Siheyuan: Reborn Silly Pillar, Taking Control of the Entire Courtyard

After seeing the doctor off, Jia Laonian dragged his weary body across the threshold of his own home. Before he could even catch his breath, Jia Zhangshi's sharp and sarcastic voice came crashing down on him like needles.

"You old fool! Are you out of your mind? Running around all night, working up a sweat for the Yi family, and in the end you didn't even get a sip of hot water or a piece of cornbread. What were you doing all this for?"

With her hands on her hips, Jia Zhangshi stared wide-eyed, her fingers almost poking Jia Laonian's forehead.

"We're not just sitting around doing nothing, why should we be treated like slaves for no reason? If you ask me, we should ask Li Guihua for something in return, at least two pounds of flour, otherwise who would want to get involved in this bloody and unlucky business!"

Jia Laonian was already feeling down because of what happened last night, and his wife's outburst made his face darken instantly.

He sat down on the edge of the kang (a heated brick bed), waved his hand impatiently, and said, "Can you please shut up? We live in the same courtyard, we see each other all the time. Everyone has emergencies and difficulties sometimes. It's only right to lend a hand, but asking for something in return is something I can't accept!"

"What's shameful about that? What's real is getting flour and rice in return!" Jia Zhangshi persisted, plopping down opposite her and spitting as she spoke.

"Let me tell you, Jia Laonian, if you don't get what you want today, and if you dare to go out and help others in any future trouble in the courtyard, I'll never forgive you! Don't you think that if something happens to our family in the future, others might stay far away, but you're the one who's eagerly sticking to us!"

"What nonsense are you spouting! We're neighbors, shouldn't we help each other out? If something really happens to our family, I refuse to believe no one will lend a hand!"

Jia Laonian, his head throbbing from the noise, simply turned his head away, refusing to acknowledge this unreasonable woman any longer. Seeing him feign deafness and muteness, Jia Zhangshi stomped her feet in anger, but could only purse her lips and curse silently before giving up.

Meanwhile, He Daqing and Zhao Fengnian safely escorted the old doctor home. The two remained silent the entire way, and by the time they returned to the courtyard house, it was already very late at night.

He Daqing skillfully bolted the door, locking the courtyard gate securely. He turned to Zhao Fengnian, cupped his hands in greeting, and said politely, "Comrade Zhao, I'm so grateful for your company tonight. Otherwise, I would have been quite worried about being alone. Go back to your room and rest."

"Brother He, you're too kind. It was nothing at all."

Zhao Fengnian smiled, the gun at his waist was completely covered by his clothes, not a trace of it was revealed. The two exchanged a few simple pleasantries and then turned around and went back to their own houses.

Inside the house, Chen Lanxiang was still awake, sitting on the edge of the kang (a heated brick bed) waiting for her husband. He Yuzhu had long been forced back to the inner room to sleep by her—the child was very curious, the scenes at night were too frightening, and staying up too late would also harm his health.

As soon as He Daqing entered, Chen Lanxiang immediately came to greet him, helping him take off his coat, which was damp with the cold air, and asked in a low voice, "How is it? What did the old doctor say about Yi Zhonghai's injury? Is it really incurable?"

He Daqing sighed, sat down on the edge of the kang (a heated brick bed), and shook his head with a solemn expression.

"Bone fractures and skin injuries on the body can heal in three to five months, but that area down there is completely ruined."

Chen Lanxiang was startled, her hands stopped moving, and she couldn't help but sigh, "What a tragedy... In this way, won't Li's sister be forced to live a life of widowhood? The Yi family line is completely wiped out."

"Hmph, it's her fate to live a life of widowhood."

He Daqing snorted coldly, his tone carrying a hint of disdain.

"That Yi Zhonghai is all show and no substance; I noticed something was off about him a long time ago."

Chen Lanxiang suddenly raised her head, her eyes wide open, and asked in confusion.

"How did you know? Don't spread this around, it'll ruin my reputation!"

"Don't worry about that, I have my reasons."

