Eighth year of Chongzhen

Chapter 32
Outside the alleys where the craftsmen lived in the northern city of the capital, a row of carriages suddenly came, loaded with daily necessities such as grain and cloth, and a group of Jinyiwei school captains either rode or walked to guard.

The convoy stopped in the open area in front of the alley, and several guards with knives dispersed, watching the surroundings vigilantly.

The curtain of the front carriage was lifted, Wang Chengen got out of the carriage, took out a brocade stool and set it up, Zhu Youjian in casual robe jumped out of the carriage directly.

A few children playing at the entrance of the alley suddenly saw so many carriages and sergeants with long knives on their waists, they were frightened and ran into the narrow alley, but curious, they peeked out their heads from time to time to watch these people coming.

Zhu Youjian looked at the group of children with a smile, and waved at a five or six-year-old girl who was barefoot, wearing tattered clothes, biting her fingers, and poking her head out in the alley, and said, "Little girl!" Baby, come to uncle, if uncle has something to ask you, he will give you candy!"

After speaking, he stretched out his hand to Wang Chengen, Wang Chengen hurried to the car, took out an exquisite lacquer box and handed it to him, Zhu Youjian opened the lacquer box, took out a piece of crystal clear candied fruit, and pointed at the little girl a dozen steps away Shake it.

The girl turned her head to look at the few friends around her, hesitated for a while, but finally couldn't resist the temptation of this kind of food that she had never seen before and looked very delicious, and walked slowly to Chongzhen.

Zhu Youjian bent down and handed the candied fruit to her. The little girl took the candied fruit timidly, looked at Zhu Youjian with bright eyes, and didn't eat it right away. Zhu Youjian smiled gently: "Why don't you eat it? This is called candied fruit, it’s delicious, eat it, uncle still has it here!”

The little girl relaxed in Zhu Youjian's smile, and said with a smile: "Erya doesn't eat, take it home and give it to my younger brother! My younger brother is sick, and my mother is holding him and crying, so Erya came here to wait for my father to come back." !"

Zhu Youjian's heart sank, he handed the lacquer box to Wang Chengen, picked up the girl, and said, "Where is your home, take uncle there, uncle will see a doctor!"

The girl struggled in Zhu Youjian's arms, and when she heard that he would see a doctor, she hurriedly said, "Are you a doctor? Aren't all doctors with white beards? My house is at the second door!"

He pointed to the alley in front of him.

Chongzhen walked into the alley with her in his arms, and said in a deep voice as he walked, "Go to the imperial hospital and call the imperial doctor, hurry up!"

Wang Chengen behind him quickly responded, turned around and ordered a captain, and the captain immediately got on his horse and galloped away.

Zhu Youjian didn't go far with the girl in his arms, and came to a dilapidated courtyard.The low courtyard door was open, Zhu Youjian carried the girl and bowed his head into the courtyard, followed by Wang Chengen and several captains.

The yard is small, but it is kept very clean.Facing the courtyard gate are three main rooms, with a latrine on one side, and a locust tree planted in the middle of the courtyard, which has begun to shed its leaves.

The girl struggled to get out of his arms, and ran to the main house built of yellow mud with the candied fruit, shouting as she ran, "Mother, the doctor is here, give me something delicious!"

Following the shout, an ordinary-looking young woman in her twenties came out of the house. She was wearing a patched skirt and her eyes were still red and swollen.

Seeing a few strangers suddenly coming in the yard, she was startled. She took the little girl to her side, looked at Zhu Youjian and the others vigilantly, and said, "Who are you? The slave family is a woman, so it is inconvenient to talk to you, if there is something to do, you should wait for my husband to come back to talk about it!"

Seeing the woman's blunt attitude, Wang Cheng'en felt annoyed, and immediately stepped forward to scold her.

Zhu Youjian reached out to stop him, motioned him to back off, and said to him: "Sister-in-law, I heard that Erya said that her younger brother is very sick, and I happen to be proficient in medicine, so let's see the child's condition first, and the rest will wait." Will talk again!"

After finishing speaking, the woman was not allowed to question, and stepped into the house.

The woman wants to stop them, but thinking of her family's poverty, even if these people are thieves, there is nothing worth taking.

Besides, the child is very sick, and the family has no money to hire a doctor. Seeing the child convulsing all over, she is already desperate. into the house.

The light in the room was a bit dim, Zhu Youjian saw a broken table and two stools in the main room, it seemed that this was a place to eat.

Looking around, the woman who came in pointed with her left hand, and Zhu Youjian followed her gesture and walked into the room on the left.

