Chapter 39

The scent of boiled sugar water attracted many children wearing crotchless pants to South Street. This was Dr. Xu’s house. Mrs. Xu was kind-hearted. She lay down outside his yard without worrying about being chased away with a broom.

In fact, Xu Yi couldn't do anything like driving away children. Hearing the noise, he came out holding a kerosene lamp, and the dim light shone on the faces of several children.

"Hello, Doctor Xu~"

"Doctor Xu, what are you doing? It smells so good!"

In the past, they had only smelled the unpleasant smell of medicine in Doctor Xu's yard, but this was the first time they smelled it that made people drool. The fragrance is like the smell of honey in a sugar shop.

Xu Yi saw that it was getting so dark and it was not safe for these children to be outside, so he called them in.

Mrs. Chen wiped her hands and came out, and said to Xu Yi: "I'm going back. It's not appropriate to stay here any later. Wait for the sugar water to cool down, then pour it into a clay pot and take out the loquats soaked in salt water. Get some water and put it in." She said, worried that Xu Yi could not do it well, and said, "If you are not in a hurry, you can wait for me to come over tomorrow."

"Well, thank you, Mrs. Chen, I understand."

She bowed and looked at the children who followed them in. She covered her mouth and smiled and touched their heads one by one.

The child was good. After calling "Ms. Chen", he let her touch his head and ran to Xu Yi's side.

"Doctor Xu, Doctor Xu, are you making candied loquats?" One of the older boys looked like seven years old. His hair was still short, and he was wearing a bun like a small ball. Xu Yi wanted to pull it.

He held back and said with a friendly smile: "I want to make candied loquats. I don't know how to make them. Please ask Mrs. Chen to help me."

After that, he asked other children: "Do you want some candied loquats? I'll come in." Will the house fall down for you?"

The children's eyes were bright and clear.

"Can I really drink?"

"But my mother said you can't just take other people's things."

"Doctor Xu is a good man and won't abduct me to sell me, so I'm not afraid."

Xu Yi laughed: "... "

After eating sugar water, you have to rinse your mouth before going to sleep, do you understand?"

Several children nodded.

With nothing to do in the evening, Xu Yi sat in the yard and looked at the crescent moon hanging in the center of the night. The crescent moon was bright and the clouds were misty. It seemed that tomorrow would be a sunny day.

When the children got the sugar water, they bowed to Xu Yi in a formal manner to thank him. It was not very standard, but it was also very interesting.

Xu Yi also tested them and asked them if they were enlightened.

"I haven't studied yet. My mother said that when I am two years older, she will send me to my husband to read the Three-Character Classic, Hundred Family Surnames, and Thousand-Character Classic."

Xu Yi asked another child: "How old are you?"

The child's brother is immature. His face was full of pride: "I am seven years old, and I still have two years left to go to the master's house to find a job."

"The master's house?" Xu Yi was surprised.

After asking, I found out that both his parents signed birth certificates at the master's house. His father was a disciple of the house, and his mother worked in the back house of the house as an errand, carrying water and cleaning. The child saw this and wanted to grow up and work as an errand in the government. Being able to earn tens or even hundreds of cash every month was what he hoped for.

A life contract is not a death contract. You can return home at the end of the lease period, and the owner cannot beat or sell you at will. It is incomparable to a slave contract. Speaking of which, Madam He's husband and son He Linqiu also work as errands in wealthy families.

Xu Yi gradually learned that many families in South Street were working in the homes of wealthy families. Otherwise, it would be difficult to live on those few acres of land and pay taxes and population taxes.

After the children finished eating the sugar water, it was time to go home. Xu Yi did not leave them alone and asked them to go back carefully.

He watched several children go home at the door, and vaguely heard someone scolding the children for being greedy.

Early the next morning, Xu Yi was boxing in the yard and received a few chickens. They were sent by adults from those families last night. They thanked Xu Yi for giving their children sugar water.

Not long after he finished punching, Mrs. Chen came over and filled her with sugar water. The loquat meat soaked in the sugar water had to be soaked for ten days.

The lid cannot be opened during this period. Two circles of cloth must be wrapped around the wooden lid. When the time is up, you can open it and eat.

*

Disasters are a thing of the past in South Street.

But for the subdistrict department who came to register the disaster, it was not over yet. The yamen servants sent the records to the scribes, and the scribes had to record the disaster events and store them in the warehouse files.

