Chapter 47 Chapter 47: I got sick and was in a mess (revised)...
The disease came on like a mountain falling. I had a fever for four or five days in a row. The fever would subside during the day, but would come back at night. The doctor came and went, but each time he could not find any cure. He just prescribed medicine to be boiled and taken by mouth.
Xu Niangzi, Baorong, and A Xiu took turns to take care of the kitchen, and the smell of soup and medicine was everywhere in the kitchen.
Baozhu clenched her teeth tightly and couldn't swallow the medicine for some reason. Madam Xu had to force her teeth open and force it into her mouth.
Memories from two lifetimes swirled and tangled in her mind, threatening to pull her into the vortex. For a month, she lay drowsy in bed, her ears stuffed with cotton. She could hear voices, but couldn't make out what they were saying. She consulted doctor after doctor, but none of them could offer any advice.
"If this goes on for a long time, people will not be able to bear it. The most important thing is to wake him up first." The doctor from Huichuntang didn't know how many times he had come here, but he still shook his head and left.
Madam Xu sat at the head of her bed in her clothes, calling her name again and again. Even such a strong-willed person would cry and pray to God when there was no one around at night. Granny Zhen was extremely anxious. When orthodox remedies didn't work, she looked for folk remedies everywhere. She brought all the monks, Taoist priests, and fairies from all sects to her home for a checkup.
She had only been fed porridge and water for the past month. Not only did Xu become haggard, but Baozhu was also extremely haggard, and was so thin that she was just a bag of bones.
Baozhu didn't know if it was because she finally figured it out or for some other reason, but she felt her hearing had returned. Gradually, she could smell a strong smell of medicine in her nose, and she could hear her mother calling her again and again in her ears.
The heartbroken voice startled Baozhu and she regained consciousness completely. The tangled and tearing feeling in her head gradually subsided, and she became clear-headed.
"Mother..."
Hearing the voice as thin as a mosquito, Madam Xu thought it was an illusion. When she saw Baozhu's eyelids finally move, she stopped crying, poured warm water from the table, gently touched her lips, and continued to call her name over and over again.
"My son, you almost scared me to death."
She didn't know how many days she had been in a coma. She was still conscious when she started to have a fever, but she fell into a coma and was unaware of the world. Two lines of tears rolled down Baozhu's eyes. Just by looking at the warm water, she knew how devoted her family was. In her two lives, the only thing that made Baozhu feel that life was worthwhile was this family love.
The Zhen family had lost their livelihood and was living a tight life. However, Liu Si'er and his friends' two stalls were still running normally, but Baozhu had sent a message asking them not to have any contact with each other for the time being, lest the Sun family find trouble with them.
After all, they were in Bian Jing, and the Sun family had just arrived, so they always had some concerns. They only dared to suppress the Zhen family openly or secretly, and did not dare to do anything directly to the Zhen family, not to mention that Lord Pei lived next door.
Naturally, the shop could not do business. Even if the shop was open, the people blocking the door would not let diners come in.
The main reason why Baozhu made up her mind to tear a piece of flesh from the Sun family was because of Erlang. Other things could be delayed, but the imperial examination could not be delayed. If the Sun family did something bad after the announcement of the results of the spring examination, all the hard work of the second brother in the past ten years and the hard work of the Zhen family in the past few years would be wasted.
Uncle Dong was suspended for a month before being reinstated, and the promotion that was originally set in stone was now in vain. But at least a month is not a long time, and he was not squeezed out by the officials of the Guanglu Temple.
There were people watching the Zhen family's door every day. They wanted to ask Master Pei about the progress, but they didn't dare to go to his house for fear of drawing attention to him. Perhaps Master Pei had some influence with the emperor, so the Sun family didn't dare to bother him.
"Zhen Congjian of the Zhen family, won! Exactly third place!"
