Chapter 32 The So-Called "Man and Horse Overturned"
Uncle Zhao had no choice but to give up. He turned to the crowd and said, "Please, everyone, take a look at my young lady's cat. Is there any way to save it?"
"We are all skilled at treating large livestock, and we don't know much about these cats."
“I treated this raccoon a couple of days ago. Its belly was quite large, and its intestines were blocked. I think it was because there was too much fur in its belly, and it had been there for too long, so it couldn't eat or defecate. I fed it herbal medicine and squeezed some clear oil into its anus, but it still couldn't defecate after seven or eight days. I'm afraid it's not going to make it now.”
"No, I don't want Yuanbao to die!" The little girl clung tightly to the cat, tears streaming down her face.
Jiang Nuanzhi went to check and saw that it was a tabby cat, a large male. It wasn't in good spirits and was moving with difficulty. Its mouth and nose were wide open, as if it was having trouble breathing. It was also occasionally gagging, but nothing came out.
Jiang Nuanzhi walked up to the little girl: "Can I see your cat? Perhaps I can try to save it."
The little girl looked at Jiang Nuanzhi with her big, watery eyes. She remembered that this person had just saved her. After thinking for a moment, she let go of his hand.
Jiang Nuanzhi touched the cat's abdomen and found that the blockage was as big as a child's fist, so it couldn't be expelled. After examining it carefully, she understood what was going on. She looked at the little girl and said, "It can be cured, but it will require surgery."
Old Master Lü listened to Jiang Nuanzhi's words with great interest: "How should we operate?"
"It involves opening up the abdomen, removing the hairball, and then stitching it up."
"Disemboweled? And still alive?"
Jiang Nuanzhi: "Yes."
These words caused another huge uproar. The surrounding area erupted in uproar.
Jiang Nuanzhi: "If you trust me, go and prepare the things. If we delay any longer, this cat will really be beyond saving."
"Hey? Have you guys heard?"
"A remarkable woman has emerged from our Liujiang County. I heard that she saved the young lady of Magistrate Feng's family today. Her medical skills are unparalleled, and even Elder Lü praised her highly."
"woman?"
"Of course! Apparently, she's a veterinarian. She actually saved a dying raccoon by cutting it open!"
"You must be talking nonsense! She'd been cut open; how could she possibly survive? A woman practicing medicine? Unheard of!"
"Tsk, how can you not believe it? Today, Magistrate Feng's residence invited more than a dozen veterinarians, but none of them could cure it. It was this female doctor who cured it."
“Yes, yes, I know! What he said is true! My uncle is at Magistrate Feng’s house today. He also said that the female doctor’s prices were very fair. Although she saved the magistrate’s daughter’s life, she only charged one tael of silver.”
"See? I told you the truth. I've also heard that the female doctor lives in Xinghua Village. Her surname is Jiang and her given name is Nuanzhi."
Listening to the chatter of the crowd, Xie Liangchen frowned and asked, "Is there a female doctor surnamed Jiang in Xinghua Village?"
Afu, leading his horse, frowned and pondered: "In our Xinghua Village, among those with the surname Jiang, I only know Jiang Pangya."
Xie Liangchen scoffed disdainfully upon hearing this.
"Does she have that ability?"
Afu immediately laughed: "Of course, how could such a coarse peasant woman be such a virtuous female doctor? She's not even worthy of carrying shoes for a female doctor."
"Forget it, I guess we're not familiar with Xinghua Village yet. And you, why bring her up all the time? It's just annoying." Xie Liangchen thought of a certain fat woman and suddenly felt irritated.
He then sneezed loudly.
"Young Master, are you alright?" Afu asked worriedly, handing him a handkerchief.
“You’re not feeling well, you should rest properly. Zhao Yuniang said she’d buy you a horse, just let her. Why insist on pawning your thumb ring? We really have nothing left now.”
Xie Liangchen coughed twice, then frowned and glanced at Afu: "Without a horse, how can I get a proper rest? Tomorrow morning when I go to the academy, am I supposed to squeeze into a donkey cart?"
