Resplendent – Chapter 562

Chapter 562: The Invisible Grand Apothecary

A Grand Pharmacist at thirteen! Five years younger than when Baili Yunji earned her title! She has claimed the Youngest Grand Pharmacist title in history and became an unprecedented female Grand Pharmacist. 

It was almost unbelievable! This was nothing short of a miracle!

With over ten Grand Pharmacists in the world, the Sage Apothecary lineage alone held three of them. It was truly enviable! 

After this convention, countless apothecaries will surely scramble to become disciples of the Sage Apothecary. Even if they couldn’t study under him personally, they would gladly serve as lowly apprentices to any of the three Grand Pharmacists.

Gu Ye could easily imagine the immense shockwaves this news would send through the world once it spread. She herself would become the center of everyone’s attention, and her life would undoubtedly undergo tremendous changes. 

A mere Level 9 Pharmacist had already caused so much trouble for the Duke’s Manor. How much more for a Grand Pharmacist?

Thus, Gu Ye made a decision. She would not reveal her identity as a Grand Pharmacist!

She and the newly crowned Grand Pharmacist, Ge, were the last to exit the examination grounds. By then, all three patients inside had shown improvement. 

Grand Pharmacist Ge could have left earlier, but he stubbornly lingered to witness the efficacy of penicillin.

Besides tuberculosis and venereal diseases, penicillin also proved remarkably effective against conditions like pharyngitis, encephalitis, upper respiratory infections, and certain streptococcal infections. Though the young girl’s descriptions of these symptoms left him utterly baffled, he couldn’t help but be impressed.

As they stepped outside, the young girl suddenly slumped her shoulders, lowered her head, and seemed to lose all her energy. This dramatic shift struck Grand Pharmacist Ge as odd, yet he couldn’t help but feel a hint of amusement.

When her family gathered around, seeing her pitiful state, they began offering comfort in a flurry of voices. Only then did he realize the girl had been putting on a show for outsiders.

Her decision to conceal her qualification as a Grand Pharmacist earned his deep admiration. While most pharmacists spent their entire lives pursuing such honors, she had analyzed the situation with remarkable composure and made a choice. This level of detachment was something he and other pharmacists found difficult to achieve.

Judging by the young girl’s demeanor, it seemed she intended to keep it hidden even from her own family.

The entire Defender Duke’s household gathered at the entrance to the examination grounds, including Gu Ye’s two grandfathers. Seeing the girl emerge with her head bowed in dejection, Lady Jun embraced her daughter tenderly, her voice slightly choked with emotion. “Our Bao’er has suffered. Had we known the exam would last over half a month, we wouldn’t have endured that ordeal. I’ve had the kitchen prepare your favorite dishes and pastries. Let’s go home and nourish ourselves properly.”

Unable to bear his daughter’s dejected expression, the Duke hurriedly tried to shift her mood, “By the way, the glass greenhouse in Mingzhu Pavilion is now complete. The glass-enclosed balcony next to your bedroom has been sealed with sliding glass doors, just as you requested. And the pharmaceutical workshop in the adjacent courtyard has been renovated according to your suggestions and specifications. It’s all ready for your inspection!”

Chu Xiaoliu, who considered himself the most understanding brother, racked his brain and added, “Your little pet, Xiao Bai, dragged a huge rat out of nowhere this morning and left it at the kitchen door. It scared the maids and servants half to death. Aunt Yan examined it later and said it’s a bamboo rat—tender meat, delicious flavor. We’re just waiting for you to come back and decide whether to simmer it clear or stir-fry it. If you prefer braised, that’s fine too!”

The other brothers also racked their brains, thinking of amusing things to distract their sister. It was as if they had all agreed beforehand not to mention a single word about the assessment. If becoming a Grand Pharmacist were truly that easy, wouldn’t the streets be filled with them? Precisely because it was so difficult to pass, it was so precious!

Gu Ye lifted her head, her large eyes glistening wet, as if washed by autumn rain. She looked pitifully at her two grandfathers, who gazed at her with gentle kindness, then at her parents, whose concern held a hint of worry, and at her brothers, who were cracking jokes to cheer her up. To say she wasn’t moved would be a lie.

“Why… didn’t you ask me how I did?” Gu Ye asked softly.

“The result doesn’t matter. What matters is that we all believe in your abilities!” Gu Xiao had been confident in his granddaughter. But judging by her state when she left the exam hall, it didn’t seem like a good outcome. He had been considerate of her feelings, hesitant to bring up anything related to the Grand Pharmacist exam. He hadn’t expected her to ask about it herself.

The Duke quickly chimed in, “Exactly! Uncle Gu is right! Your Gu Pharmaceutical has produced so many useful medicines that benefit the common people. The empty title of Grand Pharmacist really means nothing. Besides, there are similar examples in the literary examinations. Scholars who are clearly talented and well-read often fail to perform even a fraction of their potential during the exams.

Take the renowned scholar Ziyi from the previous dynasty. Isn’t he a living example? Though he never passed the exams, his fame spread far and wide. So failing this time truly doesn’t reflect your true abilities or caliber.

Besides, in my opinion, those Grand Pharmacists serving as judges might not even match your skill. Their refusal to promote you shows their lack of discernment. They simply don’t have the vision!”