He Daqing didn't want to explain further. Martial arts practitioners have sharp eyes, and he had long since noticed something amiss from Yi Zhonghai's demeanor and behavior, but he hadn't pointed it out.

Chen Lanxiang still couldn't believe it and pressed on, asking, "Is it really completely ruined? Is there absolutely no way to salvage it?"

"More or less."

He Daqing lowered his voice, his tone certain.

"The old doctor told me privately that the things behind him were smashed to pieces, and even a god couldn't save them."

"spit!"

Chen Lanxiang spat subconsciously, her face showing a mixture of disgust and regret, and she couldn't say anything more.

"Don't think about it, it has nothing to do with us. Go to sleep, we'll be busy again before dawn." He Daqing patted his wife's hand, turned around and lay down.

"Okay." Chen Lanxiang nodded, blew out the oil lamp, and the room was instantly plunged into darkness. Only the cold wind outside the window howled, as if it were sobbing softly for the tragedy of the Yi family.

Inside the Yi family's house, Li Guihua didn't sleep a wink all night.

She stayed by the earthen bed without leaving for a moment, her eyes fixed on the unconscious Yi Zhonghai, tears streaming down her face.

In the middle of the night, Yi Zhonghai was awakened by excruciating pain that felt like his body was being torn apart. He let out a weak groan and asked for water in a hoarse voice.

Li Guihua quickly picked up the warm water she had prepared beforehand and carefully fed it to him. After a short while, Yi Zhonghai drifted off to sleep again.

But what was bound to happen still happened. In the middle of the night, Yi Zhonghai's body temperature suddenly soared, and he was burning up like a hot coal.

Li Guihua was terrified. Remembering the old doctor's instructions, she didn't dare to delay. She quickly soaked a towel in cold water and wiped Yi Zhonghai's forehead, neck, palms, and soles of his feet again and again. She was busy all night until the sky began to lighten, and she was so tired that she couldn't straighten her back.

The next morning, just as dawn was breaking, Li Guihua, who hadn't slept all night, with her eyes swollen and red like walnuts, hurriedly went to the He family again.

In the entire courtyard, she felt that He Daqing was the most knowledgeable and knew the most people, and she placed all her hopes on the He family.

"Brother He, please, please help me again!"

Li Guihua grabbed He Daqing's arm, her voice hoarse.

"Do you know a doctor who can heal the wound on Zhonghai Island? I'm willing to pay any price, as long as he can be cured, I'll do anything for him!"

Looking at her haggard appearance, He Daqing felt sympathy, but he could only tell the truth, shaking his head and saying, "Zhonghai family, it's not that I don't want to help you, it's just that I really don't know any doctors in this field. Besides, all the regular hospitals in the city are occupied by private doctors now, and the gates are heavily guarded. Ordinary people can't even get in, so even if there are doctors, there's nothing they can do."

Li Guihua's heart sank instantly, but she still refused to give up. In her desperation, she suddenly remembered the old lady living in the backyard.

The old lady had lived in the courtyard for decades. She looked unremarkable, but she was actually a very knowledgeable and well-connected person. She might really know someone who could save Yi Zhonghai.

Thinking of this, she grasped at the last straw and turned to hold Chen Lanxiang's hand tightly, crying and pleading.

"Sister-in-law He, please take me to the backyard to find the old lady. She's very knowledgeable and will surely have a solution. Please!"

Looking at her pitiful appearance, Chen Lanxiang couldn't bear to refuse and sighed helplessly.

"Alright, alright, I'll take you there. Whether it works out or not depends on the old lady's decision."

The two walked quickly to the old lady's house in the backyard, one after the other, and Chen Lanxiang gently knocked on the door.

The old lady had just gotten up and was sitting on the edge of the kang (a heated brick bed) combing her hair when she saw the two of them come in. Seeing Li Guihua crying and wailing, she immediately understood what was going on.

