Pingyang Fu of the Red Chamber

Chapter 640 But Li Dang is still there today
Luoyunhou Mansion,

In Dongyuan,
Zhang Jinyu sat in the room and was a little surprised. Zhao Si, the Royal Horse Supervisor, was so courageous. He also didn't know about the confiscation of the wealthy businessman's house last night. Although His Majesty revealed the word, the specific matter should not be internal affairs. Are they from the government or the Imperial City Department? Why did they move the two most elite battalions of the Forbidden Army?

And they ransacked the house overnight. I guess it was what I and Liu Chen said last night, but I didn't expect that the internal minister, Dai Quan, would be so cunning, and even let the Royal Horse Supervisor come forward to take the blame.
However, those grain merchants were also seeking death. The court had given them so long, and the price of grain was even the same every day. The people in the capital complained and looked at Qin Keqing beside them and asked;

"Ke Qing, do you know the prices of grain in those grain shops outside?"

"Mr. Lang is asking about the price of food. The slave family doesn't know much about it. Baozhu, do you know?"

The corner of Qin Keqing's mouth curled up. Although she was responsible for the purchase of the house, the specific matters were left to Baozhu and Ruizhu. She really didn't know the price of food.
Baozhu girl took out a small book from somewhere, took it in her hand and turned it over.
"Madam, Lord Marquis, ordinary rice sold in grain shops outside costs four or five taels of silver per stone, and polished rice costs more than six taels of silver. The price was three days ago."

The little girl stuck out her tongue. The pearl was so expensive. She was afraid that she would not be able to remember it clearly and would delay the housekeeper, so she often wrote down the purchase price in private. This was how the scene just happened.

Before Qin Keqing felt anything, Zhang Jinyu made a "puff" sound, the tea in his mouth spurted out, and cursed,

"Mom, what kind of thing do you dare to sell for 5 taels of silver? You are robbing the silver. It's so expensive."

No wonder they wanted to ransack the house. If someone outside the customs had dared to do this, they would have been arrested and chopped into pieces. I guess His Majesty couldn't bear it anymore, so he let him do it.

As for the Chu Nian of Wuying Hall, Enke's matter still needs to be taken into consideration. In any case, it is extremely rare for a student to be a master.

"Ningbian, in this case, you can arrange for the two of you to wait in the west living room, separate the two rooms, and I will go there later."

"Yes, Lord Marquis."

Ning Bian received the message and went outside. The servant had already led the way.

Zhang Jinyu in the room wiped the corner of her mouth. At this time, Ruizhu led the maid to put on the food box and make breakfast.
A table was set up,
Zhang Jinyu had something on his mind, so he ate faster. Qin Keqing saw it and advised him,

"Sir, please slow down and drink some porridge."

"Well, I'm afraid I have something to do today, so I can't accompany my wife. I still need my wife to take care of the affairs in the house,"

Zhang Jinyu took a sip of porridge and said something, feeling a little guilty in her heart.

Qin Keqing smiled slightly, thought for a moment, and asked;

"Mr. Lang is so polite. We are one husband and wife. The slave family will naturally appreciate it. Lang Jun, we have brought some fine Shu brocade from the south of the Yangtze River. The colors are rich. The slave family is thinking about giving it to the sisters in the house and the people in the Rongguo Mansion. , I made some nice clothes and sent them over so that I can wear them after spring. What do you think, Mr. Lang?"

Zhang Jinyu picked up the bowl, finished the porridge, watched Qin Keqing look at him, asked some questions about Shu Brocade, and comforted;
"Everything is according to Madam's wishes. It's all trivial matters. From now on, Madam will make the final decision. Madam, please eat slowly. I'll go over first."

After saying that, he picked up the brocade cloth and wiped his mouth, picked up the tea bowl and rinsed his mouth.

As soon as he went out, Baozhu, who was packing clothes in the back room, suddenly screamed, making Qin Keqing's hands tremble.
"What happened?"

