Promotion to Medicine Apprentice [Request for Recommendation Votes]

Zheng Shanfu snapped out of his daze, gave Su Yang a deep look, and said, "Continue dividing, but be careful."

After saying that, he straightened his clothes and left with Fei Jianhua.

Su Yang's hands continued moving, but a thought suddenly occurred to him.

The lady suddenly summoned Old Master Zheng... Could it be that some noble person in the manor is unwell and urgently needs some special medicine?

Or is it necessary to prepare a large quantity of wound medicine?

A medicinal decoction to prevent plague?

He'd vaguely heard rumors these past few days that things weren't peaceful outside, and that the number of refugees was increasing. If that were true, the medicinal cuisine kitchen would probably be in for a busy time.

About half an hour later, Zheng Shanfu returned.

The old man's expression was complex, a mixture of emotion and relief.

He stood at the door for a moment, watching the basket of medicinal herbs that Su Yang had almost finished sorting – the bamboo trays on both sides were neatly stacked, and the mixed herbs had been completely separated.

Su Yang placed the last piece of angelica root into the plaque, then stood up and said, "Elder Zheng, the distribution is complete. Please take a look."

Zheng Shanfu didn't look at the medicinal herbs; his gaze fell on Su Yang's face. After a long silence, he slowly spoke, "Su Yang."

"exist."

"Madam just summoned the steward."

Zheng Shanfu said calmly, "In preparation for the chaos of war, the manor needs to recruit twenty more guards, and the supply of medicines in the medicinal kitchen must also keep up. I am old and there are not enough people. I have already asked the madam for permission to select one person from the manor to be a medicine boy, who will be in charge of processing medicinal materials and tending to the soup."

His gaze fell on Su Yang's face, as deep as an ancient well: "Would you... be willing to come to the medicinal cuisine room?"

"Su Yang is willing. Thank you, Elder Zheng, for your guidance."

Su Yang met Zheng Shanfu's gaze, bowed slowly, and spoke in a clear and firm voice.

A faint hint of relief appeared on Zheng Shanfu's face as he nodded: "Alright. Tomorrow at Chenshi (7-9 AM), come directly to the medicinal cuisine room. You don't need to sweep the floor anymore. I will explain everything to Steward Fei."

"Yes."

Su Yang nodded.

…………

When Su Yang returned to the front yard from the medicinal cuisine room, he happened to arrive just as Ye Jianhong, the steward of the Huang family, finished her announcement, and the crowd had not yet completely dispersed.

"We're expanding our guard recruitment! Three positions will be selected from the servants in seven days! The master is truly a philanthropist!"

"This is a golden opportunity! Then we can finally escape our servant status!"

"I heard there's also a monthly allowance and herbal medicine!"

"......."

The servants gathered in small groups, excitedly discussing the matter, each one rubbing their hands together, their eyes burning with eager anticipation.

Surrounded by others, Chen Le shouted the loudest, "Zhao Si, don't worry, we brothers are united, our strength can break metal! Once I become a guard, you'll definitely get your share of the benefits!"

He caught sight of Su Yang approaching and deliberately raised his voice, saying sarcastically, "Oh, our 'great hero' is back after washing the herbs? Too bad, this guard selection isn't about how clean you sweep the floor or how well you wash the herbs; it's about real strength and skill! With your puny build, you were beaten yesterday, it's a miracle you can even stand up today. You'd better go back to your room and lie down, don't get in the way!"

A low chuckle rose from the surroundings.

Chen Le became increasingly smug.

Su Yang glanced at him, said nothing, and calmly walked through the crowd toward the servants' quarters.

That look in his eyes was like looking at a noisy grasshopper.

Chen Le was stunned by that gaze, then flew into a rage, spitting at Su Yang's retreating figure: "Pah! What are you pretending for! You're hopeless!"

"Manager Fei has arrived!"

Just then, Steward Fei Jianhua walked in from the inner courtyard with his hands behind his back, followed by a maid carrying a tray. On the tray, neatly stacked, was a set of light blue short clothes, of a quality clearly superior to gray linen, and a dark belt, which stood out conspicuously in the setting sun.

The servants who hadn't yet dispersed from the front yard bowed and said, "Manager Fei."

Fei Jianhua nodded, his gaze sweeping across the crowd before finally settling on Su Yang, who was about to leave.

"Su Yang".

Fei Jianhua's voice rang out, not loud, but with the authoritative tone unique to those in charge.

