Chapter 24 Chapter 24 Precious Prescription

Twenty days later, Zhao Ji and a group of more than a dozen people came slowly.They came here on official business, so they all wore official uniforms.In order to create momentum, Zhao Ji's sedan chair specially erected a banner of "Imperial Order Sichuan Code Examination", so ostentatious! When he arrived at the post house, Zhao Ji first saluted Zeng Guofan, and then Zeng Guofan saluted Zhao Ji, who had a higher rank than himself.Not only Zhang Zhifu found it strange, but even the accompanying and accompanying officials were puzzled: Zeng Guofan, who was wearing a fifth-rank official uniform, was the chief examiner of this rural examination, and Zhao Ji, who was wearing a fourth-rank official uniform, was the deputy chief examiner. Long Live God, what's the matter?

Then the prefect's yamen reported the official document of the arrival of the chief and deputy examiners of the township examination, and sent it from the post station to the governor's yamen in the provincial capital. The next day, the magistrate's yamen sent a hundred soldiers, and prepared a yellow satin sedan chair for each of the five examiners, representing the meaning of the emperor's order. A guard of honor was lined up in front of them, and gongs were added to evade the board, and the flags were also held up. dazzling. Five yellow sedan chairs headed for Chengdu mightily.When the group traveled across states and counties, local officials would kneel down to pick them up and send them off, and the board and lodging arrangements were perfect, so that no one could find any faults.Along the way, the common people rushed to the streets, huddled together to see the examiner sent by the emperor, and sighed enviously along the way.

Once in Chengdu, it makes people feel the importance of the rural examination: Mr. Bao Xingbao, the governor of Sichuan, took the chief envoy and inspector Huang Zhong, the tixue envoy, the patrol roads, and the capital and county to go to the city early in the morning. Hundreds of officials, big and small, lined up in green and blue sedan chairs for a long mile.It is burning incense and setting off cannons, which adds a little color to the lifeless Chengdu.The common people in Chengdu embraced each other, and the main streets were full of people. Baoxing, governor of Sichuan, came to pick up the chief examiner of the rural examination in person, which made Zeng Guofan and Zhao Ji somewhat grateful, and it also showed how much the Shu people attached importance to this rural examination.

As soon as Zeng Guofan got off the sedan chair, Baoxing took people to greet the emperor, and then bowed to each other, followed by the sound of drums and music, and made a fuss all the way to the reception hall. Baoxing was promoted to the governor of Sichuan by Ren Xiaoqi, a member of the Ministry of War in the capital.The leader of Xiaoqi is a military officer of the third rank, and the governor is a senior official of the first rank.Although Sichuan is a simple province like Shandong, and simple is a small province, the governor's salary is no less than that of other provinces because he is also the governor.Baoxing was indeed one of the more courageous and daring people among the banner people. He had just been in Sichuan for a year, and because of his outstanding political achievements, he was recommended by Mu Zhang and Ali, and he was promoted to a bachelor of the co-organizer, and became a co-worker.Before Zeng Guofan left Beijing, Mu Zhang'a specially called Zeng Guofan to the mansion and praised Baoxing a lot, but he didn't say a word about Huang Zhong, the governor of Sichuan.This implies that Zeng Guofan and Baoxing belong to the Mu party system.

After entering the hall, Zhao Ji read out the imperial decree, and Baoxing kowtowed for a while, and then sat down according to his rank.Zeng Guofan, Zhao Ji and several examiners naturally sat at the head because they were envoys of the emperor. The following order was as follows: Baoxing, Huang Zhong, Changshun, and Taizhuang sat in one place. Dao sits in one place.The reception hall was bustling like never before. After chatting for a while, Baoxing quietly took Zeng Guofan's hand, nudged the back with his mouth, and the two of them entered the back hall of the reception hall together.After the tea was served, the guards withdrew, Baoxing then said: "Mu Zhongtang's letter has already arrived before Emperor Hanlin entered Chengdu.

