Volume 3: Dragon and Snake Movement Chapter 433: Kunning Palace poisoning incident?
Having just watched a monkey show of attempted extortion, Tuiguan Song originally thought that Zhang Shou wanted to use this to tell him how chaotic South City was, and to force him to agree to send elite soldiers to maintain law and order during this so-called imperial chef selection competition. However, he never expected that Zhang Shou would actually bring up another unrelated matter!
This was a trade-off. If he wanted to get rid of this burden, he would have to help people with the second round of enrollment for Jiuzhangtang... If that was the case, he would of course rather mark the papers, even though he and Wang Jie ! It was better than getting involved in this unprecedented imperial chef selection competition, marking papers, a tedious task!
"Once is new, twice is familiar. Since I had this experience last year, if Dr. Zhang needs help this year, I will naturally be happy to help. However..." Although he agreed readily, Magistrate Song still decided to bargain, "But there may be more applicants this year than last year, and Zhang Dayin is not good at mathematics. I am afraid I am not capable of doing it alone."
"Of course you are not the only one. Although Jiuzhangtang has sent a few people to Guanglu Temple and will send a few people to assist Lu Sanlang, there are still a few people left, which can be just right for you, Song Tuiguan. Of course, if you are really too busy, I still have my teacher and Mr. Qi and Mr. Chu..."
Before Zhang Shou could finish his words, Song Tuiguan immediately said righteously: "How can I trouble you and those three old gentlemen... no, those three old seniors to do this kind of thing? As long as there is help, I will naturally do my best to do this within my ability."
Seeing that Song Tuiguan agreed to let Zhang Shou examine the papers after just a few words, Lin Laohu became very anxious. Doesn't this mean that he is the only one left in Shuntian Prefecture to wade into the muddy water?
Whether it was the Ruiqi Battalion or the Nancheng Bingmasi, how could he, a mere captain of the Shuntian Prefecture, compete with them? Wouldn't he be used as a target for everything? As for making money... what a joke, with the Ruiqi Battalion and the Nancheng Bingmasi standing in front of him, how could he make money?
He quickly calculated in his mind, and then an idea came to him. He stood up in a hurry, bowed to Zhang Shou with a sincere face and said, "Dr. Zhang, I am also willing to help with the enrollment of Jiuzhang Hall! In the past, the number of test papers distributed was not large, and many people did not know about it. This time, I will organize everyone in the fast class to post it all over the city and publicize it. There will definitely be more people who will apply for Jiuzhang Hall!"
Seeing Zhang Shou frowning in thought, not saying yes or no, Lin Lao Hu made up his mind and said in the most sincere voice: "Didn't someone plagiarize other people's preliminary examination papers last year? I will order all the fast-track officers to have an extra eye and an extra ear to always keep an eye out for such cases, and I will encourage others to report it when the test questions are posted!"
In short, in order to avoid getting involved in the muddy waters of South City, Lin Lao Hu is ready to fight! He is very sure that no matter whether he is a regular employee or not, no one will hate him, but will only thank him! Who would like to come to South City and be ordered around by a bunch of uncles?
After hearing such a promise, Zhang Shou just laughed: "Since Captain Lin is so righteous, how can I refuse your kindness? Then it's settled. As for the matter of the outer city, let me think about it. Well, if we are short of manpower at that time, there is still the Wanping County Government! They also have three shifts of police officers available!"
That's right, this kind of thing should be the turn of the Wanping County Court or the Daxing County Court to worry about!
Song Tuiguan and Lin Quetou looked at each other and both breathed a sigh of relief. When the tea seller trembled and brought the new tea, he also put glutinous rice dumplings on two coarse porcelain plates as a snack, with an expression that looked like he wanted to ask something but didn't dare to, even though they had originally suspected that Zhang Shou had deliberately hired someone to perform a show, they didn't think it was possible after seeing the old man's miserable appearance.
So, Captain Lin, whose identity had been exposed, kindly inquired about the details of the previous dispute with the tea seller, and learned that this was an old man who ran a tea stall for a living. The reason why he chose this sparsely populated place was because someone had recently built a large-scale construction project nearby, so the number of people increased, and the original tea stall was unable to continue operating due to those gangsters, so it was finally moved here.
Who knows that you can't escape the trouble, the troublemaker finally came to your door.
So, Captain Lin immediately patted his chest and promised: "You might as well open this tea stall to the east of Shuntianfu Street, near the alley of the Imperial College. The old Chen who used to run a tea stall there suddenly died of a sudden illness. That place is still unoccupied. If you move there, I, the fast-shift captain, can take care of you a little. There are many students in the Imperial College, so there is still money to buy a bowl of tea."
