Chapter 115 - 114: The Substitute Eldest Miss 30

Chapter 115: Chapter 114: The Substitute Eldest Miss 30

Having passed two trials, Lin Xiu’er felt a bit more confident about the third.

She pushed open the door and stepped inside.

The room was filled with a dense fog, obscuring her vision.

She steadied herself and cautiously moved forward.

Outside the Array, Zixi was closely observing Lin Xiu’er. At the same time, a detailed record of three generations of her family relationships and life history appeared out of thin air on a sheet of paper.

It was a Magic Artifact that Ji Xiaosong had prepared for her. A single drop of Lin Xiu’er’s blood on it was enough to reveal all of her family ties and past experiences.

"Her birth mother died during childbirth, and she managed to survive and raise herself under a stepmother. It certainly wasn’t easy."

"Aunt Zi Xi, this girl Lin Xiu’er’s birth mother was abducted and sold to her father. Her mother was originally the daughter of Nanny Chen’s younger sister."

Zixi looked closer and saw that it was indeed true.

She remembered that Nanny Chen had a long-lost sister. She never expected to meet her grand-niece here.

"If Lin Xiu’er passes the third trial, take her to bathe and give her a few sets of student uniforms. To avoid any complications, don’t let her have any contact with the outside world, lest her stepmother tries to take her back."

"As you command, Aunt Zi Xi."

As hoped, Lin Xiu’er ultimately passed the third trial.

The Stewardess was waiting for her at the door, her face wreathed in a relieved smile. "Lin Xiu’er, congratulations on passing the assessment. You are such an intelligent and kind child. The Empress will surely be pleased with your performance."

With that, the Stewardess took Lin Xiu’er’s hand. "Come with me. I’ll take you to get cleaned up and change into some fresh clothes first. From now on, you will study Medical Skill diligently here at the Medical Academy. You’ll surely have a bright future."

Lin Xiu’er followed the Stewardess, her eyes shining with excitement, her heart filled with anticipation for the future.

"Ma’am... c-can I not leave this place for the next few days?"

"Why?"

"I’m afraid my father and stepmother will come looking for me and take me away again."

"So that’s the reason. Don’t you worry. You can rest in the dormitory we’ve arranged for the next few days. Once we’ve finished recruiting, you will depart with us. During this time, we will provide you with some restorative medicine to ensure you are in good health before we leave."

After hearing this, Lin Xiu’er fell to her knees with a THUD. With tears in her eyes, she said, "Ma’am, thank you! Thank you, Your Majesty the Empress! I will study Medical Skill with all my heart and will not fail to live up to the immense kindness you and Her Majesty have shown me."

The Stewardess quickly helped her up. "Good child, get up. From now on, your life will only get better."

Lin Xiu’er got to her feet and nodded repeatedly.

The dormitories arranged for the selected girls in the county government building were temporarily constructed, but this didn’t detract from their comfort.

For the first time in her life, Lin Xiu’er slept on a real bed, under a warm cotton quilt. She would jolt awake in the middle of the night, terrified that it was all just a dream.

Only after she was certain it was real did she dare to cry herself to sleep.

The day before their departure, Lin Xiu’er was joined by a fellow student.

She took a closer look and saw that it was Mei Fang, the village chief’s eldest granddaughter.

Lin Xiu’er’s heart tightened. She instinctively shrank back, her eyes filled with fear and worry, terrified that Mei Fang would tell her father and stepmother about her.

She wrung the corners of her clothes, her lips trembling slightly. Even her breathing became cautious.

However, Mei Fang approached with a broad, enthusiastic smile. "You look so familiar, little sister," she said warmly. "We should look out for each other and become good friends from now on."

Lin Xiu’er was startled at first, but then she realized Mei Fang didn’t seem to recognize her and felt a slight sense of relief.

Mei Fang tilted her head, studying Lin Xiu’er carefully again and muttering, "Little sister, I swear you look familiar, like one of the girls from our village, but then again, not quite. Look at you—your complexion is rosy, your skin is fair, you have no calluses on your hands or scars on your body, and your hair is so dark and lustrous. You can’t be from the same village. But the resemblance is just too strong. How strange."

Lin Xiu’er kept her head down, not daring to meet Mei Fang’s gaze. "I think you’re mistaken, big sister," she said, her voice trembling slightly.

Mei Fang wanted to say more, but Lin Xiu’er found an excuse and quickly left.

She happened to run into Zixi, who was just looking for her.

"Come with me."

Zixi led the crestfallen Lin Xiu’er to the County Magistrate’s Wife’s courtyard. Once inside, Zixi said to her, "Madam, this is Lin Xiu’er. The child has a pitiful background. If she were to return under her original household registration, I fear she would fall back into a life of misery. I hope you can help change her registration so she can study medicine here in peace."

The County Magistrate’s Wife nodded, looking at Lin Xiu’er with a hint of pity in her eyes.

Zixi continued, "Madam, I was thinking of changing her name to Chen Zilan. I hope she can be as pure and elegant as the ’Zhilan’ orchid and stay true to her original aspirations on her medical journey."

The County Magistrate’s Wife gave a slight nod. "That is an excellent name."

Upon hearing this, Lin Xiu’er immediately knelt to express her gratitude.

’For a female official from the Empress’s side to personally request a name change for Lin Xiu’er... there must be more to it than simple pity,’ the County Magistrate’s Wife thought.

The County Magistrate’s Wife took care of the name and household registration change for Lin Xiu’er that very day. From then on, she was Chen Zilan.

"Aunt Zi Xi, was my mother’s name really Chen Xi?"

She had never known her mother’s name. Her family had never mentioned it, only that she was a pitiful woman who died in childbirth.

"Yes. Your mother was abducted and sold to your father here. Currently, you have only one living relative on your mother’s side. She is the Empress’s wet nanny, and she is your great-aunt."

Chen Zilan’s eyes instantly reddened. Tears welled up as she murmured to herself, "So... so that’s how it was."

Zixi stepped forward and gently patted her shoulder, comforting her. "Zhilan, don’t be too sad. Your life will get better from now on."

Chen Zilan bit her lip, trying hard to hold back her tears. She nodded firmly and said, "Aunt Zi Xi, I will study medicine diligently. I won’t disappoint my great-aunt."

After the recruitment on the border concluded, Zixi departed with everyone.

As for Chen Zilan’s family, they made a fuss about her disappearance for a few days, but then nothing more came of it.

She was just a daughter. If she was gone, she was gone.

Who knew if she’d been eaten by a tiger or wolf while gathering firewood on the mountain? It didn’t matter.

After a journey of nearly two months, traveling intermittently, Chen Zilan and the others finally arrived at the Medical Academy.

Having changed her identity, and with the effects of Spiritual Medicine over the past two months, Chen Zilan was completely different from the Lin Xiu’er of the past.

She had grown taller, and her every move now carried a hint of the grace of a well-bred young lady.

Since Mei Fang was from the same village, she liked to strike up a conversation with Chen Zilan whenever she had the chance.

But Chen Zilan worried that a slip of the tongue would expose her, so she would only offer a few perfunctory replies when she couldn’t avoid it.

Nanny Chen had received the news long ago and had already requested a sinecure as a steward from Ji Xiaosong, just so she could spend some time with Chen Zilan.

Mother Ji later sought out Nanny Chen as well. After the truth of what happened back then was revealed, she became melancholic and was never the same.

"Aunt Zi Xi, are we going to be studying medicine here from now on?"

A group of young girls chattered excitedly as they toured the grounds, letting out gasps of amazement from time to time.