[Qing Chuan] No pet little promise

The carriage finally slowed down at the back door of a house, but did not stop, and drove directly into the courtyard along the back door.

Yinzhen helped Wei Rong get out of the car.

The two went up to the tall building, and Wei Rong observed all the way. The house is spacious and the courtyard is clean, but it is very deserted. It should be an empty house that no one lives in. I don't know why Yinzhen brought him here?

Going up to the top floor in one breath, Wei Rong was full of doubts when he suddenly heard a commotion outside.

She leaned on the railing and looked out,

From here you can overlook the entire front yard.Although it was an uninhabited yard, everything was swept clean and brightly lit.

Through the open gate, two carriages could be seen stopping outside the gate.A middle-aged couple walked in with two children.

Men are elegant and elegant, while women are beautiful and graceful.The first two children, the older one is a handsome boy of twelve or thirteen years old, and the younger one is a little girl of six or seven years old, who wears double buns.

Looks like a nice family.

Wei Rong was at a loss, only feeling that these people were inexplicably familiar.Turning to look at Yinzhen.

Yinzhen looked at her with a smile and didn't say much.

Looking down again, as those people continued to approach, the secret memory in the heart was brought back, and there was a sense of excitement that filled tears in the eyes, Wei Rong finally woke up, these are the family members of the original owner!

"Your father's evaluation was good this year, and he was promoted to an official position, so there is no waiting for him to come to Beijing. Now he has taken a fancy to this courtyard and wants to rent it." Yinzhen whispered beside him.

Wei Rong didn't know whether to laugh or cry, but was a little moved because of Yinzhen's thoughtfulness.

It stands to reason that Wei's father, a small official from the sixth rank, doesn't have to go to Beijing when he is short. He must have used some tricks.Including this courtyard, with the financial resources of the Wei family, it would definitely not be able to afford it under normal circumstances.

"It's because my younger brother is talented and knowledgeable, and he was favored by Cai An, a great scholar in the capital, and he is going to accept him as his disciple." Yinzhen said deliberately lightly.

Wei Rong is funny, needless to say, I know it is your credit.

In the eyes of the world, the emperor was calm and cold as ice.Only facing her, occasionally there is such a juvenile flaunting mentality.Just like the state that a 20-year-old should have.

She turned and looked downstairs.

As a time traveler, of course it is impossible for her to have too deep feelings for these people, but the memory of the original owner is still there, and these people below are her closest relatives.Think of it as looking for the original owner.

The steward led the members of the Wei family around, inspecting the courtyard and introducing the buildings in detail.

Seeing them getting closer and closer to the small building, Wei Rong looked away, "Let's go back."

Yinzhen took her hand, and the two got into the carriage together, and left the yard through the back door.

After walking out for a long time, Wei Rong still felt a kind of blunt sadness in her heart. The original owner's feelings for his family were really deep.

Yinzhen looked at her face, and said in a low voice: "Your father can stay in the capital to take up the job after being promoted."

"No need." Wei Rong immediately refused.

After a pause, she added, "Although my father is knowledgeable, he is too upright and not good at general affairs. There are many confidential positions in the capital. If there is a delay, it will not be beautiful."

Yinzhen originally wanted to say that not all official positions in the capital are important.But after thinking about it, the capital is full of nobles and nobles, and there are countless high-ranking officials. Being a small official of the fifth or sixth rank in the capital, with hands tied, is not as easy and comfortable as outside.And after reading the information, Wei's father is indeed honest and dull, not a person who can get away with it.

"Then I will arrange for him to go back to Jiangnan to be a political student." He laughed.

Wei Rong nodded, this would be the best.

***

The carriage drove into the market, and there were lively sounds from all around.

Wei Rong lifted the curtain of the car and looked at the lights of Wanjia outside, the sadness in her chest disappeared quickly.

Yinzhen laughed and said, "Let's eat outside tonight." When the two came out, they hadn't had dinner yet.

With an order, the driving guard turned around and went to Dongshun Pavilion, one of the eight famous buildings in the capital.

The carriage stopped in the backyard, and the guards escorted the two of them into the topmost box of the restaurant.

Looking around, this restaurant is quite delicately designed, four floors high, connected by a flying bridge between the first and second floors, the flying bridge is decorated with ribbons and flowers, several women are banging their teeth, talking and singing on it, The clear tone is mixed in the bustling restaurants, and there is a kind of clearness with the smoke and fire of the market.

The private room has already been filled with dishes, all of which are the famous signature dishes of Dongshun Building.

Xiao Shengzi and the others waited for the two to sit down, and then retreated automatically.

