Chapter 8 Section VII

Doctor Zeng was waiting in the side hall behind the Xianju hall.After Chen Hongzhi brought Pei Xuanjing in, he retreated out of the curtain knowingly. Old doctor Zeng, with white beard and hair and red face, looks to be in her eighties.He looked at Pei Xuanjing kindly, and asked with a smile, "Is there any illness for the master?" Although he was full of worries, Pei Xuanjing was still amused by this kind old man, and replied softly: "I don't know if I have a disease, so I asked the old genius doctor to diagnose it." However, Imperial Physician Zeng sighed, took out a piece of powder note from the sandalwood medical box, and placed it in front of Pei Xuanjing.

"The illness of a master refiner can be cured here." She gently held up the pink paper, like holding up a pair of butterfly wings.I didn't dare to use force, for fear that it would break; I dared not let go, for fear that it would fly away without a trace. The familiar chic handwriting, just like his smiling face vividly reappeared in front of her eyes. Pei Xuanjing stared at it for a long time, until Imperial Physician Zeng handed over a whole stack of powder notes. She raised her head: "Is it all here?" Imperial Physician Zeng nodded—so, these are the prescriptions that the Empress Dowager asked the maid to ask Cui Miao to write.In other words, the prescriptions collected by the Queen Mother finally fell into the hands of the emperor.Cui Miao's death was caused by the conspiracy of the empress dowager and the emperor. Pei Xuanjing's inference was finally confirmed.

Imperial Physician Zeng coughed and said, "I have a story about these prescriptions, do Master Pei Lian want to hear it?" "Please tell me, old miracle doctor." "Actually, these prescriptions are all passed down from the old man's family." "Your family biography?" Pei Xuanjing raised her eyelids, her eyes were as deep as a pool. "My family has been a royal physician for generations. Since the Sui Dynasty, the medicines accumulated in my family have been exclusive to the royal family and have never been popular among the people. These prescriptions are only a small part of them." Zeng Taiyi's old eyes The meaning is meaningful and elusive, "However, about thirty years ago, they were secretly taken out of the palace."

"Oh, what happened?" "There are only two volumes of prescriptions compiled and compiled from these prescriptions. One volume is kept in Tai Hospital, and the key is in my hands; the other volume is in Shangyao Bureau, and the key is kept by Neigeshi's father-in-law. It has never been published for many years. Mistake. Thirty years ago, oh, to be precise, it should be the sixth year of Zhenyuan, that time I went to Shangyao Bureau to revise a book, but something unexpected happened." Pei Xuanjing asked: "What do you mean by repairing books?" "The prescription will be adjusted continuously according to the effect of use. If you stick to it, you will not be able to accumulate experience and achieve the best curative effect. So after a period of time, I will revise the prescription book again. Because I am in the Taiyuan Hospital every day. I am working, so I revise the prescriptions in the Imperial Hospital at any time. And the prescriptions in the Shangyao Bureau are only revised once a year. One day in the first month of the sixth year of Zhenyuan, I went to the Shangyao Bureau to revise the prescriptions. I spent a lot of time revising the prescriptions in the previous year. When I was revising the prescriptions, I was locked in the room alone. After about an hour, I felt a little sleepy and fell asleep unconsciously. Oh, it just so happened that a concubine in the palace had a sudden illness the night before. I was busy all night, so I was very tired... I don’t know how long I slept until the servant who came to deliver the food knocked on the door and woke me up. When I woke up When I came, I suddenly found that the Fang Shu in front of me was missing a copy."

"One less?" "Yes. When I went to Shangyao Bureau to revise the prescription, I took the revised prescription with me. I copied it and checked it at the same time. I have always done this in the past. So before I fell asleep, I spread it out on the table. I wrote two volumes of prescriptions, but when I woke up, there was only one volume of prescriptions that had just been repaired, and the completed prescriptions I brought from the imperial hospital were gone.” Pei Xuanjing stared at Imperial Physician Zeng: "Have you searched carefully?" Imperial Physician Zeng smiled wryly, "Of course, I can't wait to turn over every floor tile."

"So..." Pei Xuanjing pondered, "Someone stole Fang Shu?" "This is the only possibility. So I hurriedly invited my father-in-law to conduct some investigations in the Shangyao Bureau, but found nothing. In desperation, I had to make a new copy of the prescription, supplementing and revising it from memory , and then handed over to the Shang Yao Bureau for strict custody. In the end, the matter was left alone." "It's over?" Pei Xuanjing asked, "Didn't it be reported?" "Well, if it is reported, it will definitely cause a commotion. Not only will it not help the matter, but it will also implicate the people in the Shangyao Bureau. So after discussing with the eunuch, I decided to suppress this matter."