Because a doctor took the initiative to provide free medical treatment this time, the officials of the Street Department knew something about it. They called the yamen in charge of the matter. They heard that the doctor was one of the residents affected by the disaster in South Street and was a young man who had not yet reached his prime. There was curiosity in my heart.

"Is this person a disciple of Fucheng Imperial Medical Bureau?" Guan Gou asked the yamen servant.

The yamen servant lowered his eyes and said without daring to hide: "My lord, I know that this doctor Xu is not a disciple of the imperial medical bureau. He was still studying in a private school last year. He gave up literature to practice medicine and became a monk halfway."

Guan Gou pondered, and gave up halfway. Wen is a doctor, which is rare, but this man has such courage. From the official documents in the newspaper, it was also said that the doctor's free clinic was in order. Except for those with serious injuries, they could not leave, and the rest had recovered without any problems.

It's just that he's still young, not enough to make him worry too much.

Guan Gou waved his hand to ask the Yamen servant to leave, and put the matter behind him for the time being.

...

West Street, Jishi Hall.

The young master of the Shen family received the news that Xu Yi was going to the free clinic a day late. After he found out, he immediately wrote a letter to Tongchuan Mansion, telling the Shen family head that Xu Yi not only disagreed with selling the prescription, but also wrote in the letter Xu Yi's reputation management.

In his opinion, Xu Yi is a person who is just trying to gain fame. The last time I rejected him, I must have felt that his offer was too low.

He asked the servant who came with him to call Doctor Yan.

"Doctor Yan, if you go find Xu Yi again, you can tell me that I am willing to offer you three hundred dollars and ask him if he is willing to sell the prescription in his hand." Although Shen Shaodong said this, his tone was full of disdain. He didn't believe that Xu Yi would reject him this time.

Three hundred guan is not a small amount of money. With this amount of money, let alone buying a house in Yanting County or Tongchuan Prefecture, you can also buy two servants to take care of at home and live a comfortable life.

When Dr. Yan heard this, he was hesitant to speak. The last time he offended the young master's family for Xu Yi, the young master's family deliberately caused a lot of trouble in the medical clinic.

If he still tried to persuade her this time, he would be in trouble.

Shen Shaodong's family looked at him coldly and sneered: "It seems that Doctor Yan has been in charge of Yanting County for a long time. He thinks that Jishitang belongs to your Yan family!"

Doctor Yan was frightened: "Yan has never had this intention. I After coming to Yanting County, he has always adhered to his original intention, firstly to treat patients and save people, and secondly, to guard the medical clinic for the Shen family. He didn't dare to have any other intentions.

"Huh, it's best to be like this." Looking at him, I knew that this man had his heart set on Xu Yi and wanted him to spread the word.

"Go quickly, don't miss my good news."

Doctor Yan sighed deeply and had no choice but to accept his fate.

He returned to the clinic of the medical clinic, sat down and called an apprentice to come in.

The apprentice who came in happened to be the one who received Xu Yi that day. He smiled and asked Doctor Yan what he had to say. Doctor Yan saw that he was in high spirits, so he left the matter of delivering the post to him.

The apprentice took the post and went to Shijing Lane, South Street to look for someone.

He grabbed a random person and asked where Xu Yi's home was. Unexpectedly, this man was very enthusiastic and took the initiative to bring him to Xu's house to look for Xu Yi.

"Doctor Xu, someone is looking for you." The man took the person there and left with his merit and fame hidden.

When Xu Yi came out, he was a little surprised to see that it was an apprentice from Jishi Hall, so he called him in and asked: "It's not the day to deliver Xiaoshi pills yet, why are you here?"

The apprentice said: "I'm here to deliver the post. My doctor Yan wants to come to see you and ask if you will be free later."

Xu Yi raised his eyebrows. Doctor Yan was going to see him. The first thing he thought of was the young master of the Shen family who was in the green garden that day.

Xu Yi retracted his thoughts and said, "If you have time, please tell Dr. Yan, I will prepare tea at home and wait for him."

As soon as the time came.

A curtained ox cart stopped outside the Xu family's courtyard. Doctor Yan supported his apprentice and came down. Seeing the Xu family's courtyard, he felt filled with emotion.

As he knew, the Xu family was not wealthy, but looking at the brand-new tiles, the roof seemed to have been newly built not long ago. Then he felt that he seemed to understand some of Xu Yi's thoughts. He was young and arrogant, had the idea of ​​​​hanging a pot to help the world, did not intend to sell prescriptions, and was not tempted by hundreds of dollars. It seemed that he could understand it.

