Chapter 115 The village chief bursts out of the door: "..."

The village chief burst out of the door: "I'll go get a cart."

Zhu Mingyue helped Li Zhengyang's mother up and gestured, "Fix the injured leg for Brother Zhengyang."

A few minutes later, Li Zhengyang, wrapped in a thick quilt, was moved onto the cart.

Late at night, a group of people braved the cold wind to transport the person to the county.

Zhu Mingyue had heard He An say that once his mother suddenly fell seriously ill in the middle of the night. When he went to the clinic for medicine, a doctor opened the door. Zhu Mingyue went up and knocked on the door. Li Zhengyang's mother shouted for the doctor. A soft rustling sound came from inside the door. After a while, the door was opened and an old doctor appeared, looking sleepy and impatient to be woken up.

"Who's making a racket outside?" the old doctor asked, his eyes half-closed.

Looking at it by the dim light of the oil lamp, he wondered, "Why is this?"

The village chief said sternly, "My son has been slashed in the leg and is in critical condition. I beg a doctor to treat him."

The old doctor stepped forward, lifted the blankets, and carefully examined the injury. His face grew increasingly serious: "This injury is too severe to be treated. You'd better look for another treatment!"

As he was about to close the door, Zhu Mingyue suddenly reached out and stopped him.

The old doctor, who already had a bad temper, became even angrier when his sleep was interrupted in the middle of the night: "What are you doing, kid! I said I can't save you, so there's no way. Why bother me?"

Zhu Mingyue snatched the oil lamp from the village chief and held it above her head.

The old doctor was about to curse a few more times, but suddenly fell silent after seeing who it was. "You are... the manager of Mingyue Tower?"

Zhu Mingyue nodded: "Doctor Wang is a doctor with a kind heart. This is my good friend. He was wounded by the enemy while fighting against the Southern Barbarian army. In consideration of his dedication to protecting the country and its people, please let them in!"

The old doctor's expression softened slightly. After hesitating for a moment, he finally opened the door.

"It's fortunate it's winter," the old doctor sighed. "At another time, the wound would have festered halfway through."

Li Zhengming caught a glimpse of Zhu Mingyue trembling uncontrollably out of the corner of his eye, and then realized that the other party was only wearing a cloak. He took off his cotton-padded coat and handed it to him.

Zhu Mingyue was terribly cold, feeling as if her body were a broken door or window, with wind blowing in from all directions. Her teeth were chattering and she was so cold that she could barely speak.

Seeing someone hand him clothes, he didn't refuse. After putting them on, he felt warmer. Seeing the doctor sighing around Li Zhengyang, he quickly asked, "Doctor, is there any hope for him?"

"That's close. This wound has been there for a while, and it's become so badly infected."

Zhu Mingyue gritted her teeth: "Doctor, just give him the medicine and keep him on an IV drip. No amount of money is too much for me."

The doctor had been waiting for those words. It wasn't that he didn't want to be a good person; he did have the life-saving medicine, but it was expensive and beyond the reach of ordinary people. How could he dare to use such medicine without the other party's permission?

Zhu Mingyue reassured him, and the old doctor then brought out the shop's prized possession.

The effect was indeed obvious. Seeing that Li Zhengyang's breathing had calmed down after taking the medicine, the group finally breathed a sigh of relief.

The village chief asked, "How much is this medicine?" He had already realized that the doctor had used a very expensive medicine for his son. Before leaving, he took all the silver in his house, along with the silver jewelry he and his wife had bought for their wedding, fearing that he would be kicked out of the clinic if he didn't have enough money.

The old doctor stroked his beard: "One hundred and fifty taels."

Upon hearing this, the family of three were stunned. Li Zhengyang's mother hesitated for a moment, but ultimately did not speak. Instead, she silently turned to look at her husband.

The village chief clutched his money pouch tightly, looking extremely strapped for cash, and struggled to ask, "Can I buy on credit?" Even if they sold themselves into slavery, they couldn't come up with that much silver.

"No credit allowed," the doctor said firmly, giving Zhu Mingyue a meaningful look after he finished speaking.

Zhu Mingyue stared blankly at Li Zhengyang, then realized a gaze was on her and snapped out of her daze: "Go ahead and use the medicine, I'll pay for it for them."

The village chief refused: "How can that be!" Before he could finish speaking, Li Zhengyang's mother grabbed his clothes and shook her head slightly at him.

