Xu Ping’an agreed to Old Zhang’s words and officially took possession of the small donkey.
After discussing for a while, they decided to pick it up in the evening.
Only then did Xu Ping’an and the young woman begin their free medical consultations, going from street to street and house to house.
Erdaotou Village was very lively, with about four to five hundred households and a population of over three thousand.
In the northern part of Great Qi, you might not find a single village of this size even if you traveled all over the region.
However, in the south of Great Qi, they were everywhere.
This was because the northern part of Great Qi bordered the Huns, often experienced great turmoil, and was also a bitterly cold land.
“Aunt Zhang, how’s your health lately? Have you gotten any better?”
“Oh, Mr. Xu, come in and sit down!”
“No, no, I’ll just check on you and leave.”
Just like that, Xu Ping’an knocked on doors one by one.
Most of the doors were actually open.
In villages of this era, the villagers were very united.
To avoid being bullied by outsiders, ordinary people could only band together for warmth and safety.
Therefore, nothing major would happen if people within the village didn’t close their doors even late at night.
Everyone was a neighbor, constantly seeing each other.
In this era, the old saying truly held true: “A near neighbor is better than a distant relative.”
Following behind Xu Ping’an, Pei Qingxuan gradually became known to the people of Erdaotou Village.
Xu Ping’an himself was quite famous in the surrounding ten li.
For these rural people, having a skilled physician living nearby was absolutely a good thing.
And if this doctor charged very low fees for his treatments, that was even better.
So, no matter whose home they visited, they were always welcomed in politely.
In front of the village’s prominent household, a young servant at the gate saw Xu Ping’an and immediately smiled, enthusiastically greeting them.
“Mr. Xu, my master has been waiting for a long time! Please come in, please come in.”
The servant at the gate welcomed Xu Ping’an and Pei Qingxuan inside.
As soon as they entered, they saw a man in his fifties, dressed in brocade, sitting in the central hall.
“Elder Zhou, long time no see. How have you been recently?”
“Mr. Xu, you’re too kind. Please have a seat.”
Zhou Zhengfang was the village chief of Erdaotou Village and also its wealthiest resident.
His family owned land for hundreds of miles around.
He also held the title of a xiucai (a successful candidate in the imperial examination), making him one of the few educated people in the village.
“And this is?”
“This is my wife, Qingxuan. Please meet Elder Zhou Zhengfang. If you encounter any trouble in the village in the future, please come to him.”
“Hahaha, I can’t believe Mr. Xu quietly got married! Whose daughter is this, so remarkably beautiful? It’s just as I expected. I used to wonder why Mr. Xu hadn’t married at such an age. Sure enough… it’s because your standards are too high; those girls from the village couldn’t catch your eye.”
“Elder Zhou, you’re teasing me,” Xu Ping’an said with a smile, waving his hand.
He took a bottle from his sleeve and handed it over.
“Elder Zhou, this is this month’s portion. Please keep it safe.”
“Oh, it’s so kind of you to deliver it yourself. Next time, just say the word, and I’ll send Little Erzi to pick it up directly.”
“It’s no trouble at all, Elder Zhou, you exaggerate.”
“We’ll be bothering you for lunch today.”
“Nonsense! Mr. Xu coming to Erdaotou Village for free consultations every month also gives me, Zhou Zhengfang, face. Even if you came every day, I, Zhou Zhengfang, would have no objections.”
“Someone! Serve the food! I want to have a good drink with Mr. Xu!”
While they were talking, a middle-aged woman, who looked about forty but was actually almost fifty, came out from the back hall.
You could tell she had been a beauty in her youth, and she still possessed a charming elegance.
This was Zhou Zhengfang’s main wife, Mrs. Liu.
“Aunt Zhou.”
Upon seeing her, Xu Ping’an quickly stood up and bowed.
He could be more casual with Zhou Zhengfang, but not with a female family member.
“Heh, Mr. Xu is still so polite. I just passed through the front hall and heard you say you’re married now, so I couldn’t help but come out to take a look. And sure enough… she’s truly a beauty.”
“Oh, no, no, Aunt Zhou, you flatter her.”
“Alright, we women won’t get involved in you gentlemen’s affairs. I’ll take her to the back hall to sit.”
The young woman’s hand was taken by Aunt Zhou.
Seeing Xu Ping’an nod, she followed Mrs. Liu into the back courtyard.
This was normal etiquette.
In the past, men handled external affairs while women managed the internal ones.
If a guest brought a female companion, then the female companion would naturally be greeted by the hostess of the house.
These were the rules.
“Mr. Xu, come, come, let’s have a drink first.”
Zhou Zhengfang didn’t stand on ceremony.
Even before all the dishes were served, he raised his cup and toasted Xu Ping’an, then downed his own drink in one gulp, regardless of how much Xu Ping’an drank.
Fortunately, yellow wine wasn’t high in alcohol content, so Xu Ping’an drank it all in one go without changing his expression.
Then he put down his cup, looked up, and met Zhou Zhengfang’s gaze.
“Elder Zhou, you look troubled. Have you encountered some difficulty recently? If it’s convenient, you can tell me. Although I may not be able to help much, it might ease your mind.”
“Heh heh, I knew it! Mr. Xu would definitely see through me… Sigh!” He sighed, his expression meaningful, looking up and gazing into the distance, muttering, “The heavens of Great Qi are probably about to fall into chaos…”
“What do you mean?” Xu Ping’an was taken aback.
He hadn’t expected the conversation to escalate so quickly.
Is this something the richest man in a village should be saying?
However, on second thought, it made sense.
Zhou Zhengfang’s xiucai title was genuinely earned through examination.
Naturally, he had his own circle of scholars and thus his own sources of information.
“Mr. Xu, you probably know that Great Qi can enjoy peace under heaven today not only because the Emperor governs with love for his people, but also because there are immortals residing in the country, preventing demons from causing trouble.”
“Yes… This situation is known to all citizens of Great Qi. But… Elder Zhou, why do you suddenly bring this up?”
“Mr. Xu, you probably don’t know, and many ordinary people wouldn’t know this either. If I didn’t have a friend who is now a high-ranking official in the imperial court, I would never have known about this matter.” Zhou Zhengfang paused, then looked at Xu Ping’an seriously.
“Mr. Xu, what I’m about to say is known only to heaven, earth, you, and me. It must never be known by outsiders, otherwise… I fear the world will fall into great chaos.”
“Alright.”
Xu Ping’an somehow felt that Zhou Zhengfang was bragging, but men, when they sit together and drink, aren’t they just there to brag a little?
Zhou Zhengfang, seeing this, glanced around cautiously, looking as if he were truly revealing a great secret that determined the fate of the world, which was somewhat amusing.
“My friend told me… it seems the leader of the righteous immortal sects has been ambushed by evil cults, and her whereabouts and condition are currently unknown. Now, even His Majesty himself has been so worried that he hasn’t been able to sleep for days.”