Apprentice Assessment

Evening Moon had passed.

Li Mo packed his belongings, shut the door, and came to the little stone-stepped path at the eastern end of the village. Zhao Siman poked her head out from the courtyard, and upon seeing Li Mo, she tiptoed outside.

"Brother Mo, are you going to town?"

"Mm. Why are you wearing so little? Aren't you cold?"

As he spoke, Li Mo took out some coarse-grain rice and sat with Zhao Siman on the stone steps to share it.

Sitting beside him, Zhao Siman softly comforted him. "I'm not cold. Don't be too sad about Aunt Zhou. Everyone knew that she had always been proud of you."

Li Mo nodded, signaling Xiao Man to eat more.

Then Li Mo noticed Xiao Man's purple lips and her constantly trembling body. After hesitating slightly, he took off part of his old fur coat and gently draped it over Xiao Man.

Zhao Siman's body instantly stiffened.

She stopped trembling, her cheeks nearly burying themselves between her knees. She no longer dared look at Li Mo.

Yet the pleasant moment was swiftly shattered by a shrill voice from the Zhao Family Courtyard.

"Xiao Man!"

It was Zhao Siman's Third Aunt. Her body immediately trembled as she hurriedly rose to her feet. "Brother Mo, I have to go back."

"Alright."

Li Mo rose as well.

Li Mo now had the height of an adult man, though his frame was somewhat thin, his skin still delicate, and his face slightly youthful.

"The Flower Festival will be in a few days. Are you going to the temple? Let's go together!"

Hearing this, Zhao Siman paused slightly. Her face reddened down to the roots of her neck as she stammered, "If I have time, I'll definitely go."

"Alright."

Only after watching Zhao Siman return home did Li Mo resume his journey toward Hua'an Town.

Silver was the common currency of the various nations of the Central Plains.

Below that, each nation had its own Copper Coins, also called Copper Coins, Copper Coins, or Copper Coins.

A One String of Coins meant one thousand copper coins, or one thousand cash, but these coins could only circulate within the Gan Kingdom.

Above silver were high-value universal currencies such as Gold Grains and brocade, as well as the so-called Jiaozi issued by merchant houses spanning several nations, also known as Banknotes.

However, these were not things ordinary people could access.

Even if a normal family of five pinched pennies and saved every scrap, it needed an annual income of at least thirty taels of silver just to barely maintain daily life. In other words, every person needed to spend at least six taels of silver a year.

Li Mo was currently only an apprentice at Jimin Hall, earning merely three hundred cash a month, not even enough to make ends meet.

But if he passed this graduation assessment and became qualified, securing a proper position at Jimin Hall, he would earn at least One String of Coins per month. With the year-end reward added in, he could conservatively save six or seven taels of silver a year after daily expenses.

Together with the silver and Copper Coins Zhou Mei had left behind, Li Mo only needed to work another two or three years to gather enough bride price to marry Zhao Siman and live his own little life.

At the thought, his heart could not help but fill with longing.

"Unqualified."

At Doctor Zhang's cold voice, Jiang Ming, who was undergoing the year-end assessment, instantly turned pale. He then slowly lowered his head and stepped aside.

This meant that he would have to remain an apprentice for another year, or become a herb gatherer.

Next was Zhang Limin.

Though he was Doctor Zhang's distant relative, Doctor Zhang had never opened one eye and closed the other because of it. He had always treated everyone equally, and this assessment was no exception.

After less than half the time it took an incense stick to burn, Zhang Limin stumbled over his answers three times in a row and was likewise dismissed by Doctor Zhang.

There was no ruler punishment in this assessment, but everyone felt even greater pressure. All at once, the beatings they had suffered before no longer seemed quite so painful.

Wang Pan went without saying.

In only a moment, beneath Doctor Zhang's cold snort, he stood aside with his head lowered and his face red with shame.

The remaining four all looked toward Li Mo.

Li Mo took a deep breath and slowly stepped forward.

"Find Radix Paeoniae Rubra among those herbs. State its medicinal properties, medicinal principles, prescriptions, and contraindications."

"Yes."

Li Mo quickly found Radix Paeoniae Rubra among the herbs in the storeroom.

Though several herbs in the storeroom resembled it, Li Mo spotted the differences at a glance. He confidently returned and, according to Doctor Zhang's requirements, began introducing the medicinal properties, principles, prescriptions, and contraindications of Radix Paeoniae Rubra.

Doctor Zhang said nothing about this and instead continued having Li Mo search the storeroom for the next herb.

And so it went.

Following the other man's demands, Li Mo found more than ten herbs from the storeroom in succession and accurately described their characteristics.

Not until Li Mo once again took out a new herb from the storeroom did Doctor Zhang suddenly rebuke him coldly. "This is not Herba Schizonepetae. It seems you too need another year of study. Put it back."

Wang Pan sighed upon hearing this.

Zhang Limin and Jiang Ming, meanwhile, both let out sighs of relief.

Li Mo looked at the herb in his hand. After frowning slightly, he declared with absolute certainty, "Teacher, this is Herba Schizonepetae."

"Hmm?"

Doctor Zhang picked up his ruler and shouted sternly with a dark expression, "What? Are you saying this old man made a mistake?"

"Herba Schizonepetae, also called Camphor Grass or Bamao, can release the exterior and disperse wind, bring out rashes, reduce sores, and treat colds, headaches, hives, wind rashes..."

Holding the herb, Li Mo recited its medicinal principles and properties one by one, adding many unique insights of his own. This made Zhang Limin and Jiang Ming, standing nearby, reveal doubtful expressions. It also caused Doctor Zhang's originally indifferent face to gradually soften, finally turning into a smile.

Only after Li Mo finished all his insights in one breath could Doctor Zhang no longer suppress his delight.

