As people age, they inevitably place hopes on the younger generation. Wu’er was merely fifteen years old, and Chen Wei felt profound pity for him, wondering whether there was still a chance to educate and reform him, so he went to visit Wu’er in prison.
The result was exactly as Xie Yu had predicted. Wu’er showed neither repentance nor gratitude; instead, he mocked Chen Wei, ridiculing him for being foolish.
Seeing that Wu’er was indeed beyond redemption, Chen Wei felt deeply disappointed. On his way back, he seemed listless and dispirited.
Seeing this, Xie Yu remarked, “If you, Master Chen, only feel regret for this one individual, shouldn’t you consider that if he had been allowed to grow up, more innocent people would have suffered in the future?”
Chen Wei clasped his hands and sighed deeply.
He naturally understood this reasoning, but witnessing firsthand the crimes committed by a youth under his jurisdiction, he felt sorrow and regret, and also frustration at his own perceived helplessness.
These past few days, he had been thinking: how could a young child commit such a shocking crime? Was it perhaps due to his own failure in moral instruction?
As Chen Wei was lost in self-reproach, he suddenly heard Xie Yu say, “Looking at the entire country, every year new corrupt officials emerge, and they can’t all be executed; there are also many shocking murder cases that can’t all be resolved. According to Master Chen’s view, would all these be considered the Emperor’s fault?”
Chen Wei almost immediately jumped up, “Certainly not! The Emperor is occupied with countless state affairs and cannot possibly attend to everything personally. These people have merely betrayed the Emperor’s trust…”
After speaking, he quickly regained his composure, realizing that Xie Yu had been subtly advising him, which filled him with deep feelings.
Indeed, rumors cannot always be trusted.
Previously, he had only heard that this young marquis was cold and unapproachable, but now he saw things differently. It seemed that the one considered heartless was actually the most compassionate.
With the case solved, the Kaifeng Prefecture team did not leave Donghe County immediately.
Firstly, there were procedures to transfer the case files and move the prisoners, which would take at least half a day to complete.
Secondly, everyone had been exhausted these past few days, and the return journey would involve several days of riding, so they needed to rest and recuperate.
Thus, Xie Yu led Yuanpei and others in organizing the case files and handling the paperwork at the county office, while Ma Bing went to the back to check on You Xiaotian’s condition and volunteered to return the donkey to the Wang family.
It was unclear whether the Wang family was too ashamed to be seen or too immersed in grief to notice, but days had passed and no one had come to retrieve the animal.
After several days of care, You Xiaotian’s health had stabilized, and her complexion had improved.
Yesterday, they received news that Liu Xi had come early in the morning to pick up his wife at the county office, having specially hired a donkey cart because he knew her health was poor. Inside, he laid a thick straw mat first, then a quilt, making it very soft and comfortable.
Ma Bing smiled, “You two truly have deep marital affection.”
In the world, there are many who are unfeeling and unfaithful; it’s common to share prosperity but rare to endure hardships together. You Xiaotian had heart problems and certainly couldn’t manage household affairs like other healthy women, so Liu Xi inevitably bore a heavier burden. It was commendable that he had never complained all these years.
During this time, Wang Zheng frequently came to cause trouble, spouting many senseless words. Any man who didn’t understand the situation might easily blame others…
Liu Xi, being an honest person, blushed with embarrassment upon hearing this but merely scratched his head and chuckled sheepishly.
However, during these days, You Xiaotian, having become more familiar with Ma Bing’s kindness, finally gathered her courage and said, “He… he’s truly a good person.”
After speaking, her own face turned red.
In married life, isn’t mutual understanding the most important thing!
Ma Bing smiled and said, “Seeing how well you two get along, I’m going to be inconsiderate today and interrupt you on purpose!”
Seeing Liu Xi standing there dazed, You Xiaotian elbowed him, “Ma Doctor says that since both Wang… since that person and I have heart conditions, it’s very likely inherited from our ancestors. She wants to check the two children’s pulses.”
Upon hearing this, Liu Xi was overjoyed and immediately knelt down to kowtow to Ma Bing.
Ma Bing quickly helped him up, “It’s nothing really. Since I know about it now, it’s just a short trip.”
Thus, the three set off.
Liu Xi drove the cart, You Xiaotian rode in it, and Ma Bing rode a horse alongside. Along the way, they discussed the two children’s usual health conditions.
Since You Xiaotian and Wang Zheng had not seen each other for many years and were unaware of each other’s situations, she herself only gradually showed symptoms around the age of ten.
Now the two children were still very young. Although they often fell ill, children naturally have weak constitutions, so it was really hard to determine whether these illnesses were due to heart conditions or mere coincidences.
