"Please wait, you two. Only those with the status of a medical apprentice can enter the Scripture Pavilion!" After leaving the Hundred Herbs Hall, Lin Miao and his senior sister headed straight for the Scripture Pavilion.
This place primarily houses medical books and classic prescriptions, as well as some biographies. It is an area under strict protection by the Xinglin Institute, and idle people are not allowed to enter.
Only those registered as medical apprentices with the 'Pharmacy' department can enter.
Lin Miao and Sun Youwei both had the qualifications of medical apprentices, so entering was naturally not an issue. However, female medical apprentices were extremely rare.
Generally, unless it was a family tradition, or if a female physician took on apprentices, few female medical apprentices went for the physician exams.
Also, female medical apprentices were usually brought in by elders. If it weren't for Lin Miao revealing his status as a medical apprentice, the personnel at the Xinglin Institute would almost assume Lin Miao was merely Sun Youwei's servant or attendant.
Because Lin Miao's attire looked no different from that of a servant.
Of course, Sun Youwei didn't explain. In fact, she was here to accompany Lin Miao, her junior brother, today. Had it not been for her junior brother's pleading, she wouldn't have come.
After entering the Scripture Pavilion, Lin Miao felt as though he had stepped into a familiar realm. Although the medical books here were far inferior to what he had seen in his past life, they were still quite valuable for reference.
Especially as they allowed him to analyze and understand the medical system of this world. Sun Simiao was a decent doctor.
But he wasn't a good teacher.
A good teacher is very important to a student. Of course, he was self-taught and had his own method of studying medicine.
This world lacked "Soup Head Songs", "Treatise on Cold Pathogenic and Warm Pathogenic Diseases", "Difficult Scripture"... etc., but they had their own corresponding medical classics.
And there were quite a few of them.
From children's enlightenment books like "Child Medicine," to materials recognition books like the "Hundred Herbs Map" and "Hundred Herbs Annotation", his master Sun Simiao had one in hand, which he and his senior sister used for their initial medical studies.
This world also had many medical classics; a notable one from over a thousand years ago written by the Sage of Medicine, Zhang Zhongjing, was "Debating Scripture."
This was a major advancement in this world's medicine, making dialectical medicine mainstream.
There was also a "Scripture of Prescriptions", authored by the Sage of Medicine, compiling all the then-existing prescriptions into a book, passing down through generations, titled as a medical classic by successive medicine learners.
There was a later addition, "Supplement to the Classics", which expanded on the "Scripture of Prescriptions," with each preserved prescription proven over time.
These were the crystallization of the wisdom of predecessors.
There was also a "Pulse Theory" book, which Lin Miao skimmed and found it seemed considerably simpler compared to the meridian studies from the five thousand years of traditional Chinese medicine.
Martial arts are inseparable from meridians, yet this world's understanding of meridians seemed rather rough, and the theory of Yin and Yang and the Five Elements was still a mere fledgling idea, not forming any complete theory or doctrine.
There were many books, but many were repetitive, and some books contained contradictory information that was completely incomprehensible.
The first stage of the written physician exam mainly involved thoroughly reading a dozen books, reciting them, and during the test, writing them verbatim on paper, count as passing.
Each time a physician exam was held, based on local conditions, a few books would be added. This was to further differentiate the candidates' scores for ranking purposes.
Therefore, one must sign up in advance to participate in the physician exam in order to receive crucial exam information, otherwise, if you miss studying certain books, there's almost no need to take the exam.
Each exam cycle, the additional books would be copied and given as gifts to those taking the exam as a kind of benefit for testers, even if they don't pass, they can take several medical books back to study, deemed a worthwhile trip.
Besides this, there were also some odd and peculiar methods of treating diseases recorded in books, which were placed under "miscellaneous".
Lin Miao walked around and roughly understood the level of herbal medicine development in this world, certainly not as advanced as his own world.
Some aspects were still stuck before the Qin era, while others were roughly at the Tang or Song dynasty…
Based on his knowledge, bringing it to this world would be a dimensionality reduction strike, but still, everything needed to integrate with the actual situation.
After all, what he learned had some differences with this world, especially regarding the properties of herbs, with differing places of origin and methods of preparation resulting in different medicinal properties, requiring dialectical consideration when applied to ailments.
