Getting Du Cong punished through official channels was far from simple.
Although Du Tingsong was just a merchant, with three generations of his family in business and no official connections, he had a powerful backer. His sister was Prefect Chen’s most beloved concubine. And that concubine doted on Du Cong like her own son.
If they reported him now, all she had to do was whisper a few words in the Prefect’s ear at night, and the case would be dismissed immediately.
Du Cong would walk away unscathed. Old Man Liu might get some compensation money, but he would never get true justice.
This wasn’t the first time Du Cong had driven young women to despair, yet he always got away with it because his family cleaned up his messes. That was why Ji Yu said now was not the time.
Looking at the old man’s hunched, frail figure, Ji Yu sighed helplessly. How could ordinary people ever fight against power? They could only swallow their grievances and suffer in silence.
“My poor granddaughter… she just came of age…” Old Man Liu wept bitterly. “It’s all my fault! I wanted to eat fish, so she went fishing… and met that beast! Oh Yun’er! Grandpa is useless! I can’t even get justice for you…”
Ji Yu’s eyes stung. Seeing him cry like this broke her heart, and her hatred for Du Cong burned even hotter.
She didn’t know what to say to comfort him. After a long silence, she spoke softly.
“Grandpa Liu, the sun is setting. Where do you live? Let me hire a carriage to take you back.”
Old Man Liu wiped his tears. “I… I still need to go back to the market to sell my goose. I need the money for medicine.”
“Grandpa Liu,” Ji Yu looked at him in confusion. “Didn’t you say your granddaughter was killed?”
She remembered clearly hearing him shout at Xue Wu: *You killed my granddaughter!*
He sighed heavily. “She tried to hang herself last night. My wife and I found her in time and saved her. But… she was tortured so badly by that animal… she was covered in wounds when she came back…”
“Have you called a doctor?”
“Yes, a village doctor. He wrote a prescription. I went to the pharmacy this morning, but the medicine is too expensive. That’s why I have to sell the goose.”
Ji Yu quickly said, “Let me see the prescription.”
Old Man Liu took out a folded piece of paper and handed it to her. Ji Yu opened it. She had all these herbs in her shop, but the prescription itself was a mess. It was full of nonsensical combinations that looked professional but were actually useless.
If they actually used this prescription, Yun’er might end up even worse off.
Ji Yu’s expression turned serious. “Grandpa Liu, this prescription is wrong. Actually, I am a doctor. I will go back with you to treat her. But first, I need to go to my shop to get the right medicine.”
The old man looked embarrassed, rubbing his dry hands together. “I… I haven’t sold the goose yet. I don’t have money to pay for medicine…”
Ji Yu smiled. “I told you at the market that I wanted to buy your goose, remember? You wouldn’t sell it to me then.”
“Miss Ji… are you sure? The goose… it’s not healthy.”
“It looks perfectly healthy to me,” Ji Yu said firmly. “We can make a trade. You give me the goose, and I give you the medicine. Deal?”
“Thank you! Thank you so much, kind girl!” The old man was overwhelmed with gratitude, repeating his thanks over and over.
“Go back to the market and get the goose. Also, please pick up the things I left at the pork stall. Meet me at the city gate, and we’ll go together.”
“Yes! Yes! Thank you!”
***
Ji Yu frowned deeply as she looked at the young girl lying on the bed.
Her delicate face was swollen and bruised, and the dark purple bruises on her neck were horrifying. Ji Yu’s nose tingled and her eyes turned red.
That animal Du Cong… he had hurt her far worse than she had imagined.
Guilt gnawed at her heart. If only she had agreed to go fly a kite with Du Cong yesterday… would this innocent girl have been spared?
“Miss Ji? How is she?” Old Man Liu asked anxiously, seeing her silence.
“Ah!” Ji Yu snapped back to reality. She withdrew her hand from taking the pulse. “Her pulse is weak, but she is out of danger. However, her external injuries are severe. I need to examine her properly alone. Please give us some privacy.”
Understanding, the old man nodded quickly. “Of course. I’ll go boil some water.”
After he left and closed the door, Ji Yu lifted the quilt and rolled up the girl’s sleeve.
She gasped.
Deep, raw welts covered her arm, as if she had been whipped. Ji Yu quickly checked the rest of her body. It was the same everywhere—back, legs, arms.
Ji Yu was shaking with rage, her fists clenched so tight her nails dug into her palms. It took several deep breaths to calm down enough to work.
She took out a special ointment from her box. She had formulated it herself; it was cool and soothing, gentle enough that it wouldn’t sting even on open wounds.
She applied it carefully to every single mark. By the time she finished covering the girl’s entire body, the jar was almost empty.
Ji Yu dressed her again and covered her with the quilt.
She sat at the table, wrote a new prescription, and took it out to the kitchen.
“Grandpa Liu, keep this safe. If you run out of medicine, come to Jishi Hall in the South Market to find me.”
She handed him the small jar. “This ointment is for her wounds. Apply it everywhere she is hurt.”
Hearing that her granddaughter was covered in injuries, the old man’s tears fell again. He thanked Ji Yu profusely, his body swaying with grief.
Ji Yu supported him. “Don’t worry. With proper medicine, her body will heal in about a month. But…”
She hesitated. Old Man Liu looked at her, urging her to continue.
“…The heartache is harder to cure. She might still have thoughts of hurting herself when she wakes up. You must watch her every second. Lock away anything sharp like scissors or knives. Try to talk to her, comfort her, make sure she knows life is worth living.”
“I know,” the old man said sadly. “I was worried about that, so I already cleared everything out of her room last night.”
“Good.” Ji Yu nodded. Looking at the darkening sky, she said, “It’s late. I’ll come back in two days.”
She looked at him seriously. “Remember, do not go to the officials. You cannot fight their power. But trust me… I will make them pay for what they did.”
“Miss Ji!” The old man called out as she was about to leave. “Could you… could you take a look at my wife too?”
Ji Yu stopped. “What’s wrong with her?”
“She was so terrified when she found Yun’er hanging… she collapsed and has been bedridden and unconscious ever since.”
Sighing silently, Ji Yu turned back. What a tragedy. A happy family, now both grandmother and granddaughter were struck down.