Ming Dynasty 1566

Chapter 124

Jiajing looked at Lu Fang: "Old Ancestor, he is afraid of you, please tell him to come in."

Lu Fang fell to her knees again with a thud, just knelt and didn't answer.

"Master, don't wrong the old ancestor!" Chen Hong hurriedly climbed in from the threshold, climbed to about a foot away from Jiajing, kowtowed three times, and fell there. I have not been scolded by anyone, and I dare not tell lies in front of my master and slave."

Fortunately, he thought, how can that palace hat be worn securely on the white silk covering his head?He had already changed a long strap from both sides of the brim of the hat to tie it tightly to his chin, and it held it high but would not fall off.

With this look, he still said that he was not beaten or scolded, Jiajing didn't bother to ask, and just looked at him, but the flames in his eyes flickered faintly.

Instead, Lu Fang asked: "Chen Hong, just say what you want. Is it because Feng Bao, that slave, played tricks and made the prince cry, and you have no choice but to punish yourself?"

Chen Hong touched his head again, but did not reply.

"Respond!" Jiajing burst out two words from between his teeth.

"Yes." Chen Hong kowtowed again, and replied with an ambiguous word.

Lu Fang straightened up on her knees and looked at Jiajing: "Following the decree of heaven, but coming back with such an injury, this is really a crime of deceiving the sky in my Ming Dynasty! Master, that slave Feng Bao was brought out by the slave. He broke into this place. In the final analysis, the root of the crime of bullying the sky lies with the slave. Whether it is killing or cutting, the slave is willing to accept the crime."

"Chen Hong!" Jiajing ignored Lu Fang and stared at Chen Hong, "I'll ask you again, did you hit your head and face by yourself or someone else?"

"The master is a god, and the slave dare not tell lies." Chen Hong looked very frightened, "It is true as the old ancestor said, the slave was shocked and frightened when he saw the prince was provoked to cry like that, so he had to punish himself, and he was also worried about the prince. Crying out of breath at such a young age."

"Where's King Yu? Where's Concubine Li? They don't care?" Jiajing was still relentless.

"Respond to the master." Chen Hong hurriedly replied, "Prince Yu climbed down from the hospital bed to receive the order. The slave was Feng Bao who met in the front yard. Of course, Prince Yu didn't know. Only then was Feng Bao pulled out of the palace."

Jiajing's face slowly turned from anger to coldness, and he was silent for a while: "It's true, 'There must be fragrant grass within ten steps'. The 24 yamen in the palace are covered with fragrant grass. Needless to say, Jin Yiwei is embroidered with fragrant grass. Now Even the yards of my sons and grandsons are full of fragrant grasses. My Ming Dynasty is really full of flowers and green grass!"

"Fang" means Lu Fang; "grass" means Lu Fang's power; I can't understand it any more.Lu Fang lay there motionless, and Chen Hong also lay there motionless.

"Chen Hong!" Jiajing called out.

"The slave is here." Chen Hong was so excited that he was trembling.

Jiajing: "Too much grass will destroy the crops! Do you understand my words?"

Of course Chen Hong understood, but he slowly raised his head and looked at Jiajing suspiciously.

Jiajing: "I still have a decree in the morning asking you to call the slaves from the Division of Criminal Justice and Division of Zhenfu to say hello. Have you delivered the decree?"

Chen Hong: "Go back to the master, Long Live, before the slave has time, the slave will go to pass the decree."

Jiajing: "A small head of the household department started to make a fuss about me as soon as he arrived in Beijing. There are two thirteen Taibaos in the Zhenfu Department who speak for him. Who gave him the courage? What are you doing? Immediately pass the order , starting from the Division of Prosecution and the Division of Zhenfu, weeding!"

"Yes." Chen Hong kowtowed his head and answered softly.

The city of Beijing is big, but it seems too small to spread the news. Hai Rui wrote an inscription in Liubiju in the morning, the emperor ordered King Yu to copy and engrave a plaque, Qianliang Hutong has been guarded secretly by Jinyiwei, and so on, up to the six volumes Jiuqing, when you go down to the teahouse and restaurant, even the traffickers and pawns know about it.

