The emperor took out a map with many places marked on it, almost every state had one. Some places were marked with an X, but there were still many places left. He handed the map to the King of Qi and said, "Take this and go to Xuzhou to find Rongchuan."
The King of Qi looked at the blood-red mark on the map and inexplicably sensed the smell of blood. He rolled up the map and asked, "Son, are you leaving now?"
The emperor nodded, "Yes, he will go back to the palace for you. You change your clothes, put on the mask and leave. Someone is waiting for you outside the city."
King Qi's expression was serious, "Yes."
In Xuzhou, Chang Lian had a day off today and was accompanying his wife to choose cloth for their unborn child. When he came out of the shop after buying the cloth, he saw the officials from Xuzhou city patrolling.
Dong was puzzled. "Recently, the number of patrols by the police seems to have increased a lot."
Chang Lian also noticed it, "Indeed, do you have anything else to buy?"
Mrs. Dong shook her head. "We've already bought everything. Let's go back. It's unsettling to see the patrolling officers."
"Okay, let's go back home."
The two of them got on the carriage, and another team of officials passed by. Dong took a look, then looked at them carefully with confusion, and did not look away until the officials left.
Chang Lian saw his wife still holding the carriage curtain, "What's wrong?"
Dong lowered her head and said, "I just saw a person whose figure looked very similar to Rong Chuan."
"You're wrong, Rongchuan is in the capital!"
Dong smiled and said, "Maybe I didn't get enough rest yesterday, so my eyes are blurry."
In the evening, the Zhou family had dinner. Rong Enqing came. Zhou Shuren went to the front yard and asked impatiently, "Why are you here again?"
Rong Enqing, "... I came with sincerity this time."
Zhou Shuren, "Hmm?"
Rong Enqing opened the box and said, "My Lord, please take a look at it again this time."
Zhou Shuren glanced at it, stretched out his hand and shook the banknotes, and counted them. It was 150,000. "Is this sincerity?"
Rong Enqing said: "There will be more after the matter is completed."
Zhou Shuren sneered, "Take it back."
Rong Enqing was naturally not in a hurry, "Sir, the Gu family can also find other people to help."
Zhou Shuren, "You can go back and tell him that I am waiting for him to find someone to help."
Rong Enqing smiled, took the banknote and left. He was in a good mood after leaving Zhou's house. He liked to see Gu Ren anxious, and he was also happy that Gu Ren was cheated of money by Lord Zhou.
Zhou Shuren walked towards the main courtyard with his hands behind his back. He couldn't delay any longer and the emperor wouldn't allow it. It depended on his ability to cheat as much as he could within the available time.
The next day, there was still no morning court. When Zhou Shuren and his two sons left home, they saw Rong Enqing's carriage. Rong Enqing got off the carriage and said, "Today I will take you to the Ministry of Revenue."
Zhou Shuren nodded and got on the carriage. Gu Ren was inside the carriage. Zhou Shuren's face turned a little colder.
Seeing Zhou Shuren sitting still, Gu Ren cursed in his heart. Zhou Shuren had a big appetite, otherwise he wouldn't have come in person. He smiled and flattered, "Hello, Lord Zhou."
Zhou Shuren hummed, then closed his eyes to rest.
Gu Ren took a look, took a deep breath, and continued to smile, "Here is two hundred thousand taels, please help me, Lord Zhou."
Zhou Shuren didn't even raise his eyelids and continued to keep his eyes closed.
Gu Ren really wanted to kill Zhou Shuren right now, but he couldn't. He could only endure it. "There will be another 100,000 after the task is completed."
Gu Ren looked at Rong Enqing, who spread his hands to indicate that he had no choice. Gu Ren narrowed his eyes. Anyway, he didn't need to pay after the matter was done, so he said, "Two hundred thousand taels after the matter is done. It can't be more."
He still had a total of 300,000 taels of silver in his hands, no more. He earned a lot of silver every year, but spent more. This was already the largest sum of silver he could spare.
Zhou Shuren pondered in his mind and finally opened his eyes, "It's not impossible for me to make an exception."
Gu Ren sneered in his heart, what kind of honest official is this? He only cares about how much money he gets. He has seen many such honest officials. In the end, they were bribed, but he didn't show it on his face. He smiled and said, "Please tell me, sir."
Zhou Shuren said: "I am only helping, but it will be 300,000 taels, and 100,000 taels after the matter is completed."
Zhou Shuren saw Gu Ren's expression change, and he knew what was going on. Three hundred thousand taels was the most money Gu Ren could offer. "We are in a one-time deal, I don't trust you. Three hundred thousand taels, give it to me now, and I will send someone to deliver the letter immediately."
Gu Ren clenched his fist. Three hundred thousand taels. In order to transport more ointment in this time, basically all the money that could be mobilized had been used.
Zhou Shuren closed his eyes again. He was not in a hurry anyway. He was wondering where all the money of the Gu family went. Tsk tsk, rebellion really wastes money. It is really difficult to get so much money without doing some shady business.
Zhou Shuren thought of the treasury of the Rong family. There must have been many noble families who wanted to rebel at the end of the previous dynasty. The Rong family was known to be rich enough to rival a country. Who else could they target if not the Rong family!
It's a pity that after all the calculations, the several major families didn't get much, as all the money was taken away by the emperor. Zhou Shuren stroked his beard and thought that the Rong family was just a tool to deliver money to the emperor!
Rong Enqing coughed, indicating that the Ministry of Revenue was about to arrive.
Gu Rencai spoke, "Okay, Lord Zhou, please keep your promise."
Zhou Shuren opened his eyes, "I am not a perfidious, ungrateful villain."
Gu Ren first handed the box to Zhou Shuren, "The remaining 100,000 taels will be delivered later."
Zhou Shuren looked at the box but didn't touch it. He didn't forget the last time he used poison to try to poison him. He glanced at Rong Enqing, who understood and reached out to take it.
The carriage stopped, Zhou Shuren got off, Jinyan stepped forward and took the box from Rong Enqing's hand, and the carriage left quickly.
Zhou Shuren was excited when he saw the box, and said to Jin Yan, "Check if there is any poison in it."
You only have one life, so it's better to be careful.
Upon hearing this, Jinyan took out a handkerchief and placed it on the box, "I'll go right away."
"Um."
Less than half an hour later, Jin Yan came back first, "I checked it carefully, there is no problem."
Zhou Shuren was relieved. A quarter of an hour later, the remaining 100,000 yuan was delivered. This time the box was a little too bright. Zhou Shuren had reason to believe that Gu Ren would not be able to swallow this humiliation.
Zhou Shuren looked at the boy holding the box and pointed at the table, "Just put it down."
The boy froze, "Sir, don't you want to open it and take a look?"
Zhou Shuren, "... No need, I trust you."
The servant refused to give up, but there was nothing he could do, so he could only let it go and be taken away.
As soon as the servant left, Zhou Shuren took several steps back. When Jinyan came back, he pointed at the box and said, "Be careful. I think something is wrong."
A strong poison should be impossible, it is probably a chronic condition.
Jinyan carefully wrapped the box with cloth and took it away. Zhou Shuren then sat back in his chair, thinking to himself, this silver is not easy to take!
Inside the palace, the emperor had already received the news. He knew it faster than Zhou Shuren. The box was not poisonous, but the silver notes were.
The prince asked, "Then should we exchange these 100,000 taels of silver for Lord Zhou?"