Seeing that the old tea seller's eyes were almost shining with joy and he thanked him again and again, Captain Lin quickly pointed at Zhang Shou and Magistrate Song and said, "Don't thank me. If you want to thank someone, thank Doctor Zhang of the Imperial College and Magistrate Song of Shuntian Prefecture. You have met an honorable person."
The tea seller had never thought that such an inconspicuous place like his would be visited by a big shot, and he was completely stunned at this moment. Finally, he reacted quickly and thanked Zhang Shou and Song Tuiguan countless times, and then under Song Tuiguan's extremely unnatural smile and Zhang Shou's extremely natural smile, he was sent back to the tea stove.
Then, Song Tuiguan and Lin Laohu, who had drunk a bellyful of tea but only ate two glutinous rice dumplings as snacks, left in a hurry. Even though Zhang Shou enthusiastically invited them to a famous guild hall in the outer city to taste private dishes, they had no intention of staying any longer, for fear that after eating a meal, they would have to sign a bunch of unequal treaties.
After seeing them off, Zhang Shou left a handful of tea money, smiled at the fearful tea seller, and then left. Just as he said to Song Tuiguan and Lin Lao Hu, there were many people who were bullied in the outer city, and Ah Liu could easily find one. As for attracting people to come here to smash (kick) the field (iron) (board) at this time, it was even easier.
The protection of Lin Lao Hu, the head of the Shuntian Prefecture's fast squad, was enough for an old man who was alone. What's more, he also had a popular market for tea stalls near the Shuntian Prefecture and the Imperial College!
After leaving the tea stall and crossing an alley, Zhang Shou met up with Zheng Dang and Ah Liu. One of the latter was here to learn to be a follower and a part-time receptionist, while the other was there to integrate all kinds of people in the neighborhood and do Zhang Shou's security work. When the three of them left the outer city and arrived at the Xuanwu Gate in the inner city, they found that someone was waiting for them.
"Dr. Zhang, if you don't come back, I will really have people spread out to the outer city to look for you! The government has also sent people to wait for you at Chongwen Gate. Finally, you are back."
Zhang Shou saw that the person who was catching up with him was Zhu Hong, and he couldn't help but raise his eyebrows. What big thing happened? He was about to ask, but Zhu Hong grabbed his reins and whispered, "A big thing has happened. Please come with me to the Duke of Zhao's mansion first. This is not the place to talk!"
Zhang Shou knew that the so-called big things that could not be said on the street were a huge trouble. Sure enough, when he followed Zhu Hong to the Qing'an Hall of the Duke of Zhao's mansion and met the lady, he heard the big news that was like a bombshell.
"Wasn't the Imperial Kitchen emptied out from top to bottom, leaving only a few servants? But the Emperor still has a small kitchen in the palace, and many concubines can only eat in the Imperial Kitchen. So, the Queen Mother transferred two cooks from her own kitchen to the Imperial Kitchen, and the Emperor temporarily requisitioned three chefs from our mansion, the Duke of Chu's mansion, and the Duke of Qin's mansion, so that the people in the palace would not starve."
The old lady was old, so it was inevitable that she would be a little nagging. She explained the previous situation first. She paused for a moment before continuing, "For this reason, the second prince also wanted to show his filial piety. He even claimed to cook the food himself and sent it to the palace to present to the emperor and the queen. In the end, the emperor only ate one bite and was fine, but the queen vomited and had diarrhea and almost collapsed."
"As a result, people in Kunning Palace started to shout that someone had framed the Second Prince and poisoned the Queen."
Zhang Shou couldn't help but pat his forehead lightly, feeling helpless. Maybe the second prince was framed, or maybe he was just pretending to be framed, and taking advantage of his own mother, the queen, as a punching bag. But the problem is...
He frowned and asked directly: "What does this have to do with us?"
The Madam was very pleased with Zhang Shou's words "we", and she said earnestly, "Because the Second Prince sent a full set of Yangzhou refreshments to the palace, they were not made by him, but by the chef in charge of the Yangzhou Guild Hall who he invited to his own villa. Didn't you go there with Grand Tutor Ge, Grand Master Qi, and Mr. Chu? He insisted that you framed him."
"What a lie!"
