"Kou Zhong!" Zhou Jingshi suddenly shouted and walked into the purchased house. Without asking anyone to light a lamp, he entered the back room in the dark. Kicking the door open, the lights inside were so bright that he couldn't open his eyes for a while.
"Management?" Kou Zhong was sitting in a chair, taking care of business as usual. When he heard the door panel banging, his body couldn't help but tremble, and his heart beat violently.
He saw the fire in Zhou Jingshi's eyes, which looked even more terrifying in the brightly lit room. "Okay..." Zhou Jingshi walked forward and stared at him angrily. Kou Zhong was trying hard to suppress his early panic and put down the pen in his hand in an orderly manner.
"Do you really think you are my benefactor, Zhou Jingshi?" Zhou Jingshi lowered his voice and said gloomily. "I don't know why Manager Zhou...why..." Kou Zhong pursed his lips and looked at Zhou Jingshi in astonishment. He was supposed to have a long explanation, but at this moment he couldn't utter a single word.
"Why me!" Zhou Jingshi immediately grabbed Kou Zhong, pushed him off the chair, and rolled him on the ground several times before he climbed a few steps and sat leaning against the door. At this moment, he calmed down and remembered the reason why Zhou Jingshi gritted his teeth.
In the few months after Guanshi Zhou arranged his marriage, Kou felt uncomfortable in his heart. He would always have to leave to buy a house, Kou Zhong thought clearly. Of course, it's not like going back to the days of cleaning toilets - it's about climbing to a higher chamber, perhaps to relieve the gloom in my heart. Kou Zhong was determined to do this, and often relied on Zhou Jingshi's relationship to approach the council chamber. He seized the opportunity when Zhou Jingshi sent him to clear up connections, made friends with the minions in the meeting hall, and never mentioned Manager Zhou when bribing everyone, and he became familiar with them.
Cheng Congyuan often came to the meeting hall to rest, but he only drank a few cups of tea with the servants, then got up and left, so he rarely encountered the enemy. Only this time, Cheng Congyuan came earlier, and the two of them happened to bump into each other. Kou Zhong was chatting happily with everyone when he heard someone coughing behind him. He tilted his neck to peek and saw Cheng Congyuan making tea as if nothing had happened. He was speechless for a moment and his expression became much calmer.
"It's getting late, I'll take my leave now." He stood up in a panic, lowered his head and walked silently out of the hall; Cheng Congyuan's eyes didn't even jump, as if he didn't know that Kou Zhong was in front of him. Drink tea.
Seeing this, Kou Zhong felt much relieved. He walked quickly to the door, and when he was about to step out with his foot, a calm and heavy voice suddenly came into his ears, so he could only stand up and stop. "Don't leave yet." Cheng Congyuan took the lid and gently scratched the tea bowl, which was crisp and sweet.
Kou Zhong listened for a while to think of words, then walked up to Cheng Congyuan and said in a calm tone: "Mr. Cheng, let the past be bygones."
Cheng Congyuan never raised his head, staring blankly at the tea in the bowl. "That's right. I feel so tired! After all, today is very different from the past! You have different thoughts from others, and now you and I hit it off right away." Cheng Congyuan said with a faint smile.
"That is to say, I have value in Mr. Cheng's eyes..."
"But it depends on whether you agree or not." After saying that, Cheng Congyuan pushed the bowl away and left without even glancing at Kou Zhong.
From then on, for some unknown reason, Kou Zhong often met and talked with Cheng Congyuan, and they became as close as brothers. At this time, Cheng Congyuan had launched a vigorous crackdown on bribery, so many people were executed with sticks. The long-lasting smell of blood echoed in the meeting hall, which seemed to be getting stronger and stronger. But buying a house seems particularly peaceful in this atmosphere. Kou Zhong knew that Cheng Congyuan deliberately got close to him for this purpose, and he could also take the opportunity to buy a house in order to find a job beside his master. The so-called "hit it off" was probably like this.
But he is always worried that if he investigates the corruption involved in purchasing the house, Cheng Congyuan will be able to seize some disgraceful evidence against him. If he turns against him at that time, he will have no power to counterattack; but now he has no way out. But retreating is like a runaway war horse on the battlefield. It can only run wildly, life and death depend on fate.
"You fucking want to kick me! I keep calling you brother, but I didn't expect such an ungrateful person!" Zhou Jingshi stepped forward and kicked him again, his eyes bloodshot and red. Kou Zhongfu climbed up with difficulty, his expression firm, his eyes suddenly changed from panic to calm and calm.
"Manager Zhou...tell the matter clearly first and let me know it too."
