Chapter 1318: The Turtle Like a Wishing Well (Part 2) [Requesting Monthly Tickets]

How could there be new usurious money?

This issue begins the day before.

Cui Zhi's cousin was a decisive person. Only one day after Shen Tang sent the portrait over, the other party responded.

The other party selected three people from the list, two of whom were in the military and the other in Fengluo. Shen Tang glanced at the list and said, "Your sister has good taste. These three are all good, the best of the best."

Cui Zhi seemed to have given up entirely.

He casually asked the three of them if they were married.

These records aren't updated in real time; by then, someone might have already taken them as sons-in-law. If they're still unmarried, a matchmaking could be arranged. To be honest, Cui Zhi was also tempted. All three were either from humble backgrounds or orphans; a discussion could lead to the man marrying into the family. Cui Zhi's retirement was a done deal. Only with his retirement could some old grievances finally be buried, and the Cui brothers, Cui Xiong and Cui Mi, officially take power.

Cui Zhi believed in his son, but also wanted to pave a bright future for them.

At least, don't make the journey too bumpy.

The Choi family has made too many enemies and urgently needs to win over new allies.

Having a son-in-law marry into the wife's family is one of the reasonable and legitimate ways to achieve this.

"Apart from Liu Fengluo, the other two are still single."

He stayed in Fengluo because his elderly mother had suddenly fallen seriously ill. He was raised by his widowed mother, and they had a very deep bond. Out of humanitarian concern, Shen Tang rejected his request to join the army. There would be other opportunities to go to the battlefield and make a name for himself, but his elderly mother was his only child.

I'll accompany her to the end, so that neither of us will have any regrets.

But the widow's regrets didn't stop at seeing her son attending to her at her bedside before she died. She entrusted a matchmaker to find a husband for him, quickly arranged a marriage, and passed away peacefully half a month later. How did Shen Tang know all this so clearly? Because it was Qi Shan who told him.

Qi Shan knew this because the betrothed was the daughter of a concubine from the family of a Zhongshu Sheng official, a Zhongshu Sheren (a low-ranking official in the Secretariat). He mentioned it briefly during his regular correspondence with Shen Tang. Shen Tang's thought was that this Zhongshu Sheren was not quite right in the head and was looking for an opportunity to be promoted in name only, but demoted in reality.

The groom's widowed mother's wishes were rather selfish, but also somewhat reasonable. The bride's elders, however, were completely out of their minds. To wrong their daughter for a dying man, the marriage was arranged hastily, the ceremony simple and inappropriate. The widowed mother passed away half a month later, and the bride would have to endure a life of hardship and mourning after marrying into the family.

Could this action by a father be out of love for his children?

It was all for the sake of acquiring a son-in-law with investment value.

Therefore, he used his daughter as a bargaining chip, bartering her with other things.

How can someone with such impure thoughts be qualified for the important position of Imperial Secretary? He's simply blinded by greed!

Qi Shan received a reply and demoted the person the following month.

At this moment, he still doesn't know where he offended his superior. He privately complains to the censor he is on good terms with, and Qishan and the censorate are constantly arguing, making it even more lively than the front line.

Oh, this censor was also scolded by Gu Chi.

Cui Zhi was clearly unaware of these bizarre and convoluted details, and he wasn't too disappointed to hear that the one left behind in the capital had already married. His cousin preferred two other men, younger and more handsome—that seemed to be the case from their portraits.

Shen Tang sensed Cui Zhi's distrust of the portrait.

She said, "Don't worry, no one would dare to lie to me."

She had met both parties twice; they were two very different types of people: one was a sunny, outgoing man, and the other was a rugged, chivalrous man.

Both are die-hard fans of Gong Xichou.

Yes, that explains why they're single at marriageable age and eager to go to the battlefield. They're really working hard for a chance to fight alongside their idols up close.

Shen Tang spat out the melon seed shells: "Let's arrange it for today."

There's no time like the present; today is just the right day.

Cui Zhi was caught off guard: "Today?"

No, is it in such a hurry?

Shen Tang raised her eyebrows and asked in return, "Otherwise, why would I set aside a day for a blind date? Zhi Shan, you're so busy these days, where would you find so much free time? I'm going to inspect the outskirts today, I'll take them with me later, and you can go back and bring your cousin and pretend to pass by there, bump into each other, and you'll naturally be able to see if the two of you are compatible."

Cui Zhi: "..."

Such a wild matchmaking event has only been seen in ordinary people's homes.

No, even ordinary people in the city don't make things this rough.

Shen Tang saw the disdain in his eyes and said in a low voice, "The Cui family is ignorant of human suffering. If it were really those lawless rural practices, they would lock men and women together and not open the door unless there was something wrong. We are civilized people."

Cui Zhi: "...Is this really true?"

Shen Tang looked up and thought for a moment: "Yes, the man was sentenced to be whipped on his genitals, and both sets of parents were also sentenced."

As everyone knows, Shen Tang likes to stroll around.

