Mrs. Chen wailed and threw herself at Gu Qing's back. Gu Qing hastily sidestepped. "Mother, my sister is injured! Be careful not to put pressure on her. We need to get her onto the kang bed right away."
Mrs. Chen stopped short. "Where is she hurt?"
She craned her neck to look and was stunned to see a large patch of blood staining Gu Fei's back. She swayed and nearly fainted, but thankfully, Li Chunhua rushed over to support her.
Gu Fei was quickly laid on the kang bed, where she lay prone with her head turned to the side. Mrs. Chen stared at her blood-soaked inner tunic, her hands trembling too much to dare lift the fabric.
Gu Qing took out a medicinal ointment and handed it to Li Chunhua, telling her to apply it to Gu Fei's wound in a moment. He then turned to Mrs. Chen. "Mother, take out all the family's Silver Coin. I spent twenty taels of Silver to buy my sister back, and I need to repay that person."
Mrs. Chen was aghast. "Twenty taels? But we don't have that much money at home!"
Gu Qing gritted his teeth. "How much are we short? I'll go borrow the rest."
Gu Fei was about to say she had the Silver, but she stopped herself.
'It wasn't that she was selfish. But toward this family who had once sold her, she couldn't help but hold a grudge. She wanted to see just how far they would go for her before she decided how to treat them.'
Mrs. Chen quickly unlocked the cabinet by the kang and pulled out a small box from inside. Opening it revealed a collection of scattered silver. Gu Qing weighed it in his hand, estimating there were about twelve taels.
Gu Qing took the Silver and started to head out. Mrs. Chen called after him, "Where are you going to borrow the rest of the Silver?"
Gu Qing paused. "I'll check with Eldest Uncle's and Younger Uncle's families first. If it's not enough, I'll go to the village chief."
"Mother, go to the main room and see to our guest."
"Chunhua, have Er'gouzi from next door run and find Father."
With that, Gu Qing left.
When he reached the main room, he saw Stone still standing by the door and quickly invited him in. "Brother Stone, please have a seat. I'm a little short on the Silver at the moment. I'll be right back."
Mrs. Chen came out as well. She went to the kitchen, found the most presentable coarse porcelain cup they owned, poured some tea, and brought it into the main room.
As a peasant woman, Mrs. Chen had no idea how to entertain a guest, especially one like Stone, who was clearly not an ordinary person.
The two sat in awkward silence in the main room.
Thankfully, it wasn't long before a middle-aged man entered.
Mrs. Chen quickly rose to her feet. "Husband, you're back."
She pointed at Stone. "This is our benefactor. If he hadn't lent our eldest son twenty taels of Silver, Little Fei wouldn't have made it home today."
Gu Zhang bent at the waist and gave Stone a deep bow. "Thank you, Benefactor, for the loan of the silver."
Stone quickly got to his feet. "You don't have to thank me. It was my young master who lent the Silver."
Gu Zhang nodded but insisted, "Benefactor, please take the seat of honor."
"Mrs. Chen, go prepare a meal. It's almost noon. Our benefactor must have a meal with us before he leaves."
Stone felt extremely uncomfortable. 'This family is obviously very poor,' he thought. 'They can't even come up with twenty taels of Silver. If I actually stay and eat a meal here, I'll feel terribly guilty.'
He waved his hands in refusal. "There's no need. I'll leave as soon as I have the Silver."
The words had barely left his mouth when he realized they could be misunderstood, so he quickly added, "Actually, my young master said this Silver doesn't need to be repaid. I don't think you need to go out and borrow anything. I'll just head back now."
A look of delight crossed Mrs. Chen's face, and she was about to speak when Gu Zhang cut in, "Benefactor, we appreciate your magnanimity, but since the Silver was borrowed, it must be repaid. I ask that you please wait a little longer."
With that, Gu Zhang pulled Mrs. Chen outside. "Go get the land deed and bring it to me."
Mrs. Chen's face turned pale with horror. "Surely you don't mean to sell the land? Our eldest has already gone to borrow the Silver! These few acres are all we have. If you sell them, what will our family eat?"