A Complete Explanation of the Negative Textbooks of the Imperial Examination - Chapter 28

    Xiao Jingduo was very surprised, he knew that he would be eye-catching just now saving people in the street, and it was not difficult to predict that it would attract the attention of the people in the government, but he did not expect that the people in Jingzhao House would be so unreasonable.

    All of this happened in an instant, the servants behind Xiao Jingduo didn’t even react, they found that Xiao Jingduo was taken away by officers and soldiers, and when they hurriedly chased after them, where was Xiao Jingduo? figure.

    “Da Langjun, where are you!” The two stood where Xiao Jingduo disappeared and shouted anxiously.

    At this time, Xiao Jingduo had followed the two soldiers to the front of a carriage, and the soldiers respectfully gave a military salute and reported loudly: “Master, I brought him. “

    Xiao Jingduo raised his eyebrows in surprise: “The county master?”

    Only the daughter of the prince can be named the county lord, and there is only one person in the world who can be called the county lord. Xiao Jingduo found that the two mansion soldiers had excellent boots. At first glance, he knew that they were well-trained and equipped with first-class equipment. They would never be the patrolmen of Jingzhao Mansion, so he followed them, wanting to see what tricks the two were up to. But Xiao Jingduo never imagined that these two were actually from the East Palace.

    Rong Ke held the hand of the palace maid and jumped from the carriage to the ground. The palace maid squatted down and carefully adjusted her skirt, but she turned her head to look at Xiao Jingduo and smiled softly: “You dare to be in the street and steal people from ghost soldiers, you are too bold!”

    Xiao Jingduo hurriedly saluted: “Xiao Jingduo has seen the county master.”

    “Get up, I remember your name is Xiao Jingduo.”

    Xiao Jingduo smiled lightly and stood up straight.

    “It seems that you have heard the rumors of ghost soldiers?” Rong Ke asked with a smile.

    Rong Ke’s words were full of ridicule, obviously she also dismissed the so-called ghost soldiers, and clearly knew that this was just a plague, and the talk of ghosts and gods was absurd.

    Xiao Jingduo also nodded and agreed: “Yes, this is a kind of plague, but this kind of disease has never been heard of or seen before, so it was spread by the people as false, and it became…”

    Xiao Jingduo swallowed the next words rationally, but he did not forget that the little princess in front of him was the emperor’s bloodline. But must be involved.

    He didn’t know why the ghost soldiers and Prince Min were involved, but in front of this little girl, it was absolutely right to be vigilant.

    Rong Ke did not continue this topic, but asked: “Do you know anything about the epidemic?”

    “I don’t dare, I just practiced medicine with Master Mingjue in the ward for a few years, and I only learned a thing or two.”

    “But I think you’ve made a promise, it’s not like you’ve learned a thing or two.”

    “The county lord wins.”

    Rong Ke smiled lightly and said: “Okay, I’m too lazy to tell you this. I just ask you, you saw the situation in the south of the city just now, do you have any thoughts on the so-called ghost handprints ?”

    Speaking of the business, Xiao Jingduo also became serious: “I don’t dare to say, I didn’t dare to make a rash assertion before seeing a ghost handprint patient.”

    “Okay.” Rong Ke nodded, “Come with me.”

    Rong Ke’s carriage bypassed the guards and stopped in front of an alley. After a guard made sure that there was no one left or right, he knocked on the side door in the alley, and after a while, the door quietly opened.

    The guard of the East Palace put a token in Xiao Jingduo’s hand and said in a low voice: “Xiao Langjun, I can only send you here. There are many corpses of people with black handprints inside. , you can just show this token when you meet someone, be careful yourself.”

    Xiao Jingduo looked down at the token in his hand, feeling quite helpless.

    It turned out to be the brand of Jingzhao Mansion.

    When Xiao Jingduo came out of the funeral parlor, his expression was very serious.

    Seeing Xiao Jingduo’s expression, Rong Ke was not surprised, just asked: “What do you think?”

      There are black spots on the body of the deceased, at first glance, it really looks like a handprint.”

    “That’s why it got the name ghost handprint, and that’s where the ghost soldier came from.” Rong Ke answered.

