303 Master's helplessness
That night, Sun Sicheng went to bed very early. Ping'an knew that he was in a bad mood, so he lay there obediently.
After Zhang Jinping left, Ming Wanli and Sun Hongyu moved into his room, so now only the master and disciple are left in the room.
Ping An was a little confused at this moment. His master was the eldest son of Baicaotang, and he himself had a fifth-rank honorary position, but he also felt helpless many times.
For example, now, you were happily preparing to go home, but you were suddenly told that you had to be transferred to Yingtian Prefecture to treat patients. This was also an order, and you had no room to refuse.
It seems that being a famous doctor is not as free as imagined.
There are four days left until mid-May. The moonlight outside the window is bright and hazy, as if the war had never happened. It is peaceful and beautiful.
"I don't know if your husband has won the lottery or not. The results will be out in mid-April, and the position will be assigned at the end of April. Private use of carrier pigeons is not allowed here, and I don't know if your husband will give up his position."
Sun Sicheng's voice was not loud, but it was particularly clear in the quiet dark night, and Ping'an knew that his master was not asleep.
"Master, there is a greater than 80% chance that you will not be an official. I think it is better for you not to be an official. As the chief accountant of Baicaotang and your right-hand man, you are less free than any county magistrate, right?"
Sun Sicheng chuckled: "You don't understand. Scholars all want to become officials. Once you become an official, you will be seen differently by outsiders. You will be a member of an official family, which will be good for your children's future marriage.
As for me, of course I can't bear to leave your husband, the accountant and manager. My master is very lucky to have met your husband, Wanli, He Jin, the Fang brothers and Lao Ge in his life. If your husband had become an official, it would have been difficult for him to meet such a good person as your husband again.
Ping An, from tomorrow on, you will spend half of your time studying. When you get to Yingtian, we will see how things go. If you can't leave in a short time, I will hire a temporary teacher for you. Then there will only be one year left for the college entrance examination next year."
"Master, I will listen to you."
He had to take exams to become a scholar or even a juren. Even if he became a doctor all his life, he could not be called a commoner.
"Ping An, if you can pass the exam smoothly, you can become an official in the future. Who says that it's not good for people who know medicine to be officials? You can let the people in your jurisdiction grow more medicinal herbs, or run some medicine-related industries, so that people can live a better life."
"Master, don't you want me to follow you and practice medicine? Isn't it good to be a good doctor?"
Sun Sicheng suddenly felt depressed. What he wanted most was to take over his medical career safely and carry forward his medical skills. Being an official was indeed a bit...
"Go to sleep. Whether you want to be an official or not, you have to take the test. Go to sleep."
…
Before daybreak, lights were on in the courtyard. Wang Quan and Yuan Qing prepared a simple breakfast. They heated up some of the steamed buns from last night, and after everyone had a bite to eat, they were ready to leave.
"Master, Master Guan and Master Wu are here."
Sun Sicheng and Sun Hongyu came out to greet them: "My Lords, didn't we agree yesterday that you don't need to see me off today? Please come in."
The four of them sat down in the main room.
Guan Ping said, "I was confused this afternoon. Today I was going to give some travel expenses to all the doctors and apprentices who came from all over the place. The monthly salary can be collected at the local government office. The doctor will get 20 taels each, and the apprentice will get 10 taels. You have 24 people in total. Everyone has participated in the rescue this year. The salary is not much, only 300 taels. A few apprentices with good medical skills were paid as doctors.
This is for you, Ping An, and Army Doctor Sun. It's a little gift from the general. The money is from the military camp, and has nothing to do with other people. You have 1,000 taels, and they each have 800. Maybe you can get more than this if you save a rich master. Who made the military camp poor?"
Sun Sicheng pushed it for a while, but when he couldn't push it anymore, he accepted it.
"Sicheng, when we go to Yingtian this time, the people sent by the court said that we should just do our best. If we really can't cure the disease, there is nothing we can do. The higher-ups won't blame us. But it will take more than 20 days to get there."
Guan Ping looked at Sun Hongyu again: "Will Doctor Sun come with us? We have been together for more than 20 years. I don't know when we will meet again. This time I may go back to Beijing with the general. I probably won't come here. We are all old."
Doctor Sun Hong smiled and said, "I am older than all of you. I am old. I will go with Sicheng and the others so that I can have someone to look after me on the way."
Sun Sicheng said: "My cousin is Ping'an's great uncle, and his father is also my cousin's apprentice and adopted son. They are a family."
Wu Jin laughed, "We know this. Ping An has always called Military Doctor Sun Uncle Grandpa. We may meet in the capital soon. Lord Guan, let's go and not delay them."
Sun Sicheng also stood up and said, "Doctor Xie Xuewen and my other disciple should follow the main group."
Wu Jin nodded: "Just let them get ready. We have mule carts and horse carriages, but they may be a little crowded."
After breakfast, Wanli distributed the silver to everyone on the spot.
Xie Xuewen, Wenzhu, Xiaochen, Qingshi, Wujun and Ruyi were given twenty taels, and the rest were given ten taels.
This was extra silver, and everyone was happy. Ten taels was a lot. When they returned to the provincial capital, apprentices could get twenty-four taels of silver, and ordinary doctors could get sixty taels.
That's a pretty good sum of money.
Ping'an had already put his own eight hundred taels of silver into the mezzanine of the medical room. During this journey, he now had as much as fifteen thousand taels of silver on him, much of which was unexpected gain.
He would never miss out on any unexpected fortune he could get, as the saying goes, if he doesn't take it, it will be a waste.
Sun Sicheng gave Wenzhu fifty taels of silver and gave him and Jie Xuewen a mule cart, so they could avoid squeezing in a car with many other people and still take two more people with them.
When the morning light shone into the courtyard, Sun Sicheng left the courtyard with several carriages under the reluctant gaze of Wenzhu and Jie Xuewen.
Needless to say, the journey was difficult.
Twenty days later.
They had already arrived near Yingtian Prefecture.
Ming Wanli asked, "Young Master, should we go to the inn first or to the old master's house?"
Sun Sicheng looked at the sky. The sun was hanging in the west. It was still early. "Let's go to the inn to wash up and rest first. Then let Jixiang take my name card to the Wang family and listen to what the Wang family says. If there is no rush, Ping An and I will go there tomorrow."
"Yes, my Lord."
Ming Wanli knew it was best. The old imperial tutor had been his teacher in his childhood and youth, and they had a deep relationship. The eldest master of the Wang family was also the president of the Hanlin Academy and had taught three princes. It was said that he resigned and stayed at home in the past two years because his parents were old and frail.
Such a family should not be treated with disrespect.
Sun Sicheng's mood changed on the second day after he set out on the journey. Not only did he no longer feel uncomfortable, but on the contrary he was actively on his way. The reason was that he was thinking of the eldest master of the Wang family who was now unemployed at home.
He is a first-rate scholar. If Ping An could receive his instruction for a period of time, wouldn't it be much better than staying in the Imperial College?
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