"Master Zhongtang praised Zeng Hanlin's knowledge and character very much. When I saw him today, it was exactly the same as what Master Zhongtang said in his letter. I heard from people from Beijing that Duke Hanlin was framed by Yinggui in Luoyang. I'm really sweating for Duke Hanlin!" Zeng Guofan smiled and said: "Thank you, Master Bao. Before entering Shu, I went to Mu Zhongtang's mansion to bid farewell to my mentor. Master Zhongtang was full of praise for Master Bao. At that time, I thought that the emperor let Master Bao sit in Shu. It's really the luck of the people of Sichuan!"

"It's serious, it's serious!" Baoxing said with a smile while enjoying the flattery, "I hope Duke Hanlin will have more good words in front of the emperor in the future." Zeng Guofan changed the subject and asked, "The Sichuan Township Examination is scheduled for the ninth day of September. Now it is approaching the exam date. I wonder if the test sheds are complete? Can the township exam be held as scheduled?" Baoxing knew that Zeng Guofan didn't want to talk about personal matters, so he said with a smile: "Please rest assured, the chief examiner, the Sichuan University Examination will be held as scheduled on September 9. Now there are 1,000 scholars living in the guild halls in Chengdu. It is estimated that the number of people who will take the exam this year There will never be less than three thousand."

"Oh!" Zeng Guofan also became happy: "There are so many scholars, twice as many as in Hunan. The Land of Abundance is indeed well-deserved for its outstanding people!" Baoxing said: "The main hall specially cleaned up a guest room for Zeng Hanlin in the mansion. Although it is not elegant, it is still clean. Let the guards carry the luggage there in a while. It is also convenient for the main hall to ask for advice." Zeng Guofan hurriedly said: " Don’t dare to labor, Mr. Bao, it’s fine to take over the government.” Baoxing said seriously: “Duke Hanlin, don’t blame the main hall, this is what Mu Zhongtang specially took care of in the letter, saying that the ringworm of the Duke Hanlin has not healed, and he can’t stand the dampness the most. , In addition to being locked up in Luoyang prison for more than ten days, I am afraid that the examiner will not be able to pass the 20-day rural examination, and I will not be able to afford to miss the royal affairs!"

Zeng Guofan thought for a while: "The next official should live here. The chief examiner of the township examination doesn't live in the government office, but lives in the governor's mansion. If this spreads, it will hinder the official voice of the adults! Ask Mr. Bao, is there a good doctor in Sichuan?" Speaking of this skin ringworm, I am not afraid of adults' jokes, but it really hurts the officials, especially in the seasons of spring and summer, summer and autumn, almost every day does not break out. When I was in the capital, the concierge scratched my back every day, It's almost a daily routine, and I don't feel better until I bleed from scratching."

Speaking of this, Zeng Guofan sighed heavily. Baoxing said: "Mr. Hanlin, don't worry too much. Tomorrow, I will have someone invite the old shopkeeper of Yixingtang to give him a diagnosis. The plaster specially made by Yixingtang to treat skin ringworm is very effective. The Tongrentang of the Beijing Normal University Buy his goods!" Zeng Guofan hurriedly cupped his hands: "Then there is Mrs. Laobao." Baoxing stood up and said, "The main hall has prepared some bouillon and vegetables at the governor's office to clean up the dust for the servants. It is estimated that the time has come. Let's go." Standing up, one after the other out of the back hall.Not long after, the crowd surrounded Zeng Guofan and Baoxing, stepped out of the reception hall, and hundreds of sedan chairs slowly came towards the Governor's Yamen.

