Su Xiaoqi returned home for lunch and was examining Zhao Liushun's leg, who had come to her for help.
After a long look, she gave her verdict.
"I have a way to treat this leg..."
Before she could finish, she saw her uncle and nephew looking at her with surprise and joy.
She quickly waved her hand, "No, it can be treated, but it depends on whether you, my uncle, can endure the hardship."
Zhao Liushun immediately declared that he could endure any hardship if it meant his leg could be healed.
"If we are to treat your leg, first, you must give up the provincial examination scheduled for August.
Second, you will likely have to be bedridden for a month, perhaps even several months.
Third, it will hurt. It will hurt so much that you will question your existence."
As Su Xiaoqi spoke, she glanced at Zhao Liushun's expression and found it difficult to continue.
"How will you treat it?" Shen Yun, sensing something amiss, took her hand and asked.
Su Xiaoqi thought to herself, "How to treat it? Naturally, I'll have to break it and reset it."
Shen Yun was shocked and, losing his composure, pulled his hand away.
Then, Su Xiaoqi softened her voice, "When my uncle was injured, he didn't receive timely treatment, which led to the bone being misaligned.
It grew crooked over time, causing the lameness.
To recover, the misaligned bone must be broken and reset, so it can grow correctly.
Of course, this isn't guaranteed to succeed 100%, after all..."
After all, she wasn't a fully professional doctor.
She had studied agriculture in university.
"Xiaoqi, you..." Shen Yun looked at her with a hint of reproach.
How could she speak to her uncle like this without full confidence?
Wasn't this giving him hope only to dash it later?
Su Xiaoqi spread her hands, indicating she was speaking the truth.
When treating illnesses, especially serious ones, what treatment was 100% effective?
Moreover, with bone setting, she had nothing to work with, and the risks were immense.
For a moment, silence fell upon the three of them.
The silence burned in their hearts like a fire.
While appearing calm and peaceful on the surface, they all felt an intense pressure, like oil being vigorously stirred in a pot.
"Actually, no matter what, Uncle's leg should..." Su Xiaoqi felt it was better to be upfront.
"I, I'll do it," Zhao Liushun finally said, gathering his courage.
Su Xiaoqi looked at him, as if he were about to be led to an execution.
Her heart tightened, and she decided to be completely honest.
"That's good. Otherwise, if your leg isn't treated soon, Uncle, it might become permanently disabled."
It might not even be possible to treat the lameness anymore.
Her words were like ice shards piercing the bone, extinguishing the small flame of hope that had just ignited within Zhao Liushun.
Seeing the two men stunned, Su Xiaoqi stuck out her tongue and, saying "I'll go prepare now," quickly fled.
"Uncle, do you really trust her? Perhaps it's better to..." Shen Yun tried to persuade Zhao Liushun to just accept his current condition.
Zhao Liushun had been hesitant before.
But hearing that there was a chance of recovery, and considering that without treatment his leg would become permanently disabled, all his worries vanished.
"Cast yourself into death to find life," Zhao Liushun said, enunciating each word.
"But the provincial examination is only held every three years. Isn't it a shame if you don't take it?" Shen Yun tried again.
"Alas, you know how much ability I, your uncle, truly have. Others may not know, but you surely do?" Zhao Liushun said with resignation.
He had originally worried that with his current abilities, he wouldn't pass the provincial examination anyway.
However, not taking it was also unacceptable, and he couldn't explain it to his father.
Now, it was perfect; he could openly refuse to participate.
Su Xiaoqi returned shortly.
She brought with her the prepared medicinal paste and the tools for bone manipulation.
In front of Shen Yun, she first broke Zhao Liushun's leg bone and then, amidst Zhao Liushun's pained screams, reset it.
Afterward, she applied the medicine and secured it with splints.
It was quite an operation.
By the time she finished, it was already dusk.
Shen Yun escorted Zhao Liushun home and exchanged a few words with his grandfather, the old scholar.
