The Wheel-Turning Master.

Chapter 5 Asking a Doctor
Soybean-sized raindrops fell, bringing with them a smell of fresh soil.

As the thunder roared, the raindrops became denser and heavier in a short time, pouring down heavily.

Lin Bai hid the silver first, and then washed the blood stains on the hatchet and flying knife under the eaves with the rain.

He returned to the room, lit the oil lamp, took off his clothes, and carefully examined them for any blood stains.

After checking that everything was correct, I sat down and thought about the gains and losses of the day.

This action was a bit reckless, but at least the traces were covered by the rain. This opportunity must be seized.

But you still can't be careless. You need to sell straw sandals honestly in the next few days and not show your true colors. At the same time, you must be doubly cautious and stay away immediately if the wind is not right.

As for the money earned today, you have to keep it secret and not show it easily.

The best plan for now is to store up food and build high walls. Time is on our side, so the right thing to do is to strengthen ourselves.

"After the short-term crisis is resolved, we should plan for the future."

Lin Bai picked up the lantern flowers and made plans for the future.

The most important thing is to continue practicing the art of flying knives, and to have at least ten years of skills.

Secondly, you need to learn something else. The sword manual says that the power of flying knife technique will be doubled if it is supplemented by lightness skill and internal strength, so lightness skill and internal strength must be arranged, and then there are sword techniques, saber techniques and the like, read some books, and learn some medical skills or something.

It is always good to have many skills. If you have strong personal strength, you can become a rich master or build a career.

Next is the debt problem. I owed Baicaotang three taels of silver because I was sick before. I cannot use the "accidental income" today, so I have to pay it back slowly.

"One step I took to kill an entire family, and the next step I had to worry about a debt of three taels of silver..."

Lin Bai plans to go to Baicaotang tomorrow. Although he cannot pay back the money for the time being, he has to tell the other party out of courtesy and reason.

As an honest man, Lin Bai didn't think that the one who owed money was the boss. Besides, Baicaotang had a good reputation, and he had bought medicine on credit when he was sick, so he had to acknowledge the friendship.

Of course, I'll see if I can borrow a medical book to take a look at then. It's always good to have more skills.

After thinking for a while, Lin Bai sat on the bed, closed his eyes, emptied his mind, and appeared in the stone disk space again.

The night passed quickly, and when I opened my eyes again, it was still raining outside.

It was still dark at this time, so I simply washed up and cooked rice porridge.

Ever since practicing flying knives, my whole body's strength has increased greatly, and my appetite has also increased. I don't feel it in the stone space, but in reality, I feel hungry from time to time.

Moreover, I really want to eat meat, especially Sister Zhen’s meat buns.

After cooking the porridge, I ate two sorghum cakes with pickles, which was my breakfast.

The rain had not stopped yet, and seeing that he could not open the stall, Lin Bai prepared to go to Baicaotang.

Wearing straw raincoats and bamboo hats, there were many people walking on the street, all of them were poor people who made a living in the north city and had to work even on rainy days.

There was nothing unusual on the street. The incident involving Qi Wangzu and his wife probably hadn't happened yet. I don't know if the society will show up on time, or it will take a few days... It's summer, don't stink.

After leaving the alley and crossing two streets, Lin Bai arrived at Baicaotang.

Baicaotang is not big, just a small street shop, doing business with poor people. The owner is named Bai, an old doctor in his sixties or seventies.

The level is average. It can’t solve difficult and complicated diseases, but it can solve headaches and fevers.

Moreover, Doctor Bai was kind, his consultation fee was fair, and he could pay on credit, so he had a very good reputation. In the North City area, even the several gangs that were entrenched rarely made things difficult for Baicaotang.

There was no one else in the hall except for a girl about ten years old, who was sitting on a low stool, concentrating on grinding medicine.

This girl's name was Zhong Xiuxiu, and she was Doctor Bai's granddaughter. As for her parents, I heard they were dead.

On weekdays, there are only Doctor Bai and Zhong Xiuxiu in Baicaotang who see patients and prescribe medicine.

Zhong Xiuxiu heard the footsteps and looked up at Lin Bai who was taking off his hat. A happy smile appeared on her little face and she asked expectantly: "Are you here to pay for the medicine? The consultation fee is waived, and here is three qian of medicine money." She stopped grinding the medicine and stretched out three tiny fingers.

Lin Bai: “…”

Seeing Lin Bai's apologetic look, Zhong Xiuxiu knew that he was not here to pay back the money, so she immediately put away her smile and lowered her head to grind the medicine again, as if nothing had happened. "Xiuxiu, where is Doctor Bai?" Lin Bai took off his raincoat, squatted down, and still had a smile on his face.

"I'm going to see a patient." Zhong Xiuxiu said in a sullen tone without even looking at Lin Bai.

"Are you tired of grinding the medicine? How about I help you?" Lin Bai leaned forward with a hot face.

Zhong Xiuxiu finally raised her head, looked at Lin Bai suspiciously, and said seriously: "Helping with the work is not enough to pay for the medicine."

"Of course." Lin Bai nodded.

