Before the house was raided, the maidservant of the Prime Minister's residence absconded with t

Tao'er remained calm, her smile deepening: "Father, Mother, don't worry, these are the words spoken by the old man himself."

Not only that, he also told his second aunt to invite the village doctor, who would come over later to examine the two of them.

"You'll be like this then..."

Tao'er leaned closer and whispered a few words.

After hearing this, Liu Daniu and Zhang Su'e were first taken aback, and then both showed complicated expressions on their faces.

Zhang Su'e couldn't help but glance at her daughter a few more times. She felt that Tao'er seemed to have changed, become different.

Tao'er used to be timid and cowardly, and she didn't dare to speak loudly. But the daughter in front of her speaks clearly and logically, with a firm look in her eyes, and exudes a convincing power.

But then I thought about it again, and realized that my daughter had suffered so much and gone through so many things outside, so it was normal for her to change.

Thinking about it this way, Zhang Su'e felt a pang of bitterness and pain in her heart, wishing she could make her daughter pay back double for all the suffering she had endured.

About an incense stick's time later, footsteps could be heard in the courtyard.

Qingge led an elderly doctor, who looked to be around fifty years old, into the room.

The old doctor carried a medicine box on his back; his hair was gray, but he was in good spirits.

Tao'er walked over quickly, whispered a few words to the old doctor, and slipped him an ounce of silver.

One tael of silver!

For an ordinary villager, this is no small sum; it's enough for a family to live on for several months.

The old doctor's eyes lit up, but he remained expressionless, smiling as he took the silver and put it into his sleeve.

He practiced medicine in the village for decades and knew every family and their character inside and out.

The Liu couple had a terrible reputation in the village; he'd heard about their meanness towards their eldest son and their selling of their granddaughter.

He had long disapproved of her, and now that he could help this poor girl and earn some money, why not?

The old doctor walked to the bedside, carefully took Liu Daniu's and Zhang Su'e's pulses, examined their injuries, and finally wrote a prescription. He solemnly instructed them, "You two must take good care of yourselves and absolutely must not go out to work again."

Especially your knee, it's fundamentally damaged. If you don't take good care of it, you'll be crippled. Don't blame me, an old man, for not warning you."

He then pointed at Zhang Su'e, shook his head and sighed: "Yours is more serious. You suffered a severe head injury and your eyes are also damaged."

He needs to recuperate for at least half a year; maybe he can recover some of his strength.

Tao'er saw the old doctor off with a heartbroken expression; her appearance was truly pitiful.

The old doctor went out the door and then went to Liu Laogen's house.

Liu Laogen was sitting in the main room smoking a pipe when he saw the old doctor come in, and he quickly got up.

The old doctor first shook his head and sighed, then said with a solemn expression, "Da Niu's injury is quite serious. He has two broken ribs and a ruptured knee. He won't be able to do heavy work for at least six months."

Liu Laogen's expression changed, and he glared fiercely at Wang Shi beside him.

That old hag, she's really ruthless! She beat her own son like this, what will people think if word gets out!

Wang shrank back, not daring to utter a sound, but her face clearly showed her disapproval.

"What about the eldest son's wife?" Liu Laogen asked again.

The old doctor continued to shake his head, his sigh growing heavier: "Da Niu's wife was already in poor health, her constitution was severely depleted."

This time it's more serious; he suffered severe brain damage, his eyesight is likely completely impaired, and he's in a deep coma. It's uncertain when he'll wake up; it's up to fate.

Upon hearing this, Wang immediately flew into a rage and began cursing, "What utter nonsense!"

I only punished them by making them kneel for an hour and whipping them more than a dozen times with willow branches. It wasn't that serious!

"You old fool, don't even think about extorting money from our family!"

Upon hearing this, the old doctor's face immediately darkened, and he slammed his medicine box on the table in a fit of anger: "You don't believe me?"

Don't believe me? Fine!

I've been practicing medicine for decades, I wouldn't ruin my reputation for a few coins!

Since you don't trust me, then don't come to me for medical treatment again!

After saying that, he made a move to leave.

Wang's words were indeed excessive. The old doctor was the only doctor in the village. Who wouldn't go to him if they had a headache or fever?

If you offend him, there will be no one to take care of you if you have a sudden illness. Liu Laogen quickly stepped forward to apologize, then turned back and scolded Wang Shi a few more times.

The old doctor reluctantly sat back down and finally calculated the consultation and medicine fees: "Two hundred coins in total."

I'll go back and prepare the medicine, and bring it to Tao'er later.

When Wang heard that it was two hundred coins, she almost exploded again, but seeing Liu Laogen's murderous look, she swallowed back the words that were about to come out.

Reluctantly, he pulled out his money pouch from his waist, counted out two hundred coins, and handed them over. His face was so dark it could drip ink.

The old doctor accepted the money, his face remaining impassive, but inside he was overjoyed.

He had always disliked the mean-spirited behavior of Liu Laogen and his wife, and now that he could cooperate with Tao'er in this play, he could both make money and do a good deed, which was a win-win situation.

However, to keep up the act, he pretended to be very unhappy, took the money with a stern face, and left.

After the old doctor left, Liu Laogen was so angry that he gave Wang a severe beating.

He pointed at Wang's nose and cursed, "You good-for-nothing idiot who's good for nothing!"

He didn't know his own strength when hitting people. Now look what's happened, the eldest son and his wife can't get up. Who will do the housework?

Who will do the work in the fields?

Why would you ask an old man like me to do this?

Wang was scolded so badly that she kept backing away, but she didn't let it go: "How was I supposed to know they were so weak!"

Besides, they're definitely faking it; they just want to slack off and not do any work!

"Pack?

"Even the old doctor said so, how could it be false?"

Liu Laogen was so angry that he slammed his fist on the table.

"Just you wait, tomorrow the whole village will know you severely injured your eldest son and his wife, and our Liu family will become the laughingstock of the village!"

Wang panicked a little, but still refused to admit it: "I know, I know. Which family doesn't beat their children?"

Is it wrong for me to hit my own son and daughter-in-law?

"Am I afraid of what they'll say?"

Despite saying that, she started to feel uneasy inside.

Qingge ran back and told Tao'er and the others everything she had heard, covering her mouth and laughing as she spoke.

After hearing this, Tao'er coldly uttered two words: "Serves you right!"

Liu Daniu listened from the side, feeling that what he was doing seemed a bit inappropriate, after all, they were his own parents.

But seeing that his wife had smiled several times today and that his daughter was safe and sound, he didn't say anything.

Over the years, my parents have indeed been too harsh on the eldest son's family. It's good to make them anxious.

As dusk settled, the afterglow of the setting sun spilled into the courtyard, bathing the dilapidated mud-brick house in a warm golden light.

The courtyard gate was pushed open, and two tall young men walked in one after the other.

The eldest brother, Liu Tiezhu, who was walking in front, was twenty-two years old this year. He had delicate and handsome features, fair skin, and looked more like his mother, Zhang Su'e.

He was a steady person, and there was always a hint of melancholy in his eyes.

The second brother, Liu Tiechui, who was walking behind, was twenty years old. He had strong, angular features and his skin was tanned to a healthy bronze color, making him look more like his father, Liu Daniu.

He is impatient and has a bad temper, but he is incredibly kind to his own people.