[Father-in-law Chapter 22] Revenge "Your Majesty, 　　please calm down

," Shen Zhen stepped out at this moment, "I think the most important thing at this moment is the safety of the people." "We are guilty, but I hope that your Majesty will hold us accountable after the disaster relief is eased." 　　"Humph," Emperor Xie Yu nodded at Shen Zhen, "you are the only one who can say that." 　　"I haven't forgotten that your Shen family also owes money to the national treasury!" 　　Shen Zhen raised the corners of his mouth, but his tone was quite panic, "Your Majesty is wise, we will urge the clan to pay off the debt as soon as possible!" 　　"What if it can't be paid back?" Emperor Xie Yu and Shen Zhen sang the same tune. 　　"Your Majesty, please deal with it!" 　　Hey hey! 　　The people who were still fearless heard the conversation between Shen Zhen and the emperor, and they felt uneasy. 　　Lord Shen, we didn't agree to "deal with it at your will"! How come you represent all of us? ? 　　"Okay!" Emperor Xie Yu glanced at the people kneeling in the hall, and said meaningfully, "I will grant you a few days." 　　"I will settle accounts with you after the disaster relief is completed!" 　　"I don't care what you use the money for," Emperor Xie Yu said sympathetically, and then changed the subject, "but if you can't pay off the debt by then..." 　　Emperor Xie Yu's voice was not loud, but it struck everyone's heart heavily, "You don't have to sit on your seats." 　　"I think, in such a big world, among the knowledgeable people who 'donated officials', I can always find those who can share my worries..." 　　What Emperor Xie Yu meant was that if those of you who stole my money don't return it obediently, I will dismiss you from your jobs, and I will promote whoever has money! 　　This was a bit shameless, but it was very effective. 　　At least in the next two months, ministers with a keen sense of smell and who were terrified at the thought of money had already begun to urge their families to raise money and voluntarily pay off their debts. 　　But there were also old-established families like the Gongsun family and the Shen family, who still did not believe that Emperor Xie Yu would be so angry as to dismiss all those who had not paid off their debts, and they held on to a trace of luck. 　　But this trace of luck was soon replaced by regret. 　　The Gongsun family first became a model for the emperor to kill chickens to scare monkeys. 　　Gongsun Mu was dismissed on the spot by Emperor Xie Yu and imprisoned in Tianlao. 　　A large number of imperial guards also came to the Gongsun Mansion, and they took away Gongsun Chang and Gongsun Hui, who had already retired, and began to confiscate their property. 　　Box after box of jewellery, gold and silver were moved out of Gongsun Mansion, all of which were sealed with the seals of the national treasury. 　　Emperor Xieyu issued an edict that anyone who owed money to the national treasury would not be held liable if they paid it back within three days. If they could not pay it back after three days, they would bear the consequences themselves. 　　The Gongsun family is a good example of the consequences of taking responsibility. 　　Now, everyone knew that Emperor Xieyu was serious. 　　No matter if you are a royal relative or a wealthy family, if you don't pay back the money, your property will be confiscated. 　　All families and mansions began to take action. 　　They raised money everywhere. 　　The Shen family also began to feel uneasy. 　　※ 　　Shen Zhichang and Shen Zhimao actually heard some rumors about the emperor's collection of debts owed to the treasury, but they didn't take it too seriously, because they had been living a life of luxury since childhood and had no idea about it and had never borrowed money. 　　But the old lady Zhu Wanning couldn't sit still. 　　She knew that the Shen family had debts. 　　That was when her husband Shen Qipeng was still alive, and it was also the most glorious time for the Shen family. At that time, Shen Qipeng was a second-rank official, and he interacted with nobles every day, 　　so he inevitably needed money to make arrangements. The monthly salary of an official was only a few dozen taels, which was far from enough to cover various expenses. Although Zhu had a dowry, it was her own pocket money. After hearing from Shen Qipeng that his colleagues were withdrawing money from the Ministry of Revenue, and although they had written IOUs, they had never paid them back, Zhu encouraged Shen Qipeng to follow the trend and "borrow" money for turnover. Later, she "borrowed" money to lend at high interest rates and to buy property, and her private property gradually became richer. 　　But no matter how much property one had, it could not withstand the consumption of useless children and grandchildren. 　　Shen Zhichang spent his days playing poultry and walking the dog, and sometimes even went to gamble, with no income at all. In addition, although Shen Zhimao was an official, he was self-righteous and took a salary from the Hanlin Academy that was so low that it could be said to be non-existent. The Shen family now relied entirely on Zhu. 　　Shen Zhen was competitive, but he was not born from her belly. Zhu Wanning wanted him to disappear, so how could she rely on him? 　　Shen Zhen has been busy with the donation of official positions for the past two months, leaving home early and returning late every day. He was anxious to finish dealing with the affairs here so that he could have a good talk with his daughter-in-law about "their affairs". 　　But Zhu couldn't wait any longer. 　　After hearing that the Gongsun family was raided, she finally asked someone to call back Shen Zhen who was busy outside. She 　　also gathered the heads of each room in the family hall in the backyard. 　　Shen Zhichang and his wife, Shen Zhimao and his wife, Shen Zhongxing and his wife, all gathered together. 　　"Shen Zhen! Kneel down for me!" 　　As soon as Shen Zhen stepped into the family hall, he heard Zhu's stern shout. 　　But he is no longer the child who dared not resist anything. He is now tall and has a majestic aura. 　　He ignored Zhu's order and stood straight, "I wonder what mistake Shen Zhen made?" 　　"As a member of the Shen family, you only care about your own interests and don't consider the family, which puts the Shen family in a dilemma. Aren't you wrong!?" 　　Zhu put a big hat on Shen Zhen, as if to blame all the current turmoil of the Shen family on Shen Zhen. 　　"Oh? Dilemma?" Shen Zhen was not afraid of Zhu's scolding at all, and he was in the mood to look at Chu Jiao who lowered her eyebrows and eyes. 　　Well, the little girl is wearing a silk shirt and skirt today, which is also a good material that he and the emperor shamelessly asked for. It really suits her. The refreshing lake green color strikes people, and the girl's eyebrows have grown a little longer, exuding a mature charm. 　　"Hmph, you are the Minister of Personnel, don't tell me that I don't know that the Shen family also owes money! That is owed by your father, and it should be repaid by you three brothers together!" Zhu was determined to let Shen Zhen take the responsibility. She softened her tone and praised, "Your two brothers are not as capable as you. Third brother, the glory of the Shen family still depends on you." 　　"Hehe... rely on me..."

