Chapter Six: A Master’s Skill, A Heart Unmoved

Just as dusk began to fall, the physician from the Miaoshou Hall, specializing in trauma and fractures, arrived. He was an elderly man with graying hair, whose very presence brought a sense of reassurance.

After carefully examining Li Xuzhang’s injured leg, the old doctor’s tone turned heavy and filled with regret. "The young lad’s injury has been neglected for too long, and it failed to set correctly. To achieve a full recovery now will be very difficult!"

Although Li Xuzhang had anticipated this, he could not hide his despair. "Then—then does that mean I will never be able to stand again?"

Li Yunnuan burst into tears. "Third Brother, that won't happen. You will definitely get better."

Li Xubai also felt quite hopeless. Their household was so destitute that even a thief would leave in tears; if they had to take care of a disabled person on top of everything else, the thief might even have to leave his own underpants behind! This was truly hell mode; he should just embezzle the funds and run away while he could.

Song Shiyu watched in silence for a while before suddenly speaking up. "I recall that if a bone has not set properly, it can be broken again to be reset."

Upon hearing this, the old doctor let out a short "Ah," his eyes widening in shock. He looked at Li Xuzhang—who was thin, sallow, and undersized—and then at the expressionless Song Shiyu. This young woman looked delicate and beautiful, yet who would have thought she was so ruthless?

Li Xubai clicked his tongue. "Breaking the leg to reset it—that is a method, indeed."

The old doctor was stunned. What kind of wild, savage family was this?

"Resetting a broken bone is indeed a medical procedure, but this child is far too young. The pain of re-breaking the bone is not something an ordinary person can endure. I fear the boy would not be able to withstand the agony and would not survive until the bone healed again," the doctor stated bluntly.

"No, I am not afraid! I can endure it!" Before the doctor could finish, Li Xuzhang stubbornly lifted his head, his eyes bright and resolute.

Song Shiyu glanced at Li Xuzhang, feeling neither waves of emotion nor surprise. Not bad; the Li Xuzhang of this life was just as fearless as the one in her previous life. It seemed the Li family had not rotted to the core yet; there was still hope for them.

"Third Brother," Li Yunnuan grabbed Li Xuzhang's hand, "it will hurt so much." She still remembered the scene from a few months ago when his leg was broken. It had been agonizing beyond words.

"Breaking it to reset it will be even more painful than the last time you were hurt. If you can't handle it, then forget it; I'll just find someone to make you a pair of crutches," Li Xubai said.

Li Xuzhang patted the back of Li Yunnuan’s hand. "It’s alright, Fourth Sister. It’s alright, I can take it." He lifted his head and gave Li Xubai a firm, bitter smile. "Second Brother, I am not afraid of pain. I am only afraid of never being able to stand up again."

"Fine then," Li Xubai stopped trying to persuade him and turned to the doctor. "Doctor, how much will it cost to reset the bone?"

The doctor looked around at the bare walls of the house, estimating that there was no wealth to be squeezed here. He reluctantly quoted a price that wasn't too terrifying. "To reset the bone and cover the follow-up decoctions, about thirty to forty taels should be enough."

He felt this price was already quite conscientious, but the moment the words left his lips, the people before him widened their eyes.

Li Xubai calculated internally. They had earned six taels from selling the sedan chair today, the body he currently inhabited had five taels of private savings, and Li Xuzhang had given him another one tael and two hundred coins. This seemed to be the entire fortune of the Li family. Even if he started working as a laborer at the Lulutong Transport Agency for six taels a month, the family would have to starve and save for another four months to afford the medical fees.

It was an astronomical sum.

"Um, Doctor, look at our family’s situation. How about this? I will pay ten taels as a down payment first, and I will pay five taels every month until it is paid off." Li Xubai had calculated carefully; living on one tael a month would be tight, but it was manageable.

The old doctor looked troubled. Li Xubai’s mental abacus was practically audible. This man was truly calculating. He took a deep breath and said impatiently, "I do not understand what you mean by a down payment. Our Miaoshou Hall’s rule is to pay for goods and services upon receipt. Without the silver, I am afraid I cannot treat the young lad."

Li Xubai pursed his lips. So much for "benevolent hands and a kind heart"—without silver, all physicians were cold-hearted.

"Doctor, look, our entire family estate is here; we certainly aren't going to run away. I have a salary of six taels a month; I can afford it," Li Xubai said, becoming anxious.

The doctor waved his hand, his attitude exceptionally firm. "No, no. You provide the silver, and I will treat the injury and prescribe the medicine."

"Hey, you old man! My temper is flaring!" Li Xubai rolled up his sleeves and glared, making a gesture as if he were about to strike.

The old doctor shrank back in fear. "If you strike me, young man, the medical fees will be doubled," he held up a number, "eighty taels."

Li Xubai deflated. Forget it. With his old bones, if he punched him, he would just end up with another ancestor to take care of.

Seeing Li Xubai in such a difficult position, Li Xuzhang hurriedly said, "Second Brother, Second Brother, I am fine, really. Just get me a pair of crutches. I won't do the treatment; I won't do it."

The old doctor had been wanting to leave for a while. Upon hearing this, he didn't even ask for his consultation fee. He slung his medicine chest over his shoulder and walked toward the exit, saying, "In that case, I shall take my leave. And one more thing, let me add: if you want to reset that leg, do it soon. Once three months have passed since the injury, it will be incurable!"

Three months meant Li Xuzhang only had one month to decide.

Li Xuzhang looked up and smiled at Li Xubai. "Second Brother, I am really okay." Although he was smiling, his eyes were red-rimmed, and his expression was filled with sorrow and despair.

Li Yunnuan hugged Li Xuzhang and finally couldn't help but cry out loud.

Li Xubai couldn't watch any longer. He tapped his forehead and said, "The crying is making my head buzz. Stop crying; let me think, let me think."

"Think about what? Are you going to turn stones into gold, or are you going to get rich overnight?" Song Shiyu curled her lip.

Li Xubai retorted, "At least I can scrape together a dozen taels of silver. What about you? What can you scrape together?"

Song Shiyu raised an eyebrow. "I can scrape together a pair of hands that can reset a broken bone, and the prescriptions for the aftermath."

As soon as these words were spoken, everyone turned to look at her—filled with suspicion, surprise, and a mix of hope and worry.

Song Shiyu nodded. "You heard me correctly. If Third Brother trusts me, I will take responsibility for resetting the bone, as well as prescribing, gathering, and brewing the medicine." She pointed back at Li Xubai. "You are responsible for paying the silver."

Making Li Xubai pay the silver didn't hurt his heart at all. It wasn't money he had earned anyway; it was all profit from nothing.

Li Xuzhang nodded without hesitation. "I trust my eldest sister-in-law. You just go ahead and treat my injury."

They got to work immediately. Song Shiyu rolled up her sleeves and kneaded Li Xuzhang's injured leg repeatedly. Li Xuzhang was dripping with cold sweat, biting his lip without uttering a word.

After a long while, Song Shiyu let out a sigh of relief. "Fortunately, your leg is not as severely damaged as I had initially anticipated. It will recover faster and better after being reset. It’s just that you are too thin and too weak. Spend these next few days nourishing your body, and in seven days, I will treat your injury."