The envelope is torn open.
What hit him was concern and care. His mother's words jumped out of the page, and the words "put on more clothes when the weather is cold" warmed Gu Zhengchen's heart.
In the vast world, only family is the deepest attachment.
Just when he was moved, the smile on Gu Zhengchen's face suddenly froze, his brows furrowed slightly, and a hint of solemnity rose in his heart. After reading the letter, he turned his eyes to Hu Dashan and shouted: "Brother Hu..."
Hu Dashan looked at Gu Zhengchen and said in awe: "You still need to explain this matter. At that time, Mrs. Feng of Mu Mansion suddenly showed up with someone, and I was frightened. If I hadn't spent half my life, I would have just said a few words. It’s hard to tell. Gu Zhixian, who are you, and why did people from the Mu Mansion personally come forward to pick up the family and place them in the big house. I heard that Mrs. Feng also gave the Gu family two maids to take care of... "
Gu Zhengchen frowned and asked seriously: "I told you that after you arrived in Jinling, you should not expose your identity and start selling sugar with peace of mind. Why did you alert the people of Mu Mansion as soon as you arrived in Jinling?"
"I am not sure as well."
Hu Dashan was very confused, suddenly thought of something, and said quickly: "Inspection! It's probably a school inspection!"
"Inspection?"
Gu Zhengchen stared.
I entrusted Hu Dashan to pick up his mother and sister. Is this not worthy of the school inspection?
Gu Zhengchen invited Hu Dashan to the magistrate's house and asked him to talk about it in detail. He grabbed one point and asked: "You mean, Shan Yang boarded the ship to inspect the school?"
"That's right."
Hu Dashan nodded.
Gu Zhengchen continued to ask: "Is there a Confucian master in Shanyang on board?"
Hu Dashan thought about it and recounted the scene at that time: "Looking at the Confucian master's behavior, temperament and conversation, he seems to be a man of great talent."
Gu Zhengchen tapped the table with copper coins, shook his head, and smiled bitterly: "It seems that the inspector was initially focused on this person. He should be a Confucian master or official from Shanyang. If you are identified, you are probably... Implicated by him."
After Hu Dashan heard about it, he breathed a sigh of relief: "I was still worried. Why was a small businessman targeted by the inspection school? It turned out that he was involved. However, if the sugar incident was found out by the inspection school, would it be possible? Will it affect future business?”
Gu Zhengchen waved his hand: "No, it doesn't matter if the school finds out about it, it's just for the operation behind the scenes, so every account must be recorded clearly. My mother and sister can only work as clerks, and they will get the wages of clerks, and they are not allowed to pay more. After the business opens, let them leave and don’t get involved in business.”
Hu Dashan nodded repeatedly and then said: "It's just Gu Qingqing, she is very interested in doing business..."
Gu Zhengchen put away the copper coins and said with a smile: "If she wants to do business, let her go to Mrs. Feng of Mu Mansion to intercede. As long as Mrs. Feng agrees, it's not a bad idea to do business."
"Mrs. Feng?"
Hu Dashan took a deep look at Gu Zhengchen and could see that this person had an unusual relationship with Mu Mansion. Thinking about it, Gu Zhengchen was the one who took Master Mu Chunmu around, how could this relationship be bad?
Zhang Pei came over and reminded: "Master, Guo Xu is still waiting in the second hall."
Gu Zhengchen stood up and looked at Hu Dashan: "I was just talking and forgot that there are still things to deal with. Brother Hu, just stay here today and let's catch up on old times. I happen to have something to discuss with you."
Hu Dashan naturally agreed.
Second hall.
Gu Zhengchen looked at the pacing Guo Xu, stepped forward and said, "I just received the letter from home. I was temporarily obsessed with family affection and neglected you. Don't blame me. Don't blame me."
Guo Xu quickly saluted: "It is a blessing to be far away from home to get a family letter, but it would be troublesome for the county magistrate to ascend to the east."
Guo Xu, courtesy name Dongsheng.
Gu Zhengchen sat down, arranged for tea to be served, and said bluntly: "Since the Guo family's criminal heads were beheaded and the men were sent away, you have been making constant moves, and today you wandered outside the county government office again. I think you have something to do, so just tell me."
