A life of two souls traveling through time

Night fell just after the beginning of the evening. After cleaning the pharmacy as usual, Si Yao returned to her room. But her thoughts were a little complicated tonight. She was excited about getting her first medical book, but she was also confused as to why Mr. Huifeng, the second master with whom she had never spoken before, wanted to help her.

Si Yao lit the lamp and solemnly came to the window and sat down. In front of her was a medical book that had obviously been read countless times. At this moment, she felt that this was not just a medical book, but a light that led her into medicine and the hope of survival.

"Theory: Whenever I read about the doctor of Yue entering Guo and the expression of the Marquis of Qi, I always sigh with admiration at their talent. I wonder if the scholars of today have never paid attention to medicine and studied the art of medicine, so as to cure the diseases of their rulers and relatives, save the poor and humble, and protect their health and life. Instead, they compete for fame and status, and try to follow the powerful. They are always eager to pursue fame and fortune, and they value the superficial and ignore the root. They are beautiful on the outside but desolate on the inside. If the skin is gone, where will the hair be attached?"

Si Yao opened the medical book with respect and piety, and after reading the preface, she couldn't help but feel troubled. For someone like her who came from the new era and rarely read classics, it was barely enough to understand the preface, but if the professional text was obscure and difficult to understand, even if she had a medical book, it would be useless. Thinking of this, she turned directly to the main text, and it was like a basin of cold water poured down on her:

"Question: Pulses have yin and yang, what does that mean? Answer: A pulse that is big, floating, rapid, moving, and slippery is called yang; a pulse that is deep, astringent, stringy, and weak is called yin. If a yin disease is found with a yang pulse, the patient will survive, while a yang disease with a yin pulse will die."

Si Yao put down the medical book that she had just regarded as a light and hope, feeling disheartened. She couldn't help wondering: Is this a medical book for beginners? Why does it feel like I'm reading a book from heaven? Although she is not a person who gives up easily, learning medicine is not like archery, which only requires diligent practice. Even if there is a master to teach, the most important thing is to rely on reading books and understanding by yourself. Although Mr. Er Huifeng kindly encouraged me to learn medicine... In this case, is it necessary for me to continue staying in the medicine store? But where can I go if I leave the medicine store?

"Ahem, what? You showed her the book on typhoid fever?"

In the room in the northwest corner, Sanxiu put down the teacup in his hand and looked at his little apprentice in shock.

"Master, didn't you want her to give up when she saw the difficulty?" Huifeng looked innocent.

"But you are...too cruel!" Sanxiu wiped his mouth with his sleeve guiltily. Although he wanted the girl to give up the idea of ​​becoming his disciple, he also felt that it was against the medical ethics for his apprentice to tease a person who was devoted to studying medicine.

"Master, you also know that Miss Si Yao is stubborn. How can we persuade her to change her mind without using drastic measures?" Seeing that his master was soft-hearted again, Huifeng reminded him in a muffled voice.

"Forget it. Since she really wants to learn, you should just teach her seriously and see how much she can understand." Sanxiu supported his chin with one hand and tilted his head to think for a while before he sighed helplessly.

"Since Master said so, then I will take it seriously?" Huifeng was surprised that Master compromised faster than he expected.

"If you take it seriously, then take it seriously. When has your master ever joked about this kind of thing?" Sanxiu rolled his eyes at his disciple and then rolled onto the bed, spreading his limbs and mumbling lazily, "I am tired, you go now."

Huifeng stood up silently, bowed to his master, and quietly left the room.

"Get three doses of medicine according to this prescription. I'll be waiting in the front hall." The next day, half an hour before the consultation time, Si Yao was cleaning in front of the medicine cabinet. Mr. Huifeng suddenly appeared in front of her, handed her a prescription and said in a muffled voice.

"Me?" Si Yao looked at the prescription in astonishment and then looked at Huifeng. It was the first time in all the days she had studied in the pharmacy that she was arranged to dispense medicine alone, and it was the Second Master who encouraged her to study medicine.

Huifeng said nothing more, just nodded silently and turned to walk towards the front hall.

"Usually when the Second Master went out to see patients, it was Guo Ying who came to get the medicine. This time, the Second Master actually came in person." Xiaolu, who was sorting the herbs on the side, came forward curiously after Huifeng left and looked at the prescription in Si Yao's hand, puzzled, "Could it be that Guo Ying took a day off today?"

"I didn't ask for leave, but the Second Master told me not to follow him to see patients anymore." As soon as Xiaolu finished speaking, Guo Ying jumped into the pharmacy with a smile: "Finally, I don't have to run around anymore. I can go back to the medicine decoction room."

