The First Gongsheng of Ming Dynasty

Chapter 633 Unpredictable
Ning Tong and Zhu Chen sat down, while Chen's daughter, as Zhang Zhou's retainer, could only stand behind her. After all, among the three women, her status was the lowest.

When Zhu Chen came up, he stated the situation about the heirs in Uncle Pingjiang's family.

"My brother has been keeping filial piety in the mourning hall of his parents recently. I would like to ask my husband to petition on my behalf so that my brother can inherit the title as soon as possible so that he can maintain his reputation..."

When Zhu Chen spoke, he seemed very resolute.

Within a year, his father died and his mother died, but Chen Rui still died a coward. Now anyone who mentions Chen Rui will laugh at him.

In the past, Chen Liangjiu was ridiculed, but now he was ridiculed because he could not clear his name until his death, but was implicated in the Zhu Hui case.

Zhang Zhou smiled and said: "Your brother has the incense and can inherit the family business?"

Zhu Chen's face was not very good.

Chen Rui only has one son and one daughter, but no grandchildren. This has always been Chen Rui's regret. Later, after Chen Rui's son Chen Xiong died, the person who inherited the title was also the adopted heir from Chen Rui's younger brother's family. This is equivalent to Chen Rui's lineage. It’s considered broken.

And Chen Xiong himself has no ability, so now the Chen family has to rely on Zhu Chen to speak out.

Zhang Zhou said: "Zhijie has not returned from the expedition. It is actually best to wait until he comes back to discuss your mother's family affairs."

Zhu Chen said: "But my brother's inheritance of the family business has been delayed for more than half a year because of the succession. If this matter cannot be settled in the next spring, I am afraid that outsiders will have many gossips about our Chen family." ”

"What kind of gossip can you say? Are you saying that your father has lost the title he obtained?" Zhang Zhou spoke with a bit of impoliteness.

Zhu Chen lowered her head and did not answer, but in fact it was tantamount to her consent.

After Chen Rui died, his son could not inherit the title. Outsiders would definitely say that the emperor did not intend to pass on Ping Jiangbo's title.

"Let your brother serve in the army later. If you want to inherit the title, you still have to show some ability. Even if you can't make achievements on the battlefield, you can't just rely on the concealment of your ancestors to get by. Besides, the merits of our ancestors are only I'm afraid I'll be consumed by your father!" Zhang Zhou's words were still unpleasant.

Ning Tong on the side couldn't help but frown after hearing this.

Zhang Zhou has a very venomous tongue. He doesn't criticize others. Zhang Zhou clearly didn't say a single curse word, but he stabbed the little woman in front of him in the heart like a knife.

"Go back first." Zhang Zhou said, "Before Zhijie comes back, you have to take care of the affairs of the Anbian Hou Mansion, and don't always think about the Chen family. Zhijie can be regarded as a person who values ​​friendship. Even if ...Well...he will also...well. Let's go back and wait for the news."

Mrs. Zhu Chen stood up and bowed before leaving.

Ning Tong, who was on the side, looked at Zhang Zhou with curious eyes, as if she wanted to "fill in the blanks" of Zhang Zhou's words from the bottom of her heart.

Zhang Zhou spoke as if he was Zhu Feng's newlywed wife, but his words seemed to refer to her.

What he didn't say clearly was, "Even if Zhu Feng neglects you, he will still help you complete family affairs."

Ning Tong thought about her own experience. Maybe Zhu Feng could only be friends, but not husband and wife.

……

……

"Why do you want to hurt her like this? I think she cares about her family very much. If she can help, she will help." After Zhu Chen and Chen's daughter retreated, Ning Tong was left alone, but she seemed to be in trouble. Holding grievances for Zhu and Chen.

"Boom!"

Zhang Zhou knocked on the table and said, "Madam, who are you? Are you teaching me how to do it?"

Ning Tong instantly realized that she was not familiar enough with Zhang Zhou to teach him how to do things.

Zhang Zhou said: "If you have anything to do, please tell me."

These words made Ning Tong feel ashamed. She said: "There are many medicines in the prescriptions you gave me earlier. I mentioned them to the people at the Imperial Hospital, but they said they couldn't find them, and they said they couldn't be used on the noble lord in the palace. I have asked many pharmacies in Beijing about medicines of unknown origin, and they all said they had never heard of these medicines. Some of them had heard of them, and they also said they could not purchase them. "

Zhang Zhou asked: "Do you have to use these medicines?"

Ning Tong said: "I think...it's different from them."

Being independent for the sake of being independent, Zhang Zhou discovered that sometimes Ning Tong is actually quite like him. What this woman pursues is to be "different". She may have already failed in her marriage, but now it's not easy. Finding a new path and achieving some success made Ning Tong even more unscrupulous to be a woman who does not conform to the world.

