"Please, Sister-in-law Qin, help take a look at them. Just say the word on how much it will cost."
Qin Sang admired them for carrying their fellow villagers here to save their lives in such heavy rain. Since their symptoms were similar, Qin Sang first checked their temperatures and gave fever-reducing medicine to those with fevers.
"This illness was caused by you helping Tianjia Village fight off the Rebel Soldiers, so let's not talk about money. My medical skills are average, so I can only say I'll do my best."
The men nodded.
"Then thank you, Sister-in-law Qin. There were a few others who weren't feeling well when we left. Can we send them all here for you to look at?"
Qin Sang hadn't expected things to be so serious, with so many people falling ill. In such heavy rain, even healthy people would get sick if they were sent over. Qin Sang thought for a moment.
"How about this: leave one person here to help. For those who aren't sent over and have mild symptoms, take some medicine back, brew it, and have them drink it.
Send the serious cases here.
Also, this jar contains fever-reducing medicine. If anyone has a high fever, give a child one spoonful and an adult two. Don't give too much. After one dose, you must wait four hours before giving another..."
Qin Sang organized a large bundle of medicinal herbs and explained how to brew them. She wrapped them in oil paper and handed them over, reiterating the need for them to stay separated from the sick, maintain hygiene, and not to drink unboiled water.
After tending to these patients, more refugees arrived with more sick people. Qin Sang knew this wasn't a sustainable solution, so she had Heizi and Da Zhuang clear out a nearby Cave. Men and women were treated separately, with the women and children here being left to Er Fu.
"Da Zhuang, Er Fu and I won't be returning to the camp today. There are more and more patients here. You and Heizi take Da Huang back, and bring some herbs and food tomorrow."
Da Zhuang and Heizi were both worried.
"Then let him go back, I'll stay."
The two spoke in unison.
Qin Sang wasn't entirely at ease either, so she said to Heizi,
"Heizi, there's a risk of catching the illness if you stay here. You need to think it through."
Heizi laughed nonchalantly:
"Aunt, you haven't abandoned them, so would you really ignore me? I believe you can cure any ailment."
Qin Sang nodded helplessly and said to Tian Dazhuang,
"Da Zhuang, after you go back, make sure the villagers remember not to drink unboiled water. Also, don't wander around. If anyone feels unwell, bring them here immediately.
When you bring supplies tomorrow, don't enter the Cave. I'll have Heizi meet you at the entrance. Go back as soon as you're done.
Wash and disinfect your hands before you get home, and don't have too much contact with your family, understood?
Especially Eldest Girl and San Gui's Wife."
Qin Sang could only do her best to implement isolation measures. If people in Tianjia Village started getting sick as well, she wouldn't be able to handle it all.
"Mother?"
Tian Dazhuang wanted to say more, but Qin Sang spoke sharply:
"Listen to me."
Only then did Tian Dazhuang leave.
Sure enough, more people from other refugee camps came seeking medical help that evening. The two Caves were housing as many as forty or fifty refugees.
Fortunately, the modern fever-reducing medicine was very effective. These ancients, who had little drug resistance, would start sweating and their fevers would break in less than the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, saving a lot of trouble.
Seeing Heizi coming and going in the rain, Qin Sang had him drink a bowl of medicinal soup as a precaution.
A thick scent of medicine wafted through the Cave. She leaned against the Cave wall and dozed off for a bit, only to be woken by noise from outside.
Da Zhuang had brought supplies. Besides herbs, food, and firewood, Da Zhuang also brought four girls. They were the ones learning medicine from Qin Sang, including the Third Sister and Fourth Sister of Eldest Brothers Wife.
"Why are you all here?"
Zhou Sanhua, who was also wearing a mask, replied,
"Aunt, we've come to help."
Qin Sang looked at Da Zhuang somewhat reproachfully. Tian Dazhuang looked aggrieved:
"Mother, I didn't go looking for them. When I went back last night, I found them waiting at home. I told them you wouldn't be coming back because you had to care for the patients, and they all said they wanted to come with me to help.
I... I thought you really were short-handed here, so I agreed."
Qin Sang's face darkened:
"Then think it over. Helping here means you're very likely to get sick, and you might not even get better or be able to go back. Do you still want to stay?"
These words were actually a bit severe. Currently, these people only had symptoms of common colds from the cold rain. The men whose fevers had broken after sweating the night before wouldn't die.
Qin Sang said this because she wanted to see how firm their resolve to study medicine truly was.
All four girls nodded:
"Aunt, we are not afraid."
Qin Sang nodded with satisfaction:
"Alright then. San Hua, Si Hua, you two go to the women's Cave. The women and children are over there. A Xiang and A Qing will stay here with me."
The girls said in unison, "Yes, Master."
In her previous life, Qin Sang had attended medical school and didn't have the concept of taking on disciples. But for the ancients, it was different. "Heaven, Earth, Sovereign, Parents, and Teachers"—a teacher was ranked alongside one's parents.
This address of "Master" gave Qin Sang a heavier sense of responsibility.
With help, Qin Sang felt much more relieved. She also kept a few refugees to assist. A Xiang and A Qing were mainly responsible for brewing medicine and cooking porridge.
Da Zhuang had brought plenty of grain and even a pot. Qin Sang believed that letting them eat and drink well would help them recover faster.
Ginger slices were added to the porridge to dispel the cold. The gleaming white rice was cooked until it was thick and soft, and a handful of dried vegetables was added for fiber. With a little salt, it tasted just right.
More and more refugees came for help until both Caves were filled with patients. Qin Sang had to expand into two more Caves, just enough for San Hua, Si Hua, and the others to manage one each.
For three days straight, Qin Sang and the others took in nearly two hundred refugees. The only good news was that none of the refugees had died after being brought in. The children who had fallen ill first had gotten sick quickly but recovered just as fast. By the third day, after an examination, they were cleared to leave the Cave.
After the two women recovered, they didn't leave but stayed behind voluntarily to help Qin Sang and the others.
The four girls also went from being flustered at first to becoming methodical. Seeing the patients they handled get better gave them a great sense of accomplishment.
The heavy rain lasted for a total of ten days before it finally stopped. The sky remained gloomy, with signs that it could rain again at any moment.
Fewer patients had been sent over in the last two days. It seemed that the medicine Qin Sang had given them to take back and the isolation arrangements were working. Once the remaining dozen or so patients in the Cave recovered, it would be over.
Qin Sang checked on the patients in the other Caves again; there were no major issues. Over the past few days, the girls had become proficient in treating this illness. Of course, this was also because these patients only had severe colds and not highly contagious diseases like the plague or smallpox.
Qin Sang finally went to the Cave managed by Er Fu. Before she even arrived, she heard Er Fu's worried voice coming from the entrance:
"Where else do you feel unwell? Strange, I'm taking your pulse, but it doesn't seem the same as theirs. I can't quite tell. Why don't you go see my Mother?"