After the Lantern Festival, the vermicelli workshop became busy again.
Huo Dong returned home and tasted potato and sweet potato flour, finding them delicious and easy to prepare. He then agreed with the Liu family to supply the army camp with the sweet potato and potato flours he had made. The flours were easy to prepare and preserve, making them perfect for a forced march.
Some people make vermicelli while others dry them in the sun. The dried vermicelli is wrapped in waterproof oilcloth to at least prevent moisture.
During the busy period, Liu Yuhan and his parents took a group of children to the county government office to take the Tongsheng examination.
The Tongsheng examination is held in the county town in February with three consecutive sessions over three days. The content includes eight-legged essays, poems, and policy essays.
Results were announced halfway through the exam, and only those who passed could proceed to the prefectural examination. The prefectural examination was presided over by the prefect, prefect of a Zhili prefecture, or vice-prefect of a Zhili prefectural government office. The examination content and schedule were the same as the county examination, held in April.
Coincidentally, the imperial examination "Qiuwei" (examination for scholars) held every three years is in August of the same year.
Since early in the morning, soldiers and officers had already established martial law near the yamen runners. There were also soldiers and officers patrolling nearby, forcing shops within a two-mile radius to close and refrain from making any noise.
Some candidates have already started queuing at the door to enter and have to go through at least two rounds of inspection.
First, the examinee's household registration and recommendation letter are checked to see if they match the information registered at the county government office. Then, they proceed to the next station to inspect the contents of the examination basket. Outer garments are removed, and the examinee's body is searched to check for hidden objects, including lapels, shoes, and socks. The examinee's ears and mouth are even inspected to see if anything is hidden.
If you pass, you will be asked to randomly draw a number plate from a sealed wooden rack. After getting the number plate, you can find your seat and wait.
If a body search reveals items that you are not supposed to have, you will be disqualified from the exam on the spot and will not be allowed to take the exam again within three years of being registered.
"Don't be nervous, just do your best. Don't share the food and water in the basket with others. If you feel sleepy, smell the herbs in the small porcelain bottle to refresh yourself. I believe in you, and we'll be waiting for you here this afternoon."
"I understand, sister (elder sister) (cousin)"
"Yeah. Go get in line."
Candidates only needed to bring their own lunch. Liu Yuhan prepared fried noodles and steamed buns for them, a water bag filled with hot water, and a small porcelain bottle containing a cooling ointment, which could be used to refresh the mind and also for mosquito bites.
Fortunately, the weather in the south is not very cold, and the weather has been good and sunny recently, so I can still bear it if I wear more clothes.
"Mom and Dad, they've gone in. Shall we go back to the store first?"
"Xiao Han, the house is busy. Your father and I will go home first and bring some food over in the afternoon."
"No need to bring food, we'll eat at the pharmacy. Qingdai and I can cook."
"Okay. Let's go, boss."
Liu Yuhan returned to the pharmacy to work with his master. Their pharmacy had become stable. With the availability of ready-made medicines and Dr. Liu's genuine medical skills, their business had grown rapidly.
"Master, I've packed up your favorite potato noodles. Please eat them quickly before they get cold."
“I’ll eat later…”
“Master!”
This old man doesn't pay attention to his diet when he is busy. Now, while there are no patients in the store, he is obsessed with developing prescriptions.
"Here I come, girl, don't be angry."
"You yourself often teach us to take care of our health, but you..."
Doctor Liu laughed at Liu Yuhan and quickly went to the back hall to eat noodles. He couldn't argue with her, and he was also afraid of her.
It’s good to have someone to take care of you when you’re old.
"Is anyone there? Doctor! Please save my brother!" A tall and thin boy, probably in his teens, rushed into the pharmacy carrying a child slightly younger than him on his back.
They were ragged and covered in dust. The boy's forehead was covered in sweat. He looked around helplessly with anxious eyes, and his hands were covered in blood.
"What's wrong with him? Carry him in quickly." Liu Yuhan came out of the cubicle and asked the boy to carry the man into the room with the wooden bed.
Upon hearing the news, Doctor Liu didn't even bother to eat his noodles and ran over from the back hall.
"My brother's arm was cut by a sharp knife. Please save him. As long as he survives, it doesn't matter if his arm is not saved..."
"Put him down slowly."
"When was he injured? When did he fall unconscious?"
"A quarter of an hour ago. No, it was almost two quarters of an hour ago. I ran fast enough. Woohoo... He lost a lot of blood. Later, he lay on my back and didn't respond. I didn't dare to stop."
"You go out first and guard the door. No one can disturb you." Liu Yuhan locked the door and heard a commotion at the door of the pharmacy. It should be attracted by the young man.
Doctor Liu took the child's pulse. "The pulse is very weak. Stop the bleeding immediately."
Liu Yuhan quickly opened the medicine box, illuminated the area with a flashlight, put on a mask and gloves, and gave the child a life-saving pill. She then cut off the child's sleeves and cleaned the wound with gauze and iodine.
"Master, the wound is very deep and needs stitches."
"Well, I'll feed him Ma Fei San and prepare the sewing tools."
“Disinfect immediately.”
"You want to sew?"
"I, yes Master, I can do it."
Liu Yuhan calmed himself down and used a expander to expand the wound. He first sutured the dermis and disinfected it, then sutured the surface layer. After suture, he disinfected it with iodine and bandaged it with gauze.
It took half an hour to sew this seam.
She didn't feel anything while she was sewing, but only after she finished did she feel her legs and feet a little sore.
"You've done very well. The medicine is very effective. His pulse has gradually stabilized. We'll have to keep an eye on him to see if he develops a high fever."
"Master, thank you for your encouragement."
"Well. Put these things away." Doctor Liu said softly.
Liu Yuhan disinfected the things, put them away, turned off the flashlight, and put them all back into the medicine box.
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