The Magistrate's Excuse

By the fourth visit, Ren Xiu had stopped pretending she believed the district office was truly running short on ginger root.

"Your magistrate must have a remarkable number of ailments," she said, wrapping the herbs anyway.

"He's in excellent health, actually." The clerk had the decency to look embarrassed. "I may have volunteered for this errand."

"May have."

"Did," he admitted.

She held out the bundle, and for once, did not immediately let go of it. "Then you'd better tell me why, before the whole village decides for you."

[Placeholder chapter — replace with your own translated content.]