SYADEPCO – CH026

Chapter 26 – Schemes in the Shadows

Inside Guangming Hall.

Chu Baihan deliberately wrote very slowly. By the time she finally set down her brush, Liu Shuxin had already leaned in with curiosity written all over her face.

“Elder Sister, you finally finished. Was it difficult?”

“I finished. It was fine,” Chu Baihan replied softly.

Soon, someone in Guangming Hall called out, “Time’s up!”

Shortly after, the head physician of Guangming Hall personally came to check the answers.

“Brother Su, will you be checking mine?”

Liu Shuxin quickly stood up and coquettishly addressed Su Yuan, who had walked over.

Su Yuan looked at her gently and smiled. “You’re so intelligent. Just participating in this competition brings honor to Guangming Hall. No need to check yours.”

“Brother Su Yuan, being close is one thing, but the answers still need to be checked. Only then can fairness be ensured,” Liu Shuxin said with a serious expression.

Su Yuan had no choice but to summon the head physician to inspect her answers.

“Reporting to the Young Lord, Miss Liu chose very complex herbs, yet she got them all right. For someone her age to have such medical skill is truly rare,” the head physician said admiringly, stroking his beard.

“I told you! Miss Liu has even been praised by the emperor. How could she be an ordinary person? This test must’ve been way too easy for her.”

“Miss Liu will surely take first place in this competition. As for me, I just hope to make it into the top ten and become a doctor at Guangming Hall.”

The surrounding doctors began murmuring among themselves again.

“Brother Su Yuan, could you have the head physician check my sister here too? If there’s a problem, can you be a little lenient? After all, it’s not easy for a woman to become a doctor…”

She lowered her voice and continued sweet-talking Su Yuan.

Su Yuan’s gaze shifted back to Chu Baihan, this time with a scrutinizing look.

Chu Baihan furrowed her brows slightly.

Liu Shuxin *seemed* to be helping her, but the gesture felt more uncomfortable than kind.

She looked down and calmly replied, “Miss Liu, thank you for your good intentions, but I’d like to pass the assessment on my own. Head physician, please go ahead.”

The head physician came over and checked the herbs in the bag against the paper on the table.

“They’re all correct…”

With that one sentence, many people turned their attention to her, faces full of doubt and disbelief.

“It’s expected for Miss Liu to get everything right, but what’s with *that* woman?”

“Exactly! I’m a man who’s studied medicine for over twenty years and I still made a mistake. How could she have no errors?!”

“Yeah, it’s impossible…”

*Ahem,* the head physician suddenly coughed and added, “But to be fair, the herbs she selected were extremely simple. Anyone with basic medical knowledge wouldn’t likely make a mistake.”

“Oh, so that’s it. I knew it. How could a woman be that skilled in medicine? Turns out she was just playing it safe.”

“Sigh, we’re all being tested the same way, but she chose such easy herbs. That’s not fair!”

Hearing all these comments, Su Yuan’s expression turned sour.

He shot a glance at Chu Baihan and said in a warning tone, “Guangming Hall has always valued fairness. We’re looking for doctors with real skill. If you want to continue, you’d best stop with your little tricks!”

Chu Baihan was amused by his words.

So he meant that the only reason she passed was because she *intentionally* picked the easy herbs?

“Young Lord Su, it was your Guangming Hall that prepared these herb bags. If there’s a problem with the distribution, how is that my fault?” she replied sarcastically.

“You…”

Su Yuan hadn’t expected a woman of low status to talk back and was both embarrassed and angry.

“Brother Su Yuan, everyone’s watching. For my sake, could you not get angry with my sister?” Liu Shuxin tugged gently on his sleeve and said softly.

Su Yuan’s face was still dark, but at her words, he gave Chu Baihan a cold snort. “Fine. For Shuxin’s sake, I’ll let you off this time. But if you pull this kind of stunt in the next round, don’t expect mercy!”

With that, he flung his sleeve and left.

“Elder Sister, don’t be upset. Brother Su Yuan was only trying to ensure fairness,” Liu Shuxin said apologetically as she walked up to Chu Baihan and gently took her hand.

“I’m not upset,” Chu Baihan answered blandly.

Of course she wasn’t. She wouldn’t waste her emotions on a beast.

“Alright. Twenty people passed today. Return to Guangming Hall tomorrow for the second assessment,” Su Qiong’s voice rang out again.

After bidding Liu Shuxin farewell, Chu Baihan ignored the stares and quickly left.

“Consort, those people went too far. How could they doubt you like that?” Ruolan ran up to her side angrily.

They had seen everything from outside the hall, and she felt deeply wronged for her mistress.

“This is Su family territory. If we want to keep competing, we have to endure for now,” Chu Baihan said patiently.

“But Miss Liu is really kind. She kept defending you just now,” Ruolan said with a bright smile, her voice filled with gratitude toward Liu Shuxin.

Chu Baihan paused slightly, then asked in a strange tone, “You really think Miss Liu is a good person?”

“Yes. Is there something wrong, Consort?” Ruolan asked, confused.

Chu Baihan said nothing, only shaking her head lightly.

Liu Shuxin certainly *looked* cheerful and pure, but something about her bothered Chu Baihan.

Her kindness felt too forced… almost like it had ulterior motives.

Their figures gradually disappeared into the distance.

As they turned a corner and left, several figures appeared where they had been standing moments before.

“Miss, are you sure that woman is really Princess Lin?”

“Mhm.” Liu Shuxin fiddled with the bracelet in her hand and replied with disgust.

She looked in the direction Chu Baihan had gone, her gaze slowly turning mocking and disdainful.