Turning five strides into three, Mu Bai broke into a run toward Chen Laosan's fields. The two Chen Laosans exchanged a look and hurried after him. The ox lay sprawled in the field, foaming at the mouth and shedding great tears as though drunk. It was already on the verge of dying, its bitten hind leg trembling and twitching nonstop.
"Oh, Chen Laosan, I don't think it's going to make it. We might as well have beef tonight!"
The Chen Laosan who had lost his father made this suggestion to the other Chen Laosan.
"No way! If you eat my ox, are you going to have your father plow my fields?"
"That would be wonderful. It'd save me the trouble of looking for him." Chen Laosan chuckled. "We'd have to let my father have a few extra mouthfuls, then."
Mu Bai ignored the two Chen Laosans' bickering. He pulled up a long vine and bound the ox's leg above the wound, stopping the poisoned blood from flowing back.
"Chen Laosan, go fetch a few handfuls of fish mint and purslane. Chen Laosan, go home and bring a jar of wine!"
The village chief's words carried weight. Neither Chen Laosan dared delay, and they immediately went their separate ways. Mu Bai took out his Soul Soldier shortsword and stabbed the swollen part of the ox's leg several times, letting black blood gush out. The ox mooed a few times and shed great tears, but endured it.
By then, Chen Laosan had pulled up some fish mint and purslane and brought them over. Mu Bai crushed them on a stone on the field ridge and applied them to the ox's leg. Once the other Chen Laosan brought a jar of wine, Mu Bai told the two of them to pry the ox's