Li Jishan was speechless for a moment, but he quickly reacted and pointed at Yingbao: "Since you have recovered from your illness, why did you bring these people home instead of going to the imperial examination?"
Ying Bao didn't wait for Li Xu to answer and said arrogantly, "Because he owes me medical expenses and consultation fees! Of course I have to come here to ask for it!"
Li Xu nodded: "My nephew does owe the doctor the consultation fee and medicine money, and now he is unable to repay it."
Everyone was shocked when they heard this, and all their eyes turned to Muramasa Li Jishan.
Everyone in the village knew that Li Xu's 20 acres of tax-free land was reserved for Li Jishen's family, and it had been so for three years.
During these three years, Li Jishan seemed to have shown no expression to his nephew.
Not only did he not express it, Li Jishan's wife often said outside that if she had known earlier, she would not have divided the family and her family could have been exempted from corvée labor.
When Li Jishan heard this, his expression changed unpredictably. After a pause, he reluctantly said, "I'll trust you for once. I'll pay for the medical expenses!"
Yingbao: "Okay, fifty taels of silver in total, I'll take it and leave."
"What?" Li Jishan was dumbfounded. "Fifty taels? What kind of medicine is so expensive?"
Yingbao: "The medicine is not precious, but can it bring your nephew back from the brink of death?"
"You... are just talking nonsense! I won't believe it!" Li Jishan was embarrassed and annoyed, and turned around and left.
Before leaving, he said, "Li Xu, I have something to go back to, please come to my house to discuss it in detail later."
Li Xu looked at his uncle's departing back and sighed secretly.
During the time I was lying in the inn, I suddenly figured out a lot of things.
It is better to rely on yourself than on others. Clan and relatives are all clouds.
Just like his own uncle, he enjoys the benefits given by him while secretly hoping that he will be in trouble.
Once, when the eldest uncle's youngest son was drunk, he pointed at Li Xu and said, "A poor fellow like you will never be able to rise above his status. Do you think that passing the imperial examination is a big deal? Do you think that you can show off in front of us? I tell you! You are dreaming!"
Li Xu was very frightened at the time. He didn't understand why his cousin would say that to him. Seeing that he looked drunk, he thought he was just drunk and talking nonsense.
Now that I think about it, my 11 or 12-year-old cousin could say these words at his high school student celebration party, he must have heard what his parents said behind his back.
Li Xu lost his father at a young age and depended on his mother for support. In the first few years, they couldn't even have dumplings during the New Year.
In order to support his schooling, his mother sold the family’s land and worked day and night on embroidery.
Even though my uncle lived next door, my family never received any help from them.
Later, he became a student. Although his uncle was more polite to him, he often belittled him in front of outsiders, saying that he was dull since childhood and that he passed the exam only because the county magistrate saw that he was an orphan and was pitiful, so he deliberately let him go.
My uncle didn't know that the college entrance examination was actually held in the provincial capital, and the person supervising the examination was not the county magistrate, but the academic official.
"Little Doctor, I'm sorry to have embarrassed you."
Li Xu lowered his head and thought for a while, then suddenly asked, "Can I really go to your hometown to teach students and pay off my debts?"
"Of course, my father is the village chief. We have a ready-made school in our village, but we can't find a suitable teacher for the time being."
"Okay! I'll go!" Li Xu made up his mind, then hesitated and asked, "Young doctor, can I take my mother with me?"
Yingbao: "Of course you can. The school in our village is very big. It has several rooms and a large yard. It is bigger than this one. When the previous teacher left, he left behind several hens. If you go there, you can raise the hens and the eggs they lay will belong to you."
While she was fooling around, she secretly glanced at Li Xu.
It would be great if I could find a scholar to teach in a private school.
Because the scholar has experience in taking examinations, it is better for him to teach children than those students who can only enlighten children.
"Thank you, little doctor." Li Xu bowed deeply to Ying Bao, "We will set off tomorrow."
Yingbao smiled with curved eyebrows and nodded continuously: "Okay, let's set off tomorrow."
I was originally worried that my mother and I would encounter people with bad intentions while traveling. Now, with a scholar accompanying us on the road, it will definitely be much safer.
However, that afternoon, when Li Xu was applying for a household registration pass for his mother, he was stopped by his uncle.
Li Jishan angrily scolded his nephew: "Your mother is a widow, how can you take her around?"
Li Xu said coldly: "My mother has been in mourning for my father for thirteen years. Even if she remarries now, others have no right to interfere."
"You!" Li Jishan angrily slammed the table: "I am the head of the Li family, and you can't do anything nonsense."
Li Xu looked up at his uncle and said, "Uncle, since you said so, please lend me fifty taels of silver. I will pay the medical expenses back to the little doctor and send them away. I don't have to go with you to earn money to pay off the debt. When I pass the imperial examination, I will pay you back."
"Can you pass the imperial examination?" Li Jishan sneered, "Just because you think you can pass the imperial examination? Don't be so foolish! I won't waste my money on you!"
Li Xu grinned and laughed at himself: "Since my uncle is unwilling to lend me money, then I can only go out to earn money to repay the debt. But if I leave, my mother will be blind and have no one to rely on, so I must take her with me."
Li Jishan moved his mouth a few times and then said nothing more.
Seeing this, the village head next to him quickly wrote a reason for the trip and took Li Xu to the nearest post station to stamp it with a seal so that he could send it to the county government for filing.
Although it is much more convenient for citizens to travel nowadays and it is not as strict as before, they still have to go through the necessary procedures to avoid being caught when they go to other places.
Li Xu took the household registration certificate, thanked the head of the village, and then went home.
Early the next morning, the ox cart hired by Li Xu arrived and everyone hurriedly loaded their things onto the cart.
Li Xu helped his mother onto the cart and sat her down. He then turned back to lock the door and close the bamboo fence gate before getting on the ox cart.
The ox cart traveled for several hours and finally arrived at Mingjiang Wharf before dark.
This is a bustling market town. Even though it is already dark, many shops are still open for business.
Li Xu first found an inn, settled everyone there, and then went to the dock alone to inquire about the ships passing by Qinchuan County.
As a result, he really found out that a merchant ship would dock at the pier in Qinchuan County.
Li Xu was overjoyed, and when he found out that the ship could carry passengers, he became even more excited.
But the ship owner said that their merchant ship will depart at Yin time tomorrow, so guests must board the ship before Yin time, otherwise they will not be waited for later.
Li Xu quickly promised to board the ship in advance, and then ran back excitedly to tell his mother and Aunt Jiang.
Chunniang was very happy. She took her daughter's hand and promised her to get up early tomorrow.
Chunniang breathed a sigh of relief as she could finally return home safely.
The anxiety and worry of these days were finally relieved, and Chunniang couldn't help but cry.
Yingbao patted her mother and said, "Mother, when we get home, I will send a letter to the King of Dai. Xiao Chengjun not only deliberately abandoned us, but also took away the gold and cloth given by the emperor. If one thing is missing from the box, I will never give up!"
More than one hundred taels of gold is not a small amount, and there are also dozens of pieces of silk.
Even though Xiao Chengjun was a son of a noble family, he had no property and no offerings. With just a little salary and occasional rewards, it was enough for him to spend so much money at once.