Chapter 168 Nominal Title
Master Zhao immediately threw aside the "family rules," fearing he might hurt his youngest daughter, and said with heartache:
"Good boy, what are you doing here? The ground is cold, don't kneel down, get up and let's talk things out."
Zhao Mei frowned and glanced at Zhao Yinchen beside her.
"Then Father, please let my elder brother get up too!"
"Oh dear, he did something wrong, what does it have to do with you!"
Seeing his daughter's stubborn expression, Master Zhao knew she was determined to prove him right, so he could only force a smile and say, "Father won't punish him, he won't punish him!"
"That's more like it."
Zhao Mei stood up with a beaming smile, affectionately took Old Master Zhao's arm, and said in a coquettish tone:
"Father, please don't blame my brother. Every cloud has a silver lining. I went to the business this morning and our business is doing very well!"
Even so, Master Zhao still felt sorry for the money that was spent like water without any return.
A single dose of medicine can easily cost more than ten taels of silver. If you add it all up, it would be several hundred or even several thousand taels. But the Zhao family subsidizes the entire population of the capital, so you can imagine how enormous the cost is.
When Master Zhao received the account book, he almost fainted.
"You don't know the cost of firewood and rice until you're in charge of the household. All the wealth our family accumulated as imperial merchants has been wiped out by this epidemic!"
Mr. Zhao still felt his heart was bleeding, but his two children were well-behaved and sensible, and kept comforting him, which gave him some solace.
"Master! Master! This is incredible news!"
The steward, Zhao Fu, came running over from outside, carrying a long robe and shouting that there was good news. The father and his two sons looked over in response.
"What good news is there?"
Surely it couldn't be that His Majesty paid back the money, could it?
"Yes, it's someone from the palace delivering an imperial decree!"
"What!"
The three looked at each other, and the same possibility came to mind at the same time.
The next instant, the son and daughter immediately helped the stunned Master Zhao out, moving so fast that they practically carried him away.
"Ouch, slow down, slow down—"
Master Zhao grinned from ear to ear, and as he walked, he didn't forget to send someone to inform Madam Zhao that the whole family had come out to receive the imperial decree.
"I already informed Madam, and she's probably on her way now!"
Zhao Fu was overjoyed. He had finally made it through the ordeal. Who would have thought that this epidemic would turn the Zhao family from the brink of death to life?
The eunuch who came to deliver the imperial decree was surnamed Zeng. Seeing that the Zhao family members were kneeling humbly, he put away his smiling expression and took out the imperial decree to begin reading it aloud.
"By the mandate of Heaven, the Emperor decrees..."
The Zhao family members knelt down and listened intently; the more they listened, the more their lips curled into a smile.
The Emperor indeed restored the Zhao family's status as imperial merchants, but this was not the end of the story. Eunuch Zeng continued reading, and the Zhao family had no choice but to suppress their joy and continue listening.
When they heard that Master Zhao was to be granted the honorary title of Acting Circuit Intendant, the Zhao family members all widened their eyes, almost thinking they had misheard.
Although the position of candidate circuit intendant was a nominal one, the addition of an official title distinguished it from that of a merchant. This was an important condition for tax reduction and easier interaction with officials.
The Zhao family can rely on this honorary title to rise to the top in one step!
Master Zhao and Madam Zhao couldn't suppress their smiles, while Zhao Yinchen raised an eyebrow, thinking to himself that Princess Chang Le was indeed righteous.
Seeing that the Zhao family members were all smiling broadly, looking like they were in a daze, and accepting the imperial decree to express their gratitude, Eunuch Zeng shared the same feeling.
"From now on, I shall address Master Zhao as Lord Zhao."
Master Zhao's old face beamed like a chrysanthemum as he repeatedly said modestly:
"Not at all, not at all, Eunuch Zeng is too kind. Eunuch Zeng must be tired from your journey out of the palace. Someone, please bring us some tea money!"
He beckoned, and Zhao Fu, who was waiting to the side, strode forward and secretly slipped a light purse that he had prepared beforehand into Eunuch Zeng's sleeve.
Grandpa Zeng carefully touched it; given its weight, it was undoubtedly a silver note.
Such generosity is befitting of the Zhao family. His decision to suppress the eunuchs and deliver the imperial decree was definitely the right one.
"You're too kind, Lord Zhao. I have important matters to attend to in the palace, so I'll take my leave now."
"Hey, Eunuch Zeng, please wait a moment. Um... I have a favor to ask, and I hope that you can answer my questions."
Master Zhao smiled and leaned forward, lowering his voice slightly.
Zeng looked over with a puzzled expression.
"What is it?"
"Logically speaking, the epidemic has been quelled for several days now. I don't know why His Majesty only issued the decree today... I have no resentment, I'm just curious. To be honest, we were planning to return to Qinghe in a couple of days. If it weren't for Eunuch Zeng's timely arrival, we would have missed it."
Master Zhao, who is usually so eloquent and shrewd, was now unusually stammering, as if afraid that Eunuch Zeng might have some bad thoughts or suspicions about him.
Grandpa Zeng nodded knowingly, glanced at the person next to him who was also curiously listening, and coughed lightly.
Master Zhao understood and immediately leaned in to listen.
Only then did Eunuch Zeng speak in a very low voice:
"So, Master Zhao, how could you not know the identity of the person who took over the Zhao family's business? The ladies in the palace are exchanging veiled insults; if we overhear even a single word, we could lose our heads. I hope Master Zhao will be more vigilant and not let any more villains take advantage of the situation, causing our noble masters a lot of trouble..."
Eunuch Zeng's words were cryptic, and Master Zhao's mind raced several times before he finally understood.
Who else could be the villain they're talking about? Isn't it the Zou family's merchant guild, a distant relative of the imperial concubine who succeeded the Zhao family as imperial merchants?
As for the intrigues and troubles of those nobles in the palace... the Zhao family has never interfered in the past, nor will they be bribed in the future. The most important thing is to remain aloof and protect themselves wisely!
If something like this happens again, the Zhao family won't have enough money to fight another epidemic!
Master Zhao remained silent, bowing and thanking him repeatedly, before finally seeing the man off properly.
"Father, what did Eunuch Zeng say to you? Why do you look so frightened?"
Zhao asked with a worried look in his eyes.
Isn't this a good thing? Why doesn't Father seem very happy?
Master Zhao shook his head and pushed one child in each hand into the house, saying, "Let's go inside and talk about it, let's go inside and talk about it."
The Imperial Study.
The sweltering heat of early summer was kept out, and the interior was like a series of icebergs, making the whole room cool as spring. As soon as you entered, your heart calmed down.
“Zeng Mian, you’ve come back just in time. Come and tell the Crown Prince what I asked you to do just now.”
Behind the spacious imperial desk, the emperor practiced calligraphy, a practice he hadn't done in a long time. His brows and eyes were relaxed, and he seemed to be in a good mood, even his tone was smiling.
Zeng Mian, also known as Eunuch Zeng who had just gone to the Zhao family to deliver the imperial decree, had come here to report to the Emperor that he had completed his mission and, in consideration of the one hundred taels of silver, to express the Zhao family's gratitude.
Unexpectedly, as soon as he entered the Imperial Study and saw the Crown Prince, before he could even pay his respects, he was called upon by the Emperor.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com