Regardless of whether it was out of a doctor's benevolence or to open up his own physician's practice, Wen Zhiyun had to make house calls.
He bent down to lift up his small medicine box...but couldn't lift it.
When he tried to lift it a second time, the medicine box suddenly became as light as if it didn't exist.
Wen Zhiyun turned his head and saw Fang Heng's hand grabbing the medicine box handle, lightly and effortlessly lifting it onto his body.
People really were different.
Wen Zhiyun sighed and resigned himself to letting go of the small medicine box - as long as he didn't have to carry it himself it was fine.
He walked in front while Fang Heng followed behind carrying the medicine box. Jiang Sheng would definitely be going too, and Zheng Ruqian was very attached to Jiang Sheng so he naturally wouldn't be left behind either.
Only Xu Mo was left behind in the dilapidated temple.
Jiang Sheng was already at the village entrance when she belatedly realized that leaving eldest brother behind every time didn't seem right.
She looked back and happened to see Xu Mo gazing at them through the window.
Jiang Sheng felt a pang in her heart. They could all move around, but eldest brother could only sit in the dilapidated temple, copying books day after day. It really was too cruel.
Xu Mo also saw Jiang Sheng look back. His originally tranquil expression revealed a faint smile, as if to comfort Jiang Sheng and tell her that he was fine.
The group arrived at the Zhou household.
Zhou Zhiqiang was even more irritable than before, at times cursing heaven and earth, at times yelling at Zhang Auntie to move things here and there. Only when he saw Wen Zhiyun did he shut his mouth.
However, when he caught sight of Jiang Sheng behind, his expression changed and he started shouting again, "You cheap wretch, who let you in my house, get out right now, get out!"
The brothers' faces darkened in an instant.
Wen Zhiyun coming to treat an illness was one thing, but hearing Zhou Zhiqiang bully their little sister with his own ears was another. He had a gentle appearance but that didn't mean he had a gentle temper.
"If my sister is a cheap wretch, then we are also cheap wretches," the young physician stood straight and spoke sonorously. "We are not fit to enter your courtyard."
Having said that, he turned and left.
Fang Heng followed right after with a cold face. Zheng Ruqian fiercely glared at Zhou Zhiqiang a couple times.
"Hey hey, don't go!" The Zhou family panicked, only now realizing the young physician was the beggar Jiang Sheng's brother at the village entrance. They hurriedly covered Zhou Zhiqiang's mouth, and begged and pleaded until they barely kept the young physician there.
Wen Zhiyun sat down with an unwelcoming expression and instructed the Zhou family to clean the wounds. "The leg needs to be washed with warm water. The wound must be wiped clean with any splinters or pebbles picked out, nothing can be left inside."
As a well-off household, they were coarse with their hands and feet. They were completely lacking in precision when doing things, and hurt Zhou Zhiqiang after barely two tries, making him shriek like a pig being slaughtered.
Zhou's wife was so frightened she stopped moving, flustered and unsure what to do.
"Mother, call Zhang Shi over, call her over!" Zhou Zhiqiang shouted after screaming, still issuing orders.
Only then did the Zhou family remember there was also a daughter-in-law. They turned their heads and happened to see Jiang Sheng speaking to Zhang Auntie in a low voice.
"Zhang Shi, come help quickly!" Zhou's wife yelled loudly.
Zhang Auntie gave a start from being shouted at. She hurriedly came over.
"Esteemed lady, please go find some ice water, and two pieces of cloth," Wen Zhiyun spoke up in a timely manner, his tone much more gentle.
Zhang Auntie was momentarily stunned. She looked between Zhou Zhiqiang and his mother a couple times, but still picked up the bucket and went to the well to fetch water.
The Zhou family could only grit their teeth and continue cleaning the wound, digging into his flesh to pick out the wooden splinters, pebbles, and the stench of dog feces.
Only then did Wen Zhiyun take out some crushed sanqi powder from his medicine box, mixed with shihuisan powder, and carefully sprinkled it over the wound before finally pressing on it firmly with a clean soft cotton cloth.
Zhou Zhiqiang shuddered painfully three times, his forehead beading with sweat.
