Uncle Wang fell silent.
"Uncle Wang, Aunt Wang, perhaps treating this illness won't cost much. Wait until I've taken your pulse and understood the situation," Tao Lengshuang said.
Her words reignited hope in Uncle Wang, and Aunt Wang repeatedly invited her to sit and take his pulse.
As Tao Lengshuang took Uncle Wang's pulse, she gathered information.
According to Aunt Wang, Uncle Wang had been gored by a wild boar.
Uncle Wang was skilled at setting traps, so he would often go into the mountains to set them and catch game, both to earn some money and to improve their meals.
One day, several years prior, Uncle Wang went up the mountain as usual to check his traps for any prey.
However, he was knocked flying by a wild boar that had stepped into a trap.
If it hadn't been for some villagers passing by, Uncle Wang might not have survived.
From then on, Uncle Wang had been in this sickly state.
His family had taken him to the town to see a doctor, and he had been prescribed many medicines, but they could never fully cure him. Thus, for years, he had been kept alive by tonics.
After understanding the condition and diagnosing it, Tao Lengshuang had grasped the root cause of Uncle Wang's illness.
"Blood stasis has not dispersed."
She pointed to Uncle Wang's chest. "Years ago, Uncle Wang was hit in the chest by a wild boar, and a mass of blood stasis accumulated there."
"Fortunately, much of the blood stasis has dispersed over the years, or the consequences would have been more severe. Now, all that is needed is to disperse this blood stasis, supplemented with tonics to condition the body and a dietary therapy plan, and he will be fine."
Aunt Wang nodded like a pecking chicken, "Yes, yes, yes, an old doctor said the same thing back then."
"He said that once the blood stasis in my husband's chest dispersed, he would be fine. But that area of the chest is difficult to treat, and our family didn't have much money, so it dragged on until now."
The medicinal herbs were simply too expensive. Even if they sold everything they owned, they couldn't afford many. They could only use the cheapest, least effective medicines to sustain him.
Tao Lengshuang knew that in any era, for common people, seeking medical treatment was always one of the most difficult things, and it was also something that could bring many families to their knees.
"Did the old doctor instruct you to encourage Uncle Wang to move around more, to open the windows for ventilation, and so on?"
Aunt Wang thought for a moment and was startled to realize that the old doctor had indeed given such instructions, especially not to let her husband take random tonics.
But she had been flustered and panicked at the time and hadn't remembered any of it. She only wanted her husband to rest well, not to be exposed to the wind or get cold, acting entirely according to her own ideas.
As a result, what she thought was for his good had actually harmed her husband.
"I..." she stammered, weeping, unable to speak for a long time.
"It's not your fault."
Uncle Wang patted her and said slowly, "You were doing it for my own good. You've worked hard for me these past few years."
Aunt Wang felt even more self-reproach and guilt, covering her face and crying bitterly, "If only I had remembered the old doctor's instructions clearly back then, you wouldn't have suffered so much."
Uncle Wang shook his head and looked at Tao Lengshuang, "Thank you for treating me. I will not owe you a single copper for the consultation fee."
Tao Lengshuang didn't want money. She wanted to learn trap-setting from Uncle Wang, to acquire another skill.
Uncle Wang was surprised that a woman like her wanted to learn trap-setting, but he didn't look down on her. He only said that learning this was not easy and would involve much hardship.
Tao Lengshuang insisted on learning. Once she learned trap-setting, she could not only catch game in the mountains but also set various traps around her home.
Seeing her determination, Uncle Wang agreed and insisted on giving her a consultation fee.
Tao Lengshuang refused to accept it, no matter what. If she was going to learn a craft from Uncle Wang, how could she accept money?
Uncle Wang insisted on paying.
Tao Lengshuang refused to accept.
After a stalemate, Aunt Wang offered a compromise: "How about giving him two pounds of meat, and helping the Mo family keep an eye on things more often?"
Tao Lengshuang knew she couldn't refuse any further and agreed, "I will write Uncle Wang a prescription and a dietary therapy method."
"Keep the room ventilated often, and help Uncle Wang walk around the yard more..."
She gave instructions and precautions, emphasizing the need for ventilation and more movement.
Uncle Wang and his wife took note of everything, expressing their deep gratitude to Tao Lengshuang.
Afterward, Aunt Wang helped Uncle Wang walk around the yard, while Tao Lengshuang returned home to prepare the prescription, two doses of medicine, and then to learn trap-setting from Uncle Wang.
In addition, she would gather things in the mountains, exercise at home to lose weight, teach her son medicine, build a good relationship with Mo Lingxi, and continuously expand the area of her spatial medicine garden.
Occasionally, she would go to town to buy and sell goods, constantly stockpiling supplies.
Her life was going quite well, but Sheng Li's life was not.
General Sheng and his wife looked at their dignified and elegant daughter with unfamiliar eyes, their minds still buzzing.
They truly couldn't believe that their usually kind daughter was inherently narrow-minded, selfish, and malicious, and that she had secretly harmed so many innocent lives.
"Father, Mother?"
Sheng Li's body shivered under her parents' gaze, a terrible premonition gripping her.
General Sheng suddenly slapped her to the ground, pointing at her furiously. "Look at the wicked things you've done! Are you even human?"
"Even beasts wouldn't do such things!"
Madam Sheng opened her mouth, wanting to protect her daughter, but as soon as she thought of what her daughter had done, she found herself unable to speak in her defense.
Upon hearing this, Sheng Li's expression froze, followed by unease and resentment. "Father, I have never done anything harmful or wicked. Don't listen to gossip and sow discord between us father and daughter."
How could her parents have found out about what she had done?
She must not admit it, absolutely not. Moreover, she hadn't done anything wrong.
Seeing her stubborn refusal to admit anything, General Sheng's chest ached with anger. He severely reprimanded her and publicly announced that Sheng Li's future actions would have no relation to the Sheng family.
This made Sheng Li resent her parents even more.
But what made her even more panicked was that some of her secret deeds had spread among the noble families, damaging her reputation and turning her into a laughingstock.
With her reputation tarnished, Sheng Li could no longer afford to bother with Tao Lengshuang. Her mind was entirely occupied with how to restore her reputation and become the most proud existence in the circle of noble ladies.
...
Meanwhile.
Tao Lengshuang, holding Xiao Feng's hand, was about to go into the mountains to collect firewood when she saw Old Master Tao and a few others running towards her menacingly with hammers and other tools, looking as if they intended to beat Tao Lengshuang and her son to death.
Tao Lengshuang immediately shielded Xiao Feng with her body and took out several packets of powder, staring coldly at Old Master Tao and the others.
However, she hadn't expected Old Master Tao and the others to head straight for the courtyard wall and start smashing it without a word.
The sounds of 'clang, clang' continued.
"Smash it! Even if I have to smash this house, I won't let this unfilial wretch live in it!" Old Master Tao said fiercely.
Tao Fangfang and the others smashed the courtyard wall with all their might. If they couldn't live in this house, they would never let Tao Lengshuang's family have it cheaply.
Seeing this, Tao Lengshuang raised her hand and threw a handful of laughing powder. "Fine! How dare you come to smash my wall? Today, I will teach you a good lesson."