    “I’ve never seen this kind of disease. It was fine when I got sick, but after death, dark spots appeared. And I heard that not all patients will have black handprints after death. This kind of disease I have never heard of it before, so I dare not speak falsely, and I will report to the county master after I go back and read the medical books.”

    Rong Ke sighed: “The doctor from the Imperial Physician’s Office said the same thing, well, I can’t be in a hurry.”

    Xiao Jingduo did not answer, he thought deeply in his heart, this kind of disease has never been recorded in historical materials, and the infection rate is high and the mortality rate is high. If this is a new plague, it can’t be worse. .

    Rong Ke obviously understands this, and she thinks even more.

    After the plague of “ghost fingerprints” appeared, it quickly caused panic among people, and even rumors that Prince Mie brought ghost soldiers to revenge the world. It’s not hard to guess the mind of the person behind the scenes. He just wanted to use the name of Prince Mercy to attack the current emperor’s improper succession. But no matter how the world criticized the king of Qin, he had already ascended the throne and became the emperor, and even the prince was dead, what else could he do? So it was the Crown Prince of the East Palace who was really hit hard.

    After all, when the queen mother was looking for life and death, she was stunned to save a pair of bloodlines for the eldest son. At the beginning, it was clearly stated that they were twin daughters, but as the children grew up, the gender could no longer be concealed, and the queen mother’s true intentions also surfaced.

    The rumors of pity on the prince are rampant now, the emperor killed his brother and ascended the throne, the rumors of the people can no longer affect him, but the prince has to be concerned about the male heir left by the pity prince.

    So the prince needs to quickly pacify this plague, both public and private. Prince Yu is the prince of a country, and it is his duty to eliminate harm for the people. Rumors of Prince Min have threatened his heir position.

    Rong Ke secretly laughed that she was so dizzy, she actually pinned her hopes on a teenager. She rubbed her brows and said to Xiao Jingduo, “You have worked hard for you today. Your servants are probably already in a hurry. You should go back first.”

    “Okay, the princess walk slowly.” Xiao Jingduo nodded and watched Rong Ke board the carriage. When she got in, she suddenly stopped, turned her head and said to Xiao Jingduo viciously: “Today you are You were called away by the people from Jingzhao Mansion, don’t say you’ve seen me!”

    “…good.”

    When Xiao Jingduo walked back to the place slowly, the servants who were there were already crying. When they saw Xiao Jingduo, they almost rushed over: “Da Langjun, you are back! Where did you go just now?”

    Xiao Jingduo paused for a moment and said, “The people from Jingzhao Mansion called me over and asked some things.”

    “Ah?” The two servants were stunned, “They are so unreasonable? Langjun, what did the Jingzhao Mansion ask?”

    Xiao Jingduo did not explain, but asked: “When is it? It’s time to go back to the house.”

    The two servants just woke up like a dream, they came out today to take Dalang-Jun back to the house, why did it take so long!

     “Yes, Lang Jun, let’s go back quickly, the old lady and Mrs. Hou should be in a hurry!”

    Yes, Xiao Jingduo didn’t want to go back to that mansion at all.

    In the past three years, he has lived in the relaxed and quiet Qingyuan Temple, and he is used to making everything by himself. However, once you get used to a free life, you never want to go back to the oppressed Dingyonghou Mansion, let alone see people you hate all day long.

    In the past three years in Qingyuan Temple, Xiao Jingduo read a lot of books, and also came into contact with many famous Confucian scholars. Once he returns to Dingyong Hou’s mansion, with Wu Junru’s character, he will be able to prepare for the exam with peace of mind.

    Xiao Jingduo felt embarrassed, Wu Junru is really annoying, he is full of conspiracies and tricks, but he can’t do it directly because of filial piety. It would be great if Wu Junru could be dealt with, or if he didn’t have to live in the Dingyonghou Mansion.

    However, for Xiao Jingduo today, it is very difficult to realize these two wishes.

    Even if Xiao Jingduo dawdled again, the Dingyong Hou Mansion had finally arrived.

    Xiao Jingduo knocked on the side door of Dingyonghou’s mansion, and the gatekeeper stared at him for a long time before shouting, “Darang-jun is back!”