Zhong Xiuxiu still looked at Lin Bai, as if judging Lin Bai's character. After hesitating for a while, she finally stood up and said, "Then you come."

Lin Bai sat down with the medicine grinder in his hand. Zhong Xiuxiu stood up straight, stretched, yawned, and drank some herbal tea. Then she sat opposite Lin Bai and taught him how to grind the medicine.

"Your arms look strong, you're not out of breath and you're not sweating. Are you fully recovered?" Zhong Xiuxiu asked.

"Doctor Bai has a great skill and his medicine works immediately." Lin Bai praised.

"Saying nice things won't exempt you from paying for the medicine." Zhong Xiuxiu became serious again.

"I didn't plan to pay it back anyway. I was planning to run away tonight." Lin Bai also imitated her with a serious face.

"How could you do this?" Zhong Xiuxiu was stunned, her face full of disbelief.

Lin Bai smiled and lowered his head to grind the medicine.

Zhong Xiuxiu looked at Lin Bai and opened her mouth, but in the end no words came out. She could only pout and stare at him, as if she was afraid that Lin Bai would run away.

Half an hour later, Doctor Bai finally came back. He was also wearing a straw raincoat and a bamboo hat, and his figure was slightly hunched, but he was still in good spirits.

"Grandpa, you're back." Zhong Xiuxiu hurried forward and helped Doctor Bai take off his straw raincoat.

"Doctor Bai." Lin Bai stood up and bowed.

Doctor Bai looked at Lin Bai carefully, stroked his beard, and said with a smile: "Judging from your complexion, you should be much better now."

"He's recovered a long time ago! Grandpa, just ignore him." Zhong Xiuxiu glared at Lin Bai, helped Doctor Bai sit down, and poured him some hot tea.

"Stretch out your hand." Doctor Bai sat down with a gentle smile on his face.

Lin Bai honestly stretched out his hand, and Doctor Bai felt his pulse with two fingers. After a moment, he nodded and said with a smile: "As expected, you are a young man, and you are recovering quickly. Your pulse is strong and powerful, not like someone who has been sick, but more like a martial artist."

"Doctor Bai, you have a great hand..." Lin Bai realized that he shouldn't have asked Doctor Bai to take his pulse, but now that things have come to this, there is no way to save the situation. He could only change the subject and bowed again, saying, "Doctor Bai, I owe you three coins for the medicine. I have never forgotten it, but my family is poor. Please wait for a while, Doctor Bai."

Zhong Xiuxiu glanced at Lin Bai, then quietly tugged at Doctor Bai's sleeve.

"It's okay, it's okay. If you don't have the money, just wait for a few days. You are young, as long as you work hard, why worry about not making money?" Doctor Bai waved his hand, looked at Zhong Xiuxiu, and said lovingly: "Child, why are you pulling my sleeve?"

“……” Zhong Xiuxiu lowered her head and said nothing.

"Doctor Bai, you are so kind and righteous. I am deeply grateful to you." Lin Bai bowed again and asked earnestly, "Doctor Bai, after this illness, I also want to learn some medical skills, so I want to ask you, what books should beginners read?"

Upon hearing this, Zhong Xiuxiu tilted her head and frowned at Lin Bai, as if she didn't believe it.

Doctor Bai stroked his beard and hummed, then shook his head and said, "It's too difficult to learn on your own."

"Is there any explanation?" Lin Bai knew it was difficult, but there was a stone plate here.

"You must first understand the principles of yin and yang and the five elements, that is, the internal organs, meridians, qi, blood, body fluids, acupuncture points and meridians; then learn how to diagnose, that is, the four examinations and eight principles; after that, it is to identify various herbs, memorize various prescriptions, and the corresponding symptoms; the last is of course how to treat diseases. You must read more case reports and see more patients. If you don't have ten years of practice, you will miss someone's life. There is also acupuncture, pediatrics and women's diseases. Specialized doctors do not pass on their medical skills to outsiders. As for difficult and complicated diseases, it takes a master of medicine to treat them."

Doctor Bai stroked his beard and talked a lot. He took a sip of tea, looked at Lin Bai and asked, "Do you really want to learn? This is not something that can be learned overnight. If you want to have a rough understanding, you have to read Neijing Tongyao, Shanghan Lun, Baicao Pu, Wenbing Tiaobian, and memorize the song of decoctions. People who learn by themselves are most likely to go astray. I have seen many people who taught themselves medicine. They often wrote a good prescription, but the patients either died or became disabled after taking it."

"Doctor Bai, I'd like to give it a try." Lin Bai bowed humbly again.

"You are a young man after all." Doctor Bai smiled, stood up, went to the medicine cabinet, pulled out an old book, and said, "This is Neijing Tongyao. Take it and have a look. If you don't understand anything, come and ask me."

"Thank you, Mr. Bai. If I have any questions, I will ask you again." Lin Bai took it with both hands respectfully.

"My family doesn't accept apprentices." Zhong Xiuxiu reminded seriously, and then said: "Remember to pay it back." She turned her back to Doctor Bai and stretched out three fingers, indicating that he should not forget the three cents of silver.

(End of this chapter)