golden scales

Zhu Cihong sent Song Hongye away, picked up the work arrangements on the table, and compared them one by one to see what progress could be made today.While moving his arms, he slowly turned his cervical spine, paying attention to maintaining his body.In his previous life, the biggest suffering he suffered was probably the physical torture caused by over-exhausting his body.

Yao Tao walked to the door, waved the servant back, and said simply and neatly: "Your Highness, Kunning Palace has a decree."

Zhu Cilang put down the work schedule, looked outside the curtain, and said, "Come in and talk."

Yao Tao carefully opened the curtain, entered the room, and said, "Your Highness, the Empress has a decree: let you go back to the palace to pay your respects when you are free."

"Is the empress resting now?" Zhu Cihong remembered that he had just had dinner before meeting Wu Changchun, and it was already dark outside.

Yao Tao heard that the prince didn't really want to go, but she was anxious to see Aunt Liu, so she said: "Your Majesty, I haven't seen His Highness for a long time, if I don't see you today, I will be worried even if I rest."

"Then let's go." Zhu Cihong thought to himself: I still need to confirm with Liu Ruoyu about those knife makers.He said again: "Tell Tian Cunshan to prepare, and Liu Ruoyu will go with me."

"No." Yao Tao rejoiced in her heart, Fushen resigned, and hurriedly sent an order.

Since the introduction of the competition mechanism, Tian Cunshan's work attitude has become much more positive.The eunuch behind him naturally refused to see his deployment being easily pried away, and also stepped up his support for him.Otherwise, it would not be so easy to recruit so many young eunuchs who graduated from Neishutang.

After a while, Tian Cunshan had already arranged the guard of honor, and asked Zhou Jing to mobilize the general of the Han Dynasty to escort the prince back to the palace.

The [***] Square, which was full of tourists in later generations, is now empty. Zhu Cihong rode on a horse and entered the inner palace along the central axis of the Forbidden City.Liu Ruoyu accompanied him to the left and right, and reported to Luo the knife maker one by one.

Knife makers are those who cleanse the eunuchs.

Zhu Cihong had already developed a great interest in them as early as a child, thinking that they were a group of high-end talents that must be utilized.Whether it is Dieda or Jinchuang, many doctors can be found, but if you want to find an experienced surgeon, a knife maker is probably the best choice.

The Ming Dynasty was the era with the fastest development of Chinese medicine and the greatest achievements.Among them are the "Compendium of Materia Medica", which breaks the convention and compiles according to the attribute classification method, and the "Plague Theory", which studies the mechanism and prevention of infectious diseases, and the "Surgery Authentic", which advocates both internal and external treatment, and combines surgery and medicine.

This book was completed in the 45th year of Wanli. The author Chen Shigong died in the fifth year of Chongzhen.In Chen's book, he explained in detail the operation methods of amputation, nasal polyp removal, tracheal suture, and throat foreign body removal.It also emphasized that the operating environment must be bright and clean.

Great physicians like the Chen family are hard to come by, but those who really look for are those knife makers.

In an era without sterile rooms and antibiotics, one can imagine how risky surgery is.If the death rate is too high, no matter how good the eunuch's life is, it is impossible for so many people to be willing to undergo castration.Through the inheritance system of father-son-teacher-apprentice, the knifesmith has summed up and explored an effective method to maximize the success rate of the operation and the survival rate of the recipient.

They may have never heard of "Surgery Authentic", and they don't know that there are already people who secretly dissect corpses and draw anatomical maps in Taixi Kingdom...but they are undoubtedly the doctors with the most experience in surgery in the country.

Zhu Cihong asked Liu Ruoyu to find those well-known knife makers, and promised them generous rewards, so that they could gather under his banner, supplemented by germ theory and other theoretical knowledge, and train military doctors who can really increase the survival rate of injuries.

