Chapter 114 - 113: The Eldest Miss Who Married as a Substitute 29

Chapter 114: Chapter 113: The Eldest Miss Who Married as a Substitute 29

Lin Xiu’er quickly left after hearing what the village chief had to say. There were still many chores to do at home, and if she didn’t finish them today, her stepmother would give her another vicious beating.

She was ten years old, though she only looked like a child of seven or eight. This was the best she could manage in her struggle to feed herself.

At dusk, Lin Xiu’er’s father and stepmother came home, cursing and grumbling.

"Hmph, that village chief is spouting utter nonsense! What’s the use of a woman studying medicine?" Father Lin bellowed as he took off his shoes.

Her stepmother chimed in, "Exactly. A woman’s place is at home, staying out of trouble. Why make such a fuss!"

With that, the stepmother turned to Lin Xiu’er and snarled, "You listen to me. Take good care of your little brother. If anything happens to him, I’ll make you pay!"

Lin Xiu’er lowered her head and quietly assented, then hurried over to care for her infant brother.

The baby started wailing again. Hearing her son’s cries, the stepmother flew into a rage and shouted at Lin Xiu’er’s father, "You useless oaf, what are you just standing there for? That damn girl must not have taken good care of our son. Go teach her a lesson!"

Upon hearing this, Father Lin rolled up his sleeves, strode toward Lin Xiu’er, and without a word, grabbed her by the hair. He slapped her hard across the face several times, cursing as he hit her, "Useless thing! You can’t even take care of one child!"

Lin Xiu’er was beaten until she saw stars, and blood trickled from the corner of her mouth. But she bit her lip tightly, not making a sound, and quietly soothed her brother.

Her stepmother, still not satisfied, shrieked from the side, "Hit her harder! That’ll teach her a lesson!"

Tears welled in Lin Xiu’er’s eyes, but she stubbornly held them back. Her heart was filled with humiliation and hatred.

The beating from Father Lin finally stopped once the stepmother picked up her son to nurse him.

"Get lost and go sleep in your room! Stop being an eyesore! In a couple of years, we’ll marry you off to the widower from the faraway mountain. At least we can get some Silver for you," the stepmother said viciously.

Lin Xiu’er silently got up and dragged her battered body toward the woodshed.

The woodshed was drafty, a messy pile of firewood stacked in the corner, giving off a smell of decay.

On the floor was just a small pile of hay. There was no bed, so she could only curl up on it in the corner.

The cold night wind blew in through the cracks, making her shiver uncontrollably.

She hugged herself tightly, burying her body as deep as she could into the hay and firewood in an attempt to find a sliver of warmth.

After some time, Father Lin’s snores started to echo, and the stepmother’s cursing and grumbling fell silent.

Only then did Lin Xiu’er slowly get up. She left the woodshed, went to their room, and began searching for the household registration papers.

The village chief had said earlier that day that as long as she had those papers, she could sign up.

She didn’t know if she would be chosen, but she knew she had no other choice. She had to give it her all, even if it meant risking her life.

In the darkness, Lin Xiu’er’s hands trembled and her heart pounded, terrified of making the slightest sound and waking the cruel couple.

Finally, she found the registration papers, tucked them into her clothes, and tiptoed out of the house.

Under the deep cover of night, Lin Xiu’er stumbled and scrambled on her way to town.

Along the way, she paid no heed to her exhaustion and fear, driven by a single thought: ’I have to escape this horrible home.’

She lost track of how long she’d been running. Soon, the eastern sky began to pale.

Just as the first rays of sunlight fell on the town’s streets, Zixi’s recruitment stall had just been set up.

Lin Xiu’er arrived, panting for breath. Her hair was a mess and her clothes were tattered, but her eyes were filled with determination and hope.

Without hesitation, she was the first to rush over. Her voice trembled slightly as she said, "I want to sign up!"

Zixi looked at the disheveled yet determined girl before her, feeling no particular stirrings. After all, she was used to seeing girls who would risk everything to change their fate.

Her expression was calm as she followed procedure. "Miss, what is your name? Did you bring your household registration papers?"

Lin Xiu’er hurriedly handed over the papers, her voice a little rushed as she answered, "My name is Lin Xiu’er."

Zixi carefully examined the papers. After confirming they were in order, she had someone bring a registration book to record Lin Xiu’er’s name and place of origin.

Then, Zixi said, "Miss, please go with the Stewardess waiting to the side."

She had someone take Lin Xiu’er to the rear courtyard for the assessment.

Lin Xiu’er followed closely behind, her heart in her throat, not knowing what kind of assessment awaited her.

Arriving in the rear courtyard, she saw several tables lined up in a row. A few elderly Medical Women sat ramrod straight behind them, their expressions solemn.

First was an assessment of basic pharmacology. Faced with the Medical Women’s questions about the names and effects of various medicinal herbs, Lin Xiu’er’s mind went blank. She had never encountered any of this before.

"I... I’ve never come across any of this. I don’t know what to do."

She told the truth, but the thought of being eliminated in the very first stage made her want to cry.

"It’s alright, Miss. It’s quite normal not to know any of this. That’s why we have other assessments. If you can pass three of the tests, you will be selected."

The Stewardess at her side reassured her. The first test was meant to be a quick filter; those with prior knowledge were assigned to a different class.

For those who came without a foundation, it was necessary to test their intelligence and kindness of heart.

Studying medicine wasn’t easy. If someone was too dull-witted, they would never be able to learn.

For someone too dull-witted, forget about accumulating experience—they wouldn’t even be able to memorize the medical books.

Lin Xiu’er followed the Stewardess to try the tests designed for illiterate applicants.

Test One, Assessment of Intellect: Memorization of Medical Texts.

For the literate candidates, the Stewardess brought out a medical book and had them recite a section of it on the spot.

But for those like Lin Xiu’er who were illiterate, they were shown complex diagrams of human acupoints and medicinal herbs and were required to memorize and accurately describe them within a set time.

Although Lin Xiu’er was illiterate, she relied on her astonishing memory and concentration to firmly commit the complex diagrams to heart, successfully passing the first test.

Test Two, Practical Skill: Acupoint Replication.

An experienced Medical Woman demonstrated a complex set of acupuncture techniques on a bronze mannequin, then had the candidates replicate it on another one.

This tested not only the candidates’ powers of observation but also their manual dexterity.

Lin Xiu’er watched the Medical Woman’s demonstration with rapt attention, secretly mimicking the movements with her hands.

When it was her turn, she took a deep breath, carefully located the acupoints, and flawlessly completed the replication, successfully passing this test.

"The third test, and the most important one, requires you to enter alone. As long as you can walk out within the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, you will have passed."

The Stewardess led Lin Xiu’er to a large gate. Inside was the Illusion Heart Formation set by Ji Xiaosong.