Volume 4: Gathering of Sages Chapter 613: First Snow Night Talk
While the emperor was furious in the palace, Zhang Shou had already brought Zou Ming and his party back to Zhang Garden. As for the fact that he would occasionally pick up a young person and place him at home, everyone in the family had long been accustomed to it, and the doorman didn't even ask a single question. But when Zhu Ying came back with him, they paid more attention to it, and immediately sent someone to report it Wu.
When Wu hurried to the guest house, she learned the whole story from Zhu Ying. She was so angry that she cursed him several times for being shameless after she learned that the candidate who went to Beijing to take the spring examination was knocked down by an inexplicable guy. After Zhang Shou settled the already dazed Zou Ming and brought the other two to see her, she began to comfort them.
"In broad daylight, there are such thugs who commit crimes. Don't worry. Since we have found out the truth, the county and government offices will definitely give you justice. It's not easy for the three of you to stay in the capital. Now one of you has fallen into the water and is sick. The other two need to call a doctor and take care of him. It's quite inconvenient to stay in an inn. Just stay here."
Although she was not sure what the arrangements for Zhang Shou were, since she had brought him back, he would probably stay. There was plenty of room at home anyway, so she was of course happy to be generous on Zhang Shou's behalf.
The three young men were born in Northern Zhili. Their families were not rich, but they were well-off. That was why they went to Beijing as soon as they passed the provincial examination. Staying in Beijing for a few more months would cost more money, but they felt it was worth it to get familiar with the environment and take the opportunity of the imperial lecture to see if they could make friends with celebrities and make more friends.
But no matter how much money they had, it was only enough for daily expenses, and definitely not enough to seek medical treatment in the capital. Today, Zhang Shou first helped save people, and then settled them in his home. How could they, who were just starting out, not be moved by such a kind-hearted person?
However, upon hearing Wu's invitation, Zhang Shou smiled and said, "Mother, Mr. Zou is a victim. When the Wanping County Court hears the case, they may send someone to ask him about certain things. It would be best if he stays with me for the time being. However, it would not be appropriate for the other two to stay with me."
Just now they thought Zhang Shou was a rare warm-hearted and kind person, but now he suddenly said this, and the two young men suddenly felt cold in their hearts. However, Zhang Shou then said something else.
"After all, they are going to take part in the examination next year, and whether it is the chief examiner, deputy examiner or those examiners, I am afraid that eight or nine out of ten will dislike me. If they have a preconceived , that would be bad."
At this point, Zhang Shou looked at the two young men again and said, "How about this, the teacher's children and grandchildren are serving as officials outside, and he must be lonely living alone. If you two are willing, you can live with him. He is not only a master of mathematics, but also a master of literature and learning. If you live with him, you can ask for advice at any time, and no one will dare to do anything to you."
After hearing this, the two young men were immediately ashamed and felt that the idea they had just had was really ungrateful. If Zhang Shou was unwilling to take them in, why would he invite a doctor and settle Zou Ming at home? Not to mention, now they have to disturb the old Grand Tutor Ge who has long stopped caring about government affairs for the sake of these two candidates!
The old Grand Tutor who won the seventh place in the imperial examination and was unprecedented in history has always been a legend in the literati world!
Although they knew that if they moved into the Ge Mansion, it would not only offset the impact of today's case, but would also be more beneficial for next year's imperial examination, and would also give them a lot of advantages when they went out to make friends at literary gatherings, but the two looked at each other and finally declined politely, and then sincerely expressed their wish to stay temporarily in Zhang Garden.
As for the reason, it was of course very simple. The three of them met after the provincial examination and were friends who went to Beijing together. How could they leave Zou Ming alone in Zhang Garden? Living here, the three of them could also take care of each other.
As for Zhang Shou's kind reminder, they also answered straightforwardly: "It is said that a drop of water is repaid with a spring of water, not to mention that Dr. Zhang saved Brother Zou's life this time. As his companions, we cannot help him repay his kindness. Instead, we just walk away because of our concerns. We also want to bother Old Master Ge. How can this be justified?"
"If we really didn't get admitted this year because of the examiner's partiality, then that's fate. To put it bluntly, if the examiner was really such a narrow-minded person, and he didn't admit us, we would not even bother to call him a teacher!"
