Zhu Ping'an reported to the Neitai on time every morning, noon and evening to inquire and urge for food and wages. Of course, he returned empty-handed every time, but it cannot be said that he returned empty-handed all the time. At least he and Neitai had a better understanding of each other...
Day 1. "Mr. Neitai, I wonder if the court has responded to your request for food and money for the militia? When will the food and money be delivered?"
"Zihou, don't worry. I just petitioned the court for food and money the day before yesterday, but I haven't received a reply yet. Go back and wait patiently. There's no need to work so hard. I'll let you know as soon as I get any news..."
The next day. "Mr. Neitai, I wonder if you have submitted a request to the court for food and wages for the militia training..."
"No reply yet, Zihou, please go back and wait patiently."
On the third day. "Mr. Neitai, I wonder..."
“No reply yet.”
Day 4. "Nie..."
"without."
Day 5. Zhu Ping'an came to the room of the Minister of Justice, but before he could speak, the Minister of Justice had already spoken, "No."
This damn tacit understanding...
"Alas, if I were Brother Zhu, I would have been exhausted after so many setbacks... However, Brother Zhu is worthy of being the top scholar. After so many setbacks, he is still in high spirits..."
In the corridor, Chu Xiong and two other people still used Zhu Ping'an's food and money as the object of their routine gambling. Chu Xiong always bet that Zhu Ping'an would succeed, and every time he ended up losing money. Although he felt sorry for the money, Chu Xiong seemed to feel more sorry for Zhu Ping'an. After seeing Zhu Ping'an hit a wall again and again, Chu Xiong could not help but sigh.
"Oh, you are young and full of vigor and don't know your own limits..." Zhang Chufeng curled his lips and commented with a sneer.
"Brother Zhang, come on! Brother Zhu is already in such a miserable state, and you are still here making sarcastic remarks..."
Chu Xiong glanced at Zhang Chufeng with disdain, shook his head, and sarcastically said that Zhang Chufeng had no sympathy.
"I'm just making fun of you? Why, Fatty Chu, if you really want to, then you can take out a portion of your wealth and donate it to Zhu Ping'an for food and salary. After all, you have a big family and you don't need money..."
Zhang Chufeng looked Chu Xiong up and down, pulled the corner of his mouth to let out a cold laugh, and retorted sarcastically.
"I... I can't be the leader of the clan..." Chu Xiong's momentum suddenly plummeted.
“Hehe…” Zhang Chufeng sneered.
"What do you mean? If I could be the leader of the clan, I would have taken out the silver to give to Brother Zhu as food and wages. After all, I, Chu Xiong, am a person who regards money as dirt..." Chu Xiong felt that he had just been cowardly, and now he wanted to restore his image and spoke passionately.
After Chu Xiong finished speaking, one more person began to sneer at him—Zhuo Yan.
After all, the two of them, who had been colleagues for many years, knew very well what kind of person Chu Xiong was. This guy had two major hobbies in his life, one was women, and the other was money, and the two hobbies were ranked in no particular order.
"When do you think Zhu Ping'an's food and salary can be applied for?" Seeing that Chu Xiong and Zhang Chufeng were about to quarrel, Zhuo Yan changed the subject.
"One month." Chu Xiong said.
"At least three months." Zhang Chufeng said almost at the same time.
Chu Xiong raised his eyebrows and glanced at Zhang Chufeng, then pulled the corner of his mouth and asked provocatively, "Do you dare to bet?"
"If someone wants to give me money, I naturally won't object." Zhang Chufeng said with a smile.
"Okay, if you want to bet, let's bet big. How about one hundred taels of silver?" Chu Xiong raised his eyebrows and looked at Zhang Chufeng.
"Haha, my father-in-law will be celebrating his 70th birthday next month. My wife has chosen a coral plant, and I am worried that I don't have enough money. Since someone wants to give me money, I will naturally accompany him to the end."
Zhang Chufeng showed no sign of weakness, and then he pouted his lips towards Zhuo Yan and encouraged him, "Shancai Tongzi wants to give you money, do you want it?"
"It doesn't matter whether it's money or not. I just want to spend time with you guys." Zhuo Yan smiled with his expressionless face and joined the gambling game.
Of course, Zhuo Yan joined Zhang Chufeng's camp, and he also believed that it would take at least three months for Zhu Pingan to have any chance.
While the three were gambling, Linhuai Marquis Li Tingzhu was having a drink with Wei Guogong Xu Pengju in a private room of Tianxiang Tower on the banks of the Qinhuai River.
Like Linhuai Marquis Li Tingzhu, Duke of Wei Xu Pengju also served as an official outside Yingtian. After all, he was a duke, and his official position was higher than that of Linhuai Marquis Li Tingzhu. He served as the garrison of Yingtian and was in charge of the Yingtian Central Army Commander's Office.
The Mansion of Marquis Linhuai and the Mansion of Duke Wei are both located on Gonghou Street in the capital. The two families are neighbors, old friends, and in-laws... Of course, there are sometimes conflicts and competitions between the two mansions, but they are all benign conflicts.
The two of them served as officials in Yingtian together, so naturally they stuck together and supported each other, and would get together for a drink from time to time.
"Brother Jundai, I heard that your nephew's husband has come to Yingtian." Duke Wei Xu Pengju asked at the dinner table.
"Brother Dapeng is well-informed. Zihou came to Yingtian to take up the post of Assistant Director of the Ministry of Justice five days ago. He came to visit my house the day before yesterday, and Brother Dapeng learned the news." Linhuai Hou smiled slightly and said softly.
"Tsk tsk, your cheap nephew's husband is a lucky man. Less than a year after entering the officialdom, he has already been promoted to the fifth rank of assistant magistrate. The young are really to be feared. At the beginning, he got involved in Yang Jisheng's affairs and offended Lord Yan, so he was demoted to the remote Jingnan as a county magistrate. Unexpectedly, in just over a month, he went up a level and was promoted to the fifth rank of assistant magistrate. No one can be so lucky." Duke of Wei Xu Pengju was amazed and joked.
"Haha, if we talk about luck, who can be as lucky as you, brother Dapeng? Brother Dapeng, your name is Xu Pengju, why? Everyone in our neighborhood knows you. When your uncle was about to be born, he had a dream. In the dream, General Yue Fei, Yue Wumu, said to your uncle, 'I have had a hard life and was framed by powerful traitors. In this life, I will go to your family and enjoy decades of peace and wealth.' You came to enjoy happiness. So, your uncle named you after Yue Wumu's character, which can be regarded as a rectification of your name. Afterwards, it was not as the dream said. Brother Dapeng, you have been smooth sailing since you were born. Not only have you been successful in your career, but you have also avenged your past life. Ten years ago, you were repairing the vegetable garden outside Baimen, and coincidentally dug up the tomb of the treacherous prime minister Qin Hui. Brother Dapeng opened the coffin and threw the body into the water. Isn't this revenge for Yue Wumu in your previous life?" Linhuai Hou poured a glass of wine for Duke Wei with a wine pot, and said half flatteringly and half jokingly.
"Hush, be careful with your words, be careful with your words... The reincarnation of Yue Wumu is just a dream of my father. Don't take it seriously, don't take it seriously, haha... As for the treacherous minister Qin Hui, everyone has the right to kill him. I just dug up his grave and scattered his bones to avenge Yue Wumu, who is admired by thousands of people. I believe that anyone would do the same. It's not worth mentioning."
The Duke of Wei hissed and waved his hand slightly, reminding the Marquis of Linhuai to be careful with his words, but his face showed a rather smug look.