Not only does he enjoy strolling around, but he also likes to take the royal officials with him. During these strolls, he often triggers certain NPC events, just like the player does. One such event involved officials from the Ministry of Justice and the Ministry of Revenue who, in search of wild game, wandered off and got lost. After searching for a while, they finally found a village. While asking the villagers for water, they heard pitiful cries for help. They wanted to help, but the villagers stopped them, leading to a fight. The villagers were fearless, but the officials couldn't bring themselves to kill them, and each of them ended up with injuries.

Kang Shi saw that the others were dumbfounded.

The group saw Kang Shi as if he were their old father.

They cried and sobbed uncontrollably.

Finally, Kang Shi used his men to raid the entire village.

Both families insisted it was merely an irresistible act by two young people who had taken a liking to each other, a common local custom, and how could it be considered illegal? Shen Tang almost laughed in anger, ordering Kang Shi to punish them severely. Making an example of them was crucial to deterring such wicked customs! Even sending both sets of parents to jail didn't scare the troublemakers, until they were publicly punished with caning!

Cui Zhi's face almost twitched.

"The punishment of whipping the external genitalia?"

Does Kangguo still have this punishment?

Just hearing the name is enough to induce phantom pain.

"Yes, the one who observed the punishment came back and said that both of them were smashed."

The scene was horrific, but the deterrent effect was surprisingly strong. After this incident, such heinous acts disappeared in the area, and no more heartless scoundrels dared to incite such behavior. Parents with sons in their families no longer dared to entertain such thoughts.

Kang Shi was overjoyed upon hearing this and immediately proposed incorporating it into the Kangxi criminal law.

Cui Zhi: "...This has certainly broadened my horizons."

Resolving the issue of those who commit violence is indeed an immediate and effective solution.

The blind date process was thus set.

The two men were flattered and overwhelmed by Shen Tang's summons. They were both young and promising, but even so, getting an audience with Shen Tang was difficult. The fact that Shen Tang remembered them made them even more excited and flustered. Shen Tang also stated his purpose directly: a simple blind date.

The woman was from the Cui family; she came from a good family and had a tolerant personality.

The two looked at each other for a moment, then stammered, "Two?"

To put it more seriously, this involved a marriage alliance as a form of appeasement and carried political significance; it could be considered a type of "peace marriage."

But wouldn't it be bad to send both of them to "marry"?

Is the Cui family so powerful that they deserve such sacrifice from the Kang Kingdom?

Shen Tang immediately understood their meaning and explained, "Lady Cui has seen your portraits and admires you, but she hasn't seen the real person yet. We can only know what the real person is like by meeting her. This is not mandatory. You can also see what the lady is like."

This answer put their minds at ease.

Even if you accept a woman with two husbands, you have to consider who the "woman" is.

The other party was just an ordinary noblewoman; with their abilities and talents, there was no need for them to humiliate themselves like this. Their lord had only said he wanted to take a look, so the two of them didn't bother to dress up in their finest attire. Furthermore, with General Gongxi accompanying them, any unpleasantness vanished.

A blind date in exchange for a chance to get up close and personal with your idol seems like a good deal, but Gong Xi Chou isn't happy about it.

But they soon realized they were not so happy about it.

The two young men both huddled around the older brother.

Gong Xichou asked with a sour face, "Don't they have brothers?"

Shen Tang said, "Perhaps, there really isn't?"

Both of them were the eldest sons in their families.

Gong Xichou: "..."

The capital of Qi Kingdom boasts an excellent geographical location in the southwest, surrounded by towering mountains on three sides and facing a relatively flat plain, with crisscrossing waterways, making it a strategically advantageous location for both offense and defense. Shen Tang personally led an inspection team to explore potential development opportunities. The surrounding farmland has already been fully cultivated; perhaps other routes could be explored to compensate for economic shortcomings, such as developing waterways? Revitalizing the nearby prefectures and counties? However, this would also create new conflicts…

Qin Li carefully examined the high-resolution satellite map.

"The Lord's idea is feasible. In the past, these states were in the hands of different countries. The countries were fighting each other and almost all wanted to kill each other. They blocked and changed the waterways, and they could not let other countries benefit from them. The original waterway network was destroyed... This is one of the reasons why these places in the southwest are frequently flooded..."

Part of it was due to natural disasters, but more so to man-made disasters.

Different countries may carve up these areas and modify waterways, but to Heaven, what difference does it make between nations? All are treated equally! Natural disasters often affect vast areas. All countries know this, yet none are willing to change.

Shen Tang couldn't help but complain: "If they had such a selfless idea of ​​'everyone for me, and I for everyone,' where would there be such a chaotic and tragic situation of starving people in the wilderness? The world would have been united long ago... For people, a lose-lose situation is better than a win-win situation."

Every country that is powerful is essentially weak.

Every country suffered natural disasters, which meant that none of them were weakened.

Perhaps due to its proximity to the capital of Qi Kingdom, the surrounding scenery was quite pleasant. Shen Tang led her entourage to the vicinity of the field ridge, where they spotted the unassuming Cui family carriage from afar. Ah, the other party in the matchmaking had arrived. Shen Tang, the matchmaker, happily joined them.