I saw a tattered straw mat on an earthen kang, on which lay a boy of a few years old, wrapped tightly by an old quilt, only his head was exposed outside.

Zhu Youjian hurried to the kang, raised his hand to touch the boy's forehead, and suddenly felt his palm was hot. Based on the basic knowledge he knew in his previous life, he knew that it was a high fever, and the temperature was around forty degrees.

He didn't care about the dirtiness of the quilt, and hurriedly unwrapped the quilt that wrapped the boy. A gust of hot air rushed towards his face, and the boy had already had a fever and passed out.

He was about to unbutton the boy's clothes when the woman behind him rushed over and wanted to tear Chongzhen apart, shouting: "What are you doing!"

The guards who followed were shocked.

A guard rushed forward, grabbed the woman and tore at Zhu Youjian's arm, twisted it slightly, only to hear a soft cracking sound, the woman's two arms were dislocated and fell down, the guard raised his palm and was about to strike Hitting her vitals, Zhu Youjian yelled lightly: "Don't hurt her!"

Hearing this, the guard turned his wrist sharply and cut the woman's neck. The woman's body softened and she fell to one side.

It's a long story, but in fact the whole process only took a few seconds, Zhu Youjian glanced approvingly at the back of the guard who just started.

What the woman did just now scared Wang Chengen out of his wits. If the emperor is injured, he will die.

Fortunately, the guard's reaction was extremely quick, Wang Chengen was stunned for a moment, the woman had been knocked out, he was relieved, and kept blaming himself in his heart.

Seeing that Zhu Youjian was about to continue undressing the boy, he hurried forward to take it. Zhu Youjian ordered the window to be opened, and suddenly a gust of cool air circulated in the room, diluting the turbid atmosphere in the room.

Zhu Youjian arranged for the guards to go to the kitchen to boil a pot of hot water, and the guards left in response.

Erya in the courtyard saw a fierce-looking man carrying her mother out, her head drooping limply, thinking that her mother had been beaten to death by this man.

Er Ya suddenly burst into tears, threw the candied fruit in her hand to the ground, pounced on the guard with her small fist while crying, the guard was so embarrassed that he could only dodge.

Zhu Youjian came out when he heard the crying, motioned the guard to leave, then knelt down and hugged Erya, and said in a warm voice: "Your mother is tired and fell asleep, and she will wake up in a while. Erya Be good, Erya don't cry, if you cry again, uncle won't treat your brother!"

Erya stopped crying suddenly, tears still hung on her face, and she sobbed softly from time to time.

She looked into Zhu Youjian's eyes, felt safe, and then said: "Erya is obedient, Erya doesn't cry, uncle is a good man, and he will cure younger brother. The eyes of bad people are fierce, and uncle's eyes are just like daddy's! "

Zhu Youjian's nose was sour, his eyes were red, and tears were about to flow down uncontrollably.

He took a deep breath, hugged Erya and stood up, looking around.

The impoverished family, the dirty and messy environment, and Erya who grew up under such conditions make people feel distressed.

Since I came to this world, it was arranged by God to change everything. I want to let all innocent and lovely children like Erya grow up in a rich, healthy, safe and happy environment. This is my mission.

A guard came over with boiling hot water. Zhu Youjian put Erya down and asked the guard to watch carefully. Then he entered the house and asked the guard to soak the towel in the hot water and wring it dry. He repeatedly scrubbed the boy's neck, Behind the ears, armpits, soles of feet, etc.

The towels at Erya’s house were as unusable as rags. Wang Chengen took out a clean white towel from his arms and handed it to the guard. After some busy work, Wang Chengen reached out and touched the boy’s forehead, and said pleasantly, “My lord, it works.” It's much cooler than Shicai!"

Zhu Youjian shook his head and said: "This is only temporary. If the temperature is not lowered in time, his brain will be burned out! To be completely cured, medicine is needed. Why hasn't the imperial doctor come yet?"

While talking, there was a sound of horseshoes, which disappeared at the entrance of the alley, and then a sound of chaotic footsteps came from here.

Zhu Youjian walked out of the house, and two tall guards supported an old man in his sixties wearing a green official robe and walked quickly into the courtyard. After seeing Zhu Youjian, the guards let go of the old man, saluted and stepped back.

A guard behind him handed the medicine box to the old man who was still panting heavily. Zhu Youjian certainly recognized that this was Hu Fangwen, an imperial physician from the imperial hospital. heal.

