Ying Tianfu, City God Temple.

Different from the ethereal bodhisattva gods and goddesses enshrined in temples and Taoist temples, the gods of the City God Temple represent the patron saints of a city, and they are more pyrotechnic, often selected by the local people and canonized by the government, so the city god gods in each region are different.

For example, Huo Guang, the general of the Han Dynasty selected by Shanghai County, and Wen Tianxiang was selected by Jinling City. In addition, there are all kinds of gods in the side hall of the City God Temple, such as if you want to learn, go to Wenchang Temple; If you want a son to seek marriage, go to the Niangniang Temple...... No matter what you're looking for, you'll always find the right deity at the City God Temple.

So inclusive and down-to-earth, so the City God Temple is the most lively place, every day pilgrims and tourists are weaving, but in the Hongwu period, the City God Temple has one more thing that attracts attention - human skin.

Emperor Hongwu ordered that those who embezzled more than sixty taels of silver would be sentenced to death, and those who committed the most heinous crimes would be skinned, and the skin peeled off would be dried and embalmed, filled with straw, and hung in the City God Temple to show the public, so as to deter the people who give and accept bribes in the world.

Today's weather is fine, Yao Miaoyi and Song Xiuer came to the City God Temple to burn incense and play, Song Xiuer was not interested, that god didn't want to worship, even the Niangniang Temple with the most big girls was too lazy to take a step, and bought a pack of roasted goods to eat listlessly.

"Follow me." Yao Miaoyi took Song Xiuer's hand and stuffed the fried goods to Ah Fu, who was driving the car.

"Where to go?" Song Xiu'er said: "I don't want to appreciate any plum blossoms, there are people under the tree, and there are some disciples who want to take advantage, it's boring." ”

"If you want to enjoy the peach blossoms, you will go to Jiming Temple, what are you doing in Chenghuang Temple?" Yao Miaoyi pulled her to a stop in a slightly deserted place.

For some reason, after walking here, Song Xiu'er always felt that an inexplicable cold air blew through the rabbit fur Zhaojun set she was wearing on her head, and the cold air went down from her spine, and it was terrifying.

She took a closer look, and vaguely saw a shadow hanging on the hanging beam of the main hall in front of her, Song Xiu'er pushed three steps in a row, and hurriedly said: "This is the place where the skin of a corrupt official is hung, right?" I'm afraid I'll have nightmares at night, so let's go back. ”

Yao Miaoyi said: "Didn't I say that I would think of a way to help you get revenge?" Now's your chance. Back then, your stepmother and uncle took advantage of your dowry and monopolized the family property, and actually came up with a shady way to jointly abduct and sell you to the land of fireworks in Yangzhou. ”

"Shoot a man before a horse, capture a thief before capture the king. Get rid of your stepmother's biggest backer and helper, your uncle, and we'll slowly clean up this wicked woman in the future. Yao Miaoyi took out an oiled paper bag from her sleeve, "Today's decree, if you accept more than sixty taels of silver, you will be cut and skinned.

There is conclusive evidence in this to prove that your uncle, who was the head of the Ministry of Industry, took bribes of more than 2,000 taels of silver and 30 acres of land in the suburbs when he built the Jinling city wall and moat. ”

Yao Miaoyi pointed to the human skins filled with straw in the hall, "I believe it won't be long before your uncle's human skins will be hung in the City God Temple and accompanied by these corrupt officials." ”

didn't expect Yao Miaoyi to fulfill her promise so quickly, Song Xiuer was shocked at first, and then resentful. When her father, Song Xiaowei, escorted the family of the general Xu Da back to Jinling, she was robbed by gangsters on the road and hacked to death with a knife, when she was only seven years old.

After the death of her father, the stepmother immediately unveiled the mask of hypocrisy, in order to covet her dowry, the stepmother actually united with her mother's family, coaxed her out to enjoy the lantern festival on August 15, knocked out with a stick in the carriage, sold to the Yangzhou prostitute as a thin horse, and then went to the government to report the loss, accounting for all the family property.

The so-called uncle is the stepmother's own brother, and he has no blood relationship with Song Xiuer. The uncle went to Yangzhou to sell her, and when she left, she said shamelessly: "Actually, your stepmother asked me to sink you to the Yangtze River, but think about the virtue of a good life in heaven, I can't bear to harm your life, it's better to die than to live, listen to your mothers, and be less hungry and beaten......"

In fact, this so-called uncle is kind? It's just that I saw that she was born very well, and I thought that selling it far away to Yangzhou as a thin horse would not only solve the trouble, but also make a small profit, so why not?

If Yao Miaoyi hadn't come to the rescue, Song Xiuer would have fallen in the fire pit at this moment.

