Why Should I Help You Cure It?

Lin Shouyi looked at a particularly sturdy ox and asked, "How much for this one?"

The man glanced at him and said:

"Twelve taels of silver, no bargaining. This calf was the first born to our cow, and we've fed it carefully since it was little. It's never gone without fresh grass or soybean meal.

"Look at its frame and its coat. You won't find another one this sturdy in the whole market!"

It really was a good ox, but the price was too high.

Zhou Wanwan shook her head.

She walked on, while Little Ginseng looked around from inside the bag and said:

"There are so many animals! That ox did look sturdy, but it was nothing special. It wasn't worth the price.

"Let's find a cheap one and give it my bathwater to drink every day. These calves will grow stronger and stronger."

Zhou Wanwan looked at the ginseng. "Is your bathwater really that useful?"

Little Ginseng nodded and said:

"Of course! Think about it, I'm ginseng, all right?

"Oh, right, you can also use my bathwater to cook. That way, you can make your bodies strong and healthy too."

Zhou Wanwan thought that made sense. She nodded and said, "All right, I understand."

After looking around, they found that the oxen were all very expensive. The cheap ones were either lame or very old, and buying them wasn't worth it at all.

Lin Shouyi shook his head. "We haven't seen any good ones. Why don't we forget it? You can't just get an ox cart whenever you want one. Sometimes it takes a bit of luck."

He had barely finished speaking when someone shouted, "Two taels of silver, practically free! Don't miss it as you pass by! Come and take a look!"

Zhou Wanwan looked toward the voice and saw an ox lying on the ground, barely breathing, with a cart shaft beside it.

The ox's owner said, "Two taels of silver. Does anyone want it? This used to be a good ox, but now it's sick, so we're selling it cheap."

Everyone around them shook their heads. "It's a sick ox. Look at it, it's about to die. I wouldn't take it even for two taels."

"Tch, I wouldn't take it for free. It wouldn't live even if I took it home."

"Exactly! This ox is seriously ill. If it infected the other livestock, that wouldn't be worth it."

"That's right! I've heard some sick oxen can infect people too. That would be even worse."

Zhou Wanwan looked at the ox and said, "It really is seriously ill. How about I buy it for one tael of silver?"

The man looked deeply conflicted.

"Little girl, look at this cart shaft of ours. It's made of solid wood and sturdy as can be!

"There are rails along the sides of the cart, so you can pile plenty of things on it. It's handy for hauling crops or odds and ends.

"The shaft alone would be worth a tael of silver."

Zhou Wanwan said calmly, "If I didn't think the shaft was worth something, I wouldn't even offer one tael. This cow is certain to die today, but I have a way to cure it."

The owner of the ox cart was overjoyed. "Young lady, you really have a way to cure it?"

"Yes!"

"Then help me cure it!"

Zhou Wanwan rolled her eyes. "Why should I help you cure it?"

The man spoke high-sounding words. He froze and said, "Aren't we all fellow villagers? Shouldn't we help each other?"

Zhou Wanwan was speechless. Were the minds of people in ancient times all so straightforward?

She sneered. "I can't help you. Sell it if you want to; if you don't, then wait. This cow is certain to die today."

The man trembled with anger. "You little girl, you're really something. What's wrong with helping each other? How can you be like this? This is a cow!"

In ancient times, an ox was a major possession and a family's livelihood, but that had nothing to do with Zhou Wanwan.

Just as she was about to leave, the man rushed in front of her. "Miss, don't go. I'll get on my knees and beg you. Please save our cow!"

This cow could be exchanged for ten taels of silver.

The man had done it on purpose. The people around them whispered, "Oh! This child is so heartless. She won't help him even now. Qian Erniu really is unlucky."

"Isn't he? An ox is so important to a family. This little girl can clearly save it, but she refuses. Her heart is really hard."

"Which village is this child from? I'd like to see just which village has someone so arrogant."

Wasn't this a classic case of moral coercion?

Qian Erniu looked at Zhou Wanwan smugly. Today, this little girl would have to help whether she wanted to or not, and if she cured it, that would be the end of it.

If she couldn't cure it, he would make trouble for her. Who told this little girl to make such wild claims?

Zhou Wanwan looked at him with a faint smile and said:

"It's not that I can't, but this cow...

"It's quite seriously ill and needs a lot of medicinal herbs. How about this? I'll write a prescription, and you go buy the herbs.

"I'll treat it in front of everyone. If I can't cure it, I'll pay for the herbs."

Qian Erniu said excitedly, "Many thanks, miss."

Zhou Wanwan said calmly:

"One twenty-year-old wild ginseng root, twenty grams of wild red sage, thirty grams of prepared rehmannia, twenty-five grams of Solomon's seal, forty grams of codonopsis, thirty-five grams of Chinese angelica, twenty grams of fragrant Solomon's seal, fifteen grams of honey-fried licorice, and thirty-five grams of Chinese angelica.

"All right, that's all for now. If you can't remember, I can go to the pharmacy with you."

Zhou Wanwan was a good person, but the man's face flushed red.

"Absurd! This is utterly absurd! A single wild ginseng root costs dozens or even hundreds of taels of silver. Where am I supposed to get one?

"And the herbs you listed after that are completely beyond what I can afford. Are you fooling me, little girl?"

Zhou Wanwan looked at him calmly and said:

"Am I fooling you, or is it that you don't want to pay anything?

"I already said that if I can't cure it, I'll pay for all the herbs. What more do you want?

"Everyone, come and look! This man wants his cow cured but doesn't want to spend a single bit of silver. Could it be he wants me to front the silver for him?

"I don't have that much silver, and besides, the cow isn't mine.

"Oh, right, you were all talking so enthusiastically just now. You must be willing to help him, right?

"Why don't you share some of the cost for him? You're all fellow villagers, so don't stand on ceremony."

The onlookers who had spoken just now hurriedly shook their heads. "What does his cow have to do with us? Why should we pay?"

"Exactly! This little girl is really something. He and I are so far apart you couldn't reach one from the other with an eight-foot pole. Why should I help him?"

Lin Shouyi gave a cold snort. "Weren't you all talking up a storm just now? Now that it involves you, you won't own up to it?"

They all fell silent. The man gritted his teeth and stamped his foot.

"Fine, I'll sell it to you for one tael of silver. I don't believe you can cure it.

"Little girl, you're too arrogant. I've looked for doctors who specialize in treating livestock, but not one of them had a way."

Zhou Wanwan looked at him and said:

"But I can't trust you now. What if I really do cure the cow and you start making unreasonable demands?

"Why don't we draw up a contract, sign it, and put our fingerprints on it?"