Chapter 48
As Fú Wēi had predicted, Aunt Cuìlán's incident became well-known in the neighboring villages.
In every village, there are gossips, and there have even been cases of fatalities, yet the government office rarely intervenes.
However, their involvement in the Fú family's affair indicates that the Fú family has connections within the government.
Due to these rumors, those who harbored ill intentions towards the Fú family, seeing their improving circumstances, refrained from acting out of fear of offending the government.
With Aunt Cuìlán's matter resolved and these rumors acting as a protective charm, Yú Yíng did not delay in sending the hundred coins to the government official's messenger.
In the morning, she went with Uncle Hé, Aunt Hé, and her elder brother into the mountains to gather herbs and returned shortly after.
She took Fú Ān to the village entrance to wait for Uncle Chén's ox cart to go to Yù County.
When Uncle Chén arrived, he also brought the walking stick Yú Yíng had ordered earlier.
Yú Yíng asked Uncle Chén to wait a moment, then she and Fú Ān delivered the walking stick home.
Yú Yíng brought the walking stick to Fú Wēi, and due to the rush, she briefly explained to Fú Wēi and her elder brother how to use it.
Since Fú Wēi's legs were both broken and lacked support points, it was difficult for him to stand or leave the house using only his arms.
The walking stick was intended to allow him limited mobility. In about half a month, when the bamboo splints are removed and his legs still unable to walk, requiring another twenty days of rest, the stick would be most useful.
Knowing Fú Wēi's character, Yú Yíng repeatedly cautioned, "Don't be stubborn about getting out of bed. If you must, only with elder brother's help. And don’t stay out of bed for more than half a moment."
Fú Wēi glanced at the walking stick made especially for him, a smile flashing in his eyes.
He turned back to her, speaking gently, "I'm not one to act recklessly."
Yú Yíng, not entirely convinced, reminded him of a past incident, "Those who act recklessly never admit it. You were reckless when you injured your shoulder working with the fruit seeds, I haven’t forgotten."
Fú Wēi fell silent, then heard her instructing her elder brother, "Elder brother, before you leave at noon, keep an eye on Second Brother, and take the walking stick outside when you leave."
Fú Wēi: ...
How worried is she about him?
Fú Zhèn nodded, "I'll watch over him."
……
Fú Wēi, listening to their conversation, momentarily felt like an unruly child under the watchful eyes of adults.
Resignedly, he said to her, "Hurry along, don’t keep people waiting."
Yú Yíng nodded, adding, "I’ll also try to find the things you mentioned."
After Yú Yíng left, Fú Wēi and Fú Zhèn shared a look.
After a moment of silence, Fú Wēi took the walking stick, breaking the silence: "Thanks for your help, elder brother."
Meanwhile, Yú Yíng, upon reaching Yù County, didn't head straight for the government office.
She wondered, "How bold or foolish would I have to be to openly bribe someone at the government office?"
Having heard from Shopkeeper Chén that the government official, Huò, frequented Wú’s restaurant for his meals, Yú Yíng decided to deliver the money there, entrusting Shopkeeper Chén to hand it to Huò.
After delivering the money, she took Fú Ān to visit the Pénglái Inn.
Initially hesitant, Fú Ān clung to his clothes, reluctant to enter. Yú Yíng noticed his pudding-stained garment and instantly understood his concern.
Although the clothes of her elder brother and sister-in-law were nearly unwearable and needed replacing, and Fú Wēi’s clothes were not suitable for the season, they were still new.
Originally, she had only intended to ask her sister-in-law to make a single undergarment for her. After all, she only had one left, as the other had been cut up beyond recognition as clothing.
But her sister-in-law insisted on making her an outer garment as well.
When everyone else would have new clothes, only Madame Luó and the two children would be without. Madame Luó might not mind, but what about the children?
After some thought, Yú Yíng decided to visit the fabric store later to buy some cloth, intending to make new clothes for the whole family.
To avoid drawing attention, they could keep the new clothes for special occasions, like trips to Yù County, rather than wearing them daily.
Hesitating briefly, Fú Ān still followed his aunt with his head down into the inn.
The inn's attendant, Ā Fú, lit up with joy upon seeing Madame Yù enter and hurried to greet her.
While pouring tea, he whispered, "Recently, there’s been an increase in medicinal traders staying here. Does Madame Yù have any plans in mind?"
Yú Yíng, already considering taking on more small deals to sustain themselves, whispered back, "Then please keep an eye out for me."
After a moment's thought, she added, "But don’t cast too wide a net; first observe which traders seem more reliable."
Aware of the need for discretion, Ā Fú quickly agreed.
After Yú Yíng and Fú Ān finished their bowl of noodles, they left the inn.
Yú Yíng first took Fú Ān to buy additional fabric.
Having bought the fabric, Yú Yíng strolled through several streets until she came across a stall selling game.
Stopping at the stall, she saw a wild deer, half of its meat already sold.
Perhaps because the deer hide was damaged, the hunter had carelessly skinned a few pieces and set them aside.
Yú Yíng remembered Fú Wēi mentioning that the best materials for bowstrings were deer and cow hides, and if those weren't available, then sinew.
She crouched down, inquired about the price of the deer meat, which was twenty coins per pound, significantly more expensive than pork.
If it weren't for Fú Wēi's need for deer hide, Yú Yíng, after hearing the price, would have left without a second thought.
After pondering for a moment, she asked how much the deer hide beside her cost.