    The entire Dingyong Hou Mansion was startled by this sentence, when the old lady saw Xiao Jingduo in Gao Shoutang, she nodded and murmured after a while, “Just come back, just come back. “

    Wu Junru stood beside the old lady, just raised her head to look at Xiao Jingduo, then turned around again, teasing Xiao Jingye, who was held in her arms by the maid.

    Xiao Jingye is Wu Junru’s son who was born three years ago. The Xiao family man’s generation follows Jing, and Shilang is named after his career, which shows Wu Junru’s ambition and Xiao Ying’s expectations for his second son.

    Second Aunt Xiao and Third Aunt Xiao are still the same, but they have been replaced with silk and satin from head to toe, and they can no longer see the shadow of the village women they used to be. . Xiao Yufang’s three sisters also have whitened their skin, plus their facial features are open, and their heads are full of greenery, they have become out-and-out beauty.

    The biggest change was the Xiao Su family who came to join Xiao Ying, especially Cheng Huizhen. Cheng Huizhen is not as old as Xiao Yufang and others, and has not yet shown the exquisite beauty of a girl, but she has a three-point smile on her mouth, and her eyes are moist and cunning. Aware of Xiao Jingduo’s gaze, Cheng Huizhen smiled sweetly at Xiao Jingduo, she wanted to say something, but found that Xiao Jingduo had already looked away.

    Xiao Jingduo looked around, then looked away without looking at him. While he was looking at everyone in the Xiao family, these people were also looking at Xiao Jingduo.

    The old lady and others were full of emotion and had their own thoughts, but at this moment they were all thinking about the same thing.

    I haven’t seen him for three years, why does Xiao Jingduo seem to be reborn? Not only is his body taller, his back is wider, nor is his facial features widened and his outline hardened, but his whole person feels different. It seems that a rough stone has been polished and gradually emits a dazzling light.

    Xiao Jingduo had a falling out with his family three years ago. He went to Gaoshoutang to make sure he would not be charged with unfilial piety, and immediately returned to Qingzeyuan.

    The Qing Zeyuan is exactly the same as before he left, as if the vacancy for these three years never happened. Just as Xiao Jingduo’s hand touched the courtyard door, the door suddenly opened from the inside.

    “Darang Jun, you are back!” Qiu Ju shouted with tears in her eyes.

    “Yes, I’m back.” Xiao Jingduo smiled slightly.

    Yes, he’s back, he’s back to settle the old accounts from three years ago.

    Qiu Ju brought a tea cup to Xiao Jingduo, and while pouring water, she told Xiao Jingduo about the changes in the mansion in the past three years: “…You don’t know anything about Mr. Kou Ren, Mrs. Wen and Mrs. Zhuo each gave birth to a girl, besides Shilang-kun, you also have two more sisters!”

    According to the order of the family, Xiao Jingduo is the eldest brother, followed by Xiao Jinghu and Xiao Jingwu, who are ranked second and third respectively. Named Xiao Jingye, he was the fourth prince in the mansion. Unexpectedly, Xiao Ying has added two more concubine daughters, ranking after Xiao Yufang’s three sisters, Si Niang and Wu Niang.

    Xiao Jingduo didn’t care about this, he asked again, “Has there been any changes in Qing Zeyuan over the years?”

    “Oh, Mrs. Hou saw me guarding the yard all by myself, so she sent someone over.” Qiu Ju raised her voice and shouted, “Furong, come in and meet Dalangjun! “

    The girl called Furong timidly walked into the house, knelt down and kowtowed to Xiao Jingduo: “Slave Furong, I have seen Dalangjun.”

    Xiao Jingduo didn’t want to speak, looked up at Qiu Ju.

    Qiu Ju was aggrieved by Xiao Jingduo’s eyes, she pursed her lips and called out: “What kind of eyes do you have, Dalangjun, I know that I am stupid, but I am not so stupid. Furong has been with me in the yard for two years. I know her well, and I can’t trust her. She is absolutely fine, she rushes to do any errands, and even this time, she came to boil the water!”