After Li Guihua finished recounting Yi Zhonghai's injuries and his purpose in fits and starts, the old lady dropped the comb from her hand onto the table with a "clatter," completely stunned.

She did hear a commotion coming from the Central Court last night, but she was old and her bound feet were not very agile. No one came to invite her, so she did not go out to check. She never expected that Yi Zhonghai had been beaten so badly that he could not even keep his manhood!

"What a tragedy, what a tragedy..."

The old lady shook her head repeatedly, her face full of sighs.

But since they had come to her for help, she couldn't just turn them away. However, the famous doctors she knew were all old men left over from the previous dynasty. Over the years, with constant wars, they had long since scattered to who knows where.

The old lady thought for a long time before giving two vague addresses, and slowly said, "I only know these two gentlemen who used to specialize in treating difficult and complicated diseases. Go to these two places and try your luck. As for whether they are actually there, I can't guarantee it."

Li Guihua was extremely grateful. This time, she didn't want to trouble her neighbors in the courtyard again. So, she gritted her teeth, went out, hailed a rickshaw, and made two trips to the address.

But the result left her utterly desperate. Both places were either deserted or inhabited by complete strangers, leaving her with absolutely no clues.

Undeterred, Li Guihua went to a nearby hospital to try her luck, but the hospital was either sealed off or guarded by armed soldiers. All those coming and going were Japanese officers and puppet troops. As an ordinary citizen, she didn't dare to get close and could only watch from afar, tears streaming down her face.

Just when she was at her wit's end, a small clinic by the roadside came into view.

Li Guihua rushed in like a madwoman, bowing and pleading with the doctor in the clinic. She begged and pleaded, almost kneeling down, before finally managing to drag the doctor back to the courtyard house.

The doctor followed Li Guihua into the Yi family's house, lifted Yi Zhonghai's blanket, and after just one glance at his injuries, his expression changed, and he spoke bluntly.

"There's no need for treatment. Those two things at the back are completely shattered and can't be saved. Just cut them off as soon as possible, otherwise they'll rot and you won't even survive!"

These words struck Yi Zhonghai, who was in a state of semi-consciousness, like a bolt from the blue.

He suddenly opened his eyes, and with all his might, grabbed the doctor's wrist tightly, his face pale and his voice trembling uncontrollably.

"Doctor! Please save me! I'll give you anything, no matter the cost or the cost! Please help me keep my roots alive, I can't live without them!"

The doctor forcefully shook off his hand, shook his head, and spoke in a cold and resolute tone.

"It's beyond saving, and you can't keep it alive. The wound has rotted to the root. The sooner you cut it off, the sooner you can save your life. If you hesitate any longer, you'll lose your life!"

Yi Zhonghai completely broke down.

A grown man lay on the kang (a heated brick bed) and burst into tears. His cries were pitiful and pathetic, like a young wife who had been bullied and abused. His shoulders trembled, and his face was covered with tears and snot. He had no dignity as a man at all.

Seeing her husband in such agony, Li Guihua's heart broke. After crying for a while, she wiped away her tears, knowing this was not the time to be weak. She gritted her teeth and asked the doctor, "Doctor, can you perform the surgery? As long as it can save his life, I'll cut... I'll cut it off."

The doctor was so frightened that he backed away repeatedly, shaking his head like a rattle.

"No, no! This requires exquisite craftsmanship. I'm just an ordinary doctor; how could I dare to use such a knife? If someone dies, I can't bear the responsibility!"

"No! I don't want to be a eunuch! I'd rather die than be a eunuch!"

Yi Zhonghai lay on the kang (a heated brick bed), muttering incoherently, his voice filled with despair and fear.

Li Guihua's heart sank to the bottom, but she still refused to give up. She grabbed the doctor's arm, quietly walked out of the house, and pleaded in a low voice.

"Doctor, please have mercy! Do you know anyone with this skill? Anyone who can save my husband, I'm willing to go and ask them!"

The doctor stood in the courtyard, thought for a long time, and then slowly spoke.