Hu Fangwen regained his strength, and suddenly saw Zhu Youjian wearing a casual robe, and was shocked. Just about to kneel down and bow, Zhu Youjian stopped him and said, "I am in modest clothes, so there is no need to give a big ceremony. It's important to see the patient first!"

Hu Fangwen entered the room under the guidance of the guards. Erya suddenly looked up at Zhu Youjian with big eyes, and said, "Uncle, grandpa seems to be very afraid of you! Erya knows him as the doctor, and Erya knows the box. Use that box!"

Hu Fangwen's arrival made Zhu Youjian relax. He bent down and hugged Erya, and said with a smile, "Uncle is in charge of the doctor. This old grandpa is here, and your brother's illness will be fine!"

A quarter of an hour later, Hu Fangwen came out with the medicine box, put down the medicine box, bowed his hands to Zhu Youjian, and said, "Your Majesty, the child has symptoms of wind-cold and fever. Weichen gave him the powder to relieve the external heat, and his condition has stabilized. Weichen has left enough medicine, and he can recover after taking a few times. Thanks to His Majesty's methods, the condition has been slowed down. If not, the child's condition will be worse. It will be difficult to cure!"

Zhu Youjian said with a smile: "Mr. Hu is still very skilled in medicine. Those things are not worth mentioning. After returning to the palace, I will reward myself!"

Hu Fangwen quickly thanked him, Zhu Youjian ordered him to be sent back to the palace, Hu Fangwen saluted and left.

At this time Erya Niang also woke up leisurely, and when she opened her eyes and saw Zhu Youjian teasing Erya in her arms, she became furious and yelled.

When the neighbors heard the commotion, they all walked out of their courtyards, looked at this side, and saw the guards standing outside the door holding knives, they all hurriedly retreated into the courtyard, and closed the door tightly.

Zhu Youjian understood Er Yaniang's thoughts, and motioned for the guard to take her into the house to see the child, and Wang Chengen followed.

After entering the room, the guard who injured her quickly reset her arm, Er Ya Niang ignored the pain and ran to the boy lying on the kang, shouting hurriedly: "Xiaobao, Xiaobao, are you okay?" !"

The lying boy was about three or four years old, and he had already woken up at this time. Seeing his mother rushing towards him, he said weakly, "Mother, I'm hungry!"

Er Ya Niang suddenly saw her son wake up, and overjoyed, she threw herself on him and hugged him, feeling that although his body was still hot, it was no longer hot.Big drops of tears dripped from his eyes, weeping with joy.

After he calmed down a bit, Wang Chengen coughed and said, "You woman is so unreasonable, what a nobleman my lord is! This time you personally healed your child, but you still want to tear my lord apart with your own hands. Do you know what a serious crime this is?" That is to say, my master is generous, if it is someone else, your whole family will not want to live!"

The woman stopped crying when she heard the words, got up and knelt down towards Wang Chengen, kowtowed heavily, and said: "My family wronged my benefactor, my family is guilty, my family deserves to die!"

Wang Chengen avoided her, and said: "Forget it, my master is the most benevolent person in the world, he won't argue with you, if you want to thank him, go out and thank my master, I can't bear your big gift!"

The woman got up when she heard the words, looked back at her son who had improved on the kang, wiped away the tears on his face, ran out of the room in a hurry, came to Chongzhen, knelt down on the ground, kowtowed three times, Looking up at Zhu Youjian, he said: "My family has eyes but no eyes. I don't know that the nobleman is here to save my child. If the nobleman wants to beat and punish me, the slave family has no complaints!"

Zhu Youjian put down Erya, motioned the guards to help the woman up, and said with a smile, "You are also eager to love your son, so I won't blame you. Just now the doctor said that your baby is fine, and you only need to take a few more medicines to recover." .Okay, I have other things. Later, someone will send rice, noodles, pork, and five taels of silver. This is from the imperial court to all your artisan households. Your husband will also pay monthly, including your family All the craftsmen including you, the future will be better and better. You have to raise Erya and her younger brother well at home. In the future, the court will also plan to run a school so that Erya and the others can read and write. This sister-in-law, in the future Life will get better, I'm leaving now, and I will send people to visit Erya from time to time!"

Erya Niang was already stunned, Erya heard that Zhu Youjian was leaving, hugged his thigh, looked up at him, her eyes were full of reluctance.

Zhu Youjian stroked the messy hair on her little head lovingly, and said in a warm voice: "Uncle still has a lot to do, Er Ya, be good, listen to your parents at home, take good care of your younger brother, and help your mother with work. Uncle will send someone to come Look at you, if there is a chance, I will pick you up to play at Uncle's house, Uncle is leaving now!"