Before long, they arrived. Liu Xi first went to the neighbor’s house to fetch the two children.
He was not the eldest son, and after marriage, he had moved out to live in the city, so whenever the couple were both away, the children had no one to take care of them and had to be entrusted to neighbors.
The neighbor, seeing that Ma Bing had come personally to deliver the children, was very respectful and also subtly inquired about the purpose of her visit.
Ma Bing recognized her as the woman who had openly admitted to eavesdropping in court that day, which she found amusing.
Such people are not uncommon. Although they might occasionally be somewhat annoying, they generally have good intentions. Whenever there was something happening in the neighborhood, they were always eager to help.
No one is perfect, let alone ordinary commoners?
As long as a person doesn’t have ill intentions, that’s already very rare and precious.
Otherwise, wouldn’t everyone be able to become a saint!
“I heard their child had a cough a couple of days ago, so I came to check their pulse,” Ma Bing replied vaguely.
Liu Xi and You Xiaotian’s son was six years old, and their daughter was four. Both were still too young to understand much, but they had been well-behaved, only holding tightly to their parents’ hands and looking up with their little heads at this unfamiliar, pretty older sister.
Ma Bing couldn’t help but laugh, then reached out and ruffled both of their heads. The two children giggled happily.
Truth be told, their silly smiles looked exactly like Liu Xi’s.
Upon hearing this, the woman slapped her thigh hard, “That’s right! You’re a doctor after all! So, then…”
She was unusually flustered, rubbing her plump hands together, wanting to say something but seeming hesitant.
How could Ma Bing not guess her thoughts? She lifted her chin and said, “If there are any patients at home, I can check them too. Auntie, please go tell the nearby families.”
There weren’t many doctors in the small town, and the common people’s lives were only modestly prosperous, so they were often frugal. Most would “endure minor illnesses and delay major ones,” often turning small illnesses into serious ones.
Since she often provided free medical services, one more time wouldn’t make much difference.
Upon hearing this, the woman was overjoyed. She first quickly knelt down and kowtowed, then got up in a flash, running off while her ample figure jiggled, shouting along the street, “The doctors from Kaifeng Prefecture have come to provide free medical services! Everyone with patients at home, come and see! The doctors from Kaifeng Prefecture…”
She was like a running loudspeaker.
Ma Bing was stunned, then looked at the small rolls of fat on her waist jiggling and couldn’t help but burst into laughter.
Liu Xi and You Xiaotian both felt embarrassed, “You see, for such a small matter of ours, we’ve inconvenienced you so much…”
Ma Bing waved her hand, “Let’s go inside.”
It seemed that every place had a character similar to an “all-knowing person,” and this woman was exactly that.
Her ability to mobilize and communicate was simply amazing. While Ma Bing was still checking the pulses of You Xiaotian’s two children, a crowd of dozens had already gathered at the door.
There were people of all ages, some bringing their entire families. Most didn’t come empty-handed, but in their haste, they couldn’t prepare anything particularly nice as a token of gratitude. Some hastily gathered a basket of eggs, others reluctantly brought out fabric they had been reluctant to use at home, some carried a few steamed buns, and there were also wild vegetables, fruits, and the like.
Out of fear of the “Kaifeng Prefecture,” they dared not rashly come in to disturb, so they all crowded together at the door.
“Hey everyone, don’t push and shove, or the noble guests will laugh at us for being uncivilized country bumpkins,” the woman came back panting and waving her arms, “I think everyone should bring their own stools and sit in a line along the wall from the door outward, in order of arrival. That way, it’s convenient and won’t cause chaos.”
Upon hearing this, everyone agreed and rushed back home to get stools, then obediently sat down along the wall.
Afraid of disturbing the diagnosis and treatment inside, they dared not speak loudly. When they really couldn’t help it, they whispered close to each other’s ears.
Medical treatment and medicine were very expensive, how could ordinary families afford them repeatedly?
Now, with the rare opportunity of a doctor from Kaifeng Prefecture providing free medical services, everyone was extremely grateful, fearing that they might do something wrong and anger the doctor, who might then just leave.
Seeing this, Ma Bing couldn’t help but feel surprised.
Truly, one cannot judge a person by appearance. That woman probably just hadn’t encountered the right opportunity to display her abilities. Otherwise, she might really be able to achieve something, at least not inferior to her male peers.
Seeing her looking outside, You Xiaotian vaguely guessed something and whispered, “That Aunt Niu is extremely capable. Even several men couldn’t match her. She raises hundreds of chickens outside, almost entirely by herself, managing everything properly, while her husband can only help out… Now she’s the one managing the household.”
