"Don't be afraid, don't be afraid." Gu Chen sighed and patted his wife's back gently: "I'm lucky, nothing will happen to me."
Even if it was for what was in his mind, Lao Zhu probably wouldn't be in a hurry to kill him.
But he can't rush to give things. As the saying goes, it's not the business that's rushed.
You have to think of a way to get the best of both worlds.
After seeing his daughter and sleeping with his head covered for two days and two nights, Gu Chen finally recovered.
Most of the officials who came out had to write a memorandum to the emperor, indicating that they had acknowledged their mistakes and would definitely correct them.
Thinking of the unbearable days inside, Gu Chen took up his pen and wrote: "Wooden door, wooden window and iron chain, holding the wooden door in hand and looking outside..."
"I feel regretful and ashamed. I am deeply moved. I have failed your majesty and the people. I really deserve death. Fortunately, your majesty is merciful and forgives me."
"An official like me is really not worthy of being an official. Your Majesty, please let me go home and cultivate a few acres of thin farmland. I will spend my life in regret and shame..."
Being an official in Lao Zhu's family was so tiring that he really wanted to give up the job.
What he wrote was sincere and sincere, but Lao Zhu's eyebrows stood up when he saw it.
"Want to resign?"
"What a beautiful thought!"
Zhu Papi snorted coldly, took the memorial that had been prepared for Gu Chen, pressed the chapter, and handed it to Yun Qi.
"Now, immediately, send it to Lu Ben."
As long as he, Lao Zhu, wants to use someone, there is no reason to resign.
Either become an official or die!
"What? Released outside?"
Gu Chen felt energetic instantly after receiving such good news.
"This is a good thing. Teacher, why are you looking down?"
Finally, finally, I can leave the capital.
Staying under Lao Zhu's nose, Gu Chen felt that if he didn't behead him, he would scare him to death sooner or later, and he would be released for at least three years.
When he comes back, won't he have completely avoided Hu Weiyong's case?
"A good thing? What kind of good thing is this?"
Han Yike looked at his apprentice with distress, patted his shoulder and said sadly.
"Do you know which county Your Majesty wants you to go to?"
Gu Chen shook his head honestly. The appointment of the staff had just come down, and he didn't have time to accept the order. The teacher came first.
"Pingliang Mansion, Zhuanglang County!"
Han Yi could see that his apprentice was still confused, so he sighed and explained.
"I went to the Ministry of Finance and asked Yang Shangshu for you."
"He told me that Zhuanglang is very poor. The entire county has only 1,334 people. The land is barren and belongs to the lower county."
"No, seriously."
"In Zhuanglang County, even the minimum annual payment of 30,000 shi of grain is not enough. It is even worse than a lower county."
"No one wants to be an official in Zhuanglang. There is only one county magistrate there since the Yuan Dynasty, and there is not even a chief register or a history."
This is a place that no one wants to go to, but his disciples have to suffer.
You say, can he not feel distressed?
"Zhuang Lang?"
Gu Chen touched his chin, wondering why this name sounded familiar?
Oh, isn’t that the modern “Terrace Kingdom”?
In Zhuanglang, the ground cracks when there is a drought, and mud falls when it rains. It is surrounded by hills, and agriculture is not prosperous. It has been a poor county in all dynasties.
But the people here are very hardworking. Are they the people of the 20th century?
Using primitive tools such as iron, hoes, and wheelbarrows, breathtaking terraces were created.
Food production increased and the population began to grow rapidly.
However, the current population is only over 1,000 people. It seems that the situation is not good, but it does not seem to be that bad.
At the very least, he now feels that leaving the capital is a good thing.
But will Hu Weiyong take the opportunity to retaliate against himself?
Gu Chen put his hands on his hips, thought for a long time, and decided that he would have to ask the prince for a security captain.
After sending away Lao Han who was wiping his tears and feeling sorry for him, Gu Chen turned around and went into the study room to start, taking out a pen and paper to write something for himself.
Wheelbarrows for pulling materials, shovels, hoes, sickles for cutting grass, etc...
Lao Zhu wanted to give in and let himself live a life of not having enough to eat and living in a bad life, but he just refused to do it.
Not to mention too many things, at least we should have enough food and clothing, and have a well-off life with one meal every two days.
I also want Lao Zhu to know that he is a capable person.
Don't forget him, let him be harmed by the person he offended in his place.
Alas, there is no golden finger. If you want to alleviate poverty, you can only rely on wisdom and labor to achieve poverty alleviation.
As for Zheng Shiyuan, Gu Chen reminded him.
He tried every possible means to stop his brother who was about to deliver a love letter to the emperor.
In the end, the emperor didn't care about him and asked him to join Gu Chen and demote him to Zhuang Lang as the chief clerk, and he would have to endure hardship for a few years.