In the alley, there were sounds of beating gongs and drums, and the sound of the good news passed through the streets and alleys and fell into the ears of everyone in the Zhen family. For a moment, everyone in the Zhen family stopped what they were doing and went to the door to welcome them.
Now he was stuck at home, not even knowing about the announcement of the spring examination results, let alone anyone going to see. Instead, the officials from the government office brought the news directly to his door, and the fanfare was several times greater than the first time he passed the imperial examination. A group of people followed him, beating drums and gongs, and those who wanted congratulatory money followed behind that group. For a moment, the alley was blocked, and all the neighbors came forward to congratulate him.
"I told you Erlang is talented. I still have the blessing characters he wrote for my family last year!"
"Congratulations, Madam Xu! All of your children are very promising."
"Erlang himself is also hardworking!"
…
I was originally thinking of some excuse to show off the Zhen family and make the Sun family more wary of me. This time, my second brother passed the imperial examination, which just solved the urgent problem.
The hooligans who were stalking the door had been dispersed to who knows where. Madam Xu said in a trembling voice, with an expression of uncontrollable pride on her face.
"My family is just an ordinary family. The government is kind and upright. Now the imperial examination is fair. This gives Erlang an opportunity to carve out a path among the high-ranking officials and wealthy families so that he can also serve the government and the court."
Madam Xu came to ask the official again if Dong's cousin was on the list. The official who came to report the news could recite all the scholars on the list by heart. When Madam Xu asked if he wanted to, he shook his head and said, "No."
The Dong family knew about it a day earlier. They originally wanted to ask him to be a minor official in another place, but Dong Hengzhi shook his head and refused, saying that the imperial examination was the right way to become an official. He was still young, so what if he waited another three years? He would definitely pass the imperial examination next time.
Fortunately, the imperial examination papers are now copied under the names of candidates, otherwise, given the nature of the Sun family, they would definitely do something bad.
The neighbors in the alley had long known that the Zhen family had offended someone, the restaurant was closed, and there were often thugs blocking the door. No one dared to ask before, but now this big happy event happened right in the street, and there were so many people that there was nothing to be afraid of. Those who had good relations with the Zhen family came to ask what was going on with concern.
Madam Xu glanced at Baozhu, and Baozhu nodded. Her family background and name were naturally not worth mentioning, and what's more, this was a matter that the Sun family should be ashamed of.
Madam Xu then told the story of how her family had fled from the Sun family in Suzhou to Bianjing, only to discover that the Sun family had also been transferred to Bianjing and were now returning to the family. The Zhen family dared not confront them and could only endure their anger.
Everyone's job is on the line now, not to mention the constant barrage of thugs and hooligans. Restaurants have also lost business due to the blatant intimidation of this group. Ordinary people already resent these powerful and oppressive families, and once word spread throughout the streets and alleys, the Sun family became little more than scoundrels in the eyes of ordinary people.
Previously, Brother Liu Si and Brother Wang had some concerns about their stalls, so they asked them not to come for the time being. But now that Brother Er Ge has passed the imperial examination, the Zhen family is full of people coming to congratulate them, so they have no concerns anymore. With the income from the stalls in recent days, Brother Liu Si made a simple account for himself, keeping a clear record of daily expenses and income, and also sorted out Brother Wang's stall as well.
Baozhu was relieved to see that he had a clear mind. "You two have worked hard. Starting this month, each of you will share your monthly income. After settling the principal at the end of the month, I will give you 10% of the interest as a bonus."
Firstly, it is more important to win people's hearts at this critical juncture. Originally, they were only paid monthly wages, but now that the profits are divided, they have to work harder. After all, the more they earn, the more they can get.
Fortunately, there is still this business. Last month, after deducting the costs, the two stalls earned a total of more than 30 strings of cash, which is enough to cover the family's expenses.
Zhen's father went to a restaurant to reserve a table. Usually after the results of the spring examination were announced, officials from all walks of life would treat each other to a meal. This ranking meant one had already stepped one foot into the official career. If a scholar invited officials from the government office to have a drink, these officials would not refuse. However, the Zhen family did not even send an invitation when they came.