Ma Bing suddenly understood and felt good about it.
Indeed, as long as someone is talented, they won’t remain unnoticed wherever they are.
After finishing the pulse diagnosis for the two children, Ma Bing gestured for the two little ones to come forward and placed her ear against their chests to carefully listen to the sounds.
The children were still too young to understand what was happening, thinking the pretty lady was playing with them, so they just giggled and laughed while shrugging their necks, “It tickles~”
You Xiaotian hurriedly said, “Don’t move, the doctor is examining you!”
Liu Xi was even more straightforward, extending his hand, ready to physically restrain the two kids if necessary.
The brother and sister then obediently stayed still.
After listening to the sounds, she had them run around the room a bit, then speak to check their breathing.
Only after thoroughly examining them in this way did Ma Bing indicate that it was sufficient.
Liu Xi and You Xiaotian anxiously asked, “Doctor, this…”
Ma Bing picked up her brush and wrote a prescription, “The boy is fine, but the girl has slight issues.”
Noticing the drastic shift in their expressions, Ma Bing quickly waved her hand and reassured them with a smile, “Luckily, it was detected early. Moreover, your husband has a robust constitution, so her condition is far less severe than yours. With careful regimen for two years, while I can’t guarantee she’ll fully recover, she likely won’t fall ill easily.”
The two children still didn’t understand what had happened, but Liu Xi and You Xiaotian exchanged glances and slightly relaxed.
Liu Xi gently touched his children’s little faces, especially instructing his son, “Did you hear that? Your sister is weak, so you must take care of her more in the future.”
The little boy blinked, half-understanding, “Is sister sick?”
Liu Xi nodded, “So from now on, your dad and I will inevitably have to pay more attention to your sister. As her older brother, you need to learn to be considerate.”
After all, girls are naturally more delicate, and now knowing she had poor health, they felt even more protective.
The little boy nodded firmly and loudly said, “I’ve always loved my sister, and I will continue to love her in the future!”
Everyone laughed, “Good kid.”
Outside, a large crowd of common people had gathered. Besides those from this street, there were also people who came upon hearing the commotion and joined the queue, making the line increasingly long, stretching so far that its end couldn’t even be seen.
Almost everyone brought local specialties, and Ma Bing couldn’t possibly take them all. However, out of politeness and gratitude, she had to accept a few convenient items, which filled an entire table.
By noon, everyone spontaneously brought various meals, filling two large tables and inviting Ma Bing to eat.
Some men even brought their treasured homemade wine, but were immediately scolded by others.
“What a fool! Can a doctor just casually drink wine!”
“Hurry up and take your wine back, you’re making a spectacle of yourself…”
The man came enthusiastically but left dejectedly, while everyone else burst into laughter.
Back at the county office, they were also having lunch when Yuanpei curiously asked, “It’s been so long since Erliang left, why hasn’t she returned yet?”
Xie Yu, understanding her well, wasn’t surprised, “She must have stayed behind to provide free medical services again out of compassion.”
Only then did everyone recall her usual temperament and suddenly understand.
It wasn’t until evening that the common people who had come for the free medical services gradually dispersed.
Everyone was extremely grateful and wanted to keep Ma Bing for dinner.
“Doctor, I’ve stewed a nice fat chicken and steamed some fish, come eat at my home!”
“What’s special about chicken? It’s my home that’s better. I just slaughtered a duck and stewed it until tender, perfect for digestion.”
“Still my home…”
“My home!”
Ma Bing smiled and thanked them, “I appreciate everyone’s kindness, but I really can’t delay as we’re leaving for Kaifeng tomorrow.”
Everyone expressed regret but didn’t dare to insist on keeping her, so they escorted her out for several streets, waving vigorously.
Walking quite far away, Ma Bing could still hear the voices from behind:
“Doctor Ma, may you live a long and prosperous life!”
“Doctor Ma, please come back to play in our Donghe County sometime, stay at my home!”
“Go to yours? Stay at my home!”
What had been a proper farewell quickly turned into an argument, and Ma Bing couldn’t help but burst into laughter. Without turning back, she raised her aching arm high from atop her horse and waved, “Farewell for now~”
When she returned to the county office, it was already dark. The gatekeepers saw her come back and greeted her warmly.
As soon as she entered the back courtyard, Yuanpei jumped up from his seat, “Well, you finally remembered to come back!”
Xie Yu silently walked toward them and kicked Yuanpei as he passed by, “Aren’t you going to help carry the stuff?”
Only then did Yuanpei and the others notice that Ma Bing’s hands and feet were piled high with countless packages, so they quickly swarmed over to help.
