More than ten days later, Jiangning appeased the envoy.
Zhao Tong gently put down his tea bowl and looked at the kneeling man in official uniform in front of him.
He is about thirty years old, with a white face and short beard, a delicate appearance, and smart eyes.
"Get up." Zhao Tong said calmly.
"Yes, Your Majesty, I am a humble official and honor your orders." The man stood up cautiously and stood aside cautiously.
Zhao Tong was silent for a few breaths: "Sit down."
"The prince is here. Wherever there is a place for a humble official to sit, a humble official can just stand."
Zhao Tao smiled when he heard this. The person in front of him was none other than Zhu Xiuniang's clan brother, Zhu Xiang, who had come from Zhenghe County, Fujian Province.
Although the official position of county magistrate seems to be small, it is not something ordinary people can take. Many people come from the imperial examination. If they are not related to the government, they may not be able to sit as the chief official of this county even until they die.
Zhu Xiang is the Zhu family who spent a lot of gold and silver on the government to get to this position step by step.
"You are not an outsider now. Let me sit down and try the Xiaolong Tuan that I brought from Tokyo to see how it is different from the white tea from Zhenghe County."
"I obey!" Zhu Xiang showed a flattered look on his face, and then cautiously sat down on half of the chair.
"Yeah!" Zhao Tao raised his chin towards the tea bowl on the table.
Zhu Xiang hurriedly stood up to thank him, and then held the tea bowl in both hands, as if it was the most delicious thing in the world. Not only should he taste it carefully, but he should also respect it with courtesy.
Then, a series of words of praise poured out of Zhu Xiang's mouth, which made Zhao Tao a little surprised. He had never thought that Xiaolong Tuan had so many benefits and advantages.
He nodded slightly and tapped his fingers lightly on the table. Zhu Xiang immediately stopped talking, showing a look of attentive listening.
Zhao Tong said: "Do you have any heirs?"
Zhu Xiang leaned forward and said, "Go back to your lord, I have a son and a daughter."
Zhao Tong suddenly smiled and said: "Okay, okay, let's not mention the past to avoid heartache. Let's talk about the future. Now you are the only one left in the Zhu family, and there are no other branches, so there is no such thing as a concubine. "
"Your Majesty..."
"Well, from now on, your Zhu family will be the direct descendants of the Zhu family in Shezhou, and your Zhu Xiang will be the head of the Zhu family in Shezhou!"
"Ah!" Zhu Xiang was overjoyed when he heard this, and hurriedly ran to the middle of the ground again, knelt down and kowtowed: "I thank you for your favor. I am willing to go through fire and water for you, no matter what!"
Zhao Tong waved his hand and asked him to get up, and then said: "The thieves caused a disaster, and even the Zhu family's wealth was lost to the hands of the thieves and the people. It was either hidden or lost and cannot be traced. However, the land and property in Shezhou and other places are still there." , I have an idea for these things.”
"Your Majesty, these naturally belong to my sister-in-law, Wu Niang." Zhu Xiang said hurriedly.
"That's wrong." Zhao Tong shook his head and said, "The part that belongs to me, Lao Taishan, will naturally be given to Wuniang, but what belongs to the rest of the family must be inherited by you."
"Your Majesty, I don't dare to..." Zhu Xiang declined.
Zhao Tong looked at him: "Why don't you dare to do this? From now on, you will be the head of the Zhu family, and it depends on you to revitalize the Zhu family. I think that you only have one son and one daughter, which is too few. You must remember to give birth to more children and spread the branches." Only by scattering leaves can we repeat the glory of the Zhu family in Shezhou!"
"Yes, the prince is right." Zhu Xiang was ecstatic. He originally thought that all the properties of the Zhu family would be inherited by Wuniang. After all, Wuniang was the only surviving descendant of Zhu Que, and she also followed His Highness King Qin. How could he Are these properties given away to others? But I didn't expect that the virtuous King of Qin would be so considerate of the Zhu family in Shezhou.
Zhu Xiang once again ran to the middle of the ground and knelt down to kowtow. This time, his face was filled with tears, and he kowtowed louder than before.
