Jinlin Village, the Zhan family.
When Old Madam Zhan heard the yamen runner's words, it was like a bolt from the blue. After a stunned silence, she began to wail, "Second son, my second son..."
"Elderly lady, the patient has been saved by the doctor. Hurry and take the silver to the clinic," Constable Zhao advised.
The village chief quickly added, "Stop crying. Have the eldest son come back from the fields. Third son's wife, go borrow an ox cart from the Hu family, and then go find the second son's wife."
"Yes, I'll go right away." Madam Ma, her mind in a daze, followed the village chief's instructions and ran out.
"Alright, hurry and get the silver!" Old Master Zhan roared at the wailing Old Madam Zhan. He then slumped onto a chair, looking as if he had aged more than a decade.
The village chief wiped his face fiercely. As he escorted Constable Zhao out, he cautiously asked, "Officer, the second son went to the pier to move and deliver goods. How did this happen?"
"The case is still under investigation," Constable Zhao hesitated. He was young and not one to put on airs. Seeing the village chief's genuine concern, he lowered his voice and revealed a bit of insider information. "The attacker was a blind old woman. If she had no grudge against Zhan Lao Er, then it was a disaster without cause."
A blind old woman? The village chief was bewildered. Considering Zhan Lao Er's usual smooth-talking nature, he shouldn't have made such a deadly enemy.
"Alright, don't ask what you shouldn't," Constable Zhao's expression turned stern. He waved his hand and strode away before the village chief could speak.
"Officer, take care." The village chief smiled obsequiously. After the officer was far away, he couldn't help but sigh, "What is all this?"
Under the banyan tree.
Young Madam Yao was idly chatting with the village aunties. When she heard Madam Ma's words, she exploded, "Madam Ma, how dare you curse my second son? I'll rip your mouth open!"
As Young Madam Yao grabbed her hair, Madam Ma let out a yelp of pain. Fortunately, several aunties nearby pulled them apart.
"Second sister-in-law, the village chief has brought yamen runners to the house. I won't argue with you anymore. I'm going to the Hu family to borrow an ox cart!" Madam Ma rubbed her sore scalp, dropped her words, and ran towards the Hu family at the end of the village.
"Second sister-in-law, you should go home and see." The young woman whispered a reminder. Even if Third sister-in-law was usually unreliable, she wouldn't talk nonsense about something like this.
"Yes, go back and see first." Others also chimed in with劝说, and they all started walking towards the Zhan family's house. Something big had happened.
Zhan Laoda and his wife were working in the fields. Upon hearing the news brought by the villagers, Zhan Laoda dropped his hoe and ran towards the Zhan family's house.
Li Shi was startled. She suddenly remembered that Zhan Feiyu had gone to the county town with Zhan Lao Er that morning. She quickly followed.
It was half an hour later when the village chief and the Zhan family rushed to Huichun Hall.
Old Madam Zhan and Young Madam Yao cried all the way. Old Master Zhan and Zhan Laoda kept their faces stern and said nothing, all worried about the severely injured Zhan Lao Er.
The village chief looked at the anxious Li Shi and advised in a low voice, "The officer didn't mention anything about Xiao Yu, so she must not be injured."
"Uncle, I know," Li Shi replied distractedly. Until she saw him, Li Shi's heart couldn't be put at ease.
As soon as the ox cart stopped, Old Madam Zhan and Young Madam Yao jumped down first. Their recently quieted cries erupted again, "Second son!"
"Husband, husband..." Young Madam Yao ran inside while crying. With Zhan Lao Er's accident, the sky had fallen for the second branch of the family.
Zhan Feiyu and Constable Ma were guarding the still unconscious Zhan Lao Er in the room. Hearing the wailing outside, both of them stood up at the same time.
Young Madam Yao ignored the little药童's reminder, pushed him aside, and rushed into the room.
Upon seeing Zhan Lao Er lying pale on the bed, unconscious and unresponsive, Young Madam Yao's cries suddenly became three parts sharper. "Second son, second son, wake up! If anything happens to you, what will happen to me and the children!"
Old Madam Zhan, who arrived a step behind, also had a pale face. She stumbled towards the bedside and lunged, "My son, my son, mother is here, wake up."
"The patient needs to rest..." The little药童 said helplessly, but no one listened to him. They continued to cry louder and louder.
"Xiao Yu, are you alright?" Li Shi saw Zhan Feiyu standing at the door and immediately rushed over to hug her. Then, she quickly checked her, and seeing that Zhan Feiyu was not injured at all, Li Shi breathed a long sigh of relief, her heart finally at ease.
"Mother, I'm fine," Zhan Feiyu reassured her, holding Li Shi's hand. She looked back at the Zhan family by the bedside. Besides her wailing grandmother and second aunt, her grandfather and father had also arrived. It seemed there would be another storm later.