"I do know a very capable person who used to work in a mortuary. His skills were impeccable. It's just that so many years have passed, and I don't know if he's still alive."

Li Guihua's eyes lit up instantly, and she hurriedly asked, "Doctor, please tell me the address! I'll go right now, even if I have to search the whole city, I'll get him here!"

The doctor told Li Guihua the address in detail. Li Guihua thanked him profusely, paid the consultation fee, and gave him extra money for transportation before seeing the doctor off at the gate of the courtyard.

Then, she hailed a rickshaw again and rushed to the address the doctor had given her.

To her surprise, the so-called "capable person" completely ignored her and wouldn't even let her in the door. Even when she mentioned the name of the person who introduced her, the other party still coldly chased her out.

With nowhere else to turn, Li Guihua could only run back to the courtyard house in tears and beg at the He family's door.

Coincidentally, the old lady from the backyard happened to be visiting the He family. After listening to Li Guihua's tearful complaints, the old lady felt sorry for this desperate woman and softened her heart. She said, "Yi family daughter-in-law, go again. This time, don't just give him your name. Give him the address of our courtyard house, and he will understand."

Li Guihua was stunned for a moment before she suddenly remembered that she had been so anxious that she hadn't given her address and had been chased away.

She suddenly realized what was going on, kowtowed to the old lady, and hurriedly set off again, heading to the man's residence once more.

This time, Li Guihua gave the address of the courtyard house as soon as she entered.

The man, dressed in a gray cloth robe with a stern face, looked up and sized up Li Guihua after hearing the address, then asked in a deep voice, "Is the old owner of that courtyard still alive?"

"They're gone. Only an old lady still lives in the backyard," Li Guihua quickly replied truthfully.

Upon hearing this, the capable man remained silent for a moment, then nodded: "Alright, for the sake of the old lady, I'll go with you. Wait for me outside for a while, I'll pack my things and then we'll leave."

Li Guihua was overjoyed and wept tears of gratitude, thanking everyone profusely, and waited patiently outside the door.

Not long after, the capable man, carrying a black cloth bag, followed Li Guihua back to the courtyard house.

He didn't go to the Yi family first, but went straight to the backyard and met the old lady.

The two didn't say a word, but nodded to each other slightly, as if they had reached some kind of tacit understanding. Then, the capable man turned and walked towards the Yi family in the central courtyard.

Upon entering the Yi family's house, the man circled around Yi Zhonghai, who was lying on the kang (a heated brick bed), and carefully examined his injuries. After examining them, he frowned, stepped forward, and said to Li Guihua, "I can't hold him down by myself. We need to find two strong men to help, otherwise the surgery can't be performed."

Li Guihua hurriedly went to He Daqing for help, but when He Daqing heard that it was about helping with this kind of thing, he shook his head like a rattle drum and refused to agree no matter what.

This job is both unlucky and hateful, and Yi Zhonghai might even hold a grudge after he wakes up, so he's not going to get involved in this mess.

After thinking it over, He Daqing gave Li Guihua an idea: "Don't bother looking for anyone. Just tie him to the kang (a heated brick bed), tie him up tightly, and he won't be able to move."

Upon hearing this, the capable man turned and gave He Daqing a deep look, a meaningful sneer curling at the corner of his mouth. He chuckled twice, said nothing, and simply waved to Li Guihua.

"Go, find a rope, the thicker the better."

He Daqing felt uneasy under the man's gaze, sensing danger in his eyes. He dared not linger and quickly turned back to the He family home. He had Chen Lanxiang hold young He Yushui tightly while he pulled He Yuzhu, who was curious and wanted to see the excitement, and they quickly hid in the backyard.

He knew that there would be frightening noises coming from inside the house soon, and he couldn't let his children be scared.

Following instructions, Li Guihua found a thick hemp rope.

That capable man was indeed skilled. He took out a porcelain bowl from his cloth bag, poured out some brown powder, mixed it with water, pinched Yi Zhonghai's chin, and forced it down his throat—this medicine was clearly an anesthetic.