Sure enough, a small sedan chair carried an old man to the reception hall. This is the ninety-year-old Mr. Xu and Mr. Xu, the old shopkeepers of Yixingtang, the largest medicine store in Chengdu.Seeing Xu He being helped in, Zeng Guofan was greatly moved, he hurriedly stepped forward to help him, poured another cup of tea himself and served it. After Xu He took his seat, he didn't bother to drink tea, so he hurriedly wanted to have his skin checked for Zeng Guofan.Zeng Guofan shunned the others, and then took off his underwear.As soon as Zeng Guofan took off his underwear, what Xu He saw was a blood-stained body. The chest and back were the heaviest. Psoriasis is very different. Xu He looked at it for a long time, then sighed and said: "Mr. Hanlin put on his clothes. I have lived to be ninety-two years old. I only heard about the persistent disease of ringworm from my ancestors, but I have never seen it with my own eyes. Now that I think about it, Duke Hanlin's skin ringworm is That's ringworm. The old man has practiced medicine and sold medicine for generations, and all the medicines needed by the major yamen in central Sichuan are supplied by Yixingtang. To tell the truth about Zeng Hanlin, the old man said something that I don't know the depth of. Hanlin Gong's skin ringworm may be difficult to cure It's gone." After saying that, he shook his head and sighed alone, looking helpless. When Zeng Guofan heard this, he froze for a moment, his mind went blank.After a long time, Xu Hecai said slowly: "Among the plasters made by the old man, there is a kind of plaster that is very effective for fire python ringworm, but it can only relieve it and cannot cure it." Hearing this, Zeng Guofan breathed a sigh of relief, and said: "It can be relieved, and it is a re-creation for the late students. To tell the truth to the old seniors, before the late students entered the county school, in order to further their studies and progress, they traveled all over the country to find teachers. At the same time, I also visited countless pharmacies and famous doctors, but no one dared to prescribe medicine. Over the years, Wansheng gritted his teeth and endured it. There were a few times when the itching was so unbearable that Wansheng soaked in salt water all night. It looks like this skin ringworm is really about to be taken into the coffin by Wan Sheng!" Xu He stood up and said very politely: "Hanlin Gong is busy with business, so I don't want to bother you. I will send the plaster after I go back. I will copy another prescription for Hanlin Gong, and Hanlin Gong will bring it back to Beijing. You can prepare it by yourself, just ask Hanlin Gong not to pass on the prescription. For generations of pharmacy in my Xu family, I have never passed on a prescription. Zeng Guofan was so moved that he clasped his fists together: "The old man is so loyal, and the late student is so grateful. There is no way to repay him. I can only say thank you!" In the afternoon, the head pharmacy of Yixingtang delivered twenty plasters and a letter to Zeng Guofan.Zeng Guofan knew that it must be a plaster prescription, so he took out twenty taels of silver, sealed it and gave it to the housekeeper, but the housekeeper pushed the silver away. The butler said to Zeng Guofan: "The old shopkeeper specifically explained that the plaster is given to adults. Master Zeng uses it first, and uses it on the chest and back. After seven days, the plaster will naturally dry and fall off. It can be applied at any time. There is no fixed time. , when the time comes, there is no need to uncover it, just let it fall off naturally. When the young one came, the old shopkeeper specially explained that Zeng Hanlin is an official in Beijing. If my ointment is effective, please use ink to inscribe a plaque for Yixingtang , it is considered a blessing for generations of the Xu family." Zeng Guofan said without thinking: "The old shopkeeper is so loyal, no matter whether the plaster is right or not, I will inscribe a plaque for Yixingtang. Come, I will serve you with pen and ink." The guards outside the door agreed, and then brought the pens and inks one by one in a while.Zeng Guofan held a pen in his hand and wrote three "Yixing Halls" in one go. The font is simple, dignified and elegant.Putting down the pen, Zeng Guofan said with a smile: "Tell the old shopkeeper, let him choose one and use it. It's a shame!" The butler happily kowtowed to Zeng Guofan and said, "Thank you Mr. Zeng for the old shopkeeper." After the butler left, Zeng Guofan immediately took off his clothes, put a plaster on his chest, and called a servant The soldier put a sticker on his back, then opened the envelope and began to look at the prescription.