"This is Mafeisan. Feed it to the patient to alleviate some of their pain!"
Zhao Shi took the bowl and sat by the kang, carefully feeding the medicine spoonful by spoonful…
After a while, the old physician finally said, "Let's begin!"
Jiang Liuli nodded and walked to the edge of the kang:
"Second sister-in-law, Mother, you hold down Father's shoulders. I'll secure his legs."
Her voice was as steady as stone, her gaze fixed on Jiang Yinbao's twisted leg bone.
Knowing Jiang Liuli's remarkable strength, the two women confidently climbed onto the kang and pressed down on Jiang Yinbao's shoulders from both sides.
Jiang Liuli firmly grasped Jiang Tongbao's legs.
The old physician, observing Jiang Liuli's slender frame, expressed concern:
"Can you manage alone? Should we find a man to help? If the leg isn't held steady, the bone won't set properly…"
Before Jiang Liuli could respond, Zhao Shi answered with pride, "Don't worry, Doctor. Our girl was born with extraordinary strength. She can handle it alone…"
The old physician raised an eyebrow but said nothing more upon seeing Zhao Shi's certainty. He picked up his silver hammer and approached Jiang Yinbao.
"Hold tight!" the old physician commanded in a low voice as the silver hammer struck precisely the protruding misaligned bone.
"Crack—" Before the sound faded, the unconscious Jiang Yinbao arched his back violently, his sweat instantly soaking through his worn undershirt.
He instinctively tried to curl his leg, but Jiang Liuli held it immobile—her palms seemed rooted, completely unaffected by her father's convulsive movements. The lower part of his leg remained perfectly still…
"Keep pressing!" Beads of sweat formed on the old physician's forehead as he gripped both ends of the broken bone. Suddenly, he gave a sharp pull.
"Urgh—" Jiang Yinbao's nails dug deep into the kang mat, blood seeping between his fingers.
Zhao Shi's heart trembled at the sight. She bit her lip hard to suppress her sobs, though her hands shook uncontrollably as she held his shoulders.
Liu Shi's eyes reddened too, turning away unable to watch, her grip tightening on Jiang Yinbao's arm.
Only Jiang Liuli remained focused, her eyes never leaving the old physician's movements, the muscles in her arms taut like iron.
The old physician twisted his wrist, applying a skillful push this time. With a soft "click," the leg bone that had been crooked for decades miraculously realigned.
"Quick! The ointment and splints!" The old physician spoke rapidly. Liu Shi hurriedly passed over the medicated cotton cloth and bamboo splints.
Jiang Liuli still dared not relax her grip until the splints were securely layered and fastened with tight hemp cords. Only when the physician said "Done" did she slowly release her hold. Her knuckles had stiffened beyond bending, and sweat had left red marks across her palms.
Jiang Yinbao had long since passed out again from the pain, his brow still tightly furrowed, his lips bitten until they were raw and bloody.
Zhao Shi rushed over to wipe his sweat with a handkerchief, tears falling on the back of his hand: "Husband… the pain is gone, it's gone now…"
The old physician straightened up, letting out a long sigh, his gaze toward Jiang Liuli now filled with admiration:
"Young lady, your strength is remarkable. If you hadn't held so steadily, the bone wouldn't have set this perfectly."
He had initially thought this slender girl would surely be shaken loose, but she hadn't budged an inch, her wrists as stable as bedrock.
Jiang Liuli merely gave a slight nod, her eyes resting on her unconscious father on the kang, her voice devoid of emotion: "You flatter me."
The old physician packed his medical kit and turned to Zhao Shi with further instructions:
"The effects of this Mafeisan only last for two hours. When he wakes up, he'll be in severe pain. These are pain-relief pills—give him half a dose if the pain becomes unbearable."
"Additionally, I'll come every seven days to change his medicinal paste. Make sure the wound doesn't get wet, and absolutely prevent him from moving recklessly. If the bone shifts out of place again, it'll be much harder to set properly."
Zhao Shi nodded repeatedly, her knuckles whitening as she twisted the faded apron corner. She mentally repeated the physician's instructions twice before suddenly remembering something. Her eyes reddened, and she asked in a trembling, tearful voice:
"Physician, my husband's internal bruising… could it…?"
She left the question unfinished, but the elderly physician understood. He sighed softly and said:
"We can only do our best and leave the rest to fate…"
"Send someone quick-witted to my pharmacy," the old physician continued while taking out writing materials to prepare a prescription. "I'll write a formula now for the assistant to fill."
