Chapter 16: Unexpected

Song Jinxiu quickly waved her hand to cover up her awkwardness.

“You should know, it’s also a kind of medicine.”

She gestured to describe the shape and characteristics of plaster.

Young Physician Li listened uncertainly and asked, “But isn’t that Bai Hanshi [White Cold Stone], which is used to treat heat-related ailments?”

Song Jinxiu replied, “I don’t know. What does Bai Hanshi look like?”

Young Physician Li immediately instructed the medicine boy, “Go fetch some Bai Hanshi.”

The medicine boy quickly returned with a tray full of Bai Hanshi.

Song Jinxiu smiled as soon as she saw it. This Bai Hanshi was nothing other than plaster.

She pinched a bit of the plaster and rubbed it between her fingers.

“This is it. You wrap this white powder in layers of white cloth. When soaked, it’s soft; wrapped around an injured limb, it hardens into a tough shell once dry, protecting the injury.”

Young Physician Li was clever—after a brief explanation, he was able to infer the rest.

“Good, good. Thank you, Miss Song. I’ll go back and think it over.”

After seeing Young Physician Li off, Song Jinxiu worried her big brother might ask how she knew about plaster, so she prepared an explanation in her mind, ready to answer at any moment.

Unexpectedly, when the medicine boy brought a large basin of bone soup and a dozen flatbreads, Big Brother didn’t ask a single question.

After the bone setting, Song Jinxiu added calcium tablets and bone-strengthening capsules to her brother’s medicine.

After lunch, the four siblings huddled together again, studying the Three Character Classic to learn their literacy.

At dinner, the medicine boy delivered a large basin of stewed vegetables and several steamed white buns.

“Our master said from now on, you four can eat in the clinic’s dining hall for free. Starting tomorrow, you’ll serve yourselves; I won’t be bringing food anymore.”

The four siblings were overwhelmed by this unexpected kindness—was a pie really falling from the sky and landing on them?

Song Jinxiu guessed it might be related to the plaster cast.

It seemed Young Physician Li had already understood the benefits of using plaster.

Sure enough, the medicine boy happily explained, “Our master said Miss Song’s method was very good. You might even be exempted from medical fees.”

“Big Sister,” little Jinfang was overjoyed, “if we don’t have to pay the medical fees, won’t that save us a lot of money?”

After seeing the medicine boy off, the little girl came closer and asked, “Sister, if we save on medical fees, can we use the money to buy some cloth? We don’t have any clothes to change into.”

Song Jinxiu smiled, “I already had someone make clothes for us. Don’t worry, you’ll all have new clothes to wear by tomorrow.”

“Really?” Jinfang was thrilled. Since she could remember, she had never worn new clothes—always hand-me-downs from her sister. Sometimes, when she managed to get clothes from her second cousin with fewer patches, she’d be happy for days.

Song Chunsheng was also very happy. His leg had been set; although healing from tendon and bone injuries takes a hundred days, he could now see hope, right?

Now, with medical fees waived and meals provided, he was deeply moved. The grateful look in his eyes toward his younger sister couldn’t be hidden.

All of this was thanks to his big sister.

Seeing her siblings gradually recover their energy, Song Jinxiu felt deeply gratified.

The items she pawned not only saved her elder brother’s leg, but also brought renewed hope to their little family. With just a few words, she managed to get the medical clinic to waive the treatment fees, and even earned the respectful praise of a full-fledged doctor. Song Chunsheng suddenly realized—he had never truly understood his younger sister before.

Indeed, over the past few years, he had shut himself away in despair because of his crippled leg. Had it not been for the upheaval of their mother being cast out and Jinxiu nearly being sold off, he might still be muddling through life, lifeless. It was his younger sister who dragged him out of that abyss.

The next day, new clothes arrived—two sets each, made of fine cotton, soft to the touch and stitched with care, clearly done by a skilled tailor. The four siblings washed themselves clean and changed into their new outfits. In an instant, they looked like entirely different children.

With meals provided by the clinic and no more worries about food and clothing, the children’s appearances improved day by day. Little Qiusheng’s cheeks began to plump up, and he started babbling more clearly—occasionally even letting out pure, joyful giggles that melted the heart. Xiao Jinfang’s skin became fairer, and her eyes sparkled as she cheerfully helped her older sister with small chores. Even Song Chunsheng’s face began to show signs of the bright youth he once was, and when he smiled, he bore an uncanny resemblance to their irresponsible father.

But Song Jinxiu’s heart remained unmoved.