Unlike the Qing Dynasty, the Ming Dynasty did not have a special agency responsible for the purification of eunuchs.Among these knife makers are eunuchs in the palace, folk doctors, and some even veterinarians who specialize in castrating pigs, horses and livestock.

The skilled knife maker is infallible, from the preoperative preparation to the anesthesia during the operation, to the wound suture, disinfection, anti-bacterial, nutritional supplement... all have rules.These people charge extremely high fees, and they are also the people Zhu Cihong really wants to employ.

As an old eunuch, Liu Ruoyu was no stranger to these people, but because the crown prince needed too many people, he made extensive inquiries in the palace, listed the names and addresses of these people, and then went door-to-door to threaten and lure them.This is considered to have come up with an answer sheet that satisfies the prince.

After listening to Liu Ruoyu's report, Zhu Cihong finally ticked off the last item in today's to-do list, and then he can go to pay his respects with peace of mind.

It is estimated that His Majesty Father will probably be in Kunning Palace.

……

The situation was more complicated than Zhu Cihong imagined. Besides Chongzhen, Empress Zhang Yi'an and Concubine Yuan Gui of Yikun Palace were also present.These four people are the real parents in the Forbidden City. Now each of them sits high, but the crown prince's seat is placed in the center of the main hall, which looks like being interrogated by four people.

Zhu Cihong didn't change his face, he stepped forward to salute one by one, asking how you are, with an old-fashioned air.He suddenly looked up, but saw the empress mother's face shining, it turned out that the candlelight was reflected from tears.

"Brother Chun has lost weight." Empress Zhang was also quite moved, seeing Zhu Cihong's nose sore.

These days Zhu Cihong has to review and practice every day, often as a demonstration, and personally ends.When the weather is better and there are fewer affairs, he will randomly select some guards to run around and play with the parallel bars.The amount of exercise is much higher than that of writing in the palace all day long, and naturally becomes dark and thin.

"My son's body is much stronger." Zhu Cihong said with a smile.

"It is said in the palace that you live and eat with the guards? My brother is growing up, how can he bear it?" Queen Zhou gently pinched the veil and pressed the corners of her eyes.

"Mother, living together is just a rumor." Zhu Cihong said with a smile: "I have many things to deal with every day, how can I live with them? Although it is true that the three meals are eaten with the guards in the camp, but the minister has something else. Add food to your heart, so it’s not considered suffering.”

"Since ancient times, monarchs and ministers have divided, are you imitating Wu Qi?" Chongzhen was not displeased, and there was a taste of harmony in the tone of his voice.

Zhu Cilang smiled and said: "Your Majesty, Wu Qi is to let the soldiers charge forward and die without hesitation. The ministers also need these guards to rush forward and protect each other. If they only criticize their status, it may be a blessing."

Chongzhen smiled and said again: "I called you in today to ask about your donation and how much you have raised." As he said this, the middle-aged man who was on the verge of fourth suddenly revealed a paradoxical smile of gloating.

Zhu Cihong had already sent the financial report of the donation to the palace, and he never believed that His Majesty the Emperor really didn't know.

"Five thousand and three hundred taels." Zhu Cihong replied.

"Only 300 taels?" Chongzhen repeated, sighing: "The last time I asked the rich and powerful to donate, you said that you shouldn't be so tyrannical, which caused a huge backlash, but now you have experienced it?"

It turned out to be here to educate him!

Zhu Cihong smiled lightly and said, "Your Majesty the Father always educates my sons and ministers, and is willing to do small things for them. My sons and ministers treat themselves and others, and are also grateful to those wealthy merchants who only donated a few dozen taels. This is also doing small things. ah."

"Then what's the matter with Nai?" Seeing his son's retort, Chongzhen said rather displeasedly: "You are indeed cultivating good buds, but the age is different, how can you wait for these good buds to grow up slowly?"

"Father," Zhu Cihong said with a smile, "if I treat the common people with fists and fists, the common people will repay me with state officials, so there is a saying that the benevolent is invincible."

