"Please." President Tie's smile squeezed his eyes into tiny, fleshy slits. His cheeks bulged as he gestured toward the hall. He had already calculated that the medical clans in the audience numbered in the hundreds, and they would surely vote for their own patriarch. It was a unified front against any outsider who dared to intrude. For safety, he had even bought off a portion of the crowd, ensuring their loyalty with whispered promises and favors. Let us see how Jing Shu could possibly stir up any waves now.
Among those following President Tie, Jing Shu recognized a familiar face in the throng. Wasn't that Jiao Jiao, the younger sister of Xiao Xiao, whom she had once removed from the list of permanent employees? After suffering several setbacks under her, Jiao Jiao had learned to behave.
"You are doomed to lose." Jiao Jiao mouthed the words without sound, her expression smug. Jing Shu read her lips, drew a thumb across her own throat in reply, and then ignored the girl who was clearly here for the spectacle.
Back then, President Tie had casually promised that Jing Shu could count three "difficult cases" with hardly any difficulty at all. Real difficult cases were never that easy. If she truly became vice president, he would have to step down from his position. There were only four vice president slots allowed from above. If an extra person qualified, someone had to give up a seat. It would be him.
Led by Jing Shu, the crowd went upstairs in the Medicinal Herb Association building to her test plots. Wang Danai gave her a deliberate wink. It was a subtle signal of support amidst the sea of skeptics.
Afraid she might speak too bluntly, Zhou Bapi raised his voice on purpose to introduce people to her. "Next to President Tie is the director of Wu City Oncology Hospital, Director Zhang. He specializes in various cancers and also masters traditional Chinese medicine. He has dual degrees and is highly authoritative. He is here to see what medicines Wu City can produce." Then he gave her a secret thumbs up.
Jing Shu understood. Zhou Bapi meant Director Zhang was decent. He looked to be in his sixties or seventies, slightly stout, his hair salt-and-pepper and cropped short. He looked a bit like the Colonel Sanders logo. The thought made her crave ketchup-dipped fries again. The hole in the ketchup lid had to be punched right at the colonel's mouth. Only then did the ketchup have a soul.
"This is Pharmacist Liu from Wu City's traditional-medicine preparation division. He is also a judge today." Zhou Bapi shook his head faintly.
She nodded. So this was the glib one from earlier, the man who had been preaching about planting only the most useful medicines. Wasn't that a veiled jab that what she grew was useless?
When the door to the test plots opened, five-tier grow racks came into view. Plants thrived on every shelf under the steady glow of the purple lamps. The tobacco stood lush and vigorous, spreading its distinctive, earthy scent throughout the cramped room.
Pharmacist Liu frowned, his nose wrinkling in distaste. "Jing Shu, you filled a whole room with tobacco? What good is any of this? Are you planning to roll cigarettes and sell them at high prices to the rich? That would be disgraceful behavior. I had heard rumors that some rich folks were buying tobacco from the Medicinal Herb Association, but I didn't believe it. We serve the people here."
President Tie chuckled. It was a dry sound. "Perhaps a misunderstanding, Pharmacist Liu. Tobacco is also a medicinal herb. Maybe Jing Shu plans to use it for disinfection and swelling reduction."
Pharmacist Liu laughed twice. It was a harsh, grating sound. "As an adjuvant, a tiny bit is enough. Why grow it in bulk? Lao Tie, you are too soft-hearted. People at our level all know the tricks, don't we?" His insinuation was clear. Jing Shu lacked rank and judgment.
They played red face and black face to perfection. It was enough to make Director Zhang frown and glance at Jing Shu with doubt.
She only smiled calmly and picked up a specimen. The roots were clean and firm. "This is astragalus."
At last, the group began seriously examining the plants, passing them hand to hand. The overall verdict was highly positive. Even the elderly insider candidate stroked his long, white beard with an expression of sincere admiration as he peered at the vigorous leaves.
Only one little girl glared at her with bitter resentment, which puzzled Jing Shu. She hadn't ever crossed this child. Had she?
Wang Danai whispered at her side, "That is Wang Daxian. He is your co-candidate today. See the little girl next to him? She is Wang Xiaoxian, the so-called 'young miss' of the medicinal clan, the prodigy. She is the same girl Jiao Jiao dragged over last time to 'challenge' you."
Jing Shu thought for a moment, the memory of a tear-streaked face surfacing. "The one who burst into tears because the food smelled too good at my table?"
Wang Danai nodded hard. "That one."
She massaged her forehead. No wonder for the grudge. Life really was a dog-blood drama. If the old man knew she had made his granddaughter cry from hunger, would he hit her? Ah, so they were here to settle that score.
No, wait. The old man was smiling at her. Not only smiling, he ambled over, his eyes crinkled with age. "Young one, you raised this astragalus well." He blinked meaningfully, as if hinting at something.
"Back, back." Zhou Bapi hurriedly shooed Wang Daxian away. He was afraid the man would try to approach her again.
Jing Shu: "??"
"In the apocalypse, to cultivate astragalus to this level, even better than before the end, that is rare," Director Zhang said, stepping in with a fair judgment. "If this could be developed at scale, you deserve the points."
Everyone nodded in agreement. The people present all worked in medicinal planting or preparation. Director Zhang stood at the very top of Wu City's medical field.
The assessment rules were as follows. Several judges would score first. After viewing both candidates' plantings, all staff would vote on whose crops had greater value and practicality.
Director Zhang said, "Astragalus scores a ten. Any objections?"
Heads shook in unison. Ten was a perfect score.
"This bodhi is well grown, but it is useless at the moment," Pharmacist Liu said, shaking his head. "I will give it one point. Any objections?"
Director Zhang said nothing. It was tacit consent. Jing Shu's lips curled slightly. Good. When that sudden parasitic outbreak arrived, people across China would claw around for bodhi trees. She wondered if they would be so dismissive then.
"Dried leeches have some use. Barely medicinal grade. Four points."
"Honeysuckle has many uses, and this crop is excellent. Eight points."
"Gastrodia, I had heard, you won in a wager and used it for treatment. That is your merit, but you didn't cultivate it yourself. Five points."
"As for tobacco, two points."
President Tie beamed and held up the tally board for all to see. "Jing Shu's total is thirty-two."
Then the crowd moved to Wang Daxian's section. He presented his crops, including notoginseng and ginseng, all rare and prized, their roots thick and well-formed. The judges praised him in unison. His final score was frighteningly high. It was forty-seven.
President Tie was secretly delighted. After both displays, he shouted, "All right, now we enter the voting phase. The two candidates, please come up and say a few words."