Chapter 2998 Low Profile
Because Guan Yong stayed in the capital, Zhou Dalang let his daughter and son-in-law live at home. Living in the capital was not easy. The Guan family could not afford to buy a house in the capital, and the cost of renting a house was not low.
Zhou Lixin and Guan Yong walked through the corridor back home. He breathed a sigh of relief and said to Zhou Lixin, "From now on, there are no more worries at home. All that remains is to be careful with what we say and do."
Zhou Lixin said, "Grandpa and grandma have mentioned it before. Let my dad and his family keep a low profile outside. If possible, don't use the name of "little aunt". "
Now Zhou Lixue and his men are just minor officials and cannot protect their families, so when Zhou Silang and his men encounter trouble while doing business, they still have to use Zhou Man’s official letter.
Not long after the Zhou family's case ended, Mr. Zhuang and Mrs. Liu both knew the result.
After knowing the result, both of them breathed a sigh of relief.
Mr. Zhuang smiled slightly, sent away the messenger Wu, and said to him, "It's getting late. You have to go to school tomorrow. Go back and rest."
Wutou scratched his head and said, "I'm sorry for disturbing you, sir." Then he ran away.
Old Madam Liu smiled as Fang and the others came to take the children back home. Seeing that they kept looking back and didn't want to leave, she called the children and said, "Come back and play tomorrow. I'll ask your Grandma Zheng to make you some delicious snacks."
Only then did the children stop struggling and go home with their mothers.
After sending the naughty children away, Zheng breathed a sigh of relief and quickly said to her mother-in-law, "Mother, the Zhou family has not split up."
Madam Liu nodded and said, "I heard everything. This is a good thing."
Although the family was divided, they were still surnamed Zhou. To Zhou Man, the six brothers were still six brothers, but they were separated and their momentum was far less than that of being united as one now.
Zheng also intuitively felt that this was a good thing, and asked happily, "Do you want to make some more delicious food to celebrate tomorrow?"
Madam Liu couldn't help but glared at her. "We need to keep this matter low-key and not publicize it. We can make some more snacks and send them over. After all, it's a good thing, so it's okay for everyone to be happy."
The Zhou family was indeed very low-key. The next day, they chose a time when there would not be many people working in the county government office to do their business.
Because Zhou Man's official invitation was not delivered, the people in the county government recognized Zhou Lijun and Zhou Silang but did not take it to heart.
Because it was a voluntary agreement between both parties and they brought enough money, it was done quickly.
Zhou Lijun simply applied for a certificate to leave the country. Xiang Mingxue was still a good householder and not a merchant. Although he was restricted from entering the officialdom and the caravan he had was no smaller than Zhou Silang's, he had more land.
The emperor returned all the farmlands passed down from the Xiang family's ancestors and the land left behind by the deceased members of the family to Xiang Mingxue after the King of Yizhou was executed in order to show his generosity, express his guilt and appease the gentry in the court.
Anyone who trades the produce of the fields will not be considered a merchant.
Given the scale of the Xiang family's land, they would not be recognized as merchants unless they lost a large amount of land or engaged in large-scale trading of non-land-produced goods such as porcelain.
The Great Jin Dynasty did not only suppress merchants, but also provided them with conveniences.
Once you become a businessman, it will be much easier to do business.
For example, the caravans formed by Zhou Silang and other non-merchant people had to get their documents stamped again at each checkpoint and pass after paying taxes.
But it is different for merchants. They can set off after getting the document at the departure place, and they can travel smoothly along the way, unless they pass some important checkpoints, they need to get a new stamp.
But the speed is also much faster than theirs, and the procedures are different.
That would have been fine, as the imperial court occasionally encouraged merchants and would reduce or exempt some commercial taxes. Originally, the tax rate was 30%, but in order to attract merchants to pass through, some places would reduce the commercial tax rate to 40%, or 30% and return part of it.
But Zhou Silang and his companions were not from the Shang family, so they did not have these.
Of course, such cases are rare.
Zhou Lijun made a certificate in his own name and gave it to Zhou Silang, saying, "Remember to change it along the way. When you reach Xiazhou, exchange it for my certificate."
Zhou Silang had a headache. "Do we have to change it along the way? Or change it next time? Otherwise, won't we have to pay more money? And how will I answer when people ask me about it?"
"Just say that I've acquired your business and you're my manager now."
Zhou Silang: "...Okay, you have the final say."
Because they were low-key enough, no one noticed that the Zhou family's business had quietly changed. It was not until County Magistrate Guo discovered Zhou Lijun's name when he checked the accounts that he realized that the Zhou family had transferred all their businesses to Zhou Lijun's name.
He raised an eyebrow, thinking of the recent undercurrents in the court, and closed the booklet and handed it to the chief clerk, "No problem, seal the file."
The chief clerk agreed. He used to follow Tang He and knew that Tang He had a good relationship with the Zhou family. He had specially shown this account to County Magistrate Guo. Seeing that he seemed to have no reaction, he let the matter go and sealed the file according to convention.
After the chief clerk left, County Magistrate Guo couldn't help but shake his head and smile, "They are quite clever, always one step ahead."
Bai Shan, who was one step ahead, also needed help. Mr. Zhuang went to the Ministry of Works for them, and Liu Huan took the initiative to show him around. "There are many powerful people in the Ministry of Works. Some are particularly good at water conservancy projects, some are good at building palaces and gardens, and some are good at designing weapons. But as for the ferry... I asked around, and it seems that Lord Cui is the most powerful."
"Master Cui?"
"Yes, Lord Cui Wei," Liu Huan looked around and whispered, "Lord Cui is actually best known for building bridges and roads. However, the Cui family doesn't like Lord Cui joining the Ministry of Works. Lord Cui is also a bit of a loner and doesn't like talking to people. I'm not sure I can hire him."
Mr. Zhuang asked, "You said he could build a ferry. Has he built one before?"
"It's a river ferry," Liu Huan said. "I don't know much, I just looked it up in the archives. Ten years ago, he participated in the construction of four ferry crossings funded by the Ministry of Revenue. Two of them used his drawings. I asked my colleagues, and they all said that if we want to build a sea ferry, it would be best to consult Lord Cui."
Mr. Zhuang nodded and went to visit Cui Wei with Liu Huan.
Meanwhile, Bai Shan, Zhou Man and the others had also arrived at the Laizhou Ferry and were sitting at a small stall not far from the ferry, eating noodles. They were muttering in disdain as they ate, "This is so disgusting! It's one of the most disgusting foods I've eaten in all these years."
Mingda had already put down his chopsticks and asked, "Have you ever eaten anything more disgusting than this?"
Zhou Man didn't say anything. Bai Shan and Bai Erlang looked up at her and said vaguely, "Some people are just not very good at making things."
For example, Zhou Ersao’s dishes, Zhou Silang’s noodles, and all of Manbao’s food.
Zhou Man hummed, reluctantly finished the noodles in the bowl, and said to them: "Eat it quickly, don't waste it."
Mingda looked at the noodles in her bowl with a troubled look on her face. Manbao was very gentle to her, "If you don't like it, don't eat it. Have some snacks to fill your stomach first."
Then she pushed her bowl to Bai Erlang and ordered, "Eat it."
Bai Erlang gripped his chopsticks tightly, "I, I have a small appetite..."
Not to mention Zhou Man and Bai Shan, even Mingda was watching him. Who was he trying to fool? Did he ever eat less for lunch?
See you at 7pm
(End of this chapter)
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