"No need to follow? Oh, it must be you, Guoying, who caused trouble for Mr. Er outside and was disliked by Mr. Er..."

"You're talking nonsense!" Without waiting for Xiaolu to finish, Guo Ying chased after the other person with pretended anger.

A pair of young and ignorant boys and girls were chasing and playing around the medicine cabinet, while Si Yao was quietly preparing medicine nearby.

"You can make as much noise as you want, but don't disturb Si Yao who is preparing the medicine." The chase between the two came to an abrupt end until a gentle voice was heard.

"Mr. Big."

Following the direction of the three people's greetings, Xiu Ming, who was dressed elegantly and gracefully, walked over lightly and smiled softly at Xiaolu and Guoying, "The clinic will start in half an hour. Have you prepared everything?"

"Sir, it's being prepared." Xiaolu said guiltily, and quickly turned around to continue sorting the herbs. Guoying also stuck out her tongue and hurried to the medicine decoction room.

"If you don't concentrate on your work next time, I will punish you." Looking at Guo Ying's fleeing back, Xiu Ming smiled and shook his head, and left a gentle but stern warning before going to the backyard.

"Second Master, the medicine is ready."

When Si Yao came to the front hall with three prescriptions, Hui Feng put down the teacup in his hand and said in a serious tone:

"It took a whole cup of tea. It's too slow."

"Yes." Compared to Xiaolu, her proficiency was indeed not enough.

"Let's go." Huifeng picked up the medicine box beside him, stood up and walked out of the village.

Si Yao didn't react for a moment, just stood there in confusion.

"Don't you want to study medicine?" After walking a few steps and seeing that Si Yao had not caught up with him, Huifeng stopped and asked lightly.

"I..." After a night, Si Yao's answer to this question seemed not as firm as before.

"If you want to learn medicine, follow me on my visits from now on. I will teach you the best I can."

This sentence was like a reassurance, giving hope to Si Yao, who had already lost hope.

"Thank you, Mr. Er." Si Yao hurriedly followed, feeling extremely grateful.

"Don't thank me. If Master didn't allow me, how could I dare to teach you privately?"

"Master? But didn't he refuse to accept me as his disciple?" Si Yao became even more confused.

"It's one thing for him to take you in as an apprentice, but it's another thing for him to let you study medicine."

The two of them walked out of the pharmacy as they talked. Although there was still half an hour before the pharmacy opened, there were already three or five people waiting in the thatched hut outside the pharmacy. When they saw the two of them come out, they stood up impatiently, thinking that the opening time had been advanced.

"Mr. Huifeng, are you going to see patients again so early in the morning?" The person who came forward to greet him was a capable and thin young man, dressed neatly and cleanly, who smiled and asked Huifeng.

"What's wrong? Is the old lady sick again?" Huifeng nodded slightly at first, then asked with concern.

"Oh, yeah..." The young man frowned and sighed in distress.

"Is it the old lady herself who is seeking medical treatment this time, or is it still just you who wants to seek medical treatment for her?"

"Mr. Huifeng, there is nothing I can do. My mother is stubborn and won't listen to advice. But as a son, I can't bear to watch her suffer from the disease, right?"

"In that case, I'm afraid your trip today will be in vain."

Without waiting for the other party to respond, Huifeng turned around and left. Si Yao, who was following behind him and didn't understand what was going on, looked at the man who wanted to cry but had no tears, full of confusion: He was obviously seeking medical treatment for his mother, and his filial piety was touching, so why did Mr. Er say that he would have made a wasted trip today?

"The man just now was Mr. Cheng, the owner of the rice shop in the city. His mother believes in ghosts and gods. Whenever she gets sick, she thinks that she or her family members have offended ghosts and gods. That's why she doesn't believe in doctors and only allows Taoist priests and monks to come into the house to draw talismans and perform rituals." Hui Feng said lightly, as if he could see Si Yao's confusion.

"So, shouldn't the pharmacy treat patients like this?"

"Doctors don't knock on doors, and Dharma is not easily passed on. The nectar does not moisten rootless grass. The wonderful Dharma only saves those who are destined to be saved. Doctors are responsible for saving the dying and the wounded, but everything is based on the patient. The premise of treating the disease is that the patient must cooperate with us. Old Madam Cheng does not believe in doctors but in ghosts and gods. She is only willing to entrust her life to ghosts and gods, so why should we force her? Without the patient's wholehearted cooperation and trust, it is difficult to achieve effective results even if we force the treatment."

After listening to Hui Feng's words, Si Yao suddenly realized and felt that there was some truth in it.