Need for money

After Lin Jingzhi and Zheng Jianqiu parted ways halfway, they came directly to the small courtyard in Jiancheng. Liu Shan, the housekeeper of the small courtyard, greeted him early. He was a middle-aged man in his 40s with a simple and honest face. An honest housekeeper is more appropriate.

Entering the small courtyard, Lin Jingzhi and Aunt Yu found a room each, washed off the dust on their faces, and changed into clean clothes. It stands to reason that Aunt Yu is the most qualified to serve Lin Jingzhi at present. , but Aunt Yu obviously didn't have this awareness, so she just went about her own business.

In Liu Shan's eyes, this detail made him care. It must be that the master loves this aunt so much that he couldn't bear to order the concubine who was also tired from the journey.

After changing his clothes, Lin Jingzhi called Liu Shan into the study room. He first looked up and down the respectful looking steward in a light blue robe, and then asked, "Earlier in the morning, I told the guards to give me advice. You brought a note asking you to spread the news about my visit to the Zheng residence, have you followed the order?"

"Back to the second master, after the slave received the order, he asked the servants to do it." Liu Shan bowed first and gave a salute before replying.

"Well, it's fine as long as it's done." Although this Liu Shan is the son of the Lin family, his loyalty is relatively reliable, but the Lin family is now facing the situation of scouts, the less people know about it, the better.

Originally, before coming here, Mrs. Lin also made a suggestion that after entering the city, he should lead the guards around the main streets a few times to create momentum, but Lin Jingzhi vetoed it. Tian Ji and the others didn't know that the Lin family had found out that they were playing tricks in secret, and if they acted too much, they might be noticed.

Although the other party's methods are despicable and shameless, which greatly affected the business of the Lin family's shop, they still have scruples and dare not say it clearly. If you will break the pot and smash it, it will get worse, and you will no longer have any scruples.

At that time, the situation of the Lin family will become even worse.

After chatting with Liu Shan for a while, and asking about the situation here in Xiajian City, the sky gradually darkened, because Aunt Yu was a concubine, and it was not good for her to go to Zheng's residence together, so Lin Jingzhi allowed her to do whatever she wanted. He went in and out of the courtyard, went outside to relax, and then led a dozen servants, five or six guards, and brought the selected gifts, straight to General Xuanwei's mansion.

Because the Lin family saved Zheng Jianqiu's life, and Zheng Jianqiu also planned to make friends with Lin Jingzhi, when Lin Jingzhi arrived at the gate of Zheng's mansion, there were already people waiting at the gate to greet him. There were people coming and going, and a few of them sneakily mixed in. No need to ask, I knew it was the eyeliner sent by Tian Ji and others.

Lin Jingzhi was worried that Tian Ji and others would not understand the deep friendship between the Lin family and the Zheng family, and he was very happy to see this. After all, in Liuzhou, there are not many distinguished guests who can be greeted by people from General Xuanwei's residence.

Just this point is enough for Tian Ji to be scruples when attacking the Lin family.

Standing at the gate of the mansion, the middle-aged man responsible for welcoming Lin Jingzhi is Zheng Jiang, the chief steward of Zheng's mansion. From a long distance away, he saw Lin Jingzhi wearing an expensive robe and handsome face, and led some servants straight to Zheng Jiang. Mansion, and he was quite similar to the person the master told him, so he hurriedly stepped forward to greet him, and said, "This young master is the second master of the Lin family?"

"It's right here!" Although the other party was a slave, Lin Jingzhi still bent down and cupped his fists, and saluted politely. The status of slaves of different families is different.

Seeing this, Zheng Jiang quickly bent down deeply, and returned a big gift, "Second Master Lin, you don't have to be so polite, you're an old slave. Please, my general has been waiting in the hall for a long time."

Lin Jingzhi said a few more polite words, and Zheng Jiang led the way, and walked straight into the Zheng family compound.

Although Zheng Sheng is General Xuanwei, the official family is not as rich as the merchants after all, so although the Zheng mansion is also very grand, compared with the Lin family, it is still a little worse, a little less meticulous, and elegant, about 300 yuan away. After about [-] meters, everyone finally came to the entrance of the hall.

Zheng Jiang went in to inform, and Lin Jingzhi straightened his clothes and walked in calmly, while the servants and guards who followed behind him consciously held gifts and stood in the center of the courtyard, motionless.

When he came to the hall, Lin Jingzhi first looked at the middle-aged man sitting on the upper seat. This man had a tough face and a burly figure. He just sat there quietly, with an imposing aura that made people feel uncomfortable. Don't dare to underestimate it. This is the first time he has seen someone who can be compared to the majesty of Old Madam Lin after he traveled to this world. Zheng Jianqiu was also sitting in the hall, and when he saw him walk in, he stood up to greet him. Take a few steps.