"Doctor Yan?"

Xu Yi shouted twice before Dr. Yan calmed down.

Seeing him shift his gaze, Xu Yi said slowly: "Doctor Yan, you have been well these past few days. Tomorrow is the day to deliver the Xiaoshi pills. Since you are here, it is appropriate to take the Xiaoshi pills back with you."

" It's easy to talk about." Doctor Yan nodded. Xiaoshi Pills are now the best-selling pills in Jishitang. There are so many people coming to buy them that they are out of stock from time to time.

Xu Yi only provided 400 pills every five days, which was still too little.

He knew that his family wanted to buy the prescription because he knew how beneficial this Xiaoshi Pill was. More than 20 people were selling this Xiaoshi Pill together, with no limit, and the monthly profit was unknown.

He didn't dare to say this to Xu Yi, and he didn't add any fuel or jealousy, and took it upon himself to defend the young master of the Shen family. It only showed that he came to ask Xu Yi on behalf of the young master of the Shen family, and wanted to pay three hundred dollars to buy the prescription in his hand.

"..."

Xu Yi clicked his tongue, wondering why the young master of the Shen family still hasn't given up after several days.

Doctor Yan sighed: "The young master insists on this, so I can only go out and shamelessly ask Xu Xiaolang, what are Xu Xiaolang's plans about this prescription?"

"To be honest, Doctor Yan, this prescription cannot be sold . With the Shen family." Xu Yi did not waver. Whether it is a hundred guan or three hundred guan, it is not a matter of price to him. "I will not send you away with words. The prescription is a secret book and is not from my hand. I'm just borrowing it, it's not my prescription."

After hearing this, Doctor Yan said solemnly: "This is absolutely true, don't do to others what you don't want others to do to you. If this prescription is in my hands, I won't sell it easily. How can he force Xu Xiaolang to do something against his will? "

Shen Shaodong's family does not study medicine, he only cares about the interests of businessmen, and feels that as long as he pays a high price, others will follow his wishes and come up with the prescription.

It's really ridiculous.

Doctor Yan thought this way, and said nothing more. He just looked outside the hospital, looking at the medicinal materials drying in the yard, and smelling the faint fragrance of medicine floating in the air.

As the hot wind blew by, he withdrew his gaze and said to Xu Yi: "It's time for Yan to go back."

Xu Yi nodded: "Then I won't keep Doctor Yan here."

...

After sending Doctor Yan away, Xu Yi's eyes fell on Xiao Huang. On my body, I thought to myself that this matter might not be over yet.

The other party is so persistent. This time he sent Dr. Yan over but failed to get an answer. Maybe next time, someone else will come over.

After Xu Yi wrote this down, he didn't pay special attention to it. Two days later, Xing Yuesen took a ten-day holiday and came to Xu's house to play with Xu Yi.

He didn't come empty-handed, he also brought two books, a knife of Fuyang's famous bamboo paper, and two ink collars.

Xing Yuesen said: "I came to your house to study, how can I use yours? I brought this all by myself so that you can use it too."

"Brother Zi Teng is too polite." Xu Yi smiled and took it When he looked at the bamboo paper in his hand, he found that it was very different from the ordinary bamboo paper he used. The paper was delicate, smooth, flexible, and had a light fragrance. He was

curious: "This bamboo paper? " He brought back three swords of paper. He gave one sword to the teacher, kept one for his own use, and brought the other one to Xu Yi. Xu Yi was shocked. This bamboo paper was so expensive. They say that studying costs money, but this is not just talk. Shu Xiu's expenditure on studying is very low. Buying books, anthologies, annotations, etc., as well as pens, ink, paper and inkstones for calligraphy practice are the long-term expenses. In the Song Dynasty, due to the development of printing technology, the price of books reached unprecedented lows. Many ordinary people could afford books, but with them came various other consumption. More and more families send their children to study for two years to learn how to read and write, so that they can find a job that is decent and less tiring. Xu Yi thought of those children and looked forward to going to his master's house to find a decent job as a servant after two years of studying... "Brother Yi, the teacher gave me a question. It's boring for me to do it alone. Can you come and accompany me?" At this time, Xing Yuesen spread out the bamboo paper and asked with a smile. Xu Yi: "..." No, I have given up on literature and medicine.

