At the Zhou Marquis Mansion in the capital, Zhu Lan listened to the actions of the Yong'an Duke Mansion. She was very happy to hear, "Did the Yong'an Duke Mansion really send people to block the Luo family's door and not leave?"
Su Xuan has been enjoying the melons these past two days. "Not only did they block the entrance to the Luo family, they also read the dowry list at the entrance to the mansion."
Li is becoming more and more like the head of the family, and her thoughts are also from the perspective of the family as a whole. "Isn't this too much? The official position of the eldest son of the Luo family has been suspended. Isn't it a bit bad for the Duke's Mansion to not give him any time?"
Su Xuan was peeling melon seeds. "This is exactly what the Yong'an Duke's Mansion wants. Not only do they want to embarrass the Luo family, but they also want to trample them on the ground so that they can never get back on their feet again."
Zhao sipped her tea and sighed, "The Duke's Mansion hates the Luo family very much."
Zhulan understood this very well. I spent a large sum of money, but in the end I didn't see any benefit. Anyone would be angry. Plus, with the emperor's instructions, of course I have to do it well. It's a life-and-death choice, and the Duke's Mansion will not miss any opportunity to severely punish the Luo family.
Su Xuan rolled her eyes. "The Luo family can't come up with money, so they can only sell land or collect their collections. Although the Luo family has a bad reputation, they are recognized as a family with rich collections."
Zhao became excited when she heard this. "Then I'll send someone to keep an eye on it. Mingrui collected various notes, and I think the Luo family must have them."
Li poured cold water on him, "I don't know if the Luo family will sell it to us."
Bamboo orchid, "... "
Very good, the eldest brother’s wife is getting better and better at grasping the key points!
In Yang County, Changzhi did not leave, but followed the boy. On the way to the boy's home, Changzhi asked, "Your father is a scholar. Have you learned the Thousand Character Classic?"
The boy kept his mouth shut and said nothing. He remembered his mother's words, that she hoped he would stay healthy all his life and not have to study!
Chang Zhi sighed. It was not that the child couldn't do it, but that he just didn't want to say it. He just got the child's basic information from the waiter. The boy's father was a famous genius in the county. Yes, a genius. He passed the imperial examination at the age of sixteen. For a student without a family background, he relied entirely on himself. His talent was indeed high.
However, the genius did not have smooth sailing. He caught a cold and fell ill in the last exam and failed. After he recovered, he was still ill. He took the exam again and never came back. He died of illness, leaving behind his newly married wife and his mother who cried herself blind. Fortunately, his wife was pregnant with the boy he saw before him.
Changzhi asked again, "Have you ever eavesdropped on the lectures at a private school?"
The boy's eyes widened in horror and he didn't say anything about why he was discovered.
Changzhi smiled, "You are a child with ideas."
The boy finally spoke again, "Don't, don't tell my mother."
He pretended to be a beggar and begged for alms, which had already embarrassed his mother. He had begged everyone who knew him, but his mother didn't know about it. He was also a little sad that his mother had shut herself off from the public and never left the yard except to deliver handkerchiefs.
Changzhi: "Okay."
Soon they arrived at the poor area of the county town, where houses were connected together. The boy's house had several rooms and a small yard. There was no strong labor in the family to repair the house, so it was very dilapidated.
The woman in the yard frowned when she saw her son coming back, "Why are you so naughty? Why are your clothes so dirty?"
The boy lowered his head and said, "Mom, I won't dare to do that again next time."
The woman noticed the guest, and she was panicking. She pursed her lips and said, "My son doesn't study. We are an orphan and a widow, and we don't have money to pay for his education."
Obviously, Changzhi was mistaken for a teacher.
Changzhi looked at the boy again in surprise, indicating that Mr. Aicai had come before, proving that the child was very talented, "I am just a student, not a teacher."
The woman breathed a sigh of relief. Her husband died while studying, and she only had her son to rely on. She knew her son was talented, but she would rather he lived a mediocre life.
The door was wide open so there was no need to worry about gossip. Chang Zhi sat in the yard looking at the embroidered handkerchief. Well, this ordinary handkerchief was worthless and would damage his eyes.
Changzhi looked at the embarrassed boy and said, "I mean no harm."
The boy knew it well in his heart. Being precocious, he could tell good from bad in people. He pursed his lips and looked at his mother in the house worriedly. His grandmother died of illness and spent all the remaining money in the family. The family had no land, only this house. Their life depended entirely on his mother's embroidery. The last time his mother was sick, the family had no money, and he had to beg for it.
The boy lowered his head and said, "Neighbors all say that my father is a good reader. I saw the books my mother hid."
Changzhi had sharp ears and heard the boy's mumbling clearly. The child wanted to study. "Why study?"
The boy pursed his lips and said, "To fulfill my father's unfulfilled wish."
Chang Zhi chuckled, "The imperial examination selects talents for the country, and talents benefit the people and offer good advice to the country. Do you understand?"
The boy's eyes were blank, "Isn't studying for fame? Isn't it for becoming a scholar, farmer, merchant or artisan?"
There is also money. As long as you become a juren, someone will come to your door to give you money, and you won't have to live a hard life anymore.
Changzhi's smile disappeared, "Yes, many people are just as you expected."
How many top and second place students in the Hanlin Academy studied for the country and the people? Some studied for their families, some for power and money, and some for themselves.
In the Ministry of Justice in the capital, the prince was looking through the files after his father ascended the throne. His father had read the files from his grandfather's reign.
The prince rubbed his brows and said he should really thank Lord Zhou for his reforms. In order to improve efficiency and accuracy, the Ministry of Justice had made the file classification and records very clear.
The prince looked at Zhuo Guyu, "What do you think of the records in the file?"
Zhuo Guyu did his homework, "It is more convenient to search and saves a lot of time."
"These are all changes brought about by Zhou Hou."
Zhuo Guyu's heart ached even more. Even though he was relieved, he couldn't help but think back to the fact that if he was engaged to Princess Anhe, why would he have to go through such a difficult career? "Marquis Zhou is a great talent."
The prince smiled and asked, "When will the Luo family return the dowry money to Zhunxin?"
Zhuo Guyu, "As soon as possible."
The prince snorted in his heart, thinking that the Luo family was beyond saving. Then the prince said nothing and did not continue to look through the files of previous years. Instead, he signaled the Ministry of Justice to find the records of the case being closed.
The prince flipped through the records and raised his brows. Some of the records were really blurry. He didn't know whether it was done on purpose or because they didn't take it seriously. He was more inclined to the former.
The prince stood up and said, "I will go to the Ministry of Revenue. You continue to read the files here."
Zhuo Guyu, "Yes."
This is the royal family’s attitude towards Zhou Hou, trust, and this trust makes people envy and jealous.
At the Ministry of Revenue, Zhou Shuren was surprised that the Crown Prince would come over. "Isn't the Crown Prince reading the files at the Ministry of Justice? Has he finished reading them?"
No way, the Ministry of Justice has quite a few cases every year.
The prince took out the record of the case from his bosom and said, "My Lord, please have a look."
Zhou Shuren took it and flipped through it, "What does the prince want to ask?"
The prince didn't want to ask anything, "I just feel a little uncomfortable looking at the records of case closures. How many of them are voluntary case closures?"
Zhou Shuren didn't continue reading, "So?"
The prince would not come to him if he did not have any ideas. He came at this time obviously hoping that he could give some advice.