Xu Yi would provide the medical expertise while Xing Yuesen would cover the costs. This arrangement had been agreed upon before they even began treating the patient. Now that Xu Yi had written the prescription and given all necessary instructions, it was time for Xing Yuesen to fulfill his promise.
He had come out today planning to visit the City God Temple market with a friend, and hadn’t spent a single wen of the money he’d brought.
Now, he took out a silver ingot of good quality, weighing a full three taels, and held it before the old man’s eyes.
Xing Yuesen said, “This money should be enough for your medicine costs, old uncle. If it’s not sufficient later, you can go to the Xing family on West Street and mention my name.”
“This… no, no, I cannot possibly take Young Master Xing’s money.” The old man was alarmed, saying with constrained shame, “If Doctor Xu hadn’t intervened to save us earlier, this old fool’s life would likely have ended right here. How could I have the audacity to take your money?”
The old woman beside him nodded emphatically. That perilous situation was still vivid in her mind. She would never forget how, in their moment of despair, a doctor had been willing to extend a helping hand to them.
If they were shameless enough to take money now, they would have wasted these decades of life.
Thinking this, the old woman carefully tugged at the old man’s sleeve and said, “We should be paying Doctor Xu a consultation fee.”
The old man came to his senses. “Yes, yes, how could I forget something so important?”
He hastily tried to stand up, reaching to pull out the money pouch hidden close to his chest. Afraid that Xu Yi might grow impatient and angry, he said urgently, “Doctor Xu, please wait a moment, I’ll get the money for you right away.”
Xu Yi couldn’t bear to watch this and raised a hand to stop him. “There’s no need, old uncle. Someone has already paid your consultation fee.”
“Ah? Who… who is it?” The old man was somewhat bewildered.
Xu Yi pointed at Xing Yuesen beside him and said with a smile, “Him. He just said that as long as you trust me, he would cover both the consultation fee and the medicine costs. Naturally, I’m going to collect the money from him.”
Xing Yuesen understood immediately. This was only right. A gentleman keeps his word. Having said it aloud, how could he speak but not act?
Without waiting for a signal from Xu Yi’s eyes, he took out a silver cake of good quality but smaller size and handed it to Xu Yi.
Xu Yi calmly accepted it, his fingertips lightly rubbing the silver cake. The surface wasn’t entirely smooth, with some uneven small bumps. It weighed over one tael in his hand.
Starting with silver rather than copper coins. Xing Yuesen was truly worthy of being a merchant family’s son.
Xu Yi sighed lightly to himself. He too had once lived such a carefree life, never worrying about money and spending however he pleased.
Afterward, no matter how much the old uncle tried to refuse it, the silver ingot remained with him. For no other reason than that Xing Yuesen said money once given would not be taken back, and if the old man wouldn’t accept it, he’d throw it to the beggars.
Xu Yi secretly gave him a mental thumbs up.
Not to be outdone, Xin Shengyuan beside them also, without a word, took out a silver ingot and stuffed it into the old man’s arms, using the exact same reasoning.
Xu Yi thought: “…” Learning and applying it immediately. Young people’s minds are truly nimble.
…
The three bid farewell to the old man and woman and returned to Xu Yi’s small stall. The digestive pills on the stall were still there, and at this moment, those who had been watching the commotion also gathered around.
Before long, four or five people surrounded Xu Yi’s stall.
“Young doctor, you are truly righteous. In such an urgent and dangerous situation, you were still willing to help save someone. This shows a pure heart and immeasurable merit.”
“I truly admire you. May I ask which medical hall you’re from, young doctor?”
“I’ve recently been experiencing chest tightness and dry mouth. Would the young doctor be willing to take my pulse?”
Meeting their attentive gazes, Xu Yi showed no timidity and addressed each matter in turn.
He hadn’t yet made a name for himself. Today had purely been about saving lives, though if word of this rescue could spread, that would also be good.
It would save him, as a traveling doctor, from people not trusting his ability to truly heal due to his young age.
As for the person with chest tightness and dry mouth, after examining him, Xu Yi found it was merely a minor issue that would improve after drinking one or two doses of a heat-clearing, dryness-relieving decoction.
Worried he might not remember, the man asked Xu Yi to write down the heat-clearing decoction.
Unable to refuse, Xu Yi borrowed the brush and paper that Xin Shengyuan carried with him and wrote down azuki beans, pearl barley, dandelion leaves, and other ingredients.
