"Jiujiu, wake up," Hearing someone calling her by the ear, Yang Mengchen groggily opened her eyes and saw it was Madam Yang Zhou, "Grandma, what is it?"
There were many people in the Yang family and not enough rooms, and because her grandparents loved her dearly, she had been living with them since she was a child.
"Aren't you going to town today? If you don't get up now, it will be late," Madam Yang Zhou said as she helped her granddaughter get dressed.
Yang Mengchen suddenly became fully awake. After quickly washing up, she stepped outside where Yang Chengrong and others were waiting in the yard with torches. With repeated cautions from the elders, the six siblings set off for the town while it was still dark.
A bright moon hung high in the pitch-black night sky, with a few sparse twinkling stars, and the country road was full of pits and bumps. Yang Mengchen walked very carefully.
The eldest brother had said that it's more than ten miles from the village to the town. Not to mention horse carriages, even ox carts were rare, and there were many people going to town, so many would start walking early.
Holding a torch and protecting his sister, Yang Chengrong said with concern, "Jiujiu, let Big Brother carry you." After saying this, he squatted down in front of his sister.
"No need, Big Brother, I can walk," Yang Mengchen shook her head. Although the herbal medicine wasn't heavy, her brother was only sixteen years old and already carrying the heaviest sack. Having to walk more than ten miles, if he were to also carry her, he would surely be exhausted by the time they reached the town.
Seeing his sister's refusal, Yang Chengrong didn't insist, "Then when you're tired, I'll carry you."
"Okay," Knowing that her brother cared for her, Yang Mengchen was very touched.
Yang Chengyou, who was looking after the three younger brothers, took out four egg and wild vegetable pancakes their mother had made early in the morning and handed them to his sister, "Jiujiu, have something to eat first; I'll buy you pancakes in town," he said, and then gave two each to his elder brother and the three younger brothers, keeping two for himself.
Yang Mengchen didn't refuse, her body still being somewhat weak, and it would be difficult to make it to the town without eating anything.
As the sun gradually rose, the six siblings quickened their pace. By the time they reached the town, Yang Mengchen felt her calves were so sore and trembling that she firmly resolved to quickly recuperate and strengthen her body through exercise. She was fortunate to have the chance for rebirth and didn't want to die young as in her previous life.
"Let's go straight to Apricot Forest Hall."
The previous night, Old Master Yang had told Yang Mengchen that Apricot Forest Hall was the largest and most reputable medicinal shop in town and that Doctor Luo was extraordinarily skillful and kind-hearted. Even if they didn't buy any medicine, he wouldn't make things difficult for them.
Yang Chengrong and his five brothers closely guarded their sister amidst the crowded street to prevent her from being jostled.
On the busiest East Street of Yongchang Town, the two-story Apricot Forest Hall looked a bit out of place next to the surrounding restaurants and shops, as most people entering and exiting were patients, and there were also many poorly dressed country folks.
As soon as they entered Apricot Forest Hall, a warm-faced young man approached the six siblings, "Are you here for a consultation, or to get medicine?"
"May I ask if Doctor Luo is in?" Yang Mengchen asked politely.
"He is," the youth looked deeply at Yang Mengchen, "Please wait a moment; I will go fetch the master." After saying this, he led the six siblings to the side to wait, then went to the backyard.
Yang Chengyou and the three younger brothers, on their first visit to Apricot Forest Hall, were somewhat restrained, but Yang Chengrong had been here once before. As he was always steady and reserved, he appeared much more natural than his four brothers.
Meanwhile, Yang Mengchen quietly surveyed her surroundings, her eyes filled with approval.
She saw several middle-aged doctors diagnosing patients on the left side of the hall, each with a calm and serious face, and they were patient with every patient, treating everyone equally regardless of wealth or status. On the right side were several large medicine cabinets, and five or six clerks were intently preparing medicines, while various medicinal herbs were neatly arranged in the cabinets. Additionally, three or four clerks were attending to the incoming and outgoing crowd; the entire hall was clean, tidy, and orderly.
It wasn't long before Doctor Luo came in from the back yard. Seeing Yang Mengchen and her five siblings, he smiled affectionately and said, "Little girl, are you feeling any better?"
"Thank you for your concern, Uncle Luo, I am much better." Yang Mengchen replied with a smile.
"Such a good little girl," Doctor Luo said as he led the siblings to a wooden table nearby, "I heard from people in your village a few days ago that you went up the mountain to dig wild vegetables. I figured you must be alright, and since you're here today, I'll take your pulse again."
After he spoke, he took out a pulse pillow from the drawer and carefully diagnosed Yang Mengchen's pulse. After a moment, Doctor Luo nodded and said, "Indeed, you are much better, but the illness from your childhood has taken its toll on your constitution. You need to be very careful and take good care of your health from now on."
"Thank you, Uncle Luo, I will pay attention," Yang Mengchen gratefully said.
Yang Chengrong and his four brothers finally relaxed upon hearing this.
This clever and sincere little girl had greatly endeared herself to Doctor Luo, especially since her calling him Uncle Luo stirred warm and tender feelings in his heart. He had always wanted a delicate and pampered daughter, but unfortunately, after his wife had given birth to three boys, her health was damaged, and she could no longer conceive. Seeing the little girl, he was naturally very fond of her.
"Did you come to see me for anything in particular?" he asked.
"We heard that Apricot Forest Hall buys herbs. Uncle Luo, could you see if these meet the standards?" Yang Mengchen picked up a bag of herbs from her eldest brother's basket and handed it to him.
Doctor Luo took it and examined it closely, then his face lit up with surprise: "Did you and your siblings collect and sort these herbs yourselves? Do you know about herbs?"
"We know a little," Yang Mengchen said with a smile. "Would you like to purchase these herbs, Uncle Luo?"
"Of course, I will buy them. Not only have the herbs been collected intact, but they are also very clean and well-sorted. We often have to re-sort the herbs we buy, but your herbs can be used directly in medicine. Do you have more? I'll buy as much as you have," Doctor Luo said happily.
Yang Mengchen shook her head smilingly: "We only have this much today, but we'll bring more in a few days."
"I'll take them all," Doctor Luo said, trusting the little girl knew more than just these herbs. "I will pay an extra twenty wen for each jin of every type of herb. From now on, you will sell all your herbs to me." With the herbs brought by the little girl, the pharmacy would save both trouble and effort.
"Alright," Yang Mengchen agreed with a smile.
Yang Chengrong and his four brothers had been extremely anxious and tense. Hearing Doctor Luo's words, they were all tremendously excited.
The herbs sold for thirty-six taels and seven hundred wen. Yang Mengchen pondered that this batch was small and quite common; she planned to gather more when they returned and to look for more valuable herbs on the mountain.
After bidding farewell to Doctor Luo, Yang Mengchen and her siblings were getting ready to leave when she inadvertently saw a worker in the back yard incinerating a large amount of honeysuckle and pointed at the worker, asking, "Uncle Luo, what is he doing?"
"He is disposing of the medicinal materials."
"It's such a waste to just burn so many materials."
"Silly girl, those materials have gone moldy. To use them for patients would not only violate medical ethics but could also worsen their conditions. That's why I've asked the worker to dispose of them," Doctor Luo said, feeling just as regretful, but he was powerless to change the situation.
Yang Mengchen thought for a moment and then softly said, "Uncle Luo, I actually have a way to reduce mold in medicinal materials."