Chapter 1607: Siege and Plea for Help
Chapter 1607: Chapter 1607: Siege and Plea for Help
"What’s wrong with you, dear? Are you ill?" Ms. Lu asked as she looked at Manager Lu lying in bed, clutching his chest with a pained expression, and she was very worried.
Getting sick at a time like this could be life-threatening. Not to mention hiring a doctor, even buying medicine is difficult.
Manager Lu also knew that being sick was not an option now, and being stingy as he was, he was unwilling to spend a fortune on a doctor. He endured the dull pain in his chest and said, "It’s nothing serious, just feeling suffocated. I guess yesterday’s execution made me nauseous."
After speaking, he started dry heaving.
Ms. Lu hurried to support him, patting his back, "How is it? Do you feel better after throwing up?"
Manager Lu shook his head. He only vomited a few mouthfuls of sour water; how could he feel comfortable?
"Don’t worry about me. Just take care of the house. Don’t let Zhong Hou’s family take advantage of the chaos and get benefits from our family."
Zhong Hou’s family was servants bought by the Lu Family. But now with the war, the city was in chaos, and Manager Lu worried that Zhong Hou’s family would steal their indenture, snatch Lu Family’s silver, and run away.
Ms. Lu said, "I’ve asked the eldest and second sons to keep an eye on them, don’t worry."
Manager Lu became anxious and said, "How can you let the eldest and second sons watch them? Let Brother Lu do it. If Zhong Hou’s family finds out, he’s the one in trouble."
Brother Lu was Manager Lu’s elder brother’s son. Back when there was a drought in the Northwest, Manager Lu’s elder brother’s family all died, only leaving behind a son and daughter. The boy was Brother Lu, and he lived with Manager Lu’s family.
The girl lived with her uncle’s family and is now married to the uncle’s son, so she has a place to belong.
Ms. Lu said, "Brother Lu went out to chop wood and hasn’t returned yet. I’ll have him keep an eye on that family when he gets back."
While talking, they suddenly heard a knocking sound, and Brother Lu’s voice faintly came through, "Second Uncle, Second Aunt, please open the door, I’ve got firewood back."
"You rest well, I’ll go and open the door for him," Ms. Lu got up but didn’t immediately open the door for Brother Lu. Instead, she went to the kitchen first, brought the meat, vegetables, and steamed buns back to the couple’s room, and then went to open the door for Brother Lu.
Seeing Brother Lu carrying only a load of firewood back, she discontentedly said, "Why is there only one load of wood? And it’s raw wood; how can it be burned?"
Brother Lu was only fourteen years old, two years younger than Manager Lu’s eldest son. Feeling wronged by her words, he said, "Aunt, it’s really chaotic outside. No family has any wood to burn. Everyone is chopping down trees; this was snatched with Brother Xu San’s help..."
Seeing Ms. Lu with a cold face, Brother Lu hurriedly smiled and said, "Don’t worry, Aunt. Raw wood can be dried for a few days and then burned. I’ve also made an appointment with Brother Xu San to go to the haunted house tomorrow to dismantle old timber from the roof; we won’t run out of firewood at home."
Having heard that, Ms. Lu put away her cold expression, looked at Brother Lu’s dirty appearance, and complained, "So dirty, go quickly and take the firewood to the kitchen. There is a bowl of soybean sorghum porridge for you in the kitchen. After eating, go behind and keep an eye on Zhong Hou’s family... That family is not honest, trying to take advantage of the chaos to steal the indenture and escape. You must keep a close watch; if their family escapes, we’ll be holding you accountable!"
Brother Lu heard it with a frown. He wanted to argue that Uncle Zhong Hou’s family wasn’t like that, but fearing being scolded, he could only nod and say, "Alright, your nephew understands."
After speaking, he carried the heavy load of raw wood to the kitchen, unloaded the wood, placed it under the kitchen eaves to dry, and then went into the kitchen to drink porridge.
The sorghum soybean porridge didn’t even have any salt and was quite unappetizing, but Brother Lu still ate it cherishingly... Those little beggars in West City didn’t even have soybeans to eat.