The two candidates for the "marriage alliance" followed with serious expressions.

When they arrived, Cui was playing with a farmer's toddler. The child said something innocent, and a smile appeared on her plain face, dispelling her usual sullenness and adding a touch of radiance.

Only then did Cui Zhi "see" Shen Tang and step forward to bow.

The woman surnamed Cui also followed slowly to greet him.

This was all part of the pre-arranged procedure, but seeing the smile on Cui Zhi's face, Shen Tang felt something was off. Without thinking too much about it, Shen Tang made an excuse to call Cui Zhi aside, leaving the young man alone. Qin Li and Ji Moqiu had just followed when they heard Shen Tang ask, "Zhi Shan, why did your smile seem a little strange just now?"

It didn't feel like seeing a satisfied couple's smile, but rather like a plan had succeeded.

Cui Zhi said calmly, "Lord Shen, you misunderstand. I was very pleased to see the two talented people, which is why I showed my delight."

Shen Tang glanced at him sideways: "Are you kidding me?"

"...Did the Ministry of Rites have no objections to Shen Junyan's remarks?"

The language used was rather crude.

Qin Li: "I am unworthy to be called the Minister of Rites."

Cui Zhi: "..."

In an instant, he had countless complaints brewing up his mind, but he didn't know where to begin. Wasn't Kang Guo's style too amateurish? It seemed that his decision to retire was the right one.

The atmosphere at the blind date was fairly pleasant for the three of them.

Aside from being a little awkward at first, things got much better afterward.

Driven by the idea of ​​"marrying for the common good," the two treated the matter seriously. Cui, filled with resentment at her ex-husband's family's heartless treatment, was determined to avenge herself. What could be more triumphant than a splendid marriage after being divorced?

After our conversation, my mood changed somewhat.

It must be admitted that both young people were extremely considerate of others' feelings, knowledgeable yet without arrogance, and they wouldn't use their knowledge to belittle her ignorance. After all, their environments were different, and within Cui's sphere of influence, they were both the ignorant ones. Besides these differences, they also shared many common interests, such as their love of poetry, books, wine, and tea.

As they were chatting, one of them made an excuse to leave.

Colleagues get along better with Ms. Cui.

If it succeeds, it will be a wonderful story.

He was about to report this matter back to the Lord.

Shen Tang and his group stopped to rest at the entrance of a nearby village. As soon as they arrived, they sensed the heavy atmosphere in the air. Before they could take two steps, their idol grabbed their shoulders and pulled them back, saying, "Don't go looking for trouble at a time like this."

"General? What has happened?"

The soldier standing next to Gong Xichou glanced at the crowd and whispered in a low voice, "The villagers warmly invited the master to come up for a drink of water. He had only taken two sips when a group of thugs came to the end of the village to collect a debt, chasing him from the end of the village to the beginning. The son of the family that was beaten was a gambler who borrowed money at exorbitant interest rates and couldn't pay it back in seven days, so they were being chased for the debt."

"Interested lending? Debt collection?"

While usury has officially disappeared from the public eye in Kangguo, it remains a highly profitable business outside the country, with some wealthy families having amassed their fortunes through generations of usury lenders. With the arrival of the new ruler, those usurers, having some sense, should wisely shut down.

How did I end up bumping into the Lord?

I don't know whether to call it audacious or just unlucky.

"He even chopped off the leg of the person who owed the debt." Driven by his survival instinct, the gambler dragged a bloody path through the crowd.

If you can't pay back the money, you can only use something else to pay it off.

This family has no daughter, but they have a young son.

The debt collectors then kidnapped the youngest son and his gambling-addicted mother.

The gambler's mother was still fertile; her youngest son had decent features and could be a clientele in a couple of years. The gambler's father, however, was pushed and shoved into a rock during the argument and died. The gang of thugs numbered over twenty, each carrying weapons; what ordinary farmer would dare mess with them? Unfortunately, there was a powerful figure they couldn't afford to offend!

The Lord then arrested all of them and interrogated them.

Upon hearing the keyword, Shen Tang raised an eyebrow.

"Interested lending? When did you borrow it?"

The gambler had his leg chopped off and lost a lot of blood, but he was lucky; Shen Tang always had a physician with him when he went out, who stopped the bleeding in time and saved his life. Afraid of dying, he stammered, "I...I borrowed it eight days ago..."

Eight days ago?

Shen Tang calculated the time with her fingers.

He then asked, "Which casino lent you the money?"

The gambler dared not refuse to answer: "It's the one in Yang Lane in the east of the city."

Shen Tang glanced at Cui Zhi's expression out of the corner of her eye. The latter was calm and seemed indifferent, but she did not miss the ruthlessness that flashed in his eyes.

"Oh, I'll check that."

|ω`)

The play should ultimately point to Cui Long, targeting the Cui family, but Cui Zhi discovers this beforehand and transfers the people. Tang Mei also takes the opportunity to make an example of someone, scare others, and extort money from them.