Yun Jiao continued, "Many people in the world have made fake medicine for the sake of silver. Expensive ones like ginseng and sanqi, and even slightly cheaper medicines, are counterfeited by some."
"Therefore, in recognizing medicine, the first thing is to be meticulous. Selling fake medicine to patients not only has no effect, but some are even harmful."
Ah Tie nodded, "I will definitely be careful."
Yun Jiao smiled and continued, "In addition to being meticulous, one must also be patient."
"For example—let me tell you about the preparation of a medicinal herb, and you will know how troublesome it is."
She paused, "There is a medicine called Ren Zhong Huang. Many in the world misunderstand this medicine, thinking it is too dirty."
"Some even see the yellow color and think it is human excrement, which is incorrect."
"This Ren Zhong Huang is actually licorice ground into powder, then poured into a peeled bamboo cylinder, sealed with yellow paper, and then sealed with pine resin."
"Then on the day of Li Dong, the bamboo cylinder is soaked in a clean water manure pit."
Ah Tie, having treated diseases with pig dung, didn’t mind these things and listened very intently.
In front, Liu Er couldn’t help asking, "Put it in a manure pit? Isn’t that dirty? This medicine is to be ingested!"
Yun Jiao smiled, "There is a membrane inside the bamboo, you know that right."
"Those dirty things cannot pass through."
In fact, bacteria and viruses, which are larger molecules, cannot pass through this membrane.
However, other small molecular organics and inorganic salts can pass through the membrane and interact with the medicine.
Yun Jiao continued, "After soaking, on the day of Li Chun, the bamboo cylinder is retrieved, and then it is placed in the eastern flowing water to drift."
Ah Tie asked, "What is eastern flowing water?"
Yun Jiao smiled, "All the great rivers of the Great Chu Dynasty flow eastward into the sea, so this river water is the eastern flowing water."
Ah Tie suddenly realized, "You mean to place the bamboo cylinder in the river to float."
Yun Jiao nodded, "Usually, one finds large stationary boats and hangs it beside the ship’s side, and after two months, it is retrieved."
"After this step, those unpleasant odors are completely dispersed, and the toxicity and heat are also thoroughly removed."
"Therefore, properly prepared Ren Zhong Huang will not have a foul smell."
Liu Er in front clicked his tongue, "My goodness, the preparation of this medicine is surprisingly complicated!"
Yun Jiao smiled, "Retrieving it is not the end. These bamboo cylinders are placed on the rooftop to be sun-dried and exposed for a long time until dry, then split open. At this point, the licorice powder inside adheres together in the shape of the bamboo cylinder, forming a cylindrical shape. This thing is taken out, dried, and only then can it be used in medicine."
After Yun Jiao finished, she wanted to test Ah Tie, "Do you still remember the steps I just mentioned?"
Ah Tie thought for a moment and began to repeat them.
Yun Jiao listened carefully, and although he didn’t recite word for word, he remembered all the steps without mistake, which was admirable, indicating he really listened.
She smiled and gave Ah Tie a thumbs-up.
Ah Tie curiously asked, "What is the use of this medicine?"
Yun Jiao said, "It can clear heat, cool the blood, relieve fire, and detoxify."
Ah Tie’s eyes lit up, "Then can it be used for sores like the ones on my head?"
Yun Jiao nodded, "Smart, it certainly can be used."
"Ren Zhong Huang can treat plagues, erysipelas, malignant sores, but it also involves formulation, not just using one medicine alone. This takes time to learn."
Yun Jiao further said, "You first learn to prepare medicine, and if you have talent, I will teach you to practice medicine in the future."