7: Chapter 7 Crossing Classes

Iron Hand Zhang's gaze lingered on Jiang Hanzhou's face for a moment, his thick eyebrows raised slightly: "You are... Jiang Hanzhou?"

Jiang Hanzhou nodded and replied calmly: "Yes."

Iron Hand Zhang seemed to recall something and realized: "Right, among this batch of Fishermen, there are few who are literate; you count as one."

He paused, his tone unusually admonishing: "Jiang Hanzhou, have you thought this through? The assessment for the Medicinal Cuisine Hall is not like the Slaughterhouse; it requires genuine memorization and study. If you mess up, your efforts will be in vain. This is the only opportunity this year; if you miss it, you'll have to wait until next year, and there's no guarantee there will be another one."

Jiang Hanzhou met his gaze, his voice not loud but clear and firm: "I have decided. I choose the Medicinal Cuisine Hall."

He had prepared for so long; how could he give up so easily?

"Heh..." The old man sitting to the side finally put down his abacus and looked up. His eyes, slightly cloudy but containing a hidden gleam, looked at Jiang Hanzhou, and he spoke with interest: "Little one, you certainly have some courage. Since that is the case, this old man will ask you a few questions."

He asked casually: "According to the 'compendium of one hundred herbs', where does the Blood Vine grow? What are its characteristics? What does it usually conflict with?"

Jiang Hanzhou replied without hesitation: "The Blood Vine prefers damp, shady environments and mostly grows in the shaded areas of deep ravine cliffs. Its nature is hot and dry; it replenishes Qi and blood and strengthens tendons and bones, but it easily causes internal heat after consumption. It must not be used with the cold-natured Jade Marrow Ganoderma, otherwise the medicinal properties will clash. In mild cases, its efficacy will be completely lost; in severe cases, it will cause Qi and blood to flow in reverse."

A trace of surprise flashed in the old man's eyes, and he asked again: "The Silver-Thread Carp and the Green-Tail Spirit Fish are both Spirit Fish, but how do their meat quality and medicinal properties differ? What cooking methods are suitable for each?"

"The Silver-Thread Carp hides fat under its scales, and its meat is delicate, tender, and mild. It primarily replenishes Origin Qi and moistens the Meridians. It is best suited for clear stewing or slow simmering in medicinal cuisine to preserve its mellow quality. The Green-Tail Spirit Fish has vigorous Qi and blood, with a hidden fiery nature in its spine. It primarily strengthens blood and Qi and stimulates potential. It is best suited for quick pan-frying over high heat or used with potent medicinal herbs as a guide to dispel its dryness and harness its ferocity."

The old man leaned forward slightly, and his third question followed immediately: "If a Martial Artist suffers from a deficiency of Qi and blood, combined with hidden injuries and lingering pain, and wishes to use medicinal cuisine for recovery, what should be the main ingredient? How should the auxiliary ingredients be paired? What must be noted during the cooking process?"

Jiang Hanzhou pondered for a moment and replied fluently: "The main ingredient should be the Iron-Bone Fish head, which possesses the effect of nourishing Yin and replenishing blood, subduing Yang, and generating marrow. For auxiliary ingredients, it is appropriate to pair it with 'Sanqi Root' to dissolve stasis and generate new blood, hundred-year-old 'Polygonatum' to consolidate the foundation and cultivate the origin, and 'Goji Berries' to harmonize and guide the medicine. The cooking must be done in a clay pot over a slow fire for at least six hours. Iron utensils must be avoided to prevent the medicinal properties from being tainted by the 'Metal Sha' energy. Half a quarter of an hour before taking it off the heat, three drops of aged rice wine can be added as a guide to clear the channels and dissolve stagnation."

The old man listened, remained silent for a few seconds, and then clapped his hands and laughed lightly, the wrinkles on his face smoothing out: "Good! Clear logic; not only rote memorization but also the ability to apply knowledge flexibly. The child is teachable!"

He stood up and beckoned to Jiang Hanzhou: "Follow me. Let's go to the Medicinal Cuisine Hall and test your real skills."

Jiang Hanzhou nodded slightly to Iron Hand Zhang and followed the gray-robed old man through the crowd, heading deep into the Water Dock.

The plaza was instantly in an uproar.

"Just like that... taken away directly?"

"Does Jiang Hanzhou really understand those plants and herbs?"

"Tsk, maybe he just knows a few characters and happened to guess right!"

"Guess right? You try guessing one! I think Han Zhou just doesn't speak up usually, but he has a grand plan in his heart..."

"It's over. If he really enters the Medicinal Cuisine Hall, then from now on... he won't be one of us anymore."

The buzz of discussion rose, a mixture of envy, suspicion, bitterness, and amazement swirling through the crowd.

The Medicinal Cuisine Hall was located on the east side of the inner residence of the Water Dock, an independent courtyard.

The courtyard was permeated with the faint fragrance of medicinal herbs, mixed with a faint scent of cooking smoke.

The doors and windows of several side rooms were open, revealing neat cabinets, medicine grinders, and clay pots inside, with apprentices in clean short shirts occasionally moving about quietly.

The old man, who was Steward Qu, Pharmacist Qu Fengchun of the Medicinal Cuisine Hall, led Jiang Hanzhou into a side hall.

More than a dozen low desks had already been set up in the hall, each equipped with brush, ink, paper, and an inkstone.

Five or six people were already waiting inside, of varying ages, their clothing more decent than that of the Fishermen. Judging by their appearance, there were other menial workers from within the Water Dock as well as people who had come from outside, drawn by reputation.

"Sit down." Pharmacist Qu Fengchun pointed to an empty desk in the corner. "The rules are simple: one set of exam questions, one hour to answer. It covers the basics of the 'compendium of one hundred herbs' and the 'record of exotic beasts and spirit fish', as well as common taboos in medicinal cuisine pairing."