A carriage came to the west entrance of the alley where Hai Rui was renting, and the driver was unwilling to enter this alley again and parked his car here.

Li Shizhen came out of the carriage with two medical bags on her shoulders, and was supported by the coachman, so she got out of the carriage here on the stool, gave the coachman five copper coins, and walked towards the alley on foot.

The sunset and dusk in the hot summer are the time when families in the alley in the capital splash water in front of their gates to cool off the heat. Li Shizhen walks slowly, but sees that the gates of the houses in this alley are closed, and at the end of the alley there are two guards in plain clothes pretending to be wandering. At the other end, there were also two guards in plain clothes pretending to be wandering, and the rest were only sparrows passing by occasionally.

Li Shizhen walked directly to the two plainclothes Jinyi guards at the end, but the two Jinyi guards were a little surprised, stopped wandering, stood still, and looked at him.

Li Shizhen stopped: "Excuse me, which house does Mr. Hai, who moved in today, live in?"

The two Jin Yiwei glanced at each other, and a young Jin Yiwei said, "Who are you? What's your name? What do you want him for?"

After asking three times in a row, Li Shizhen replied: "I am his friend, my name is Li Shizhen, and I want to talk to him about old times. Can you tell me his family name, please?"

The young Jin Yiwei looked at him up and down and wanted to question him. The other middle-aged Jin Yiwei looked at his medical bag and seemed to think of something: "Wait a minute. Is Mr. Li the imperial doctor who is treating Prince Yu?"

Li Shizhen: "I'm treating Prince Yu, but I'm not an imperial doctor."

The middle-aged Jin Yiwei immediately showed a look of surprise and respect, and even bowed one leg to salute him: "It's really Dr. Li, I'm so disrespectful." Then he said excitedly to the young Jin Yiwei, "This is the doctor of the year. Mr. Li, the genius doctor of the Imperial Hospital! Shen Liangong broke his legs in the imperial prison that year, and he was the old man who picked them up. After the emperor knew about it, he turned a blind eye and closed his eyes. I don’t know how many people’s lives have been saved.” After talking about it with emotion, he turned around and cupped his hands to Li Shizhen, "Miraculous doctor Li, since you are getting old, the younger ones dare not stand in your way, but our job makes you old enough to know, forgive me, the younger ones can't lead you to grow old." Pointing here, he said in a low voice, "Go ahead and go to the fifth door on the left."

"Thank you." Seeing that he was so respectful, Li Shizhen bowed her hands to him, and walked towards the door he pointed out on foot.

The two brocade guards at the far end of the alley had already looked towards this side. The middle-aged brocade guard raised his hand and made a gesture of letting go. The two brocade guards turned around and stopped looking at him. Li Shizhen approached by Haimen.

Li Shizhen smiled when she walked to the door outside the Hai Family Courtyard.

The entire alley was closed, only the courtyard door was open here, and Hai Rui was digging soil on the [-] zhang square yard by the well on the east side of the courtyard with a hoe.

Li Shizhen stood at the door and coughed.

Hai Rui still dug with his head down.

Li Shizhen coughed again.

Hai Rui was still digging the ground with his head down: "I'll go with you if I have business to do. If you want to drink water, go dig the well by yourself."

Li Shizhen walked in slowly, saw a table and a stool under the locust tree in the west, went straight there, put down the medical bag and sat down, picked up the porcelain pot and poured a bowl of water, and drank slowly.

Hai Rui was still digging the soil, but his voice was not very polite: "There are family members at home, please go out after drinking water."

"Then invite the family members out and let me have a look." Li Shizhen answered at this time.

Hai Rui stopped the hoe in his hand, turned around slowly, his eyes lit up, and he froze there for a moment.

Seeing his sweating profusely, Li Shizhen picked up the porcelain pot on the small table, filled another bowl with water, took it up, and walked towards him slowly with a smile: "'The day of hoeing, sweat drops He Xia Di. 'Master Hai, the sun has already set, what are you hoeing?"

"Mr. Li!" Hai Rui threw away his hoe, greeted him excitedly, bowed and bowed, and then took the water from Li Shizhen with both hands: "'Chang'an living is not easy', seeing that this land is vacant , ready to plant some onions, garlic, and cabbage. I originally wanted to visit my husband with Wang Runlian tomorrow, but I didn’t expect my husband to come.”