—It didn’t matter who they resembled. As long as they could take control of their own fate with their own hands, the shadows of the past would never be able to engulf them again.

There was no denying that their scumbag father was a handsome scoundrel—otherwise, why would Widow Sun have clung to him?

Unfortunately, her older brother now had a scar on his face…

There was no scar-removing ointment in her spatial storage. She wondered if the medical manual her senior brother had left behind might contain a recipe. But even if it did, Song Jinxiu doubted whether she could make it successfully. Her senior brother had sighed countless times in the past, lamenting that his junior sister was good at everything—except she had no talent for medicine.

Song Jinxiu thought about asking Young Doctor Li. If the clinic had any scar ointment, she would buy some for her brother. Such a handsome face—ruined by a scar—was truly an eyesore.

Just as Song Jinxiu stepped out of the ward, she suddenly heard a pig-slaughter-like scream from the courtyard next door. The sound startled her badly.

At that moment, a crowd of people came out into the courtyard, all drawn by the screams from the neighboring yard.

Someone said, “I wonder what kind of injury could cause that much pain—could he die from the pain?”

“I heard it’s a hunter who got hurt while out hunting. How could that be a minor injury?”

“Yeah, that guy might not make it…”

After a round of speculation, the onlookers gradually returned to care for their own patients.

But the agonizing screams from next door continued on and on, prompting Song Jinxiu to walk over, unable to resist her curiosity.

Both courtyards were part of the clinic’s inpatient wing. Where Song Chunsheng was staying housed the patients with milder injuries; this other courtyard must be for the severely wounded.

Suddenly, the man’s screams came to an abrupt stop.

Why did it suddenly go quiet?

Song Jinxiu’s curiosity got the better of her, and she stepped into the courtyard.

The moment she entered, the thick stench of blood hit her.

The smell was so strong—it was probably best she didn’t look any further.

She had just turned to leave when suddenly, a group of people burst through the entrance. She happened to be in the way.

Startled, she quickly stepped back to let them pass. That’s when she saw it—seven or eight men dressed in black, hurriedly carrying someone inside. Trailing behind them was a pockmarked man in black, dragging none other than young Doctor Li by the collar.

Song Jinxiu froze for a moment, stunned. But when she saw young Doctor Li being choked so hard that his face was turning purple, she didn’t hesitate.

She rushed forward and grabbed at the pockmarked man’s hand.

“Let him go! You’re choking him—he’s going to die!”

Hearing her shout, the man slackened his grip just slightly. Young Doctor Li finally gasped for air and started coughing violently.

The next second, that burly man picked Doctor Li up again—and at the same time, Song Jinxiu felt herself being lifted off the ground as well.

Damn it—this brute had grabbed her too!

Clang!
Up ahead, the black-clad men kicked open the ward door and rushed inside. Moments later, both Song Jinxiu and young Doctor Li were tossed in behind them like sacks.

“I told you—I really can’t do this!” young Doctor Li protested, his voice panicked. “The arrow wound is too close to the heart! If my grandfather were here, he could do it—he’d use silver needles to numb the surrounding muscles first, so the arrow could be safely removed!”

“Is saying all that going to help now?” one of the black-clad men snapped coldly. “Old Doctor Li is in the capital. If our master could survive the trip back there, would we even be here looking for you?”

“Quit the nonsense. If knocking him unconscious is all it takes, I can do that myself,” another black-clad man said coldly.

“Aiya, it’s not the same!” young Doctor Li cried, nearly in tears. “Even if he’s unconscious, once I pull the arrow, his muscles will convulse from the pain! If they twitch even slightly, the arrow could pierce his heart. Once the heart’s punctured, he’ll die instantly!”

He was utterly distraught—he truly didn’t dare make a move.
If this man died on his operating table, this group of killers wouldn’t hesitate to skin him alive.

Song Jinxiu, who had been tossed aside earlier, finally caught sight of the injured man’s wound—an arrow had struck him in the back.

And not just any arrow—a triple-feathered arrow.

Her heart thudded. So this is what real ancient arrows look like…
She couldn’t help being a little awestruck.

At that moment, the tension in the room was razor-sharp.
Song Jinxiu knew full well that the smartest thing to do right now… was to quietly sneak away.

But just as she moved—
A gleaming willow-leaf blade suddenly appeared in front of her, blocking her path.

The blade gleamed coldly under the light, its edge terrifyingly sharp.
Song Jinxiu instantly realized—this was no prop.
This was a real weapon.
A true killer’s blade.