39 Raising Silver
Fang He, the Left Censor-in-Chief of the Censorate, held up a jade tablet and said sternly, "Today, I want to report to Grand Tutor Zhang for not managing his family properly. The woman in his family has committed adultery with a man outside his family, violating the ancestral teachings!"
"I am innocent!" Zhang Chongshan was shocked, then calmed down and said sternly, "My granddaughter was murdered. Many of my colleagues' wives were at the scene at the time, so they must have heard about it."
"Whether she was murdered is another matter. The adultery is true. Liu Dianyi's illegitimate son was also caught on the spot. Moreover, if she was murdered, it further proves that Master Zhang's family is not peaceful. The young generation is not well educated, and then they framed others. If all the women in our dynasty follow suit, then how can the matchmaker's words, the parents' orders, and the order of propriety, filial piety, integrity and shame be reversed?!"
Fang He didn't get along with Zhang Chongshan, so naturally he grabbed his pigtail and pulled him to the ground.
"Lord Fang, isn't this just public revenge? If you hold the girl in your family responsible for the servant's revenge, won't the whole world regard the victim as the culprit?"
Zhang Chongshan said sternly, if he was really slandered by that old man Fang He, how could he, as the Grand Tutor, still have the face to live!
Xiao Qu sneered, "Master Zhang said that Master Fang was a private vendetta? Everyone in Kyoto knows that your discord is the result of years of grudges, and you have long confused public and private matters. Don't be so sure. My granddaughter attended your banquet and returned with a sprained ankle. How dare you act like an injustice here!?"
"You!——" Zhang Chongshan was furious. He didn't know how he had offended this old madman. Why did he come out to meddle in other people's business today?
Just because his granddaughter sprained her ankle, he should be blamed for it? ? ?
Why doesn't he blame himself for the fact that he was laughed at for wearing kun pants as a child! ?
How many unjust, false and wrong cases must have happened in front of his house! ?
Xiao Huanshan and Xiao Huanjun sighed in unison. Their father was too impulsive and his sons suffered greatly...
"I think that Taifu Zhang has nothing to do with this matter. What family doesn't have a few good-for-nothing youngsters? Not to mention the grandchildren. If the youngsters make mistakes and the elders are punished, then won't several generations of grandparents and grandchildren be unscathed?" Someone who was on the same side as Taifu stood up and spoke.
"Looking back to the past, I have only heard of the son paying for the father's debt, but never the grandfather coming to apologize. Even if Lord Fang is seeking personal revenge, can you find a suitable reason?"
Fang He started to sneer, "I've really never heard of an elder apologizing, but Lord Zhang is the Grand Tutor, and he has the merit of teaching His Majesty, and he is also familiar with etiquette and laws, and he is meant to be a role model. If the Grand Tutor himself can't handle his own family affairs, how can he still be a good role model?!"
Minister of Rites Li Rongyao seconded the motion, "I second the motion. Why the servants in Lord Zhang's family would seek revenge is very worthy of consideration. If the master is unkind, the slaves will surely feel resentful! There is a saying in the Book of Rites: When in a high position, do not bully the superior; when in a low position, do not support the superior. If you correct yourself and do not ask for help from others, you will not have resentment."
"If Master Zhang is really innocent, why is his family in chaos?" Li Rongyao brought out the contents of "Book of Rites", how many people can escape?
"Master Zhang should reflect on his own mistakes!" The sonorous and rhythmic words echoed throughout the hall!
Yesterday, Lord Xiao said that he wanted to help his granddaughter vent her anger, so of course I have to lend him a helping hand.
Zhang Chongshan was so angry that he gnashed his teeth. Could it be that this group of people really wanted to kill him?
Yesterday, His Majesty personally bestowed the four words "The highest good is like water" on me, and my ears are still ringing with their ears. But today, you were thrown into the dust with just one sentence: "Reflect on your own mistakes"?
The joke in the whole Kyoto is not as big as this moment!
That old fellow Li Rongyao is a relative of Xiao Qu, and they must have colluded to embarrass me!
Xiao Qu shook his beard and felt smug in his heart, so what? !
Zhang Chongshan's eldest son, Zhang Shengmin, was a third-rank official in the Imperial Household. He knelt in the hall and trembled. "This is my fault. The children in the harem are unfilial and have brought shame to their father. It is because I failed to educate my daughter that all these things happened. I beg Your Majesty to forgive me!"
