TFWYH – Chapter 73 Eating Chicken at Night

“Yes, yes, me too! I don’t know much about medicine, but just now that ‘nux vomica’ Wanniang mentioned—you prescribed it to me before too! It was only one measly qian, and you charged me eighteen coins! Are you even human?”

“Zhang the Skinner, you’re just cheating us out of our money! If you don’t pay us back today, we’ll go to the authorities and have the magistrate give us justice!”

…

No one here was stupid.
Last night, Tang Wan had used seven or eight kinds of medicine, and just now when facing off with Doctor Zhang, she not only reported each herb’s name and weight, she also said the whole lot added up to no more than forty coins.

The villagers might not understand medicine, but that didn’t stop them from comparing.

Seven or eight herbs cost only forty coins, yet this Zhang the Skinner charged them ten or twenty coins for one herb—if that wasn’t a rip-off, what was?

The uproar grew, and before long, every villager who had ever gone to Zhang the Skinner for treatment had arrived.

Zhang the Skinner… got beaten up again.
This time, even the village head couldn’t stop them.

When the beating was over, people were still not satisfied, all clamoring to drag him to the magistrate.

Seeing the villagers so full of righteous anger and dead serious about it, Doctor Zhang completely caved.

He begged for mercy nonstop, promising to return all the extra money he had ever charged them.

The villagers refused.

“We don’t understand medicine—if we leave it to you, won’t you just name any number you like?”

In the end, the village head stepped in.
He recorded every prescription Doctor Zhang had ever written for the villagers and promised to take the list to the town’s medical hall to ask the real prices—then make Doctor Zhang return every extra coin.

Only then did the villagers back down.

Beaten black and blue and hearing what the village head said, Doctor Zhang finally broke down and cried from rage.

His money!
His savings—they were gone!

And it was all that damned fat woman’s fault!

Doctor Zhang gnashed his teeth—he truly hated Tang Wan now.

But would Tang Wan care?

At the moment, she was being dragged around by Auntie Yang, showered with thanks until she couldn’t take the enthusiasm anymore.

Auntie Yang even wanted her to stay for a meal, but Tang Wan slipped away, saying she had to take care of her husband.

Auntie Yang watched her plump figure disappear and sighed long and deep:

“That Lord Yu must’ve done some great deeds in his past life, to get such a capable wife. If Wanniang weren’t married yet, I’d sell my pots and pans if I had to, just to make her my daughter-in-law.”

Li Dashan looked helpless.

“Ma, Wanniang is the kind of town girl willing to marry into the village only because of Lord Yu. Selling your pots wouldn’t change that.”

Auntie Yang rolled her eyes at him, scolding:

“And why is that? Because you’re ugly! If you looked as good as Lord Yu, who knows who Wanniang would have married!”

Li Dashan: …

That’s the “hardware” you and Dad gave me!
Please check yourself before saying things like that!

—

When Tang Wan got home, there was a guest.

Ling Sheng’s father, Ling Laoda, had come again—this time not only bringing eggs but also sesame candy.

Jiang-shi was entertaining him.

“Wanniang’s back!” Ling Laoda said with a smile, and when his eyes swept over the string of pheasants at Tang Wan’s waist, a glint of light flashed in them.

Tang Wan politely nodded to him, then, recalling some gossip Auntie Yang had told her, cast a subtle glance at a certain part of him.

“Didn’t you say you were going to find food for Taxue? How did you end up with so many pheasants again?” Jiang-shi came over as she spoke, calling for Ling Yue and Ling Chen.

Hearing her, the two ran out from the kitchen.
When they saw the string of pheasants hanging from Tang Wan’s waist, Ling Yue was stunned while Ling Chen’s mouth began to water.

“Sister-in-law, chicken for dinner tonight!” Ling Chen’s eyes lit up.