    Xiao Jingduo glanced down at the tea and didn’t want to drink it. Furong Xu sensed Xiao Jingduo’s suspicion, and quickly came over and said, “I swear that Furong is loyal to Dalangjun. If Dalangjun still doesn’t believe it, you might as well use a silver needle to test the tea to see if the slaves have any bad intentions.”

    Xiao Jingduo didn’t say anything, just casually handed the teacup to Qiu Ju, Qiu Ju was stunned for a moment, but she didn’t expect that Xiao Jingduo really wanted to test for drugs. She took out the silver needle and muttered casually: “Lang Jun, you are really cautious… Look, I’ll just say, Furong is fine!”

    A moment later, the silver needle that was half-dipped into the tea was still as bright as ever. Xiao Jingduo nodded and picked up another cup of tea. Furong lowered her head, but her ears stood alertly.

    Seeing that the glass of water was about to touch her lips, she suddenly stopped, Xiao Jingduo turned around and looked at Furong with a smile: “You seem to want to see me drink it.”

    Furong shrank her shoulders timidly, and asked weakly, “What are you talking about, Mr. Dalang, the servants don’t understand.”

    “Don’t understand?” Xiao Jingduo smiled, turned the teacup casually, and said, “Did she not tell you the specific purpose when she handed it to you?”

    “Da Langjun, the slave is really wronged, the slave has no objection!” Fu bowed his head and fell on the ground, tears slamming on the blue brick, “The slave dares to guarantee his life, there is no tea. Question! Since Langjun doesn’t believe in slaves, slaves are willing to die.”

    “Okay, since you have such a strong temper, then I don’t need you to die.” Xiao Jingduo restrained his smile, stretched his arms, and handed the glass of water to Furong, “Since you said There is no poison in the water, so why don’t you drink it.”

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    Seeing this, Xiao Jingduo took back the cup and didn’t bother to embarrass her, a servant. “The water is all right, but what about the cup?”

    Qiu Ju has been frightened by this change, and she asked tremblingly: “Lang Jun, I have seen the cup several times, and it is as clean as new, what’s the problem?”

    He just came back and gave him such a big gift. Xiao Jingduo asked abruptly, “What benefits did Madam give you?”

    Furong was taken aback: “No, no, no…”

    “I didn’t say which lady it was, what are you afraid of.” Xiao Jingduo nodded, “Looking at your performance, it is Wu Junru no doubt.”

    Furong’s body trembled even more, almost her whole body was lying on the ground.

    Xiao Jingduo didn’t have the heart to sympathize with fragrance and jade, and was too lazy to give Furong a look. He turned the teacup, his eyes cold.

    Furong is right, there is nothing wrong with tea and tea, including the previous silver needle drug test was just a cover, just to dispel Xiao Jingduo’s suspicion.

      The knowledge has already been drastically different from three years ago. The white fine objects floating in the tea set were clearly scabs from smallpox patients.

    Smallpox is an extremely dangerous disease, and the mortality rate of infected people is as high as one-third. And the first rule of being an official is to have the facial features Zhou Zheng, no serious illness, how can a person who is full of pockmarks on his face become an official?

    Smallpox is a highly contagious disease and is infected by falling scabs, and few people who come into contact with it escape. Wu Junru hid the smallpox patient’s scab in a water cup, covered it up with tea, and let Furong play tricks to cover up the real killer move. After all, how could it be possible to detect smallpox with a silver needle? If Xiao Jingduo really drank this glass of water, even if he could survive the smallpox, he would be left with a pockmark, and it would be difficult to take the imperial examinations and become an official.

    Wu Junru’s trick is really poisonous and vicious, she actually wants him to get smallpox, this is a disease that everyone talks about!

    After listening to Xiao Jingduo’s explanation, even Qiu Ju felt cold all over her body: “It turned out to be smallpox… Oh my god! Dalangjun, I don’t know people well, and I almost harmed Dalangjun, slave guilty…”

     “Okay, for today, she sent someone to hide with you for two years, how could you be her opponent.” Xiao Jingduo said lightly, “Get up.”

    Qiu Ju stood up straight, wiping her tears, her voice was still trembling: “Master, what can we do?”

    Xiao Jingduo looked at the cup in his hand and suddenly smiled.

    The old grudge between him and Wu Junru might as well start with this smallpox-stained cup.