Yu Fugui was naturally overjoyed. He thanked Qin Suining repeatedly before driving the carriage forward at full speed.
Taking advantage of the hot weather and the sparse traffic on the road, the carriage moved much faster than before and traveled smoothly all the way.
“Turn past that bend ahead, and Yu Family Village will be right in front,” Yu Fugui said, his voice filled with urgency.
After half a day of continuous travel, they finally arrived near the village.
“You don’t know this, but my eldest sister-in-law cooks really well. She’ll definitely treat you properly when she sees I’ve brought guests,” Yu Fugui said with a bright, expectant smile.
Zhou Shi glanced at her daughter. Seeing Qin Suining calmly chatting with Yu Fugui without any fear, she gradually relaxed.
According to what the “immortals” had shown them, Yu Fugui’s mother would pass away tonight.
The old woman had been holding on for days, but in the end, she would not see her youngest son one last time.
It was still mid-afternoon now, with the sun already slanting westward. There wasn’t much time left before that moment arrived.
More importantly, Yu Family Village would be massacred by refugees tomorrow night.
Taking advantage of the villagers’ deep sleep, those people would rush into the village with knives and hoes.
They would loot and kill; anyone they met would be struck down. Eventually, they would even set the village on fire.
With the dry weather and tightly packed thatched houses, the fire would spread rapidly, engulfing everything.
“Fortune is sought in risk. Since we’ve already escaped death, seizing that person’s opportunity in advance feels quite satisfying,” Qin Suining thought.
Neither she nor Zhou Shi realized that helping Yu Fugui this time would bring far more benefits than simply taking away the so-called opportunity of Princess He’an.
Yu Family Village was located near a small hillside. According to Yu Fugui, the village had about two hundred residents.
As the carriage entered the village, many curious villagers gathered around.
When they recognized Yu Fugui, they urged him to hurry home.
Their faces showed genuine concern and relief.
Yu Family Village was not large. Before long, the carriage arrived at the Yu household.
From inside the house came faint sounds of women and children crying, causing Yu Fugui’s legs to weaken.
Thinking his mother had already passed, he stumbled and fell from the carriage.
“Mother! My mother! Your unfilial son has returned too late!” he cried, crawling into the house.
Soon, the house was filled with wailing.
Many villagers gathered outside. At that moment, Zhou Shi and Qin Suining also got down from the carriage.
“Thank you both for sending my brother back,” a sturdy man said, stepping out and bowing to them. “But unfortunately, our mother is critically ill…”
He was Yu Fugui’s elder brother, Yu Futian. Since his younger brother was inside with their mother, he came out to receive the guests.
“Logically, we should properly host you in gratitude. But our mother’s condition is…”
He could not finish, tears already falling.
At that moment, a woman came out with two children, smiled briefly at Qin Suining, and quickly went into the kitchen.
“Brother is right. But since we are already here, we should at least see the old lady,” Qin Suining said calmly.
“Perhaps seeing her youngest son will improve her condition.”
Yu Futian had no reason to refuse.
After entering the room, they saw Yu Fugui kneeling by the bedside, tightly holding the old woman’s hand, crying uncontrollably.
The old woman lay weakly, her lips trembling as she tried to speak.
It was a touching scene of mother and son.
Zhou Shi went to check on the old woman, while Qin Suining called Yu Fugui aside.
“I hope you don’t mind me saying this, but the old lady’s condition looks serious. What did the doctor say?”
Yu Fugui wiped his tears and hesitated before answering.
The father had died early, and the brothers had been raised by their mother through hardship.
Years of suffering had left her body extremely weak.
The doctor had said it was severe depletion of vital energy.
“We came out this time and managed to obtain a life-saving pill from a master. I just don’t know if it will help her condition,” Qin Suining said.
She took out a small white jade bottle from her pouch. Inside was a black pill the size of a soybean.
As soon as the bottle was opened, a faint medicinal fragrance spread.
“Please save my mother!” Yu Fugui suddenly knelt down.
“Name any price—I’ll even sell everything I own!”
Yu Futian also knelt beside him.
“Please save her. From now on, we will be your servants in repayment!”
Even the woman and children outside silently knelt as well.
Qin Suining was startled. She had never been the one receiving kneeling before.
But since she was here to save their lives, she didn’t feel it was inappropriate.
“Get up. Let’s feed her the medicine first.”
She handed the pill to Zhou Shi, took out a water pouch, and asked Yu Fugui to bring a bowl.