Evening, No. 13 Huadian Lane.

"Unbelievable, Mr. Lin, I’ll go and take that dog official surnamed Zheng’s head off for you right now!" Si Miaoxue was furious as soon as she heard it.

"Miaoxue, you’re just a girl, don’t always think about fighting and killing. We should win people over with virtue."

"You say that to me, but you’re the one who doesn’t say much and strikes hard." Si Miaoxue was also shocked when she learned that Lin Miao had killed dozens of people from two groups of the Huang Family in one go.

In her life, the people she had killed combined weren’t as many as Lin Miao’s.

"Has Yue Mei’Er been quite behaved these days?" Lin Miao changed the topic and asked.

"Not too bad. She was clamoring to see you, the young master, for the first few days. But recently, she hasn’t been saying much. Even when I visit, she ignores me." Si Miaoxue said in a weird tone, emphasizing "young master," "From what I understand about her, she must be plotting something. Haven’t you seen her?"

"Why would I go see her? What about Yue Shisan?"

"I crippled his dantian, yet he still acts unaffected, eating and drinking regularly every day."

"Such strong vitality and willpower. No wonder he’s a death attendant surviving the harsh environment. Truly extraordinary. Even with his dantian destroyed and his martial arts wasted, he can still act like this. I’ve really underestimated him." Lin Miao exclaimed in surprise.

"People trained by the Yue Clan are like emotionless machines, only obeying and fearing neither death nor life."

"Do you remember this thing?" Lin Miao took out a purple bottle, showing it to Si Miaoxue. 𝐟𝕣𝗲𝕖𝕨𝗲𝐛𝗻𝗼𝐯𝗲𝚕.𝗰𝚘𝐦

"Isn’t this the bottle containing the ’Sacred Gu’? Didn’t you say you took it to be burned in the iron furnace?"

"I did take it to be burned. It was in the iron furnace for a whole day and night, yet it didn’t get damaged. But the originally openable seam got welded shut. If there’s really something alive inside, it couldn’t have survived such high temperatures. I just think the material is quite special." Lin Miao said, playing with it in his hand, "I’ll just keep it as a trinket."

"I’ve never seen it before, I don’t recognize it. Maybe Yue Mei’Er knows, why not go ask her? Anyway, if there was something inside, it would have turned to ashes?"

"Alright, take it over and find a chance to ask her tomorrow."

"Don’t give it to me, I’m still a bit uneasy with this thing..."

Lin Miao found another box and packed it away. After spending a short time with it, he left.

...

Dongshan Prefecture Office.

"Mr. Dong, today the South City District Commander Zheng Dan led people to seal off Furong Garden."

"Under what charges?" Pei Jian grabbed a handful of fish food and was feeding a group of red koi in the pond.

"Smuggling crystal sugar and tax evasion." Zhuo Qingfeng said.

"Did he have solid evidence, or was it a surprise attack with the discovery of crystal sugar on the scene to prove smuggling and tax evasion?"

"No, Zheng Dan didn’t find a single grain of crystal sugar at Furong Garden. He was turned back by Lin Miao." Zhuo Qingfeng laughed, "Apologizing in public, what a disgrace."

"Oh?" Pei Jian expressed his surprise, having heard Lin Miao admit in person that Furong Garden’s pastry shop used crystal sugar, and for Zheng Dan to seal it off without solid evidence would require a secret raid.

Yet they couldn’t find a single grain of crystal sugar at Furong Garden, what does this indicate?

Lin Miao predicted this situation in advance, transferring the crystal sugar immediately, or perhaps it was still at Furong Garden but Zheng Dan’s constables didn’t find it.

Without finding it, they could only concede defeat.

"Mr. Dong, do you want to intervene in this matter? Zheng Dan’s actions damage the court’s reputation and have a bad impact." Zhuo Qingfeng suggested.

"Since he’s overcome the crisis, there’s no need for us to intervene." Pei Jian thought for a moment and shook his head, "Ye Family’s horse ranch has encountered trouble, go investigate what’s going on?"

"Yes, Mr. Dong." Zhuo Qingfeng paused, finding it hard to keep up with Pei Jian’s train of thought.

Marquis Lingyang’s Mansion has been very quiet these days. What exactly is Mrs. He thinking, and what is Ye Shengyuan doing?

Could it be related to this year’s ’Autumn Hunt’?

...

Li Jing, extremely valuable land.

Real estate prices are four to five times higher than in places like Dongshan City, so owning a half-acre property in Li Jing is no small feat.

Wan Bin’s home is located in West City Chunhua Square in Li Jing.

As a mere seventh-grade official, he’s currently restricted in his freedom, only allowed to stay within Li Jing City, going to work at the Imperial Pharmacy every day. During his rest time, he remains home alone.

Due to "recommending Lin Miao for the Holy Trial," he used to have some friends, but most of them have since distanced themselves.

He doesn’t mind. Without social engagements, he can focus on reading at home, occasionally visiting the Benefit People Pharmacy to practice his skills.

As a middle-ranking physician, his medical skills are quite good, at least he hasn’t lost his means of livelihood over the years working as an official.

Wan Bin’s hometown is in Chenzhou. His wife and children are back home, with only a concubine, an old servant, and two employees in Li Jing.

After all, the place is only so big, and it can accommodate only so many people.

Lijing’s cost of living is high, even as a physician and court official, he can’t spend money recklessly against the capital’s high living costs.

Moreover, he needs to send half of his income back home to support his parents and family.

Not all physicians lead enviable and wealthy lives. Of course, physicians are surely high-income earners. Those with top-notch medical skills and greater fame not only have a high social status but also a correspondingly high income.