The hunter glanced at her and said, "If you buy two pounds of meat, I’ll sell you all these deer hides for ten coins."
Deer hide was still somewhat valuable in Yù County, but since it was damaged, the pawnshop wouldn’t offer much for it.
Moreover, pawnshops don't buy untreated hides.
To keep the meat fresh, the hunter hadn't skinned the deer in advance, planning to take it home, patch it up, and make some sleeve covers.
Since someone was interested, he decided to sell the hide along with the meat.
Yú Yíng hesitated at his offer to buy two pounds of deer meat. But considering the dangers of herb gathering in the mountains, the perils of being outside, and the increasingly chaotic world, a crossbow became necessary.
Yú Yíng reluctantly purchased two pounds of deer meat and the deer hides.
Having bought the deer meat, she couldn’t just cook it any which way, so Yú Yíng spent two coins to buy a small jar of soy sauce.
She also had to discuss land leasing with the village head today, so she bought two servings of rice cakes – one as a gift for the village head and one to try at home.
On her way back, passing a stall selling chicks, she saw fluffy yellow and black ones, chirping non-stop, looking very cute.
Fú Ān was so captivated by the chicks that he could barely keep walking.
Yú Yíng considered for a moment, then asked about the price of the chicks, three coins each.
She bought eight, spending a total of twenty-four coins.
Every time she came to Yù County, Yú Yíng felt the sting of spending so much money.
But thinking about the chicks eventually laying eggs and hatching more chicks eased her concern about the expense.
Carrying the chicken cage on the way back, she told Fú Ān, "When the chicks grow up and lay eggs, we'll have eggs to eat without spending money."
Hearing this, Fú Ān gazed at the chicks in the bamboo cage, chanting, "Little chicks, little chicks, grow fast and lay eggs."
Yú Yíng gently tapped his forehead, "It will be several months yet."
Fú Ān looked up and asked, "In several months, will Uncle’s legs be healed?"
Yú Yíng smiled, "By then, they'll definitely be better."
Once Fú Wēi's legs healed, even if he returned to work as an aide in Yù County, he wouldn't be disrespected for his disability.
Besides, she was now acquainted with the government official Huò. In the future, if Fú Wēi worked at the government office, Huò would surely treat him favorably.
Upon returning to Língshuǐ Village, Fú Zhèn, Uncle Hé, and Aunt Hé hadn’t yet come back.
Seeing the chicks, Fú Níng's eyes widened, and he cautiously approached and gently stroked them after squatting down.
Even Wēn Xìng was charmed by the adorable chicks, joining the children to watch them closely.
Observing this scene, Yú Yíng couldn’t help but find it amusing.
After washing her hands, she said to Mrs. Luo, "Mother, let's visit the village chief later. I think the yamen runner must have spoken to him about the land. We should strike while the iron is hot and discuss it with him, planning to see the land tomorrow."
Mrs. Luo agreed, and Yu Ying handed the venison to her elder sister-in-law, saying, "This is deer meat. Cut half of it for stewing with radish tonight."
Wen Xing was surprised to hear it was venison, and even Mrs. Luo asked in astonishment, "How did we suddenly get deer meat?"
Yu Ying, unable to disclose that it was bought for the deer skin needed by Fu Wei, simply said, "Venison is very nourishing. I thought it would be good for our family, as everyone is a bit weak, so I bought two pounds to strengthen us."
Mrs. Luo wasn't sure about its nourishing qualities, but she trusted Yu Ying's medical knowledge and accepted that if Yu Ying said it was nourishing, it must be.
"Yu Ying, concerned that her sister-in-law might not know how to cook the dish, explained the method to her."
"'Preparing the venison isn't complicated. First, cut the meat into chunks, and blanch the radishes in the same way. Heat the clay pot, add two spoonfuls of pork fat and ginger slices to release the aroma. Then, stir-fry the venison for a bit, add three spoonfuls of soy sauce, and after it's aromatic, add the radishes and a bowl of water to simmer slowly until the water is nearly gone.'"
"Wen Xing, worried about forgetting the steps, quickly repeated the instructions to herself."
"After giving these instructions, Yu Ying stored the deer hide, planning to deal with it after returning from the village head's house."
"Yu Ying took a batch of rice cakes with her as she and Madam Luo visited the village head."
"The village head’s house, though also thatched, was much larger and sturdier than the Fu family’s."
"Hearing that Madam Luo and her daughter-in-law from the Fu family had arrived, the village head hurriedly came out to greet them."
"Since Huo, the yamen runner, had personally mentioned the matter of the land, the village head did not dare to neglect it."
"Yu Ying presented the rice cakes to the village head, smiling, 'I went to Jade County today, and hearing from Ah Fu that the village head has several children, I brought some rice cakes to help you appease the kids.'"
"The village head said, 'You're visiting, there’s no need for gifts; it feels too formal.'"
"Despite his words, he happily accepted the rice cakes."
"Yu Ying discussed the matter of the land with the village head, who said, 'There are indeed a few good plots available, but the rent will be slightly higher.'"
Yu Ying asked, "How much silver does one acre yield in a year?"
In the current dynasty, the fields still need to be leased, but perhaps soon, there will be no need for tenant farming; just paying taxes will suffice.
But by then, there won't be much difference from the present situation.
The village head replied, "Four hundred wen and one stone of grain per year. Since the planting season has passed, and there are only a few months left in this year, you only need to pay fifty wen. In the coming months, you can grow some vegetables in that field to earn a bit."
