top-grade mulberry paper.

Only one sheet per paper; caution was advised for drafting on scratch paper before final submission, as errors requiring amendments would affect the presentation score.

Often, this detail was critical to missing the chance for the next face-to-face examination.

Papers were transcribed anonymously and evaluated, with presentation scores added. Final scores were ranked accordingly.

Lin Miao heard this year, Dongshan Prefecture’s "Physician Exam" would select the top forty candidates, with up to five proceeding to face-to-face exams based on scores.

Among these five, there were whispers of three top contenders.

Shengyuan Medical Hall’s Ye Family young master Ye Xizhao, Mr. Zhong’s descendant Zhong Yu, and Lanzhou’s Su Family’s Su Chen.