Song Xiu'er held the oil paper package tightly in her palm, laughed with tears, and choked up: "When he was greedy for money and acted for the tiger, he will soon have retribution!" ”

Yao Miaoyi said: "Once people are greedy, they can't stop it, they were small greedy, and now they are greedy, and now they are greedy, and he pushes himself step by step into the human skin hall." Have you seen the noble lady in the Niangniang Hall who is begging for a child? She is the wife of Fang Yushi, Fang Yushi is a good official who avenges the people's grievances and is upright, and has a good reputation. ”

Song Xiu'er was a little relieved, "Is this Fang Yushi really reliable?" What if the officials protect each other and destroy the evidence you have worked so hard to gather? ”

Yao Miaoyi said with a smile: "I have a back hand, and the oil paper bag is the account book of the bribe." The evidence of bribery and the house is still in my hands, if Fang Yushi ignores it, or even wolf bèi, I will send the evidence to the Bafu Patrol and take them down. ”

"If Fang Yushi handles it impartially and the emperor gets rid of the big moths in the Ministry of Industry, I will find a way to submit the remaining evidence again and take the bribes

It is an iron case and cannot be turned over. We Suzhou people don't like Emperor Hongwu, but in recent years, he is determined to fight corruption, vigorous and resolute, but he is quite popular with the people, and the City God Temple will soon have an extra skin here. ”

Song Xiu'er decided to take the first step of revenge herself, she bought a bag of dim sum, stuffed it into the little Taoist priest who sprinkled the temple of the city god, and asked him to hand the oil paper bag to Mrs. Fang Yushi.

Yao Miaoyi and her hid under the peach blossom tree, and saw Mrs. Fang Yushi take the oil paper bag with her own eyes, and then set off back to Baihetang.

Back at the pharmacy, Yao Miaoyi secretly thanked Zhu Hu, who was sitting in the hall: "It's done, thank you for your help." If you hadn't made a move, we wouldn't have found evidence of tripped up Uncle Xiu'er so quickly. ”

Song Xiuer couldn't have imagined that in fact, it was Zhu Wulang who she had been mocking and sarcastic all the time behind her.

It is difficult to speak alone, and it is inconvenient for Yao Miaoyi to use the secret party of the Ming Sect that is silent and rejuvenating. I thought of using the privileges of the fifth prince Zhu Hu to help Song Xiu'er take revenge.

Yao Miaoyi secretly told Zhu Hu about Song Xiu'er's tragic experience, Zhu Hu was a warm-hearted person, and immediately said: "Don't worry, this matter is on me, I originally thought that Xiu'er had a strange temperament and spoke a little harshly." I didn't expect her to have this experience of being betrayed and framed by her relatives when she was a child, no wonder she was defensive about people and things, and always said bad things about Miss Wang. ”

This Wang girl is the pretty woman who was rescued by Zhu Hu and fell victim to the poison of aconite, and she is also a merchant who moved from other places, and opened a spice shop at home. Song Xiuer didn't like Miss Wang the most, and she didn't even bother to say her name, so she replaced it with "that fox spirit".

There are no guests in Baihetang for the time being, and listening to Yao Miaoyi say that it is about to be completed, Zhu Hu is immersed in studying an ancient recipe, and he said without raising his head:

"Oh, actually, I just moved my mouth. It was the Governor's Mansion Mao Xiang who did a good job and quickly collected evidence. What kind of uncle is evil and evil, he actually does tricks and feet in the city fortifications, greedy for gold and silver, and sooner or later he can't escape the skinner's knife. My father hated corrupt officials the most. can help Xiu'er take revenge as soon as possible, and can also eliminate harm for the court, killing two birds with one stone, no need to say thank you. ”

Someone can be high above all living beings, and a casual decision of the five princes can determine the life and death of a person, and even the rise and fall of a family.

Although Zhu Hu's temper is as soft as dough on weekdays, he lets Song Xiuer knead it round and poke it flat, and he also lets the big girls and little aunts in the neighborhood tease. But in terms of identity and status, Song Xiuer and others don't even have the qualifications to know Zhu Hu's true identity.

It's good not to know, but the more you know, the more troubles you have.

Yao Miaoyi looked at the crackling of the abacus in the lobby, and even Song Xiu'er, who had a bit of a cheerful rhythm, secretly said that ignorance is also a blessing. People like me who know too much are followed by a lot of trouble.

said that trouble and trouble were coming, Mao Xiang, who was wearing the clothes of the family nursing home, walked into Baihetang and said to Yao Miaoyi: "My hostess is unstable, please ask Dr. Yao to come over and take a look." ”

It was the lord of Lake Mountain Xiaozhu Yongping who was calling her. Yao Miaoyi understood, "Okay, you sit down for a while, I'll go and prepare the medical box." ”

The janitor Afu warmly invited Mao Xiang to sit down, and served a cup of coarse tea, Mao Xiang is a soldier, but he doesn't care about the taste of the tea, he drank it all, and looked at Zhu Hu, who was burying his head in reading medical books, with the corner of his eye, secretly thinking that this fifth prince really has perseverance and perseverance, and he actually moved his real character, and worked tirelessly to be a folk doctor for half a year.