Seeing that the two of them spoke frankly, Zhang Shou stopped forcing them and smiled to comfort them. When he learned that they all brought servants to serve them and that they and their luggage were now in the inn, he ordered someone to go get them. He also asked Wu to pick out two people with quick hands and feet from among the family members to help take care of the medicine and food.
When they were settled and left the guest house, Zhang Shou turned around and saw Zhu Ying and Wu whispering to each other. He couldn't help laughing and said, "Yingying, what are you whispering to mother about?"
Zhu Ying pulled Wu forward and asked in a low voice, smiling, "Ah Shou, were you really planning to send them to Grandpa Ge?"
"Yes." Zhang Shou answered very frankly, "They are not like Mr. Song and Fang Qing who came to live here for their own reasons, nor are they prodigals like Yang Zhan. Since they are engaged in the imperial examinations, it is beneficial for them to be close to me, so I will do them a favor. If it weren't for Zou Ming's current fever, the county government might come to ask about it frequently. I also planned to send them to the teacher together."
"Aunt Wu, did you see that Ah Shou is not only enthusiastic , but also careful!"
Zhu Ying said, blinking slightly, "Ah Shou, do you want me to spread the news about what happened today? Grandpa Taizu once said that doing good deeds should leave a name for yourself, and everyone should know about it. Otherwise, if everyone hides it in the mountains and no one knows about it, how can we inspire more people to do good deeds?"
Seeing Zhu Ying start to quote Taizu's Quotations again, Zhang Shou burst into laughter. "You are right, but there is really no need to publicize today's incident. When Ah Liu comes back, you can ask him how he was able to bring the Fourth Prince to the Wanping County Court so quickly? Since this matter has spread to the vicinity of Jiangdu Palace in a blink of an eye, if he gets wind of it, do you believe it will spread throughout the city today?"
"I originally wanted to ask Lord Shen to order a silence, but who would have thought that he would actually write a letter to impeach Liu Feng. Although I have invited the three victims back home, the truth cannot be hidden. The Imperial Household Department will probably be hit by this blow."
At this point, Zhang Shou smiled at Wu, who looked puzzled, and said, "Mom, don't worry. I guess I just happened to mess things up this time. It won't be a big deal. Don't worry."
How could Wu really feel at ease? Seeing Zhang Shou's success in Beijing, she was indeed proud and relieved, but she also saw that he was also very capable of getting into trouble, so she never let go of her worries. Because of this, she didn't know how many times she had secretly scolded those old men who had no tolerance and picked on Zhang Shou.
However, when Zhu Ying stepped forward to help and comforted her, she finally reluctantly expressed her relief. As for whether she would go to the Buddha shrine or the portrait of widow Zhang in the ancestral temple to burn incense and pray for blessings after returning, that was another matter.
After settling the three guests and coaxing his mother away, it was almost dusk, but it was not yet time for dinner, so Zhang Shou simply took Zhu Ying to the tall building in his home, which was named Tianji Tower, commonly known as the Stargazing Tower.
In the first few days after Yang Zhan arrived, he would come here to look at the stars at night and test the polished lenses. However, these days he was busy discussing the adjustment of the glass formula with Guan Qiuluo Xiaoxiao and others, and had no time to come here.
As for the reason, it is very simple. In this era where you can see stars everywhere, it is really freezing to death to go to the highest observatory to see the stars on a cold night. Even if telescopes are really made these days, the magnification is not satisfactory. It can be very useful on the battlefield, but the effect of star viewing is actually quite average.
Even if you open your eyes wide, you still can't see the craters on the moon!
So, thanks to the absence of strangers, Zhang Shou was finally able to enjoy some quiet time with Zhu Ying at dusk - provided that the weather was not so cold and there were no snowflakes falling from the sky to spoil the view. After spending his second winter in the capital, he no longer felt that snowy days were romantic, but only felt frozen to the core.
But Zhu Ying seemed to be unconcerned about the cold weather. She held Zhang Shou's arm and said thoughtfully, "When I was a child, I loved snow the most. Not only was the whiteness so beautiful, but I could also direct the girls to build snowmen and then make snowballs to chase my second brother. But then my second brother got snow water in his neck and got sick from the cold, so I stopped playing."
"Later, my grandmother told me that snowy days are only for the rich and powerful, and poor people are most afraid of snow. No matter how hot it is in the summer, you can just go shirtless and drink plenty of water, but in the winter, lack of food and clothing can kill people. So, at that time, apart from visiting my mother in the temple, the first time I went out in my life was to follow my grandmother to the winter porridge shop."
