After finishing breakfast, all the dishes were cleared. Just as everyone was waiting for the palace attendants to guide them to the second round of the competition, Aunt Wang, who was beside the Grand Tutor, suddenly stepped forward.
"I wonder how everyone found their meal just now."
She began with pleasantries. Seeing everyone praising the palace chefs' exquisite skills and expressing their fortune in having such a breakfast, Aunt Wang's expression turned serious.
"In that case, I shall announce the content of the first item in the second round of the competition."
Saying this, she pointed to the table and continued speaking amidst everyone's surprised gazes.
"Esteemed contestants, please state which medicinal dishes were served at your respective tables during breakfast, their names, and their effects."
Unexpectedly, the competition had already begun without them realizing it.
The crowd exchanged glances, never imagining that the breakfast they had just eaten was part of the competition.
Gu Qianying was also stunned.
She had been distracted during the meal and couldn't recall what she had eaten. Closing her eyes, she tried hard to remember, but her mind was filled with Su Cheng's gaze towards her, and she couldn't recall the dishes on the table.
Thinking that she might falter here, Gu Qianying felt annoyed but helpless.
Seeing her mother's furrowed brow, young Yi Hao tugged at Gu Qianying's sleeve.
"Mother, Yi Hao ate a lot just now and remembered the dishes on our table."
Duan Xifeng had also been preoccupied with arguing with the third Miss Su. When he saw Gu Qianying's expression, he had already given up. However, upon hearing young Yi Hao's words, he perked up again and hurriedly ruffled the boy's hair.
"It seems bringing you along is quite useful. Quickly tell us what we ate."
Seeing her mother and uncle entrust this important task to him, young Yi Hao straightened his clothes and stepped forward.
"Reporting to the Grand Tutor, there were three medicinal dishes on our table. First, Fresh Lotus Soup, which strengthens the spleen, whets the appetite, and stops diarrhea. The second was Yam and Poria Steamed Buns, which benefit the spleen and stomach and astringe vital essence. The third was Bamboo Shoots Braised with Sea Cucumber, which moisturizes the skin and beautifies the complexion."
Seeing that this young child could accurately identify all the medicinal dishes on the table at such a tender age and understand their effects, the Grand Physician seated at the head of the table cast a look of approval.
"Since she is your medical attendant, her answers can naturally represent yours. Congratulations, you have answered all correctly." Han Xintong nodded at Gu Qianying again.
Gu Qianying was naturally pleased by her son's excellence.
Seeing that she had already stated her answer first, the three sisters from the Su family were naturally unwilling to be outdone.
Su Zirong had not paid attention to what she ate during breakfast, and Su Yuxi had eaten very little due to her status. Only Su Xiuer had eaten every dish normally.
She naturally stepped forward and stated the medicinal dishes she knew.
Since the three from the Su family were together, her answers could naturally represent Su Yuxi.
Following them, two other physicians also answered: a purple-clad woman named Wu Bingbing and another physician, Cao Yunli, who was around thirty years old.
As these two also had attendants, only ten people advanced in this round.
Seeing that the number of contestants was dwindling, Aunt Wang stepped forward to announce the time for the next round, which was after the midday meal.
Upon hearing the word "midday meal," everyone present immediately became tense.
The Grand Tutor left the pavilion. There was still some time before the midday meal, and the few who had advanced dispersed. Perhaps due to the experience at breakfast, the two unfamiliar female physicians hurriedly returned to their rooms to review their medical texts.
Young Yi Hao, due to his performance at breakfast, had developed a greater interest in medical principles. He pulled Gu Qianying, asking her to teach him more knowledge.
Thus, everyone had their own matters to attend to until they gathered again at the midday meal.
When the midday meal was served, everyone ate carefully and cautiously, fearing that the next test might also be hidden within the food.
But as the scene was filled with silence, a crisp sound broke the tranquility.
Perhaps sensing the tense atmosphere, Su Ming, who was serving tea to Su Yuxi, accidentally knocked over the teacup.
As the sound of shattering echoed, everyone looked in their direction.
"You blind dog, can't you even serve something properly?" Thinking of her servant's carelessness in front of everyone, Su Yuxi felt greatly embarrassed. She picked up a wooden strip beside her and prepared to strike Su Ming.
Seeing her brother already kneeling on the ground picking up the fragments, Su Cheng quickly stepped forward to intervene.
Looking at him bending over to protect his brother, Su Yuxi's anger instantly ignited. The wooden strip that should have hit Su Ming was now aimed at Su Cheng.
"Stop." Just as everyone was waiting for the sound of the whip, a reprimand rang out.
Su Yuxi didn't need to turn around; she knew it was Gu Qianying just by the voice.
She tightened her grip on the wooden strip, turned around, and glared at her fiercely.
"Miss Gu, they say enough is enough. I am disciplining my servant, aren't you being a bit too meddlesome?"
She shifted her anger to Gu Qianying, thinking this woman was truly problematic, and wondered why she always stepped in to cause trouble whenever she disciplined Su Cheng.
Su Xiuer noticed her elder sister's anger. She glanced at Gu Qianying, then at Su Cheng kneeling on the ground, and then whispered into Su Yuxi's ear.
"Elder sister, please calm down first. I heard something last night. Let's finish our midday meal first, and when we leave here later, I will explain it to you in detail, and we will surely ruin that Gu Qianying's reputation."
Her eyes revealed a full measure of calculation.
Seeing her sister's confident demeanor, Su Yuxi glanced back at Gu Qianying and finally suppressed her anger.
Everyone finished their midday meal quickly, but Aunt Wang did not announce the rules for this round, meaning the second round of the competition had not yet begun.
The contestants breathed a sigh of relief, and Aunt Wang stepped forward to lead everyone to the back garden.
They followed one after another, but this time the three sisters from the Su family lagged behind.
"Fifth brother, come here." Su Xiuer, walking at the end, suddenly called Su Ming to her side.
While the others had moved forward, she quietly spoke her plan to Su Ming.
"Later, you carefully approach Gu Qianying and grab her clothes when she's not paying attention. Then, when my sister and I appear, you will kneel down and claim a private affair with her, saying you did something together last night. Do you understand?"
Although the words were not explicitly stated, Su Ming was intelligent enough to understand her meaning.
It turned out she wanted to fabricate facts and have him falsely accuse Miss Gu, thereby ruining her reputation.