Wanwan stood in the center and shouted.
"If you're not here to apply with sincere intentions, get lost immediately, don't provoke my anger!"
After speaking, she threw a punch. From the group below, another portion slipped away. The remaining people dared not move wildly, standing obediently. They didn't even dare to look at Wanwan, as if they were courting death.
There were ten people left applying for the assistant positions, and twelve for the doctor positions.
Yun Xiao smiled and looked at the sky. The weather today was good, and her mood was excellent.
Her life's career was finally about to begin. The first test was to identify various medicinal herbs. Both assistants and doctors had to pass this stage.
Yun Xiao waved her hand, and Wanwan brought out a pile of medicinal herbs.
The messy herbs were placed together, making it impossible to distinguish one from another. They were arranged on the wooden table in front of Yun Xiao.
The first person walked over, and Yun Xiao said calmly, "Please pick out wood sorrel, astragalus, and atractylodes."
The person quickly picked them out, seemingly knowledgeable.
The second person came, and Yun Xiao continued, "Scrophularia, rubus suavissimus, cimicifuga."
Unfortunately, the second person couldn't pick them out. After searching for a long time, she finally burst into tears without finding them. The more anxious she became, the more flustered she got.
Yun Xiao waved her hand. She didn't have that much time for her to pick. Furthermore, when the person started crying, she realized she was a woman.
Although she felt sympathetic, she couldn't recognize medicinal herbs. She couldn't possibly let her stay and harm others, so she waved her hand, signaling her to step aside.
The process continued. The second person kept crying, her eyes red. Wanwan, standing beside her, couldn't help but glance at her twice, thinking, "Is this a man? Crying so sadly."
The identification of medicinal herbs took an hour. A total of eight people passed, including three assistants and five doctors.
However, two of the doctors still had to be eliminated. So, Yun Xiao walked to the outer room and sat down, signaling the doctors to feel her pulse and check for any abnormalities.
The doctors came forward one by one, took her pulse, and then pondered seriously for a moment.
Yun Xiao sat to the side, waiting for their diagnoses.
"The heartbeat is a bit rapid, and the qi is rising. It should be due to the approaching summer and dryness."
The first person said.
"No, it's palpitations," another said.
The other three remained silent, thinking seriously. Finally, they all shook their heads, looking helpless. "Although we know the symptoms, we don't know what illness it is."
The two who stated the cause of the illness looked smug, while the three who couldn't were dejected.
However, Yun Xiao said to the three disheartened people, "Congratulations. I hope we can cooperate well in the future."
For a moment, the five people were unable to comprehend. They all stared at Yun Xiao. She had a silver needle in her hand, which she flicked, smiling as she spoke, her eyes revealing undeniable sharpness.
"I'm not sick at all. It's just that acupuncture points were stimulated by the silver needle, causing my heart rate to speed up. Should I be diagnosed with an illness just because of this? This test is about honesty. Congratulations to the three of you for passing. Alright, you can leave now."
Three assistants and three doctors had been hired. However, the second person who was eliminated refused to leave, clinging on desperately and kneeling down with a thud.
"Please, let me stay. I will study hard and save you all."
"We do not hire apprentices here."
Yun Xiao shook her head and began to pack up. It was too early to hire apprentices, and she didn't think it was necessary. Hiring apprentices was just a way for medical clinics to find free labor. She didn't want to exploit others.
However, the person didn't think so. She kowtowed loudly. The three assistants and three doctors beside her felt pity and someone spoke up for her.
"Just let him stay."
Yun Xiao finally agreed, seeing that the person genuinely wanted to stay. She then said intently, "Then come in with me. I have something to ask you."
"Okay."
The person immediately wiped away her tears, stood up joyfully, and dusted herself off.
Everyone else was also very happy, feeling as if they had already become a whole. One of the doctors couldn't help but ask.
"Young Master, when will we open for business?"
"The medicinal herbs will arrive in about three days. You should come tomorrow to organize things. Also, write down your desired prices on paper and give them to Wanwan. If you are worth that much, I will pay you accordingly. At the end of the year, everyone will also receive a red envelope. If you are not worth this price, then don't blame me for driving you away."
"Yes, Young Master."
Yun Xiao had already packed her belongings and led the person who insisted on staying into the backyard.
In the small building in the backyard, Yun Xiao sat in the hall, staring intently at the person without moving, making her scalp tingle. She then knelt down with a thud, "Young Master."
"Speak. Why did you disguise yourself as a man to get in? You clearly understand nothing, yet you insist on staying. What is your motive?"
Yun Xiao's handsome face held no smile, her gaze sharp as a knife, fixed on the kneeling person.
Upon hearing Yun Xiao's words, the person repeatedly kowtowed.
"Young Master, please give me a chance. I am a woman named Yan Mei. I have a young daughter. Less than a year after marrying, my husband died. Who knew that his family would all say I jinxed my husband to death and drove me out? But at that time, I was already pregnant. When I returned to my maiden home, my family wouldn't allow me to enter. Now, my child has just been born and has no milk. I, a woman, can only disguise myself as a man and come here to apply. I beg for your mercy, Young Master."
Yun Xiao's eyes darkened. Women in ancient times were truly tragic. The man died, and what did it have to do with her? All the blame was pushed onto her.
Thinking that she would have to raise her child alone in the future, it was indeed difficult.
"Yan Mei, but you don't recognize medicinal herbs. Staying here would be of no use. How about this: I'll give you several taels of silver, and you can go back and take good care of your child. If you need anything in the future, I will still help you."
"Young Master?"
Yan Mei looked up. Her sallow complexion clearly showed malnutrition. Her large eyes welled up with tears, and she bit her lip, speaking with sadness.
"Can't you give my mother and daughter a way to live? Yan Mei has to raise her child. She can't rely on others' help her whole life. I want to raise my child with my own hands. When she grows up, she will be proud of me. I raised her up properly."
Yun Xiao was stunned. Such great maternal love was truly moving. If she remained unmoved, it would seem unreasonable.
However, since Yan Mei knew nothing about medicinal herbs, it was impossible for her to be an assistant. If she were to be an apprentice, what about the child?
After careful consideration, Yun Xiao decided to hire an additional shopkeeper and give Yan Mei a chance. Such a person, once they set their mind to something, would certainly be extremely diligent.
"Yan Mei, originally I didn't want to keep you. But seeing your earnestness, I will hire an additional shopkeeper. From now on, you will be responsible for receiving incoming patients and looking after all the miscellaneous affairs in the shop."