Pei Xuanjing was silent for a moment, and asked, "How does the Empress Dowager know these prescriptions so well?" "Because——the one who took away the medicine book was the Queen Mother's personal maid." Imperial Physician Zeng sighed, "At that time, the late emperor was still the crown prince in the East Palace. His health has been bad. So Wang Liangdi, who was later The Empress Dowager often asks the Imperial Hospital for prescriptions to help the crown prince. When Wang Liangdi learned that I went to the Shangyao Bureau to revise the prescriptions, she sent a maid beside her to the Shangyao Bureau to get the prescriptions. The pharmacy is located in the Tai Chi Palace, separated from the East Palace by a wall, so it is very convenient for the maid to come over." After a pause, Imperial Physician Zeng said in an emphatic tone, "On that day, only this maid came to me to repair Fang Shu's room."

"Since that's the case, why don't you invite that palace maid to interrogate you?" "Master Pei Lian should understand the principle of being cautious. At that time, I discussed with my eunuch for a long time, but I couldn't make up my mind, so I went to the East Palace to ask the prince and told him the whole story. His Royal Highness was shocked when he heard the words, and he was about to call When the palace maid interrogated her, she realized that she had already escaped." "ran away?" "Yes, I took away all the fine and soft clothes. Didn't I run away?"

Pei Xuanjing frowned: "Is it that easy to escape from the palace?" "Master Pei Lian doesn't know. The Daming Palace is heavily guarded, and it is impossible to escape, but the Eastern Palace is not so strict. The former emperor was kind. During the years when he was the crown prince, the maids in the Eastern Palace lived comfortably. comfortable." After a while, Pei Xuanjing said: "So, it is a fact that Zeng Taiyi's ancestral prescription was stolen by this East Palace maidservant." "Who else could it be?" Imperial Physician Zeng asked, "His Royal Highness wanted to take the responsibility. But my father-in-law and I have considered it. Whether it is a big deal or not, why make such a fuss? It is not without benefits for the people to benefit the common people. So we proposed to His Highness the Crown Prince that we should reduce this matter to a small one. His Highness the Crown Prince agreed. Later, everyone gradually made this matter It was forgotten."

After a pause, he added: "I remember, that maid's surname is Cui." Pei Xuanjing was bowing her head in thought, but when she heard Imperial Physician Zeng's words, her eyelashes trembled slightly, and she raised her face: "May I ask Imperial Physician Zeng, does this palace maid surnamed Cui understand medical skills?" "How is that possible?" "In other words, she doesn't understand. Then how does she know that this volume of Fangshu is precious, and would want to take great risks to steal it?" "...you must have heard of it."