Jiang Hanzhou sat down as instructed and picked up the semi-old brush.

The brush handle was slightly cool, the tactile sensation strange yet familiar.

However, when he unfolded the paper roll densely packed with questions, a long-lost sense of familiarity suddenly arose from the bottom of his heart.

It was as if he had returned to that classroom filled with exam papers in his past life; before his eyes was no longer the river surface where he struggled for life and death, but another "sea" that needed to be crossed with knowledge as the boat and pen and ink as the oars.

He took a deep breath, steadied his mind, and his gaze quickly scanned the questions.

Fill-in-the-blank questions, analytical questions, pairing questions... and even a simple "formula-drafting question" at the end, requiring the design of a basic medicinal cuisine for a Martial Artist at the "Early Stage of Origin Qi accumulation with stagnant Qi and blood."

People around him were scratching their heads, some frowning at the questions, their brush tips struggling to touch the paper.

Jiang Hanzhou, however, had already dipped his brush in ink and began to write.

The rustling sound of writing was steady and continuous. Those medicinal names, characteristics, effects, and principles of mutual promotion and restraint that had long been engraved in his mind surged out naturally like a tide, flowing onto the tip of his brush.

The rhythm and focus he used to deal with exams in his past life perfectly merged with his current life's memories at this moment.

In just over two quarters of an hour, he put down his brush.

Almost simultaneously, Pharmacist Qu Fengchun, who had been strolling around the hall to inspect, looked over.

Seeing that Jiang Hanzhou had stopped writing and was sitting upright, the surprise in his eyes deepened. He paced forward and reached out to take the exam paper, the ink still wet.

At first, he just browsed casually, but soon, his fingers twisting his beard stopped, and his gaze became focused.

He read slower and slower, nodding slightly from time to time, and occasionally a flash of light appeared in his eyes.

When he saw the answer to the final "formula-drafting question," his eyebrows lifted, and he actually read it aloud:

"'When Qi and blood are just beginning to accumulate, it is better to clear than to supplement. Take a section of fresh river eel, remove the fishy smell but keep the marrow, and pair it with three qian of Angelica rootlets, a pinch of safflower, two slices of old ginger, and half a spoonful of aged vinegar, then steam for two quarters of an hour. The eel marrow moistens the Meridians, the Angelica rootlets nourish blood, the safflower clears gently, and the ginger and vinegar assist in circulation—neither stagnant nor fierce, fitting the principle of gentle nourishment and clearing for the Early Stage...'"

After reading, Pharmacist Qu Fengchun suddenly laughed "ha ha," the sound exceptionally loud in the quiet side hall, causing all the examinees to look up in astonishment.

"Good! A great 'it is better to clear than to supplement'! Not sticking to old rules, knowing the norm and also knowing how to change!"

Pharmacist Qu Fengchun slapped the exam paper onto the desk, looked at Jiang Hanzhou with bright eyes, and his voice was clear and resonant, reaching the entire hall: "This paper needs no further grading! Jiang Hanzhou, from today on, you are an apprentice of my Canglang Water Dock Medicinal Cuisine Hall!"

The whole hall was silent.

Those few examinees who were still struggling to answer were all dumbfounded, looking at Jiang Hanzhou in disbelief, and then at Pharmacist Qu Fengchun, whose excitement was overflowing.

Someone's brush "clattered" onto the paper, staining it with a blob of ink.

Just like that... passed on the spot?

Meanwhile, the crowd at the registration desk in the plaza had not completely dispersed, still discussing the matter of Jiang Hanzhou being taken away.

"Do you think Jiang Hanzhou can make it?"

"Make it, my foot! The Medicinal Cuisine Hall is such a precious place, and he is just a Fisherman..."

"But Steward Qu took him away personally..."

"Even so..."

Before the words faded, Iron Hand Zhang was seen returning, with a complex and indescribable expression on his face. He strode to the front of the crowd, cleared his throat, and said in a loud voice: "Everyone, quiet down! Just now, Steward Qu from the Medicinal Cuisine Hall sent word. Jiang Hanzhou has passed the assessment and will immediately become an apprentice in the Medicinal Cuisine Hall!"

"What?!"

"This... how is this possible?!"

"Wasn't it said that they would grade uniformly and select the best? How long has it been?!"

Zhou Dazui's eyes widened suddenly, and he murmured subconsciously.

Iron Hand Zhang glanced at him, his tone carrying a touch of emotion that he himself hadn't noticed: "Old Qu read his exam paper on the spot and made the decision directly. The paper was a perfect score, and the final formula-drafting question was even praised by Old Qu as 'knowing the norm and knowing how to change'."

The plaza was deathly silent, and then a wave of sound more surging than before erupted.

"Passed on the spot... a perfect score?!"

"My heavens... Jiang Hanzhou... did he really hide so deep?"

"If I had known he read books so intensely, it turns out he really knew it..."

"It's over, from now on we have to call him Master Jiang when we see him..."

Some were full of envy, clicking their tongues in wonder.

Some muttered sourly that he "got lucky." Others felt a sense of loss, looking in the direction of the Medicinal Cuisine Hall with complex eyes.

Li Tietou slapped his thigh hard and laughed: "I told you Han Zhou had ambition! He made it! He really made it!"

More people, after the initial shock, fell into silence.

They looked at each other and thought about the young man who had been eating and living with them not long ago, but who had now stepped across the threshold of the "superior class."

A clear and ruthless realization slowly sank into their hearts.

That threshold—some people might never even touch its edge in their entire lives.

But Jiang Hanzhou had already crossed it.