Waiting for elder sister to change clothes.
Lin Miao came to the backyard. Although the backyard wasn't very big, it had a flower bed that flourished with blossoms in spring, likely very beautiful. There was a gigantic pomegranate tree beside the flower bed.
Meaning: abundance of children and blessings.
It's a pity that he probably didn't expect his meticulously built house would turn into a "haunted abode".
It's already late autumn, the pomegranates have turned red, hanging full on the branches, heavy and festive, though somewhat neglected.
These wild-growing pomegranates; it's uncertain how they're tasting.
In addition, there's a small garden filled with flowers and plants. Recently, Lin Miao was too busy with the front yard to attend to the backyard.
The task of tidying the backyard is done by elder sister Sun Youwei, who always loved handling flowers and plants since childhood. With such a big garden, she's delighted.
Sun Youwei likes chrysanthemums.
There's just a cluster of chrysanthemums here, but lacking care, they're growing unevenly, though the flowers are still nice.
The weeds have been pulled out, clearly showing elder sister's attention to this flower bed.
Besides chrysanthemums, there are marigolds, worry-free flowers, and other common plants. Lin Miao even spotted a patch of lavender, with its light purple flowers, appearing noble and elegant. Its stems and leaves can also be used medicinally, aiding digestion, sweating, and easing pain, treating colds and flu.
This world may be more magnificent and colorful than he imagined.
Lin Miao walked along and at a sunny corner, he was shocked to find a flower, the purple datura.
Many people like this plant, but not knowing its nature can make growing it at home quite dangerous.
As an ornamental plant, it's naturally fine because it has a long flowering period, beautiful flower shape, and strong fragrance.
However, its roots and stems contain a substance known as scopolamine, the legendary truth serum derived from this plant.
It has strong hallucinogenic and anesthetic effects; its extracts can also treat heart failure, arrhythmias, and severe hypertension patients.
Medicines, when used correctly, can save lives, but if used incorrectly, they can harm.
He remembered in the Medicine Scripture left by Sun Simiao, there's a record about this flower. It's called "Purple Vine" here, but the simple annotation states its flowers and leaves can be boiled in water for pain relief.
That's correct, but this shouldn't be consumed frequently, overuse can lead to issues.
The two previous tenants of the haunted house went mad, babbling incoherently, and eventually committed suicide by jumping into the well.
The well is in the front yard.
The owner learned about it and suspected the well had issues, possibly sinister, so he invited people for a ritual and got a magic artifact to subdue the well, thus nobody drew water since.
If the well indeed had problems, it should be filled up. But due to fear, after it claimed two lives, nobody dared fill it, fearing revenge from ghosts.
So, the well was sealed instead.
The datura in the backyard is a poisonous plant, easily causing hallucinations; drinking water infused with its stalks and leaves for a long period might lead to hallucinations, even madness.
This thing can't stay in the backyard; it must be uprooted.
Lin Miao would want to remove it himself to prevent further harm.
"Junior brother, what are you looking at?" Su Youwei appeared in a light purple robe, embroidered with lotus flower shoes, her hair styled in twin braids, looking youthful and lively.
"Oh, nothing. Let's go, we're heading to Xinglin Institute today." Lin Miao planned to personally remove the datura when he returned.
He hired a horse-drawn carriage; Xinglin Institute in Dongshan Prefecture is located in Mingchuan Square to the east of the city, going from Xiuyue Square. If walking, it would take more than two hours to cross most of the city.
Considering Su Youwei's health, the carriage was much faster, taking a little less than half an hour.
For Su Youwei, it was her first time taking a carriage for an outing in Dongshan City. Lin Miao drove the carriage slowly, allowing elder sister to enjoy the scenery along the way.
The street was bustling, especially when passing through the East Market, the carriage was nearly moving step by step with pedestrians.
Shops lined the street, merchandise piled onto the road, and the hawkers' cries were relentless.
Everything was being sold; Lin Miao even saw someone selling a type of smoke leaf from a street stall.
Such items are rarely seen unless at the origin because tobacco is a state monopoly, not entering the market.
Smoking is hazardous to health, and Lin Miao naturally didn't have such a bad habit.
Yet he noticed many buyers, purchasing bundles, suggesting Dongshan Prefecture might have a plot for growing tobacco and medicinal herbs.
"Sugar-coated hawthorn sticks, delicious sugar-coated hawthorn sticks! Young sir, want one?"
"Sure, I'll take two—no, four!" Lin Miao felt tempted himself, buying four sticks in one go, keeping one for himself, and giving the rest to elder sister in the carriage.
You couldn't find these in Qingping Town.
Sour and sweet, they whetted the appetite, quite suitable for Sun Youwei.
Finally, they arrived at Mingchuan Square, the administrative center of Dongshan City. This area either housed government offices or the mansions of officials.
