Chapter 53: Settling Scores ◇

◎ Let us now account for the injury inflicted upon my mother! ◎

The matriarch felt an overwhelming sorrow, remembering only one phrase: A fallen tiger is bullied by even a dog!

In times past, her East Yuan Marquis House, located at the feet of the emperor, basked in glory, with all seeking to curry favor. Who dared provoke them? Let alone lay a hand on her granddaughter-in-law?

Mrs. Chen was also weeping in fear.

Just then, the daughter-in-law standing beside the matriarch suddenly leaped up. Seizing the opportunity while Dashu's wife helped Yu Lian with her clothing and Yu Lian's eyes were still closed, defenseless, she pushed Yu Lian again. This time, her hair was caught, and her palm raised.

As that slap was about to land, Mrs. Chen abruptly released the matriarch's arm, mustering all her courage to rush forward and embrace her daughter-in-law, redirecting the blow to her own head.

Being a country woman who had grown strong from labor, fueled by anger and the desire for revenge, the force of Mrs. Chen's slap, combined with her delicate constitution, caused her to faint onto Yu Lian.

Only then did Yu Lian open her eyes, her face turning cold at the sight. She asked Dashu's wife for help to steady her mother-in-law, then stepped forward herself.

She was always known for her smiling demeanor, never putting on airs, and comporting herself with grace. No one had ever seen her like this before. The startled Hua Baogui's wife instinctively took two steps back. Yu Lian seized her wrist and twisted it, leaving the woman frozen on the spot, terrified that Yu Lian would retaliate. Her own mother-in-law was also scolding from behind.

Yu Lian was not in the mood to argue with these people. In the face of life and safety, everything else could wait.

She coldly released Hua Baogui's daughter-in-law's hand, her gaze stunning the mother and daughter into silence. As Yu Lian walked over, those surrounding Hua Baogui subconsciously made way for her.

Ma Dafen and a few villagers from the team rushed over, standing protectively behind Yu Lian, fearing that the aggressive mother and daughter would attack again.

One of them grumbled, "Miss Lian didn't even invite you. You insisted on coming over here and meddling, only to end up causing more trouble and injuring yourself. I don't think it's Miss Lian's fault; Hua Baogui was just being stubborn and reckless."

Yu Lian sighed inwardly but had no time to dwell on this. She stepped forward to examine Hua Baogui's injuries. It seemed he had hit his head, blood trickling down the back of his skull, leaving a dark red stain on the ground.

If it were his forehead, Yu Lian might have been more at ease, but the back of the head was the most vulnerable spot and critical to the brain. The risk was significant.

She turned to the others and asked, "Is there a doctor in the village? Someone, go fetch them quickly."

Dashu's wife replied, "There's only a barefoot doctor, but he's been away for several days, gathering medicinal herbs."

"What do we do now? He's lost so much blood. Will he survive?"

At that moment, Hua Baogui's mother rushed over, wailing and screaming, trying to reach her son. Yu Lian, with a stern expression, held her back. "If you don't want your son to live, then go ahead and throw yourself at him. You can continue to make a scene, but if you delay his treatment, it will be your fault if he doesn't make it."

"Why blame me, why blame me? You ungrateful young lass, my son came with the best intentions to assist you, and now that something has gone wrong, you fault me, his mother? Was it my fault that I didn't stop him from doing this foolish act, insisting on helping out at your residence? He shouldn't have been so naive, my foolish son!"

Yu Lian was disinclined to waste her breath arguing with a rustic old woman. She turned and instructed a few swift young men to hurry after Sanshu and Hua Sanduo. The carriage was in their possession, and with no physician in the village, they would have to take the injured to the town for treatment. At this moment, the carriage was a crucial time-saving instrument that could mean the difference between life and death!

Several robust young men immediately rushed out, their urgency almost leaving afterimages behind. Everyone held their breaths and spoke in hushed tones, afraid of delaying anything. As Yu Lian had said, no one could afford to jeopardize a single life.

At that moment, Hua Zhan had just arrived, followed by a trail of villagers. He had brought the twin brothers to assist with the land clearance, where the fields were expansive and situated somewhat distant from the ongoing house construction.

Seeing his wife unconscious, being carried away, he furrowed his brows. Similar to his daughter-in-law's thoughts, now was not the time to dwell on other matters; the priority was to save her life.

Hua Zhan crouched down for a closer inspection. With his military background, he had some basic knowledge of treating external injuries. He promptly bound Hua Baogui's head wound with a cloth to prevent excessive blood loss.

At this moment, Sanshu arrived with a carriage. Under Yu Lian's guidance, a few men carefully lifted Hua Baogui onto it.

Yu Lian then climbed into the carriage herself, followed closely by Hua Zhan. The elderly woman hurriedly instructed her son, "Keep an eye on things. Whatever happens, make sure Lian'er doesn't suffer any losses."

Hua Baogui's mother-in-law also tried to join, but Yu Lian pointed at her daughter-in-law, "You come alone. The carriage can't accommodate that many people; we don't have time to waste."

Yu Lian also asked Dashu's wife to accompany them. As a local, strong, and capable young woman, she would be of assistance in whatever tasks lay ahead.