Zhao Tong called him up and said: "Without further delay, tomorrow we will move the coffins of your Zhu clan to Shezhou, and you will be in charge of everything. As for the property and other matters, we can hand it over after we return to Shezhou and check it carefully." , the direct transfer of ownership belonging to you will save a lot of trouble with me here."
Zhu Xiang knows that the procedures for transferring property such as shops, houses, land, etc. are cumbersome, especially if the Zhu family has a great career. Even though he has an official status, the magistrate of Shezhou is two levels higher than him. Now that the Zhu family has collapsed, it is difficult to do such a thing. A thick layer of it has not been scraped off, but Zhao Tong is different. Who dares to say more about the stars? You have to be obedient and do things immediately.
"I honor your orders!" Zhu Xiang suddenly felt at this moment that it would be good if all the clan members were dead. Anyway, his parents were long gone. If not for everyone at this moment, he would not be able to be the head of the clan in many years. He didn't have the slightest share in the fortune, so he could only watch helplessly.
Zhao Tong thought again and said, "By the way, Xiu Niang is pregnant now, but she misses her family every day and can't sleep at night. I'm afraid she's going to be traumatized. You come here just in time to meet. I have already arranged a family banquet. We’ll take care of things in the front hall in the afternoon, so don’t leave yet.”
Zhu Xiang was even more happy when he heard this and said yes again and again.
When the sun had just passed due south, a banquet was set up in the front hall of the Comfort Envoy. Although there were only three people, Zhao Tao, Zhu Xiuniang, and Zhu Xiang, the dishes on the banquet were quite rich.
It’s just that Zhu Xiuniang started crying when she saw Zhu Xiang. Zhu Xiang had no choice but to persuade her to take care of herself and not be too sad. After all, things had already happened. No matter how sad she was, it would not help. She also said vaguely that she was pregnant after all. As a member of the royal family, you must be cautious at all times and not make any mistakes.
After Zhu Xiuniang heard this, she couldn't help but look at Zhao Tan. Knowing that it was Zhao Tan who had told her about her pregnancy, Zhao Tan smiled and said, "What your brother said is true. Xiuniang should take good care of her body and not make any mistakes. "
A faint sneer appeared at the corner of Zhu Xiuniang's lips, and then she just talked about past events with Zhu Xiang, and asked how she would arrange her return to Shezhou. Zhu Xiang couldn't answer, so he had to look at Zhao Tong.
Zhao Tong said to Zhu Xiuniang: "I have already told my brother, now that he is the only male member left in the Zhu family, he will naturally take the position of the head of the family, and the concubine will become the direct line. As for the Zhu family's property, it is in the name of my father-in-law." Naturally, the property belongs to you, Wuniang, and the rest of the Zhu clan members will be taken over by Brother Ling. From now on, the Zhu family in Shezhou will flourish in Brother Ling’s hands!”
Zhu Xiuniang was stunned when she heard this. She didn't believe that Zhao Tao was so kind. Although her Zhu family did not have as much land as other noble families, their shops in various places were among the best among the big families in Jiangnan.
The south of the Yangtze River is prosperous, especially where businesses from various states gather, and every inch of land is valuable. She does not believe that Zhao Tao will give up these properties in vain and give them to Zhu Xiang so that he can develop the Zhu family again.
Zhao Tong is as fierce as a tiger, as greedy as a wolf, and as cunning as a fox. How could he spit out this big piece of fat meat that has been delivered to his mouth? She could justifiably occupy these properties in her name, so how could she just give up? This is definitely not his nature!
Zhu Xiuniang looked at Zhao Tao with shock and uncertainty in her heart. She didn't know what Zhao Tao's plot was. She wanted to warn her brother to be careful, but at this moment, it was difficult to speak during the dinner, so she secretly calculated in her heart how to find a chance to speak alone. this matter.
Zhao Tong looked at Zhu Xiang with a smile: "Since it's a family banquet, we won't speak foreign words at all. How long have you been sitting in the seat of Zhenghe County Magistrate?"
Zhu Xiang's eyes lit up when he heard this, and he said hurriedly: "Reporting to the prince, it has been almost two years."