Madam Xu didn't blame them and simply said that she would go out and prepare a banquet that would last for ten days. Now that Erlang had passed the imperial examination, the Zhen family was afraid of something happening and didn't dare to go out. Fortunately, the neighbors were enthusiastic and all rushed to help.
Lord Pei has not been at home for the past few days and just came back today. He came to congratulate you after hearing the news.
Seeing Baozhu picking vegetables in the yard, he passed by her and whispered,
"The Dong family has had connections with the Song family for many years, and now they are completely safe. The matter you told me earlier is 50% certain. The former Minister of Personnel has already sent people to Gusu."
Baozhu put down the dish in her hand. Knowing that the matter was a secret, she ignored the etiquette and thanked him again and again. She knew that this must have taken a lot of effort, and just thanking him was a bit empty.
"Secure your own home first, and wait for the rest."
Baozhu sighed, "We can only wait."
Originally, they thought that only the Zhen family was anxious, but they didn't expect that the Minister of Personnel was even more anxious than them. Before the palace examination, he had secretly presented to the emperor all the things that the Sun family's nephews had done when they were in Jiangnan.
Lord Pei had not hidden the matter from Baozhu. The last time he saw her, she looked so skinny, he knew that she had just recovered from a serious illness. He told her the news so that she could feel relieved. Besides, this was her idea in the first place, so she came to inform him as soon as she heard the news.
It was getting late, and he must have something to say at this time. The matter was a secret in the Sun family, and no one in the family knew about it. Baozhu saw that there was no one in the yard, so she didn't care about the rules, gave a wink, and took the man back to the house.
After pouring him a cup of tea, Pei Yanqing drank it and then said,
"The emperor ordered me to secretly investigate the Sun family. Your plan is about 70% complete now." Pei Yanqing saw her breathe a sigh of relief, and suddenly felt that all his hard work these days had not been in vain. "The Sun family has committed more than a few crimes in Gusu. The younger generation indulged in sensual pleasures, raped women and took lives. The ladies in the inner courtyard secretly lent money and seized shops. The old uncle of the Sun family even kept a boy lover..."
Each of them is a serious sin, and Baozhu feels sorry for these victims.
"There was a victim whose only daughter was abducted by Lord Sun's son. After her death, not even her body was recovered. The elderly couple had no way to file a lawsuit, so they wanted to go to Bianjing to file a complaint. However, before they could leave Gusu City, she was strangled to death in the suburbs. When the government investigated, they said she had hanged herself."
Pei Yanqing glanced at Baozhu and said, "Originally, there was a pimp named Hua Pozi from Suzhou who was a pimp for the Sun family. Later, the whole family was silenced by Master Sun."
Baozhu then realized that the old woman had died long ago. She deserved her death, but it was a pity for those who had been persecuted by the old woman and the Sun family. The Sun family killed people indiscriminately and treated human life as worthless, which was punishable by death. The laws of this dynasty forbid even servants with indentures from being killed at will, let alone these ordinary people.
The teacup was empty, and Baozhu continued to drink it. She heard the neighbor and Xu Niang finishing their conversation outside. Baorong accompanied A Niang to send the people to the door. Seeing that the light was on in A Jie's room, he wanted to come to find A Jie so that they could sleep together at night.
Madam Yu didn't care about the Sun family and just asked Baorong to continue studying. However, the Zhen family was afraid of retaliation from the Sun family, so they didn't dare to ask her to go. Even if she didn't go, Baorong practiced diligently every day, and often came to her sister's room in the evening to chat and carve prints.
Seeing Baorong coming, Baozhu was so flustered that she almost knocked over the teacup. She wanted to ask Lord Pei to hide, but she felt that she already owed him a favor and it would be difficult to do him the favor.
Pei Yanqing calmly took a sip of tea and before she could speak, he had already slipped behind the cabinet.
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