He pinched his eyebrows helplessly and said to Xing Yuesen: "Brother Zi Teng, I'd better read the medical books."

When Xing Yuesen heard this, he looked at the furnishings in the room and saw only the books on the desk, all of which were the Four Books . The Five Classics, as well as some annotations on the scriptures, where did the medical books come from?

Oh, I remembered, there was a copy that he found in his grandfather's warehouse and gave it to Xu Yi specially.

Suddenly, he thought of a question. The Xu family had no medical books. Where did Xu Yi go to study medicine?

Xing Yuesen had doubts, so he asked Xu Yi to know the answer.

Xu Yi's eyebrows twitched, and he thought for a moment before saying: "I went to the library to borrow medical books when I needed them, and I used to serve my parents at home and ask the doctor. They have a lot of medical books there."

"Do you want to read them? ?" After saying that, he pretended to ask.

Xing Yuesen shook his head and said with a smile: "I'm already dizzy just reading this question. Why are you asking me to read a medical book? Brother Yi is still very good. Pharmacology and medicine are not something that anyone can learn just by reading them."

When this matter interrupted, Xu Yi then knew that he couldn't just show off.

After Xing Yuesen left satisfied with the article, Xu Yi also went out and bought some paper.

He sat down at the desk and began to study ink, thinking about where to start.

Xu Yi has a good memory. In order to learn Chinese medicine well, his family asked him to memorize the medical books he wanted to learn first. Memorizing dozens of medical books with millions of words was of course impossible!

But some of the people who were so embarrassed by him can still be written about.

For example, "Treatise on the Causes and Symptoms of Diseases", "Huangdi Mingtang Moxibustion Classic", "Suwen", "Shen Nong's Materia Medica", "Treatise on Febrile and Miscellaneous Diseases", "Synopsis of the Golden Chamber", etc., these medical books, taken out alone, are very useful. great research value.

Moreover, Xu Yi could tell the source of most of the famous books that existed before the Song Dynasty when he copied them.

There are also some medical books written by people born in the Ming and Qing Dynasties after the Song Dynasty, which are not suitable for public display.

But he was afraid that it would take too long and he would forget all of this. I plan to complete it bit by bit in the future.

Just write as much as you can. Xu Yi wrote in ink and spent half a day writing one of the ten volumes of "Treatise on Febrile and Miscellaneous Diseases".

The whole article has more than 80,000 words. At Xu Yi's speed, it would take more than half a month to spend two hours a day transcribing it.

*

After ten days, the candied loquat can be opened and eaten.

More than 30 kilograms of loquats were peeled and cored. After candiing, only about one-third was left. Scoop it out with a clean spoon and put it into a bowl. Before you eat it, you can smell a sweet fruity aroma.

Xu Yi picked up a piece with chopsticks and ate it into his mouth. It tasted soft and sweet, like canned yellow peaches, but the taste was different. It didn't have the strong aroma of canned yellow peaches. Instead, it tasted cool and delicious, and it still had the effect of moistening the throat and clearing the lungs.

He was surprised and hurriedly went to the yard and picked a handful of mint.

He saw this mint from the foot of the mountain, so he dug it back and planted it in the yard. Unexpectedly, it worked.

Mint can clear the head, soothe the liver, promote qi, soothe the throat, etc. It can also be used to treat wind-heat colds, coughs, and resolve phlegm... It has a local name of "Yindancao", and some people will take it. It is eaten as a wild vegetable. [Note 1]

If you want to eat it as a dish, you can use it to cook mint porridge or stir-fry mint rice. On March 3rd, some local folk customs use mint, nine-story pagoda, chicken dung vine, etc. to chop fried rice. The fried rice is fragrant and has high nutritional value, and it is one of the medicinal foods.

Xu Yi doesn't make fried rice because it doesn't taste good. He makes tea with mint.

Add honeysuckle, feverfew, and a little salt. Drinking it will refresh you, detoxify and relieve fire. [Note 2]

Recently, he stayed up all night to copy medical books and slept later than before. For three days in a row, he picked mints to make tea, and added white chrysanthemums to it to clear his eyesight, killing two birds with one stone.

Wash the picked mint with clean water, scald it with boiling water, put it into a bowl filled with ice water, and add a spoonful of candied loquat.

After a while, Xu Yi created a fragrant drink.

Being happy alone is not as good as enjoying it among everyone. He plans to invite a few familiar people to come over and taste it.