Finally, Liu Xianming's father Liu Dianyi also knelt down, his legs shaking uncontrollably under his official robe.
This was the first time he was so "dazzling" in this hall, all thanks to his good son, Liu Dianyi thought, gritting his teeth.
He doesn't hold a high position in the government, and I don't know how that bastard in his family dared to do that!
How shameless of you to speak so arrogantly in the Taifu Mansion!
After drinking a little, he lost his mind and dared to challenge someone else's daughter for seducing him?
Don't you see how shameless he is?
If he dares to do such a shameful thing in the Grand Tutor’s Mansion today, he will be so bold as to do anything horrible tomorrow!
I'll break his legs when I get back!
Pei Yuning tapped the dragon throne with his fingertips and asked calmly, "Master Zhang, do you still remember the birthday gift I gave you yesterday?"
Zhang Chongshan was terrified, "I remember that I am ashamed of your majesty's kindness."
"I shouldn't interfere too much in the family affairs of the Grand Tutor, but it is reasonable to follow the ancestral teachings. The Grand Tutor needs to discipline the people in the mansion more. They should be respectful, thoughtful, and calm. The Grand Tutor should reflect on himself."
Zhang Chongshan's heart trembled, "Yes."
"Although there is a hidden story behind this matter, the rumors must be put to rest, so I will fine Master Zhang and his son one year's salary, Liu Dianyi one year's salary, and the children of both families will reflect on their mistakes for three months. Do you have any objections?"
"I obey your order!"
"I obey your order!"
"I obey your order!"
"Let's choose another date to get them married as soon as possible to put an end to the rumors."
"yes."
"yes."
This was the first time that the Zhang and Liu families were "proposed to marry" by His Majesty in this way, and both families were ashamed.
Especially Zhang Chongshan, he wanted to beat Zhang Shengmin to death, thinking that his whole life of wisdom would be ruined by this good son.
He couldn't control his lower body and had an illegitimate daughter with a slave girl. He didn't discipline the girl properly after the birth, causing such a scandal.
After all, this was not a formal imperial decree from His Majesty to arrange a marriage, but merely an advice to urge the two families to deal with the matter as quickly as possible in order to calm public opinion.
Zhang Chongshan suddenly thought of His Majesty's private visit that day and couldn't help but tremble with fear.
Could it be that I have displeased His Majesty and he wants to settle accounts with me?
The Zhang and Liu families were both worried, but Pei Yuning looked calm, as if he was not affected by the matter at all.
Not angry nor surprised, as if it was an ordinary little thing.
"This matter has come to an end. Do you have anything else to report?" Pei Yuning asked.
As soon as he finished speaking, Xiao Huanshan stood up and said, "I have something to report to your majesty!"
"Go ahead."
"The money for flood relief in Zhuzhou has arrived a few days ago, but the flood has had a wide impact. Zhuzhou's governor has requested that the Ministry of Revenue request more silver. On the one hand, the number of refugees is still increasing, and it's almost summer. We should distribute preventive medicine to prevent the occurrence of plague after the disaster. On the other hand, I asked the Imperial Astronomical Observatory yesterday and learned that the weather in Zhuzhou has been bad in recent days, with a lot of rain, so repairing the river bank is also a top priority!"
Wang Shulin, the Minister of Revenue, reported, "Minister Xiao is right, but the Ministry of Revenue has already spent 200,000 taels, plus the two-year tax exemption for Zhuzhou, which is already very difficult. At the same time, this year's military expenditures for various places are higher than in previous years, and the autumn tax will not start for another two months. Repairing the river embankment is no small matter. We really cannot afford to spend more money!"
"In this case, do you have any solution?" Pei Yuning asked in a deep voice.
When the people in the Ministry of War heard what that old man Wang Shulin said, they wondered if he was planning to target military spending.
Someone came out in a hurry and said, "Your Majesty, military expenditures are higher than before, but the changes on the border are also obvious to all. If we don't have strong soldiers and horses, how can we deal with the enemy? Should we use the hoes to farm?"
"Your Ministry of War is quick to extort money. Today you say you want to buy horses, and tomorrow you say you want to repair an arsenal. That's fine, but some time ago you said that the post stations also had to be repaired. Border disturbances should not be dealt with with hoes. Instead, you should use the wood used to build the post stations!" The people in the cabinet sneered.
"That's right! Wouldn't it be better to save the money for repairing the post station?"
The person from the Ministry of War who had just spoken was speechless, his face looked ugly, and he couldn't utter a word for a long time.
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