Daily life of farming and supporting a family on the ancient Loess Plateau

Looking at Xiuqin's retreating figure, Ji Yongling felt that her mental state had recovered quite well, and he was very satisfied.

Although thyroid hormone powder made from pig thyroid glands certainly cannot compare with thyroid hormone tablets produced under industrial conditions in later generations, the effect is still quite good, judging from Xiuqin's current treatment.

She glanced at Xiuqin's retreating figure a few more times, recalling how Baldy had been pestering Yang to arrange a marriage for his son. So she turned to Granny Huang and asked, "Xiuqin seems to be recovering well, but she needs to take the medicine for a long time. What are her plans for the future?"

Granny Huang also looked at Xiuqin's busy figure in the courtyard and said, "This girl has a strong personality. After you cured her illness, she's much more energetic, and her hands have almost recovered. She's working as efficiently as before. A while ago, she borrowed money from me to buy a spinning wheel and is spinning thread, saying she wants to support herself. Now she's saving money again, saying she wants to buy a loom to weave cloth!"

"Oh? That's really impressive! Spinning and weaving are skills in themselves, and women who can support themselves through their own abilities are worthy of respect! People can rely on themselves, not heaven or earth!" Ji Yongling said admiringly.

Granny Huang shook her head and smiled, saying, "You silly girl, you always speak so maturely, like an adult! Xiuqin is indeed a capable young woman, and also a woman who doesn't give up easily. Of course, it's also fortunate that you, the doctor, cured Xiuqin's illness. Otherwise, Xiuqin would have suffered a lot later on, looking so sickly!"

“That’s not how it works. Treating Xiuqin was just something I did on the side. She should be most grateful to you. You took her in and gave her a place to stay. That’s better than anything else!” Ji Yongling said sincerely.

Hearing this, Granny Huang's smile softened even more. She said, "To receive a few words of praise from you, my girl, is sweeter than honey. I've come to understand these days that we women don't have a share in our own family's house and land, nor do we own our husband's family's house and land."

Having a place to stay and be able to support yourself is better than anything else! We women ultimately have to rely on ourselves! Your family, your husband's family, your husband, your children—you can't rely on any of them! You have to give yourself confidence!

Ji Yongling smiled. This Huang Daopo was one of the first women to awaken to the harsh realities of feudal society. The fact that she understood that women should have independent thoughts, personalities, and self-confidence, rather than being anyone's appendage, already showed a great deal of progressiveness.

Ji Yongling pulled up a small stool and sat down, saying, "Actually, whether you're a man or a woman, you should rely on yourself. What you give yourself is the most reliable! What, did you call me here specifically to discuss the meaning of life with me? Or do you want me to treat someone else's illness?"

Speaking of this, Huang Daopo felt a pang of sadness.

She glanced at Cuiling, who was sitting in the courtyard helping two embroiderers wind their threads, lowered her eyes to hide her sadness, and then looked up at Cuiling again, saying, "I would like to ask you to take a look at this woman's legs."

Huang Daopo did not explain her relationship with Cuiling to anyone else. Cuiling did not recognize her, and she did not acknowledge Cuiling as her mother. She felt that she owed Cuiling too much and would make up for it slowly in the rest of her life. There was no need to force a mother-daughter relationship, otherwise it would make things difficult for the others in the courtyard.

Ji Yongling glanced at Cuiling and saw that although Cuiling was sitting, one of her legs was not bent up and her body weight was shifted to the other side.

She asked, "Is this aunt's leg injured, or what?"

Huang Daopo took a deep breath and told Ji Yongling about how Cuiling was sold, passed through several hands, and was handled by many people. Finally, she said, "I asked Cuiling, and she said that when Shen Zhihe hit her that time, he choked her neck and knocked her unconscious. When she woke up, she found that she couldn't move her legs. They were fine before."

"Oh? It was caused by being choked unconscious?" Ji Yongling thought for a moment and said, "That might be because when Cui Ling was choked, her carotid artery was damaged, causing a blood clot, which led to a cerebral infarction, or stroke, which is why she is paralyzed in both legs."

"What? Stroke? Young people can have strokes? Cuiling, don't look so old now, you're actually not that old!" Huang Daopo emphasized.

Ji Yongling nodded and said, "Yes, young people can also have strokes! It's just that the pathogenesis of Cui Ling's stroke is different from that of strokes in the elderly, and I really can't explain it in a short time."

The mechanism of thrombosis caused by arterial damage in young people is very complex and cannot be understood without the anatomical basis of later generations.

"Oh, so strangling can cause a stroke! Can Cuiling's illness be cured? When we were in Qingzhou Prefecture, we took Cuiling to see a doctor. The doctor there prescribed medicine and gave her acupuncture. Currently, one of Cuiling's legs has recovered fairly well, and she can walk while dragging the other leg. But she's so young, and she's like this. What will happen in the future..." Granny Huang lowered her voice, afraid that Cuiling would hear.

Ji Yongling thought for a moment and said, "Take it slow! Young people recover easily. Continue to take the medicine to promote blood circulation and remove blood stasis. You can also go to the county to find Dr. Xu and ask him to give Cuiling acupuncture a few more times."

In addition, I'll teach you some rehabilitation exercises. Have Cuiling do them whenever she has free time. If you have time, you can also massage her. If she persists, her leg function should recover to about 70-80% without any problem.”

"Are you so sure?" Huang Daopo asked, somewhat doubtful.

Ji Yongling nodded: "Mm!"

With Ji Yongling's affirmation, Huang Daopo was relieved, but she still couldn't help asking, "Do you have any good medicine that can help Cuiling recover faster? This woman is strong-willed; she keeps saying she doesn't want to be idle and wants to support herself by working!"

Ji Yongling shook her head and said, "I don't have that kind of medicine. But even if you're not very mobile, you can still support yourself! Xiuqin bought a spinning wheel, right? You can get one for Cuiling too. Spinning thread, weaving cloth, and doing needlework—these are all ways to earn some money for food!"

Upon hearing this, Granny Huang pondered for a moment, nodded, and said, "Making a living with these things won't be a problem. However, if Cuiling continues to take medicine and receive acupuncture, it might be quite expensive. This woman doesn't like to incur debts. She's been constantly talking about paying off the medicine bills for the other two embroiderers, wanting to settle the debts as soon as possible!"

"She's a woman of principle! Women should be like that, never succumbing to the whims of fate. Even if they fall into the dust, they should live with dignity and integrity! Cuiling and Xiuqin are role models for us women. They don't rely on others or depend on others. Even if they are sick or disabled, they will keep striving to be self-reliant and take control of their own destiny!" Ji Yongling exclaimed.