Chapter Eighty-One: The Association of Traditional Medicine
A week later, Yan Yuanqing arrived in Shangjing without Shi Yurou’s knowledge.
This city was also home to the headquarters of the National Association of Traditional Medicine, where new members were recruited and put through examinations and evaluations each year.
“Hello, please present your credentials and state your purpose,” a staff member politely stopped Yan Yuanqing.
Yan Yuanqing produced his invitation letter and an approval document granting him permission to participate in the examination.
After a brief inspection and confirming everything was in order, the staff member’s attitude changed, becoming noticeably more respectful. Especially when the staff saw the signature at the bottom right corner of the invitation—it was none other than Yuan Hongyu. The look in the staff member’s eyes shifted dramatically. To receive a recommendation from Yuan Hongyu—just who was this young man?
“Please proceed inside and turn right. The first conference room is where the examination will be held. However, you may have to wait a while until everyone has arrived before the assessment begins.”
“Thank you.”
Following the directions, Yan Yuanqing entered the conference room where a few people were already seated. Each one seemed to exude an air of self-importance, as if they were the strongest presence in the room.
Especially among the younger faces, pride was written plainly on their expressions. But as soon as they caught sight of the newly arrived Yan Yuanqing, their composure faltered.
Yan Yuanqing looked far too young—barely in his early twenties.
“Who is this guy? He can’t be older than twenty, can he? How could someone so young possibly receive an invitation from the National Association of Traditional Medicine to such an examination?”
“Exactly. Whoever gave up their annual invitation for this kid must be out of their mind—not caring about such a rare opportunity at all!”
“I bet this young man has some connections or knows a powerful patron who doesn’t care about the invitation, so he let his disciple come for the experience.”
“Ah, people really do get frustrated comparing themselves to others. If my master had this kind of influence back in the day, maybe I could have come to take the association’s exam years ago instead of waiting until now. I would have been the youngest candidate here!”
Whispers and speculation spread among the candidates, especially those who had come with friends, who couldn’t stop gossiping.
Meanwhile, Yan Yuanqing leaned back in his chair, closed his eyes, and rested, filtering out every stray noise and distraction around him to maintain his clarity and composure.
These young candidates, too, were here to be assessed by the association, and their attitudes began to alter Yan Yuanqing’s impression of the organization itself.
After all, these young people represented the future members of the association. The pride and arrogance they displayed now were, in a way, a reflection of the association’s own character.
“Welcome, everyone, to the recruitment examination for new members of the National Association of Traditional Medicine. Among you present today, only twenty percent will succeed in passing the assessment and joining our ranks.
“We hope each of you will do your best and demonstrate your true abilities to achieve the highest possible scores and surpass your peers.
“As you heard, only the top twenty percent according to results will be admitted. That’s all I have to say—good luck to you all!”
The staff member’s announcement caused an immediate uproar in the room. No one had expected the requirements to change this year; instead of a set passing score, only the top percentage of all candidates would be chosen. That meant even if someone surpassed last year's threshold, if they failed to outperform enough others, they would still not be admitted to the association. The realization altered everyone’s expressions.
Many who had been proud and confident only moments before now quickly masked their expressions, sobered by the new reality.