Well, let him remember it for a long time, and don’t stretch your hands so long if nothing happens.
Gu Chen felt a little sympathetic. After all, he was an official, while Lao Zheng was directly a local official.
In this life, unless the emperor opens his mouth, he will never be promoted.
However, compared with being punished to do corvee for a lifetime in history, this is nothing.
Lao Zheng was worried about his younger brother Zheng Shili, so he took him with him.
Gu Chen, on the other hand, went to the East Palace to ask for an audience with Zhu Biao.
"Why do you want so much iron?"
In ancient times, because wars were very frequent, iron was a top priority for the country. If a person wanted to buy in large quantities, he needed to register with the court.
"Making farm tools." Gu Chen explained to Biao'er matter-of-factly: "Your Highness also knows that the people of Zhuanglang are really suffering."
"If we don't have decent farm tools, how can I work with the people to increase food production quickly?"
"It's just that I know the importance of iron, so I want to make a good deal with His Highness, lest some treacherous people come to slander me..."
Buying so much iron is suspected of rebellion.
With that said, Gu Chen took out the drawings and expressed his determination to help Zhuang Lang in poverty.
"You are thoughtful."
Zhu Biao looked at the drawings he drew with a pleased smile on his face.
"I originally thought that you would be a little unhappy when you were demoted to Zhuang Lang, or that you would continue to be decadent and still worried about you."
Gu Chen: ...Bah, I did that just to make myself feel better locally.
"did not expect……"
"Sure, I'll give you these five hundred kilograms of iron. I'm waiting for your good news."
It doesn’t cost much anyway. As for your rebellion with latte?
It's not that he looks down on people, Gu Chen is a scholar and has no soldiers.
What can five hundred pounds of iron accomplish?
Then let him do it, maybe there will be a big surprise.
"Thank you, Your Highness, Your Highness, I have one more thing to ask of you."
Gu Chen rubbed his hands in embarrassment. It seemed that he had quite a lot to worry about.
"explain."
Zhu Biao rolled his eyes at him, but he was not stingy either.
"I am just a scholar. Carrying so many pieces of iron on the road is too conspicuous. I am also afraid of encountering bad people on the road, so I want to make the farm tools in Beijing."
"I wonder if Your Highness can spare some time to escort these farm tools to Zhuanglang?"
If you ask him to follow the farm tools for almost two thousand miles, it will definitely not work.
Seeing how clever he was, Zhu Biao couldn't help but hit his head with a fan.
"Okay, just in time. A few days ago, Marquis Deqing came to me and said he wanted to take on an errand. I was wondering what to ask him to do, so I asked him to escort your farm tools."
"He doesn't know how to restrain himself. By the way, let him follow you to Zhuanglang for a few years to train and reclaim farmland and wasteland. It also requires young strength."
"Gu Chen, do you think what Gu said makes sense?"
Liao Yongzhong had many brothers under his command. While protecting Gu Chen, he could also act as a labor force. Wouldn't it be the best of both worlds?
Moreover, Gu Chen had offended Hu Weiyong, which everyone in the court knew.
As long as Liao Yongzhong's mind is fine, he must find a way to protect Gu Chenzhou.
Otherwise, it would be suspected of forming a party for personal gain.
"Oh, Your Highness is wise."
With Liao Yongzhong's protection, Gu Chen no longer had any fear.
"That's right." Zhu Biao suddenly remembered something and asked warmly: "You were in prison at that time, and you said there was a better accounting method?"
Gu Chen: "..."
You have locked me up for three months, and you still want my things?
He forced himself to smile: "Did His Majesty ask His Highness to come here to ask for it?"
Damn old Zhu, he deserves to be scolded by Li Shanchang as an independent man.
"What do you think?"
Zhu Biao showed a helpless smile, indicating that he was also helpless.
"Your Highness, I have probably been in prison for a long time, and my brain is a bit unable to keep up. Can you please give me some time?"
"Wait until I have my brain repaired, and then I can present it to His Majesty and His Highness?"
Lao Zhu wants him to succumb to the imperial power, and he also wants Lao Zhu to know what it means to have a stuck neck.
Zhu Biao knew that he was angry, but he didn't say anything.
With my father's temper, he sometimes wants to rebel.
"I will take you out of the palace."
Once he leaves, it will probably be three years or even longer before we see each other again.
I don’t know what’s going on, but Zhu Biao still feels a little reluctant.
It's rare to meet such a young person.
"Thank you, Your Highness."
Gu Chen felt it and couldn't help but feel a little sad. In fact, Biao'er was very kind to him and not only gave him money to go back and get a wife.
He also interceded with Butcher Zhu, and he would listen carefully to his suggestions.
In this case, Gu Chen decided to do something more for him.
"Your Highness, I have a suggestion. I don't know whether I should say it or not."