Yu Ying nodded, calculating the amount of silver she currently had.
She needed to keep some for emergencies and also to hire help, so the silver she could spare for renting fields was enough for only about two acres.
Seeing Mrs. Yu calculating with a furrowed brow, the village head said, "If Mrs. Yu can't produce that much silver all at once, you can just pay for this year first, and give next year's rent at the beginning of next year."
Hearing this, Yu Ying felt a weight lift off her heart; with this arrangement, she could rent a larger piece of land.
After some thought, Yu Ying decided, "Then I'll rent five acres."
Upon hearing this, the village head, Mr. Luo, and the other busy women around were all astonished.
It's known that even the more affluent villagers in Lingshui Village only rent one acre.
Those without silver usually pool money from several families to rent one acre for farming. Mrs. Yu's ambition to rent so much land at once was quite surprising.
The village head regained his composure and advised, "Even if you can't plant grains this year, you still have to pay two hundred wen. Besides, you might afford it now, but next year you will have to produce two thousand wen at once!"
Yu Ying calmly said, "I have saved, but I still decide to rent five acres."
Some common herbs can be harvested in half a year, but there are others that take at least a year to mature.
"If she intends to grow both medicinal herbs and grains, she'll need even more land."
Hearing this, the village head looked at Mrs. Luo and said, "Mrs. Luo, won't you persuade your daughter-in-law?"
Mrs. Luo, initially thinking that five acres was indeed too much, still said, "Family decisions are made by Liuniang. If she wants five acres, then it shall be five acres."
The two daughters-in-law of the village head and his wife, upon hearing Mrs. Luo's words, looked at Mrs. Yu in disbelief.
They couldn't help but wonder what capabilities Mrs. Yu possessed. Since her marriage into the Fu family, their fortunes had been on the rise, and now, she, a woman, was making decisions for the family, which was astonishing.
Hearing Mrs. Luo's stance, the village head didn't insist further, only adding, "Since you are adamant about renting so much land, let me be clear: if you can't produce the rent next year, the land will have to be reclaimed."
Yu Ying nodded in acknowledgment.
After spending a moment at the village head's house, Yu Ying declined his polite offer of a meal and arranged to visit the fields the next morning. Then, she and her mother-in-law returned home.
Back at home, Yu Ying went to the kitchen to check on her sister-in-law's cooking.
Lifting the ceramic lid, a delicious aroma wafted out with the steam.
Looking at the bubbling stewed venison and inhaling its fragrance, Yu Ying praised, "Not only can my sister-in-law make clothes, but she's also such a great cook. My brother is indeed fortunate to have married her."
Blushing at these words, Wen Xing shyly replied with her head down, "I am the fortunate one to have married your brother."
Yu Ying smiled, noticing her sister-in-law's sunburnt and peeling face from working in the quarry, and suggested, "I'll prepare some herbal remedy for your sunburn later."
Hearing this, Wen Xing touched her face and, thinking of her husband's sunburnt face and upper body, asked, "My husband is also badly sunburnt; can you make extra for him?"
Yu Ying responded with a smile, "Of course, I can."
While the sisters-in-law were speaking, suddenly, the sound of the wicket gate opening came from outside, followed by hurried footsteps and Fu Zhen's urgent voice, "Sister-in-law, come quickly and see what's happened to Song Sanlang!"
Upon hearing this, Yu Ying's smile vanished instantly, and she quickly stepped out of the house with her sister-in-law.
Outside, she saw her elder brother carrying Song Sanlang, who was covered in blood, into the courtyard.
Also arriving in a rush were Uncle He, Aunt He, and He Dalong, all showing signs of distress.
The scene was too gory and might scare the children, so Yu Ying promptly asked Mrs. Luo to take Fu An and Fu Ning back inside.
Fu Zhen asked his wife to fetch a straw mat, which he then laid under the eaves.
With He Dalong's help, Fu Zhen gently placed Song Sanlang on the mat.
Sòng Sānláng was not unconscious but was gritting his teeth and enduring the pain.
Yú Yíng, with a grave expression, asked, "What happened?"
The eldest Hé hurriedly explained, "It rained last night, and the roof was slippery, but our master insisted we fix it. Sòng Sānláng slipped and fell from the roof. The master refused to call a doctor, claiming it was his own carelessness. He was only given basic first aid, but the bleeding won’t stop. We had no choice but to bring him here."
Mainly because the clinic was far away in Yù County, and remembering how Yú Yíng had cured Madame Luó's eyes and her knowledge of herbs, they believed she had medical skills and brought Sòng here.
Hearing this, Yú Yíng looked at Sòng Sānláng.
She saw a gash on Sòng Sānláng's forehead and bloodstains on his clothes, then quickly asked, "Apart from the head, where else are you injured?"
Sòng Sānláng took a deep breath and weakly responded, "My left elbow and knee."
As Yú Yíng examined the depth of the head wound, she asked, "How much blood did he lose?"
The eldest Hé recalled and answered, "It seemed like about half a bowl of blood, but I'm not sure how much he lost on the way here."
Yú Yíng's brow furrowed.
After examining the head wound, she checked his arm and knee.
The knee injury was the most severe; even bandaged, it continued to seep blood, turning the cloth deep red.
She slowly unwrapped the bandage, revealing a large gash underneath, as if cut by a tile.
Yu Ying, with a serious expression, declared, "The wounds on the forehead and hand don't need stitches, but the knee must be stitched."