Achieving the level of a national expert means they can even disregard the face of top-notch nobles. Who would want to offend someone who might save your life at a critical moment without reason?

Wan Bin was just an ordinary middle-level physician; in Li Jing, he was inconspicuous, but in the lower prefecture, it was different.

Li Jing had its advantages, with the best medical practitioners in the country and the top medical academy, Qihuang Research Institute. As long as one could enter and study there, not only would their medical skills improve rapidly, but even in terms of career advancement, promotions happened much faster than in the provinces.

Generally, if there were no aspirations for officialdom, most doctors from other places who came to Li Jing to develop would choose to return at a suitable age.

Wan Bin actually had such plans; if by the age of fifty there was no hope in his career, he planned to return to his hometown, Chenzhou.

At least by then, he would have the title of a high-level physician and would certainly become an authority figure locally.

Perhaps he would even serve a term or two as the head of the State Medical Bureau before retirement.

That’s how his life would be.

However, he did not expect to meet "Lin Miao," a prodigy in the field of medicine, which opened up numerous possibilities for his future.

He decided to take a gamble.

Lin Miao indeed brought him a wave of surprises, even though his trial achievements in Dongshan Prefecture were not as outstanding as some others.

Yet, his prescription cured Prince Jing’s grandson’s "rabid disease," which was an undeniable achievement, although some chose not to mention it, no one could deny this fact.

Prince Jing, for reasons unknown, did not commend Lin Miao, but Wan Bin believed Mr. Jia would not steal credit.

Otherwise, he wouldn’t be the old fox Wan Bin knew.

Having known each other for over a decade, Wan Bin trusted the morality of this old fox, not to mention there was Guan Biyun involved. If they could avoid being implicated by Consort Yi, it was testament to their uprightness; even the slightest mistake could have led to demotion.

These two individuals, one firm and one gentle, were extraordinarily righteous.

Those who had initially distanced themselves gradually started showing friendly smiles again, and Wan Bin no longer received cold stares at the Imperial Pharmacy.

When good things happened, they were now within his reach; he was no longer left out.

It felt worth going home that day.

"Sir, there’s a letter and package from Dongshan Prefecture delivered by express," the old servant reported while taking Wan Bin’s coat and folding it, "I’ve placed the letter and package in your study."

"Alright, I understand. First, bring me a cup of perilla hot drink to the study," Wan Bin instructed. During this season, his favorite was the perilla hot drink, so it was prepared daily at home.

"Got it, sir!" The old servant, well-acquainted with Wan Bin’s habit, had already prepared the perilla drink.

He had already received a letter from Lin Miao last time, which made him quite pleased; at least the concern expressed in the letter assured him he had not mistaken Lin Miao.

It hadn’t been long since then, so this letter probably wasn’t from Lin Miao, perhaps it was from Mr. Jia, who had been in Dongshan Prefecture for several months and should have sent a letter.

Yet despite waiting and waiting, there had been no letter from him. If he could write to Mr. Jia without breaking the rules, he would have done it long ago.

Indeed, upon seeing the familiar handwriting on the envelope, Wan Bin guessed it was from Mr. Jia.

Opening it, he saw words of extreme praise for Lin Miao from Mr. Jia, who even mentioned that he and Guan Biyun now had free time and would attend Lin Miao’s lectures daily, benefiting greatly and seeing immense improvement...

Such a prodigious young doctor, praised by Mr. Jia as surpassing all others in the past three hundred years, three hundred years ago, there was a "Le."

This implied Lin Miao had the potential to become a sage.

If Wan Bin became the mentor to such a generation’s medical sage, such honor would secure his name in history, immortalized forever.

Besides Mr. Jia’s letter, there were two booklets.

One was the "Lin’s Pulse Study Manual," the other was the "Medical Three Character Classics." The former was a summary of Pulse Science based on Lin Miao’s teachings, partially written by Lin Miao himself, and partially added by Xia Zhu and others, as the manual included annotations making it comprehensible.

Just by flipping through a few pages, Wan Bin excitedly stood up, ecstatic and unable to contain his feelings.

This "Lin’s Pulse Study Manual" completely surpassed the ancient classic "Pulse Theory" by Gu Lin, more complete and easier to understand, even beginners in medicine could grasp it, a true gospel for medical learners.

Setting down the "Manual," he then looked at the "Medical Three Character Classics," and again was struck with awe. The book’s value was equally significant, if not more so, as it could serve as an introductory book for medical students and as a primer for young learners.

It was hard to imagine these two books originated from the hands of a seventeen-year-old youth.

Does a true genius indeed exist in this world?

"Sir, your perilla hot drink will get cold if you don’t drink it," the old servant reminded upon entering, disrupting Wang Bin’s engrossment in the book.

Clearly, Mr. Jia’s purpose in sending these books was to have him find a way to help Lin Miao gain fame; otherwise, why would he trouble himself sending them to the city?

The two individuals from Yaowang Sect and Reclining Buddha Temple each published a medical case collection, while the one from Dongshan had no action, almost overtaken by others.

Additionally, the two were competing, watching each other, likely aiming to release a trilogy of medical case collections.

Lin Miao, on the other hand, had not one medical case collection, instead, he directly authored medical texts!

The comparison was instantly clear.

The problem was, how could he use these two medical books to make Lin Miao famous? Directly submitting to the higher-ups at the Imperial Pharmacy wouldn’t work, given Leng Qingfeng’s attitude during the last trial application for the "Path to Sainthood."

Another deputy seat occupied by Yaowang Sect personnel, expecting assistance from him was impossible.

Visiting the demoted Jiang Xian’s teacher-uncle wasn’t entirely unfeasible, but if he directly handed over these books to the national physician Fu Qingzhu...

Challenging, yet doable.