The emperor and empress didn't like to be served by palace people when they were eating, and everyone quickly accepted this new rule.

Yinzhen personally served Wei Rong a bowl of mutton soup, and said with a smile, "I heard that the chef of Dongshun Tower came from the imperial dining room in the palace."

Wei Rong tasted it, and found that it was delicious and thick, and the color was white, even if it wasn't the craftsmanship of the imperial dining room, it was not too bad.

While the two were eating, suddenly there was a commotion outside.

Through the open window, Wei Rong looked into the distance, and there was a group of people gradually approaching in the distance.

First, twelve strong men carried a boxy, ornately decorated wooden bed, on which sat cross-legged a woman in a plain white Taoist robe, in her forties, with calm eyes, holding a flower in her hand, closing her eyes and meditating shape.

On the left and right sides of the wooden bed were eight girls in pink jackets, holding flower baskets, and from time to time they grabbed a handful of flower petals from the basket and threw them at the girl in white above her.

The petals were blown by the wind, and the petals fell in all directions, which made the woman in the Taoist robe look a bit dusty.

Wei Rong sees the word "囧" in capital letters, and has a sense of time travel back to the martial arts movies of the 90s.

"What is this?" she couldn't help asking.

Yinzhen frowned and said, "It seems to be some Taoist temple doing things." After looking at it for a while, he guessed, "Looking at it, it should be the recently popular Dragon Girl Sect."

"Is it a sacrifice?" Wei Rong asked.After traveling for a long time, she knew that the Qing court had strict laws and regulations on folk beliefs, and only officially canonized gods and ghosts could be worshiped and preached. Strictly prohibited, this is also to prevent treacherous people from fooling the people, collecting money, or gathering crowds to cause chaos.

"It's the official sacrifice." Yinzhen nodded.

He has read related reports, and this sect has just sprung up from the south in recent years. The preacher is surnamed Wu. He was originally a merchant traveling the open sea. Because the large ship carrying goods sank and his wealth was gone, he could only become a monk.After spending a few months in the Taoist temple, for some reason, he suddenly fell asleep one day and slept for three days. After waking up, he claimed that he had received a decree from Guanyin in his dream.

He said that his ship sank because it was accidentally swept by the tail of the dragon when the dragon girl turned over, and it sank.

The dragon girl was responsible for this cause and effect, and she was extremely sorry for their husband and wife, so she accepted them as disciples of heretics and taught them a copy of the "Miaoxiang Sutra".There are several kinds of heavenly spices recorded in it, which have the magical effect of living dead human flesh and white bones.

From then on, this surnamed Wu claimed to be Miaoxiang Daoist, and his wife was called Miaoxiang Xiangu.

At the beginning of the year, Edong Xun, governor of Jiangsu and Zhejiang provinces, suffered from a chronic leg injury, and asked doctors and medicines to no avail. Someone recommended this couple.Unexpectedly, the spices prescribed were quite miraculous.Thinking of several old friends in the capital who also had the same problem, when he returned to Beijing to report on his duties earlier this year, he invited the couple to Beijing as well, and set up a dojo for them, admiring them in every possible way.

While eating, Yinzhen told Wei Rong the whole story.

Looking through the window, the ashram down the street is gradually drifting away.Many passers-by watched and talked with great interest.

Wei Rong shook her head: "I'm afraid they are all liars."

Yinzhen laughed and said, "Indeed, this supernatural power is far worse than the queen's invisibility."

"You're here to amuse me again." Wei Rong glared at him angrily.

There are often gods and witches in the folk who are proficient in some medical skills. Since this Miaoxiang real person does not harm ordinary people, but only makes friends with dignitaries, the two of them didn't think much about it, and quickly forgot about it.

Back to the palace.

More than a month later, in the early morning of this day, Wei Rong went to the Compassionate Ning Palace to pay his respects as usual.

After sitting down, I smelled a strong aroma.Barely distinguishable, it seems to be a mixture of floral and musk, a little pungent.

Wei Rong sneezed twice, secretly surprised, the Empress Dowager liked to use light and elegant incense since she was a concubine, and had never used such strong and tacky incense.Why did you change your style today?

Seeing her eyes fall on the jasper double-eared gluttonous hook incense burner at hand, the queen mother sighed helplessly.

"This is the spice recommended by Mrs. An Guogong when she came to the palace to pay her respects the day before yesterday. She said it was a fairy recipe prepared by Master Miaoxiang. Using it can calm the mind and prolong life."

"Real person Miaoxiang?" Wei Rong didn't expect to hear this name for the second time.