To make the carriage move faster, Yu Lian didn't allow more people to board. Sanshu cracked the whip, and the carriage sped towards the village's outskirts. Hua Sanduo ran behind, followed by the second uncle's youngest son. He recalled his father saying that Woodhead's ancestors had done a great favor to the village, so they should look after his family. With such a major incident happening, one of the three brothers needed to follow. Woodhead's family was unfamiliar with the area, and if they encountered a dishonest doctor or any other trouble, they might be at a disadvantage.

Moreover, Hua Baogui's mother was no easy person to deal with. By being there, he could provide evidence for Woodhead and his daughter-in-law, preventing them from being unfairly blamed in case anything went wrong. Knowing their temperament, it wasn't impossible for them to do so.

They managed to shorten the original two-hour journey by more than half, reaching their destination in just over an hour. Sanshu was on high alert throughout, never feeling so exhausted from driving before. With a life at stake, he pushed himself harder, fearing that any delay could cost someone's life, and he would never forgive himself if that happened.

Upon arriving at the town's most renowned clinic, Sanshu wiped his sweat and instructed them to carefully carry Hua Baogui out.

He rushed inside, shouting for the doctor to come quickly and save the patient.

This was the largest clinic in town, with branches in both the county and the capital. The hired assistants were efficient, promptly bringing a wooden stretcher to carry the injured man inside.

The doctor appeared to be in his late fifties or early sixties, with half his hair already white. After taking Hua Baogui's pulse, he asked what heavy object had struck him.

Dashu's wife, who was present during the accident, described it clearly: "It was a large timber used for constructing load-bearing pillars. He wasn't supposed to help, but he insisted and got into a scuffle. His hands slipped, causing the wood to fall from his shoulder and hit him right on the head."

The doctor stroked his beard and sighed, "He was just a fraction of an inch away from losing his life, and even now, it might be too late for rescue."

"Doctor, is there still a chance to save him?"

The physician replied, "It's up to fate now. I'll insert silver needles into his pressure points to stop the bleeding, then dress the wound. Afterward, give him a bowl of decocted medicine. If he makes it through tonight, there's hope. If not, you should immediately carry him away. Don't delay."

This outcome was much better than Yu Lian had anticipated. She had even thought that this rural town might lack reliable medical clinics or physicians. Besides, the journey from the village to the town could be a fatal obstacle for someone with a bleeding head injury; he might die from blood loss on the way.

Any chance of survival was the best they could hope for.

Hua Baogui's wife, being in a reputable medical hall, dared not scream or make a scene. Instead, she covered her face and wept quietly. The senior physician glared at her. "He's still alive. Why are you crying? If you want to bring bad luck, do it outside, not in my clinic."

After the physician scolded her, Hua Baogui's wife dared not utter a sound. Her tears were genuine. She had initially thought marrying Hua Baogui was a fortunate event. With so many elder sisters doting on him like a son, and his parents treating him as a treasure, all the family's benefits went to him. She would naturally enjoy endless advantages after marrying him.

Unexpectedly, only a year into the marriage, and without having children, Hua Baogui encountered such a disaster. If she became a widow, she would struggle to find a good remarriage prospect.

No one paid attention to the young wife's scheming thoughts. After thanking the physician, Yu Lian went to the front hall to settle the medical fees and consultation charges. She also requested an official receipt. As the physician didn't allow onlookers during the needle treatment, they retreated outside to wait. Two pharmacy assistants carried the tools, including needles and medicines, following the senior physician inside.

About an incense stick's time later, the senior physician emerged and instructed, "When the medicine is ready, administer it. Don't spill a single drop."

The apprentice prepared the medicine, and Yu Lian's payment covered the senior physician's consultation fee, which was the bulk of the expense. Then came the cost of the herbs and the apprentice's labor for decocting the medicine. In total, it cost her five and a half taels of silver.

Only at this point did Yu Lian have the mind to inquire about the previous events. The story was recounted in detail by Dashu's wife.

"It was my fault, really. Perhaps seeing that I was valued by you, Yu Lian, for helping out, my sister-in-law also found work for my third brother. Hua Baogui, who had previously failed to be selected, became envious and started buzzing around like a fly, touching things here and there. My eldest brother warned him not to cause trouble, but he wouldn't listen and insisted on assisting."

"Coincidentally, he saw them moving wood and rushed over to help, even though they didn't want his assistance. In the scuffle, he lost his footing and fell, and in doing so, he not only hurt himself but also collided with others. Several men were carrying a log on their shoulders, and it slipped down, hitting his head."

"I haven't even mentioned that he hit his own head, and several of those moving the wood also injured their feet. Just now, they all endured the pain for fear of delaying the work. He truly harms both himself and others."

Hua Baogui's wife, with her head bowed, wanted to refute but found herself speechless. If her mother-in-law were here, the old woman, with her thick skin and sharp tongue, might have had a few retorts.

Yu Lian looked at her and said, "Did you hear that? Hua Baogui brought this upon himself. He entered our construction site without my permission, leading to this accident. Therefore, the blame does not lie with me. Now, let's discuss the matter of you injuring my mother."