The little girl Baozhu came over with the robe that Zhang Jinyu had taken off, took out a wad of silver notes from it, and carefully placed it on the table.

"Miss, my uncle left in a hurry. I found a lot of them from his clothes."

Qin Keqing was also stunned for a moment, and estimated that there were as many as hundreds of thousands taels of silver.
"What a fuss, put these away and put them away first."

"Yes, grandma, this slave has never taken so many banknotes."

Bao Zhu was still a little aggrieved and muttered something. Qin Keqing glared at her. Bao Zhu then closed his mouth, folded the banknotes carefully and put them in his purse.

Outside the house,

As soon as Ning Bian left the side door, he saw Eunuch Zhao and an adult looking at each other coldly.
"Ahem, Eunuch Zhao, Lord Chu Nian, if the Marquis wants to tell you, please go into the East Hall room and have some tea to rest."

Eunuch Zhao came to the Hou Mansion more than once or twice. He nodded in a familiar manner.

"We have General Launing."

After saying that, he led Xiaodongzi and a few Huangmen into the Hou Mansion. Ning Bian quickly gave the concierge Wang a wink, and Wang Guanshi bowed and walked in front to lead the way.
As soon as people leave,
Chu Nian's face looked a little ugly. A group of eunuchs were the source of trouble.

"Lord Chu Nian, please come and take a rest first. The Marquis is having a meal."

Ningbian personally invited him, which made Chu Nian's face look better. Luo Yunhou is the examiner of Hanyuan Palace. As the day of Enke approaches, there are some things that need to be consulted. After all, the examination is not in Gongyuan, but in the palace for three days. Many things still need to be prepared.

"Excuse me, General,"

Chu Nian didn't talk much. After all, he was not familiar with the affairs of the Marquis Mansion, let alone the character of Marquis Luo Yun. It was better to be cautious.
Mr. Nan had been a bit angry when he spoke before, so he couldn't come over to discuss his attitude in detail. He and Ji Mingping discussed it and decided that he should come over and be responsible for the deputy judge in the Hanyuan Hall examination room.

That's why I came here early in the morning to discuss things with the Marquis.

Stepping gently, he entered the courtyard of the Marquis Mansion. Looking around, he saw that the surroundings were not so luxurious, but simple and concise. There were more trees, and there were not as many servants as expected.

But the houses in each courtyard have a resplendent appearance. They are worthy of being the former Prince's Mansion, with more majesty and less luxury.
After entering the East Garden, Ning Bian led him into the west wing. As soon as he sat down, there were maids and maids bringing tea and water, and all the cakes and snacks were served one after another.
"Lord Chu Nian, you are so careless. You can use it first. The Marquis will arrive soon."

Ning Bian waved his hand, and all the maids bowed and stepped back.

"General Ning, you're too polite. I'm bothered by you. General, please help me. I'll just wait and see."

You're not welcome, knowing that Luoyun Houfu doesn't care about these little knots, he picked up the pastry and ate it, feeling a little comforted.

General Ning saw this, nodded, and walked out of the room.

And the east hall is the main room.

Zhang Jinyu strode into the concierge, saw Eunuch Zhao of Zhao Division, and laughed out loud from afar,
"Oh, what kind of wind has brought Brother Zhao here? The yard is much brighter,"

This laughter seemed to blow away the unhappiness in Zhao Si's heart, and the whole person became happy. Eunuch Zhao hurriedly stood up and said with a bitter smile;
"Oh, I still heard what the Marquis said, and the Za family was happy. There was a lot of noise last night, so it didn't disturb the Marquis's sleep."

Zhang Jinyu came over, lifted up his hem, sat down with his legs crossed, picked up the teapot and poured a bowl of tea, picked it up and drank most of it with a slurp.

"How should I put it? I slept peacefully, but the footsteps were a little heavier. I heard that Brother Zhao brought out the Warrior Camp and the Royal Forest Camp. It's a rare sight. I don't know if the capital is hot or bustling today."