"However, just based on what she heard, and without the foundation of medical education, how can she understand the prescription written in secret with special rules?" Imperial Physician Zeng was taken aback: "Written in secret with special rules? I don't quite understand Master Pei Lian's words." "You don't understand." Pei Xuanjing nodded and asked again, "Does Imperial Doctor Zeng know Jia Chang?" Imperial Physician Zeng was taken aback again: "Which Jia Chang? Oh... Did Master Pei Lian mean that Jia Chang who used to train chickens for Emperor Xuanzong?" "Exactly." "I haven't had any dealings. I seem to have heard that Jia Chang died a few years ago." "Yes, he died outside the Chunming gate, in the courtyard built for the late emperor when he was the crown prince." Imperial Physician Zeng was puzzled: "Master Pei Lian mentioned this person because..." "No reason." Pei Xuanjing replied. Doctor Zeng has already told him everything he knows.Or rather, he was only allowed to know this.His task is as simple as it is ridiculous.Of course, the tasks assigned by the emperor must be conscientiously completed, no matter how simple and ridiculous. Pei Xuanjing saluted: "Thank you, Imperial Physician Zeng, for your hard work in treating my concubine. I will leave." She ignored Imperial Physician Zeng's astonished gaze, got up and walked out. "Master Pei Lian, Master Pei Lian!" Chen Hongzhi suddenly appeared from nowhere and caught up with Pei Xuanjing. Pei Xuanjing stopped in her tracks: "Eunuch Chen, do you have any orders?" Chen Hongzhi hesitated to speak. Seeing his shyness, Pei Xuanjing smiled slightly: "Please, Eunuch Chen, please inform the Holy Majesty that you don't have to let such a respected old man as Imperial Physician Zeng lie. It makes people watch, and I feel very uncomfortable." "lie?" "Isn't it?" Pei Xuanjing said coldly, "In addition, I would like to ask Eunuch Chen to tell the Holy Majesty that the conditions I negotiated with the Holy Majesty were agreed by himself. You are not kidding. Of course he is the Son of Heaven. If he wants to go back on his word, no one can do anything about it." No. But as the king of a country, he is trying to prevaricate me with lies, which is really disrespectful." Chen Hongzhi was dumbfounded. "Please, Eunuch Chen, report all my words to the Holy Majesty truthfully." Chen Hongzhi said: "Master Pei Lian, don't you want my life!" Pei Xuanjing smiled sweetly: "That's right, it's the concubine who is being abrupt. Then Eunuch Chen will tell the Holy One that it's because I don't know what's good." If Cui Miao's mother was just a servant girl who stole the medical book, then the most reasonable reaction for the Empress Dowager after she recognized Cui Miao was to tell him the truth and order him to return the Fang Shu or simply call him into the imperial hospital. Isn't it a good thing that everyone is happy?There's no need to send someone to hint him to escape, and even threaten to kill him otherwise!Since the founding of the Tang Dynasty, no matter how tragic the internal struggles of the royal family were, they have always treated common people with understanding and reasonableness, showing the nobility of the royal family.Besides, Cui Miao died under the arrow of his uncle.If Cui Miao's life and death were not related to the safety of the Tang Dynasty and even the emperor, how could the uncle kill innocent people indiscriminately? Doctor Zeng's narration is full of flaws.Moreover, he did not know that Fang Shu was written in secret according to special rules, nor did he know that Fang Shu had a relationship with Jia Chang, nor did he know that Cui Miao was named Cui after his adoptive father, not his mother.So summing up all the above, Pei Xuanjing could only draw one conclusion: everything he said was a lie. She turned around and walked away, and Chen Hongzhi caught up again. "Master Pei Lian," he said, "our family doesn't know what agreement there is between Master Lian and the Holy Master, but I know that no one is as strong as the sky. Our family thinks that if Master Lian misses this opportunity, according to our family's With the understanding of the Holy Spirit's temperament, I am afraid that the alchemist will never think about having another chance in this life." Seeing that Pei Xuanjing didn't retort immediately, he continued: "Master Lian has been in the palace for more than two years. As long as His Majesty is willing, he can let Master Lian stay like this until he dies. Does Master Lian think it's worth it?" Like all eunuchs, Chen Hongzhi had a effeminate voice, but what he said was quite calm, without any emotion. "No matter what the alchemist wants to do or what purpose he wants to achieve, I'm afraid it won't work if he just stays like this. In our family's opinion, now the Holy One has given the alchemist a step down. It's better for the alchemist not to compete too much. Only by grasping With this opportunity, the alchemist can see His Majesty again, and it is also possible to leave Daming Palace. Tell me, is this the truth?" In the deep night of Daming Palace, Pei Xuanjing's eyes were as bright as morning stars.In the distance, the lights of thousands of families in Chang'an City are gradually dimming, and it is almost the darkest time before dawn. Chen Hongzhi waited patiently for a long time before hearing Pei Xuanjing say: "Then please ask Eunuch Chen to go back to the Holy Lord and say that I want to keep those... powder notes with prescriptions written on them." Her voice trembled. Chen Hongzhi's eyes lit up: "Okay, I'll go and beg the Holy Majesty for Master Pei Lian's favor now." He added joyfully, "This is great, our family can finally turn to the Holy Majesty." This sudden pure joy surprised Pei Xuanjing. She found that Chen Hongzhi carried many masks with him, and she could take out one and change it on at any time as needed.And once he puts on a certain mask, he becomes another person from the inside out. Pei Xuanjing thought for a while, and asked, "Eunuch Chen, do you know why the Holy Majesty would think of Yulongzi again?" "Jade Dragon Son?" Chen Hongzhi's eyes widened. "Didn't Your Majesty want me to find the whereabouts of the real jade dragon?" "Oh, no, no." Chen Hongzhi shook his head and said, "The Holy Majesty never mentioned it to me. But according to our guess, the case that the Holy Majesty wants Master Pei Lian to investigate this time should be related to the Buddha bone." "Buddha bones?" The next day, Chen Hongzhi's words were confirmed.He came to Yuchen Temple and sent Pei Xuanjing a brocade box, in which Cui Miao's written notes were neatly stacked.Pei Xuanjing took the brocade box with mixed feelings. At this moment, the hatred in her heart seemed to loosen a little. Yes, she expressed her submission to the emperor by asking for a powder note, but he can still refuse, after all, he is supreme.There is no equality between them, just like he allowed her to negotiate terms, fundamentally he is doing her favor.Of course Pei Xuanjing understood that all the graces were not without reason, and the emperor was asking her to return them.After the case, when the emperor summoned Pei Xuanjing for the last time in the Hall of Qingsi, she strongly refused to serve the emperor, unless the emperor gave her the mystery of Cui Miao's life experience.Now, the emperor really gave the answer to the mystery of Cui Miao's life experience. Although Pei Xuanjing was not at all convincing, the fan note really moved her. From the moment she accepted the brocade box, Pei Xuanjing was going to handle the case for the emperor again. This attack and defense was so subtle that it gave people the illusion of a tacit understanding.No, Pei Xuanjing sneered in her heart, the more she knew about the emperor's wisdom, the more she hated him.It was disgust mingled with fear and hatred.Pei Xuanjing felt that scheming and being on guard all the time would taint one's heart, making it impossible for people to see through his true nature.And the wound inside, sealed and unhealed, is rotting beyond repair. "Thank you, Sheng Shang Long En." Pei Xuanjing said to Chen Hongzhi, "I also want to thank Eunuch Chen." "It's easy to say." Chen Hongzhi said with a smile, "Then, let Master Pei Lian start to handle the case." Jing Zhaoyin Guo Wei walked in from the door with a sad face. Sure enough, it wasn't the case of Liheshi or Yulongzi, Pei Xuanjing secretly breathed a sigh of relief, but then, Guo Wei's words lifted her heart again.