A Western Doctor’s Happy Farming Life[1] chapter 77

On the way back home, Song Qinghan and Wu Dahu greeted Qin Aye, Laifu, Qian Baozi and others one by one. They got a lot blessings from these friends.

When they back home, they commenced packing up everything they need for relocating, and also, cut a piece of monk fruit vines and collected some seeds of pepper, cumin and star anise. They did so just in case that they couldn’t even find these plants in that provincial capital.

After packing everything up, Wu Dahu headed to the town alone. He went there to inform every butcher who was in the cooperative relationship with him the fact that he was leaving this place. And also, he brought the last batch of seasonings for them.

Although the butchers were all with an expression of half convince and half suspicion, they still showed a great interest to buy the spices and seasonings in panic. Anyway, at least storing them wouldn’t be something bad. The more, the better.

After that, Wu Dahu went directly to Huichun Shop. Just at the moment Wu Dahu reached the shop, Doctor Luo came out and was ready to go out for a domestic consultation. Wu Dahu rushed over and then pointed the position where the monk fruits were found, while also informing Doctor Luo that they would leave this place very soon.

Informing Doctor Luo the right position of the plants was a decision made by them prudently. After all, the monk fruit was quite different from those seasonings, it was a material which was used for medical treatments. And in the meanwhile, Doctor Luo gave highly complimentary remarks to it. If their leaving caused the out-of-stock situation of the fruits, they would be so much guilty even though Doctor Luo might say nothing about it.

In addition, they fully trusted Doctor Luo that he wouldn’t reveal the secret of processing. Without the processing method, other people couldn’t even make them into dried one for long-term preservation.

Dr. Luo accepted their kindness and then he delivered Wu Dahu a wooden tablet with the word “春” (Chun: Spring) engraved on it. At the first glimpse of it, it seemed to be something vintage from the old age.

He didn’t say anything else while handing over the tablet, but just informed Wu Dahu that wherever they went, as long as they showed the other branch shops of Huichun Shop the tablet nationwide, they could be treated as guests of nobleness.

Wu Dahu pondered for a moment, but still took over the wooden tablet.

Even though Song Qinghan knew a lot about medicine, he was still an ordinary person without a power of omnipotence, he might encounter some troubles either in the future. At that time, the Huichun Shop, which had long enjoyed a good reputation, would be the right-hand patron for him. It is always a good idea to repair the house before it rains.

After getting out from Huichun Shop, Wu Dahu hired a carriage and rushed home.

Their luggage didn’t seem to be much, but when they put them all onto the carriage, they occupied almost half of the space on it. Fortunately, the carriage Wu Dahu hired was the biggest one within the market. The space left by the goods was quite enough to accommodate Song Qinghan, Yuan Wenxuan and their Little Shitou. It would be crowded if Wu Dahu squeezed in too.

However, he didn’t intend to sit in the carriage at all, but just chose to sit next to the carter outside on the wooden driver’s seat. He sat side by side with the carter, though the bitterly cold wind was piercing his face, he still felt much joyous.

Speaking of the provincial capital, it would be exaggerate to describe it a far-away place. But it would be overstated either to describe it a nearby one while it took a long way to go.

Being informed by the carter, Song Qinghan came to know that if they kept this pace until they reached the provincial capital, it would cost them at least three days of hurrying on with their journey excluding the night time when they slept.

Fortunately, the registration time for the tournament would be lasting at least one more month, so they were not worried at all. Instead, they enjoyed the landscape leisurely along the way.

Well, Little Shitou should be the most suffering one among them. After all, the dinning time wasn’t that kind of regular as when they were at home. But the fresh landscape along the way cheered him up either. It seemed that he hadn’t been influenced by the hunger. On the contrary, he just laughed and laughed every day. And when he laughed, he was laughing like a little grinning Buddha.

On the other side, Yuan Wenxuan seemed putting on a sorrow expression on face, what really haunted him right now was nothing but the rabbit which was “gutted” by him. He just kept checking out its wound every day, every moment.

Noticing that the boy was with such a kindness, Song Qinghan couldn’t bear to tell him the truth that he brought these rabbits because he intended to kill them for meal when the new year was approaching…

Three days later, this group finally arrived in the provincial capital.

The prosperity of the provincial capital was far beyond Song Qinghan’s imagination. The city walls erupted solemnly in an amazing height, which made Song Qinghan exclaim astonishingly. The grave walls had already amazed him, let alone the scene of people hurrying to and fro within the area.

The sun had already dipped down when they arrived at the city gate. It was too late for them to find a place to settle down, so they just checked in a random lodge. After the long trip, they finally regained their strength after a warm shower and a nice entertainment of meal to their starving stomachs.

Noticing that Song Qinghan was staring at the outside with a pair of wide-open eyes, Wu Dahu came to know that Song Qinghan was all eagerness to be an eye-opener, so he took the initiative to suggest, saying, “There is no curfew in this capital. It’s still not too late if you want to go out for some fun.”

Hearing that, Song Qinghan nodded and then responded in excitement, saying, “Then let’s go outside now. It’s my first time to witness the prosperous scene described in books.”

Of course, Wu Dahu wouldn’t consider that Song Qinghan was actually talking about the book from the modern time. He just held Little Shitou up in his arms and asked Yuan Wenxuan to follow tight behind, and then he held Song Qinghan’s hand, leading all of them out of the lodge.

The main streets within this provincial capital were more than twice as wide as the ones within their town, but even so, it still looked narrow and crowded while people were just cramming in. The prosperity of it could be a rival to any bazaar crammed with a sea of people.