Although Yu Ying was a practitioner of traditional Chinese medicine, stitching wounds was not unusual for her. She was, after all, trained to take over her grandfather's clinic and had learned this skill.
She knew how to stitch, but without any sterilization tools available, it would be challenging. However, not stitching and simply bandaging would lead to difficult healing and a higher risk of infection.
Hearing about stitching, everyone was startled. He Dalong asked, "Does it really need to be stitched?"
Yu Ying inquired, "Haven't you heard that wounds sometimes need to be stitched?"
He Dalong replied, "I've heard of it, but never seen it done."
Knowing they were aware of it, Yu Ying didn't explain further, just saying, "His wound is too deep. Ordinary bandaging might lead to it reopening, bleeding again, or getting infected... He could even lose his leg."
Hearing this, everyone's faces turned grave. Song Sanlang clenched his teeth and said, "Go ahead and stitch."
With his consent, Yu Ying began her work.
To prevent excessive bleeding, she cut new strips of cloth and rebandaged all his wounds.
After bandaging, she instructed her elder brother to fetch clean river water immediately, while she went inside to get needles, thread, scissors, and plain cloth.
When the water was brought back, her sister-in-law boiled a full earthenware pot of it.
She used scissors to bend the needle into a curved shape, then poured two bowls of boiling water into a basin filled halfway with cool water to speed up the cooling process.
Yu Ying then boiled the scissors and needle-thread in the remaining hot water in the pot to sterilize them.
Meanwhile, Fu Wei, upon their return, had asked Fu An to lift the curtain and moved laboriously to the foot of the bed to look out the window at the scene under the eaves.
He observed Yu Ying's calm demeanor, from inspecting Song Sanlang's wounds to her orderly preparations, taking it all in.
In contrast to others' panic, she appeared exceptionally composed.
When the water was sufficiently cool, Yu Ying unwound the bandages from Song Sanlang's wound, then rinsed it to remove any sand or gravel.
Although rinsing wounds with water is generally discouraged due to the risk of infection, there was no alternative in this case.
After a simple cleaning, Yu Ying, holding the threaded curved needle, warned Song Sanlang, "This will be extremely painful, and there's no way to alleviate it. You'll have to endure it."
Song Sanlang, having endured hardship before, bravely responded, "I can bear it."
Yu Ying handed him a clean cloth to bite on, then asked He Dalong and her elder brother to hold him down to prevent any movements from pain.
Given the graphic nature of the procedure, Yu Ying asked Aunt He and her sister-in-law to leave before starting to stitch.
Muffled groans of intense pain reached inside the house, turning Fu An and Fu Ning's faces pale with fright.
Over the course of half an hour, thirteen stitches were placed, during which Song Sanlang passed out from pain and then regained consciousness.
Song Sanlang's face was pale from pain, and his body was drenched in sweat.
Both He Dalong and her elder brother were visibly shaken by the sight, yet Yu Ying remained calm and composed.
In that moment, Fu Zhen, He Dalong, and Fu Wei, watching every move from inside the house, admired her deeply.
It wasn't that Yu Ying wasn't afraid; she had simply become accustomed to such situations.
The first time she stitched someone up, she was scared too.
Her initial stitching was done under her mentor's guidance, just three stitches. Despite being just a few, the experience lingered in her mind for a long time.
After the second time, she became less fearful. Now, having done it numerous times, she is naturally composed.
After cutting the thread of the final stitch, Yu Ying finally breathed a sigh of relief.
She looked at Song Sanlang, who had fainted again, and said, "Don’t move him just yet. After I treat his head and elbow abrasions, we can take him home."
Fu Zhen asked, "How is he now?"
Yu Ying replied, "He needs to rest, avoid heavy labor, and keep the wound dry and free from dust and dirt. The stitches can be removed in about ten days, and he should be mostly recovered by then."
Hearing this, Fu Zhen, He Dalong, and Uncle He all looked gravely concerned.
Uncle He remarked, "Song Sanlang’s mother passed away, and his father remarried. He and his sisters have been harshly treated. After his older sisters married, there was no one close left at the Song family to care for him, and sending him back might mean no one will look after him."
There wasn’t much Yu Ying could do to help, so she left the men to discuss the matter while she treated Song Sanlang's other wounds.
Eventually, they decided to send Song Sanlang to Uncle He’s house to recuperate.
By the time they finished transporting him, it was nearly dark.
Fu Zhen and his wife cleaned up the bloodstains left by Song Sanlang in the courtyard, while Yu Ying took a moment to rest.
Uncle He and He Dalong came over from their house to discuss helping Yu Ying.
Uncle He said, “Today, because of Song Sanlang’s incident, my son argued with the foreman at his job and can’t go back. So, I plan to have him stay and help. What do you think, Liuniang?”
Yu Ying nodded, “Of course, that’s fine.”
After a moment of thought, she added, “As for the payment, let’s go with the same rate as Uncle He and Aunt He. I can only pay half now, and the rest after the delivery. Is that acceptable?”
Having discussed it with his son at home, He Dalong had already given it thorough consideration and quickly agreed, expressing his gratitude.
Fu Zhen, after hearing their conversation, contemplated and then suggested to his sister-in-law, “Since we are short-staffed, once Song Sanlang recovers, we can ask if he wants to join us. What do you think, sister-in-law?”
One was Uncle He and Aunt He's son, well-known and trustworthy, and the other was her elder brother's close friend, often supportive of the Fu family. Both were reliable, so Yu Ying readily agreed to their help.
