Qin Sang took a walk around the pharmacy, and the shop assistant said:
"We do accept mugwort leaves, but the price isn't high—ten copper coins for fifty catties."
Qin Sang only had twenty catties and received four copper coins.
Fortunately, she had the system for exchanges. Coming here to exchange for copper coins was just for show, so she could have some of this era's currency on hand.
Four copper coins were far from enough.
Qin Sang planned to head to the general store to see if there was any potential for mosquito coils. Just as she stepped out of the pharmacy, she saw a carriage dash past her and come to a sudden halt at the medical clinic next door.
An elderly maid jumped off the carriage and rushed into the clinic, shouting as she ran:
"Doctor Chen, Doctor Chen! Please save my young Master! Our little young Master can't breathe..."
Qin Sang was a doctor herself, so her feet moved towards them instinctively upon seeing the situation.
Following the maid out of the carriage was a very plump woman dressed in silk garments. She was carrying a child about a year old and walking toward the clinic, weeping piteously.
It was an emergency, so no one noticed Qin Sang following behind.
Doctor Chen hurried forward to examine the child. He felt the pulse and checked the breathing, but he couldn't stop shaking his head.
"Madam Huang, your son is suffering from syncope. His pulse is faint and about to stop. I... I am also powerless to help..."
Qin Sang blurted out:
"Anaphylactic shock."
The people present all turned to look at her. They were stunned to see a shabbily dressed woman.
Qin Sang realized that this terminology didn't exist in ancient times. This was an acute condition. There was a reason why modern Chinese people's allergies weren't as severe as those of foreigners; some people refused to give in, and the more allergic they were, the more they sought desensitization. More importantly, there were five thousand years of genetic selection.
In ancient times, the birth rate was high, but so was the mortality rate. Could the genes of those who survived such harsh natural environments be anything but strong?
"Sister, do you know how to treat him?" Madam Huang asked. She was desperate and clutching at straws; since Doctor Chen had shaken his head in defeat, she pinned her slim hopes on this woman who had just spoken up.
In her mind, Qin Sang searched the Mall for epinephrine. It was there, but it was very expensive. Still, she exchanged for it without hesitation, leaving her with only thirteen mall coins.
"Lay him on the bed. I'm using a proprietary needle technique, so you mustn't peek. Furthermore, I cannot guarantee he will survive."
Madam Huang had no choice. Doctor Chen, the best physician in town, had already said he was powerless, and her son's face was turning dark. She could only do as Qin Sang said.
Once the curtains were drawn, Qin Sang didn't waste any time. She quickly injected the epinephrine and hid the needle in her sleeve.
The effect was immediate. In less than the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, the little boy woke up and burst into tears.
"Brother Lei is awake! Brother Lei is crying! Brother Lei, Mother is here, don't be afraid. Mother is right outside."
Madam Huang comforted her son from outside but didn't pull back the curtains yet.
While the little fellow was crying, Qin Sang administered a few drops of Cetirizine. Madam Huang rushed in and tightly hugged the little boy on the couch.
"Brother Lei, you really scared Mother to death."
The maid also wiped her tears and thanked her repeatedly.
"Thank you, Doctor, thank you. What is your surname, Doctor? Since you saved our young Master today, our Master will surely reward you generously."
Qin Sang waved her hand.
"My surname is Qin. Your young Master is only out of danger for now, but this situation might happen again in the future. You need to keep him away from foods or things that make him uncomfortable."
The maid didn't quite understand, and neither did Madam Huang. Qin Sang had no choice but to ask:
"Did Brother Lei eat or touch anything today that he has never eaten or touched before?"
The two thought for a moment and said in unison:
"Shrimp..."
Shrimp was a common allergen, so Qin Sang wasn't surprised.
"While I can't be certain, it's very likely that Brother Lei's emergency today was caused by eating shrimp. Has he ever eaten eggs? Did he develop a rash after eating them?"
The maid nodded repeatedly.
"He's eaten them and had rashes, but only in small amounts. The rash would go away with some ointment. I always thought the rashes on the young Master were from mosquito bites. Madam, this..."
Qin Sang explained:
"Every child's constitution is different. For someone like Brother Lei, it's a food allergy. In the future, you should try to avoid overly nutritious foods. Especially river food like shrimp—you must never let Brother Lei touch it. Only then can you avoid similar situations as much as possible."
Qin Sang mentioned some other common allergenic foods and items, explaining how to check if what the child ate was an allergen. She only stopped when her throat felt parched.
After hearing these instructions, Madam Huang was deeply grateful. She untied the pouch at her waist, took out twenty taels of silver, and placed them in Qin Sang's hand.
"Doctor Qin, today thank you. This is just a small token of my gratitude; please accept it. I wonder where you live? If my son encounters problems again in the future, I'll know where to find you."
Qin Sang didn't stand on ceremony. She was just worrying about having no money and her balance nearly hitting zero.
In this era, one tael of silver was equal to a thousand copper coins. A catty of rice cost fifteen copper coins. Twenty taels could buy over thirteen hundred catties. The cheapest rice in the Mall was two mall coins, and a thousand points could only exchange for five hundred catties.
She had definitely profited!
"I live in Tianjia Village. Saving your son today was also a stroke of luck. If you need me in the future, you can send someone to Tianjia Village to call for me. I will certainly do my best."
After seeing Madam Huang off, Qin Sang didn't stay long at the clinic. Seeing Doctor Chen's itching curiosity and hesitant expression, she could only say sorry in her heart.
She couldn't teach him, and there was no way to teach him.
Now that she had money, she naturally had to go on a shopping spree.
Yesterday, she had already planned what this poor household desperately lacked. So now that she had money, she naturally had to buy, buy, buy.
Grain could be exchanged in the Mall, which was cheaper than the grain store, but she needed to buy some as cover. So, Qin Sang ordered some of every kind: twenty catties each of millet, wheat, and soybeans, fifty catties of rice, fifty catties of flour, and ten catties of salt.
She asked the grain store to send an ox cart for delivery, offering an extra ten copper coins. The shop assistant agreed readily and immediately called for an ox cart. Qin Sang got on the cart and, upon reaching the cloth store, asked the old driver to wait for her as she needed to buy more things, offering another five copper coins for his trouble.
The old man agreed cheerfully, saying she could buy whatever she wanted. This ox cart could carry six or seven hundred catties, so it could handle any amount. Qin Sang entered the cloth store.
Although the Mall had cloth, the patterns, weaves, and materials didn't match this era. To avoid being too conspicuous, she had to buy from the cloth store.
The cheapest linen was one tael of silver per bolt, while cotton cloth was three taels. Qin Sang asked about the price of silk—it was over a hundred taels, which she couldn't afford.
Qin Sang wanted two bolts of gray linen and three bolts of blue linen; these two colors hid dirt well.
One bolt used sparingly could make about three adult outfits. With so many people in the family, five bolts would allow everyone to have two sets of summer clothes.
She also picked out a pair of shoes for everyone in the shop. Taking the opportunity, Qin Sang asked the shopkeeper for two sets of needles and thread and some fabric scraps.