"Never before!"
Jiang Liuli understood the old doctor's confusion. With such severe injuries, Jiang Yinbao would surely die in this medically backward ancient era.
Her reason for finding a doctor was merely to use the old physician as a shield, making it convenient for her to treat Jiang Yinbao herself.
This would prevent suspicion from arising when Jiang Yinbao recovered inexplicably…
"How strange…" The old doctor stroked his goatee, his brow furrowed deeply. "Though the pulse is weak, it's as steady as bedrock, almost as if… as if some energy is sustaining his life force."
"Doctor, what do you mean? Will my husband… survive?" Zhao Shi asked anxiously.
"With an ordinary patient suffering such injuries, I wouldn't dare claim I could save them."
The old doctor stroked his goatee, his eyes scanning Jiang Yinbao's face twice,
"But this man's pulse contains remarkable resilience, like wild grass growing through stone crevices. Relying on this vitality, I can attempt treatment."
He paused, lightly tapping his fingers on the pulse pillow:
"But let me be frank – internal organ contusions and bone fractures are no minor matters. I cannot guarantee complete success. If you have doubts, you're welcome to seek another physician. But in my humble opinion, with injuries this severe, only the Valley Master of Divine Physician Valley would dare claim absolute certainty of cure."
Zhao Shi trembled with fear, instinctively turning her gaze toward Jiang Liuli.
Jiang Liuli pressed her lips together before speaking: "My father is critically injured! We don't even know where Divine Physician Valley is, and even if we could find it, there wouldn't be enough time! Doctor, please treat him! We trust you!"
The doctor nodded, then felt Jiang Yinbao's leg bone: "This leg was previously injured, but improper treatment caused it to heal crooked. If we correct it while he's unconscious, we can reduce some pain. However, the patient's internal injuries are severe. Even if we spend money treating the leg, he might…"
The old doctor found the rest too ominous to voice. But the second branch family understood – he feared that treating the leg would be wasted money if the patient didn't survive.
Yet waiting until the patient revived to treat the leg would mean greater suffering.
Hearing this, Zhao Shi became uncertain again, her eyes automatically seeking Jiang Liuli.
"Doctor, I believe my father will pull through! Please treat his leg too! How much will the treatment cost?"
The old doctor glanced at Jiang Yinbao's clearly deformed leg and sighed: "Correcting old injuries requires gradual treatment – at least three months. The fees plus medicine will cost… twelve taels of silver."
"Twelve taels?" Zhao Shi exclaimed. To her, twelve taels was an astronomical sum.
"Doctor, proceed with treatment! Don't worry, I can gather twelve taels…"
"Da Ni, how will you get the silver?" Zhao Shi asked urgently.
"Mother! I've already retrieved the money from selling me – ten taels total, with two remaining. Earlier when I saw Grandfather taking silver, I noticed a small box hidden in the kang cavity. There must be more money inside. I'll go get it!"
Zhao Shi quickly grabbed her arm, brow furrowed deeply: "You're going again? We just squeezed ten taels from them. With your grandfather's temperament, would he willingly hand over the remaining money?"
A cold, sharp curve lifted the corner of Jiang Liuli's lips, her eyes glinting with a fierce intensity. "Whether they give it or not isn't up to them to decide!"
With that, Jiang Liuli strode out of the room…
Soon after, curses and the loud crash of overturned tables and chairs echoed from the main house.
Zhao Shi, inside the thatched cottage, felt her heart tighten with anxiety. Her hands, clutching the hem of her clothes, turned white-knuckled.
She wanted to go and see what was happening but feared causing more trouble. She could only pace restlessly, her ears filled with the furious shouts from the main house…
"You wretched star of doom! Wasn't the money from selling you returned to you? This is my money—put it down!" It was Jiang Laotou's frantic, enraged roar.
"That's the money Mom and Dad saved for my tuition fee next year! You can't take it!!"
Jiang Tongbao's shrill cry was as piercing as a cat whose tail had been stepped on.