What else can we do? Are we just going to watch our child die? Money can be earned again, but a life is irreplaceable. We'll pay back the debt slowly later!

Zhu Mingyue also advised, "The most urgent matter right now is not about the money, let's get him back first!"

The doctor washed his hands with warm water, tore off the gauze on Li Zhengyang's leg, sprinkled some medicine on it, and then bandaged it up again. "You've come at the wrong time. Let's wait until dawn, then I'll see how to treat him."

“The clinic can’t accommodate so many people,” he said, pointing to Li Zhengming. “You stay here and look after him. The rest of you can find an inn in the county for the night. Remember to come back early tomorrow morning.”

Zhu Mingyue nodded: "Then I won't bother you any longer."

The village chief pulled Li Zhengming aside and gave him a few words of advice before the three of them left the clinic.

Having barely slept all night, Zhu Mingyue dozed off for a while before dawn and went to He An's house at the beginning of the morning.

He An also woke up at this time. He always got up early and had to cook medicine and porridge for his mother first. Only after taking good care of his mother could he feel at ease to go out.

When He An opened the door and saw it was him, he was startled: "Manager, has something happened?" Logically speaking, Zhu Mingyue should be sound asleep at home at this time.

Zhu Mingyue rubbed her nearly frozen fingers and breathed on them, saying, "Your brother Zhengyang is back. He's seriously injured. Go to the money exchange during the day and get some silver, then take it directly to the county clinic."

He An: "How much?"

"Two hundred taels." After saying that, Zhu Mingyue subconsciously reached into her pocket to take out her money, then stopped, a look of annoyance flashing across her face: "I left in a hurry and didn't bring any banknotes with me."

He An didn't ask about Li Zhengyang's condition. The fact that treatment would cost two hundred taels of silver indicated that the injury was extremely serious.

He urged, "Manager, please hurry over. I'll deliver the silver as soon as the money exchange opens. Our Mingyue Tower is familiar with the money exchange, so getting some silver on credit shouldn't be a problem."

Zhu Mingyue can rest assured about what he does.

After giving the instructions, he went to the clinic without stopping.

As soon as I reached the door, I heard a fierce argument inside. It was more of an argument than a furious outburst from the old doctor, while the rest of the voices were Li Zhengyang's mother pleading desperately.

When his son suffered this misfortune, the village chief's tone softened for once, and he appeared exceptionally sincere: "Doctor, my son is still young. Please, for the sake of his service on the battlefield, save him!"

"Please stop making things difficult for me! Help me, help me, how can I save you!"

The old doctor had a headache when he heard this. It was only because Zhu Mingyue used these words to morally blackmail him that he had taken in this injured patient for the first time ever.

Today, upon examination, the situation is extremely complicated. The middle part of the lower leg is already necrotic. If he can save it, then he truly deserves the title of a miracle worker.

His temper flared up, and although he opened his mouth, he ultimately didn't utter any harsh words: "This is simply unreasonable."

Zhu Mingyue stood at the door for a while, listening, her heart sinking.

A young apprentice medicine boy came out and looked at him curiously: "Why don't you go in, sir?"

Zhu Mingyue gave him a forced smile: "I'll go in now."

"Manager Zhu, you've come at the right time! Try to persuade them!" The old doctor pretended to pull him away. "It's not that we don't want to save them, it's that we really can't."

"I consider myself unlucky with the medicine last night, so I'll treat it as charity and give you fifty taels." He finished speaking, his heart aching. "Originally, I wouldn't have survived for more than two days, but now, if I take good care of myself, I can live a few more days."

Zhu Mingyue frowned: "Is there really no way to cure him?"

Ancient medical conditions were too backward. Although the knife wound on Li Zhengyang's leg was deep enough to expose the bone, in his previous life, if it had been treated in time, it might have only required stitches and not even amputation.

etc!

Amputation!

Zhu Mingyue's eyes lit up. "Doctor, is amputation possible?"

Li Zhengyang's wound had clearly exceeded the time required for suturing. The journey from Jizhou to Ganzhou was long, and the muscles and nerves had probably already died and were severely infected.

At this point, there was only one option left: to sacrifice a limb to save one's life.

The old doctor stared at him with his triangular eyes. "Manager Zhu, you even know about amputation?"

Zhu Mingyue was stunned for a moment, then immediately explained, "There is a doctor in my hometown who is highly skilled and will amputate limbs in such cases."