The queen mother said: "I thought it was a folk magician who boasted and exaggerated, but I didn't expect Ai to use it a few times, and it really has some effect."

She often suffers from headaches, and has used many calming prescriptions, but none of them can be as effective as this time.

Wei Rong asked, "Is there any special medicinal material in this spice?"

"Mrs. An Guogong also inquired about the recipe. It is said that it was given by the gods. It can only be prepared by Na Miaoxiang, and cannot be passed on." The queen mother said.

Wei Rong instinctively felt that something was wrong. It stands to reason that there is no such immediate effect in traditional Chinese medicine, especially for chronic diseases.

That night, when Yinzhen came back for dinner, Wei Rong mentioned this matter to him.

Yinzhen pondered for a moment, "This spice seems to have some calming and pain-relieving effects. The last time Edong Xun Zuo was right, he also mentioned this matter, and he praised this Miaoxiang real person for his true talents and knowledge, and the spice is wonderful. Look at his appearance, he is in good spirits, It's just that the person is very thin."

Wei Rong was curious, "It's so effective, wouldn't the people flock to it."

Yinzhen shook his head: "This spice is expensive, and a small bag costs 20 taels of silver. Ordinary rich people dare not buy it. In addition, according to the news, although this spice is wonderful, it doesn't last long. It must be used continuously. OK. If I don’t use it for a day or two, I’ll feel uncomfortable all over, and the soreness is even worse than before.”

Wei Rong's heart tightened, and she blurted out, "Is this thing still addictive?"

The description of the symptoms made her think of something very bad.As far as she knew, opium was not brought in by the British in the first place.Some unscrupulous maritime merchants privately sell these as painkillers, or pack them into high-priced tobacco to make huge profits.

Yinzhen was reminded by her, and he also paid attention to it. He pondered for a while, and said: "I will find someone to investigate this matter in detail tomorrow. The queen mother stopped these things of unknown origin for the time being."

Wei Rong nodded, "I'll go and explain to the queen mother."

Even if the relationship between mother and child is so weak, it is still his biological mother.

***

The emperor ordered a detailed investigation, but after three or five days, everything was found out.

The Ministry of Criminal Affairs is not only efficient, but also very simple and rude.Immediately arrested a few of Miaoxiang's confidantes, tortured them severely, and then went into his secret cellar for refining spices, turned everything inside upside down, and brought them back to the Ministry of Punishment.I went to the imperial hospital and invited several imperial physicians who are good at medicine to distinguish together, and quickly figured out the ingredients and production process.

After the court was over that morning, Yue Feng, the servant of the Ministry of Justice, and the left courtyard of the Supreme Hospital sentenced Wang Dechun to the Qianqing Palace to report the inspection results.

Wang Dechun opened his mouth first: "My Majesty, my Majesty, apart from common things such as borneol, musk, licorice, and lily, the most important thing used in this fragrance is the lotion ointment. This wonderful fragrance is used by real people. The extraction technique is quite clever, and the extracted Afulan juice is more pure than the ones on the market..."

Wei Rong's heart sank when she heard the words "A Fu Rong Ointment". Isn't this another name for opium?She guessed it right.

Yinzhen asked, "How does this thing affect the body?"

Wang Dechun hurriedly said: "As far as I know, this substance is also a commonly used medicinal material. It can be used to relieve pain and relieve cough. It was included in the earliest Hua Tuo's Mafeisan. It's just that it is not easy to refine, especially if it is high-purity. Tai Hospital Everything prepared in it is not as pure as the one in the hands of Master Miaoxiang."

Speaking of this, he was a little excited. He just searched a folk warlock, and he didn't expect to get such a harvest.In the future, the Tai Hospital can also learn from the method to purify the medicine.

Wei Rong's eyes were solemn: "Since the court judge knows that this substance can be used as medicine, you should know that if you use too much, ten people will have symptoms of addiction and it will be difficult to quit."

"This... is the lesser of two evils. If it wasn't for a terminal illness, I wouldn't use this product." Wang Dechun didn't think so, normal people would take medicine when they have nothing to do.

"I'm afraid things are not that simple." Wei Rong's tone was serious, "Not to mention, this item was recommended by Mrs. An Guogong to the Queen Mother. Mrs. Guogong's wife is in good health and has no ailments. Because the husband used this item, she followed it. After getting too much, I also started to like to use this kind of incense, I feel that I feel light when I smoke it, like in the clouds, and I feel uncomfortable after a day of not using it. It can be seen that even healthy people can’t avoid smoking this kind of incense for fun.”

Yinzhen grasped the point keenly, "Is there any harm in smoking this thing?"