However, at present, the five princes seem to have moved their hearts and fell in love with Miss Wang of the spice shop. The details of this Wang family seem to be clean, but ...... Mao Xiang has been in the Captain's Mansion for many years, and his intuition tells him that it doesn't seem to be so simple.

He had already secretly asked the painter to depict the appearance of all the people in the Wang family, and sent someone to the place where the Wang family was previously registered to make an unannounced visit to see if they had been impersonated. It's just that the Wang family's household registration is far away in Shaanxi, the road is far away, and the place is remote, so there has been no news so far.

Mao Xiang finished drinking Ah Fuxu's tea, walked to the counter and said, "Give me two bottles of hot sauce." ”

After the first taste of Baihetang's meat sauce mixed with chili peppers, it was so spicy that he almost jumped into the snow and rolled in the snow, vowing never to touch it again; And the fourth prince Zhu Di seemed to like this novelty taste very much, bought a jar and brought it into the palace, and often ate it with light meals such as white porridge.

The two reacted differently, Mao Xiang saw it, was curious, and also bought a bottle and tasted it, the tip of the tongue was like a fire lit, which could only be extinguished with ice and snow. But after the flame was extinguished, I missed the smell very much, as if it had some kind of magical power.

This taste is unprecedented, no wonder the Four Princes like it. Mao Xiang is also addicted to eating, and he bottomed out in one bottle in three days, so he stopped by today to buy it.

The sound of the abacus stopped, and Song Xiuer took out a small porcelain bottle from the counter lattice, "There is only one bottle, and the new hot sauce will be boiled out tomorrow afternoon." ”

Hot sauce is sold as an appetizing plaster to ward off cold, and is sold as a food tonic along with rose sauce. Unlike rose sauce, which is highly sought after by women, the appearance of hot sauce is both ice and fire: those who like it can't wait to eat it every day, and those who don't like it can't wait to chop off their tongues when they taste it.

However, even so, the hot sauce is still selling quickly, and more and more people like spicy sauce are often sold out.

"Then buy a bottle." Mao Xiang took out a bunch of money.

Song Xiu'er was collecting the money, but suddenly paused, staring at Mao Xiang carefully, "Huh? Aren't you the gangster who used to come to the store to pull Zhu Gorou away to collect debts? Now it's a nursing home? ”

When Zhu Wulang came to Baihetang for the first time, he was pulled away by a group of people led by Mao Xiang in the middle of the conversation, Song Xiuer was so shocked that she was about to scream, but Mao Xiang covered her mouth.

In fact, that day, the bad news of Chang Yuchun's death reached Jinling, and Mao Xiang wanted to take Zhu Wulang back to the palace urgently. Yao Miaoyi lied that Zhu Hu owed the money to this group of gangsters and dragged them out to ask for debts.

Song Xiuer has always believed in Yao Miaoyi, so she firmly believes that Mao Xiang is a street gangster.

Alas, this ignorant and naïve little girl, who escaped from a ghost place like Yangzhou Qinglou, is still innocent. Of course, Mao Xiang didn't explain his identity as a thousand households, so he smiled and said: "That's right, I now abandon the darkness and turn to the light, find a serious errand, and never go to the street to collect debts again." ”

Song Xiuer returned a drop of money to him, "Knowing that mistakes can be corrected, and it is very good." I asked you for this bottle, and it should be regarded as a good deed of my day. ”

Mao Qian pretended to be surprised, "There is such a good thing?!" You're not kidding, are you? ”

Song Xiuer said boldly: "I'm in a good mood today, and I finally see what evil is rewarded, and good is rewarded." I decided to do a good deed every day from today onwards and accumulate good fortune, I will buy this bottle of chili pepper and give it to you, rewarding you for abandoning evil and following good. It is better to have one more good person in this world than one more bad person. ”

Mao Xiang smiled lightly: "How do you know that I have become a good person?" "I have a lot of lives on my hands, and my real errand is also doing some inconvenient things to see the light, but you say that I am a good person?

Song Xiu'er said: "I see people very accurately, who is the good person, who is the bad person, and who is the fox spirit...... Well, my hunch is accurate anyway, and I rarely look away. This hot sauce is so expensive, so I haven't changed my mind, so let's take it quickly. ”