Joyful Motherhood in a Rural Family

Chapter 77 - 77: 74: Everyone Has a Scale in Their Heart

As Di Yelei and the medicine pageboy went in one after another, the elderly doctor had already diagnosed Elderly Mr. Di, administered an injection, and left the wing room.

Seeing Elderly Mr. Di waking up from his coma, everyone finally breathed a sigh of relief.

Elderly Mr. Di, who had just awakened, was still in a state of confusion. Although he managed to open his eyes, he soon fell back to sleep again.

The elder doctor was then invited into the hall, after cleaning his hands, he settled down on a chair to quickly prescribe a medicine!

It wasn’t until he put down his brush-pen, that the elderly doctor glanced at the anxious faces around him.

“The patient’s illness was caused by extreme rage, leading to a reversal of blood and qi that rushes to the brain. To suppress the condition, at the very minimum, we will need ginseng that is over a hundred years old to save him. Luckily, I happen to have some ginseng that is around 120 years old. Part of it has already been used, but if you’re willing, we can use it to treat the patient,”

Di Yelei was the first to step forward, “Use it! Dr. He, please do whatever it takes to save my father! As for the money, we will find a way. Dr. He, I beg of you!”

The elder doctor didn’t say anything, he just stared at the others.

“So… how much does this ginseng cost?”

Ms. Zhao, who was standing nearby, hesitantly asked.

“A complete piece of old ginseng will cost 300 taels of silver. As for the patient’s condition … well, let’s do it this way! I will use two slices of the ginseng and an additional ginseng whisker for his medicine, and I will only charge you 50 taels of silver. The rest of the money for the medicine and consultation fee will be calculated separately.”

Everyone gasped!

So much!

All of them gasped at the high cost of the medicine!

Although they were mentally prepared that the medicine wouldn’t be cheap, they never expected it would be such an enormous sum!

Liu Sisi was also taken aback. It might be a mere figure for the wealthy, but for the ordinary farmers, one tael of silver was enough to support a whole family for a year!

The elder doctor’s asking price of 50 taels of silver was practically robbing these families of their lives!

Di Gaoyuan standing nearby couldn’t wait any longer!

Without waiting for Ms. Zhao to speak, he hurriedly strode forward two steps, “Dr. He, did you … is it possible that you mentioned a higher price? We previously heard that the hundred years old ginseng was priced at 200 taels of silver, so why…”

“True, a hundred-year-old ginseng does cost 200 taels of silver, but what I brought is 120-year-old ginseng.”

The irritated elder doctor stood up, “The older the ginseng, the more potent it becomes. I’ve been practicing medicine for years, don’t tell me you think I am trying to swindle you? Such an ignorant group!”

“No, not at all! Dr. He, you’ve misunderstood. Gaoyuan didn’t mean that, he was merely asking out of curiosity!”

With his face turning red, Gaoyuan waved his hands in denial. Even when accused of ignorance, he didn’t dare to refute.

“I’ve been practicing medicine for so many years, and no one has ever doubted my medical ethics!”

Clearly, the elder doctor was upset!

But when he turned around and saw the anxious Di Yelei, he remembered how the young man had hurried half the night to invite him, and managed to suppress his anger.

“Whether to use it or not, discuss it among yourselves! When you have come to a decision, let the old me know! However, before 5-7 a.m, you must give the old me an answer. I am tired, the rest is up to you. Humph!”

“Dr. He, Dr. He, Gao Yuan didn’t mean that! I…”

Di Gao Yuan hastily apologized, but Dr. He closed his eyes to rest and no longer bothered with everyone else.

The medicine pageboy stepped forward and directly drove everyone else away: “Our old gentleman needs to rest for a moment, please leave! You can inform our gentleman when the result is out.”

Everyone exchanged dubious glances and reluctantly exited the hall.

“Just the cost of the old ginseng alone will be 50 taels of silver, plus the doctor’s fee and other medical expenses, it would end up costing around 50 to 60 taels of silver…”

Ms. Zhao analyzed, her eyes wandering over everyone’s faces.

Is it worth spending 50-60 taels of silver to save a dying person and consequently burden a large family with debt, making it difficult to lead a good life? Worth it or not?

Everyone present had a scale in their hearts, where the fulcrum lay, everyone had their own judgement.

Di Gao Yuan stood in place without speaking.

Ms. Wang was more blunt: “If it’s money you want, our second branch doesn’t have any! If it’s a life you want, there is one, whoever wants it can take it!”

Di Yelei bit his lips and looked at everyone. Finally, he looked at Di Ah-Bao: “Little brother, what do you think?”

Di Ah-Bao, who was sound asleep, was forcibly dragged out of the quilt by Ms. Zhao. At this moment, he was still drowsy, and only because his Third Brother called on him, did he have to raise his head reluctantly: “Whatever you guys want to do, just do it. Don’t ask me, I wouldn’t know anyway.”

“You dare say you don’t know!”

The volcano that had been silent for years suddenly erupted today. At this moment, Di Yelei was like a firecracker being baked at high temperatures, ready to ignite!

Di Yelei suddenly stretched out his hand, took a big step forward, forcefully lifted Di Ah-Bao from the ground, and lifted him into the air with one extend of his arm. He shook him wildly, about to throw him out…

“Our father fell ill because of you, and you dare to say you don’t know? Believe it or not, I will break your arms and legs right now. I don’t mind having an extra burden in my next life!”

Di Ah-Bao’s arrogance was mainly due to elderly Mr. Di’s acquiescence and Ms. Zhao’s neediness, which led to his current aggressive and unbridled demeanor.

Upon being grabbed and lifted up by Di Yelei like this, his face turned pale with fear, and he screamed desperately!

“Let me go! Let me go! Mom, Mom! Save me – save me!”

Ah-Bao’s cries finally woke Ms. Zhao from her fright, she rushed forward with all her might, attempting to grab Di Yelei’s arm and force it down: “Let go! Let go, he’s your brother too! Let go quickly!”

“Brother? I, Di Yelei, have a fratricide as a brother?”

Di Yelei sneered and looked at Ms Zhao coldly: “I’ll tell you this, Ms. Zhang, if you don’t come up with the silver to save my father today, I’ll have Di Ah-Bao tied up and sent to the government office tomorrow. His charge will be parricide! You, Ms. Zhang and Ms Wang, will be the accomplices! I really want to see if you would choose money over your lives!”

“You– you’re an undutiful son!”

Ms. Zhao was shaken with anger, but there was nothing she could do: “How can my Ah-Bao be a parricide? Also, how did we become accomplices? Don’t you talk nonsense!”

“Whether I’m talking nonsense or not, everyone here knows very well! Who was the one who made the father spit out blood in anger? Now, who is the one who is unwilling to spend money to treat his illness?”

Di Yelei left no room for negotiations, nor any respite for the others: “I, Di Yelei, will make my words clear today: my father’s illness must be treated! The cost of treatment will be divided into three parts, each part being 20 taels of silver, Di Ah-Bao one part, Second Brother one part, and one part will be mine. Whether you borrow or impound, the 20 taels of silver must be brought before 5-7 a.m!”