freenovelworld Chapter 18: County Magistrate's Birthday
Chapter 18: County Magistrate's Birthday
This stall was in the corner of the market, and Wen Yan hadn't even noticed it just now.
There are all kinds of wild game here. The people setting up the stalls look like hunters. In front of them are pheasants, wild ducks, wild boar meat, etc. The prices are cheaper than those for domestic ones.
What Wan Xuan wanted to buy was a dying white fox cub.
The fox's leg was pierced by an arrow, its fur was stained red with blood, and it was gasping pitifully.
The hunter looked at them and said, "Will you buy it? If not, don't disturb my business and stand aside."
Wan Xuan nodded: "Buy it! Let's buy it! I want it!"
"It's a pure white fox cub. The arrow in its leg is a thin arrow I made specially. It can be easily healed and kept as a pet or for viewing. So I'll give you ten taels of silver, no bargaining." The hunter had caught many rare and exotic animals before, and was very popular among the sons of noble families. Today, the arrow was shot too deep, and no one was willing to take it, but he really needed money urgently.
Wan Xuan took out a ten-liang silver note from her pocket and said, "Okay, I'll give you the silver and give me the fox."
The hunter's eyes widened when he saw a little girl of four or five years old took out ten taels of silver. He checked the banknotes and found that there was no problem with them. He looked at Wen Yan as if she had been taken advantage of.
Wen Yan was sweating inwardly. She had wanted to bargain, but she didn't expect Sibao to pay directly. She could only endure the hunter's look.
The little fox was seriously injured. Wen Yan could help keep him alive with spiritual spring water, but someone had to be found to pull out the arrow from his leg.
Zhongjing Hall is not far away. Although I had an unpleasant experience there last time, the medical skills of the people there are still convincing enough, so I don’t care too much.
Wan Xuan seemed to realize that the fox was in pain, her eyes were red, and she followed Wen Yan inside.
There were a lot of people in the clinic, and Wen Yan had to queue up behind the crowd. She was afraid of squeezing the fox and the child, so she let them stand in the corner and wait for her.
Shui Jinglie came back from Yue's house for a medical consultation. He had been there so many times but still hadn't met the so-called ginseng-selling woman. He couldn't help but sigh frequently.
As I walked through the crowd towards the inner courtyard, I saw a little girl standing in the corner, half crying, holding a little white fox in her arms that was breathing out more than breathing in.
Are you here to treat animals? This is really the first time.
When he got closer, Shui Jinglue realized that the little girl in front of him was too pretty. The way she cried could melt his heart. He couldn't help but ask her in a soft voice: "Why are you standing here alone?"
Wan Xuan sobbed and said, "Mom is waiting in line, help me save Xiaobai."
Shui Jinglue was a little surprised that people came to Zhongjing Hall to queue up just to save a white fox. He checked the fox's injuries and found that it was okay and could be saved.
"Grandpa, are you a doctor? Can you save Xiaobai?"
Faced with the little girl's request, Shui Jinglue couldn't refuse at all, "Okay, come with me."
Upon hearing what he said, Wan Xuan wiped her tears and handed the fox over, "Grandpa, save Xiaobai first. I'll go call my mother and give you the silver."
Shui Jinglue laughed, "Okay, good boy, take your mother to the first room on the left at the back to find me."
Wan Xuan nodded and ran away with her short legs.
Shui Jinglue has been a doctor for many years and has treated countless people, but this is his first time treating a small animal. However, treatment must be done seriously and attentively, as the arrow hit the fox's leg bone, and any inaccurate treatment would cause secondary damage.
An hour later, Shui Jinglie opened the door and came out holding the little fox.
"Grandpa! How's Xiaobai?"
Shui Jinglue looked at the woman standing next to him and nodded as a greeting. He then put the little fox in Wan Xuan's arms, "Hold it gently. I'll go to the front and prescribe you a golden wound medicine. Apply it every day."
"Okay, thank you grandpa."
Shui Jinglue had a natural affinity for this child. As usual, he wanted him to treat animals? No way.
Do you have to prescribe medicine for it after treating it? That's simply impossible.
But today I made an exception, and I was very happy about it.
In the end, he even personally saw the two of them off from the clinic. Only when the little girl said that she would bring Xiaobai to see him in the future did a satisfied smile appear on his face.
Mo Anfu saw Wen Yan leaving, walked over to say hello, and said sourly: "I didn't expect you to find her. Did she sell ginseng to you this time?"
After Shui Jinglie realized what he meant, he froze: "You, you mean she is the one who sold ginseng?"
"Yes," Mo Anfu wondered, "You don't know?"
I don’t know why he is still so attentive?
Shui Jinglüe looked at the crowd again, and he could no longer see the mother and daughter. But thinking of the little girl saying that she would come again in the future, Shui Jinglüe felt relieved, and he could still see them again.
It’s just a matter of waiting for a while, so he just waits.
The old imperial physician's expression kept changing, leaving Mo Anfu confused, so he went home without further investigation. The old man's health has been getting better recently, and he was even able to walk today. He was very happy, and he would definitely thank this lady when he met her next time.
The days passed slowly, Wen Yan planted vegetables, Ganoderma lucidum and ginseng, raised donkeys, chickens and foxes, and lived a very comfortable life.
After the jade pendant merged with the space, the amount of land that could be used for cultivation doubled. Now there were two acres of land continuously producing grain in the space, and half an acre of pastureland covered with green grass.
Together with the housekeeper, I built a fence around the pasture and put chickens and ducks in there to raise them. It only takes ten days for them to grow up from cubs. The chickens and ducks raised in the space have very plump meat, so delicious that it makes people's tongues fall off.
On the twelfth day of the eleventh lunar month, the first snow of this winter arrived, and it was also the sixtieth birthday of County Magistrate Ma Huo.
It was snowing heavily, but there was still an endless stream of people coming to celebrate the birthday. The threshold of the Ma family mansion was almost broken by people.
"Madam Wan, you are here, please take a seat!"
"Uncle Yue, Uncle Yue, long time no see!"
"Boss Liu! What kind of gift did you prepare that's so big?"
Ma Zhengwen, wearing a dark red double-breasted jacket, stood at the door to welcome the guests. When everyone arrived, he went into the hall and informed Ma Huo, "Everyone is here."
"Okay." Ma Huo had been the county magistrate of Hexia Town for twenty years, with no merits or faults, and he was on good terms with everyone. He didn't want to be remembered in history, but he just wanted to avoid being criticized. Therefore, everyone in the city was willing to be on good terms with him, which was why everyone came to celebrate his birthday in the snow today.
In half a year he will step down from the position of county magistrate. His superiors have already made arrangements and will make Ma Zhengwen the next county magistrate. He will have no regrets in his life.
Ma Huo stood up and said happily, "Today is just my personal birthday party. Don't be restrained. Eat and drink well."
Someone immediately came forward and took advantage of the atmosphere to present a gift.
The first to be affected was Ma Wen Zheng. When he took out the painting, Xu Xiaorou's face twisted for a moment.
On the way back that day, I saw Ma Wen talking to Wen Yan. I asked Du Juan to eavesdrop, and found out that the painting Wen Yan bought was real!
It only cost one ounce of silver! And I got a favor from the county magistrate's son for free!
Not only did she lose two hundred taels of silver, but she was also scolded by the old lady. It was really abominable.