Chapter 261: Chapter 261: The First Exhibition of Medical Skills
261 First Display of Medical Skills
Today was the first day the pharmacy opened, and Sun Mei and Zhao Dong’s family came to help.
Zhao Dong, along with Sun Daru and Sun Dahe, started running errands and guiding patients. If they encountered anyone with severe conditions, they would first help them sit down to rest.
They guided patients who had completed their diagnosis and had prescriptions to the counter to pick up their medication.
Sun Mei, along with her eldest cousin, stood behind the counter, helping collect money and keep accounts.
Zhao Cheng, Zhao Yu, and Zhao Ya also came to help. They were currently in the backyard with Sun Xiaoxue and Sun Xiaoyu, helping to chop medicinal herbs.
Her second cousin, Sun Daqing, and third cousin, Sun Daxiang, were behind the counter assisting Sun Youwei in dispensing medicine to patients.
As time passed, the queue of patients gradually shortened. Just then, Sun Kang glanced at Zhao Zhitong beside him and said, "Come, young girl, take over for your grandfather for a bit."
Hearing this, Zhao Zhitong’s eyes immediately lit up. She asked, "Grandfather, what about you?"
Sun Kang replied, "I’m going to relieve myself."
After saying this, he stood up with a smile.
The patient who had just sat down was displeased to see such a young girl about to treat him. He protested, "Hey, Doctor, it’s fine. You go relieve yourself; I can wait."
This clearly showed he didn’t trust Zhao Zhitong, such a young girl.
Zhao Zhitong was not dull; on the contrary, she was very clever. How could she not understand his implication? She immediately said, "I know how to treat illnesses."
Sun Kang nodded and said with a smile, "Sir, don’t underestimate my young apprentice. Though she’s young, her talent is exceptional. Right now, her ability to diagnose and treat illnesses is no less than mine."
The patient’s expression clearly showed he wasn’t convinced.
Sun Kang continued, "How about this? I’ll stay by her side while my little apprentice examines you. If you feel anything is amiss, I’ll take over immediately. What do you think?"
Since Sun Kang had put it that way, the patient could only reluctantly nod. "Alright then, let this young girl give it a try."
This was Zhao Zhitong’s first time formally diagnosing patients. She was very excited, but at the same time, more serious than ever.
She looked at the burly man. Just as he opened his mouth to speak, she suddenly said, "Sir, please don’t move."
The young girl’s sudden seriousness startled the man. He froze, mouth agape, not daring to move.
Because she wasn’t tall enough, Zhao Zhitong had to stand. Holding a tongue depressor, she gently touched the man’s tongue and said, "Come, stick out your tongue."
The young girl examining him exuded an air entirely unlike that of a child. Instead, she seemed like a calm, experienced physician. Unconsciously, the man obediently stuck out his tongue.
Zhao Zhitong nodded. While examining, she said, "Your tongue surface is glossy, thin, and uncoated. Now, move your tongue to the left a little... yes. Now to the right... yes."
Then she sat down and said, "Hmm, the surface of your tongue is smooth and uncoated, with one spot of blood stasis. Sir, you are suffering from a ’Hidden Obstruction’ ailment."
The patient was startled and quickly asked, "What’s a ’Hidden Obstruction’ ailment?"
Zhao Zhitong continued, "It’s caused by impure miasma accumulating in the intestines. This obstructs the circulation of Qi and blood, and over time, the miasma and blood congeal together."
"Sir, do you often suffer from abdominal pain, diarrhea, a lump in the lower right abdomen, and a stabbing pain?"
The patient was completely stunned. He nodded repeatedly and exclaimed excitedly, "Yes, yes, exactly! I often have abdominal pain and diarrhea. That’s the illness I came to treat today!"
After speaking, he turned to Sun Kang, who was standing nearby, and praised, "Amazing, Doctor! Your young apprentice is incredible! I hadn’t even said what illness I had, and she figured it out just by looking. Truly amazing!"
The exchange here had already attracted the attention of the patients waiting in line behind him.
An elderly woman behind this patient in the queue, who had been watching intently, remarked in surprise, "My, that’s truly amazing! So young, yet she has such ability. She’ll be extraordinary in the future!"
Her voice was quite loud, instantly drawing the attention of more patients further back. And so, word spread from one to another down the line.
News quickly circulated among the waiting patients: De Ren Tang had an incredibly skilled apprentice, merely eight or nine years old, who could identify illnesses at a glance.
Sun Kang stroked his beard, smiling gleefully, his face beaming with pride. He said to the patient, "So, are you willing to let my young apprentice treat you now?"
The patient nodded repeatedly. "Of course, of course! Doctor, please, go about your business."
Only then did Sun Kang head to the backyard, a gratified smile on his face.
Faced with the patient’s praise, Zhao Zhitong’s face turned red, and she felt a little shy. Actually, it wasn’t such a great skill. Traditional Chinese medicine emphasizes Inspection, Auscultation and Olfaction, Inquiry, and Palpation. She had simply keenly observed the phenomenon on this man’s tongue and, based on this observation, could deduce the underlying cause of his illness.
After Sun Kang left, the patient anxiously asked Zhao Zhitong, "Doctor, what should be done about my illness?"
Zhao Zhitong said, "The root of your illness is buried deep within your abdomen, extending both upwards and downwards, and lies outside the stomach and intestines. Give me your hand; I need to take your pulse."
Zhao Dong, who was guiding customers in the main hall, heard the surrounding patients praising Zhao Zhitong, a proud look on his face.
He then strolled over to the counter where Sun Mei was recording transactions and boasted, "My dear wife, did you hear what everyone is saying? Our daughter is so accomplished now!"
The payment counter was to the left just inside the entrance, very close to the door, so Sun Mei had naturally heard the patients’ discussions as well.
She looked up and said with a smile, "Just look at you, beaming with pride."
Zhao Dong patted his chest in pride, "Of course, she’s my daughter!"
Sun Mei rolled her eyes playfully and chuckled, "As if she weren’t my daughter too."
Sun Youwei, who had just come over with some medicine, was amused by their exchange and chimed in, "And my niece."
The three of them couldn’t help but laugh. Just then, a patient came to pay for his medicine. Today, there were no consultation fees, only charges for the medicine itself.
Sun Daji skillfully flicked the beads of the abacus and announced, "Sir, that will be twenty coins in total."
"Aye, very good, very good."
This was the man Zhao Zhitong had just treated. Smiling, he placed twenty coins on the counter and said to Sun Mei, who was behind it, "Ma’am, you must keep this pharmacy open! Otherwise, we poor common folk will have nowhere to turn when we’re ill and might just end up dying from our sicknesses."
Hearing this, Sun Mei’s eyebrows twitched slightly. She collected the money and then handed the packaged medicine to him.
Zhao Dong, who was nearby, however, caught the underlying meaning of his words and immediately asked, "Sir, what do you mean by that?"
The man sighed. "You must know about Xiangfu Medicine Hall at the east end of the street, right?"
Seeing Zhao Dong and the others nod, the man continued, "Have you heard of Niu Baishun from Xiangfu Medicine Hall? He’s the pharmacy despot of our street. He’s had a monopoly for years and doesn’t allow any other pharmacies to compete with his business."
"It’s not that no one else has tried to open a pharmacy before. But they only ever lasted a few days before Niu Baishun used various tactics to drive them away."
"I think your De Ren Tang is great. Your medicinal ingredients are genuine, and the doctor’s skills are superb. You absolutely must keep it going!"