Chapter 26 – A Generous Father-in-Law

Chapter 26 - A Generous Father-in-Law

"The injuries are severe, but the wounds have been treated, and with my timely arrival, there's still hope for recovery," Dr. Li informed them.

Song Que's face lit up with joy.

"Is that truly so, Dr. Li?!" He turned to the physician with an expression of pleasant surprise.

Dr. Li nodded in affirmation.

"However, your leg has wounds from both a wolf's bite and a hunting trap, which carry different poisons. They'll require distinct medications."

"To fully heal, the cost of the medicine might be substantial."

"At any rate, we must treat it!" Just then, a voice echoed from outside the door.

Both Dr. Li and Song Que turned to look, and two burly men entered the room.

It was Qin San Ya's father, Qin Dazhuang, and her elder brother, Qin Dahu.

The two had come to the Song residence to assess the situation and deliver silver to their daughter and sister.

Upon arrival, they learned that Dr. Li had already arrived, so they promptly headed for this room.

Qin Dazhuang stepped forward.

Upon seeing Song Que's injured leg, his brow immediately furrowed.

It seemed his daughter hadn't lied to him; his son-in-law had indeed suffered greatly in the mountains.

Qin Dahu also frowned at the sight of his brother-in-law's injury, regretting not stopping his wife and stepmother from bullying his sister the previous day.

"Dr. Li, how much will it cost to heal my son-in-law's leg?" Qin Dazhuang asked the physician.

Dr. Li rose to his feet and bowed slightly to Qin Dazhuang.

Then, he cast another glance at Song Que on the bed, getting a clear idea of the situation.

So it turned out that the injured Scholar Song was actually the son-in-law of Butcher Qin.

Recalling some rumors he had heard previously, a glint of amusement flickered in Dr. Li's eyes.

Seems like one shouldn't believe all the hearsay.

Though Lady Qin did have a rather robust appearance, her character was impeccable. She cared deeply for her husband.

As for Butcher Qin, his attitude towards his son-in-law didn't seem fake either.

"Judging by the situation, around ten taels of silver would be needed. The dosage will be heavier in the beginning, but once there's noticeable improvement after a month, we can gradually reduce it and proceed with a gentler treatment."

Running his fingers through his beard, Dr. Li pondered before continuing, "For a complete recovery, I'd say it'll take at least half a year."

Upon hearing this, everyone was startled.

"Of course, he should be able to walk around on his own after about a month and a half. However, even when he's up and about, he must be well taken care of and avoid excessive movement."

Song Que was deeply affected by these words.

Even Qin Dazhuang and Qin Dahu put aside their animosity; only one thought reverberated in their minds: In half a year, his legs would fully recover.

He wouldn't become a cripple...

"Determine the treatment then!" Qin Dazhuang promptly declared.

After saying that, he fished out his money pouch and handed it to Dr. Li.

Upon seeing this, admiration flickered in Dr. Li's eyes, but he didn't take the pouch.

"You don't need to pay all at once. Later, I'll write a prescription and give some medical instructions. Follow those guidelines and get your medicine at BaiCao Hall. The hall will charge you according to each dosage."

Hearing this, the three of them felt reassured.

"How much do you charge for this consultation?" Qin Dazhuang asked, preparing to open his money bag again.

Dr. Li turned to assess Song Que's injuries.

"The house call fee is twenty copper coins, and Lady Qin has already paid a deposit of ten. So, you still owe ten. The consultation fee is five coins. Add to that the powder used and the medicine to be changed later... let's settle on eighty coins," he said.

Qin Dazhuang was taken aback.

Glancing at his son-in-law's injury, he asked doubtfully, "Only eighty wen?"

"Indeed," Dr. Li replied.

"I usually carry common medicinal remedies when I venture out to treat patients. My main purpose this time is to assess the injured person's condition and provide some initial care."

"For Scholar Song's injury, the key will be the subsequent medications. You'll need to purchase both topical and oral treatments from BaiCao Hall yourselves."

Qin Dazhuang understood.

Nodding, he promptly took out a silver coin from his purse and handed it to Dr. Li.

The doctor didn't decline and accepted the payment, giving Qin Dazhuang twenty wen in change.

Qin Dazhuang initially refused the change, but Dr. Li insisted, forcing him to accept it.

At that moment, Qin Xiaoyao brought hot water. Seeing her father actually pay for the medical fees, her eyes started to redden.

Dr. Li paid no heed to these matters and urged Qin Xiaoyao to promptly fetch hot water and a cloth to begin cleaning Song Que's wounds.

Qin Dazhuang and Qin Dahu seized the opportunity to lead Qin Xiaoyao out of the room.

In the courtyard,

Qin Dazhuang immediately handed the money pouch to Qin Xiaoyao.

"Dr. Li said that your husband's injury will take half a year to fully heal, and the total expenses, including follow-ups, would roughly amount to ten taels of silver."

"Take this money, there's no need for a promissory note."

With such severe injuries, if left untreated, her husband might end up disabled.

Under these circumstances, it was truly unnecessary to push for a written agreement.

As for his wife's dissatisfaction, so be it. He could always endure a scolding when he returned home.

Qin Dahu also fished out two taels of silver from his pocket and slipped them into his sister's hand.

"Our visit was sudden, so Father and I didn't bring anything for you two. Consider this a token of gratitude from your elder brother."

"About what happened yesterday, don't hold it against your eldest sister-in-law."

Qin Xiaoyao felt the silver coins scorching her hands.

Although she didn't want to accept money from her father or elder brother, she had no choice but to receive it reluctantly.

After some thought, she opened the money pouch her father gave her and took out five taels, returning the rest to Qin Dazhuang.

"It's not like we need all ten taels at once. Borrowing five from Father should be sufficient. You can take the rest back to Aunt and repay her."

Seeing Qin Dazhuang's objection, Qin Xiaoyao continued, "This way, even if my husband doesn't write a promissory note, Aunt shouldn't have much of an issue."

"Besides, talk to Aunt nicely and assure her that we'll definitely repay the debt within half a year."

Qin Dazhuang still refused to take it and tried persuading his daughter to keep the money.

But Qin Xiaoyao forcefully stuffed the money pouch back into his hands.

"I understand Father's intentions. However, Aunt is now with child, and there are many expenses to consider for her sake."

"I wouldn't resort to borrowing if I truly had no other choice at the moment."

"Please, do explain this to Aunt. After we overcome this difficult period, I'll personally thank her."

Qin Dazhuang was astonished by his daughter's transformation and felt even more pained in his heart.

Meanwhile, Qin Dahu was completely stunned.

Not only was he surprised by his sister's words, but he was also shocked that she mentioned their stepmother being pregnant.

So, did this mean...

He was going to be an elder brother again?

"Sis will shamelessly accept your silver, Big Brother," Qin Xiaoyao said, then turned her gaze towards Qin Dahu.

"When Sis's situation improves, I'll buy more treats for my little nephew."

Qin Dahu paused, reaching up to scratch his head in confusion.

"Still unsure if my elder sister-in-law can give birth to a son," he said, a hint of embarrassment in his voice.

Six years older than his sister, he had been married for three years, but his wife's womb had remained silent all this time.

With this long-awaited pregnancy finally happening, he was now incredibly nervous.