The hunter was hunched over, tightly clutching his leg, convulsing on the ground and occasionally letting out painful moans. 𝗳𝐫𝚎𝗲𝚠𝚎𝗯𝕟𝐨𝘃𝚎𝗹.𝗰𝗼𝗺

Qin Yuan asked, "Is your leg injured?"

The guard standing at the front said, "He chased his dog abruptly into our path. Our horses couldn’t be stopped in time, it might have trampled him accidentally."

If he was trampled by a galloping horse, fracture is unavoidable.

However, as they were traveling on the official road, with carriages and horses both in front and behind, they weren’t moving too fast, so things were somewhat debatable.

Qin Yuan said, "Hold him down, let me take a closer look."

Gu Shiba was momentarily stunned, then immediately instructed several guards, "You guys hold him down, don’t let him move around, let Madam have a look."

Someone couldn’t help but advise, "Madam, if he’s seriously injured, we can take him into the city to consult a physician. He’s a rustic person, has a smell of sweat on him, he’s all muddy and covered in grass leaves... Don’t let him offend you."

The hunter’s throat was hoarse from the pain, yet he couldn’t help but angrily curse upon hearing the words: "Snobbish eyes, let go of me, I don’t need..."

Before he finished speaking, Gu Shiba barked, "If you’re told to hold him down, just do it, why the nonsense?"

The guards didn’t dare speak another word, several quickly restrained the hunter.

Qin Yuan walked over slowly, had the pants leg of the hunter rolled up, didn’t touch him, just took a brief look, asked a few questions, then said: "It seems the leg is broken, as the saying goes, injured muscles and bones take a hundred days to heal, we should bring him into the city to have it checked. Otherwise, people will say we’re abusing our power."

The guards prepared to lift him up onto the horse.

The hunter struggled and resisted, saying, "I’m not going. My leg isn’t broken. I understand my own injuries, I’ll just rest at home. You broke my leg, if you feel bad, just give me some silver."

He was tall and struggled quite a bit, making it hard for others to lift him.

Qin Yuan asked, "Who else is at home?"

"There’s no one at home, I eat my fill and my whole family doesn’t go hungry." The hunter’s voice was rough and hoarse, his head tightly wrapped in a dirty cloth, a piece of cloth around his neck covered half his face, making it hard to tell his age.

Qin Yuan laughed, "In that case, come with us into the city to find a good doctor, to avoid future complications which would render you unable to hunt. Even if you don’t care about others, you should care for yourself."

The hunter didn’t relent, "There are still unprocessed wild game at home, I fear they will spoil if I return from the city too late. There are remedies passed down for generations in my family, hunters always get injured."

Gu Shiba asked, "What wild game do you have? How much is it worth?"

The hunter began to count, "A few wild rabbits, three or four pheasants, and some spores..."

Gu Baoshu, from afar on horseback, couldn’t resist saying, "Ha, your hunting skills aren’t bad, these things can be considered what the Marquis Mansion buys from you, let’s go, stop dawdling. Name a price for the silver!"

The hunter remained adamant: "I’m not going, I’ll just rest at home."

At this moment, Gu Shiba hesitated a bit.

"Madam..."

Qin Yuan turned back toward the carriage, laughing, "That won’t do. He collided with the Marquis Mansion’s carriage, he should be punished. But seeing he’s hurt, we’ll spare the penalty. He must be sent to a medical clinic to be checked; if nothing’s wrong, send him back; if there’s an issue, let the clinic treat him well. His hunting game, at most twenty taels of silver, give it to him."

The hunter stopped struggling.

"... Really... Truly... Giving me twenty taels of silver?"

Gu Shiba said irritably, "We are from the Dingbei Marquis Mansion, do you think we would deceive you?"

Only then did the hunter say, "Alright then, agreed, twenty taels of silver, not a cent less, and I’ll have no money for treatment, you’ll have to cover it."

Gu Shiba replied, "Fine,"

He then tossed him onto the horse.

Qin Yuan said, "His leg is injured, he can’t ride alone. You’ll have to strap him to the horse’s back."

Gu Shiba conceded, "... Alright..."

The hunter said with a wry smile, "Even though my foot is hurt, I can still ride a horse, Madam doesn’t need to..."

Gu Shiba reached out and restrained him, saying, "You are so troublesome."

The hunter fell silent.

Though Gu Shiba was tall, the hunter was even taller, and had to be laid horizontally on the horse.

Everyone watched and felt pity for him.

Qin Yuan smiled, returned to the carriage, and Hong Ye whispered, "Miss, why insist on sending him to a medical clinic? Just giving him some silver would suffice. It’s troublesome for us, and he’s also unwilling."

Qin Yuan winked, speaking loudly, "Our carriage has the Dingbei Marquis Mansion’s crest. If we hit him and don’t send him to a clinic for treatment, those unaware would say we’re abusing our power. We should send him to a clinic for a proper check-up. Whether he’s grateful is his business; no one will say we’re wrong."

Hong Ye realized, "It’s for the Mansion’s reputation."

Qin Yuan laughed softly, "You may also consider it as me wanting to accrue some virtue, doing a good deed."

Cui Ming frowned slightly, but said nothing.

After traveling around ten miles, Qin Yuan instructed, "Stop the vehicle."

Gu Shiba reined in the horse and asked, "Madam, do you have any instructions?"

Qin Yuan said, "Seventh Sister, come into the carriage, it’ll be more comfortable since we’re about to enter the city."

Gu Baoshu initially didn’t want to, but remembering she’d rely on Qin Yuan to speak well of her before Old Madam Gu once back at the mansion, she changed her mind and obediently entered the carriage.

The hunter hurriedly asked, "Madam, Madam, there’s an extra horse, could I ride it? I’m shaken to the point of my gall bladder almost coming out."

Qin Yuan further instructed, "Shi Ba, this guy talks too much, I don’t want to listen. Gag his mouth and bind his hands so he won’t misbehave."

Gu Shiba swiftly tore the cloth from around the hunter’s neck, not shaking it out, but stuffed it directly into his mouth along with the dust, and twisted his hands behind his back binding them, preventing him from pulling the cloth out.

The hunter: "!"

Gu Shiba reported, "My report to Madam, his mouth has been gagged, his hands bound behind him, he won’t speak again."

"Good job."

Qin Yuan’s voice carried laughter.

"Shi Ba, I’ve just remembered something, you should also bind his leg, to prevent shaking and dislocating the bone, hard to fix later."

Gu Shiba replied incredulously, "There’s such a saying?"

Everyone: "..."

Qin Yuan said, "There is, don’t you remember Old Madam’s most precious little dog? It once broke its leg, it was splinted with sticks, took a long time to heal, and even then still limped somewhat. The Imperial Physician said it was because when it first broke, the dog was unruly, ran around dragging the injured leg, dislocating the bone."

Gu Baoshu gazed wide-eyed at Qin Yuan, about to speak, when Qin Yuan gently smiled, took a preserved fruit from the tray and gave it to her, saying, "Eat, is it sweet? Your third brother likes this the most."