Upon hearing that Zhao Liushun's leg had been broken, the old gentleman nearly fainted.
He felt a little better only after Shen Yun explained the situation clearly.
However, he looked at Su Xiaoqi with deep skepticism.
This petite and frail young girl...
Could she truly heal his son's leg, which had been lame for over a decade?
Su Xiaoqi repeatedly cautioned Zhao Liushun, advising him not to get out of bed for at least the first month, or even two.
After all, bones needed a hundred days to heal from injury, let alone being directly broken.
"No problem, no problem, I'll have the eldest and second wives take care of him," the old scholar waved his hand helplessly.
Since things had come to this, and they were only informing him now, what else could he say?
As they were speaking, the village suddenly became lively.
Su Xiaoqi stood on the steps of the courtyard to watch.
She saw a large group of people approaching from the end of the village.
Each person carried a pole laden with goods, and a basket on their back.
They were returning fully loaded.
Su Xiaoqi exchanged a look with Shen Yun.
The two of them bid farewell and headed straight for the village chief's home.
The courtyard was already filled with harvested and threshed buckwheat seeds.
There were both yellow and black varieties.
Generally, the black variety was superior to the yellow.
Su Xiaoqi quietly told Shen Yun that the black buckwheat would be bought at three wen, and the yellow at two wen.
She looked around and noticed that the villagers carried between two to three hundred jin, with some as much as five hundred jin.
Shen Yun stood by, overseeing the weighing.
After weighing each load, he would record the name and weight on paper.
Su Xiaoqi took out several strings of cash and placed them in a basket.
She would distribute the money based on the weights recorded by Shen Yun.
"Alright, Zhao Huizi, 100 jin of black buckwheat, 300 jin of ordinary buckwheat. That comes to 900 wen."
"Zhao Dashan... your uncle, 200 jin of black buckwheat, 200 jin of ordinary buckwheat, totaling one string of coins. Here you go."
"Zhao Baoyi, 500 wen."
"Zhao Guanggun... 100 wen."
Su Xiaoqi saw the name registered on the paper and looked up.
Indeed, it was Zhao Guanggun's pockmarked face.
A look of disgust flickered across her face as she quickly pushed the 100 wen towards him.
Zhao Guanggun had expected her to hand the money into his palm, just like she had done for others, so he could take the opportunity to get some benefit.
But now, the pile of copper coins was stacked on the table.
His small eyes, like beans, darted around. He tapped the table, asking Su Xiaoqi to hand him the money.
"Are you looking down on me? Everyone else gets it handed to them, but you push it to me..."
Su Xiaoqi, being astute, knew exactly what his intentions were.
In front of everyone, she very obligingly picked up the copper coins.
She shook them in her palm, waved her sleeve, and a flash of silver was mixed in.
Zhao Guanggun was somewhat surprised by her compliance.
However, his desire to take advantage of the situation remained.
He licked his hand and eagerly reached out to receive the money.
Before he could, Shen Yun saw it and extended an arm to block him, saying, "Xiaoqi, I'll give it to him."
Su Xiaoqi winked at Shen Yun, indicating it wasn't necessary.
At the same time, she thought to herself, "Damn it, that rotten old Guanggun dares to have ideas about me. I'll make him pay."
Seeing that she was prepared, Shen Yun gave her a deep look and continued with his work of registering.
However, his eyes were constantly distracted, watching the situation unfold.
Soon, Zhao Guanggun reached out again.
Su Xiaoqi raised her hand, and the copper coins fell.
Zhao Guanggun, however, deliberately reached out to touch Su Xiaoqi's fair finger.
But before he could touch her, he let out a loud cry.
"Ah... Pain! It hurts so much! You damned woman... What did you do? What did you do..."
Zhao Guanggun cursed, but his face was struck heavily, followed by another pig-like howl.
Everyone looked at Su Xiaoqi...
Her hand hadn't moved at all.
Who had hit him?