"You're pretending well...you know it yourself!" Zhou Jing said hoarsely.
"I really don't understand what could make the manager suspicious of me..."
"You and Cheng Congyuan were discussing how to clean up the house you purchased. Of course you don't understand!" Zhou Jingshi was calmer than before.
"Did the steward hear it from those people?"
"Those people?" Zhou Jingshi sneered, as if he wanted to see how Kou Zhong would defend himself.
"Just those stewards." Kou Zhong coughed slightly and looked at him.
"That's right. What?"
"Manager Zhou! You don't know what they are pregnant with!" Kou Zhong laughed and sighed again: "Don't you know, Cheng Congyuan wanted to cut me into pieces more than once! If it weren't for the Ye Mansion He is from a famous family, and if he cares about his face, I would have died here a long time ago, so why collude with him? This feud will not be resolved in ten and a half years..."
"Those people were jealous of my ability to do things, so they took advantage of this period of unstable people to frame me! The manager may not know that when I went to your house to pay my respects, they almost kicked my waist in half because of this incident. Determined to go..."
"When I bought the coffin to raise funeral expenses, they didn't show up. How could you listen to them now?" Kou Zhong gritted his teeth, looking very sad.
He stood up slowly, picked up the inkstone on the table and threw it to the ground. "If Manager Zhou makes a decision, use this thing to kill me right here. It's just a slave's life..." He kicked the inkstone to Zhou Jingshi's feet.
"Come on!" Kou Zhong closed his eyes, his face suddenly wrinkled, and tears gradually rolled down his cheeks. Zhou Jingshi hesitated for a while before bending down to pick up the inkstone; Kou Zhong narrowed his left eye slightly, nervousness and panic boiling in his heart like hot oil poured from two cauldrons.
The inkstone swayed in the blur of light and shadow; Zhou Jingshi's expression was unclear at this moment; his chest was inexplicably blocked.
But the steward finally lowered the inkstone slowly and very lightly. He hurriedly opened his eyes and finally took a breath, but suddenly he felt dizzy and his vision was blurred. Fortunately, Zhou Jingshi's suspicion was eliminated at this moment, and the rest became much more relaxed.
"Manager Zhou, you still believe in this brother..." Kou Zhong stepped forward and patted his back. Then, as if he couldn't hold it back, he covered his eyes and cried softly, choked with sobs that he couldn't speak clearly.
Zhou Jingshi also held on to him tightly.
"I really feel sorry for such a loyal person..." he said.
Kou Zhong didn't say a word when he left to buy the house. He just pretended to wipe his tears and looked up at the direction of the moon, as if he was estimating the time. Maybe it’s just for viewing, but it’s time to be ready to make a clean break from buying a house.
"That's it, Mr. Cheng." Kou Zhong spoke calmly, without a trace of struggle or hesitation, as if he had already made up his mind, he told the whole story easily. Cheng Congyuan was a little surprised by this. He looked at the stack of banknotes and said, "It's not right to say that Zhou Jingshi cultivated you."
"Mr. Cheng, if you want us to behave in a good manner, you won't be able to figure out how to buy a house." Kou Zhong replied in a friendly voice.
Cheng Congyuan still didn't look at him, just smiled. "So, there must be a few duplicitous people in the house..."
After hearing this, Kou Zhong also smiled quietly.
Cheng Congyuan led people shouting to the door of the purchased house. The knocking on the door became louder and louder, startling the sparrows perched on the tree and flying around with their wings waving. But no one opened the door to the house he purchased for a long time. Cheng Congyuan was so angry that he pushed the crowd away and roared: "You can't just break it open!" He stepped forward and kicked the door hard, and inside Someone came to open the door.
"It's okay, you all just stay safe." Cheng Congyuan said to the door opener.
The man's face was ashen and he didn't dare to ask Cheng Congyuan. He turned to the servant next to him and asked: "What happened? Manager Zhou here refused to open the door..."
"Just tell us where Zhou Jingshi is!" the servants said impatiently.
"It's in the back room, saying..." Halfway through the man's words, everyone rushed into the room, pushing and shoving, and then turned to the back room. They saw that the door seemed to be closed, and the windows seemed to be closed tightly.
"Open the door! If you don't open it, we'll burn this room down. The worst we can do is send someone to repair it! Do you think you can escape?" Several of the arresting servants walked up behind Cheng Congyuan and shouted into the room.
"What nonsense are you talking to him about!" Cheng Congyuan raised his hand, his tone full of contempt, "A few people went up and kicked the door!"
After giving the order, the servants swarmed to the door. The leader handed out the rope in his hand, kicked the door, staggered, and fell in immediately.