"Good, good, good!"

After saying "good" three times in a row, he set down the ruler, picked up a brush, and wrote. Finally, he pressed his fingerprint upon it and handed the envelope to Li Mo.

"From today onward, you are a disciple of mine, Zhang Dongliang. With this letter of recommendation, you may serve as a Traveling Doctor at any of the more than seventy Jimin Halls in Anbei Prefecture. You may build your reputation and experience through medical practice, and you may consult me at any time. Of course, it would be best to first follow the experienced senior disciples in the front hall to study in the various villages. In the future, if you make no serious errors over the long course of treating illness and saving lives, you may become a chief physician at Jimin Hall."

Jiang Ming, Zhang Limin, and Wang Pan were all moved.

This meant Doctor Zhang had given Li Mo the highest evaluation.

Hearing this, Li Mo immediately knelt in excitement and bowed.

"Master!"

"Rise."

Doctor Zhang beamed from ear to ear. He stroked his beard and paced about the rear courtyard, beginning his earnest instruction as a teacher.

"Travel ten thousand miles, read ten thousand books. You must not merely read books until you die, nor read dead books. Go out more and see more. Although a Traveling Doctor's income is not high, it excels in accumulating experience. You are still young, and in the course of practicing medicine, people will inevitably look down on you. You must not lose your temper, nor contend fiercely with others. You must uphold medical ethics, proceed step by step, place saving people first, and hang the gourd to aid the world."

"Yes."

After that, Li Mo smoothly became a registered Traveling Doctor at Jimin Hall, receiving One String of Coins each month. He would undergo an assessment once a year, judged by the chief physicians. So long as he made no major mistakes, his income would rise steadily year by year until he became a new chief physician.

That very day, Li Mo moved out of the side room shared by four people and gained a room of his own.

However, although Li Mo had now received Doctor Zhang's recommendation and become a registered Traveling Doctor at Jimin Hall, it did not mean he could immediately practice medicine on his own. Generally, he still needed a transition period of around half a year. During that time, he could only follow other Traveling Doctors and at most offer some reference opinions.

This counted as an internship process for accumulating experience in the world and building connections and knowledge.

"Wonderful."

Lying on his bed, Li Mo felt as though he were dreaming.

On one hand, it all felt unreal. He could finally stand on his own. On the other hand, he could not help missing his mother. How wonderful it would have been if she could have seen this moment too.

Afterward, Li Mo set a goal for himself.

"Not thirty taels of silver, but thirty-five. Thirty taels for the bride price, and another five taels to hold a grand banquet and marry Xiao Man openly and properly!"

The next day.

After getting up and washing, Li Mo came to the front hall.

At this moment, besides the four chief physicians, there were also seven Traveling Doctors present.

But Li Mo knew that Hua'an Town's Jimin Hall had far more Traveling Doctors than these. Some practiced medicine in remote regions year-round and only returned once every few months. Some had already left Baian County and were out hanging the gourd to aid the world. Quhe Town in particular was perpetually short-handed.

"Let me introduce him."

Doctor Zhang gestured for Li Mo to step forward and solemnly introduced him to everyone.

"Since yesterday, Li Mo has formally entered under this old man's tutelage and become a registered Traveling Doctor of Jimin Hall. For roughly the next half year, he will follow you to accumulate experience. Do not toy with him. Treat him well, so that he may soon be able to shoulder responsibilities alone."

"Yes."

After everyone responded respectfully, Doctor Zhang patted Li Mo on the shoulder, signaling him to step forward and familiarize himself with the others. He himself walked toward the rear courtyard.

"Senior Brothers, I am Li Mo, from Shanbei Village. Please offer me your guidance in the future."

In truth, all these people knew Li Mo. They often went to the rear courtyard to watch the excitement.

Especially when Li Mo and Wang Pan were beaten, the senior brothers from the front hall certainly never missed it. It was their regular entertainment program twice a month. They simply had not known Li Mo's name before.

"Haha, Junior Disciple Li Mo, I'm Ding Jie. When it comes to herbal medicine and medical skill, I might not amount to much here. But when it comes to martial skills in the world, traveling experience, and treating bruises and injuries, no one here can surpass me!"

A bearded man who appeared close to forty responded heartily.

He wore a blue-gray long robe, with a gourd hanging at his waist and an umbrella strapped to his back. His build was powerful and sturdy. Had he not appeared at Jimin Hall, no one would have guessed that he was a doctor.

"Junior Disciple Li Mo, I'm Zuo Shu. I specialize in treating the illnesses of the wealthy. I've taken the pulses of shopkeepers and wealthy landlords throughout town. If you run into any trouble in town later, you can come find me anytime."

Zuo Shu looked to be around thirty. His clothes were neat, his complexion fair and clean, and his manner refined. He held a medical book in his hand and carried himself with graceful charm.

Li Mo could not help thinking that the man must have been quite the wanderer in his younger days.

"Junior Disciple Li Mo, I'm Wang Ben..."

Li Mo quickly became acquainted with the senior Traveling Doctors present.

Although Hua'an Town's Jimin Hall was managed by four chief physicians, Li Mo, who had already been at Jimin Hall for two years, knew that there were more than seventy Jimin Halls across Anbei Prefecture. Hua'an Town's Jimin Hall was merely one of many branches. The true owner behind these clinics was a certain great figure from Muzhou. The reason he had established Jimin Hall in Hua'an Town was because of the Gan Kingdom's Border Relief and Civilian Pacification Policy. It was a form of poverty-relief assistance.

Here, "notification" was the title of a Gan Kingdom official position responsible for poverty alleviation.

There were quite a few similar shops in Hua'an Town. Many operated at a loss, and even the Xiangyue Yamen had been built under the border relief policy.