Zhao Tong nodded: "Two years is quite a long time. Did you have any arrangements within the clan before?"
Zhu Xiang hesitated: "Originally, the clan said that we should wait for the opportunity to move around as a judge, but now..."
Zhao Tong smiled and said, "Is that so, judge? When I get back to you, I will ask which state on the Fujian Road has a vacancy, and I will fill it for you. Since I have accumulated connections in Fujian, it is better to stay in Fujian for the time being, and don't go to other roads."
Zhu Xiang stood up in a hurry: "I thank you, Your Highness, for your support!"
Zhao Tong shook his head: "We are all from the same family. If we talk about two families, even if there is no shortage, it will be easy to handle. Then I will inform Fujian Economic Strategy Huang Jue and ask him to find out who is corrupt and bending the law, and arrest them. Just free up space.”
When Zhu Xiang heard the words, he felt very happy. He couldn't be happier. He almost fainted when he heard the news that the whole family was wiped out in Zhenghe County. Without the support of his family, let alone taking a step forward, even his position as county magistrate was afraid. If you can't hold on, don't expect that things will turn around, and Wu Niang actually entered the palace of Prince Qin. This is really a blessing and a misfortune. Since you have the towering tree of Prince Qin, are you afraid that you won't be promoted step by step and your official career will be prosperous in the future?
Zhu Xiuniang looked at Zhao Tao blankly at this time. This was not what she had expected before. She didn't understand what the evil thief wanted to do?
Before, she was afraid that Zhao Tong would secretly harm her clan brother, but now she wanted to promote him. This was beyond her expectation. However, this evil thief was definitely not sincere, and there must be a vicious plan behind it!
Zhao Tong then said to Zhu Xiang: "When I return to the capital, Wu Niang has no relatives to see. If you have time, you can let your children come to the capital and walk around in the house. When the time comes, I will buy you a house. It will always be a good place for you in the future." Those who want to be officials in the capital should have a place to stay."
After saying that, he looked at Zhu Xiuniang: "Wu Niang, do you think this king has arranged this?"
Zhu Xiuniang gritted her teeth secretly, but she had to pretend to be satisfied and grateful: "Your Majesty is busy with many things, but he is still thinking about Wu Niang's family affairs. Wu Niang has thanked the prince for his kindness."
"Alas..." Zhao Tong waved his hand: "What are you talking about? Do I still want you to thank Wu Niang? Why do you regard me as an outsider!"
Zhu Xiang was so excited that he almost knelt down and kowtowed, but when he thought that it was a family banquet, Zhao Tao would not like the pretentiousness, so he stood up, poured a full glass of wine, and offered it to Zhao Tao.
Zhao Tong drank it all in one gulp, showing a happy face, and his face turned red. He began to brag about the things going up, which made Zhu Xiang stunned. He had never heard such news about the temple in the past, so he couldn't help but keep it all in his heart, and save it for others in the future. Brag.
Then Zhao Xiang talked about making trouble in Fanlou and rectifying the ministers, which made Zhu Xiang speechless. Finally, Zhao Xiang talked proudly about monopolizing the oiran.
Zhu Xiang couldn't help but applaud, "Qinlou is popular and the oiran is favored. This is the most elegant thing that literati like to do. He felt so happy when he heard it, as if he had experienced it himself, and he couldn't help but toast Zhao Tao again and again.
Zhu Xiuniang's face looked ugly. She was thinking bitterly at this moment. Unexpectedly, this scoundrel still visited the brothel. He really had a corrupt character and did all kinds of evil. What he said at the moment was unpalatable.
She wanted to get up and leave, but she was concerned about the safety of her clan brother and was afraid that Zhao Tong would become angry, so she just lowered her head slightly and sat silently.
After another long while, Zhao Tong was very drunk, so he ordered someone to help him back to the room, and asked Zhu Xiuniang to send Zhu Xiang away.
Zhu Xiuniang couldn't help but be pleasantly surprised. When she saw that she had a chance to talk alone, she ordered He Xiang and Qing Xing not to get close to each other, but only followed behind, and then sent Zhu Xiang out.