Chapter 48
As Fú Wēi had predicted, Aunt Cuìlán's incident became well-known in the neighboring villages.
In every village, there are gossips, and there have even been cases of fatalities, yet the government office rarely intervenes.
However, their involvement in the Fú family's affair indicates that the Fú family has connections within the government.
Due to these rumors, those who harbored ill intentions towards the Fú family, seeing their improving circumstances, refrained from acting out of fear of offending the government.
With Aunt Cuìlán's matter resolved and these rumors acting as a protective charm, Yú Yíng did not delay in sending the hundred coins to the government official's messenger.
In the morning, she went with Uncle Hé, Aunt Hé, and her elder brother into the mountains to gather herbs and returned shortly after.
She took Fú Ān to the village entrance to wait for Uncle Chén's ox cart to go to Yù County.
When Uncle Chén arrived, he also brought the walking stick Yú Yíng had ordered earlier.
Yú Yíng asked Uncle Chén to wait a moment, then she and Fú Ān delivered the walking stick home.
Yú Yíng brought the walking stick to Fú Wēi, and due to the rush, she briefly explained to Fú Wēi and her elder brother how to use it.
Since Fú Wēi's legs were both broken and lacked support points, it was difficult for him to stand or leave the house using only his arms.
The walking stick was intended to allow him limited mobility. In about half a month, when the bamboo splints are removed and his legs still unable to walk, requiring another twenty days of rest, the stick would be most useful.
Knowing Fú Wēi's character, Yú Yíng repeatedly cautioned, "Don't be stubborn about getting out of bed. If you must, only with elder brother's help. And don’t stay out of bed for more than half a moment."
Fú Wēi glanced at the walking stick made especially for him, a smile flashing in his eyes.
He turned back to her, speaking gently, "I'm not one to act recklessly."
Yú Yíng, not entirely convinced, reminded him of a past incident, "Those who act recklessly never admit it. You were reckless when you injured your shoulder working with the fruit seeds, I haven’t forgotten."
Fú Wēi fell silent, then heard her instructing her elder brother, "Elder brother, before you leave at noon, keep an eye on Second Brother, and take the walking stick outside when you leave."
Fú Wēi: ...
How worried is she about him?
Fú Zhèn nodded, "I'll watch over him."
……
Fú Wēi, listening to their conversation, momentarily felt like an unruly child under the watchful eyes of adults.
Resignedly, he said to her, "Hurry along, don’t keep people waiting."
Yú Yíng nodded, adding, "I’ll also try to find the things you mentioned."
After Yú Yíng left, Fú Wēi and Fú Zhèn shared a look.
After a moment of silence, Fú Wēi took the walking stick, breaking the silence: "Thanks for your help, elder brother."
Meanwhile, Yú Yíng, upon reaching Yù County, didn't head straight for the government office.
She wondered, "How bold or foolish would I have to be to openly bribe someone at the government office?"
Having heard from Shopkeeper Chén that the government official, Huò, frequented Wú’s restaurant for his meals, Yú Yíng decided to deliver the money there, entrusting Shopkeeper Chén to hand it to Huò.
After delivering the money, she took Fú Ān to visit the Pénglái Inn.
Initially hesitant, Fú Ān clung to his clothes, reluctant to enter. Yú Yíng noticed his pudding-stained garment and instantly understood his concern.
Although the clothes of her elder brother and sister-in-law were nearly unwearable and needed replacing, and Fú Wēi’s clothes were not suitable for the season, they were still new.
Originally, she had only intended to ask her sister-in-law to make a single undergarment for her. After all, she only had one left, as the other had been cut up beyond recognition as clothing.
But her sister-in-law insisted on making her an outer garment as well.
When everyone else would have new clothes, only Madame Luó and the two children would be without. Madame Luó might not mind, but what about the children?
After some thought, Yú Yíng decided to visit the fabric store later to buy some cloth, intending to make new clothes for the whole family.
To avoid drawing attention, they could keep the new clothes for special occasions, like trips to Yù County, rather than wearing them daily.
Hesitating briefly, Fú Ān still followed his aunt with his head down into the inn.
The inn's attendant, Ā Fú, lit up with joy upon seeing Madame Yù enter and hurried to greet her.
While pouring tea, he whispered, "Recently, there’s been an increase in medicinal traders staying here. Does Madame Yù have any plans in mind?"
Yú Yíng, already considering taking on more small deals to sustain themselves, whispered back, "Then please keep an eye out for me."
After a moment's thought, she added, "But don’t cast too wide a net; first observe which traders seem more reliable."
Aware of the need for discretion, Ā Fú quickly agreed.
After Yú Yíng and Fú Ān finished their bowl of noodles, they left the inn.
Yú Yíng first took Fú Ān to buy additional fabric.
Having bought the fabric, Yú Yíng strolled through several streets until she came across a stall selling game.
Stopping at the stall, she saw a wild deer, half of its meat already sold.
Perhaps because the deer hide was damaged, the hunter had carelessly skinned a few pieces and set them aside.
Yú Yíng remembered Fú Wēi mentioning that the best materials for bowstrings were deer and cow hides, and if those weren't available, then sinew.
She crouched down, inquired about the price of the deer meat, which was twenty coins per pound, significantly more expensive than pork.
If it weren't for Fú Wēi's need for deer hide, Yú Yíng, after hearing the price, would have left without a second thought.
After pondering for a moment, she asked how much the deer hide beside her cost.