Looking at Zhao Si with a smile on his face, Zhang Jinyu said speciously, arresting people and ransacking their homes is easy, but beating a dog still depends on the owner.

The masters behind these wealthy merchants and wealthy associations are not simple. If Jin Wowo is poached, no one behind them will be worried.

"What the Marquis said is true. The Zajia family are kind-hearted and can't bear to see this. Although they were arrested, they didn't make things difficult for them. After hearing what the Marquis said, I felt panicked. I couldn't sleep well last night when I went back, so I came here this morning. , I want Mr. Hou to give me some advice."

The joyful look on Zhao Si's face was gone. Wu Xun was the first person the civil servants of the court had to deal with. Although eunuchs were looked down upon by civil servants, if they were targeted by civil servants, they would be afraid that the court officials would target him. This It's troublesome.

Looking at Zhao Si's worried face, Zhang Jinyu also put away her smile. She really didn't know whether all the arrangements last night were the work of Dai Quan, the Prime Minister, or had been arranged by His Majesty long ago. There is no benefit in going outside.

"Brother Zhao, now that you have done it, how can you be afraid of complaining? You have done a good job inside and out. Last night should not have been a whim, and it was an ironclad case. The people of the capital don't care about this. It is true that they can eat well."

Zhang Jinyu's words were clear enough. If he didn't understand it yet, he might not be able to sit on the Royal Horse Supervisor's palm for long.

"The Marquis still remembers the Zajia family, and the Zajia family has been taught a lesson. These words are worth a thousand words."

Eunuch Zhao unexpectedly stood up and bowed his hands. The Marquis was sincere to the Za family, his affection was engraved in his heart, his heart was moving, and he had a grateful look on his face.

"It must not be like this. Brother Zhao, we two brothers are following each other. If we are so polite in the future, how can we discuss together? By the way, I also asked me to visit a brothel. I also said , I haven’t been to the Manchunyuan in the capital yet. I heard that the oiran there is also a famous prostitute, and I want to see what it’s like.”

Zhang Jinyu deliberately made a curious look, and wanted to compare how different the so-called oiran could be. According to the property of Yanchun Tower, which belongs to Princess Yueru, then Manchun Courtyard cannot be the property of Princess Yongcheng, who has never met it, right? How could the two pearls of the capital fall behind each other? Thinking about it this way, I regretted the words I just said.
After all, it was okay for Princess Yueru. Her husband-in-law died and she lived alone, so she was considered a widow. However, Princess Yongcheng’s husband-in-law was not dead. If she met her, wouldn’t it be embarrassing? Of course, she still felt a little distraught. The eldest princess’s style remained the same, just like the woman beside her. They all have their own merits, especially the woman named Wei, who is quite popular.

"Master Hou, Master Hou, what are you doing?"

As his thoughts drifted away, Zhao Si called out a few times, but did not respond. He touched Master Hou's arm, and Zhang Jinyu came back to his senses with an embarrassed look on his face.
"What did Brother Zhao just say?"

"Oh, Lord, this is a trivial matter. If you want to go, find a time and you can decide where to go. We will definitely go there for a good drink and see what the courtesan looks like. Lord, don't worry, I will remember it."

Zhao Si didn't dare to point it out. The way the Marquis looked just now, he obviously had some thoughts. However, the Marquis's wife and concubines were so beautiful that the Marquis was probably a little tired of his mouth. He had eaten too much delicacies and wanted to change his taste. This was fine. Yes, there are many flower shops in the capital, and the Marquis should like them.

"Well, I just talked nonsense, how can I not be happy,"

Zhang Jinyu looked at Zhao Si and had a misunderstanding, and didn’t know how to explain it.

Eunuch Zhao borrowed the donkey from the slope and stood up to say goodbye.
"Master Marquis is right, there is joy everywhere. In this case, the Za family will not bother you here. Master Marquis, you are busy first. The Za family will take their leave."