"Since then, I don't like winter very much, especially snow."
Zhu Ying sighed, then grabbed Zhang Shou and said, "Ah Shou, if we weren't there, the man named Zou fell into the water today. He would have either drowned or frozen to death. I've seen people frozen to death, and I'll never forget that scene..."
"But, Ah Shou, since the confession of the prisoner was obtained by Ah Liu, it shouldn't be false. No one would seek death for no reason. But what the Fourth Prince said, and the fact that this man wanted to kill people after failing to get into the Imperial Household Department, I always feel something is wrong."
The eldest lady hesitated for a moment, but finally whispered: "I asked Zhu Hong, and Zhu Hong said that this person did not really castrate himself!"
Zhang Shou was slightly stunned, then said calmly: "A Liu also said that he was planning to castrate himself, but he found out that the Imperial Household Department would not recruit outsiders, so he didn't do the stupidest thing, but instead vented his anger on irrelevant people."
"Ah Shou, if you put it that way, then the problem arises. Apart from the Imperial Household Department, there shouldn't be anyone else in the world who has such skills!"
When she said this, Zhu Ying blushed. Obviously, as an unmarried girl, she was discussing the art of castration with Zhang Shou. Even if she was generous in the past, she was a little overwhelmed at this moment. But seeing Zhang Shou staring at her with his eyes wide open, she still cursed in shame and anger: "What are you looking at? Even if it's castrating horses, pigs, and chickens, it takes an old craft. Ordinary people can't do it!"
Zhang Shou didn't expect Zhu Ying to know about castrating horses, pigs and chickens. Although he felt a chill in his lower body, he couldn't help but ask, "How did you know?"
"Pooh!"
Zhu Ying finally got angry and stretched out her hand to pinch Zhang Shou's arm. Then she said angrily, "When I was a child, I entered the palace and was very curious about the eunuchs in the Imperial Household Department, so I asked Uncle Hua what eunuchs were. He told me... that there was no such thing! Then he took me to see the castrated horses in the palace stables!"
She finally found a simple word to describe an organ. Seeing Zhang Shou trying to hold back a smile, but still asking what happened next, she angrily sold out Hua Qi: "Uncle Hua told me seriously that if I wanted, he would pick a eunuch from the palace to be my attendant. Then he said a lot of crazy things. As a result, my father happened to hear it and chased him with a sword for a long time!"
Zhang Shou finally laughed out loud. Although his arm was twisted by the eldest lady twice, which might have caused bruises, the past events Zhu Ying described were so vivid that he couldn't help laughing. After laughing, he nodded gently.
"You're right. Today's events are linked together. It looks like a series of coincidences, as if it were a plan by gods, but it doesn't seem so ordinary. But in the final analysis, we just happened to be here, so you don't have to think about publicizing this great thing I did, and don't worry too much about how to do it, because there are people who will investigate. We have a clear conscience, so what are we afraid of?"
"What I am worried about now is..." Zhang Shou paused and said thoughtfully, "When will Shen Xianzun impeach? If he does, will there be a huge public outcry and a general response? And when that time comes, will those famous scholars at the imperial lecture come out to wave their flags and shout for support?"
"After all, eunuchs have always been hated by everyone, almost without exception. Even the few upright ones are often shunned by the mainstream scholars. Now that this great opportunity is right in front of us, when else would we start a fight?"
"I don't care how they attack, it's all caused by the Imperial Household Department! As long as they don't bother us, I won't bother with these things, but they insist on dragging us into it... If I find out who did it, I will make him pay!"
Seeing Zhu Ying angrily declaring her position, Zhang Shou suddenly found it very interesting and couldn't help but reach out and pull her into his arms. He came to the Observatory tonight, although he didn't come to talk about love and romance in the cold weather, but he didn't come to talk about such . But he didn't expect that before he could say anything, Zhu Ying hugged his shoulders and said something he didn't expect.
"Today, even someone as dumb as Song has become so talkative. No wonder you, Shou, treat me differently now!"
Zhang Shou could only laugh dryly at what Zhu Ying said. After he finished laughing, he whispered, "Yingying, the girl Hong in Princess Yongping's school will definitely show off her skills. Would you like to take a seat? Women all over the world have been suffering from the so-called female virtues for a long time!"
