The next day, before Lin Yutong had time to ask Fourth Master if he had thought about it, he was interrupted by the sound of hurried footsteps.
"Master..." Wu Chunlai came in still breathing heavily, which made Lin Yutong wonder if the distance between the inner courtyard and the outer courtyard was a little too far.
She signaled Yingtao to pour Wu Chunlai a cup of tea, and then said: "Don't worry, the sky is falling, and you will be holding it up! Why are you anxious?"
The fourth master broke open the steamed buns in his hand and put in the beef sauce made by Lin Yutong. Then he gave Lin Yutong a helpless look, turned his face and said to Wu Chunlai: "Yeah, don't be in a hurry. Speak slowly."
Wu Chunlai drank the boiled water and then said quickly: "Sir, madam, a group of mourners came to the door. They pulled a coffin outside our house..."
Just after the end of the year, someone came with a coffin. What did they want to do?
Looking for bad luck!
Yesterday I sent a dragon chair, today I send a coffin. What's the fuss about?
Lin Yutong's face changed with anger, but the fourth master's face did not change at all. Instead, while eating, he asked Wu Chunlai, "Did you tell me who they are?"
Wu Chunlai whispered: "It is said to be an imperial envoy, and the person lying in the coffin is Mr. Fan Dongzhe, the Minister of Household Affairs..."
Lin Yutong was a little confused, and even the Fourth Master couldn't help but look at Wu Chunlai. What does this mean?
The imperial court sent an imperial envoy, but he was lying in a coffin.
"Dead?" Lin Yutong asked in surprise. But what does death have to do with his family? He can't drag the coffin to his door.
Wu Chunlai was stunned for a moment, then said with a mournful face: "Madam, it's so scary that he's still alive and lying in the coffin."
Lin Yutong sounded confused, but Fourth Master somewhat understood.
"Okay, let's go take a look first." Fourth Master said, getting up.
The two of them went directly to the gate. He was a real imperial envoy. He was wearing sackcloth and wearing mourning. You couldn't let him in, right?
When they arrived at the door, Fang Changqing was already there. He now officially took on the job of Mr. Staff.
There was a carriage at the door, followed by five sturdy young men, all dressed in sackcloth and wearing mourning belts on their heads. On the other side, there was a man with a mustache talking to Fang Changqing.
There was a black lacquered coffin on the carriage, with a gap exposed at one end of the coffin. Obviously, there was someone inside.
Fang Changqing had almost finished talking to the mustache, then turned around to the fourth master and reported in a low voice: "...the emperor conferred the title of Duke of the State on the Marquis..."
The fourth master chuckled and couldn't help but glance at Lin Yutong, as if to say, this is the reliance you guessed.
Lin Yutong couldn't help curling her lips and whispered: "The title is generous, but there is nothing real at all." She looked at Fang Changqing, "What else was given? Gold and silver? Jewelry? Soldiers and horses?"
Fang Changqing touched his nose and then said: "I was rewarded with two jars of royal wine, an octagonal official hat, a gold book and a gold seal." He pointed to the coffin and the few people wearing sackcloth and mourning, and explained.
He said, "The emperor asked Mr. Fan to be the imperial envoy, but Mr. Fan sent back all the ceremonial guards prepared by the Ministry of Rites."
Lin Yutong nodded, those colorful things were so attractive. There were refugees all along the way, and when you saw them, you couldn't believe they were catching a fat sheep.
"Not only did he not show off his guard of honor, he also sent away all the original guards, leaving only a few strong ones. He prepared a coffin and set out on the road..."
Lin Yutong smiled and said: "That's right. How can there be so many funerals? This way it doesn't stand out. No one robs the dead of their money..."
Fang Changqing also said with some admiration: "All the things given by the emperor were put into the coffin. It was supposed to be a safe arrival. Who knew that there was a cold wind on the way and Master Fan fell ill. In order to rush for time, they put Master Fan in the coffin.
In the coffin..." He pointed to the mustache beside the carriage, "That is the deputy imperial envoy, Mr. Liu from the Ministry of Rites."
Fourth Master walked down the steps and walked down.
As soon as he reached the coffin, he stretched out a hand from the coffin. Then, the hand pushed the coffin board, and then sat up. His face was pale, and he was obviously seriously ill.
He seemed to be struggling, "It made the Marquis laugh."
The fourth master went over in person and supported Fan Dongzhe, "Master Fan, why do you say this? It is in troubled times and it is not easy for you to arrive in Beijing safely."
After saying hello, Li Jian and Wu Chunlai came forward and took Fan Dongzhe out of the coffin.
"Take it back to the house and ask for the doctor." The fourth master ordered and went inside.
Lin Yutong told Fang Changqing in a low voice: "These people will be placed in the post house. Tomorrow I will tell them that Mr. Fan has died of illness. Send them back to Jinling."
Fang Changqing was stunned, "Madam..." Could it be that she wanted to kill Fan Dongzhe. She shouldn't! Then, he had a thought. She didn't want to kill Fan Dongzhe, but wanted to keep him. Anyway, she was sick again.
The injury was so serious that he would die even if he didn't want to stay. In this way, Fan Dongzhe's family would be very safe in Jinling.
But this method is too rogue.
"Let's do it." Lin Yutong glanced at Fang Changqing, leaving no room for doubt.