"Also, from now on, don't accept anything from any woman. Haven't you been scolded enough already?"
Afu immediately shrank his neck and said, "Yes, yes, young master, Afu knows he was wrong. He will never let those unimportant women near you again."
Xie Liangchen rolled her eyes at him and got into the carriage.
Afu jumped on to drive the carriage, smiling obsequiously, "I knew you had a discerning eye, young master. This horse is tall and imposing, much better than the one from Jiang Nuan's family."
Xie Liangchen looked at his horse and nodded in satisfaction: "The horse is indeed magnificent, and the woman who sold the horse is indeed a good person."
Afu nodded hurriedly: "Young master is right. We asked several places, and they all said that a horse like this would cost at least twenty taels. A horse this strong would cost twenty-five taels. That woman must have needed the money urgently, so she sold it to us for fifteen taels. We really got a great deal today."
As she spoke, she glanced at Xie Liangchen's face and added, "It's all thanks to you, young master, that you spotted this horse at a glance. That woman probably sold it for such a low price because of your handsome appearance. Afu is truly blessed to be able to follow you, young master."
Xie Liangchen rolled his eyes at him and cursed, "Sycophant."
But the corners of her mouth couldn't help but curl up slightly.
He was indeed in a good mood, not for any other reason than that he wouldn't have to wait for the donkey cart next to Jiang Pangya's house tomorrow.
After Jiang Nuanzhi had the cat's surgery done by Magistrate Feng, he earned an extra tael of silver.
The previous incident was just a child choking, and she was embarrassed to charge so much. This is a proper surgery, requiring specific conditions, surgical technique, and post-operative care. Charging one or two ounces is not excessive at all.
With the two taels of silver she had earned, Jiang Nuanzhi went straight to the North Market and bought all sorts of household items, including a large quantity of flour and oil, as well as plenty of everyday vegetables. She also bought new shoes for the whole family, spending a full tael of silver before heading back home, her basket overflowing with goods.
Humming a little tune on my way home, I saw a carriage overturned in the distance.
Jiang Nuanzhi rode forward on horseback, raising an eyebrow involuntarily. Oh, it's an acquaintance.
There was a horse-drawn carriage lying on its side on the ground, without a canopy. The horse was not far away, still trapped in the carriage, convulsing and foaming at the mouth.
Xie Liangchen lay not far away, clutching his arm, clearly injured and unable to move.
Afu, completely distraught, shook him vigorously, shouting loudly, "Young Master, what should we do? The horse seems to be sick!"
What should we do?
"This is the horse we bought for fifteen taels of silver!"
Jiang Nuanzhi looked at Xie Liangchen, who was in so much pain that he could barely speak, and silently mourned for him for a second.
Xie Liangchen is quite a good servant; he firmly chose property over personal safety.
"Hey, why aren't you cutting the reins of the carriage? Do you want your horse, which you bought for fifteen taels of silver, to be strangled to death?"
Jiang Nuanzhi couldn't help but offer a reminder.
Almost instinctively, Afu reached out and cut the carriage ropes.
The horse, freed from the carriage's restraints, lay flat on the ground convulsing, foaming at the corners of its mouth, looking even more ill.
"What should we do, young master!"
Afu turned around to look for the young master, and suddenly saw Jiang Nuanzhi riding on horseback. His expression immediately turned unfriendly: "What, it's you!"
Jiang Nuanzhi shrugged: "Do you need medical treatment? A fair price, two taels of silver."
"You fatso, you actually dare to try and extort money from us now! How could we fall for your tricks?" Afu rolled his eyes at Jiang Nuanzhi.
"A-Fu!" Xie Liangchen, finally free from A-Fu's clutches, breathed a sigh of relief and said through gritted teeth, "You... hurry back to Xinghua Village to find a doctor."
Afu's eyes lit up: "That's right, there's an amazing female doctor in our village! Her name is Jiang Nuanzhi! If we invite her, she'll definitely be able to cure our horse!"
After taking a couple of steps, he suddenly turned around and looked at Jiang Nuanzhi arrogantly: "Hey, you fatso, lend me your horse."
(End of this chapter)
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