Rigid application could not only prove ineffective but potentially counterproductive.
He felt he needed to spend some time to deeply and thoroughly study it, however, in terms of the physician exam's written test.
He felt that passing it wouldn't be too difficult.
The Scripture Pavilion was a good place, and he intended to visit frequently in the future.
Engrossed in finding and reading books himself, he forgot that his senior sister was also in the Scripture Pavilion and quickly went to look for her. Fortunately, the Scripture Pavilion wasn't very large.
He quickly found Sun Youwei in a corner by her aura; she had found a spot alone and was engrossed in a medical book.
A group of young men crowded around, blocking the way. Judging by their attire, they were likely medical apprentices taking the "physician exam," and they all seemed somewhat distracted, focusing all their attention on Sun Youwei.
Beauty attracted attention anywhere, especially someone like his senior sister at a "disaster level." In Qingping Town, people grew up seeing her and didn't consider her exceptionally stunning.
But in a new environment, the attention towards her surged instantly,
Perhaps she herself didn't know how beautiful she truly was.
If she were to remove her veil, this corner might become impossibly crowded.
Sun Youwei hadn't noticed this, as she was truly absorbed in her medical book. Thankfully, she came with her junior brother, otherwise, she would have missed such a wonderful place.
"Excuse me, excuse me..."
Lin Miao's call was like a drop of water onto hot oil, instantly causing a stir and dissatisfaction among the medical apprentices.
"What's wrong with you? Don't you see there are people here?"
"You are just a servant, who let you in? You think you belong here? Get out!" A young man in a luxury robe, with a hint of arrogance, sneered at Lin Miao.
Lin Miao frowned slightly. People in this world had social classes, and the children of noble families were indeed above commoner disciples, as clearly stated by law.
"Apologies, I am not a servant, I am also a medical apprentice." Lin Miao knew that openly clashing with a noble in a public setting would ultimately get himself into trouble.
It might even impact his "physician exam."
Enduring doesn't mean cowardice; he doesn't have such broad tolerance. Given the chance, he'd repay the affront someday.
Seeing Lin Miao's "medical apprentice" wooden badge, people realized this "servant" was indeed another contender for the physician exam, like them.
Finding it somewhat laughable, clad in such shabby attire yet taking the "physician exam," didn't he know studying medicine wasn't for someone of his lowly stature?
The noble youth smirked disdainfully, "Amateurish people dreaming of instant success, don't know their limits!"
Lin Miao's cheek twitched slightly; if not for the crowd, he might have kicked the young man. If noble kids were all like this, it was about time this world changed.
"Senior sister, it's getting late, we should head back!" Lin Miao chose to ignore them, raising his voice to call out to Sun Youwei engrossed in her book.
"Ah..." Sun Youwei looked up, and her veil inexplicably fell, revealing her delicate and radiant face beneath.
Especially when she saw Lin Miao, a slight joyful smile appeared at the corner of her mouth.
Instantly, everyone's gaze was entranced.
This girl, despite her modest attire, had an outstanding aura, and now even possessed a face capable of overthrowing cities...
The noble youth, feeling a strong heart-piercing sensation, thought,
This girl, whoever she is, he must have her!
Lin Miao had been watching the noble youth, noting the intense "possessiveness" in his eyes, a trace of killing intent flashed through his mind.
In his presence, coveting his future wife; it didn't matter who you were, harming Sun Youwei in any way would seal your fate.
"Junior brother, you're here."
Sun Youwei stood up, walking directly over, and everyone made way for her. Even the noble youth, intending to block the path, stepped back in acknowledgment upon hearing her call.
"Let's go, senior sister, time to head home for dinner." Lin Miao smiled gently, naturally taking Sun Youwei's hand.
"Mm." Sun Youwei nodded approvingly, allowing Lin Miao to lead her away amidst the stunned gazes.
Exiting the Xinglin Institute, they boarded a carriage.
Lin Miao turned to Sun Youwei inside the carriage and said, "Senior sister, hold on tight."
Before they traveled far, Lin Miao noticed the tail following their carriage. The noble youth indeed wasn't a decent person, arranging for subordinates to tail him. Wealth and power often bred crooked minds.
This world seemed to harbor malice toward main characters and those close to them.
He thought, these hindrances were merely stepping stones for his growth.