Just smelling the lingering meat fragrance from the iron pot made Brother Lu’s eyes red... If his parents hadn’t died, he could also eat meat daily like his cousins in the second uncle’s family.
But not to worry, his sister said that his uncle was already arranging a marriage for him. Once he gets married, he can split from the family; he won’t have to endure the second uncle’s family’s mistreatment and can even claim half of the tavern. The previous manager of Lu Family’s Tavern was his father, not his second uncle.
After finishing the porridge, Brother Lu returned to the house, grabbed a jacket, and went to watch over Zhong Hou’s family outside their room.
He didn’t watch for long. Once Manager Lu’s family fell asleep, he went into the room to sleep with Zhong Hou’s family.
The next day, he got up before dawn and stood outside again to ensure the second aunt’s family wouldn’t scold him.
But the second branch encountered trouble today. Brother Lu had just been standing outside for a short time when he heard Ms. Lu’s loud voice, "Zhong Hou’s family, Brother Lu, come quickly, help me, someone needs saving!"
"Uncle Zhong Hou, Aunt Zhong Hou, hurry, something has happened on Second Uncle’s side!" Brother Lu yelled to Zhong Hou’s family and rushed to the main courtyard, seeing Ms. Lu scared and spinning in circles in the courtyard, looking completely lost.
Upon seeing Brother Lu arrive, Ms. Lu pointed inside the room and said, "Your second uncle is in serious trouble!"
Huh?
Brother Lu was shocked. He had looked fine yesterday; how could he be in serious trouble now?
He quickly rushed into the room to check on Manager Lu... Manager Lu was lying in bed, with his upper abdomen near the heart swollen, and blood constantly flowed from his mouth. He was already unconscious.
Brother Lu was terrified, his face pale, and didn’t dare touch Manager Lu. He rushed out of the room and told Ms. Lu, "Aunt, don’t be afraid. I’ll go get a doctor."
With that, he dashed out, but instead of heading to the clinic, he went to the Xu Family, pleading, "Brother Xu San, my second uncle has a sudden severe illness and seems near death. Your elder brother works in Lei Family’s Trading Team. Please bring me there so Brother Xu Da can help get a doctor from Lei Family’s Trading Team to treat my second uncle."
Brother Xu San had just gotten up not long ago, ready to take his tools to dismantle the roof of the haunted house in West City to bring timber home as firewood. Upon hearing this, he laughed, "Your second uncle finally got divine punishment? Why bother saving him? Once he dies, you can split from the family."
Brother Lu was terribly anxious, "Brother Xu San, please don’t joke. Second Uncle is genuinely severely ill, hurry and take me to Lei Family’s Trading Team to get a doctor!"
He’s always out running to find firewood for the family, so he knows the city’s clinics and pharmacies have long been closed. And he has no money; the only place he can go to find a doctor now is Lei Family’s Trading Team.
"Alright, alright, don’t pull, I’ll inform my mother and go." Xu San said, then went back to inform his mother and second brother, grabbed a large knife for self-defense, handed Brother Lu a machete, and headed towards Lei Family’s Trading Team.
As soon as they reached the street by Lei Family’s Trading Team Mansion, they were stopped. After explaining their identity, Lei Family’s Trading Team members asked them to wait while they fetched Xu Da.
After almost 30 minutes, Xu Da hurried over, immediately asking Xu San upon seeing him, "Old San, why are you here? Did something happen at home?"
Xu San shook his head and explained Manager Lu’s situation.
Xu Da frowned, "How did he suddenly get so sick? But the doctors here at the main mansion are busy making medicine and can’t go out to see patients."
Xu Da didn’t want to help Manager Lu since Manager Lu often bullied Brother Lu and wanted to swallow the first branch’s inheritance. But he remembered the Grand Steward’s words that the Rong people might poison the city, and if any strange illnesses were found, they must be reported immediately.
Manager Lu’s illness certainly sounded strange. Xu Da spoke with the Lei Family’s Trading Team members guarding the street entrance and then took Brother Lu to the main mansion.