Chongzhen remained silent, and there was a moment of silence in the hall.

Emperor Chongzhen studied with Tianqi since he was a child. At that time, the lecturer was Sun Chengzong, who was ranked second in the top three.Other Confucian officials are all well-educated people.Chongzhen, who was educated by these people, is more like a literati than an emperor.He is not only interested in Confucian classics, but also often writes some his own essays on Confucian classics, and even entertains with stereotyped writing.

Even this kind of "playing with the test" is definitely not low, and it is often praised by foreign ministers.

This is simply a lively literary youth, is it what the Ninth Five-Year Lord should do?

Emperor Xuan of the Han Dynasty trained Emperor Yuan and said: "The Han family has its own system, which is originally mixed with the way of overlord."

This can be said to be in a sentence.

Zhu Cihong felt that there was a problem with Chongzhen's education, precisely because Chongzhen paid too much attention to moral education.Although he seems to be very domineering, but he is still a Confucian saint in essence, and even has some moral cleanliness.When he found that the scholar-bureaucrats he regarded as the same kind had betrayed one after another, one can imagine the panic and resentment.

It’s just that after 17 years of being an emperor, his understanding of this world is no longer as superficial as it was when he was young. The idealist’s heart for literature and art has also been wiped out in the years of wind and frost. Chongzhen finally discovered that his son is not like himself. National blessing.

"The prince is still too benevolent." Emperor Chongzhen was silent for a long time, and finally spit out.

These words also seem to be self-reflection, which is far more profound than the previous self-criticism.

"It's just probation, it's hard to get things done after all." The emperor said again.

"If my father doesn't believe me," Zhu Cihong said confidently, "I am willing to make an agreement with my father. Within one month, the dignitaries and wealthy merchants in the capital will definitely donate more generously to support the epidemic prevention."

Chongzhen smiled and said, "Since it's an agreement, can I ask for something?"

"As much as the officials, civilians and gentry donate, the emperor will allocate one-tenth of the amount to his sons and ministers, is it possible?" Zhu Cihong asked cautiously.

"Haha," Chongzhen laughed loudly, "I will give as much as they give!"

Chongzhen sincerely did not believe how much these dignitaries were willing to pay, especially the prince who wanted to practice the way of "the benevolent is invincible".The benevolent is of course invincible, because other people see the benevolent and play like a fool, who will be his enemy?

But... Those people are really too much to use 300 taels to perfunctory the prince of the country!

There was a faint sense of humiliation and resentment in Chongzhen's heart.

Seeing the harmonious atmosphere in the palace, Concubine Yuan Gui ordered someone to bring some soup for the prince to eat, and also asked a few words about life outside the palace.This imperial concubine has always been gentle and condescending towards Empress Zhou, and she is a staunch ally of the empress to suppress Concubine Tian, ​​and the relationship has always been harmonious.Zhu Cihong also treated her with utmost courtesy, which comforted this noble concubine who had no children under her knees.

After eating the soup, Zhu Cihong took advantage of his mother's absence to stay overnight, and hurriedly said goodbye on the grounds of business.Chongzhen didn't think much, and let the prince go back after a few words of encouragement.Zhou Hou was reluctant to give up, but she had no choice but to order someone to install a lot of sweets in the palace for the prince to take away.

Chongzhen watched his son leave, and finally couldn't help but let out a long sigh.

"Why does Your Majesty sigh?" Zhou Hou asked.

"My son has the style of a benevolent monarch, but the country should have an overlord." After Chongzhen finished speaking, his heart suddenly tightened, fearing that the queen would think that he was dissatisfied with the prince, so he clapped the armrest and said proudly: "I will be the prince. Calm down the world."

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ps. I woke up this morning and found that the community had a power outage. The notice was posted downstairs, but Xiaotang didn't notice... To express my apologies, there will be another update at 20 o'clock today. Thank you for your support.

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