"Da Ni, please leave some for us! There are so many mouths to feed in this family. If you take all the money, we'll all starve to death!"
It was the wail of Jiang Tongbao's wife, mingled with the sound of heavy objects falling and the curses of Jiang Jinbao and his wife.
But in an instant, all the noise ceased…
Zhao Shi's heart leaped into her throat. Just as she took a step to go outside, she saw Jiang Liuli lift the curtain and enter.
Dust speckled her shoulders, and a faint, dark red stain marked her sleeve, as if she had been in a scuffle. In her hands, however, she now carried a wooden box.
"It's all here," Jiang Liuli said, placing the box on the table. The crisp clink of silver inside made Zhao Shi's eyes instantly redden.
"You…you stole it…uh, no, did you get it from your grandfather?"
Zhao Shi's voice trembled. No sooner had the words left her mouth than she hurriedly corrected herself, her eyes darting nervously toward the elderly physician.
Her palms were sweaty with fear—afraid the doctor might notice something amiss, and even more afraid that word would spread, branding her daughter as fierce and domineering, making it impossible for her to find a good match in the future.
The elderly physician lifted his eyelids slightly, glanced at the silver on the table, then lowered his head and continued treating Jiang Yinbao with unwavering calm.
Though he didn't know exactly what had happened in this family, the scene he had just witnessed in the main house told him clearly which branch was heartless and which was deeply loyal.
Seeing how emaciated everyone in this branch was and the pitiable state of the patient, he could also discern that even if the young girl before him was exceptionally fierce, it was born of desperation.
For if it were her innate nature, she would never have allowed herself and her family to fall into such wretched circumstances…
"Mother! You needn't feel burdened. Our second branch has done the most work in this family all these years, yet we've never had enough to eat or wear. This money is what we rightfully deserve!"
As she spoke, Jiang Liuli counted out twelve taels from the money box and placed them on the table. The remaining two-plus taels of broken silver she handed to Zhao Shi.
"Mother, keep this silver with you. Later, go to the market with Second Sister-in-law and buy a chicken for Elder Sister-in-law and Father to nourish their health. I'll hold onto these ten taels for now. If you need more, just ask me!"
Jiang Liuli had no intention of giving all ten taels to Zhao Shi. On one hand, her mother's ability to defend herself was too weak. If she weren't around, those heartless family members might try to cheat or even snatch the money away.
On the other hand, she wanted to use this silver to see if she could start a small business.
"No need. That silver was earned with your life. I won't spend your money—keep it for yourself, for your dowry later!"
As Zhao Shi said this, her eyes reddened again. The thought of her daughter nearly dying made her heart ache unbearably.
"Da Ni, you've taken all of your grandparents' money. What if they don't have enough for medical treatment and end up dying or becoming disabled?"
Second sister-in-law Liu Shi reminded her.
"It's fine, Grandpa and Grandma have plenty of money! I left them half, about fifteen taels or so."
Although Jiang Liuli had never hesitated to kill during the apocalypse, since she had traveled back to ancient times, she needed to follow ancient customs.
So it would be better not to cause any deaths…
Zhao Shi and Liu Shi felt relieved upon hearing Jiang Liuli's words.
Jiang Liuli picked up the twelve taels of silver from the table and handed them to the old doctor. The old doctor accepted the silver and said:
"Your father's previously broken leg bone has healed incorrectly. For him to walk normally again, the bone needs to be rebroken and reset, which will be extremely painful. You'll need to hold him down to prevent him from moving around, otherwise I won't be able to set it properly!"
"Alright!"
Jiang Liuli nodded in agreement.
The old doctor carefully stored the twelve taels of silver in his medicine chest, then turned and took out a heavy wooden box from inside.
When opened, a gleaming small hammer and several polished bamboo splints came into view. Seeing this, Zhao Shi's heart tightened with apprehension.
The old doctor took out a black pill from his robe, placed it in a bowl, then picked up the water pot from the table and poured in some clear water.
No one knew what this pill was made from – it dissolved quickly upon contact with water…