The public security here was not only excellent, but the area was also quite tranquil and not noisy at all.
The three enormous gold characters "Xinglin Institute" on a blue background, along with pillars resembling huabiaos and a wooden archway, stood right at the entrance of the street.
This street was unique.
The buildings on both sides were also quite exquisite. As Lin Miao stepped off the carriage, he smelled a faint fragrance of wood, taking a gentle sniff.
It turned out that this wooden fragrance was emanating from the archway.
Lin Miao looked up, his eyes wide with surprise. The wood used for this archway was entirely made of golden phoebe.
This was such luxury, these materials in today's time would require many small fortunes to acquire!
Upon reaching this archway, everyone, regardless of status, had to dismount and walk inside. It felt a bit like civilian officials dismounting from palanquins and military officers from their horses.
This was the "Revere Medicine" rule of this world.
Xinglin Institute (also the office of the State Medical Bureau) was divided internally into the Hundred Herbs Hall, Scripture Pavilion, Tongren Hall, and Jinxian Tower.
The Hundred Herbs Hall was actually a museum displaying stories and significant contributions of famous local physicians that were traceable and recordable.
The Scripture Pavilion was a library, holding various medical books, as well as various classical prescriptions and dietary recipes, available for the medical apprentices and physicians who came to study and take examinations at the Xinglin Institute.
But this came with a fee.
Tongren Hall was a place for accommodation and rest, and during medical examinations, it was cleared for use as lodging for medical apprentices from all over Dongshan Prefecture. However, staying there was not mandatory.
Staying here allowed timely access to information and interaction with peers, and the possibility of gaining guidance from famous physicians.
With so many benefits, naturally, lodging here was not cheap.
Jinxian Tower was not usually open; it only opened when famous physicians came to give lectures or during medical exams because Jinxian Tower served as the examination site for written and clinical exams.
The registration area for the Xinglin Institute's medical examinations.
Lin Miao took out his apprentice identity badge and handed it over.
"Lin Miao, you're only sixteen, and you're planning to take this year's medical exam?" The clerk from the Medical Bureau exclaimed in surprise.
"May I not register?" Lin Miao smiled slightly and asked.
Seeing Lin Miao's youthful appearance, yet wearing only coarse cloth garments, standing tall with an extraordinary demeanor, the clerk couldn't help but put away his initial disdain, writing down the name in the registration book, then asked, "Who is your mentor?"
"My mentor is Sun Simiao."
"Sun Simiao, I don't seem to have heard of him. Is there such a person?" The registration clerk was momentarily taken aback. He had been in this position for ten years, and the mentors of the registering apprentices were always familiar to him. Why did this one not ring a bell?
"Wait a moment, I need to check."
Lin Miao nodded. In eighteen years, Sun Simiao had taken only him as an apprentice.
"Found it, Intermediate Physician Sun Simiao from Qingping Town, Baihe County!" the clerk asked, "Indeed, there is such a physician. Why hasn't he come today?"
"My master has passed away." Lin Miao informed frankly, as hiding such a matter would be pointless and would leave a stain of dishonesty.
"Passed away? This is your first time taking the medical exam, right?" The clerk exclaimed again. "Do you know that if you fail this time, you would need to choose another physician as a mentor to regain your apprentice eligibility on your next attempt?"
"I understand. Success or failure depends on this. If I fail, it means I lack the talent for medicine, and I will pursue another path, not in vain for Mr. Sun's teachings all these years!"
Maintaining a calm demeanor.
The clerk had seen numerous examinees taking the medical exam, many already of age but still very nervous, losing composure in the exam was common.
After registering Lin Miao and issuing the exam number badge, the registration was complete.
The clerk also saw Sun Youwei but did not ask much, as many brought their families with them to register. It was common for young people to bring their beloved ones to gain experience.
As long as they didn't intrude in certain areas, Xinglin Institute did not prohibit outsiders from visiting. However, with the medical exam approaching, ordinary individuals without credentials wouldn't be allowed entry at the gates.
Lin Miao wanted his senior sister to register as well, but Sun Youwei didn't want to waste this exam opportunity casually. In certain special cases, exam quotas could be transferred.
Sun Youwei wouldn't mention this to Lin Miao.
If Lin Miao didn't pass this time, her quota could possibly be given to him, offering him another chance.
Next was a visit to the Hundred Herbs Hall. Lin Miao had limited time. Fortunately, he had a genius mind, remembering everything was child's play; even with a different body, this ability didn't diminish, perhaps even strengthened.
In the medical examination, twenty percent of the content came from the exhibits in the Hundred Herbs Hall. Before the exam, all preparing apprentices could visit and study there.
Since the contents of the Hundred Herbs Hall were continuously updated, updates ceased one month before the exam. If any content was missed and it appeared on the exam, points would be lost.
Losing points on such easy questions was utterly avoidable.