The old doctor's gaze was scrutinizing: "Where is your hometown?"

Zhu Mingyue swallowed hard, her face remaining calm and composed: "Ning Jiang."

The old doctor seemed thoughtful, then nodded: "There are indeed cases of amputation, which is the same principle as removing rotten flesh when it's decayed, but do you know what the risks of amputation are?"

Zhu Mingyue hesitated for a few seconds, then nodded. He knew, of course, that if the bleeding couldn't be stopped, death would be imminent.

The old doctor's words drifted back like a death knell: "Are you sure you want to amputate his leg?"

Zhu Mingyue fell silent. He finally realized that the old doctor knew about this treatment method but had never mentioned it.

If the other party dares not take responsibility for a dying life, so too does he.

He couldn't decide Li Zhengyang's life or death with a casual yes or no.

After a brief silence, he turned his gaze to the village chief and his wife.

The two hadn't spoken since he entered the door. "Are you going to cut off my son's leg?" Li Zhengyang's mother murmured listlessly.

At this moment, Li Zhengming suddenly shouted, "My brother is awake! Doctor, come quick, my brother is awake!"

Everyone snapped out of their daze and hurriedly squeezed into the back room.

Li Zhengyang was emaciated, and when he opened his eyes, they appeared unusually large, but he seemed listless.

Li Zhengyang forced a weak smile and said, "I heard everything you...you said."

Zhu Mingyue was somewhat surprised.

A faint glimmer of hope appeared in Li Zhengyang's eyes. "Give me an amputation!" He seemed to glance at Zhu Mingyue and added, "I... I asked for it myself. I will take responsibility for my own life and death. It has nothing to do with others."

“Good,” the old doctor finally smiled, “I’m relieved to hear that from you.”

He practiced medicine for decades and had seen all sorts of difficult and complicated cases. In his youth, he was bold and ambitious, even daring to perform amputations, but the results were never good. Some patients died on the spot, while others survived for some time before succumbing. He gained nothing and was instead blamed by the families as a quack doctor, who placed the blame on him. After many such incidents, he became disillusioned, and the specially crafted scalpel was shelved and never used again.

When He An arrived at the clinic with the money, the amputation surgery had just been performed.

It must be said that Li Zhengyang's physical condition was indeed impressive; he actually managed to pull through.

Of course, Zhu Mingyue's wallet was also very generous. With a wave of her hand, she ordered a bunch of the most expensive medicines. The debts on the ledger piled up layer by layer, which even made the village chief and his family of three tremble with fear. Zhu Mingtian didn't even blink an eye.

He couldn't control others, nor could he manage them, but he couldn't control Li Zhengyang. He couldn't be so wealthy as to watch his friend suffer because he couldn't afford good medicine.

The old doctor waved his hand at the elderly couple who tried to kowtow and thank him, saying, "Don't thank me, thank him. If it weren't for that medicine last night, he might not have made it." It could be said that the money saved his life. Recalling the several amputations he had performed in the past, no one had been willing to pay such a high price.

He clicked his tongue, looked at the bed where the boy had fallen unconscious again, and thought, "Maybe this kid really can survive."

He An asked breathlessly, "How is Brother Zhengyang?"

Seeing that he had brought the money, the old doctor patiently said, "His life has been saved for now. Whether he lives or dies depends on his own fate. If his condition is good in the next two weeks, he should be fine."

He Anxin calmed down and was about to speak when the other person sighed, "It's a pity that this leg is gone. He won't be able to work anymore."

He An gasped for breath again before he could catch his breath: !!

My legs are gone! What am I going to do?!

Zhu Mingyue: ...

"Life is the most important thing."

He An, the puppy, nodded: "That's right, that's right!"

On the way home, the village chief tried to give him all the money at once, saying, "Mingyue, this is all the money we have at home. Don't worry, we will definitely pay you back the money you lent us today."

How could they possibly repay it? Farmers who depend on the weather for their livelihood are already lucky if they can at least have enough to eat and wear. After Li Zhengyang left, their only source of income was Li Zhengming's salary.

Zhu Mingyue declined, saying, "I'll keep the money to buy some tonics and medicines for Brother Zhengyang; he needs them right now."

He didn't know what was going on, but he smiled and said, "Brother Zhengyang owes me money, which he should repay himself after he wakes up."

...

More than half a month has passed in the blink of an eye, and Li Zhengyang has recovered most of his energy.

