Chapter 28: Summoned to the Magistrate’s Residence

Dinner was halfway through when Ruyi approached. “Young Master, the magistrate’s steward is here to request your presence. He says the old magistrate had a dizzy spell and nearly fell. He’s had two similar episodes in the past few days.”

“I understand. Go prepare the medical kit. We’ll go take a look. I suspect it’s due to overindulgence in rich food. Ping’an, come with your master.”

Ping’an stood up; he was almost full and didn’t plan to eat much more.

This old magistrate likely had modern-day hypertension.

Sun Sichen had brought only Jixiang and Ruyi to Jiaoxian County this time. Seeing them leave, Erqiang quickly followed, grabbing a large steamed bun filled with shredded meat on his way out.

He had already eaten quite a bit, but there was still a lot of food left, and it seemed wasteful to let it go to waste.

Meiniang watched the five of them rush off.  “Husband, they haven’t finished their meal.”

Wan Changsheng sat down. “Wife, let’s have some more. They’ve almost finished. Otherwise, we can pack a few more buns and some side dishes for Erqiang and the others to eat when they get back.”

Meiniang nodded. Her son probably wouldn’t eat any more, but Erqiang was a big eater.

Sun Sichen arrived at the Huang residence, and the old magistrate was already better, able to speak and sit upright.

Ping’an noticed an abnormal redness on his face, and his heartbeat was noticeably fast.

This fifty-or-sixty-year-old man was round and plump, clearly neglecting health maintenance.

“Young Master, how is my father? Is it serious?”

Madam Huang listened anxiously.  Her husband was hoping for a promotion. If his father passed away now, he would have to observe three years of mourning, which would ruin his chances.

“Mr. Huang, the old magistrate has a condition called Yangkang. It can be mild or severe. With proper care, he could live another twenty or thirty years. But if not, he may even pass away suddenly.

I’ll prescribe some medicine and explain the precautions to your family. Mr. Huang, don’t be careless. This illness can be fatal or lead to paralysis.”

Mr. and Madam Huang nodded hurriedly. Their father was almost sixty, a ripe old age, but they couldn’t afford to lose him now.

Mr. Huang was forty. Whether he could get a real position in three years was uncertain. After years of diligent study, he became the county magistrate at thirty-something, serving for six years, and had a chance for promotion next spring; the news had already circulated.

Ideally, his father would live another ten years, allowing his position to become stable. Even with the three-year mourning period, there would still be room for maneuver.

At the very least, if they had to observe the mourning period, they could wait for an official position afterward. At fifty or sixty, what did it matter if he retired and took care of his father?

But not now.

Sun Sichen wrote a prescription for Ruyi to take to the medical hall, and whispered to Magistrate Huang, “Besides medicine and health maintenance, the old magistrate should avoid certain activities, such as intimacy, for a while.”

Madam Huang blushed and hurried out to prepare some food.

Sun Sichen quickly said it wasn’t necessary. If they really wanted to prepare something, just some pastries for the children.

He then gently asked Ping’an if he was hungry. Ping’an shook his head.

Mr. and Madam Huang were shrewd. Soon, Madam Huang brought a large food box filled with pastries.

She also gave Ping’an a red envelope. While Jixiang, Ruyi, and Erqiang received a small red envelope.

Sun Sichen saw Ruyi hand over the medicine to the steward, emphasizing the need to prepare it immediately. He would leave for the prefecture early tomorrow, but he would send Doctor Sun to check on the old magistrate.

Magistrate Huang took the opportunity to give Sun Sichen a red envelope, claiming it was payment for the medicine.

Jixiang accepted it.

Back at the inn, everyone returned to their rooms.

Ping’an took Erqiang to his parents’ room and gave his mother the food box.

“Madam Huang gave it; no need to return the box.”

Meiniang touched the food box. It’s truly something from a wealthy family, even the box was exquisite.

Opening it, she found four layers. Three layers contained various pastries, and the bottom layer was filled with sugar candies wrapped in oiled paper.

Erqiang took out his red envelope. “Aunt, it’s another tael! City folk are so generous. Please keep it for me.”

Ping’an took out his own, handing it to his mother along with the pouch. “Mother, use this for the family.”

Meiniang saw it was a five-tael silver ingot. She didn’t say anything, just smiling and accepting it.

Wan Changsheng was also pleased. Although he said Ping’an didn’t have to hand over his red envelopes, it was still another matter that his son was willing to give some to them.

People were sometimes so sentimental.

“Ping’an, Erqiang, your mother brought up several meat-filled buns. Would you like to have some?”

Erqiang was delighted. “Aunt, I want some! I’ve been eating well; the more I eat, the more I want to eat. My stomach is like a bottomless pit.”

Ping’an also felt hungry. He would eat one.

He didn’t want to eat the pastries his mother had; they were too sweet and not as refined as modern pastries.

Erqiang ate two, Ping’an ate one, and Wan Changsheng ate the last one. It was late May, and the weather was getting warmer; while the buns might not spoil overnight, they could still go bad.

The young servant brought hot water to the room. Erqiang insisted on preparing the water for Ping’an, acting very seriously, which made Ping’an want to laugh.

Some people make you laugh even without telling jokes; Erqiang was one of them.

Ping’an let him do it. Their relationship would change in the future as the gap between them widened. Privately, they were cousins, but officially, Erqiang was his caretaker.

There were CEOs in the past whose relatives worked as security guards.

It was nothing to worry about; their roles were simply different.

In the dim candlelight, Ping’an lay on the bed. He didn’t plan to read; his eyes were too precious, and there were no glasses here.

Erqiang, wiping his wet hair, had a contented expression. “Ping’an, if Big Lin and the others knew I received eleven taels in red envelopes today, they’d be speechless.

I also ate a large bowl of braised pork; the shredded meat was so tender! Delicious! I also ate three meat-filled buns at night, and my stomach isn’t even that full. I wonder where all the food went.”

He laughed to himself.

Ping’an also laughed. Just the fact that Erqiang could make him laugh several times a day made bringing him worth it.

“Erqiang, you’re still growing, and you haven’t eaten enough in the past, so it’s natural to eat a lot.

But once you gain weight, don’t eat like this. Do you remember the old magistrate tonight? He lived a good life but didn’t pay attention to his health. He was all fat and oil.

He was treated in time, and his family wasn’t short of money. Otherwise, such a serious illness could have killed him or left him paralyzed for life.”

Erqiang’s mouth hung open in shock.

He had planned to eat and drink well with Ping’an for the rest of his life, but he didn’t know overeating could be fatal.

“Of course, you’re malnourished now, so it’s okay to eat more. When you start gaining weight, I’ll remind you.”

Erqiang finally relaxed. “Ping’an, you must remind me. If a person can only eat, drink, and relieve themselves in bed, it’s better to be dead. But I want to live to be seventy or eighty, not die so young.”