Receiving the prescription, the man expressed his gratitude profusely. Then, feeling his words lacked sincerity, he noticed the digestive pills on Xu Yi’s stall. Scratching his head, he asked what these digestive pills were for and how much they cost.
Others also took notice.
They all asked Xu Yi what these treated and whether they could buy them.
Xu Yi raised an eyebrow. “These are Chen’s Digestive Pills, primarily for treating food stagnation… Each packet contains five pills, and you only need to take one at a time. The price is fifteen wen per packet, non-negotiable.”
Fifteen wen per packet…
This was a price most could accept and even found cheap, since a single dose of digestive decoction at a medical hall would cost about the same.
Soon, someone spoke up: “I’ll take one packet.”
“I’ll take five packets.” Another person, seeing this and afraid others would snatch them up, pulled out a string of coins. After counting the copper coins and undoing the string, he moved to give them to Xu Yi.
Following these two, the chest-tightness brother, worried there wouldn’t be any left for him, also ordered five packets of digestive pills.
The neighboring stall owner, hearing this and curious, also came over. Upon hearing that Xu Yi’s digestive pills were only fifteen wen per packet, and having witnessed Xu Yi’s abilities firsthand, he bought a packet without hesitation.
Selling over twenty packets of digestive pills in one go was a scenario Xu Yi hadn’t anticipated.
This was his first attempt at setting up a stall today. If it proved feasible, he would come again tomorrow.
From the look of things now, saving that person had truly been the right choice. Indeed, those who do good deeds never have bad luck.
Xin Shengyuan’s attitude toward Xu Yi had long since changed. When everyone was clamoring to buy digestive pills, he remembered how he had refused Xu Yi earlier. Had he known this would happen, he wouldn’t have said those things at the start. Was it too late to regret it now?!
After the crowd dispersed, Xu Yi looked at him with smiling eyes. “Young Master Xin, do you want to buy digestive pills?”
Given a way out, Xin Shengyuan nodded solemnly and eagerly. “Yes! I’ll take all the remaining ones!”
Xu Yi raised an eyebrow. “There are only two packets left.”
Xin Shengyuan: “…”
“Pft.”
Someone beside them let out a brief laugh. It was Xing Yuesen.
It wasn’t intentional. He simply found Xu Yi quite interesting, with a unique way of teasing people.
“Even if there are only two packets left, I’ll still take them.” Xin Shengyuan’s ears reddened, and he didn’t look at Xing Yuesen’s amused face.
“Alright, that’s thirty wen total,” Xu Yi said.
The two could now be considered acquainted.
Xu Yi, seeing his young age, couldn’t help wanting to tease him a bit. However, people in ancient times matured early, so he wouldn’t go so far as to think of Xin Shengyuan as some innocent fool who knew nothing.
With all of his pills sold, he gathered up his bundle, held it in his hand, and planned to properly explore the City God Temple market.
Xing Yuesen and Xin Shengyuan accompanied him. They had come to enjoy themselves today as well.
Xu Yi bought everything he wanted while listening to Xin Shengyuan continue praising the earlier events.
“With such excellent scholarly knowledge and such superb medical skills, why do you only work as a traveling doctor instead of pursuing studies?”
If he studied, he would surely pass the civil examinations.
Xu Yi shook his head with a smile. “One cannot have both fish and bear’s paw. If I devoted my energy to scholarly pursuits, I wouldn’t be able to delve deeper into medicine. Having already made my choice, some things must be set aside.”
Xin Shengyuan still felt it was a pity. At this moment, he was just like Xing Yuesen had been earlier; no longer simply viewing Xu Yi as a traveling doctor, but as someone worth befriending.
Later in their conversation, Xin Shengyuan wanted to invite them to a restaurant for wine.
Xu Yi and Xing Yuesen declined politely. They still needed to return to the Xing family to check Grandfather Xing’s pulse.
“Very well.” Xin Shengyuan was somewhat reluctant. Then, with utmost seriousness, he gave a formal bow. “My name is Shengyuan, and I haven’t yet chosen a courtesy name. The Xin residence on East Street is my home. I’m the youngest in my family, and my good friends all call me Xin Yao. If you’re willing, you may call me that as well.”
Xu Yi nodded and likewise shared his name and address.
When away from home, having one more friend is never a bad thing.