Fan Dongzhe was indeed seriously ill. The disease was not wind-cold, but typhoid fever. If it had been two days later, it would have been really bad.
Lin Yutong read the prescription prescribed by the doctor, and secretly added or subtracted the medicinal ingredients. Then he called Wu Chunlai, "Ask someone to serve and cook the medicine. There must be no mistakes."
When he looked up, he saw the Fourth Master fiddling with the official hat in his hand again, and then throwing it away casually, "It doesn't show much sincerity to use an empty title to restrain people."
Just as Lin Yutong was about to speak, Fang Changqing walked in.
"Has it been settled?" Fourth Master asked.
Fang Changqing nodded, "The arrangements have been made." He glanced at Lin Yutong and then said to the fourth master, "The doctor has also been arranged to pass on the news that Mr. Fan is not in good health."
The Fourth Master glanced at Lin Yutong and said, "Just do as Madam said."
Fan Dongzhe was mentioned by Mr. Lu Henglu. His appointment as the Minister of Household Affairs was the result of Mr. Lu's recommendation. "There is no doubt about this person's ability, he is also flexible in dealing with things, and he is not a pedantic person. Such a capable person, naturally,
Once you see it, you can’t miss it..."
After the imperial envoy left the capital, Fan Dongzhe's illness really slowly recovered. When he heard that he had died of illness, he almost lost his breath.
I made a coffin for myself, and now it's ready, and I can really put myself in it.
Lin Yutong personally took the medicine bowl and said, "Sir, all the mistakes you made are my fault. I will apologize to you first."
Fan Dongzhe stared at Lin Yutong, his chest heaving. This matter is an understatement. Can it be overcome if he makes a mistake?
The fourth master said: "My wife has a naughty temperament, and you, sir, want to blame me. However, it is my intention to keep you here. In this current situation, being an imperial envoy is not a glamorous thing. I think you, sir, know the risks involved better than I do."
But why do so many ministers in the court appoint a first-rank official like you? It is really the title of the Duke of me that is so important. If it is really so important, it should be the Minister of Rites who personally declares the decree, not you.
The Minister of Household Affairs has signed a letter, right?"
Fan Dongzhe choked, of course this is correct. No one knows better than himself how he has been excluded.
"I heard that your niece is Prince Zheng's concubine?" Lin Yutong suddenly asked.
Fan Dongzhe's face became even more ugly, which was really painful.
King Zheng's concubine was nominally his niece. But his sister died of illness six months after getting married. This concubine was his brother-in-law's eldest daughter. She was previously King Zheng's concubine. Later, in order to win over himself, King Zheng took this concubine.
The concubine was promoted as a concubine. His brother-in-law immediately recorded the eldest daughter in his sister's name. Now, in terms of etiquette, she really became his niece.
Originally, it was very common for nobles from aristocratic families to marry each other and become entangled. He just laughed it off. If he really chose sides because of this relationship, wouldn't it be a joke? Not to mention a fake niece with no blood relationship, she is a real daughter. In important events,
In front of this, you have to think twice.
If this was the case under normal circumstances, King Zheng could not stand it and suddenly rebelled.
The emperor was originally suspicious, and in addition, he would rather kill by mistake than let go of such a thing. If his position was not really important and could not be dealt with casually, I was afraid that the emperor would be angry, so what might happen.
Obviously it's not possible, but secretly, isn't Xiao Xie coming soon? I have always looked down on eunuchs like Feng Hai. No, when I encountered such a hard job, I was pushed out.
Rogue bandits were raging, banditry was rampant, and the victims rebelled. In addition, it was freezing cold along the way, and I had to travel for days, so I fell ill on the road. If I didn't know the attitude of the people above me, how could the people below dare to be so perfunctory with me?
He delayed asking for medicine, but instead put himself in the coffin and hurried on. This was because he disliked the slowness of his death.
Seeing the look of sadness and anger on his face, the fourth master said: "Sir, if you stay here, you are just pretending to die. If you really want to go back, I'm afraid you will end up dead for real. Don't worry, sir, I will send someone to bring your family back to the capital for reunion as soon as possible."
.My husband's old house in the capital is still there, and the old servants who stayed at home are all well. If you want to go back and have a look, sir, that's fine. I just go there at night to avoid people."
Fan Dongzhe glanced at the fourth master with a complex expression, then closed his eyes and murmured: "You are loyal but you abandon it! You are loyal but you abandon it..."
Lin Yutong then slowly withdrew, with a smile on his lips.
When he saw Wu Chunlai coming over with a food box, Lin Yutong took it with his own hands and said, "Give it to me, and I'll take it in myself."
Just as he was about to lift the curtain, he heard Fourth Master ask Fan Dongzhe: "What are you most afraid of, sir?"
Lin Yutong heard Fan Dongzhe's deep voice, "After this experience, what I fear most is death."
She suddenly felt funny and opened the curtain and went in.
The fourth master was not disturbed at all, and asked with a smile: "What is the most important thing, sir?"
Lin Yutong put out the food and listened carefully. It felt like Fourth Master was doing a mental test. Is this a new skill he had acquired?
Hearing Mr. Fan cough, he said: "The most important thing is of course wealth. In the next household minister, I worry about money all day long. Why don't I have wealth?"