Su Yang stopped and turned around.

Fei Jianhua's face remained expressionless, but a fleeting hint of impatience and...pain flashed in his narrow eyes. He cleared his throat, his voice drier than usual, and said, word by word, in a businesslike manner, "Old Zheng from the medicinal kitchen has already requested permission from Madam to promote you to the position of medicine apprentice. Your responsibilities will be handling medicinal herbs and overseeing the soup."

He gestured for the maid to come forward, his movements a little stiff: "These are the medicine boy's clothes. Tomorrow at Chenshi (7-9 AM), you will go directly to the medicine kitchen to work; you don't need to do sweeping and chores anymore."

As soon as he finished speaking, the entire front yard fell into a deathly silence.

"What?! Su Yang is being transferred to be a medicine apprentice?! To the medicinal cuisine room?!"

"The medicinal cuisine kitchen...that's Old Zheng's territory. It's skilled work, easy and respectable!"

"Why him? A sickly guy who just got a beating?"

"........."

All eyes immediately shifted from Fei Jianhua to the new clothes, and finally fixed on Su Yang's face.

The crowd that had been excitedly discussing the selection of guards was now completely silent.

Everyone's face was filled with shock, disbelief, and... intense envy!

The apprentice doctor in the medicinal cuisine room!

That's practically the highest position a servant can reach!

The work is easy, the status is high, you can learn a skill, and you can also meet influential people!

It was a truly lucrative job, far more respectable and dignified than those guards who wielded swords and spears!

In the crowd, Chen Le's face was extremely ugly, turning pale and then red!

He had just publicly mocked Su Yang, calling him a "sickly fellow," "unqualified to compete for the nursing position," and "playing house by washing herbs"...

He was even already planning in his mind how to show off his power after becoming a bodyguard.

In the blink of an eye, he was promoted to medicine boy!

The slap was swift and hard, shattering not only his smugness but also crushing the last vestiges of his fantasy!

"Yes, Steward Fei!"

Amidst countless complex gazes, Su Yang calmly accepted the tray.

New clothes, thick and soft.

He didn't leave immediately, but turned around, his gaze precisely sweeping over the crowd and landing on Chen Le's face, who was standing frozen in place.

Chen Le's face turned from red to green, then from green to white, his lips trembling, but he couldn't utter a single word.

Su Yang looked at him and suddenly chuckled softly.

"Chen Le".

He spoke, his voice carrying clearly throughout the quiet front yard.

Chen Le shuddered.

Su Yang paused, his gaze sweeping over Chen Le's stiff body, the smile on his lips deepening slightly: "Congratulations."

Congratulations?

Everyone was stunned. What was this?

Su Yang's next words froze the air in the entire front yard: "Now, among those competing for the position of guard, there is one less 'strongest rival'."

He deliberately added a barely perceptible pause to the phrase "the strongest opponent": "Your chances...have suddenly increased a lot?"

boom!

These words were like a muffled thunderclap, not striking my ear, but crashing straight into my heart!

It wasn't mockery, nor was it angry outburst.

Instead, he stated the most heart-wrenching truth in the calmest tone:

I was once an insurmountable mountain for you, but now, the mountain has made way for me.

You didn't win by your own ability, you won by my charity.

"You...you're talking nonsense!" Chen Le finally found his voice, which cracked sharply: "You? You think you're worthy to be my opponent?!"

Su Yang did not refute.

He simply looked at Chen Le with an almost pitying gaze, shook his head, as if looking at a child throwing a tantrum but not getting candy.

Then, he picked up the new clothes, turned around, and left.

After taking a few steps, she paused slightly, turned half her face to the side, and spoke in a voice so soft that only a few people nearby could hear her:

"Oh, right."

"How much of your fifty coins reward money do you have left?"

After saying that, his figure disappeared behind the moon gate.

Chen Le stood frozen in place, his face drained of color, leaving only a deathly pale expression.

"Su...Yang..."

He stared at the empty moon gate, forcing the name out through clenched teeth, his voice hoarse like a broken bellows: "We...aren't over!"

But this roar, in the suddenly empty front yard, did not elicit the slightest echo; instead, it was like a stone thrown into a dry well, leaving only an empty echo that even he could hear.

The people around him lowered their heads and hurriedly dispersed. Even Zhao Si quietly stepped back a few paces and blended into the departing crowd.

The setting sun cast Chen Le's stiff figure into a long, distorted shadow, pinning him firmly to the cold ground.