"After returning, simmer the medicine thoroughly in an earthenware pot over low heat. Take one bowl each morning and evening—remember, never use metal containers for the decoction."
He paused, glancing at the unconscious Jiang Yinbao on the kang with a slight frown. "I'll return tonight to keep watch. I'm concerned he might develop a high fever from these injuries. If he passes through tonight safely and his pulse stabilizes, he should be out of danger."
Zhao Shi's held-back tears splashed onto her lapel. She hurriedly wiped her face with her sleeve and kept nodding. "Yes! Yes! Thank you, honored physician… Thank you!"
"Very well!" The old physician folded the prescription and handed it over, then stood up hoisting his worn medical kit. "There are three more patients waiting in the main hall—I must attend to them now."
Zhao Shi promptly acknowledged before turning to Liu Shi, her voice still choked: "Second daughter-in-law, you're swift-footed. Could you make the trip to the pharmacy?"
"Don't worry, Mother!" Liu Shi tucked the prescription into her robe and rolled up her sleeves. "I'll go immediately and return right after getting the medicine!"
By the time the old physician disappeared into the main hall, Liu Shi was already lifting her skirts and running through the courtyard gate.
Zhao Shi stood at the doorway watching her retreating figure, her palms damp with sweat—praying fervently that her husband would safely survive the night.
Just then, Xu Shi also entered.
She appeared extremely frail; even with the midwife supporting her, she seemed on the verge of fainting.
"Child, you've just returned from death's door. Why aren't you resting properly? What brings you out here?"
Zhao Shi hurried forward to support Xu Shi, helping her sit on the kang's edge.
"Your daughter-in-law is quite stubborn! When I tried to keep her indoors, she started crawling out herself. I had no choice but to help her over here!"
Midwife Zhang assisted Xu Shi to the kang, sighing involuntarily at the young woman's paper-white complexion.
"Mother, I'm just worried about Father! How is he?" Xu Shi gazed anxiously at Jiang Yinbao on the kang.
"Your father will be fine, set your mind at ease!" Knowing her daughter-in-law's filial nature, Zhao Shi offered a comforting white lie.
Xu Shi nodded in relief upon hearing this…
"We've troubled you greatly. Here's the celebration money—please accept it! Our family is poor, but I hope you won't find it too little."
Zhao Shi then turned to Midwife Zhang, offering her fifty copper coins.
But Midwife Zhang waved her hands dismissively. "We all live in neighboring villages. I know your family's situation well—keep these fifty coins. Buy some eggs to nourish your daughter-in-law! This child has truly walked through death's gate…"
Midwife Zhang was from another village near Xiaoshitou Village, separated only by a river.
Standing so close and knowing the Lao Xiao family's circumstances, she had already prepared herself not to receive any celebration money when she came.
"This won't do!"
Zhao Shi pressed the copper coins into the midwife's hand, her knuckles turning white from the force. "You stayed up all night watching over her and took such good care of her. How could we let you work for nothing? It's not much, but it's our sincere gratitude. If you refuse, you're looking down on our humble family."
The midwife saw the stubbornness in Zhao Shi's eyes and glanced at the unconscious Jiang Yinbao on the kang and Xu Shi's pale face. In the end, she accepted the money.
After taking it, instead of pocketing it immediately, she turned to Jiang Liuli and said somewhat sheepishly:
"Da Ni! That technique you used to adjust the fetal position just now—could you teach it to me? You know how childbirth is like walking through the gates of hell for us women. If I can learn it, I'll have more confidence when dealing with difficult deliveries!"
"Of course, I won't ask you to teach me for free!" As she spoke, the midwife pulled out another twenty wen from her robe and, together with the fifty wen from Zhao Shi, offered them to Jiang Liuli.
"I didn't bring much money with me. Take this for now. If you're willing to teach me, just tell me how much you need, and I'll go home to fetch it…"
Hearing this, Jiang Liuli met the midwife's eager and hopeful gaze and fell silent for a moment.
Having witnessed countless life-and-death situations in the apocalypse, she understood well the dangers of childbirth, especially in this ancient era lacking medical resources, where the slightest mishandling could cost two lives.
Though the midwife had her own motives to earn more, spreading this skill could indeed save more lives.
Moreover, given how impoverished her family was, she also wanted to earn a bit more to improve their living conditions.