"The wound cannot get wet. Change the medicine every five days, it should scab over in about half a month," his tone was indifferent. "By comparison, the ankle swelling is more fatal. If not treated properly, it could leave behind disability and make him lame in the future."
At these words, the Zhou family was struck dumb.
In the village, an able-bodied man was labor, and even more so the means of production itself. If Zhou Zhiqiang was incapacitated it wouldn't be a big deal, but the Zhou family would be losing half a pillar.
"Young physician, young physician, I beg you please save my son!" Zhou's wife was just short of kneeling down.
Zhou Dazhu beside her furrowed his brows. His own ankle had been sprained before and healed after resting for a couple months, it wasn't that serious right?
Could it be Zhou Zhiqiang's sprain was more severe?
Zhou Dazhu scratched his head doubtfully.
In the crowd behind, Jiang Sheng stuck out her tongue. In order to get back at Zhang Auntie, she had deliberately asked fourth brother to exaggerate the situation. The more serious the better, best if he could obediently lie there for a few months and give Auntie a couple days peace.
"Actually it can still be treated, it's just a bit difficult," Wen Zhiyun sighed, his tone becoming gentle again. "Today put ice water on it externally. Starting tomorrow switch to hot water, then use soft tender fingers to gently massage it. With time it should recover."
Just then Zhang Auntie came over with the well water.
Wen Zhiyun looked at her fingers and nodded. "Your fingers are too rough, it must be this lady's hands that do the massage. But remember these days she must not do any odd jobs anymore, in case her hands get hurt and she can't massage anymore."
The Zhou family listened blankly. Although they didn't understand, they agreed to it all.
Zhou's wife immediately decided, "From now on Zhang Shi will be responsible for taking care of my son, no need to do any other chores."
Zhang Shi nodded blankly, not understanding what was happening.
Seeing this, Wen Zhiyun got up to leave. Fang Heng tacitly shouldered the small medicine box.
These two were as noble as the wind, not one asked for medical fees.
Zheng Ruqian's spirits lifted and he pulled Jiang Sheng forward, "Our medical fees."
"Oh, oh right," Zhou's wife came to her senses and took out two copper coins from her clothes.
Zheng Ruqian was just about to reach out to take them.
Wen Zhiyun, who was already at the door, paused in his steps and lightly said, "Consultation fee two copper coins, medicine from earlier seven copper coins."
Zhou's wife's expression instantly became like she had eaten shit. She shakily took out seven more copper coins.
What did the young physician say earlier? Change every five days, doesn't that mean she had to spend seven copper coins every five days?
This was retribution!
After closing the door, the Zhou family could stew over their pain themselves.
Jiang Sheng hugged the nine copper coins, smiling so widely her mouth couldn't close.
Not counting earlier, just today's earnings totaled a full thirty three copper coins!
In town, one copper coin could buy two pounds of coarse flour, a pound or two of pork, or one big bone. These thirty three copper coins was an amount Jiang Sheng didn't dare imagine before.
The days of fighting with dogs over food scraps felt like a dream.
Indeed, having family was still best. Although they ate and used more, they also earned more.
Jiang Sheng put the copper coins in her clothes and made a solemn decision.
The next day, Zheng Ruqian ran from the head of the village to the tail and finally gathered three full baskets of mushrooms.
After sun drying them for a whole day, he decided to deliver them to the county seat first thing in the morning.
The dried mushrooms amounted to two and a half full baskets. But there was only one basket in the dilapidated temple, so Zheng Ruqian followed Jiang Sheng's example of packing parcels by taking off his clean thin cloth robe and wrapping up all the mushrooms.
"Second brother, this is your only clothing!" Jiang Sheng yelled loudly.
"It's fine, clothing can be washed and worn again. We have to deliver the mushrooms to the county seat clean and tidy. Dirty cloth will make people look down on us," Zheng Ruqian wiped some sweat.
Jiang Sheng couldn't get any words out.
Although Zheng Ruqian never said it outright, Jiang Sheng knew second brother had treasured this thin silk robe. If it got a little dirty he would wash it, if it wrinkled he would smooth it out, and he kept it clean when going out.
It seemed this was his clinging to the past, a remembrance of earlier times.
But now, for the two and a half baskets of mushrooms, he willingly shattered the past and no longer dwelt on it.
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