Guo Xu knew that his actions could not be hidden from the county government. After all, those old and weak women and children were the family members of prisoners. He sighed: "County Lord, I came here to ask the county Lord to allow those women and children to enter the weaving compound to work, and give them a A way to survive!"
Gu Zhengchen said nothing, just looked at Guo Xu.
Guo Xu struggled for a while and said firmly: "Guo Dian, Guo Shan and others deserved death. They were punished. It is the law of heaven and no one can complain. But these old, weak, women and children, they are innocent! The county government has no If they are convicted of the crime, they should be treated as ordinary people. Since they are ordinary people, they should be given a chance to start a new life."
"Guo's family doesn't have much food. Even if they sell their shop and spend all their savings, it's hard to help them get through this winter. The rest of the Guo family, for fear of causing trouble, don't dare to help. Although I asked the Luo family for help, I got some money and food, but this money and food is just a drop in the bucket. It can support these old and weak women and children for a while, but there is no long-term solution!"
"As a last resort, I had to come to the county magistrate for help. Among these old and weak women and children, there are more than 40 people who are good at cotton weaving and tailoring, and there are also some female relatives. Although they are not good at these, they can still learn and work. If the county magistrate agrees, there will be more than a hundred people in an instant. Now the Weaving Courtyard has not yet fully recruited them, and they are willing to work as cows and horses to pay off the crimes committed by the family. Please ask the county magistrate - show your noble hand!"
Gu Zhengchen looked at Guo Xu who was bowing deeply, picked up the tea bowl, took a few sips slowly, and said in a deep voice: "Guo Xu, do you want to be the head of the Guo family?"
Guo Xu raised his head in shock and said quickly: "I just want these people to live."
Gu Zhengchen put down his tea bowl and asked again: "You didn't answer me. Do you want to be the head of the Guo family?"
Guo Xu didn't know why.
Gu Zhengchen stood up, took out a book from the bookcase on the east side, flipped through it, and read: "Guo Xu, filial piety, brotherhood, loyalty, etiquette, justice, integrity, and eight virtues are excellent and upright. This is what Liu Gui said about you. The Guo family This is a wealthy family in Jurong. Although its prestige has been greatly reduced due to the private coin coining case and several families have been lost, there are still twelve families after all."
"Your actions these days, to put it nicely, are to redeem the old, weak, women and children, to put it worst, you want to take this opportunity to rise from an inconspicuous side branch to become the head of the Guo family and the talker of the Guo family. Neither?"
A look of anger appeared on Guo Xu's face: "In the eyes of the county magistrate, there can't be pure and kind people in the world, only profit-seeking people?"
Gu Zhengchen turned over a page and his tone became stern: "Director Sun Tong's evaluation of you is: you are thoughtful and good at taking advantage of the situation. I don't want to go into why Sun Tong said you took advantage of the situation. I just don't want to go into it. I want to say something to you: The county government does not have the right to interfere in the internal affairs of the Guo family, but if you cannot lead the Guo family on the right path, neither this official nor the national law will spare you!"
Guo Xu lowered his head.
Standing in front of Gu Zhengchen, he seemed to be a pitiful clown. Even his clothes were stripped off and his most secret parts were exposed!
How can people be selfless!
Guo Xu aspired to do great things, but the imperial examination was suspended by the imperial court, leaving him with no hope of an official career. He was unwilling to put aside his status and joined the county government as a subordinate official. At this time, the Guo family underwent great changes, and the once prestigious and well-spoken people , either dead or afraid to speak.
Take advantage of the opportunity and go with the flow!
Guo Xu wanted to protect the old, weak, women and children, even at the cost of ruining his family, for reputation, prestige, and power!
Those old and weak women are indeed nothing.
But those boys, the underage boys of the Guo family, will be Guo Xu's most reliable force in the future!
Guo Xu looked at Gu Zhengchen, moved the corner of his mouth, and asked, "So, did the county magistrate allow them to enter the weaving compound?"
Gu Zhengchen smiled calmly: "The people who recruit and check the Weaving Courtyard are Sun Niang and Wu. You have come to the wrong place and the wrong person..."
