Shen Yu looked at the young girl, whose face was filled with a joyful smile, and the tension she had felt for a long time finally eased.
If it weren’t for the troublesome affairs of the Imperial Court, Shen Yu would have been quite content to live a peaceful life like this.
Although it was a chaotic era, Shen Yu had parents who doted on her, her Grandpa’s loyal old crew, and her uncle’s three beautiful older cousins from the brothel who adored her so much that pink bubbles seemed to pop up around them.
This kind of setup was actually quite impressive for a transmigrator.
Unfortunately…
“Sigh…”
“Why are you sighing, Sister?”
“It’s nothing. I just walked around for a long time and couldn’t find even a hint of news about the Medical Recruitment Exam. What exactly is the Empress planning?”
Shen Yu stroked her chin as she watched the people coming and going in the Capital City.
She didn’t know if the Medical Recruitment Exam would be successful, but the massive influx of doctors into the Capital had at least given the local economy a significant boost.
Inns that normally cost 200 or 300 wen and included a meal now cost three silver taels, and food and drink were extra charges.
The Medicine Market was even more crowded.
The daily transaction volume was so massive that heaps of silver could likely fill a large cargo ship.
Who benefited the most?
It was definitely the local nobles and officials of the Capital.
As for the wealthy merchants… they were merely dogs kept by those nobles and officials.
Without backing from the powers that be, which merchant could expand their business into the Capital?
These students coming for the Medical Recruitment Exam seemed to have unknowingly become fodder for the Capital City’s economy.
However, Shen Yu hadn’t seen even a trace of the Medical Recruitment Exam they were so desperate for, nor could she find a place to register.
“It’s true. The daily expenses in the Capital are quite high. We can’t just keep wasting time like this,” Yin Qiu said. Her mood naturally dampened along with Shen Yu’s.
Shen Yu was worried because the date for the Imperial Court’s Bandit Suppression Operation was drawing closer, and the danger to Qingfeng Village was increasing.
Yet, she hadn’t even found the entrance to the Medical Recruitment Exam.
Yin Qiu was worried that the ever-increasing costs in the Capital would become a burden for her sister.
After all, the inn alone cost three silver taels a day, and dragging this out was not an option.
Both of them felt a deep sense of helplessness in this vast Capital City.
Compared to the fully functioning, prosperous, and bustling Capital, what did they even matter?
“The Imperial Envoy is handling business! Clear the way, everyone!”
Just as Shen Yu planned to return to the inn to rest and reconsider her options, a group of soldiers wearing light armor suddenly appeared, galloping down the street.
The crowded street immediately cleared a wide path for the troop.
Everyone subconsciously moved to the sides and knelt in unison, heads bowed, not daring to look at the soldiers.
The crowd was not afraid of the tall soldiers in light armor, their high-headed horses, or their sharp weapons.
Instead, it was because the eunuch leading them on a date-red horse held an Imperial Decree high in the air.
It was made of apricot-yellow silk with a prominent dragon pattern.
He held it perfectly straight, like a blunt blade.
“Long live His Majesty! Long live! Long live!”
The crowd kneeling on both sides of the road shouted in unison.
After all, it was an Imperial Decree — the word of the Empress herself.
It carried a powerful pressure, as if she were personally present.
Even someone who had lived in the modern world couldn’t help but feel their heart race at such a scene.
“Sister, hurry up and kneel!”
“Huh?”
Shen Yu was still a bit dazed when the tall, date-red horse, which looked like it could brush against the swallows’ nests under the eaves, stopped right in front of her.
“Miss Shen, His Majesty has a decree.”
The eunuch dismounted, his voice sharp and carrying a hint of pressure.
The eunuch was pale and beardless, with his eyelids slightly lowered as his gaze fell upon the bright yellow silk.
His voice wasn’t loud, yet it had a strange piercing quality, as if every word could strike a person’s heart.
After all, not just anyone with a mouth could be chosen to read an Imperial Decree for the Emperor.
“For me?”
“By the Grace of Heaven, the Emperor decrees: We hold the mandate of Heaven and nurture the people, always mindful of the suffering of the common folk as if it were Our own. Now, we open the medical examinations to seek out masters of medicine for the benefit of all. You, Shen Yu, are of virtuous character and possess profound medical skills. We have observed your talent and find it worthy of selection.”
“We hereby appoint you as a Medical Officer of Huimin Hall, Rank 9, and bestow upon you an Official Cap and Belt. You shall strive to fulfill your duties and embody Our heart for the people. Conduct your consultations with diligence within the hall. Do not fear labor or filth, to prove your sincerity and test your abilities.”
“If there are clear results, We shall not be stingy with rewards. If not, you should know when to stop. Respect this.”
After the eunuch finished reading the Imperial Decree, a kind smile appeared on his face, but the more Shen Yu looked at it, the more terrifying it seemed.
“Miss Shen, congratulations. His Majesty has taken a liking to you. You have taken the first step in the Medical Recruitment Exam. In all of the Capital, fewer than 100 people have made it this far. Hehe, please accept the decree!”