"Senior Brother Wu, could you help me check whether the Imperial Pharmacy had recently released highly toxic medicinal herbs like aconite and prepared aconite?"
"I'll try." Wu Qian nodded. "Zhang Qi manages the Imperial Pharmacy's ledgers. I'll find a way to copy the recent incoming and outgoing accounts. But Zhang Qi is very cautious and keeps a close watch on the ledgers, so it may take some time."
"No rush. The assessment in three days is what matters." Lin Taichu said, "Zheng Xiuyuan will definitely make things difficult for me during the assessment. I'll need Senior Brother Wu to help smooth things over then."
Wu Qian agreed. After they discussed the Imperial Hospital's rules and personnel matters for a while longer, he quietly left. Over the next two days, Lin Taichu stayed at the inn preparing for the assessment while learning about Zheng Xiuyuan's preferences and habits through Wu Qian.
Wu Qian also brought news that the Imperial Pharmacy had indeed released large quantities of aconite and prepared aconite recently. The ledger stated they were "used to refine insect-repelling medicine," but there was no record of any insect-repelling medicine being refined.
Three days later, the assessment was held as scheduled. It took place in the main hall of the Imperial Hospital. Zheng Xiuyuan sat in the seat of honor, with several Imperial Physicians beside him, including Wu Qian and Zheng Xiuyuan's trusted men, Sun Hao and Liu An.
The first round was a written test on medical theory. The questions were obscure, mostly niche points from ancient medical texts, but Lin Taichu had prepared well in advance. With his solid medical skills, he finished quickly.
Sun Hao picked up the test paper and examined it for a long time, unable to find a single flaw. He could only hand it