The hunter glanced at her and said, "If you buy two pounds of meat, I’ll sell you all these deer hides for ten coins."
Deer hide was still somewhat valuable in Yù County, but since it was damaged, the pawnshop wouldn’t offer much for it.
Moreover, pawnshops don't buy untreated hides.
To keep the meat fresh, the hunter hadn't skinned the deer in advance, planning to take it home, patch it up, and make some sleeve covers.
Since someone was interested, he decided to sell the hide along with the meat.
Yú Yíng hesitated at his offer to buy two pounds of deer meat. But considering the dangers of herb gathering in the mountains, the perils of being outside, and the increasingly chaotic world, a crossbow became necessary.
Yú Yíng reluctantly purchased two pounds of deer meat and the deer hides.
Having bought the deer meat, she couldn’t just cook it any which way, so Yú Yíng spent two coins to buy a small jar of soy sauce.
She also had to discuss land leasing with the village head today, so she bought two servings of rice cakes – one as a gift for the village head and one to try at home.
On her way back, passing a stall selling chicks, she saw fluffy yellow and black ones, chirping non-stop, looking very cute.
Fú Ān was so captivated by the chicks that he could barely keep walking.
Yú Yíng considered for a moment, then asked about the price of the chicks, three coins each.
She bought eight, spending a total of twenty-four coins.
Every time she came to Yù County, Yú Yíng felt the sting of spending so much money.
But thinking about the chicks eventually laying eggs and hatching more chicks eased her concern about the expense.
Carrying the chicken cage on the way back, she told Fú Ān, "When the chicks grow up and lay eggs, we'll have eggs to eat without spending money."
Hearing this, Fú Ān gazed at the chicks in the bamboo cage, chanting, "Little chicks, little chicks, grow fast and lay eggs."
Yú Yíng gently tapped his forehead, "It will be several months yet."
Fú Ān looked up and asked, "In several months, will Uncle’s legs be healed?"
Yú Yíng smiled, "By then, they'll definitely be better."
Once Fú Wēi's legs healed, even if he returned to work as an aide in Yù County, he wouldn't be disrespected for his disability.
Besides, she was now acquainted with the government official Huò. In the future, if Fú Wēi worked at the government office, Huò would surely treat him favorably.
Upon returning to Língshuǐ Village, Fú Zhèn, Uncle Hé, and Aunt Hé hadn’t yet come back.
Seeing the chicks, Fú Níng's eyes widened, and he cautiously approached and gently stroked them after squatting down.
Even Wēn Xìng was charmed by the adorable chicks, joining the children to watch them closely.
Observing this scene, Yú Yíng couldn’t help but find it amusing.
After washing her hands, she said to Mrs. Luo, "Mother, let's visit the village chief later. I think the yamen runner must have spoken to him about the land. We should strike while the iron is hot and discuss it with him, planning to see the land tomorrow."
Mrs. Luo agreed, and Yu Ying handed the venison to her elder sister-in-law, saying, "This is deer meat. Cut half of it for stewing with radish tonight."
Wen Xing was surprised to hear it was venison, and even Mrs. Luo asked in astonishment, "How did we suddenly get deer meat?"
Yu Ying, unable to disclose that it was bought for the deer skin needed by Fu Wei, simply said, "Venison is very nourishing. I thought it would be good for our family, as everyone is a bit weak, so I bought two pounds to strengthen us."
Mrs. Luo wasn't sure about its nourishing qualities, but she trusted Yu Ying's medical knowledge and accepted that if Yu Ying said it was nourishing, it must be.
"Yu Ying, concerned that her sister-in-law might not know how to cook the dish, explained the method to her."
"'Preparing the venison isn't complicated. First, cut the meat into chunks, and blanch the radishes in the same way. Heat the clay pot, add two spoonfuls of pork fat and ginger slices to release the aroma. Then, stir-fry the venison for a bit, add three spoonfuls of soy sauce, and after it's aromatic, add the radishes and a bowl of water to simmer slowly until the water is nearly gone.'"
"Wen Xing, worried about forgetting the steps, quickly repeated the instructions to herself."
"After giving these instructions, Yu Ying stored the deer hide, planning to deal with it after returning from the village head's house."
"Yu Ying took a batch of rice cakes with her as she and Madam Luo visited the village head."
"The village head’s house, though also thatched, was much larger and sturdier than the Fu family’s."
"Hearing that Madam Luo and her daughter-in-law from the Fu family had arrived, the village head hurriedly came out to greet them."
"Since Huo, the yamen runner, had personally mentioned the matter of the land, the village head did not dare to neglect it."
"Yu Ying presented the rice cakes to the village head, smiling, 'I went to Jade County today, and hearing from Ah Fu that the village head has several children, I brought some rice cakes to help you appease the kids.'"
"The village head said, 'You're visiting, there’s no need for gifts; it feels too formal.'"
"Despite his words, he happily accepted the rice cakes."
"Yu Ying discussed the matter of the land with the village head, who said, 'There are indeed a few good plots available, but the rent will be slightly higher.'"
Yu Ying asked, "How much silver does one acre yield in a year?"
In the current dynasty, the fields still need to be leased, but perhaps soon, there will be no need for tenant farming; just paying taxes will suffice.
But by then, there won't be much difference from the present situation.
The village head replied, "Four hundred wen and one stone of grain per year. Since the planting season has passed, and there are only a few months left in this year, you only need to pay fifty wen. In the coming months, you can grow some vegetables in that field to earn a bit."
