After Liu Xuanqing visited the Song Family Clinic for a consultation, both Song Jinzhao and Song Shixue felt considerably more at ease.
Through their interactions over many days, Liu Xuanqing discovered that Song Jinzhao was not only incredibly skilled at suturing, but also possessed unique insights and treatment methods for other illnesses.
"Master, was our Grand-Master's medical skill even greater than our Master's?" he whispered, leaning close to Song Shixue.
Song Shixue, feeling awkward about having a disciple over forty years her junior, shook her head and replied, "I never met Elder Sister's master. She said he had already passed away."
Liu Xuanqing sighed, his curiosity piqued, and pressed on, "I wonder what our Grand-Master's name was, and what venerable age he attained when he passed?"
Song Shixue shook her head again. "I don't know. He was probably quite old. He was an itinerant doctor, and I don't know his name."
"Elder Sister was taken as his disciple not long before his death. He said he didn't want his lifetime of medical knowledge to have no successor."
Liu Xuanqing's mind conjured the image of an ethereal, white-haired elder. To train a disciple to such excellence in such a short time, he must have been a truly extraordinary person.
The agent from Jinyun Property Agency held a ledger and followed beside Song Jinzhao, his mouth running non-stop since they left the house.
"In the entire Anyang Prefecture, there are three hundred and sixty-two three-courtyard residences. Our agency has registered all one hundred and seventy-three that are currently for sale. Among those, twenty-six are located near the Anyang Academy, most belonging to scholars."
"Either they passed the provincial exams and moved away, or they failed repeatedly and eventually gave up, returning to their hometowns."
"The layout of these houses is very well-considered, the courtyard feng shui is specially arranged, and servants clean them daily. You could move in immediately upon purchase."
In just two months, this young lady's status had climbed another rung.
Not only was her food shop thriving, but the reputation of her clinic had already surpassed that of Huiming Hall.
Few outsiders could establish such a firm foothold in Anyang Prefecture in such a short time, let alone when the head of the household was a sixteen-year-old girl.
Song Jinzhao said, "Let's start by viewing the ones near the Anyang Academy. Given how much business I've brought your agency, you'd better lower the commission for me."
The agent smiled and fawned, "Naturally, of course. We would have offered a lower rate even if you hadn't mentioned it."
"With Song's Delicacies doing such brisk business, you'll probably be buying another shop before long. Please don't forget to come to me when that time comes."
The Anyang Academy's monthly exam for the Outer College arrived, and the monthly elimination assessment for the Inner College officially began.
Yan Baoyi glanced back at Song Qiming sitting in the last row, suppressed the anger in his heart, and focused on answering the questions.
This time, he absolutely had to outscore him.
Yang Yanfeng, who was proctoring the exam with Ding Weiyue, sat on the podium, his gaze resting on Song Qiming as he sized him up.
New students entering the Inner College, no matter how well they performed, typically only ranked in the middle to lower tiers initially. Some, unable to keep up, would even be sent back to the Outer College.
Song Qiming had been personally tutored by Ye Liangyu. It was uncertain what kind of result he would achieve in this monthly exam.
The academy's exam results were posted the next day. In front of the bulletin board, Song Gaoli excitedly threw an arm around Song Qiming's shoulders, his voice low with excitement. "Ninth place! I can enter the Inner College!"
Song Qiming's face broke into a brilliant smile. He tilted his chin towards the ranking list next to the Outer College monthly results. "Seventh place. I've successfully stayed in the Inner College too."
"Elder Sister bought a new residence. The academy has a break the day after tomorrow for moving. Come over for a meal."
Song Gaoli tilted his head. "I think you're just calling me over to help with the move."
Song Qiming said, "We have servants at home; it won't take long. If you don't want to come for the Manchu-Han Imperial Feast, that's fine."
"I'm coming, I'm coming! How could I not go?"
Song Gaoli grabbed Song Qiming's arm, spreading his own arms to demonstrate. "Eating three meals a day in the academy dining hall, hardly any oil, average taste—I've gotten skinny from hunger."
Yan Baoyi stared fixedly at the two departing figures, all smiles, then turned to look at the rankings for who knows which time.
Nineteenth place. Twelve people stood between them; he wasn't even in the same row as Song Qiming anymore.
How could this be? He was just a farm boy with no private tutor. How could he possibly score so well just by attending academy classes?
He broke into the top ten, leaving me so far behind!
In a distant pavilion, Ji Youming, holding a white piece during a game of Go, set it down, raised his head, and smiled faintly. "Seventh place right after entering. Don't you feel any pressure? There are only three spots for advancement to the Upper College each year."
His handsome, willow-leaf eyebrows arched upwards. Hu Fengye placed a black piece, blocking Ji Youming's path.
"It's not just me who should worry, you're in the same boat. Competition breeds motivation. Our rivals are far more numerous than just those within the academy walls."
"The provincial exams held every three years gather all the xiucai from the entire Longbei Province. The metropolitan exams every three years assemble juren from all corners of the Eastern Zhao Kingdom—the rivalry between north and south. Having one more Song Qiming in the mix only makes it better."
Ji Youming placed a piece to extricate himself. "You're quite open-minded. Yan Baoyi certainly isn't thinking so broadly."
Hu Fengye shook his head with a cold laugh, his expression full of disdain. "A self-important fool. He and Song Qiming are not cut from the same cloth."
Since entering the Inner College, everyone had witnessed the targeting of Song Qiming by Ding Weiyue and Yan Baoyi.
Despite all their overt and covert schemes, they had still been left far behind, unable to even catch his dust.
On moving day, both the food shop and the clinic only opened for the morning.
The new residence Song Jinzhao bought was slightly farther from the Anyang Academy than their previously rented courtyard, adding about a quarter of an hour to the walk.
But its advantage lay in its ample space, especially the small garden it included. Looking out from the rooms, one no longer saw walls but the lush, verdant scenery of the garden.
Song Gaoli arrived with gifts to help move things. Ye Liangyu sent his own servants over to assist as well.
Chunxing and Qingshuang were busy in the kitchen. Before the sun had set, a table laden with a sumptuous feast of meat and vegetable dishes was already laid out.
Song Gaoli stared at Song Qiming, who was chatting animatedly with Ye Liangyu. A formally acknowledged master-disciple relationship really was different. One could almost mistake them for father and son.
It's just that Mr. Ye's head of white hair made the age difference seem a bit off.
Father and son seemed a stretch, but grandfather and grandson felt slightly off too.
Ye Liangyu noticed Song Gaoli's gaze and glanced his way. "I heard from Qiming that you tested into the Inner College?"
Song Gaoli hurriedly nodded, scratching his head with an embarrassed smile. "Ninth in the monthly exam. I almost had to wait another month. I'll be troubling you again from now on, sir."
From their earlier conversation, Song Gaoli had already learned that Ye Liangyu would begin teaching at the academy the next day, and it happened to be the Inner College class.
Ye Liangyu picked up his teacup, took a sip, and smiled kindly.
"Ninth place isn't scraping by; tenth place is the borderline. Your current standing is the fruit of your hard work day and night."
During their brief three-month master-disciple relationship, Song Gaoli had been the least academically gifted of the three.
Perhaps from living alone in the dormitory, Ye Liangyu saw evident growth in him.
This change wasn't as pronounced in his observations of Song Qiming.
But from the moment he entered the house until now, whether facing Song Jinzhao or Ye Liangyu, Song Gaoli's attitude remained consistently humble and respectful, his personality having grown much more tactful.