"Junior Lin Jingzhi, I have met General Zheng." Lin Jingzhi didn't dare to look at Zheng Sheng for a long time, but took a short glance, then quickly lowered his head, walked a few steps, bowed deeply to Zheng Sheng, and gave a salute .

Zheng Sheng stood up politely, and said with a hearty smile: "Nephew, don't be too polite, get up quickly, this time the Lin family saved my son's life, and Zheng is very grateful."

Lin Jingzhi didn't dare to take it upon hearing the words.

"Brother Lin Xian doesn't need to be so restrained, just treat this as your own home, come here, sit down quickly." Zheng Jianqiu stepped forward with enthusiasm, trying to press Lin Jingzhi on the chair, but Lin Jingzhi lightly He broke free lightly, first smiled at him, then reached into his bosom, took out a blue jade box, handed it forward, bent down again, and said to Zheng Sheng: "General Zheng, the younger generation is here this time. I didn’t bring any good things, but this box contains a jade ruyi, which is specially brought by the younger generation to honor Mrs. Zheng, please accept it.”

Regardless of the jade ruyi inside, the jade box is worth a lot of silver because of its radiant appearance and exquisite workmanship.

Zheng Sheng has been in the officialdom for so many years, so he knows the goods, and when he heard that Lin Jingzhi gave the gift to his mother, he laughed heartily. Yu Ruyi implies that everything goes well and everything is auspicious. The best gift for an old lady, it can be seen that Lin Jingzhi put a lot of thought into it before coming to Zheng's residence, and said with a smile: "My nephew is too polite, I will thank my mother on behalf of my mother."

Although Zheng Sheng is a martial artist, he places great emphasis on filial piety, and the status of his old mother in his heart is above all else. Lin Jingzhi's gift is obviously sent to the point.

Seeing that Zheng Sheng had accepted the gift, Lin Jingzhi sat down with Zheng Jianqiu, and Steward Zheng exited the hall under the signal of his master, and received the gifts brought by the servants of the Lin Mansion in the courtyard by the way.

After returning to the mansion, Zheng Jianqiu went to his father to discuss it, to see if he could think of a way to persuade Lin Jingzhi to change his mind and re-enter the official career, so the three of them sat and chatted for a while, and Zheng Jianqiu said: "Brother Lin, there is a big brother in the Lin family. Thanks to me, so I have something to hold back in my heart for my brother, and I really can’t vomit it quickly.”

"Oh? Brother Zheng, please be straightforward." Lin Jingzhi couldn't figure out what Zheng Jianqiu wanted to say.

Zheng Jianqiu straightened his face, and replied: "Brother Lin Xian, I just want to persuade you to pick up the sage books, pen, ink and inkstone again, and reconsider your career. Given your talent of being able to raise people in high school at the age of 14, just give up like this." It’s a pity that you only want to be a businessman’s son with a bright future.”

The late Lin Jingzhi was shocked by the death of his parents together, so he made a vow not to set foot in the court again. Later, even Mrs. Lin personally persuaded him, but failed to turn him back. He thinks this is a good thing, at least he doesn't need to go to ink to write, so as not to show his flaws, but after greedy dog ​​officials such as Tian Ji and Wang Meng sent people to interfere with the business of the Lin family's shop, he gradually became indifferent to this matter. With a different attitude.

Not to mention anything else, Tian Ji and Wang Meng would not dare to be so presumptuous just because the Lin family can produce an official of low rank!

Of course, thinking about it, Lin Jingzhi is still very repulsed by Xiang Chaotang to become an official, because he was just a commoner orphan in his previous life, and he didn't know how to be an official at all. He learned from TV and novels, It's not that being a good official, being an upright official, will make you famous and live a long life.

There is a reason to be an official, just like a businessman must know how to do business. If you don’t have this comprehension, you can’t understand the rules and laws, and you will end up not only honoring your family, but also wanting to save your life. A colossal difficulty.

And if one is bad, the whole family will be buried together. This is a society similar to ancient China, not modern. One person commits crimes alone. There are many crimes involving the whole family, and even the nine clans.

Lin Jingzhi frowned slightly as Lin Jingzhi thought about it. Seeing this, Zheng Sheng, who was sitting in the upper seat, suddenly said, "Nephew, because of the oath he made before, it's not easy to change his words, for fear of being underestimated." ?”

Everyone knows that no matter how rich a businessman is, his status is inferior to that of an official in the dynasty, so it is not unreasonable for Zheng Sheng to speculate like this.