"The fucking door isn't locked!"
After everyone heard this, they immediately rushed in.
Cheng Congyuan waited outside the house for a while, and then everyone tied up Zhou Jingshi and came out aggressively. Cheng Congyuan immediately shouted to stop. "Don't be afraid, Mr. Zhou. I'm just asking you a few questions to verify the truth."
"Did Kou Zhong report it to you?"
"That's right..." Before Cheng Congyuan finished speaking, Zhou Jingshi stood up his eyebrows in anger and immediately cut off: "That thing... I should have killed him long ago! I treated him like a confidant, but he bit me instead. !Mr. Cheng! Do you still dare to believe this unkind bastard?"
"You can't say that," Cheng Congyuan said, "He exposed you for our government's big plan, so there's no need to be so angry, right?" Seeing Cheng Congyuan's calmness, he became a little worried.
"Let me ask you something first," Cheng Congyuan rubbed his eyebrows, "When the bandit reported you, he brought about a bundle of treasure notes, commonly known as banknotes. He said that this was after you sent him to please the council. A reward for him, right?”
"Nonsense! Why doesn't Mr. Cheng suspect that Kou Zhong made the money on his own? Besides, it is the rule of the government to hand over money to the council every month, so why give him any reward! Mr. Cheng, think about it."
Cheng Congyuan smiled and said, "The meeting hall will also be inspected. You will understand when you ask. I will not kill indiscriminately... chase people away randomly!" He then raised his hand again and ordered his subordinates to bring Zhou Jingshi with him. He went to the utility room to look after him, and then returned to the meeting hall.
"Manager Kou, Zhou Jingshi has been detained by Mr. Cheng. We are waiting for the outcome of your trial." A slave followed Kou Zhong and explained.
"Don't take matters into your own hands! Am I still acting as a comprador?" Kou Zhong said this, and he couldn't help but have a proud smile on his face.
As he said that, the two of them had entered the back room from the purchase hall. In the room, a dozen slaves were holding the stewards, holding hard sticks in their other hands. Seeing the bandits coming, they hurriedly threw those few away. Open, come forward and salute.
After the salute, these servants each held sticks and lined up on both sides, just like the style of county officials ascending to the court; the stewards lowered their heads and knelt, for fear of being recognized by the bandits.
The servant who followed Kou Zhong all the way pulled the chair to the middle and helped Kou Zhong sit down.
"Look up." Kou Zhong said to the stewards with a sarcastic tone.
Those people shouldn't.
"Tell you to raise your heads!" Kou Zhong slapped the chair, and the stewards were so frightened that they immediately raised their heads, their faces covered with putty and looking panicked.
"Do you recognize me?" Kou Zhong deliberately brought his face closer and asked.
"I recognize it, of course I recognize it..." the steward who almost kicked his waist in the past said beforehand.
"I don't believe it. Think about it again." Kou Zhong stood up and walked to him.
"No... I admit it, it's Kou..."
Before he finished speaking, he suddenly felt a burning pain in his waist, "Ouch" and fell to the ground.
It was Kou Zhong who took the stick, hit him hard on the waist, and then shouted, "Do you still remember?"
The man was in pain for a long time before he struggled to get up. He had to kneel on the ground and beg for mercy. Everyone looked at Kou Zhong nervously.
"Okay, let's talk about business again." Kou Zhongfu returned to his seat. The servants around me have prepared pens and papers.
"Have you ever given money to Zhou Jingshi? When did you give it to him? Make it clear."
The steward carefully recalled everything, and the servant followed his instructions and wrote them down on the paper one by one.
"That's all." All the stewards looked at Kou Zhong.
"What else?" Kou Zhong asked.
"There is also money obtained from compradors, but there is no corruption or bribery elsewhere..."
"Not only that," Kou Zhong said matter-of-factly, "there is also money to bribe the slaves in the council chamber. That's how you let those people slander the master in order to alienate the master from Cheng Congyuan and appreciate Zhou Jingshi, right? Is this a thing?"
"This is nonsense. I wonder whose lie Steward Kou believed..." All the stewards were confused and didn't know what this was about.
"Okay..." Kou Zhong smiled slyly.
"Let's beat him. Beat him until he confesses." There was no room for explanation. While the stewards were still confused, they were already being teased here and there by the slaves. Then they were beaten severely and the sticks were swung down with crackling sounds.
After beating them for a while, I saw them crying for their father and mother, half dead, so I had to make up some nonsense and finally confessed.
Kou Zhong collected the confessions together, turned around and left the house, leaving behind the former stewards who were still crying out in pain.