The old doctor was called by the worried little药童, for fear that the crying and noisy mother and daughter-in-law would wake Zhan Lao Er, which would be troublesome if the wounds on his back split open.
Zhan Laoda, with a stern face, looked worriedly at the unconscious Zhan Lao Er. "Doctor, my second brother, he?"
"Don't worry, the patient has been saved. He hasn't woken up due to excessive blood loss." The old doctor's confident words eased Zhan Laoda's heart a bit.
As for the lung disease caused by the injury, the old doctor was not deliberately concealing it. He would say something only after the patient woke up and the Zhan family's emotions had stabilized.
"Is he really alright?" Young Madam Yao sobbed. Zhan Lao Er was still alive, and she was no longer as afraid.
Wiping her tears, she saw Zhan Feiyu standing beside Li Shi. Young Madam Yao suddenly lunged forward and slapped towards Zhan Feiyu's face, cursing sternly, "Did you harm your second uncle? Why are you unharmed!"
No one expected Young Madam Yao to make a move. Before Zhan Feiyu could dodge, Constable Ma rushed forward and grabbed Young Madam Yao's hand.
"Sister-in-law, Lao Er's accident has nothing to do with Xiao Yu. Don't make things difficult for the child," Constable Ma reprimanded displeasedly. He was thinking of marrying Zhan Feiyu to his nephew, so it was not Young Madam Yao's place to mistreat her.
"Brother Ma?" Young Madam Yao was stunned.
She knew how much Zhan Lao Er admired Constable Ma. Moreover, he was wearing a constable's uniform, with a saber at his waist, and an imposing aura. Young Madam Yao immediately backed down.
"Second son's wife, don't be foolish!" Old Master Zhan spoke sternly. She was making a scene without considering where they were, and in front of Constable Ma!
Ignoring the sheepish Young Madam Yao, Constable Ma cupped his hands towards Old Master Zhan. "Uncle Zhan, the yamen is still investigating Lao Er's matter. The old doctor also said Lao Er is fine, so Uncle and Aunt don't need to worry too much."
Zhan Lao Er's association with the yamen officials gave the Zhan family considerable face in the village, so Old Master Zhan did not dare to put on airs as an elder.
Old Master Zhan said politely to Constable Ma, "The second son's wife is just too worried about Lao Er. Constable Ma, please be understanding. We'll need Constable Ma to take more care of Lao Er's matter."
"Uncle Zhan, you are too kind. It is my duty," Constable Ma replied politely. With him here, the Zhan family would surely not dare to make things difficult for Xiao Yu, but too much of a good thing could be bad.
Constable Ma restrained the thoughts in his eyes and said again, "Lao Er will only wake up in another hour. I will go back to the yamen to take a look."
The old doctor also took the little药童 back to the front hall. Although there had been a murder case, Huichun Hall had low consultation fees, and there were always patients coming for treatment.
When only the Zhan family and the village chief were left in the room, Old Madam Zhan, who was sitting by the bed, suddenly stood up. Her fierce gaze was fixed on Zhan Feiyu, and her hoarse voice sounded sinister, "You tell me clearly, why is your second uncle in trouble and you are unharmed?"
If Constable Ma hadn't stayed, Old Madam Zhan wouldn't have dared to make a scene.
The village chief was about to speak, but looking at the unconscious Zhan Lao Er, he remained silent. The officer was unwilling to reveal too much, and the only one who knew was Xiao Yu.
Li Shi immediately hugged Zhan Feiyu and retorted protectively, "Mother, Xiao Yu is still a child!"
"Li Shi, shut up! If you dare to protect this jinx again, I'll have Laoda divorce you immediately!" Old Madam Zhan's fierce gaze seemed ready to devour someone.
"Sister-in-law, has a dog eaten your conscience? My second son is still lying here, his life or death unknown, and you're protecting this祸害 like this!" Young Madam Yao shrieked and lunged towards Li Shi, "You're trying to force our second branch to death!"
"Alright, Laoda, pull Xiao Yu over." After all, they were still at Huichun Hall, and the village chief was present. Old Master Zhan cared about his reputation and did not want the noisy commotion to disturb the still unconscious Zhan Lao Er.
Zhan Laoda blocked the rampaging Young Madam Yao and did not allow Li Shi to protect Zhan Feiyu. With a stern face, he asked sharply, "Xiao Yu, tell your father what happened."
Although only seven years old, given Zhan Feiyu's talent for reading, Zhan Laoda, Old Master Zhan, and the village chief did not treat her as an ordinary child. Of course, they also did not believe that Zhan Feiyu had harmed Zhan Lao Er. They simply thought she was the only one who knew what happened.
Old Madam Zhan and Young Madam Yao did not truly believe that Zhan Feiyu had harmed Zhan Lao Er. However, because of the matter of her studies, the mother-in-law and daughter-in-law wished they could kill Zhan Feiyu, so they naturally seized the opportunity to cause trouble.