Erya's big eyes held back tears, but she held back and didn't shed them, she just nodded obediently and desperately.

Zhu Youjian touched her little face, turned around and walked out of the yard.

Wang Chengen and others followed closely behind, and the people in the yard hushed and evacuated, leaving only the well-behaved Erya and the mother who hadn't woken up yet.

Back at the place where the convoy was parked outside the alley, Zhu Youjian ordered his entourage to distribute the supplies and money door to door.

It is stated that this is because the Holy One is sympathetic to the difficult life of the craftsmen, and specially pays for the rewards to the craftsmen himself. There is no need to say anything else, and the craftsmen will explain it to their families after they are on duty.

A total of more than [-] people including guards and eunuchs followed. Except for a dozen people left behind to guard and defend, the rest waited to move with supplies.

After Zhu Youjian walked back and forth a few times with his hands behind his back, he suddenly saw that the guard who had knocked Er Yaniang unconscious just now was on guard not far away, so he beckoned him over.

The guard was about [-] years old, of medium build, with an ordinary appearance, and walked steadily and powerfully. He didn't carry a knife, but he didn't know what kind of weapon was hidden in his waist.

A few steps away from Zhu Youjian, the guard knelt down and saluted. Zhu Youjian waved him to stand up and looked him up and down.

Seeing this, Zhu Youjian couldn't help laughing, and said, "What's your name, where are you from? How many people are in your family?"

The man hastily bent down and clasped his hands and said: "My minister has hereditary Jinyiwei with a hundred households Cheng Qianli, a native of the capital, one wife and two sons in the family, the eldest son is 13 years old, and the second son is ten years old!"

Zhu Youjian then asked: "Cheng Qianli, I think you are good at martial arts. Who did you learn from? Do you know internal strength? Can you fly over walls?"

Cheng Qianli reported: "Weichen's martial arts master came from Wudang Mountain, and his master was Daoist Zhang Yunyi who had a good relationship with Weichen's father. When I was six years old, Weichen's father sent Weichen to learn martial arts from his master in Wudang Mountain, and he stayed there for a long time. I just returned to the capital ten years ago. I took over my father’s position five years ago to protect the Holy Majesty. I don’t understand the internal heroes that the Holy Majesty just mentioned, even the ministers who fly over the eaves and walls, but it’s not difficult to use equipment to climb the wall too high!”

Zhu Youjian continued to ask: "How many people can you beat with your bare hands?"

Cheng Qianli thought back and said: "If you are facing ordinary people, you should be able to deal with a dozen if you don't need weapons. If you can fight with fists, it should not exceed three or four!"

Zhu Youjian asked again: "What kind of weapon do you use? It seems that what you have on your waist is a weapon?"

Cheng Qianli replied: "I use a soft sword, and I am also good at using darts, which can hurt people in about ten steps!"

Zhu Youjian then asked: "How many people like you are around me? Do you usually compete with each other in private?"

Cheng Qianli glanced at the guards guarding around him and replied: "These brothers, like the minister, have been guards in brocade clothes for generations. They are all skilled, with their own strengths and weaknesses. There are more than a dozen people with skills like the minister, and they are usually resigned. , after the ministers and others get together for a drink, sometimes they will discuss each other, because we are family friends and we are as close as brothers!"

Zhu Youjian nodded and said: "My guards not only need to be skilled, but more importantly, loyal. You have to keep this in mind. My safety is placed on you. You don't have to please anyone except the royal family. If there is any difficult problem that cannot be solved, tell me, and I will make the decision for you! Today, you wait for the guards to be meritorious, Wang Chengen, and you will be rewarded with ten taels of silver for traveling thousands of miles, and five taels for the rest of the guards!"

Cheng Qianli knelt down on the ground, kowtowed and raised his head to look at Chongzhen, with a solemn expression, he said: "The hereditary minister has gone through several generations, and I only know the word loyalty since I was a child! I swear that no matter in the past or in the future, I will never have any second thoughts towards the Holy Majesty. If you violate this oath, the whole family will be reborn as pigs and dogs in the next life!"

Zhu Youjian stretched out his hand to make him stand up, and said, "I believe in you, as long as you are loyal to the royal family, I will never treat you badly!"

While talking, the personnel who distributed the supplies came back one after another, and more than a hundred people visited more than [-] households. It didn't take too long for Zhu Youjian to get on the carriage and return to the palace.

(End of this chapter)