The village chief’s eyes reddened as he listened, while Pei Luo inwardly felt a pang of worry. Just a few days ago, grain had been four hundred wen per shi, but now it had already surged past eight hundred wen. Here, one shi was 120 jin, meaning the price per jin had nearly doubled to six or seven wen. The grain in this area included the five staples: rice, millet, sorghum, wheat, and beans, while coarse grains included corn, buckwheat, oats, and sorghum. Only a small portion of villagers could afford the five staples; most relied on coarse grains. After this disaster, life would become even harder for everyone.
Pei Luo reminded the chief, “Village Chief, grain prices will keep rising, but people can’t starve. The earlier we buy, the better. If we wait until everyone else realizes the shortage, the demand will skyrocket, and even those with money might not get any.”
Fu Yunqing had previously mentioned that both the south and north had suffered disasters. Even if Yuzhou had a good harvest, grain prices were bound to rise. Now, with this calamity, supplies would surge and could even run out.
The village chief, thinking long-term as a leader, immediately understood. Slapping his thigh, he said, “You’re right. I must gather the villagers to buy grain immediately!”
He quickly summoned the villagers, explaining the urgency of stocking up. Everyone, realizing the importance of grain, began preparing their carts and heading to the county to buy supplies. Some hesitated, reluctant to spend silver, but seeing everyone else go, they soon followed suit.
Pei Luo instructed the children to stay home and then rode with her uncle’s ox-cart to the county. While others were stocking up on grain, she planned to buy seeds, cooking oil, and salt. If she waited until everyone else realized the need, these essentials might also be swept up. She wanted to ensure her family had a steady supply.
With only a few taels left, Pei Luo prepared to sell herbs she had already harvested from her space and some finished medicinal pills to raise extra funds. She had arranged in advance with the herbal shop owner, who readily agreed. The owner already held her in high regard after days of purchasing herbs from her.
Inside the herbal shop, Pei Luo saw Zhong Zhilang, the resident doctor, attending to a wealthy young woman. His brows were furrowed in concentration. Seeing Pei Luo, he waved her over, looking as if she were a savior.
“Miss Luo, come quickly and help diagnose Madam Qian,” he called.
Pei Luo examined Madam Qian and asked, “Madam, is your menstrual cycle due soon?”
Blushing, Madam Qian nodded hesitantly. Pei Luo inquired further about exposure to cold foods or ice, which the lady admitted to consuming.
“Cold foods before menstruation can cause uterine chill, preventing smooth blood flow, which leads to lower abdominal pain. It’s not serious, but you must be careful in the future,” Pei Luo explained clearly.
Zhong Zhilang, though experienced, had limited knowledge of women’s ailments. He watched in awe as Pei Luo diagnosed accurately and wrote the prescription:
She instructed him to grind the herbs, soak them in three sheng of wine overnight, then decoct with seven sheng of water to obtain two sheng of medicinal juice, to be taken in two doses the following day.
Madam Qian thanked her profusely and asked if she could consult Miss Luo again in the future. In a society where women were rarely educated and female doctors were even rarer, having a competent woman physician was a rare opportunity. Zhong Zhilang quickly reassured her, “Yes, Madam. You may come anytime for Miss Luo’s consultation.”
Pei Luo had successfully helped another patient while simultaneously preparing to stock up on essential supplies, proving her resourcefulness even amidst the ongoing disaster.