The old doctor beamed with joy. This was the first time he had saved a life through amputation, which proved that there was nothing wrong with the amputation procedure or his medical skills. The previous failures were due to a variety of reasons and had nothing to do with his own medical skills.

He was in a good mood and treated Li Zhengyang quite well. During his free time at the clinic, he would stare at him for a long time, and would occasionally let out a laugh. His gaze didn't seem to be looking at a living person, but rather as if he were looking at a perfect work of art.

Li Zhengyang felt uneasy under Zhu Mingyue's gaze, but dared not be angry or speak out. Seeing Zhu Mingyue come to see him was like seeing a savior.

If you remove the image, Zhu Mingyue is his savior.

His parents said that he survived this time thanks to Zhu Mingyue's generous help, which pulled him back from the brink of death.

Zhu Mingyue placed the food from the lunchbox on the table, her tone arrogant: "Call me godfather and I'll hear it. If you don't, you won't get any food."

Li Zhengyang: ...

He wouldn't hear that "father" anymore. Even if Li Zhengyang was stupid, he still had his pride. His brother had suddenly become his godfather; no one could stand that.

Zhu Mingyue felt extremely regretful. "Forget it, I won't argue with you, you unfilial son. Let's eat."

Li Zhengyang couldn't help but think: His father always mentioned in front of him that Zhu Mingyue was his second parent. How would he feel if he heard Zhu Mingyue ask him to call him "Dad"? That feeling must be quite bittersweet!

Li Zhengyang sat up, drinking soup while staring at his missing right leg.

It would be a lie to say I wasn't heartbroken, but more than heartbroken, I felt incredibly fortunate to have survived.

Fortunately, he only lost a leg, not his life.

You have two legs, but only one life; it's not worth it no matter how you look at it.

Li Zhengyang was in good spirits today and was able to sit up on his own. Although his phantom limb was in a lot of pain, it was still within his tolerance.

Not only was he able to eat on his own despite the pain, but he also became more talkative.

"It's better that I lost my leg; at least I don't have to go to the battlefield anymore," Li Zhengyang comforted himself.

"The battlefield was too brutal. In just two days, countless soldiers of Jizhou died or were wounded." Li Zhengyang's thoughts drifted back to the scene of that day, and his teeth clenched involuntarily.

Zhu Mingyue lowered her eyes, her fingers curling slightly as she held the plate. "Have the Southern Barbarians already attacked Jizhou?"

Li Zhengyang shook his head: "It was our Jizhou army that took the initiative to attack Suiyuan."

Zhu Mingyue looked up, puzzled: "Why? Is it an order from the imperial court?"

He was furious. What was the difference between this action and suicide?

Li Zhengyang glanced at the empty doorway and lowered his voice, saying, "It would be good if the imperial court really intervened. It's precisely because the court is not intervening that the General had no choice but to issue this order; it was a desperate measure."

"The army's food supplies are running low. If our soldiers continue to drag this out, they will starve to death. Either way, we're going to die, so we might as well take the initiative and attack. At least we'll have a glimmer of hope."

Zhu Mingyue took a deep breath, her voice trembling slightly: "Where's Xie Pei? How is Xie Pei?"

He An: "I don't know either. The general is very busy. He spends most of his time in the Grand General's tent. I almost never run into him."

Sensing the worry in Zhu Mingyue's tone, he added, "But he should be fine. My parents told me that the general had the grain convoy deliver it back on his behalf. At least the general was perfectly fine before I was injured."

He regretted it as soon as he said it. What kind of comfort was that? He secretly glanced at the other person and saw that his face looked even worse.

After a long silence, Zhu Mingyue slowly spoke: "Did the Jizhou army start the war against the Southern Barbarians because they were short of food?"

“Hmm,” Li Zhengyang replied, “If we run out of supplies, we’re doomed. We might as well take a gamble.”

"I see."

Zhu Mingyue stood up, her hands clenched into fists, her eyes filled with an unprecedented determination.

Li Zhengyang's heart skipped a beat: "What are you going to do?"

"Procurement of grain."

The air seemed to freeze for a moment. Li Zhengyang remained silent for a long time, as if pondering the truthfulness of the two words Zhu Mingyue had blurted out.

After an unknown amount of time, a layer of oil congealed in the chicken soup in the bowl. He put down the bowl and said helplessly, "This is no small matter. Even the Great General couldn't do it. How can you possibly do it?"