The hunter, head bowed and legs clenched, convulsed on the ground, occasionally letting out painful groans.
Qin Yuan asked, "Did you hurt your leg?"
The guard standing in front said, "He rushed in from the side while chasing the dog. Our horses didn't have time to stop their hooves, and we probably stepped on him."
If you were trampled by a galloping horse, you would almost certainly suffer a broken bone.
However, since they were traveling on the official road with carriages and horses in front and behind them, and their speed was not particularly fast, it's hard to say.
Qin Yuan said, "You hold him down, I'll come closer to take a look."
Gu Shiba was taken aback for a moment, then immediately ordered several guards: "You guys hold him down and don't let him move around. Let the madam take a look."
Someone couldn't help but advise, "Madam, if he is seriously injured, we can take him into the city to find a doctor. He is a countryman, he smells of sweat, and he is covered in mud and grass... Don't offend him."
The hunter's voice was hoarse from the pain, but he still couldn't help but curse angrily, "You scoundrel! Let me go! I don't need you..."
Before he could finish speaking, Gu Shiba shouted, "Just do as I say, what are you talking about?"
The guards dared not speak again, and the men quickly subdued the hunter.
Qin Yuan slowly approached, had someone lift the hunter's trouser leg, but did not touch it, only looked at it briefly, asked a few questions, and then said, "It seems that his leg is broken. As the saying goes, it takes a hundred days to recover from a broken bone. We should take him into the city to have him checked. Otherwise, people will say that we are using our power to bully others."
The guards were about to lift him up and place him on the horse.
The hunter struggled to fall, saying, "I'm not going. My leg isn't broken. I know my own injury. I'll just stay home and recover. If you feel bad about hurting my leg, just give me some silver."
He was tall and muscular, and it was quite difficult for others to lift him.
Qin Yuan then asked, "Who else is in your family?"
"There's hardly anyone here. I'm full, so my whole family isn't hungry." The hunter's voice was hoarse. His head was wrapped tightly in a dirty turban, and a cloth was also wrapped around his neck, covering half of his face, making it impossible to tell his age.
Qin Yuan smiled and said, "In that case, come with us into the city to find a good doctor to see you, so that you don't develop a chronic illness and then be unable to go hunting in the mountains. Even if you don't have to think about others, you should at least think about yourself."
The hunter refused to back down: "There's still some game at home that hasn't been cleaned. By the time I get back from the city, it'll probably be spoiled. We have recipes passed down for generations. What hunter doesn't get some bumps and bruises?"
Gu Shiba then asked, "What kind of wild game? How much is it worth?"
The hunter began to count: "A few rabbits, three or four pheasants, and some spores..."
Gu Baozhu, still on horseback, couldn't help but say, "Hey, you're quite a skilled hunter. Consider these things as gifts from the Marquis's mansion. Let's go, stop arguing. Just name your price!"
The hunter remained adamant: "I'm not going. I'll just go home and rest."
At this moment, Gu Shiba hesitated.
"lady……"
Qin Yuan turned back to the carriage and said with a smile, "That's not up to him. He trespassed on the Marquis's carriage and should have been punished. But he was spared because he was injured. This man must be taken to a clinic for a check-up. If he's fine, let him go. If something is wrong, let the clinic take good care of him. His game is worth at most twenty taels of silver. Just give it to him."
The hunter stopped struggling.
"...Really...give me twenty taels of silver?"
Gu Shiba said irritably, "We are from the Marquis of Dingbei's mansion, would we lie to you?"
The hunter then said, "Alright, it's settled then. Twenty taels of silver, not a penny less. Besides, I don't have any money to pay for my injuries, so you'll have to pay for that."
Gu Shiba: "Okay,"
As he spoke, he threw him onto the horse.
Qin Yuan said, "His leg is injured, so he can't ride a horse by himself. You can carry him on the horse's back."
Gu Shiba: "...Okay..."
The hunter smiled wryly and said, "Although my foot is injured, I can still ride the horse, madam, you don't need to..."
Gu Shiba then reached out and pinned the person down, saying, "Why are you making such a fuss?"
The hunter remained silent.
Although Gu Shiba was tall, the hunter was even taller and had to be placed horizontally on the horse.
Everyone who saw it felt sorry for him.
Qin Yuan smiled and returned to the carriage. Hongye then whispered, "Why does Miss insist on sending this person to the clinic? Wouldn't it be better to just give him some money? It's troublesome for us, and he wouldn't want to either."
Qin Yuan winked and said loudly, "Our carriage bears the clan emblem of the Marquis of Dingbei. If we hit him and don't take him to the clinic for treatment, people who don't know the situation will just say we're abusing our power. It's better to take him to the clinic for proper treatment. Whether he appreciates it or not is his business. No one will say anything bad about us."
Hongye suddenly realized, "So it was for the sake of the Marquis's reputation."
Qin Yuan chuckled lightly, "You can also take it as me wanting to accumulate some good karma and do some good deeds."
Cui Ming frowned slightly but did not speak.
After traveling about ten miles, Qin Yuan ordered again, "Stop the car."
Gu Shiba reined in his horse and asked, "What are your orders, Madam?"
Qin Yuan said, "Seventh Sister, please get in the carriage. We're about to enter the city. It'll be better if you sit down."
Gu Baozhu was initially reluctant, but considering that she would need Qin Yuan to speak well of her to Old Madam Gu after returning to the mansion, she changed her mind and obediently got into the carriage.
The hunter hurriedly said, "Madam, Madam, there's an extra horse here. Could I ride it? I'm so shaken by it, my gall bladder is about to pop out."
Qin Yuan added, "Eighteen, this guy talks too much, I don't want to listen. Gag him and tie his hands up, so he won't misbehave."
Gu Shiba quickly pulled off the handkerchief the hunter was wearing around his neck, and without even shaking it, stuffed it into his mouth along with the dirt. He then twisted the hunter's hands behind his back and tied them up to prevent him from pulling the handkerchief out.
Hunter: "!"
Gu Shiba said, "Reporting to Madam, this person has been gagged and his hands are tied behind his back. He won't say another word."
"Well done."
Qin Yuan's voice was tinged with laughter.
"Eighteen, there's something I just remembered. You should tie his legs up properly too, so that he doesn't bounce around and break his bones and then it won't be easy to straighten them."
Gu Shiba: "There's such a saying?"
Everyone: "..."
Qin Yuan said, "Yes, you forgot the old lady's most treasured little dog. Once it broke its leg and they tied it up with a wooden stick. It took a long time to recover, and it was still a little lame. The imperial physician said it was because when it was first broken, the dog was being naughty and dragged its injured leg around for a while, which caused the bone to dislocate."
Gu Baozhu stared at Qin Yuan in surprise, about to speak, when Qin Yuan smiled gently, took a piece of candied fruit from the tray on the table and put it into her mouth, saying, "Eat it, is it sweet? Your third brother loves this the most."
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
