The Zhou family was very lively today. Tao held a fan as her mouth and asked Zhulan on the side, "Why did you invite so many people?"
Moreover, many of the people who came were wives of officials who were standing in line. Look, who did she see again? It was the wife of Lord Qiao. Her daughter was famous in the capital. She was the concubine who was pregnant by the fifth prince.
Zhulan also blocked the crowd with her fan and said, "It's lively with so many people. The Zhou family hasn't been so lively for a long time."
Tao looked sideways. She didn't believe it. Yang liked Jing. Her friend knew it. If it weren't for some social events that couldn't be turned down, the Zhou family would have wanted to not hold a banquet once a year. "I don't know what you want to do, but I will cooperate."
Zhulan curled her lips and said, "No need, I have arranged everything."
It is good to have more people today. She not only invited those who were standing in line, but also invited the families of the women in the backyards of each royal palace. Of course, the family of Zhang Yang’s concubine must be there.
When Tao heard this, she realized that there was something wrong. Since Yang didn't say anything, she didn't ask.
At the tea-tasting party, the factions could be seen from the seating. Zhulan did not invite many people who were really close to the Zhou family.
In the Ministry of Rites, Chang Yi and Gu Zhuomin were chatting, "The prefectural examination for the children's exam is over. Although Liu Feng's score is at the top, the academy exam will not be easy. I don't know how Liu Feng's score will be in the academy exam."
Chang Yi was very concerned about his future son-in-law, and he inquired about many children of officials who participated in the Tongshi. There were too many children who failed and were stuck in the Yuanshi, and he was unsure.
Gu Zhuomin was somewhat confident. "Liu Feng's county exam results were very good, and he took second place. His prefectural exam results were a little worse, not because Liu Feng was incompetent, but because he caught a cold and his performance was affected. I believe he will be on the list in the college exam."
Chang Yi talked with Gu Zhuomin to increase his confidence. "Now that you say that, I feel relieved."
Gu Zhuomin hoped that Liu Feng would pass the imperial examination in one go more than the Zhou family did. He knew too well how discouraging it would be to fail several times. He took the exam twice before he passed, and only he understood the hardship he felt in his heart.
Speaking of this, Gu Zhuomin looked at Zhou Changyi with envy. Because of having a good father, Zhou Changyi became an official, although he had to admit that Zhou Changyi had his own abilities.
Chang Yi was puzzled, "Why are you looking at me like that?"
Gu Zhuomin paused and said, "I don't know what Wu Ming is doing. He is quite busy."
It is obvious that he has the same official position as Wu Ming, but Wu Ming was assigned to a new department, and now he is in the same department with Zhou Changyi, both of them are under the management of Lord Wang, while he still stays in his original place, having no time to spare, but he is not reconciled. It is difficult to accumulate merits in the Ministry of Rites. When the new department was first established, everyone who has seen it knows that it is a place where one can be promoted quickly.
Chang Yi didn't know much and shook his head, "I haven't asked."
Gu Zhuomin felt regretful and unhappy as the gap between him and Wu Ming was getting bigger and bigger.
The Zhou family had a lively banquet. No one knew who started it, but everyone was gossiping about the methods of the concubines in the backyard and whether their pregnancies were real or fake.
The most eye-opening gossip is that a concubine cheated on her husband in order to get pregnant.
Tao was waving the fan in her hand intermittently. If she remembered correctly, she came to talk to Yang about the gossip about the concubine having an affair the day before yesterday. This happened in a merchant family related to the Wang family, but whether it was an affair or not was entirely up to the mistress of the house. The merchant was not at home, and the concubine was beaten to death.
Of course, it has happened in the past, but if the family was respectable, the wife at that time would not be stupid enough to eliminate the concubine, as that would bring shame to the entire family.
Tao pressed the fan, "What on earth do you want to do?"
Zhulan looked at Tao innocently, "I didn't do anything, just look at my sincere eyes."
Tao, "You and I have known each other for several years, and I still understand you."
Zhulan smiled, "Nothing much, just planting some seeds."
Tao was stunned. She still didn't understand what Yang was doing.
Zhulan stopped talking and looked at Lord Qiao's wife. She had been asking about the Qiao family these days. Lord Qiao's wife was very resourceful, and people with many means would be suspicious. Zhang Yang's concubine was pregnant, which was already strange. Looking at Lord Qiao's wife's expression, she must have discovered something.
Zhulan curled the corners of her mouth. As for the affair, she didn't care whether the rumors about Zhang Yang were true or false. Whether the poison was really detoxified or not, it would be a big deal if the Fifth Prince's mansion was rumored to be pregnant in the future. Those who came today were not pushovers.
Zhulan looked at the other officials' wives. Just now she heard someone mention Zhang Yang's concubine Qiao, who was an expert in domestic fighting. She had a strange miscarriage at that time, and now that it involved the Fifth Prince, she didn't believe that the other princes would let her go.
Especially now, the Ning family has taken action, Zhang Yang is in a state of panic, and I believe that the princes are only happy to add fuel to the fire.
Inside the palace, Zhou Shuren followed the eunuch and when they arrived outside the Zheng Palace, he saw a kneeling figure. Today, Yao Wenqi was punished to kneel again. Yao Wenqi's body was shaking a little while kneeling. After the torture he had endured in the past few days, Yao Wenqi seemed to have aged a lot.
When Yao Wenqi heard the footsteps, his face changed again and again. The emperor was looking for trouble with him, and it would be wrong for him to speak up or not. The emperor was deliberately humiliating him. Many ministers had entered the palace in the past two days, and he could feel that these people looked at him strangely.
Yao Wenqi raised his head and saw Zhou Shuren, his face turned pale again. When he first met Zhou Shuren, he acted superior to him and never took Zhou Shuren seriously. Now, Zhou Shuren was standing and he was kneeling. Yao Wenqi was kneeling beside Zhou Shuren. He felt like a mouthful of blood was boiling in his heart and his eyes were blackening.
Eunuch Liu came out to greet him, "Sir Zhou, the Emperor is waiting for you."
Zhou Shuren shook the sleeves of his official uniform and walked out of the government hall. He was narrow-minded. Now Yao Wenqi was kneeling, and he had deliberately stopped in front of Yao Wenqi just now. This feeling was good.
Eunuch Liu looked at Lord Yao in confusion, asking the young eunuch what Lord Zhou had just done and why Lord Yao was so angry that he seemed to faint.
The young eunuch was also confused and shook his head. Lord Zhou did nothing!
Zhou Shuren entered the hall and looked up. Oh, Zhang Yang was there too. Zhang Yang was not kneeling in the inner room as punishment. It was unknown how long he had been kneeling and he was already staggering.
Zhou Shuren thought to himself that this time the emperor was not just angry, he also wanted to force Yao Wenqi to do something, otherwise he would not have humiliated Yao Wenqi like this.
The emperor saw Zhou Shuren and said, "Shuren, come over and take a look."
Zhou Shuren paused, but still walked over after politely greeting the emperor. The emperor liked to call him by his name more and more. "Your Majesty, is this a model of a foreign ship?"
The emperor touched it lovingly and said, "Yes, this is the model built by the Ministry of Works. Look, isn't this ship more beautiful?"
Zhou Shuren didn't understand the technology, but he had seen the models of his own ships, and he could compare them. The one in front of him was indeed better looking. "Yes, it's very beautiful."
Now that the model is out, there is no problem with the emperor sending people to steal the drawing.
The emperor curled his lips, "Shu Ren."
Zhou Shuren, "... Your Majesty, the Ministry of Revenue cannot spare much money at the moment."