Goldfield
Chapter 43: Take cold heart
Dongshan Village was not very big, so news spread very quickly from the eastern side of the village to the west. Last night, Shuanzhu's wife had traveled through the snow to ask the youngest daughter of the Yu Family to meet the patient. The news was already circulating throughout the village, early in the morning, someone went to Shuanzhu's house to inquire about this incident.
After that, Yu Xiaocao would be invited to treat patients from time to time. He also learned from his experience and did not rely on mystic stone water for minor ailments. He would only prescribe medicine for minor ailments and simply splash a few drops of mystic stone water into the herbs if the illness was more complex. All the patients he treated were completely healed. Thus, his reputation as a small ‘doctor of Dongshan’ Village gradually spread to nearby villages.
It snowed heavily for seven days before gradually stopping. The entire Dongshan Village was enveloped by a large amount of white snow. It seemed like only black and white were left in the world.
Twenty households in Dongshan Village suffered from this blizzard. While all of their residences were more or less damaged, the homes of the three families were completely destroyed by the heavy snow. Fortunately, there were no casualties.
However, there are many parents and children who do not survive the arrival of severe cold weather and die secretly during winter weather.
The bitter cold and heavy snow also brought famine and disease to the weak commoners. Heavy snowfall that lasted for days caused inflation in grain prices in the city.
The price of coarse grain rose from two copper coins per catty to the same price as fine grain before snow. The refined grains originally cost five copper coins per catty, but the price had increased to ten copper coins by now. Moreover, the price of white rice, which was not planted around Tanggu City, had increased to twenty copper coins! The value for all types of meat also doubled as many poultry and livestock died from illness or froze to death during the blizzard.
As the days go by, the New Year is also getting closer. However, the prices of food and goods still remain high. This is a severe blow to the general public, who have been working hard over the past year and want to change their lifestyle during the New Year.
For several days, the atmosphere was strangely gloomy at the Yu Family's dining table. Madam Zhang's complaints and grievances made it difficult for people to eat.
“Eat! Eat up! Eat up! You only know how to eat! The resources of the Yu Family will be destroyed by you! Why does our Yu Family let an unhealthy person like you marry into our family? You are truly the woman who brought bad luck to your husband's family! ” Madame Zhang saw Yu Xiaocao take a piece of potato pancakes for her mother and began to denounce them harshly.
The heavy snowfall also caused Madam Liu, who had been weak and in poor health, to fall ill. Madam Liu is often claustrophobic due to a severe cough. Xiaocao did not even need to check his mother's pulse to find out that she had bronchitis. He prescribed several doses of medicine and added the mystical stone water into his mother's drinking water. Thus, a cough that usually persists for months in the past has been cured with treatment.
Madam Liu could not suffer from the cold when she had already fallen ill. Therefore, Lady Li and the rest of the family had to share some of her duties. Madam Li had never been a serious worker, so most of the household chores were on the shoulders of Yu Caidie and Madam Zhao's maid.
Madam Zhang was reluctant to let her youngest daughter do the housework, but she also did not dare to force all the work onto her youngest daughter-in-law's maid. Hence, he had to do the work himself. When he felt annoyed because of all the work, he would start cursing endlessly.
“Grandmother, my mother didn't spend a single cent when she was sick this time. Didn't he just rest for a few days? With more than a dozen people in the family, we can get all the work done if everyone helps a little. My mother's body is still a bit weak, so she can't be hungry. If he did not recover properly, then a minor illness would be something serious. If it becomes a serious illness, do you think I can treat it with my medical skills? Shouldn't we call a doctor from the city? ”
Yu Xiaocao continued to eat and ignored Madam Zhang's complaints. He would only torture himself if he fought with this biased old woman who had reached this menopause!
Madam Zhang didn't know how to deny her words, so she simply put down her chopsticks and wailed while patting her feet, “What sins have I committed ?! Why do I have to meet a bunch of useless and worrisome people? I am a weak old woman who works hard to provide food for the whole family, yet I still have to be scolded by a little girl. Oh, blimey! Why can't you open your eyes and take that unfilial thing—— ”
After Madam Li devoured her food, she wiped her mouth with her dirty sleeves and happily sneered, “Hei, Xiaocao, how can you talk to your grandmother like that? You have made your grandmother very angry. Aren't you going to prostrate and apologize to him immediately? ”
Yu Hai hurriedly interrupted and calmed Madam Zhang, “Mother, Cao’er is still a foolish child, so please do not put his words into your heart. We all know that you are worried about the family because of price inflation this winter. But don't worry. When the snow melts, I will hunt animals on the mountain. We can save half of it for the New Year, while the other half can be taken to the city in exchange for a nice flour and white flour. ”
As soon as Madam Zhang heard that the matter of eating the New Year had been overcome, she stopped crying and looked at Xiaocao, who had repeatedly challenged her authority, with a fierce expression. He turned to Yu Hai and said,
“Second Son, you have so spoiled your daughter that she doesn't even respect her ancestors anymore. How could he speak to the elders in his family in such a manner? You should immediately give the brat some slaps in the face to teach him how to respect the older person! ”
Yu Hai, who could not even bear to injure his daughter's precious fingertips, didn't really think there was anything wrong with her daughter's words. However, he knew that the old woman could not accept being humiliated. If he had not given him a way out of this situation, he would have definitely kept making a fuss all day.