Moreover, novelties on the street stalls were dazzlingly shining with their colors reflected by glittering lighting, which had seemingly enchanted Song Qinghan who was showing a dumbfounded expression.

How exquisite these novelties were, people who took a glance at them probably wouldn’t believe that they were made by manual work. Even the most advanced machine in the modern time wasn’t capable of producing something like that.

Besides various stalls with countless merchandises, all kinds of acrobatics show also could been seen in this busy street, like masonry block smashing on chest, spitting fire and so on. Song Qinghan only watched these shows on television before rather than in a real life. That really was an eye-opening scene for him currently.

However, seeing it on television was completely different from seeing it with his own eyes. Even though he knew the principle of all the shows, he was still shocked by the scene and couldn’t help but cheer for the shows.

After the performance, the acrobatic team members took a large plate smiling. They walked around and flattered, shouting, “Ladies and gentlemen, you will be much welcome to be generous on tipping us, or, just cheer as loud as you can! Today’s show’s gonna be a great show. You walk by, pass by, but should not miss it.”

Song Qinghan hesitated for a moment and then he tried to look around to see the reaction of others. He found that some people left before performers came over, or waved their hands, but just refused to tip anything. And those who were kindly tipping the performers just delivered them one or two copper coins.

Seeing that the performing team was consisted of youths, Song Qinghan made up his mind and decided to give them one silver coin when one of the performers approached.

When the boy came over and noticed the glittering silvery white of the silver coin, he was quite shocked while being a bit dumbfounded standing still, and then the next moment he smiled big, bowing himself to Song Qinghan for showing a great gratitude.

With a great satisfaction and happiness, Song Qinghan was about to leave. But just at the moment he turned around, an ear-splitting scream burst among the crowd, seemingly tearing the jubilant ambience apart all of a sudden.

Right behind him, Wu Dahu grabbed and held tightly his waist, retreating back into a corner.

Although Yuan Wenxuan couldn’t see what was happening, he quickly followed up standing on the stairs and attempting to look far into the distance.

The boy who had been holding a large plate was lying on the ground right away. Next to him stood a strong man who was looking at him in look down from a height. He sneered, saying, “Do you own this place or not? Brothers, beat the sh*t out of him!”

The acrobatic team gathered while each of them was extremely angry, “What do you think you’re doing? You’re neglecting the law.”

The beefy man raised his eyebrows and said arrogantly, “The law? We’re the law within this area!”

After that, he raised his feet high and then thumped harshly the boy’s stomach. He seemed to enjoy much the scream of that boy, with a wicked and taunting grin emerged on his face.

His fierce action was like a signal. With that heavy thump, more and more beefy men came out from the crowd and they smashed almost every stage property of the acrobatic team. All those who came to stop were kicked to the ground, followed by a rain like cuff and kick. It seemed that those beefy men didn’t even give a sh*t about those acrobatic team members.

Song Qinghan held tightly on Wu Dahu’s arm, murmuring, “What? Are they a group of savages? Should we call the yamen runners?”

Wu Dahu patted him on the back of his hand aiming to console, and then he took a glance at the distance as well, saying in a low voice, “Right there, the yamen runners are coming”

The onlookers also noticed the upcoming yamen runners from afar and spontaneously, they made way for them forming a route to allow them to stride over.

The members of the acrobatics team who were beaten badly saw the yamen runners after that, they shouted as if they had grasped the lifesaving straw with hope, “Officers! Officers! Please help! These people beat us without reasons and smashed all our stuff! Please do us justice!”

Those fierce men had already stopped their actions as soon as they noticed the yamen runners coming over, the head man saluted to the yamen runners while making a bow with hands folded in front, smiling, “Dear magistrate, you have to render fair judgement. It was them who broke the rule and occupied the road here. We just dissuaded them not to do so, but they just didn’t listen. So when everything just messed up, we fought with each other.””

“Oh.” The head runner responded, both of them stared at those acrobatic team members who were miserably lying on the ground. And the the head runner frowned, shouting aloud, “This is provincial capital, not somewhere allowing you to behave atrociously. If you don’t want to obey to the rule, leave as soon as possible! For the sake that you’re being here the first time, we will let you go. But you should pay them bill first for the medicine fee!”

The boy on the ground even had blood on the corner of his mouth. But he just ignored the pain and asked anxiously, “What? Pay them bill for the medicine fee? Are you talking to me or them?”

“Of course, it’s you who should bear the responsibility. It’s your affair now to decide how much you’ll pay!”

The yamen runners interrupted with a cold smile, then nodded to the beefy man and left with satisfaction.

After the yamen runners left, the hulky man sneered trying to gloat over his victory and then kicked again the boy on the ground with his clumsy feet, saying as if he was flattering himself, “Yo, do you expect us to pay you for the medicine fee? What a pitiful and laughable boy you are! Hurry up, expose all your coins to us. We don’t have time playing with you here.”

The person on the ground spat out a mouthful of blood when he was irritated by the beefy man’s words. He then said in a depressed voice, “That’s what we got, we don’t have more money expect that. We acrobatic performers only berth where we can make money.”

The man looked very dissatisfied, but he couldn’t do anything anymore to beat the boy on the ground. He just shouted to his subordinates, “Pick up the money and buy yourself a drink!”

After that, he sized up the expressions of despair on the faces of the members of the acrobatics team. He smugly spat on the ground and hummed away with his hands behind his back.