Changzhi's long silence made Gu Sheng a little uneasy. His heartbeat was beating faster and faster, and his face was almost unsteady.
Gu Sheng held the teacup and said, "I don't know, I'm not sure."
Chang Zhi nodded to express his belief. The boy listened to his suggestion and didn't tell, listen or ask. He really didn't notice, "I heard that you have saved enough money?"
Gu Sheng breathed a sigh of relief and felt a little excited, "Yes, the fields and shops are enough. The expenses of the lower official are enough, and I can still save some."
His main expenses are painting paper and dyes, but he is not very particular about food. A bowl of noodles is a meal, and he does not have the luxury of eating fish or meat.
Changzhi raised his eyes, "Is this enough to save enough money to marry a wife?"
Gu Sheng's excitement was gone. He wanted to see who he was going to marry. He was well-matched. Not many junior officials had enough money. Among the junior officials, he had a pretty good family background. He didn't expect enough to be the county master. He was a little discouraged. I haven’t sold much of the paintings I painted this year, but I want to sell more paintings.”
Chang Zhi curled up his lips and said, "I know a lot of people, so I can help you introduce them."
Gu Sheng said, "Thank you, sir."
Changzhi's smile deepened, "You have to be careful lately and don't do too many things with purpose."
Gu Sheng said seriously, "Yes."
A few days later, Mr. Lu's case was settled, there was a roster, and the interrogation went smoothly. The people involved in the case from various states were escorted to Beijing, and the capital also began a house raid.
Zhou Shuren got the order and went to Mr. Lu's house in person. Mr. Lu's mansion has been surrounded by officers and soldiers. Today, the old, weak, women and children who ransacked the house were all driven into the yard.
To be honest, Zhou Shuren didn't like to come here. He didn't like that one person's mistake would implicate the whole clan. When the Supreme Emperor was still there, he had tentatively sighed. He always remembered the sharp look in the Supreme Emperor's eyes at that time and never mentioned it again.
Mr. Lu's family members were not crying, they may have cried all their tears. The female family members were waiting for their future fate in silence. The boys left at home were not old, the oldest was only fifteen years old, and the other adult men were all in prison.
Zhou Shuren looked at several five or six-year-old children. The children were shivering. Mr. Lu climbed very fast because of the road construction. The scenery along the way was endless, but now he was covered in dust.
Zhang Jinghong said: "Master Shangshu."
Zhou Shuren said, "Let's go in and take a look."
Zhang Jinghong responded. He had no feelings about having his family confiscated and being exiled. He enjoyed the wealth brought by his status, and it was fair to have to bear everything if he fell. Just like he was a member of the previous royal family, the restrictions of his status could not be erased.
He is lucky again. So far, the emperor is very tolerant to him. The last time he saw the prince, the prince asked about his son's schoolwork. This was a signal that his son could pass the imperial examination. He drank too much and hugged his wife that day. I cried for half the night.
Mr. Lu knew he couldn't escape, so he clearly explained the secret room and also explained another other courtyard.
When Zhou Shuren arrived, boxes and boxes of money were brought out.
Zhang Jinghong, "How dare you be greedy."
Zhou Shuren sneered, "Greed can't make up for the injustice."
Zhang Jinghong snorted, "It's all bloody silver. If there's a flood and there are countless casualties, they won't be able to pay it back until they go to hell."
Zhou Shuren thought to himself, when you were the fifth prince, your heart was also dark.
Zhang Jinghong said again: "The emperor was merciful and the whole family was exiled."
Zhou Shuren, "!!"
Why doesn't he feel merciful? Mr. Lu and several sons of educated youths were beheaded, and the uninformed Twenty Big Bans were exiled together. Twenty Big Bans, it was hard to say whether they could survive to the place of exile even though they were wounded all over.
Zhou Shuren asked Zhang Jinghong to watch. When he saw that the registration was almost done, he no longer wanted to stay.
Before he reached the front yard, he heard the child crying and scolding. Soon the crying stopped. When he reached the front yard, he saw several women covering their children's mouths.
Zhou Shuren took a deep breath, "What's wrong?"
The guard officer came forward and said, "It's okay now."
It was he who opened his mouth to the Lu family under Zhou Shuren's roof, otherwise he would have fainted from the sun, "Prepare some water and food."
The official hesitated, "This."
"Um?"
"Yes, I'll let someone else prepare it."
Zhou Shuren thought about the antique calligraphy and paintings being moved in the backyard and needed to register them, "Find an empty room and let them in."
Officer, "Yes."
Zhou Shuren didn't speak again and led the people away from Lu Mansion.
In the evening, Zhou Shuren was in a low mood and didn't eat much dinner. He sent all the girls away. Only his wife was in the room, and then he sighed longly, "After how many years I have been here, there are some things I still can't see."
Zhulan, "You've done a great job."
"After repeated rectifications, the escort officials no longer dare to be lawless."
Zhulan smiled, "Look, you have changed a lot."
Without Shuren's repeated suggestions, there would be no rectifications. Now the exiled government officials have become much more standardized.
Zhou Shuren can't change Lian Zu at the moment, "I'll talk to the emperor tomorrow, it needs to be hammered from time to time."
"good."
In the past few days, homes in the capital have been ransacked. In serious cases, people were beheaded and exiled. In less serious cases, people were demoted and returned to their hometowns. Official positions in the capital were vacant.
As officials and financial officials were escorted to Beijing one after another, the Ministry of Revenue was very busy and the booklets prepared were not enough.
Zhou Shuren was busy for a month before he completed the statistics and entered the palace with the final general ledger.
The emperor had long since calmed down and read the account books with a calm expression, "This is the year of prosperity."
Zhou Shuren, "Yes."
The emperor asked, "Your fourth son has been in the Hanlin Academy. Do you have any other ideas?"
Zhou Shuren blinked, "The Hanlin Academy is pretty good."
"There are a lot of official positions now vacant."
Zhou Shuren lowered his head and said, "To tell the truth, Chang Zhi is doing well studying in the Hanlin Academy."
The emperor motioned Shuren to sit down, "If all adults were like you, I would have a lot less troubles."
Vacanting his official position is another game between him and the aristocratic family.
The emperor touched the string of beads and asked Zhou Changzhi to help him occupy a position for a few years. Finally, he sighed, "Forget it."
Zhou Shuren's keen radar went out. Now the Zhou family's situation is very good, and there is no need for Chang Zhi to go further.
The emperor added: "I remember that you are familiar with the Zheng family."
"Zheng family?"
"The Zheng family in the northwest."
Zhou Shuren said: "Not counting, there has been no correspondence in these years."
The emperor said cheerfully, "Okay, okay, I don't know you. Someone from the Zheng family will come to Beijing in a few days."
Zhou Shuren was surprised that the emperor trusted the Zheng family, and the border guards were basically the emperor's confidants. He was curious as to why the Zheng family came to Beijing.
The emperor added: "Your in-laws are also at the border."
Zhou Shuren said, "Yes, my nephew is at the border."
"It's all good."
If it weren't for Zhou Shuren and the Yang family, he wouldn't have paid too much attention to the Yang family. The Yang family's ability made him pay more attention to the Yang family. He didn't find anything else, but his loyalty has not been exceeded.
There are many gray areas here, and the Yang family has never touched them. It's a pity, there will be no war in the northwest, and because of Zhou Hou, the Yang family is like this in the northwest.