Yu Ying nodded, calculating the amount of silver she currently had.
She needed to keep some for emergencies and also to hire help, so the silver she could spare for renting fields was enough for only about two acres.
Seeing Mrs. Yu calculating with a furrowed brow, the village head said, "If Mrs. Yu can't produce that much silver all at once, you can just pay for this year first, and give next year's rent at the beginning of next year."
Hearing this, Yu Ying felt a weight lift off her heart; with this arrangement, she could rent a larger piece of land.
After some thought, Yu Ying decided, "Then I'll rent five acres."
Upon hearing this, the village head, Mr. Luo, and the other busy women around were all astonished.
It's known that even the more affluent villagers in Lingshui Village only rent one acre.
Those without silver usually pool money from several families to rent one acre for farming. Mrs. Yu's ambition to rent so much land at once was quite surprising.
The village head regained his composure and advised, "Even if you can't plant grains this year, you still have to pay two hundred wen. Besides, you might afford it now, but next year you will have to produce two thousand wen at once!"
Yu Ying calmly said, "I have saved, but I still decide to rent five acres."
Some common herbs can be harvested in half a year, but there are others that take at least a year to mature.
"If she intends to grow both medicinal herbs and grains, she'll need even more land."
Hearing this, the village head looked at Mrs. Luo and said, "Mrs. Luo, won't you persuade your daughter-in-law?"
Mrs. Luo, initially thinking that five acres was indeed too much, still said, "Family decisions are made by Liuniang. If she wants five acres, then it shall be five acres."
The two daughters-in-law of the village head and his wife, upon hearing Mrs. Luo's words, looked at Mrs. Yu in disbelief.
They couldn't help but wonder what capabilities Mrs. Yu possessed. Since her marriage into the Fu family, their fortunes had been on the rise, and now, she, a woman, was making decisions for the family, which was astonishing.
Hearing Mrs. Luo's stance, the village head didn't insist further, only adding, "Since you are adamant about renting so much land, let me be clear: if you can't produce the rent next year, the land will have to be reclaimed."
Yu Ying nodded in acknowledgment.
After spending a moment at the village head's house, Yu Ying declined his polite offer of a meal and arranged to visit the fields the next morning. Then, she and her mother-in-law returned home.
Back at home, Yu Ying went to the kitchen to check on her sister-in-law's cooking.
Lifting the ceramic lid, a delicious aroma wafted out with the steam.
Looking at the bubbling stewed venison and inhaling its fragrance, Yu Ying praised, "Not only can my sister-in-law make clothes, but she's also such a great cook. My brother is indeed fortunate to have married her."
Blushing at these words, Wen Xing shyly replied with her head down, "I am the fortunate one to have married your brother."
Yu Ying smiled, noticing her sister-in-law's sunburnt and peeling face from working in the quarry, and suggested, "I'll prepare some herbal remedy for your sunburn later."
Hearing this, Wen Xing touched her face and, thinking of her husband's sunburnt face and upper body, asked, "My husband is also badly sunburnt; can you make extra for him?"
Yu Ying responded with a smile, "Of course, I can."
While the sisters-in-law were speaking, suddenly, the sound of the wicket gate opening came from outside, followed by hurried footsteps and Fu Zhen's urgent voice, "Sister-in-law, come quickly and see what's happened to Song Sanlang!"
Upon hearing this, Yu Ying's smile vanished instantly, and she quickly stepped out of the house with her sister-in-law.
Outside, she saw her elder brother carrying Song Sanlang, who was covered in blood, into the courtyard.
Also arriving in a rush were Uncle He, Aunt He, and He Dalong, all showing signs of distress.
The scene was too gory and might scare the children, so Yu Ying promptly asked Mrs. Luo to take Fu An and Fu Ning back inside.
Fu Zhen asked his wife to fetch a straw mat, which he then laid under the eaves.
With He Dalong's help, Fu Zhen gently placed Song Sanlang on the mat.
Sòng Sānláng was not unconscious but was gritting his teeth and enduring the pain.
Yú Yíng, with a grave expression, asked, "What happened?"
The eldest Hé hurriedly explained, "It rained last night, and the roof was slippery, but our master insisted we fix it. Sòng Sānláng slipped and fell from the roof. The master refused to call a doctor, claiming it was his own carelessness. He was only given basic first aid, but the bleeding won’t stop. We had no choice but to bring him here."
Mainly because the clinic was far away in Yù County, and remembering how Yú Yíng had cured Madame Luó's eyes and her knowledge of herbs, they believed she had medical skills and brought Sòng here.
Hearing this, Yú Yíng looked at Sòng Sānláng.
She saw a gash on Sòng Sānláng's forehead and bloodstains on his clothes, then quickly asked, "Apart from the head, where else are you injured?"
Sòng Sānláng took a deep breath and weakly responded, "My left elbow and knee."
As Yú Yíng examined the depth of the head wound, she asked, "How much blood did he lose?"
The eldest Hé recalled and answered, "It seemed like about half a bowl of blood, but I'm not sure how much he lost on the way here."
Yú Yíng's brow furrowed.
After examining the head wound, she checked his arm and knee.
The knee injury was the most severe; even bandaged, it continued to seep blood, turning the cloth deep red.
She slowly unwrapped the bandage, revealing a large gash underneath, as if cut by a tile.
Yu Ying, with a serious expression, declared, "The wounds on the forehead and hand don't need stitches, but the knee must be stitched."