Shortly after being given the medicine, Yi Zhonghai felt weak all over and his consciousness became blurred.

Then, the capable man directed Li Guihua, and the two of them worked together to tie Yi Zhonghai tightly to the kang (a heated brick bed), binding him into the shape of a "人" (human) character, rendering his limbs immobile.

To prevent him from shouting or moving around, the person even found a clean towel and stuffed it into Yi Zhonghai's mouth.

At this moment, only Yi Zhonghai's eyeballs could move freely.

His bloodshot eyes were filled with hatred and fear as he glared at the capable man before him, then looked venomously at his wife, Li Guihua, as if he wanted to devour them both alive.

The capable man stared directly into Yi Zhonghai's murderous gaze, far from being afraid. Instead, he chuckled sinisterly and said in an icy tone, "You little brat, you want to remember what I look like so you can take revenge later, huh? I've seen plenty of trash like you! I'm right here waiting. Come and get your revenge if you dare! If it weren't for the old lady's sake, I wouldn't care whether you live or die!"

Yi Zhonghai was so angry that he trembled all over, but he couldn't make a sound. He could only turn his gaze to Li Guihua, his eyes full of questioning and resentment.

Seeing her husband's pained and desperate state, Li Guihua burst into tears, sobbing, "Husband, accept your fate! Life is more important than anything! If all else fails, we can adopt a child and raise it, okay? We can still make a living!"

Yi Zhonghai understood, and two lines of despairing tears slowly streamed down his face. He closed his eyes completely and stopped struggling.

Without further ado, the skilled man took out a sharp knife from his cloth bag with practiced ease.

With a swift stroke, only the part that was left alive was cut off, and the rest was completely removed.

Even with the anesthetic, the excruciating pain still made Yi Zhonghai jump up abruptly, uttering inhuman whimpers. The sound was shrill and terrifying, frightening Li Guihua, who was helping to hold him down, so much so that she stumbled backward, her legs giving way and she collapsed to the ground, trembling all over.

Without batting an eye, the skilled person took out a specially made medicinal powder and sprinkled it evenly on the wound, stopping the bleeding and reducing inflammation in one swift motion.

After finishing everything, he straightened up, stretched out his rough, large hand, and said coldly to Li Guihua, "Give it to me, twenty silver dollars, not a penny less."

Li Guihua stood there stunned, and blurted out instinctively, "This...this is so expensive? Twenty silver dollars is way too much!"

"Hmph!" The capable man snorted coldly, his face instantly darkening.

"If it weren't for the old lady's sake, I wouldn't have been able to perform the surgery for you without paying a small yellow croaker! Twenty silver dollars is already a bargain for you!"

"Could you... make it a little cheaper? We really can't afford that much money."

Li Guihua pleaded desperately.

"What? Trying to renege on your debt?"

The capable man's eyes widened, exuding an imposing aura.

"Let me tell you, thirty years ago, even if you wanted me to perform surgery, you wouldn't even get to see me! Give it to me or not, it's up to you. If you don't, leave now and face the consequences!"

Li Guihua was both angry and anxious, cursing inwardly: Who cares about seeing you! But she dared not say it aloud, and could only force a smile.

"Please don't be angry. Please wait outside for a moment. I... I'll go get you the money right away."

"Fine! I'll wait in the yard, hurry up!" The capable man waved his hand impatiently.

Li Guihua stumbled to her feet, glanced at Yi Zhonghai who had fainted from the pain on the kang (a heated brick bed), and felt a sharp pain in her heart.

She walked to the most secluded corner of the room, lifted a loose blue brick, and took out a tightly hidden cloth bag containing the savings she and Yi Zhonghai had accumulated over half a lifetime.

She counted out twenty silver dollars, clutched them tightly in her hand, and walked out of the house, but did not immediately hand the money to the capable man.

Instead, he gritted his teeth and said, "Could you give me some more of your hemostatic and anti-inflammatory powder? He'll need it for future dressing changes."