Gu Ye lifted his slightly surprised gaze to meet his father’s eyes. “Dad, speaking like this will offend every Grand Pharmacist in the land. Aren’t you afraid they’ll blacklist you, leaving you unable to obtain any medicine?”

The Duke snorted. “What’s there to fear? With you around, why would I ever need to ask others for medicine?”

Grandpa Chu couldn’t listen any longer and scolded him, “Watch what you’re saying! You’re already an old man with grown children, yet you still speak without thinking. If someone with ill intentions hears this and spreads it around, it could drag our Ye’er into trouble. They would accuse her of being arrogant at such a young age, disrespecting her seniors! And you lot—” he swept his gaze over the brothers, “When you go out, mind your words. Don’t you dare bring trouble to your sister!”

“Yes, Grandfather!” The Chu brothers pretended not to see their father’s embarrassed expression as they solemnly promised Old Master Chu that they would be extremely careful and not tarnish their sister’s reputation.

Feeling her nose sting with emotion, Gu Ye sniffled and said with a slight nasal tone, “Grandfathers, Father, Mother, brothers… it’s wonderful to have all of you.”

“Don’t cry, Bao’er, don’t cry! You’re already amazing!” Lady Jun thought her daughter was crying because she hadn’t become a Grand Pharmacist, and hastily comforted her. “Look at you. You’re just thirteen, yet already a ninth-level pharmacist. How old was the Lady Apothecary when she reached that level? Wasn’t she twenty when she became a ninth-level pharmacist? You’re even more impressive than she was. Mother is so proud of you!”

The Duke patted his daughter’s small head and echoed, “Exactly! My daughter is the best! You know, I hardly dare go to court these days. Before and after every session, there’s always someone, whether I know them well or not, who comes over to chat with me. It’s exhausting! I never had this problem before. I used to be practically invisible. No one paid attention to me. Now I’m suddenly so popular, and isn’t it all because I have such an outstanding daughter?”

Grandpa Chu shot his son a glare and added, more realistically, “It’s fine! Losing once doesn’t mean anything. One must have the courage to keep fighting after setbacks. Our Chu family has never been the type to give up. Show your skills again at the convention in three years! By then, you’ll only be sixteen, still completely in time to win the title of ‘youngest Grand Pharmacist!”

Outside the examination grounds, spies from the manors of the capital’s powerful families were not hard to find. From the moment Gu Ye made her entrance, many had been peering this way. Before long, numerous households received word that ‘the daughter of the Defender Duke’ had failed her examination.

Reactions varied. Those families who had once fawned over the Chu family only to be rebuffed, such as Lady Zhang of the Wang Family of the Minister of Rites, uttered sour remarks behind closed doors: “Look at how arrogant they were, thinking the Chu family could produce a grand pharmacist. And what happened? They got slapped in the face, didn’t they?”

Though Wang Liluo’s face also bore a hint of schadenfreude, she cautioned her, “Mother, don’t say such things outside. After all, she’s now a Level 9 Pharmacist, the same rank as Lady Apothecary. Who knows? We might need to seek their favor someday!”

“Do you take me for a fool? Such remarks belong only within our own walls. Setting aside other matters, the Defender Duke’s stature alone is not something our family can afford to offend.” Lady Zhang pursed her lips. “That Miss Chu failing the Grand Pharmacist exam is actually a blessing for us. Think about it. If she’d passed, could a family like ours ever hope to match with hers? Your brother would’ve had no chance at all! But now, if we work together, the marriage between our families might just be possible!”

Wang Liluo’s expression shifted slightly. After a moment’s silence, she said, “I heard that while at their estate, Miss Chu saved Young Master Shao from the Second Grand Secretary’s household, along with Young Master Ning, the two renowned Twin Heroes. They even traveled to the Chu estate specifically to express their gratitude! Though my brother is celebrated for his talents, he pales in comparison to those two. I fear the Chu family might not consider my brother suitable…”

“What? Where did you hear this? How could Young Master Shao and Young Master Ning have appeared near the Chu estate? Could it be that these two families also seek to marry into the Duke’s family?” Lady Zhang’s face instantly darkened, revealing a look of anxiety.

“Mother… the marriage alliance with the Duke’s family doesn’t necessarily have to be with Brother…” Wang Liluo hinted, her words half-concealed.

Lady Zhang first wore a look of confusion. When she lifted her eyes to see her daughter’s bashful expression, she slapped her thigh and laughed, “You’re absolutely right! The Chu family has six sons, none of whom are married yet! We must strategize this matter carefully…”

Families like the Wang clan, who failed to curry favor and now sought to gloat, were far from rare. Of course, there were also those genuinely concerned about Gu Ye’s feelings—such as Yuan Haiqing and Shangguan Fei, whose families had connections with either Gu Ye or the Chu family—who sincerely felt regret for her.

Three days later, at the closing ceremony of the Great Pharmacists Convention, it was announced that two Grand Pharmacists had emerged from this gathering. 

One was Pharmacist Ge from the Yan Kingdom… Oh, he should now be addressed as Grand Pharmacist Ge. The other, due to special circumstances and at their own request, had their name withheld from public disclosure, becoming the unprecedented ‘Invisible Grand Pharmacist.’