Wei Rong said solemnly, "When I was in my hometown, my concubine also heard that as long as you take this substance for a year or two, you will become addicted, and you can't quit. You will become weak and mentally weak. There is nothing else. Once you can't get it, you will cry and cry, and you will be in pain. In order to have a bite, you can even do things like killing people and stealing money. Not to mention daily labor and work."

Doctor Wang thought for a while, and tactfully raised an objection, "Your Majesty's worry is justified, but this product is expensive and difficult to refine. Even if a rich and honored family wants to smoke continuously for one or two years, it may be difficult."

Wei Rong shook her head, "That was in the past, if in the future this opium poppy was planted on a large scale, it would be easy and convenient to extract, and the price would be so low that even traffickers could smoke it at will, what would it be like?"

"This..." Doctor Wang was stuck.

Wei Rong said again, "As far as I know, the western refining method has been greatly improved in recent years, the planting area is also expanding day by day, and the price is getting lower day by day."

Yue Feng, the servant of the Ministry of Criminal Justice, who had not opened his mouth, cupped his hands and said, "The empress has a wide range of knowledge. I will interrogate the cronies of the real Miaoxiang. This person is the person who came into contact with this ointment in the Western Regions when he was sailing overseas a few years ago. This country is exactly There are a large number of people planting this plant. No matter nobles or businessmen, even wealthy farmers, they all like to smoke. Some of them waste production all year round and do not work. Some of them die young because of excessive smoking. The family surnamed Wu's fortune was ruined, and in order to make a comeback, they set their minds on this thing."

After a pause, he added, "I heard that in countries farther away, such as England, this item is forbidden. Only doctors, pharmacies, etc. are allowed to buy it, and ordinary people are strictly forbidden to touch it. It's just that it has not been verified, and I am not sure. It will be confirmed by the emperor. Arrange for a detailed investigation. Regarding the toxicity of this substance, I have seized a large amount of spices from Master Miaoxiang, so I can verify it with my own hands."

Yinzhen tapped his fingers on the table, pondered for a moment, and ordered: "I will arrange people to go to the Western merchants in the capital to investigate this matter. As for the toxicity of this substance, the Ministry of Punishment and the Imperial Hospital will immediately verify it and report it as soon as possible."

"The ministers obey the order."

Yinzhen also ordered, "This matter is related to the safety of the Empress Dowager, so we must be extra cautious."

"Sir, you understand."

When the two left, Yinzhen turned his head and asked suspiciously: "Have you ever seen someone get killed by this drug before?"

It was rare for her to be so persistent, and her attitude just now was quite fierce.

Wei Rong lowered his eyes, "I haven't seen it with my own eyes, it's just recorded in the book, it's shocking."

Yinzhen was thoughtful, "What book is it?"

"It's a book called the rise and fall of the country, which records the history of the rise and fall of many countries." Wei Rong looked at the sunlight outside the window and said quietly, "One of the countries was overly addicted to these drugs, which led to the decline of the country..."

She briefly recounted the Opium War of the late Qing government in another way.

The more Xu Zhen heard it, the more shocked he became, "It's too bizarre that a great country would decline because of such objects. Is it true or not?"

Wei Rong smiled wryly, "This drug is just one of them. The main reason is that the country is defeated, the people are barren, and there are many accumulated disadvantages. In addition, this drug has been hit hard, so it can't bear it. As for whether it is true or not..." She After a pause, "The records in the classics may be exaggerated, but we don't know."

Yinzhen pondered for a moment, and became more serious, "This matter is not without precedent in history. Among the countries in Southeast Asia, there are some small countries that are addicted to betel nuts and other things, so they don't do production, and diseases are rampant."

Since this opium may cause such harm, it must be guarded against. Anyway, it has not spread now, and if it is banned as soon as possible, it will not cause turmoil in the government and the public.

Wei Rong saw that the heat was almost ready, so she got up and left.

After leaving the hall, she let out a long sigh of relief.Fortunately, it was discovered early, and it happened to take advantage of this opportunity to ban opium, a poisonous thing, in advance!

It suddenly occurred to him that what he did today could be regarded as a minor meddling in politics. Fortunately, it was related to the Empress Dowager's health, and it was not a military matter, so the courtiers didn't think much about it.

She smiled wryly, but she didn't know that this little drug cream was the real military event, and it would leave the country with such a deep wound in the future.

The golden-red light of the setting sun shone into the corridor, as if a little bit of gold was sprinkled on the road ahead.

Wei Rong looked at the setting sun in the distance.

Even in this backward era, we must do our best to do something that is beneficial to future generations.

It's not in vain to go through this scene!