Salted duck eggs with oozing yolks were a given, along with many air-dried chickens, seasoned and roasted tofu slices, chicken strips… a wide variety of local specialties that were easy to preserve and didn’t spoil easily.
“Wow, you went shopping!” Yuanpei joked, “Now we don’t need to buy anything from outside anymore!”
Ma Bing rubbed her shoulders and slowly exhaled, “Ah, I didn’t have time to return the donkey to the Wang family!”
Xie Yu chuckled, “No rush, Wang Zheng’s wife has already come. She’s currently taking the donkey from the back. If you want to see her, I’ll have someone keep her for you.”
If you say this young lady is decisive and precise, that’s not false. But once it comes to women’s issues, she becomes soft-hearted, almost wanting to do everything for them.
She’s practically a pushover!
Sure enough, Ma Bing immediately perked up, “No, no, I’ll go now. It’s getting late, and it’s inconvenient for her to go home this late.”
When she hurried over, Wang Zheng’s wife was dressed in plain white, just leading the donkey out. Seeing her rush over, she was startled at first but then recognized her and timidly said, “It’s you.”
She was about to bow again.
Seeing that she was alone, Ma Bing frowned, “It’s dark and pitch black. Where are your in-laws? Did they really let you come alone?”
The woman pursed her lips slightly and whispered, “They’re at home mourning and can’t leave, besides, there are children to take care of.”
That made sense.
Ma Bing nodded and walked with her toward the exit, “How have you been these few days? Have your in-laws been giving you any trouble? By the way, I don’t even know your name.”
It seemed the world didn’t care much about the name of a small woman. When speaking of her, people just referred to her as Wang’s wife or the Wang family’s daughter-in-law.
But Ma Bing felt that surely no one truly didn’t care?
These are our unique names.
The woman was taken aback, as if recalling for a moment before replying, “My surname is Jiang. Because I was born on a rainy day, my parents named me Yusheng.”
“Jiang Yusheng,” Ma Bing repeated the name, “It’s a very nice-sounding name.”
It even had a bit of poetic charm.
Because of this sentence, Jiang Yusheng seemed to come alive, pursing her lips slightly and showing a shy smile.
Perhaps because Ma Bing was so warm, or perhaps because Jiang Yusheng had really gone too long without chatting like this with someone, after walking a few steps, she couldn’t help but start talking.
“Strange, when he was alive, my in-laws treated me badly. Now that he’s gone, the family seems…” She looked puzzled, thinking hard with wide eyes for a while before uncertainly saying, “They actually seem a bit careful now.”
Ma Bing thought to herself that this wasn’t strange.
“It’s right for them to be careful,” she said earnestly, “This is what you deserve. You went to their family as a daughter-in-law, not as a servant. Why should you be looked down upon? Even servants are provided food, shelter, and wages! Just think, what have you been lacking!”
Jiang Yusheng had never heard such opinions before and was extremely surprised. By the end, she couldn’t help but laugh out loud.
“What are you laughing at!” Ma Bing pouted, “It’s true! You’re still young, and your in-laws only have one son, so they must be worried about you remarrying, leaving them without care in their old age. Therefore, now you’re the pillar of the family and should stand up firmly!”
“Pillar of the family? Me?” Jiang Yusheng was astonished.
“Exactly!” Ma Bing said, “I’m not trying to provoke conflict between you. But in human relationships, it’s about mutual sincerity. Even if you don’t want to remarry, for the sake of your child’s future, you still need to stand up.”
Jiang Yusheng had lived her entire first half of life obediently, even somewhat timidly. Hearing these words was like a thunderclap in the sky, leaving her feeling somewhat dizzy and stunned.
Ma Bing also knew she couldn’t change immediately, so she said, “You know who the murderer in this case was, right? He was a fifteen-year-old child whose parents died early, and he was spoiled by his grandparents, leading to his harming others and himself.”
He was just a child!
Upon hearing this, Jiang Yusheng was indeed frightened.
So, so this was what happened if a child wasn’t properly educated?
She finally became anxious, “I, even if I can’t raise a child to be successful, I absolutely don’t want him to go out and harm others in the future!”
Ma Bing smiled and patted her shoulder, “Mm, I believe you.”
If a woman can truly make up her mind, the determination and perseverance she displays will certainly astonish the world.
The Kaifeng Prefecture group rested for one night and set off early the next morning.
Unlike when they arrived, this time the team included two additional prisoner carts and several officers dispatched by Donghe County to escort them.
As soon as the sun peeked over the horizon, Xie Yu ordered a final check to ensure all the transfer documents were complete, then waved his hand decisively, “Move out!”
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