Zhang Zhou nodded and said: "If you are missing anything, list it down and bring it here. Someone will send these medicines to you later. You can stop doing business in the medicine shop if you can, and concentrate on taking care of the palace affairs." "

"I...I haven't entered the palace for a long time..." Ning Tong suddenly mentioned.

Zhang Zhou said: "Is it the queen who won't let you enter the palace?"

Ning Tong nodded slightly, looking a little embarrassed: "Since the relationship between Concubine Xian and the Queen has eased, Concubine Xian no longer dares to ask me to go to the hospital for treatment if she has any minor illness. Before, she would call me in and chat with me for a few words. , but later... the queen kept a close eye on me and didn't dare to let me go. "

Concubine Xian was originally a criminal from the Huanyi Bureau. How could she have the guts to fight against such a powerful woman as Empress Zhang?

Just like Zhu Youtang's old lady, she was afraid that the mistress in the palace would be unhappy and she didn't even know how to die, not to mention that the virtuous concubine had to protect her son Zhu Houxuan.

Zhang Zhou said: "If you don't enter the palace, will you be unable to live? It's already winter, and the number of sick people in the palace will gradually increase. The people in the imperial hospital are too mediocre, and gradually they will remember you. There will also be people in the court. The family member of a high-ranking official needs you to consult. If you don't know how to attract business... Well, then come over. I'm usually here. I have time to come over, and you can drink tea with me. "

Ning Tong frowned slightly and said, "Who do you think I am?"

Zhang Zhou shrugged and said: "Love comes or not. I don't have time to give you some advice on medical skills today. You should study the medical books I gave you earlier. As a doctor, if you are not proficient in basic medical skills, it is easy for others to take advantage of you. of."

"Oh." Ning Tong nodded.

Zhang Zhouben also wanted to remind Ning Tong something.

But seeing how arrogant Ning Tong is now, not even knowing how to say a few nice words when asking for help, you know that this woman is not yet enlightened.

Maybe this kind of woman has to suffer a big loss to realize that this world is dangerous.

"Remember, don't just use the prescriptions I give you to treat illnesses. Use commonly used prescriptions as much as possible, so that no one can attack you if something happens. Otherwise, even if your medicine works, others will take the opportunity to attack you. …It’s no use talking anymore, let’s go.”

Ning Tong stood up after hearing this.

She also wanted to ask Zhang Zhou why the medicine worked but could not be used.

It seems she doesn't quite understand yet.

Because in her impression, she was able to gain a foothold in the palace only by relying on those novel prescriptions. Besides, those prescriptions were given to her by Zhang Zhou. What could happen?

In other words, even if something goes wrong, it is probably Zhang Zhou's responsibility. He is just a person responsible for treating diseases, so how can he be in trouble?

……

……

Ningxia, Huamachi. Accompanied by Zhong Decai and Liu Jing, Zhang Mao was listening to his generals' summary of the investigation intelligence of the past few days. Zhang Mao's face became more solemn.

"... Within a hundred miles around Huamachi, the Sentinel Cavalry has traveled all over. The farthest north is more than 150 miles away. There is still no news about the young master and General Ma. No signs of soldiers and horses were found..."

"After the Tatars withdrew their troops, they burned many villages and tribes along the way. The captured tribesmen were also interrogated to confirm that there was no news of Ming soldiers and horses crossing the border..."

Zhang Mao couldn't sit still after hearing the end.

Liu Jing said: "Back off first."

Then his generals exited the room.

Zhang Mao couldn't hold back any longer at this point, and was about to howl to the sky.

Zhong Decai analyzed on the side: "Master, there is really no need to worry too much. No news could be good news. This means that the young master did not go this way with Ma Yi. He may have gone east. Who knows."

Liu Jing glanced at Zhong Decai, but said as if to pour cold water on him: "When we first sent out the troops, it was reported that Ma Yi was coming to the northwest with his troops. More than half a month has passed. Regardless of whether he won or not, There should be news. If there is no news until now, we can only prepare for the worst. "

Zhong Decai was a little dissatisfied and frowned slightly.

Just say it, you have to say it in such a depressing way, right? That young man must die?
Liu Jingdao: "Old Master Zhang, you should also understand that your son and Ma Yi went on an expedition, but they were temporarily blinded by their merits. How could such an expedition have any results? Even the new uncle came back defeated, and they also regarded the expedition on the grassland as a failure. It’s so simple!”

Zhang Mao was also a little unwilling to admit defeat and said: "So, my son has no possibility of winning?"

"Alas!" Liu Jing sighed, "We have to recognize the reality. The little Tatar prince Batu Meng, with hundreds of thousands of elite soldiers under his command, has made trouble on the grasslands in the past few years. Even if the Ming Dynasty sends troops to make some progress, it will not hurt. With only a few thousand troops, your son and Ma Yi dare to fight the Tatars head-on, even in such an icy and snowy environment. It can be said that the time, place and people are not in their favor. "

"Cough cough..."