Although Yu Ying was a practitioner of traditional Chinese medicine, stitching wounds was not unusual for her. She was, after all, trained to take over her grandfather's clinic and had learned this skill.
She knew how to stitch, but without any sterilization tools available, it would be challenging. However, not stitching and simply bandaging would lead to difficult healing and a higher risk of infection.
Hearing about stitching, everyone was startled. He Dalong asked, "Does it really need to be stitched?"
Yu Ying inquired, "Haven't you heard that wounds sometimes need to be stitched?"
He Dalong replied, "I've heard of it, but never seen it done."
Knowing they were aware of it, Yu Ying didn't explain further, just saying, "His wound is too deep. Ordinary bandaging might lead to it reopening, bleeding again, or getting infected... He could even lose his leg."
Hearing this, everyone's faces turned grave. Song Sanlang clenched his teeth and said, "Go ahead and stitch."
With his consent, Yu Ying began her work.
To prevent excessive bleeding, she cut new strips of cloth and rebandaged all his wounds.
After bandaging, she instructed her elder brother to fetch clean river water immediately, while she went inside to get needles, thread, scissors, and plain cloth.
When the water was brought back, her sister-in-law boiled a full earthenware pot of it.
She used scissors to bend the needle into a curved shape, then poured two bowls of boiling water into a basin filled halfway with cool water to speed up the cooling process.
Yu Ying then boiled the scissors and needle-thread in the remaining hot water in the pot to sterilize them.
Meanwhile, Fu Wei, upon their return, had asked Fu An to lift the curtain and moved laboriously to the foot of the bed to look out the window at the scene under the eaves.
He observed Yu Ying's calm demeanor, from inspecting Song Sanlang's wounds to her orderly preparations, taking it all in.
In contrast to others' panic, she appeared exceptionally composed.
When the water was sufficiently cool, Yu Ying unwound the bandages from Song Sanlang's wound, then rinsed it to remove any sand or gravel.
Although rinsing wounds with water is generally discouraged due to the risk of infection, there was no alternative in this case.
After a simple cleaning, Yu Ying, holding the threaded curved needle, warned Song Sanlang, "This will be extremely painful, and there's no way to alleviate it. You'll have to endure it."
Song Sanlang, having endured hardship before, bravely responded, "I can bear it."
Yu Ying handed him a clean cloth to bite on, then asked He Dalong and her elder brother to hold him down to prevent any movements from pain.
Given the graphic nature of the procedure, Yu Ying asked Aunt He and her sister-in-law to leave before starting to stitch.
Muffled groans of intense pain reached inside the house, turning Fu An and Fu Ning's faces pale with fright.
Over the course of half an hour, thirteen stitches were placed, during which Song Sanlang passed out from pain and then regained consciousness.
Song Sanlang's face was pale from pain, and his body was drenched in sweat.
Both He Dalong and her elder brother were visibly shaken by the sight, yet Yu Ying remained calm and composed.
In that moment, Fu Zhen, He Dalong, and Fu Wei, watching every move from inside the house, admired her deeply.
It wasn't that Yu Ying wasn't afraid; she had simply become accustomed to such situations.
The first time she stitched someone up, she was scared too.
Her initial stitching was done under her mentor's guidance, just three stitches. Despite being just a few, the experience lingered in her mind for a long time.
After the second time, she became less fearful. Now, having done it numerous times, she is naturally composed.
After cutting the thread of the final stitch, Yu Ying finally breathed a sigh of relief.
She looked at Song Sanlang, who had fainted again, and said, "Don’t move him just yet. After I treat his head and elbow abrasions, we can take him home."
Fu Zhen asked, "How is he now?"
Yu Ying replied, "He needs to rest, avoid heavy labor, and keep the wound dry and free from dust and dirt. The stitches can be removed in about ten days, and he should be mostly recovered by then."
Hearing this, Fu Zhen, He Dalong, and Uncle He all looked gravely concerned.
Uncle He remarked, "Song Sanlang’s mother passed away, and his father remarried. He and his sisters have been harshly treated. After his older sisters married, there was no one close left at the Song family to care for him, and sending him back might mean no one will look after him."
There wasn’t much Yu Ying could do to help, so she left the men to discuss the matter while she treated Song Sanlang's other wounds.
Eventually, they decided to send Song Sanlang to Uncle He’s house to recuperate.
By the time they finished transporting him, it was nearly dark.
Fu Zhen and his wife cleaned up the bloodstains left by Song Sanlang in the courtyard, while Yu Ying took a moment to rest.
Uncle He and He Dalong came over from their house to discuss helping Yu Ying.
Uncle He said, “Today, because of Song Sanlang’s incident, my son argued with the foreman at his job and can’t go back. So, I plan to have him stay and help. What do you think, Liuniang?”
Yu Ying nodded, “Of course, that’s fine.”
After a moment of thought, she added, “As for the payment, let’s go with the same rate as Uncle He and Aunt He. I can only pay half now, and the rest after the delivery. Is that acceptable?”
Having discussed it with his son at home, He Dalong had already given it thorough consideration and quickly agreed, expressing his gratitude.
Fu Zhen, after hearing their conversation, contemplated and then suggested to his sister-in-law, “Since we are short-staffed, once Song Sanlang recovers, we can ask if he wants to join us. What do you think, sister-in-law?”
One was Uncle He and Aunt He's son, well-known and trustworthy, and the other was her elder brother's close friend, often supportive of the Fu family. Both were reliable, so Yu Ying readily agreed to their help.
