Chapter 59 - The Pas (2/2)

Due to Madam Zhang’s persistent urging today, Yu Hai had followed his close friend, Zhao Bufan, to hunt in the West Mountains. However, they had inadvertently disturbed a bear that was hibernating within a cave. In order to save Hunter Zhao, Yu Hai’s leg was bitten severely by the bear, and his back was also scratched into a bloody mess. He seemed as if he was barely breathing now.

However, he was considered rather lucky. Even though his blood vessels had nearly ruptured, he was able to endure until the doctor arrived from town. They had originally thought that the best physician in town would provide them with some good news. However, after examining Yu Hai’s injuries, Doctor Sun of Tongren Medicine Hall only shook his head and said, “Do what can be done and leave all else to fate.” After that, he reluctantly wrote a prescription for them, while saying that the medication probably won’t be effective and that they were only seeking peace of mind.

A dosage of medicine cost approximately one tael and it might not be able to save the life of the Yu Family’s second son. There was no way that Madam Zhang would let the money that she painstakingly saved up be wasted. With a family filled with sick and weak people, if Yu Hai couldn’t wake up, they would all become burdens for the Yu Family in the future. If Yu Hai survived with an amputated leg, he would also just be a burden to the family since he had lost a leg.

Shuanzhu’s wife had already seen through the current situation. If Madam Zhang could make the decisions, then she would definitely kick Yu Hai’s entire family out of the house without hesitation. However, Old Yu was still had the final say within the family. Furthermore, Madam Zhang was afraid that the other villagers would gossip, so she didn’t dare to brazenly mention this suggestion.

Ay! How would Yu Hai’s family survive under Madam Zhang’s control in the future? Shuanzhu’s wife couldn’t help but worry for them!

There was a heavy scent of blood drifting in the air. Yu Hai, who was lying on the bed, looked deathly pale and was barely breathing. Every time he went hunting in the mountains, he would be able to earn at least four or five hundred copper coins. But now he was only covered with a worn-out cotton quilt that was faded and patched-up.

It was dark and cramped inside the west room, which was mostly occupied by a kang bed. At the head of the bed, there was an old rattan case, while a table held up by numerous planks was placed on the side of the bed. And that was all. Yu Hai and his wife, who were the main laborers in the family, had to live in this crowded room with several children.

Yu Hai was still alive, yet the second branch was already being treated in such a way. If…

“Hurry up and pay Doctor Sun for the medicine!” Old Yu, who was dragged into the main room by Madam Zhang, suddenly shouted. The villagers in the courtyard looked at each other speechlessly. Had Madam Zhang seriously shed all pretense of cordiality and refused to pay for Yu Hai’s medications?

“It’s five taels! Even the doctor had said that it was probably useless to eat the medicine! Doesn’t Xiaocao have Doctor You’s medicine box? We can just use some of the medicine inside to have peace of mind. Five taels is enough for a month’s supply of brush and ink for our third son!” Madam Zhang’s growl sounded like a female beast guarding her child.

Old Yu’s voice sounded once again, “Do you think I don’t know how much money you have saved up? If there is even a glimmer of hope, we should do our best to make our last efforts. Otherwise, will your conscience be at ease? Aren’t you afraid that Xiaocao and her siblings will resent you?”

Madam Zhang was unwilling to comply, “It’s not that I don’t want to save him, but the doctor already said that taking the medicine won’t help. So, why are we still wasting our money? It’s better to just save the money and help Second Son raise his children…”

As the old couple argued in the main room, the neighbors in the yard looked sympathetically at the west room and shook their heads incessantly.

“Uncle Yu——” A man with a strong-built, who emitted a strong sense of vigor and appeared valiant, entered the gate of the Yu Family’s courtyard. He was the person that Yu Hai had saved today, Zhao Bufan.

When Madam Zhang heard his voice, she immediately rushed out of her room. Although she appeared thin and petite, she was actually quite strong. She grabbed the front of Zhao Bufan’s clothes and hollered at the top of her voice, “You damned Hunter Zhao! If it weren’t for you today, would our family’s Yu Hai be lying on the bed and on the verge of death? I don’t care! Our second son got injured because of you, so your Zhao Family should be responsible for the medical fees! Also, if anything happens to Yu Hai, then your Zhao Family will also be responsible for taking care of the widow and orphans of the second branch!”

At the end of the day, Madam Zhang had never cared about Yu Hai’s life and death. The only thing that she was ever concerned about was money, money, and money!

“Don’t worry, Auntie! Brother Yu Hai have saved me from this misfortune. If it hadn’t been for him, I would have died long ago! I, Zhao Bufan, am an honest and dauntless man, who will never act ungrateful and treacherous! I have already killed the bear that injured Brother Yu Hai and sold it in town…”

With a greedy expression on her face, Madam Zhang interrupted Zhao Bufan before he had finished speaking, “Hunter Zhao, please come into the room to talk!”

Disregarding the bear’s fur and gallbladder, the bear’s paws and meat alone could be sold for quite a large sum in town.

[1] Postnatal confinement period (月子) - a month long confinement period after giving birth to let the new mother recuperate and rest