Zhu Xiang didn't drink too much, and he didn't dare to get drunk. He cautiously comforted Zhu Xiuniang while walking. Zhu Xiuniang just answered perfunctorily. When he reached the Canglang Stone Pavilion, he suddenly stopped and said: "Brother, my little sister and you Say one thing."
At this time, He Xiang and Qing Xing were about to approach. Zhu Xiuniang said coldly to them: "I am talking to my clan brother about some family matters. Don't listen to me. Doing so will be a serious crime of beheading."
The two women didn't know the grudge between them, so they were so frightened that they didn't dare to leave anymore. They just stood there and stared, fearing that Zhu Xiuniang would stumble and make a mistake.
Zhu Xiang wondered: "Wu Niang has something that can't be discussed in the hall, so why do you come and go outside?"
Zhu Xiuniang's face turned pale, she gritted her teeth and recounted what happened to Jiang Ning, but she could not provide any evidence. She only said that everything was done by Zhao Tong. Zhao Tong either sent his own troops or borrowed the help of thieves. Killing all the nobles in Jiangning City, and then blaming the rebels, and then killing the rebels, and embezzling the nobles' money, he was like a wolf with the heart of a wolf, cruel and vicious, and unparalleled in cruelty.
When Zhu Xiang heard this, he was so frightened that he lost two of his three souls and only one of his seven souls was left. He took two steps back and whispered: "Wuniang, you... are you drunk too much?"
Zhu Xiuniang cried and said: "Where can I drink? I am just waiting for this opportunity to tell the truth to my clan brother. Brother clan, you must go to Tokyo to file a complaint and report this matter to the court so that the world will know and know the cruelty of this villain." Cruel, let the officials punish him and avenge our Zhu family!"
Zhu Xiang calmed down slightly at this time. How could he believe Zhu Xiuniang's words and said: "Xiu Niang, you didn't drink too much, and you came here to slander His Highness with such treacherous words? Your Highness is known as a wise king. You have entered His Highness's door. You are pregnant with a member of the royal family, why...how could you say such crazy things, you, you must have lost your mind and gone crazy."
Seeing that he didn't believe it, Zhu Xiuniang became anxious and told everything Zhao Tong said at that time, almost tacitly saying.
Zhu Xiang just shook his head and said: "Don't you know that His Highness is joking with you? This kind of thing is absolutely impossible. Let alone Xiuniang, you don't have any evidence, you are just guessing out of thin air. Even if you bring the evidence in front of me, I will not I don’t believe it at all!”
Zhu Xiuniang was stunned: "Brother, why did you say this? If the evidence is conclusive, how can you not believe it?"
Zhu Xiang frowned and said: "What Wu Niang said is simply impossible. Your Highness is kind and generous, a noble gentleman, and a figure like Lord Mengchang in ancient times. I categorically do not believe it no matter what the evidence is. It must be slandering His Highness. I Jump out and don’t let him go!”
Zhu Xiuniang's lips moved, and after a few breaths she said, "Brother, don't you believe me?"
Zhu Xiang sighed and said: "It's not that I don't believe in Wu Niang, it's really impossible. I think Wu Niang was hit by the tragedy in the clan before, and she is a little mentally disturbed. I will report to Your Highness later and ask Your Highness to find a wife for Wu Niang." Doctor, take a good look, what will happen if this continues? When Wu Niang marries into the royal family, she has to maintain the royal family's face, like this, like this... alas!"
Zhu Xiuniang was so angry that she pointed at Zhu Xiang, her delicate body trembling: "Brother, you, you... get out!"
The two maids Hexiang Qingxing saw something was wrong from a distance and hurriedly ran forward. Zhu Xiang was silent for a moment and said helplessly: "Sisters, please take good care of Wu Niang, I will just go home."
He hesitated and turned around, thinking to himself, he was really sick, what were he talking nonsense about? It seems that I really need to talk to His Highness and find a gentleman to treat me.
Seeing Zhu Xiang leave in a hurry, Zhu Xiuniang felt dizzy for a while, as if the world was so vast that there was no place for her to live in, and there was no one she could trust. She couldn't help feeling dizzy and fell to the side...
(End of chapter)