Zhang Shou felt the veins on his forehead throbbing. If the Second Prince was here, he would want to give this damn guy a side kick and a shoulder throw to beat him up! He took a deep breath and tried to speak in a calm tone, "How is the chef now?"
"They have been summoned to the Qianqing Palace for questioning, but the details are still unclear. Yingying happened to be in the Queen Mother's Qingning Palace, and she sent the news. I asked them to find you because the second prince kept saying that he wanted to confront you. Although the emperor did not agree and the news has not spread, you have to be on guard against others causing trouble for you."
"What a joke! I only ate there twice, and never even saw the chef! He hired his own chef, sent food from his home to the palace, and when something went wrong he blamed it on someone else. Such a scoundrel is really shameful!"
At this point, Zhang Shou was already furious: "As for the confrontation... He dared to bring it up! From now on, all the murderers, robbers, thieves and swindlers in the world can make up stories and then confront others? He and the eldest prince are really a pair of bastard brothers!"
Seeing Zhang Shou so emotional, she thought for a moment and finally said, "What you said is right. Since it has nothing to do with us, why should we question it? However, waiting for news at home is not the right way to deal with it. Since you are back, why don't you accompany me to the palace?"
Zhang Shou had no interest in proving his innocence - after all, such absurd accusations would only make him guilty. However, the lady had good intentions, and he nodded, thinking that Zhu Ying was also in the palace.
On the way to the palace on the sedan chair of the Madam, Zhang Shou was in low spirits and didn't bother to say a word . The Madam naturally understood his feelings and remained silent all the way until the sedan chair entered Bei'an Gate and finally stopped at Xuanwu Gate, the northernmost gate of the palace city. She then spoke a word of comfort.
"It's all the Queen's words and deeds. She has been refusing to eat or drink water all day long, so naturally the eldest and second princes followed suit."
The Queen is indeed not a good mother...but the Emperor is not a good father either! If people could have taken care of the Third and Fourth Princes like they did, and brought the two brothers up with them since they were young, how could things be like this now? As an emperor, since it is inevitable to have a harem, it is impossible to expect to treat everyone equally. The problem is that the succession system to the throne must be stable!
Taizu of our dynasty eventually abandoned the eldest son and chose to appoint the most virtuous, and even personally helped Taizong ascend the throne. Facts have proved that Taizong did seem to be a good emperor, but a good emperor did not live long. Later, a young emperor ascended the throne, and the eldest son was abolished and the youngest was appointed. So there was a lot of trouble. In the final analysis, it was because the word "appoint the virtuous" had no basis at all and was too subjective! For example, what is virtuous?
Unless you are able to establish a virtuous person and not be afraid of criticism or praise, and kill the son who is more senior in the order to eliminate future troubles, please refer to Yongzheng for details.
Zhang Shou complained in his heart, but nodded slightly on the surface, thanking the lady for her comfort. After he and the lady got off the sedan chair, someone came up to check and verify their names, and then respectfully invited them to enter the palace. Accompanying them, apart from the two mothers beside the lady, was Ah Liu.
The lady had just learned that Ah Liu was also a member of the imperial family. She was puzzled, but she did not ask any more questions. It was not until the group arrived in front of the Qianqing Gate that they saw someone coming out to greet them, and then they heard a huge commotion coming from inside.
The emperor's voice was so loud that it almost blew the roof off.
"Yingying, are you crazy? Human life is at stake, who told you to eat it! Quick, call the imperial physician to me, no, call everyone in the Imperial Hospital to me, hurry up, or I will not forgive you if you make mistakes!"
After hearing the meaning of these words, not only did the lady turn pale, she even couldn't stand steadily. Zhang Shou was also shocked, and immediately rushed in without caring about anything else. The eunuch who came out to greet him was stunned at first, and then he shouted at the top of his throat: "Don't stop Dr. Zhang, let him in!"
With this advance warning, Zhang Shou finally brushed past the people who were running out and rushed straight into the Qianqing Palace. In the main hall, Zhu Ying was standing proudly and nonchalantly, with suspicious food crumbs around her mouth, and in front of her, the emperor was circling around like an enraged lion, and on the ground was a broken plate and a few snacks scattered on the ground.
When Zhu Ying saw Zhang Shou, she rushed over in two or three steps without any concern, still in high spirits: "Ah Shou, why are you here? It's just that the Queen and the Second Prince are slandering you. You don't have to worry, I'm here!"
Zhang Shou felt his heart was about to burst out of his throat. What do you mean you don't have to worry when I'm here... What I'm most worried about is you, a girl who doesn't play by the rules!