"It moves like a turbulent wave, but it doesn't move like a mountain. It's worthy of being called Haigang Peak!" Li Shizhen smiled, "Where is Mrs. Tai? Let me see Mrs. Tai first."

"Yes. Sir, please sit in the main room." After answering, he led Li Shizhen to the north main room, "Mother, Mr. Li is here!"

Haimu came out from the bedroom on the east side, and when she saw Li Shizhen, she immediately showed mixed feelings: "My nobleman from Haimen is here! Ru Xian, quickly invite Imperial Physician Li into the house!"

Li Shizhen smiled and bowed first to Haimu, but still stood outside the door: "Brother Gangfeng, bring a bucket of water."

"No need! Doctor Li just come in with your shoes on." Haimu said hastily.

Li Shizhen was already taking off her shoes: "You don't have to follow other people's rules, but you can't break Mrs. Haitai's rules. Gangfeng, get some water."

Hai Rui hurriedly turned around and ran to the well. Luckily, there was a bucket of ready-made water and a wooden spoon in the bucket. He brought it back to the door of the main room and scooped up a spoonful of water.

Li Shizhen lifted her right trouser leg, stretched her leg to let Hai Rui drench the water, stepped her right leg over the threshold, raised her left trouser leg, and stretched her leg outside the door to let Hai Rui drench it.

After washing both legs, Li Shizhen faced Haimu: "Mrs. Tai, please take a seat and accept a gift from my late nephew."

Mother Hai: "No need, no need. Doctor Li please sit down."

Li Shizhen helped Haimu to sit down in front of the upper chair, took a step back, and knelt down straight.

Haimu stood up immediately: "Ru Xian, return the gift quickly!"

Hai Rui had no time to wash his feet, stepped into the door, and knelt down beside Li Shizhen facing him.

Li Shizhen kowtowed to Haimu, and Hai Rui also kowtowed to Li Shizhen.

Li Shizhen stood up and helped Hai Rui up: "Madam Tai, please sit down."

Haimu sat down on the chair in the middle, Li Shizhen sat down on the upper right side of Haimu, and Hai Rui sat down on the chair opposite Li Shizhen.

Haimu never left Li Shizhen's gaze, and at this moment she stared at him in a daze, and then stretched out her right hand to him.

Li Shizhen quickly reached out her hand for Haimu to hold, and also looked deeply at the old man.

Mother Hai: "Prince Doctor Li, at this age, I have never wanted to ask anyone, let alone anyone who would let me see through my eyes. I was in Xingguo, Jiangxi the year before last, and I really miss Doctor Li!" Having said that, Old tears dripped from the eyes of Haimu, who has such a strong temperament.

Hai Rui quickly lowered his head, his eyes were moist.

Li Shizhen was silent for a while, then continued, "Tan Lun mentioned my little niece's misfortune and sister-in-law's illness to me in his letter. Why did it happen?"

Haimu took out a cloth towel and wiped her eyes: "In March of that year, a county in Xingguo was short of water. I heard that in one place, the big landowners dominated the water source above, and many people's seedlings could not be planted. Ru Xiansheng Out of breath, he went by himself, and he went there for half a month. He won water for the people, but his daughter fell into the river at the door and drowned. It was only with the help of many people that he fished it from a place four or five miles downstream. When the daughter-in-law saw Ah Nan, she passed out and became gassy, ​​and invited a doctor, but it didn't work, and the fetus in her stomach followed. That night, the old man was guarding one, two, and three people! Doctor Li, you are here, how can you save the one in my stomach for Haimen. It has been more than three years, and his daughter-in-law has been sick like this. With a salary of more than thirty taels of silver a year, more than half of the salary is given to her. She is still human. I can't get down to the ground. Seeing Haimen like this, I really want to close my eyes and go down to the ground to meet Ru Xian's father. I can't explain to him when I see his father." As he spoke, tears flowed down like broken threads.

Hai Rui kept his head down, and now he knelt down: "Thousands of mistakes are due to the son's unfilial piety. If the mother thinks so, the son will not be redeemed if he dies a hundred times!"