After Zhang Mao heard this, he seemed to agree that there was nothing wrong with this statement.

Even he himself didn't believe his son.

If he believed it, he would not impeach Ma Yi at the meeting.

Liu Jing sighed: "Now I'm afraid of the worst outcome, which is..."

"Stop talking!" Zhang Mao stretched out his hand to interrupt Liu Jing's words and said coldly, "Even if the army is defeated, I still believe that my son can come back! He devoted his whole life to the Ming Dynasty, can't he even save his life?"

"Master..."

Liu Jing seemed to want to persuade Zhang Mao to recognize the reality.

Your son is gone!
And it’s the kind where you don’t see people when you’re alive, and you don’t see corpses when you die.

Zhong Decai said: "Master Hou, could you please let me calm down for a while? This matter needs long-term consideration!"

Liu Jing seemed to have not achieved his goal, and his tone was still aggressive: "If your son is really gone...should we also make some fuss about this matter? Someone caused you to lose your son, could this matter... Forget it?”

Zhang Mao was already feeling a little sad, after all, his son was already in a very dangerous situation.

He turned to look at Liu Jing with surprised eyes and said: "You... you want me to use my son's life to impeach Wang Bo'an? He... he..."

Liu Jingdao: "My lord, if something happens to your son, will his death be in vain? Although everything he did was for the Ming Dynasty, wasn't it also for the British government?"

Zhang Mao said with a sad face: "Are I going to sacrifice my life to make your majesty show mercy to the British government and let your majesty show mercy to this old man, in exchange for my peace of mind? I...how can I do such a shameless thing? thing?"

Liu Jing said hurriedly: "Master, this is not taking advantage of me, but just clarifying the truth."

Zhong Decai also said quickly: "Yes, sir, we want to appeal for the young master. The young master was clearly deceived by Ma Yi! That uncle Xin Xin clearly had ulterior motives."

"okay!"

Zhang Mao flicked his sleeves and said, "Let me calm down. These two days... I don't want to see anyone. I... just want to be alone."

……

……

A few days after the Battle of Guanshan, there was no news at all from Ningxia to Yansui, then to Piantouguan and Datong.

It was also because Ma Yi chose the tactic of withdrawing directly to Datong, which meant that he did not pass through the territory of the other border towns of the Ming Dynasty and did not even send the news of success here. He was preparing to go directly to give Wang Shouren a "surprise".

Ma Yi is not good at anything else, but she is also good at flattering her boss.

He was a general under the Xuanda General System and was not responsible for the Trilateral General System, so he did not plan to tell Wang Qiong and his officers and generals about the victory, but planned to go directly to Wang Shouren to claim credit.

This also delayed the day of victory for several days.

But on this day, Zhang Mao was still hiding in his room grieving alone. He was also a little dazed, but he was hungry. He had someone bring him dinner, but before he could pick up his chopsticks, Zhong Decai came here in a hurry.

"Aren't you allowed to disturb me?" Zhang Mao got angry at Zhong Decai.

Zhong Decai took a look at the dining table. There was wine and meat, and the dishes were rich. The key was that there was a woman accompanying him...

This made Zhong Decai very embarrassed.

I'm also thinking in my mind... Aren't you deeply mourning your son? Is this how you mourn?

"My lord, something big happened." Zhong Decai hurriedly collected his thoughts and said.

Zhang Mao was suddenly startled and said slightly panicked: "Are the Tatars coming again?"

Zhong Decai didn't expect Zhang Mao to be so cowardly, and he could only defend Zhang Mao in his heart. It was out of tension, not fear.

"Master, it's the young master who has news!" Zhong Decai said, "Someone just came to report that Ye Busuo is two hundred miles away to the north. I heard that the Tatars have suffered a huge defeat and their troops are in retreat. I heard that many tribesmen are coming to the border of Ming Dynasty, saying they want to join Ming Dynasty. "

"Lost?" Zhang Mao frowned and said, "Decai, are these all just rumors?"

First, they said that my son was in danger, then they said that my son must be dead, and now they told me that my son might have won the battle?

play me?
Zhong Decai said: "According to the Tatars themselves, the bright military flag belongs to Uncle Xinjian. Logically speaking, in the north of Ningxia... the only people who can display this military flag are probably General Ma and his colleagues!"

"Is this...information accurate?" Zhang Mao was a little at a loss.

I don't know whether to be happy or sad.

I just finished impeaching Ma Yi, tell me that Ma Yi might have won the battle? You also said that my son might still be alive, or that we might have won the war together?
Should I impeach my son?

And then my son taught me a lesson with practical actions?
(End of this chapter)