During Yu Hai's hesitation, he saw the chopsticks in his daughter's hands suddenly fall to the ground. His eyebrows furrowed as he clasped his chest with a painful expression, “Daddy ... I, I can't breathe ..” Before he can finish his words, he had already lost consciousness and immediately fell backwards.
“Cao’er! What's up, Cao’er? ” With a pale face, Lady Liu hugged her daughter's skinny body and cried.
Yu Hai quickly picked up his daughter and stepped out, “Dad! Mama! Cao’er is sick again! Doctor You said this child had a very weak constitution, so his life might be in danger if he fell ill again. I'll go to Oldest Uncle's house to borrow a sled, and then take Xiaocao to the city.. ”.
Old Yu immediately stopped eating and quickly covered his grandson with his fur jacket, “Dress warmer and do not let the child catch a cold. Old Madam quickly took the money. The doctors in the city did not receive the deferred payment! ”
Shaking in anger, Madam Zhang stood up and shouted at the old man, “Why should I spend money? That damn bastard was clearly pretending to be sick! She was fine before, so why did she suddenly fall ill when I asked her to apologize to me? He tried to threaten me by pretending to be sick! No one is allowed to move! If any of you dare to leave this room, then never enter the Yu Family home again! ”
Old Yu was also angry, “You haughty woman! How could you be so cruel to such a child? Didn't you hear what Doctor You said? The child cannot be over-provoked. You tried to hit and punish him before, so he got scared and fell ill again. How can you still act like this when you are older? Hurry up and get the money. Do not delay the child receiving treatment! ”
“What's the point of going to the doctor if he's just wasting money! I don't have any money. Just cut off my old body to pay off the debt! ” Madam Zhang looks like she would rather die than give them money. His family did not know what to do with him.
Madam Li grinned and sneered, “Isn't Xiaocao your family very capable? He earned money by taking care of patients! He never gave up any money he earned! ”
“That money is for Doctor You's medicine! the youngest sister only asks for payment for medical expenses! ” Yu Xiaolian couldn't help but explain when she saw the scorn on the faces of her oldest grandmother and aunt.
Madam Zhang yelled as if finding a mistake they made, “You're just asking for a fee for the cure? Who believes that? Everything you eat and drink is mine, yet selfishly you still keep your wallet a secret! We can't let the others follow, so quickly give me the money! ” As he speaks, he will be looking around in the western room.
Yu Hai cradled his daughter's small body and gritted his teeth as he looked at Madam Zhang's actions. Her daughter was sick and unconscious, but her grandmother prevented them from receiving treatment. Furthermore, he also wanted to confiscate the medical expenses his daughter had saved for Doctor You.
“Dad! All the money Xiaocao saved was the cost for Doctor You's medicinal herbs, which he dug up with hard work! If Doctor You finds out that we took all of his hard-earned money, will our family still have a face to ask him to treat our illness in the future? If the people in the village find out, will our family still have dignity? ”
Seeing that his father had no intention of stopping Madam Zhang, Yu Hai felt deep pain and anger. People often say, ‘If you have a stepmother, you will have a stepfather’. It seems the saying is true. Madam Zhang used to bully and suppress the second branch, but her father only spoke for them when he felt that she was exaggerating. Today, he actually secretly approved of his actions when the matter involved their family finances.
O
Old Yu also had his own considerations. Since families have to finance a scholar, there are many things they need to spend in the future. If everyone has selfish motives, then with his body getting older, how can this family survive? The issue of keeping a secret wallet should not be tolerated.
However, their Yu Family was completely unable to touch the medicinal cost in the hands of his granddaughter. Today, every home has minor illnesses and problems that need the help of a doctor. So, they could not offend the only doctors around him. It would be terrible if he secretly messed with their medicines.
“No one is allowed to touch Doctor You's money! Mother Kids, do you still need Doctor You to treat rheumatoid arthritis? Also, cough Dashan... ”Yu old finally spoke up.
Madam Zhang held onto the money box she found, which mostly contained copper coins. There might be at least a few thousand copper coins in it. If all the money was put into the family account, even if the prices remained high during the New Year, the Yu Family could still spend a prosperous New Year.
Old Yu's words had caused his hand, which grabbed the money, to stop. Madam Zhang inwardly thought that she had a very clear idea of how skilled Yu Xiaocao was. He believed that the only reason those people asked Xiaocao to treat their illness was because of Doctor You's medicines.
Madam Zhang has been suffering from arthritis for over ten years. During the blizzard a few days ago, the disorder appeared again. At that time, Yu Xiaocao had used the medicinal herbs prepared by Doctor You to ease his pain (This was actually made by Xiaocao.). If they offended Doctor You, wouldn't he need to go to the city to take care of his legs? That would waste a lot of money!
After a long deliberation, he finally reluctantly put down the money box. He angrily returned to his room without eating his food. He ignored everyone as he lay on his bed.
Yu Hai looked at his pale-looking daughter, who was in his arms, and said to Old Yu, “Dad, even if I need to borrow money, I will still take Xiaocao to the doctor.”