Haimu wiped her tears again with a cloth towel: "I don't want to hear such words again. You belong to the imperial court, and if your family members die, you won't do anything about it."

Hai Rui didn't dare to answer, so he kowtowed immediately.

Haimu continued: "Mr. Li, there are some things that I would not say in front of his friends who are officials. You are a person who does not want to be an official. I only tell you. A person is as determined as he is and wants to be an official." An official with a good reputation should not marry a wife and have children, let alone have parents. Even having parents would not be filial, Hai Rui is like this, an unfilial person!"

As soon as these words came out, Li Shizhen was startled. Looking at Hai Rui who was kneeling on the ground, she thought for a while and had to say: "Mrs. Tai, my nephew does not dare to agree with you. A loyal minister comes out of filial piety. The misfortunes encountered at home, Brother Gangfeng was also for the common people."

Mother Hai looked at Li Shizhen: "Why should I talk about my son in front of Imperial Doctor Li?" At this point, she looked at Hai Rui who was kneeling on the ground: "Ask him, with his filial demeanor in front of him, when will he treat me like this?" My mother keeps this family in her heart. Let’s say that today, I am over 70 people after a journey of more than a month, and my daughter-in-law is still sick in the car. Common people? Just moved to this place, not to mention my daughter-in-law couldn’t even get out of bed, and was surrounded by Jin Yiwei’s people outside the door, and he thought I was an old woman who was blind and didn’t know anything!” After saying this, she He closed his eyes and didn't say a word.

"Madam Tai's words are justified." Li Shizhen looked at Hai Rui not only to comfort Haimu, "Brother Gangfeng, Confucius said that the family should be in order and the country should be governed. After all, Gaotang's mother is here, and you are so A petty official, although there are some things that a carnivore can't do for a long time, you can't do much. To be loyal to the court, let's start with the word 'filial piety'."

Hai Rui replied sincerely, "Mr. Li is right."

"Friends have the meaning of persuasion, and there is nothing to teach." Li Shizhen turned to Haimu, "Don't be sad, Mrs. Tai, I am here to see a doctor for my sister-in-law, God bless the door of loyalty and filial piety, I will try my best to make Haimen have another heir That's good."

Hai Mu opened her eyes again, and looked at Li Shizhen gratefully: "Perhaps Ruxian did something for the common people, God sent a noble person like Li Taiyi to help my Hai family, and I didn't say 'thank you'." You can repay me. Ru Xian, kowtow to Imperial Physician Li again."

"No!" Li Shizhen quickly stood up and supported Hai Rui, "Get up, and lead me to see my sister-in-law's pulse."

Hai Rui was supported by him, but his head still kowtowed, and then he stood up.

Hai Mu also supported the chair and stood up: "Mr. Li, Ru Xian will accompany you, and I won't go when I am old."

Li Shizhen: "Mrs. Tai just sit comfortably. I'll come back and talk to you slowly after the pulse diagnosis."

Mother Hai: "Hurry up and go with Doctor Li."

"Yes." Hai Rui lowered his head and replied, "Please, Mr. Li."

Leading by the side, Hai Rui accompanied Li Shizhen out of the main room.

Haimu thought for a while, then turned around and walked towards the east bedroom.After a while, he walked out of the house with something wrapped in a small cloth in his hand and looked to both sides.

Several Jinyi guards at the west entrance and east entrance also looked at her blankly.

Haimu has always been full of energy, looked to the west of Jin Yiwei: "Who is there for you?"

It was the middle-aged Jin Yiwei who had just answered the question with Li Shizhen, and said to the young Jin Yiwei: "You stay on guard, I'll go and have a look." Then he walked towards Haimu.

Haimu looked at him: "Buy me something, would you like to?"

The middle-aged Jin Yiwei was stunned for a moment: "What to buy, old man, please tell me."

Haimu opened the small cloth handkerchief to reveal a sling of copper coins inside: "The doctor is here at home, see if I can buy a jug of wine and some cooked vegetables with this money."

The middle-aged Jin Yiwei hesitated for a moment, but still took the hanging copper coin: "The old man is waiting at home, I will buy it for you." He took the money and turned and walked towards the entrance of the alley.

it's getting dark.

(End of this chapter)