The next day, as dawn was just breaking.
Tao Lengshuang and Xiao Feng saw Mo Lingxi off. The mother and son stood in place, their breath misting in the cold.
"Mother, it didn't snow last night, and the snow on the ground isn't too thick. Do we still need to go up the mountain?" He wanted to find something on the mountain, otherwise, winter would be too difficult to endure.
Tao Lengshuang was also considering this, but she was hesitant.
It was too cold to go up the mountain on a day like this, and it wasn't certain they would find anything. A single misstep could leave them covered in snow and water.
"Mo family, help me get two doses of medicine for a cold."
Just then, a villager walked over and handed Tao Lengshuang five copper coins. "My mother has had a cold for several days, and it's not getting better; it's even gotten worse. I have to come get medicine."
Tao Lengshuang didn't prescribe medicine lightly. She took Xiao Feng to the villager's home, examined the mother's condition, and then prepared two doses of medicine.
After that, five or six other villagers came to Tao Lengshuang for medicine, one after another.
Most were suffering from colds, and one had accidentally sprained his waist while working.
She earned thirty copper coins.
Looking at the thirty copper coins, Tao Lengshuang gave a self-deprecating smile. She had been practicing medicine for many years, and had never charged so little.
It was all due to the circumstances.
"At least there's an income, right, Xiao Feng?"
Xiao Feng nodded like a pecking chicken and gave a thumbs-up, praising, "Mother is the best! Xiao Feng can't earn money, but Mother can earn thirty copper coins. That's amazing!"
Hearing her son's soft, sweet praise, Tao Lengshuang's mood instantly lifted, and she no longer cared about how much she earned.
"I believe our Xiao Feng will be very, very capable in the future and earn a lot of money."
Xiao Feng held his head high and patted his chest, promising, "Don't worry, Mother. When I grow up, I'll earn a lot of money for you to spend."
Tao Lengshuang hugged him, her eyes full of smiles. "Xiao Feng is so filial. Then Mother will just wait for you to earn a lot of money for me to spend."
Xiao Feng repeatedly promised that he would earn a lot of money when he grew up and spend it on his mother.
Tao Lengshuang's heart was warmed. Her little "cotton-padded jacket" was truly too well-behaved.
"Mo family!"
At this moment, Aunt Shen Er ran over with a smile, saying urgently, "Do you know that the Tao family was hung at the village chief's door all night?"
Tao Lengshuang guessed it was Mo Lingxi's doing and pretended to be surprised, smiling, "Which chivalrous person did such a good deed?"
Aunt Shen Er slapped her thigh and said it was indeed a chivalrous person who did such a great deed. She also mentioned that everyone in the Tao family had fallen ill.
"Oh, and that middle-aged man from the Tao family also fell ill, but he left by carriage. It's said that the Tao family tried to keep him for a long time but couldn't."
Tao Lengshuang knew without thinking that the Tao family wanted the middle-aged man to pay for medicine and help them treat their illnesses.
But the middle-aged man was also ill and wouldn't care about the Tao family. As long as the Tao family didn't die, that was enough.
"There will be more excitement from the Tao family. Let's just watch."
Aunt Shen Er said directly that everyone in the village knew about the Tao family fighting over money and houses yesterday.
With the Tao family's selfish and malicious nature, there would be plenty of trouble in the future.
"Mo family, are you going up the mountain later?"
She sighed with a worried frown. "There are fewer and fewer things to eat and use. Rice and flour are hard to buy. I'm just hoping to find more food on the mountain to bring to my son."
Tao Lengshuang said she was going up the mountain later and would look around more if she had the chance, trying to find as much food and supplies as possible, as something major might happen at any time.
"Aunt Shen Er, shouldn't you hurry back and check on your son? The village chief is taking people away today."
A hurried woman shouted.
When Aunt Shen Er heard this, she rushed towards home in a panic, not even having time to say another word to Tao Lengshuang.
Tao Lengshuang was a little confused that the time had moved up, but she didn't intend to interfere. This was not something she could manage.
The mother and son returned home, tidied up, and headed towards the foot of the mountain.
As a result, halfway there, they saw Village Chief Luo leading a large group of villagers towards the outskirts of the village, accompanied by wailing elderly, weak, women, and children.
"Oh, God, open your eyes and see! How can this be? My son, you can't go, you can't go!"
"Village Chief, Village Chief, please let my son go! My son cannot go to build the royal villa."
"Village Chief, our family will provide money, we will provide money soon! Please don't take our family to build the royal villa."
Village Chief Luo remained unmoved and reprimanded, "No one is to obstruct this! This is the Emperor's decree. Do you want to be executed along with your nine generations of relatives?"
As soon as the words "executed along with your nine generations of relatives" were uttered, the villagers dared not make another sound. They didn't even dare to cry loudly, for fear of angering the current Emperor and being wiped out.
Village Chief Luo noticed Tao Lengshuang, nodded at her with a gentle expression, and coldly urged the villagers to hurry, saying they had to reach the town before noon.
Tao Lengshuang noticed that many villagers were being taken away with their families, but none of them were from the Tao family. This indicated that the middle-aged man had provided money.
Seeing the villagers' sorrowful and reluctant expressions, she shook her head, took Xiao Feng's hand, and went up the mountain. Such were the times.
When the mother and son returned home from the mountain, they busied themselves with making dumplings and steamed buns.
First, they had to knead the dough.
"Xiao Feng, do you want to help Mother knead the dough?" Tao Lengshuang asked with a smile.
Xiao Feng raised his hands high, repeatedly saying yes. "Xiao Feng can help Mother with tasks."
"Xiao Feng is truly Mother's good宝贝 (bǎobèi - treasure)."
Tao Lengshuang rolled up Xiao Feng's sleeves, tied on an apron, and patiently and meticulously explained how to knead the dough, kneading it with him.
Xiao Feng was very happy and worked hard, kneading the dough with a big smile. He was a good child who could help his mother.
"Lengshuang, are you home?"
As the mother and son were happily working, they heard Tao Fangfang's weak cough.
Tao Lengshuang told Xiao Feng to stay in the kitchen.
After washing her hands, she wiped them on her apron and opened the door, looking impatiently at the heavily bundled-up Tao Fangfang.
"What is it?"
"Lengshuang, give me a few doses of medicine," Tao Fangfang said righteously. "I'm not feeling well, quickly prescribe me some medicine."
Tao Lengshuang scoffed, "Have you brought the consultation fee?"
"Lengshuang, how can you ask me for a consultation fee?" Tao Fangfang reprimanded unhappily. "I am your own sister. How can you ask your own sister for a consultation fee?"
"You are simply too ill-mannered."
Tao Lengshuang was amused to the point of laughter. She crossed her arms and looked at her coolly. "Even close brothers settle their accounts clearly, so why can't I ask you, my own sister, for a consultation fee?"
Before Tao Fangfang could reply, she added, "If you have the consultation fee, you'll get medicine. If not, get out of here and don't linger at my doorstep."
Tao Fangfang felt very unwell and coughed non-stop.
After being hung up all night, she was now dizzy and groggy, wishing she could just lie in bed.
"Lengshuang, please, for the sake of our sisterly bond, prescribe me two doses of medicine. I'm dying."