Time Travel: The Best Doctor in Ancient Times

Chapter 43: Chapter 24: Uncle Song’s Tuberculosis

“Mother, who is Tang Sanzang? And what are the eighty-one difficulties?” Little Meat Bun lifted two little paws, one hand showing a little pinky finger and the other making an eight. His mother had taught him the numbers within ten.

“Ah, Tang Sanzang. He’s quite a legendary character. As for the eighty-one difficulties, that’s an even longer story that’s quite a pain for mothers. I’ll tell you slowly when I’m free,” Gu Changsheng patted his son’s little head with a touch of melancholy.

Good Lord! Her experiences were so damn similar to Tang Sanzang’s.

Isn’t there a saying about the monsters in Journey to the West, “Those with a backstory were taken away, those without were beaten to death by the monkey’s random bashing.”

Since she arrived here, one troublesome figure with a backstory indeed left, while those without were decisively dealt with by her fierce actions.

How strikingly similar this shoddy plot was.

Gu Changsheng clenched her fist, not wanting to meet Buddha Tathagata at all!

Liuzhou was her place of residence from now on, and she must strive to live well here for a decent life.

The shop outside looked desolate and rundown, but the two courtyards connected behind didn’t scrimp at all. The yard was large, with front and rear sections, six rooms each, and the rear yard even had a small door connecting to the alley on the back street.

Looking at the spotlessly cleaned courtyard, Gu Changsheng sighed.

Uncle Song wasn’t cut out for medicine. Following the Old Grand Master for decades without achievement, and after the Old Grand Master passed away, and she moved far to the Capital City, Gu Family Medical Hall quickly declined. The doctors who came to sit in consultation left one by one, gradually losing its former glory.

Fortunately, Uncle Song was good at accounting and often went out to do bookkeeping for others, just making ends meet and had devotedly stayed at the medical hall for five years.

Gu Changsheng was quite satisfied with the yard; finally, their large group had a place to settle down.

Old Man Song was a loyal man, and despite Gu Changsheng calling him Uncle Song, he firmly refused.

Gu Changsheng didn’t mind; she persisted in her belief in equality for all, while he insisted on maintaining the master-servant hierarchy.

“Xiao Cui, how much silver do we still have?” Gu Changsheng straightened up a bit and had moved into a room in the backyard. At this moment, she was leaning on the table, looking despondently at Xiao Cui.

Xiao Cui, while making the bed, turned and answered, “One tael.”

Direct and straightforward, with no dawdling.

“Are you sure…

“My lady need not ask again; the maid is certain it’s only one tael, absolutely not miscounted,” Xiao Cui interrupted Gu Changsheng without letting her finish speaking, putting down the pillow she was holding.

Gu Changsheng felt inwardly hurt and looked at Xiao Cui in dismay, thinking, do we really need to be this devastatingly thorough? At least leave us a way out.

“Thump thump thump…”

Along with the knocking, Uncle Song’s voice followed, “My lady, it’s your old servant.”

Upon hearing this, Gu Changsheng signaled Xiao Cui to open the door, then continued to brood over the table…

“My lady, this is some silver your old servant has saved up over the years. I heard from people at Hu Family Medical Hall a while ago that my lady was divorced and was planning to pack up and head to the Capital City to look for you if there was no news. But it seems there’s no need now.” Although sternly told to change his ways of addressing her, Uncle Song was still a bit unaccustomed but respectfully bowed and stepped aside, pushing the purse towards Xiao Cui.

Gu Changsheng smiled. Uncle Song was like timely rain! Here she was worrying about silver, and here he was, delivering it.

Gu Changsheng silently recited ‘Ami Tofu’ a few times, then took the purse and opened it.

Then, her heart sank. This whole day, with its ups and downs, always had her bracing for perfection but ending with the worst outcomes.

The purse contained a few scattered bits of silver and more large bronze coins.

By Gu Changsheng’s estimation, it was not more than five taels of silver!

Damn, can her life get any harder?

She had a family of six individuals to support, plus herself, making seven mouths in total!

All together just six taels of silver to feed seven mouths, even if she split the silver into pieces, it wouldn’t last long at all!

“This old servant is useless, this old servant’s body is failing. Over these years, I’ve only managed to save up this little…” Uncle Song lowered his head in shame, he truly felt he had disappointed the old master!

Gu Changsheng sighed, stood up, shoved the silver back into Uncle Song’s hands, and pulled him over to sit down by the table.

Isn’t she just poor? No fears. She’s young and strong, with medical skills at her disposal; what’s there to worry about not being able to support a few mouths?

She was determined to fight, to earn money!

Uncle Song looked puzzled as Gu Changsheng gripped his wrist, her finger resting on the inside of his wrist.