It was not the first time for Zhang Zhou to come to Duke Cheng's Mansion, but it was the first time he entered the main hall of Duke Cheng's Mansion.
In front of the main hall hangs the three words "Jixian Hall", and inside there is a four-word plaque with the words "Respect the Worthy and Chongli". Under the plaque hangs a portrait of Zhu Neng, the first Duke of Chengguo, riding a horse to fight, and Taizong Zhu Dichui. Feng Zhuneng was the inscription of King Dongping, etc.
In front of the portrait, stood an old lady in her sixties or seventies with a peaceful look on her face. She didn't have any jewelry on her body, and her clothes were plain, but she had many sandalwood beads on her body.
In Zhang Zhou's opinion, this old woman has gone beyond the realm of pursuing wealth and pursues a higher spiritual level.
On the other side stood a skinny old official in his fifties wearing official uniform. This man looked very ordinary, with many wrinkles on his face but sharp eyes. He was Wu Xiong, Yin of Yingtian Mansion.
Wu Xiong, whose courtesy name is Wenying, was a Jinshi in the 14th year of Chenghua. He was a man of "strict conduct and took purging as his duty".
To put it harshly, it is stingy.
"Just as I was talking, people are coming."
Cheng Guotai's wife Zhu Hu stood up and greeted Zhang Zhou with Wu Xiong, making Zhang Zhou feel that the donation of medicine must be successful.
"Next to me, Zhang Zhou has met Mrs. Cheng Guotai and Wu Fuyin!"
Zhang Zhou seemed to know etiquette very well, and he came up and took the initiative to salute and greet.
Zhu Hu said with a smile: "Zhang Jieyuan is polite. I invite you here today. I have something to discuss. Please sit down."
Then Zhang Zhou and Wu Xiong bowed their hands to each other.
Wu Xiong is Yingtian Prefecture Yin, with a third-grade official, which is higher than the fourth-grade official of Shangfu Prefecture. In terms of seniority, Zhang Zhou can call himself a student in front of Wu Xiong, but Zhang Zhou did not take the initiative to lower his status because he knew that he There is no need to have anything to do with this Wu Xiong.
As soon as he sat down, Wu Xiong said with a smile: "Jiangnan Township Examiner Jie Yuan, he is handsome and handsome. He is indeed the best among men."
Zhang Zhou said: "Wu Fuyin has promoted me, but I am just an ordinary person."
Mrs. Zhu Hu twisted the Buddhist beads in her hand and said with a leisurely and indifferent expression: "Zhang Jieyuan is not an ordinary person. You and my grandson went to the court to offer medicine to the princess and save the little princess from danger. This loyalty and courage have been rewarded." In response to your majesty's praise, my grandson has been kept in the capital for your use."
"Really? Congratulations then."
Zhang Zhou thought to himself, now that everything has been accomplished, the person has been rescued, and Zhu Feng has been rewarded, what about mine?
You won't miss my share, will you?
Wu Xiong looked impatient and said: "This is exactly why I am here. His Majesty has issued an order for you, Zhang Jieyuan, to quickly sort out the prescription for this medicine and send it to the capital by horseback. This year, there will be acne in the north. The epidemic is serious and there cannot be any delay in rescuing people."
Zhu Hu and Wu Xiong looked at Zhang Zhou at the same time, waiting for Zhang Zhou to tell him the prescription.
Zhang Zhou sighed helplessly, spreading his hands as if helpless, and said: "The epidemic in the north is very serious. It has spread to the palace. I know that I am very anxious. But there is no prescription."
"No?" Wu Xiong was anxious and did not care about the dignity of the court official. He stood up and asked, "There is no prescription, how did you prepare the medicine?"
Zhang Zhou said: "Since you all know about the treatment of diseases, you should know that this medicine was passed down by alchemists. Since it is an elixir prescription and a talisman, it pays attention to key factors such as elixir, spiritual grass, furnace temperature, etc. It is just a prescription. How can it be done? Can you refine a magic medicine?"
"Ah? This...this..."
Wu Xiong panicked.
The emperor specifically ordered the Yingtian Prefecture Yin to come to Zhang Zhou to ask for the prescription. If the matter failed, then he, the Yingtian Prefecture Yin, would also be held responsible.
Zhu Hu said calmly: "Zhang Jieyuan, don't worry, as long as you tell the prescription, the court will definitely be able to find the precious medicinal materials, not to mention there is a Tianshi Li in the palace who can refine the elixir, no matter how complicated the elixir is." He can also crack the talisman."
Upon hearing this, Wu Xiong breathed a sigh of relief and repeatedly echoed: "Yes, yes."
Zhang Zhou smiled.
To say that this ginger is still spicy, Zhu Hu can overcome such difficult conditions for refining medicine.
But you want to get a free prescription from me?
Stop having those big spring and autumn dreams!
Tell the emperor that this stuff is the pustular fluid of a sick cow?
Doesn't that mean telling the emperor that I dare to inject something from a sick cow into your daughter?
It takes you from a great achievement to sitting in jail in a matter of minutes!
Even hundreds of years later, there are still many people who do not vaccinate cowpox. Rumors say that vaccinia will cause cow hair and horns to grow. Let people of this era know that this is what they inject into their bodies, which can promote vaccinia. It’s weird to open it!
For Zhang Zhou, there are only two ways in front of him. One is that there is no prescription and there is no way to refine the medicine. The matter is over, unless the alchemist is found back, but the alchemist travels all over the world and does not know where he is. Well, acquaintance is just fate.
