Chapter 30
Chapter 30
The journey back home was far more comfortable than when she had left. The Mount Hua Sect had written her a letter of introduction to the Ha Clan Manor, with which they had ties, and Wi Sowol joined their thousand-gold caravan's merchant train, enjoying a rather luxurious trip. 'They say the merchant groups run by the Ha Clan Manor even go as far as the Western Regions.' Heading even farther than Gansu—to the Jade Gate Pass—this caravan would travel twice as far as Wi Sowol's own destination
'I thought I'd stop by Zenith Temple once I reached Xi'an.' After confirming that Yoo Jin Dojang's arm bone had fully mended, the Medicine King returned to Shaolin. He had apparently wanted to have a longer talk with Wi Sowol, but the Weird Physician blocked him, leaving the man to depart with regrets and an invitation to visit Mount Song someday. Wi Sowol herself wasn't particularly eager for a deep conversation with the Medicine King. She was more inclined to agree with the Weird Physician's claim that she didn't have enough time for lessons
In the end, an arm bends inward, and a crayfish sides with the crabs, as they say. Others would be shocked if they knew. So many people would give anything for even a word with the Medicine King. And she turned him down? 'They'd probably say like master, like disciple.' After all, the Weird Physician was a man who had stormed out from under the tutelage of the Medical Ancestor, considered equal to—or greater than—the Medicine King. In any case, though Wi Sowol had planned to tell Abbot Deung Hwa about meeting the Medicine King, that seemed unlikely now
Altering the entire caravan's schedule for one person's sake was out of the question. The medical exam had a fixed date, and who knew what might happen in the meantime? It was better to arrive early and prepare. 'This is a test, after all.' Not the exam, but one set by her master, the Weird Physician. 'I hope it ends quickly.' Wi Sowol recalled the time she had left the Mount Hua Sect. Martial artists from all over were flooding into Shaanxi. Even in Xi'an alone, notices recruiting new escorts and guards were plastered everywhere
The Ha Clan Manor, which only hired formally rather than on a temporary basis, had expanded its escort ranks for this opportunity, a sign that even a child could sense the tense atmosphere in Shaanxi. "We will soon arrive in Nanju. Passengers traveling with us to this point, please collect your deposits. Our caravan plans to stay in Nanju for six days, so return to our branch office here at the appointed time." The voice came from outside. At the middle manager's words, the people in the rear cargo wagons began rustling around, gathering their belongings
Wi Sowol, who had been given her own VIP wagon, donned her new beak mask at the sound. At that moment, the wagon door rattled open. The man who appeared was the caravan leader, unlike the rear cargo handlers—this was the representative of this entire merchant train. He spoke politely. "Miss, we have arrived in Nanju." "Yes, I'll prepare to disembark." "No need. We have reserved a room for you at the inn we've booked for our group, so please travel with us there." The journey here couldn't have been entirely smooth
Even flying the banner of the thousand-gold Ha Clan Manor couldn't prevent attacks entirely. From wild beasts with no sense of reason to bandit gangs who figured they could just kill everyone and take the loot. Of course, the Ha Clan Manor's escort warriors, leaders in Shaanxi's merchant protection, wouldn't fall to such riffraff, but injuries were inevitable. And those injured became excellent practice subjects for Wi Sowol. After word spread that she was the Weird Physician's one and only direct disciple, even the passengers started asking her to check their health
The caravan leader was horrified. From the Ha Clan Manor's perspective, making a VIP guest requested by the Mount Hua Sect uncomfortable was unacceptable. He even grilled his people about who had spread the rumor, but when they pointed out that who else could a beak-masked physician be but the Weird Physician's apprentice, he couldn't argue further. Fortunately, Wi Sowol surprisingly accepted the requests without fuss. To her, they were perfect teaching materials for gaining experience before the exam
In gratitude, the caravan leader provided her with all sorts of conveniences. Special meals prepared just for her, or booking separate lodgings at inns upon arrival in towns, like this time. "If I may ask, how long do you plan to stay in Nanju?" Wi Sowol tilted her head slightly in response. The leader answered awkwardly. "It's just... our caravan is heading only to the Jade Gate Pass, so we'll likely return to Nanju in about three months. If you're staying that long, would you consider traveling back to Xi'an with us?" "I'm afraid that's not possible." Wi Sowol refused flatly
She had plenty to do even after the medical exam. "Ah, I see. My apologies. Still, please use the inn we've reserved. We've booked the special room for half a month via messenger, so rest comfortably." Wi Sowol had no intention of refusing that courtesy. The Weird Physician had taught her that proper compensation was important in medicine as well. In any event, Wi Sowol settled into the special room at the caravan's inn. As befitting a special room, the private suite on the inn's third floor had a terrace, perfect for taking in the view
