Having just heard that the other party could help treat the child's illness, the woman's fear in her heart was instantly defeated.
The woman knelt down before He Zhiran and pleaded, "I beg Young Mistress to save my daughter."
He Zhiran quickly helped the woman stand up.
"Treating your child is no problem, as long as Sister-in-law is willing to answer some of my questions," said He Zhiran.
The woman nodded vigorously. "Okay, ask away!"
"May I ask, Sister-in-law, what are the relationships between the Zhou Family, the Zhao Family, and the Cui Family like?" asked He Zhiran.
Upon hearing this question, the woman seemed somewhat nervous.
She looked left and right for a while before whispering:
"Young Mistress, you have just arrived at Xi Ling Village yesterday and have already offended Village Chief Cui. Last night, he sent people to notify the Zhao Family and Zhou Family not to have any dealings with you."
He Zhiran frowned. "What would he do if someone did have dealings with us?"
The woman sighed. "A few years ago, one of my clan uncles took pity on the people the government had sent here and secretly gave them some rations. When the Cui family found out, they told Village Chief Cui about it.
Village Chief Cui brought a group of people and nearly broke my uncle's legs."
After hearing this, He Zhiran gasped.
"How can a small village chief be so overbearing and unreasonably bully people like this? And you all don't fight back?" He Zhiran asked in disbelief.
The woman shook her head helplessly. "The Cui family has a relative who's a county magistrate. Us commoners don't dare offend them!"
He Zhiran asked again, "Then what are the relationships between the Zhao Family, the Jiang Family and the Cui Family like?"
"On the surface, it seems like the Zhao Family and Zhou Family get along harmoniously with the Cui Family. But behind their backs, we all hate the Cui Family to death," said the woman resentfully.
After listening to the woman's account, He Zhiran understood clearly that if they wanted to rent houses from the Zhao Family and Zhou Family, the first thing they needed to do was restrain Village Chief Cui. Otherwise, those two families definitely wouldn't have the guts to rent houses to them.
Having asked all she wanted to know, He Zhiran kept her promise to treat the child.
She first felt the child's forehead and judged from experience that her fever was at least over 39 degrees Celsius.
After taking the child's pulse, He Zhiran completely confirmed that she had caught a cold.
Due to the prolonged high fever, the child now lacked energy and showed little reaction even when He Zhiran's rather cold hand touched her forehead.
Intravenous infusion was the best treatment in this situation.
But unfortunately, He Zhiran was unable to openly use injections for treatment here.
As a second resort, she could only choose medication therapy.
Her consciousness entered her space ring. In the infirmary's dispensary, she chose several pediatric medicines for the symptoms and changed their packaging into oil paper wraps. Then, hiding them up her sleeve, she took them out from her space ring.
She handed the medicine packs to the woman and carefully explained the usage methods.
"Sister-in-law, this is medicine to reduce fever. Give it to your child as soon as you get home. And this is medicine for the child's inflamed throat, while this cures her cold and flu. Give her the cold and flu medicine half an hour after the antipyretic.
Also, we're currently living at the foot of the mountain. If the child's condition worsens, you can come find me there."
The woman clutched the medicine packs tightly and knelt before He Zhiran once more.
"Thank you so much, Doctor. My maiden name is Zhou. I married into the Zhao family. People usually call me Guīhuā."
He Zhiran quickly helped her to her feet. "Sister-in-law Guīhuā, there's no need to stand on ceremony. From now on, we're all villagers here, so helping each other is only right."
After thanking her profusely once more, Guīhuā finally hurried home with her child in her arms.
Mo Jiuye and the others had witnessed the entire exchange between the two women. They agreed with He Zhiran's judgment.
Given the current circumstances, if they didn't suppress the Cui Family's arrogance, they wouldn't stand a chance at renting houses from the Zhou Family or Zhao Family.
Both Xie Tianhai and Fang Chuanzhou were rather indignant at this moment.
"Dear niece, I'm going to the Cui Family right now to argue this out with them."
However, He Zhiran did not try to stop them. But she didn't plan on going with them either.
The reason was simple. The Cui Family had suffered at their hands yesterday. Village Chief Cui must have rushed to the county magistrate to tattle first thing in the morning. Even if they went to the Cui residence now, Village Chief Cui wouldn't be home.
Although they wouldn't see Village Chief Cui himself, going to cause some trouble and vexation was still worthwhile.
Mo Jiuye also understood this rationale. Seeing that both uncles were weak scholars incapable of putting up a fight, he was worried they would suffer losses. So he reminded them,
"Uncles, the Cui Family has many members and great power. If just the two of you go, I'm afraid you'll suffer losses. Why not go back and call up more people to go with you?"
Hearing his words, Xie Tianhai seemed puzzled. "Dear nephew, do you not plan on coming with us?"
Mo Jiuye glanced at the sky and said,
"My wife and I were originally planning on going into town today to buy some medicinal ingredients. Thinking it wouldn't take long to find housing, I just came along.
But if we go argue with the Cui Family, I'm afraid it'll take a very long time. In that case, we won't have enough time to go into town."
Xie Tianhai nodded. "If nephew and niece have matters to attend to, then go on ahead. We'll call up our family members right now and go reason things out with the Cui Family."
What Mo Jiuye and He Zhiran were thinking was that even if Village Chief Cui wasn't home, it would still be good for their group to go kick up a big fuss. At the very least, it would let the Cui Family know they weren't easy to bully.
To prevent Riceball from pestering her again, He Zhiran chose to stay put and wait for Mo Jiuye there. Mo Jiuye went back alone to fetch the mule cart.
Soon, he returned driving the mule cart. Once He Zhiran was seated securely, the mule cart sped off.
The road into town wasn't very near. The villagers of Xi Ling Village usually rode on the Cui Family's oxcarts.
But today, there were no oxcarts waiting at the village entrance offering rides.
The reason was simple. At the crack of dawn, Village Chief Cui had people take ox carts to carry him to Deputy Magistrate Cui to tattle.
Just as the villagers were sighing and complaining about this, they suddenly caught sight of a mule cart racing over from the distance.
The villagers didn't know who the mule cart belonged to. They assumed it must be someone else from the Cui Family who had bought another mule cart.
One villager strode forward to block Mo Jiuye and He Zhiran's way.
The mule cart was forced to stop. Only then did the villagers see clearly that the driver was a stranger.
Although the people from the Zhao Family and Zhou Family didn't recognize the pair, they had heard about the new group of exiled people the government had sent yesterday.
Thinking of this, they could roughly guess the identities of the two.
The Zhao and Zhou family members quickly retreated, looking as if they were avoiding some ferocious beast.
Mo Jiuye and He Zhiran didn't find this reaction strange at all. They had just learned of the general circumstances from Guīhuā.
Seeing the villagers make way, Mo Jiuye ignored them and urged the mule cart forward, intending to continue on.
Just then, a villager rushed out from the crowd.
The newcomer was dressed like a scholar and even carried a coarse cloth satchel.
Somewhat embarrassed, he cupped his fists towards Mo Jiuye.
"Brother, I'm rushing to get to school. May I trouble you for a ride there?"
Right after the scholar's request, someone else chased up to them from behind.
"Zechuan, get back here!"
Zhao Zechuan looked back at the newcomer. "Brother, you're afraid of the Cui Family, but I'm not. We're all villagers alike. Why should we let the Cui Family oppress us so?"