The second kind...
That is to raise your own cattle and use live cattle to cultivate cowpox vaccine.
Looking for a vessel to use as a petri dish? Sorry, there is no cell technology in this era, cells cannot survive outside the living body, and in vitro culture is basically unfeasible.
Zhang Zhou did not answer the question about the prescription, but took the initiative to ask: "Mrs. Cheng Guo, Wu Fuyin, I dare to ask, since I have done a good job in offering the medicine, is there any reward from your majesty?"
"ah?"
Although Zhu Hu was good at handling all kinds of big scenes, Wu Xiong was also a showman. Hearing Zhang Zhou's words, he couldn't help but be stunned on the spot.
Is this a way to ask for a reward by wrapping up a prescription?
I have seen philistines, but I have never seen such philistines. Don’t say that you are a Jiangnan Township Examiner, even if you are an ordinary scholar, you still understand the most basic etiquette, justice and integrity, right?
What should be given to you will be given to you, do you want it yourself? What kind of?
Zhang Zhou raised the topic with confidence...
Is it free to raise cattle?
I managed to make some money by selling grain. Buying a cow these days costs two or three taels of silver... This is already considered cheap. If a big ox is strong enough to pull a plow, I guess you may not be able to buy it for even four or five taels. How many cows can I buy with the money I earn?
"This..." Since Zhang Zhou mentioned it, Zhu Hu couldn't help but smile bitterly and nod after a little hesitation, "No matter what reward your majesty gives, Duke Chengguo's mansion will also have something extra for you. When you leave, someone will carry it for you." past."
"Thank you very much."
After Zhang Zhou thanked him, he looked straight at Wu Xiong.
This clearly means, Duke Chengguo’s government gave it to me, what’s the price on your side?
Wu Xiong was so angry.
Are you talking to a Jieyuan? This is what a shameless villain looks like!
However, he still had to endure the anger in his heart and asked coldly: "Then if Tianfu gives you a reward, you can hand over the prescription."
Zhang Zhou said: "I made a mistake. There is no prescription here, but if... conditions permit, I can try to refine some medicine in the future. The alchemist told him some of the tips before he traveled around the world. I also told me that it would take several days to gather the aura of heaven and earth in Nanjing City to refine the elixir, and it can’t be done anywhere else!”
Zhang Zhou's words were very exciting.
It sounds nonsense, but who said there is only one miracle drug in the world? Even the emperor comes to me to ask for medicine, why don't I just say whatever I want? Anyway, if you don’t give me the money, I won’t give the medicine. What can you do to me?
Zhu Hu asked: "Is it because this is where the dragon rises?"
"Yes, yes, yes, Madam, you understand so well!" Zhang Zhou immediately responded with the look of a confidant.
Zi Fuyu has strange powers and chaos, but Mrs. Cheng Guotai likes this tone, otherwise why would she have so many strings hanging on her body?
"That alchemist...isn't in Nanjing?"
When Wu Xiong heard this, his heart dropped even more.
Because there is another part of the emperor's order, which is to invite this semi-immortal figure to the capital. It seems that the only person who can contact this alchemist now is Zhang Zhou.
Without Zhang Zhou's guidance, even if someone met this alchemist on the road, no one would know him. Who knows which one he is?
It can almost be said... Zhang Zhou pointed at someone and said it was the alchemist, who is it!
Zhang Zhou said: "It is impossible for such an expert to stay in one place. Therefore, Wu Fuyin, it's not that I don't want to give you face, it's really... alas! There is nothing I can do."
Wu Xiong was annoyed when he heard that.
Ying Tianfu Yin is really not a good official to be!
"Wu Fuyin, looking at you like this, do you still want the magic elixir? Let me explain first. I want to ask for the reward first because although I passed the examination, my family is in decline. If I want to refine the magic elixir, I will definitely It will cost a lot, so I can't just shoddy the materials when I choose them, right?" Zhang Zhou asked for the reward confidently.
Wu Xiong had no choice now. He couldn't find a prescription or hire an alchemist, so he could only do the next best thing and send the medicine to the capital.
Wu Xiong said: "Of course it's impossible."
Zhang Zhou smiled and cupped his hands and said, "In that case, I would like to thank Wu Fuyin first."
"You don't need to thank me, just thank His Majesty."
"Oh, it seems that Your Majesty still has a reward. With that said, I am even more motivated to do things!"
Wu Xiong glanced sideways at Zhang Zhou.
Who is this person? Still a scholar?
Why does he sound more like a street scoundrel? This kind of person would actually be appreciated by an expert from outside the world and asked him to donate medicine to the emperor? Why not find someone else?
No way? Find me! Don't I, Ying Tianfu Yin, have a way to offer this medicine?
After Zhang Zhou finished speaking, he stood up and saluted Mrs. Zhu Hu and said, "Mrs. Chengguo, it's getting late. It's important to go back and make medicine. The gift from the mansion to me..."
Zhu Hu smiled and said: "I will have someone prepare it for you, and I will carry it with you when I send you back."
"Okay, okay. Thank you, thank you." Zhang Zhou turned to look at Wu Xiong again.
Wu Xiong was familiar with this scene.
After one family has been sued, then the other two families will be sued.
If there were others at the scene, this guy would probably beg for help one by one.
Wu Xiong said with a dark face: "The Yamen will prepare it for you and send it to your house! Well..."
There was a long and heavy breath at the end. Wu Xiong was probably depressed about being in contact with someone like Zhang Zhou.