Wi Sowol opened the door to the terrace and leaned her arms on the railing. 'Is this my first time in Nanju?' It was. Even in her past life, Wi Sowol had never come to Nanju. To her, Gansu—her homeland—was just scarred land left with nothing but loss and pain. But things were different now. Though most of the beggar kids who were like family had died, one had survived. 'Is he in Nanju?' She had told him to go to Baek Eun County, but if things got dire, to head to Nanju as well. Now that she had some real skill in medicine, Wi Sowol doubted whether a physician in Baek Eun County could have treated Ban Brother
Ban Brother and Bang Old Man. Thinking of the ties she had left in Gansu made Wi Sowol's heart race. But she consciously calmed her excitement. 'The exam comes first, though.' The most urgent matter was the exam itself. The medical exam system was almost identical to the Confucian civil service exam. Which meant it was, naturally, extremely difficult. The exams called "civil service" in the Confucian system were divided into three main stages: the provincial exam (xiangshi), the metropolitan exam (huishi), and the palace exam (dianshi), known collectively as the three-tier civil service system
But not just anyone could take them. First, one had to pass the county exam (huanxi) hosted by the county or the prefectural exam (fushi) hosted by the prefecture to become a tongsheng (child student)—though the name implied youth, it included people up to old age. And that was just the beginning. Next came the college exam (yuanxi), now classified as a higher-level test. Only after passing that was one called a shengyuan, commonly known as a xiucai, recognized as a scholar even in their village. These were the famed literati, the scholar-officials
And only they could enter the true three-tier civil service exams, making the path unimaginably arduous. The medical exam system was exactly the same. Just as the Confucian exams began in private academies called sishu, the medical exams started at provincial medical schools called Medicine Halls. Diligent students there would be selected by the Medical Supervisory Bureau—which oversaw local medicine, like the Confucian Educational Bureau for local scholarship—to take the provincial medical exam (xiangshi)
In other words, unlike the Confucian exams, the medical system skipped the child student stages of county, prefectural, and college exams. This was because medical education wasn't as systematized as Confucian studies, with hereditary physician families forming the core of the Ming dynasty's medical administration. Still, one might think you ultimately need to enroll in a Medicine Hall and get a recommendation from the Medical Supervisory Bureau—but that would exclude hereditary physicians trained at home, wouldn't it? Just as private academies differed from the national academy, private medical training held a significant share
The Wu Medical Academy, where the Weird Physician learned, was called the world's greatest sect but was still private medicine. And originally, since Yuan times, the medical exams had been open not just to physician households (yihu) but to all classes. This policy continued into the Ming, keeping qualifications for the provincial medical exam quite broad. Enrollment in a Medicine Hall with a Medical Supervisory Bureau recommendation; Coming from a registered hereditary physician family; Graduating from a recognized private medical school like the Wu Medical Academy; Or, lastly, passing the first medical exam (provincial) and getting a recommendation from a rank-three or higher physician—as would grant juren status in the Confucian exams
Wi Sowol fell into this last category, recommended by a rank-three or higher physician. For reference, the Weird Physician was rank-one. Meaning he was a candidate for imperial physician even in the palace exam. And those who failed the medical exams or didn't meet any of the four qualifications were all treated as criminal quacks or false physicians. Such quacks received no leniency if a medical mishap occurred. Though said to be easier than the Confucian exams, the medical ones still required an enormous amount of study
Ming medicine was classified into 13 subjects. Great Prescriptions (Dafangmai), Lesser Prescriptions (Xiaofangmai), Gynecology (Furen), Ulcers (Chuangyang), Acupuncture (Zhenjiu), Ophthalmology (Yanke), Dentistry (Kuchi), Orthopedics (Jieg u), Cold Damage (Shanghan), Throat (Yanhou), Arrow Wounds (Jintuo), Massage (Anmo), and Prayer Healing (Zhuyou). All of them, naturally. The provincial exam, the first stage, wasn't called brutally difficult for nothing. But Wi Sowol was confident. 'This is easy?' No surgery
Just write medical theory and prescriptions? 'Hmm... no way I fail.' Wi Sowol made an utterly objective self-assessment and priced it accordingly. 'My only worry was not making it here in time for the exam. Now that I'm in Nanju, there's nothing to fear.' And so, the day after arriving in Nanju, Wi Sowol bolted from the inn straight to the streets. She reached the pharmacy district, learned from the caravan folk, and soon found who she was looking for. "Bang Old Man!" A loud shout burst from Wi Sowol's lips for the first time in ages.