Chapter 122: Rising to Fame (Extra Chapter)

The two officials departed with their bailiffs, and the thugs were dragged away as well.

Qin Huiyin took out her money box and addressed the passersby who had stayed behind. "As promised, fifty coins for those who helped me apprehend those ruffians, and ten coins for those who stayed to bear witness. Sir, you dealt the heaviest blows, so here is an extra ten—sixty coins for you. This gentleman, fifty coins for you as well, and you, sir in the gray, here is yours... Ma'am, thank you for speaking up for us, here is ten. And to you, miss, here is ten as well..."

"You have such a sharp eye, little girl; you caught exactly who threw a punch and who didn't," the older woman said with a beaming smile as she accepted her coins. "What a clever young lady."

"There were only a few of you who spoke, so I remembered it all at a glance. As for the men who fought, although it was chaotic, their clothes were torn and they had scratches on their skin, so they were easy to identify."

"That's quite a bit of money; you've worked for nothing today, haven't you?" the neighbor asked with a look of pity. "Actually, you didn't have to pay us; we only spoke a few words of justice."

"A word spoken is like water spilled—there is no going back on one's promise. Thank you all for your help today. If not for the many kind souls here, we would have suffered a great loss."

Not far away, Wen Ruhai and the magistrate watched as Qin Huiyin charmed the onlookers, making them feel like righteous heroes who had saved the day.

"That young girl has a sharp tongue and a quick wit. She is shameless and cunning enough; if she were a boy, I would certainly take her under my wing to groom her," Wen Ruhai remarked.

"It is fortunate that she is a girl. If she were to drift through the officialdom, I fear she would lose that pure heart of hers," the magistrate replied. "She is vibrant as she is; this is better."

"This girl has made a name for herself in a single battle. Just wait and see—when she reopens her stall, business will be better than before. A young girl who bravely fought off thugs and stood her ground against the authorities—who wouldn't want to come and see her for themselves?"

As the crowd dispersed, Qin Huiyin and her family began to clean up the wreckage.

"Uncle, are you alright?" Qin Huiyin set aside the items she was carrying and supported Tang Dafu, who was clutching his painful leg. "Mother, leave the rest to you. I am taking Uncle to see a doctor."

"Go ahead," Li Taohua replied.

The entire family had tacitly accepted that Qin Huiyin was the backbone of the household. With her in charge, the others seemed to lack their own direction.

Tang Sanye brought the ox cart over. "Get on."

Tang Dafu's face grew increasingly pale, cold sweat streaming down his forehead. "It hurts so much... That man kicked me right on the old injury. I heard a crack; I fear it has..."

"Don't worry. The doctors in the county seat are surely much better than those in town. We will find a good one to check it out. It will be fine."

***

Firecrackers suddenly popped and crackled from up ahead. The old ox was startled, kicking its hooves and spinning in place.

Tang Sanye hurriedly pulled the reins to control the beast and shouted angrily, "Who is setting off firecrackers here?"

"My apologies..." A handsome young man approached with a look of guilty amusement. "Our pharmacy is celebrating its grand opening. We are just setting off a few to bring in some good fortune."

"Since this is a pharmacy, do you have a doctor on site?" Qin Huiyin asked.

"I do, I am the physician," the young man replied. "Are you here for a consultation?"

"Please, Doctor, have two men help my uncle inside. He was kicked just now, and since his leg was already injured some time ago, I fear the old injury has recurred."

The young man called into the shop, "Two of you, come quickly!"

Two attendants emerged; one immediately hoisted Tang Dafu onto his back and headed inside, while the other supported him from behind.

The young man walked in with his hands clasped behind his back, murmuring, "The first customer has arrived."

Qin Huiyin: "..."

She suddenly felt that this person was a bit unreliable. Was it too late to find another pharmacy?

The attendants placed Tang Dafu on a wooden cot. The young man rolled up his trouser leg to reveal the injury. He pressed down, stopping when Tang Dafu cried out in agony, then shifted to another spot and pressed again.

"It is indeed a fracture at the site of the old injury. There are two ways to treat this: one is to restore his leg to its state before this current injury, and the other is to restore it to the state before the original injury. Which would you prefer?"

"Can his leg be restored to its original state?"

"Of course. My family has practiced medicine for generations; what is a small injury like this?" the young man said with absolute confidence.

"Since it can be restored to its original state, we choose the second option," Qin Huiyin said.

"Very well. I will tell you the process for the second option. First, the price is certainly not low. I estimate that for a complete recovery, it will cost ten taels of silver. Furthermore, the pain involved is quite different. The first time his leg was injured, it did not heal properly—the bones fused but not in their original positions. Having been lame for so long, repairing it will require enduring unbearable agony. Only if you can withstand both will this second method work. Once started, I will not refund the money if you quit halfway, nor should you call me a quack if I cannot finish the job."

"Yin, ten taels is too expensive. How long would it take us to earn that much?" Tang Dafu whispered.

"Do you want my mother to be mocked for marrying a cripple?" Qin Huiyin struck at his weakness.

Tang Dafu’s expression stiffened.

"When you want to stroll through the market with my mother, do you want her to have to wait for you to hobble over?"

Tang Dafu: "..."

"Do you want people to say that my mother is a beautiful flower stuck in cow dung?"

Tang Dafu gritted his teeth. "Treat it. I will work hard to earn the money back."

Qin Huiyin turned to the young man. "We will proceed with the treatment."

The young man looked at Qin Huiyin with a smile. "My surname is Wei. You can call me Doctor Wei. Since it is settled, leave him here. Pay the five-tael deposit, and you may leave."

"Wait a moment..." Qin Huiyin asked, confused, "He has to stay here?"

"The first few days will be the most difficult. I must look after him personally; otherwise, how would I dare charge you ten taels? Don't worry, there will be no extra charge for food and lodging."

"When can we come to pick him up?" Qin Huiyin asked.

"In three days. By then, the pain should have subsided enough for him to return home with you."

Qin Huiyin looked at Tang Dafu. "Uncle, can you do it?"

Tang Dafu looked at Doctor Wei. "Can it really be restored as if it were never injured?"

"I have just opened my shop; I wouldn't ruin my own reputation. Rest assured."

Tang Dafu's gaze was firm as he looked at Qin Huiyin. "I can do it. Tell your mother I will be back soon. While I am away, keep her company; she is afraid of being alone. And also..."

Qin Huiyin listened to his rambling instructions, and once he had finished, she said, "If there is nothing else, I am going to pay the deposit."