"Walk slowly."

Zhang Jinyu stood up and saw Ning Bian waiting outside until they were sent out of the door.

"Which house is that Chu Nian in?"

"Go back to the Marquis. He's waiting in the west wing."

"Well, let's go."

Knowing which room the person was in, Zhang Jinyu waved his sleeves and led Ning Bian over.

Outside the hospital,

Zhao Si and his godson Xiaodongzi left the Hou Mansion together and quietly got into the carriage.

"Daddy, please slow down and be careful of the steps."

"Well, we're watching. Let's go back to the Yamen. By the way, we can sort out all the account books and hand them over to the Minister of Internal Affairs. I think the Governor is still concerned about this matter. The Marquis is right. We need to take a preemptive strike."

Zhao Si immediately thought that when he ransacked his house last night, a lot of money was confiscated from the accounts. Looking through the accounts, he was shocked to see that there were many wealthy businessmen, and most of the profits were given to the masters behind him. As for who, they included a lot of people in the court. It's a pity that the important ministers are all given to the family members. I think the courtiers must have dealt with it long ago.

"Don't worry, godfather. My son has been prepared a long time ago. Everything has been sorted and put in a box. He is just waiting for you to say a word before sending it out. However, the money given by godfather, including the Sheng family, was not only given to Zuo Cheng. Li Chaosheng and Mr. Ma Zhongru Ma, who is involved in political affairs, also have a share. This is no small matter. "

Xiaodongzi hesitated for a moment, but then told the whole story. The reason why the Sheng family was so rampant was not only because of the glory of the chief minister, but also because of the involvement of many courtiers. That's why the business grew so big. Unfortunately, the insider I fell in love with him,
"Hmph, no matter how big the relationship is, he is still a businessman. He does not hold his tail between his legs and makes trouble in the capital. How can he be tolerated? Since the Governor has put the Sheng family first, he naturally thought carefully about it. However, you are right. , The Sheng family relies on the prestige of the Li family, and I don’t know what the chief minister thinks. The Li party is still here. "

Zhao Si sighed, despite the fact that the current imperial court is full of conflicts between the North and the South, Lu and Gu, what is really hidden under the water is the silent Li Party, whose disciples and old friends are all over the government and the public.

It is equivalent to the previous Jia family, both civilized and military. It is a pity that the descendants are incompetent and there is no one who can take on big responsibilities. Could it be that His Majesty is testing the Li family? Thinking of what happened to the Jia family in Ningguo Mansion, Zhao Si seems to have seen through all this, and in his heart shivered,

"This matter must not be discussed. Today, forget what you heard and do your own thing."

As soon as the harsh words came out, Xiaodongzi didn't understand why. If he had just said it properly, it would change. Looking at his godfather's unkind expression, he had to agree,

"Yes, godfather, my son understands in his heart that after the things are sorted, he will send them to him personally. But godfather, the confiscated silver is five million taels, and there are hundreds of thousands of stones of food. What should we do with it? Do you want to leave some?"

Xiaodongzi counted the money that was seized overnight yesterday. Not counting the antique calligraphy and painting industry concierges, etc., the cash plus banknotes, and the grain in the warehouse, that's all. It shows how rich those wealthy businessmen are.

Zhao Si's heart was in turmoil. Who wouldn't like having so much money in front of him? It's a pity that at the emperor's feet, the Imperial Guards are all his majesty's confidants. The money may be taken away from him and become a hot potato.
"Don't think about it anymore. Send all the money to the Ministry of Internal Affairs and give it to the prince. The salary is enough. As for the food, the price of food in the capital needs to be stabilized, but these are the ones carrying it."

"Yes, godfather, what a pity, drive!"

Xiao Dongzi, who was sitting outside the car, felt distressed and lashed out with a whip, hitting the horse to vent his anger.
(End of this chapter)