FIELD OF GOLDS VOLUME 1

CHAPTER 41-50

 Chapter 41 - Acute Illness

Doctor You had been gone for two months. The villagers in and around Dongshan Village didn’t feel anything was different in the short term. But after a while, they all felt the inconvenience of his absence. In the past, when they had a minor illness or a small disaster, they were able to pay Doctor You ten to twenty copper coins to be seen. Afterward, they just needed to take some medicine and their illness would be gone. 

After Doctor You had left, the majority of the villagers who fell sick were able to overcome their illness by bearing with it. But if their condition didn’t get better with time, they would have to go to town to see a doctor. However, they had to pay at least several hundred of copper coins to visit even the smallest medical hall. 

Everyone knew that the granddaughter from Old Yu’s family had studied medicine under Doctor You for a month. But, she was merely a silly eight year old girl and also didn’t study under Doctor You for long. They rather endure the illness themselves than to put their own lives in the hands of a little girl. She might even turn their small illness into a serious illness!

Xiaocao was quite talented in studying medicine, and Doctor You felt that there wasn’t much that he could teach her anymore. However, three months passed, and Xiaocao didn’t receive even one patient. But she didn’t take that to heart. Xiaocao’s original purpose in studying medicine was to conceal the effects of the mystic-stone water when she used it. Hence, it didn’t matter to her whether she had any patients seeking her help or not.

Doctor You often liked to concoct pills for common conditions like the common cold, small fevers, and other minor illnesses. The majority of the villagers from Dong Shan village knew this. 

Every once in a while, Yu Xiaocao would be visited by the villagers. She would get the pills or medicine packs prepared by Grandfather You and give it to the sick villager. This was the only role left for her as Doctor You’s direct disciple while he was gone. 

Taking advantage of the fact that the early winter snow didn’t seal the mountain, Yu Xiaocao would leisurely put out some traps every few days when she went up the mountain. With the mystic-stone water as an all-purpose bait, her harvest every time would be quite bountiful. Her private little purse was bulging more and more.  

With more money came more worries. In the past, with only one or two silver ingots, she would be able to find a random corner and hide it. But now she had silver ingots and silver pieces inside her bulging purse, it was more difficult to find a safe hiding spot.. After all, the family had Yu Heizi, who liked to go through other people’s things.  

Xiaocao wasn’t treating him unjustly: Heizi had a criminal record. Everyday, Yu Hai and Madam Liu both had more work than they could finish in a day, and Yu Xiaolian was also not allowed to idle around. When Xiaocao set out the traps, she would bring Little Shitou along. Basically, other than when they were eating or sleeping, there was no one in the West Room to witness anything.

One time, Yu Xiaocao had just returned from selling the animals she had caught using her traps in the mountain. When she returned, she saw the West Room’s door wide open so she quickly hurried over to take a look. The whole room was a mess after being rummaged through by someone. The tattered clothes inside the trunk were thrown everywhere. Even the blanket on the kang bed was tangled into a lump. 

She quickly went to check the place where she hid the money——in the small crack between the kang bed and the mud wall. Fortunately, after she had hid the money in the small crack, she had used some loose dirt to seal it. Otherwise, the money would be hard pressed to escape from Brother Heizi’s sinister hand.