The child was only three or four years old, and looked skinny and pitiful. Even his cry sounded like a kitten. Doctor Shen couldn't help but sighed, "Father, this child is so weak!"
The father-in-law couldn't help crying: "Yes, he lost his mother when he was born, and he never had a sip of milk. We went to the village to get goat milk to feed him. He has suffered a lot since he was a child. If he hadn't met the benefactors this time, who knows what would have happened to him..."
The old man looked to be at least sixty years old. Cui Daru's eyebrows moved, and he sighed in a friendly manner: "So he is a child without a mother. How pitiful. Then, where is his father?"
As soon as these words came out, the old man cried even harder: "He's gone! He died fighting with those rebels two years ago!"
Both his son and daughter-in-law are dead, no wonder the old man took his children to the city to seek medical treatment.
The guards loosened their hands and showed some sympathy in their eyes.
Xiao Heng was silent for a while before he said, "Father, I heard that all military households near the garrison are regulated and must be equipped with doctors. Don't you have doctors in your village? Why do you need to go to the city?"
Speaking of this, the old man stopped crying, his expression shrank a little, and he was a little flustered: "I... ..the doctor in the city is very good."
But everyone knew that this was impossible.
In remote areas, barefoot doctors, witches and shamans are more popular. Even if you don't go to the village doctor, you should go to a witch or something. It is obviously a lie that doctors in the city are better.
Looking at the old man's expression, he is very scared.
Everyone knew what was going on. After looking at each other, the old man was already trembling as he tried to help his grandson up. He invited Xiao Heng and the others, "My benefactor, our home is just in front. If you don't mind, come to our home and have a drink of water! We... we also need to raise some money..."
He went to the city to see a doctor. There was a pharmacy in the city that sold on credit, so he dared to go even though he had no money.
But how can a traveling merchant like this buy on credit
The old man's back was hunched, and he carefully brushed the dust and dirt off his grandson's body. He pinched his grandson's face tremblingly and said, "Go back and kill the old hen to nourish your body."
The child had just woken up and was still a little dazed, but when he heard that the old hen was going to be killed, he burst into tears: "Don't kill it, Grandpa, don't kill the old hen. Grandma said that it is kept for laying eggs to sell for money, don't kill it!"
Sanjiu felt a little uncomfortable.
The old man and the child looked pitiful, especially with their tears in their eyes. His throat felt sore.
Su Rong's face didn't look very good either, but he tried hard to suppress it.
It was Xiao Heng who spoke up: "Father-in-law, I'm sorry to bother you. We've been walking all this way and I'm thirsty."
The old man cried out, and when he heard that Xiao Heng and the others were thirsty, he hurriedly greeted them, "Come in, come in. Just call me Old Sun, that's all they call me."
As he spoke, he whispered a few words to comfort his grandson, and then walked in front to lead the way, taking Xiao Heng and the others home.
Old Sun's house is no different from other houses in the village. The open space in front of the house is surrounded by a fence to form a yard. There is a thatched house in the yard, which is relatively clean. There is an even simpler thatched house next to the fence, which is the pigpen and chicken farm.
Grandma Sun, who was sweeping the floor, saw her husband and grandson through the fence. She immediately dropped the broom in her hand and came out to greet them. Seeing that her grandson was fine, she muttered something at first, and then hurriedly went to pick up the child.
When she heard that the dozen or so people who came back with her grandson were the traveling merchants who saved her grandson, Granny Sun thanked them profusely and hurried to pour some water.
Xiao Heng and the others drank the water and looked at the child squatting silently in the yard holding the old hen. Xiao Heng turned his head away and looked at Old Sun: "Old man Sun, we have walked a lot along the way. To be honest, there are many natives in Guizhou, and there are also such military households. However, I see that their lives are much better than yours... Even in other places in Yunnan, Zhaotong and Qujing, the lives of the military households are still quite acceptable. How... "
Mr. Sun sighed heavily, and finally shook his head with a wry smile: "This... we don't know either..."
He was so cautious and fearful, so Su Rong asked, "I just heard you say that your son died in the war, and the court's pension for fallen soldiers is quite high. If it was a native, it would be much higher. You received the money, so why are you still living such a hard life?"
Hearing this, Old Sun's hands on his knees began to tremble.
Granny Sun, who came out to pour water, also showed an angry look, but she still didn't say anything more.
Instead, the child holding the old hen started crying: "There is no money. Daddy is dead. There is no money. Grandpa went to ask for it, but he was beaten and his legs were broken. He has been lying in bed for a long time!"
Everyone looked shocked and angry.
Councillor Yang still has the nerve to claim that he represents the natives. He is so mean and ungrateful to his own people! He even withholds the pension money from the court!
Everyone looked at Grandpa Sun, and then they realized that Grandpa Sun was still limping and looking unsteady when he walked just now.
As soon as the child started crying, Granny Sun quickly walked over and hugged him.
The grandparents cried for a while, and Grandma Sun explained while crying: "There is really no other way. Only the medicine shop in the city is willing to give us credit because we have some friendship in the past. We have to send it to the city. It is said that there are doctors in every village, but how can there be? There is no doctor in any nearby village! When my son was still alive, although it was not much, he always brought back eight cents of silver every month. Later... "
Su Rong raised his eyebrows and looked at Liao Jingxu.
Liao Jingxu was also furious.
Senator Yang is greedy!
However, it is really difficult to interfere in the affairs of the natives, and if you are not careful you will get into trouble.
Liao Jingxu himself was also in a very difficult situation.
Xiao Heng suddenly spoke up: "Mr. Sun, Mrs. Sun, do you know who is in charge of the guard post now?"
Mr. Sun replied with a gloomy expression, "It was Councillor Yang, but I heard that he was arrested for some reason. It was because of this that many people came to the garrison last night and called all the men at home back to the garrison, saying that the court was bullying the natives and they wanted to stand up for Councillor Yang or something."
Xiao Heng knew what was going on.
Along the way, this village is not the most dilapidated one, and it is impossible that there is only one family in the same situation as Mr. Sun.
In other words, life was really hard for ordinary soldiers in the garrison.
Senator Yang has fallen, and those who have risen now are nothing more than Senator Yang's confidants.
Xiao Heng paused and asked, "Then, old man, do you know where all the other officers of the garrison are, except for Councillor Yang?"