Shen Zhen found that when the moment he had been waiting for came, he did not feel the excitement he had imagined, but calm and rational, like an outsider.

"It's just a bastard born by a concubine..."

"It's just a slave..."

Shen Zhen repeated those malicious, cold words that had been ringing in his ears since he was a child, with a mocking look on his face.

"Mother, how can a person like me be worthy of the honor of the Shen family?"

Zhu hated him secretly in her heart. She didn't expect this bastard to hold a grudge so much. His words were like a loving mother's. "Alas, mother didn't manage the servants well back then. Those gossipers would have been dragged out and sold. Third brother, are you still blaming mother and hating mother, and unwilling to save the Shen family from the dire situation?"

If Shen Zhen answered "yes", he would be narrow-minded and disrespectful to his stepmother. If he answered "no", then Shen Zhen should help the Shen family get through this crisis.

"Mother," Shen Zhen took three incense sticks from the incense table beside him, lit them, and offered them to the tablet of Shen's ancestors in front of him, while saying lightly, "It's not that I don't want to save the Shen family, and I can't save it."

"If the debt can be paid off, the Shen family will be fine."

"If not..." Shen Zhen turned around and looked at Zhu Wanning with dark eyes, "The Shen family will be the next Gongsun family..."

Shen Zhichang's legs went weak, he rushed forward and held Shen Zhen's hand, "Third, third brother, save big brother, I don't want to be arrested and sent to the prison!"

Shen Zhen dodged flexibly, "Big brother, I'm sorry I can't do anything."

"Mom! It's all your and Dad's fault!" Shen Zhichang saw that he couldn't rely on Shen Zhen, and his fear turned into anger, which he directly took out on his own mother, "We didn't borrow the money, why should we pay it back!"

Zhu Wanning had a mouthful of blood stuck in her throat, but she still had to hold on, "Don't worry, Chang'er, we are a family that shares weal and woe, and there will always be a way."

She turned her eyes to Chu Jiao, who had been silent on the side, "You're right, Zhongxing's wife?"

Sharing weal and woe, saying such words under such circumstances, Chu Jiao certainly understood that this was an attempt to take advantage of her dowry.

She walked out of the shadows, pushed Shen Zhongxing towards Shen Zhen, and stood beside him.

Chu Jiao bowed to the elders, "Since I am from the third branch of the Shen family," she emphasized the word "third branch," "of course I will stand together with the third branch."

Zhu's smile was not even half revealed when her face darkened. Because she heard Chu Jiao say:

"So... I have handed all my dowry to my father-in-law for disposal."

And Shen Zhen's next words made Zhu choke and faint.

"Before, I didn't know that the Shen family had debts, so I was thinking about donating an official position for Zhongxing, and Jiao'er's dowry was all donated to the national treasury."