The three of them left separately. Huang Qi, who was on the second floor of Tianxin Tower, had witnessed the whole scene. After returning to the palace, he hesitated for a moment but still told the emperor what he had seen.
The emperor ignored his troublesome son and admired Wang Shuren even more. Wang Shuren had never made a mistake in his official duties, and he was able to maintain his integrity in poverty. He was neither corrupt nor did he lose his Confucian integrity like Zhao Dajia. He was truly a model for all officials.
"If every minister were like Minister Wang, I wouldn't have so many worries! Huang Qi, take this box of golden cakes to Minister Wang."
Huang Qi accepted the order and delivered the pastries to Wang Shuren's house.
The house was secluded, with only a courtyard. There were no servants or maids in the house. In the courtyard stood a peach tree, which was now bare with only its branches remaining in late autumn.
Two quilts were drying on bamboo poles under the tree. A woman was patting the quilts. When she saw them coming in their palace attire, she quickly called for Wang Shuren inside the house.
At this time, Wang Shuren had just returned home and had just opened the snack box. Before he could even put a piece in his mouth, he heard his wife calling him and quickly came out to greet her.
Upon seeing that it was Huang Qi, the emperor's trusted chief eunuch, he was taken aback for a moment before quickly welcoming him into the house.
Upon entering the room, Huang Qi took a quick look around. The furnishings were very simple; there were no luxurious items, and it even looked rather shabby. One of the wardrobe legs was broken and it was propped up with a brick. There was also an open package of pastries on the table.
"Is this golden cake?"
Huang Qi noticed that the pastries looked somewhat similar to the golden cakes the emperor had asked him to buy, but the ones on the table looked rough and unappetizing, so they must have been bought from that shabby little shop before.
"Yes, I don't have any particular hobbies, but I do enjoy eating this. If you don't mind, may I try some?"
Wang Shuren was respectful, and a little embarrassed.
Huang Qi smiled and handed the golden cake from the eunuch behind him to Wang Shuren, saying, "I won't try it. But you're in luck, Lord Wang. This was specially given to me by the Emperor for you."
Wang Shuren accepted the pastries with some confusion. "May I ask, sir, why did His Majesty bestow these upon me?"
Although he hasn't made any major mistakes recently, he hasn't done anything particularly outstanding either. So how did he catch the emperor's attention?
Huang Qi patted Wang Shuren's arm and said with a smile, "Lord Wang, there's no need to be nervous. Our Emperor is grateful for your poverty and has specially rewarded you."
Wang Shuren had already thought it over in his mind again, and after confirming that there had been no mistakes in what he had done, he quickly knelt down to express his gratitude with tears in his eyes, his attitude extremely sincere.
Huang Qi's impression of Wang Shuren improved even more upon seeing this. What a good official! He was also very loyal. The Emperor would surely be pleased to see this.
After Huang Qi returned to the palace, he described to the emperor how poor Wang Shuren's family was and how grateful Wang Shuren was to the emperor. The emperor was naturally moved and said nothing more.
After watching Huang Qi's figure disappear into the street, Wang Shuren went back into the house and opened the package of pastries. As soon as he opened it, he was startled.
Just then, his wife brought in the quilt and, seeing his deathly pale face, asked him what was wrong. Wang Shuren then showed his wife the box of golden cakes that the emperor had bestowed upon him, his eyebrows almost furrowing into his nostrils. "Tell me," he said, "what does the emperor mean by this? Why did he suddenly bestow this box of golden cakes?"
Did the emperor find out something?
Madam Wang was also startled, but she quickly regained her composure. "You've always been careful and cautious, and you haven't made any mistakes over the years. There shouldn't be any problem."
After thinking for a moment, he pondered and said, "Is it because Lord Zhao has been too prominent lately that the Emperor remembered you? Or is it because he saw that you have always been poor that he sent you a reward?"
Wang Shuren nodded as well. Because of their similar backgrounds and the fact that they came from the same place, it was not surprising that the court always liked to compare him with Zhao Dajia.
Just then, a person walked in from outside, calling out as he entered, "Father-in-law, your son-in-law has come to see you."
The person entered the room, bowed to Wang Shuren and his wife, and placed a package of pastries on the table. However, the pastries were much heavier than usual.
"Father-in-law, your son-in-law has brought you your favorite golden cake."
The newcomer had dark skin, a high nose, and small, shrewd eyes; he was none other than Wu Zhu, Wang Shuren's third son-in-law.
Wang Shuren asked his wife to prepare some wine and snacks, and then asked his son-in-law to sit down. The two began to talk.
Wu Zhu noticed the two open boxes of golden cakes on the table and asked in surprise, "Father-in-law, are these golden cakes from Tianxinlou? You've decided to buy them?"
Wang Shuren rolled his eyes at him and said indifferently, "It was a gift from the Emperor."
Wu Zhu nearly spat out his tea. "A gift from the Emperor?"
Two pairs of eyes looked at each other, one with surprise and suspicion, the other with calm indifference.
"Don't worry, it has nothing to do with what we're doing."
Wang Shuren calmly reassured him, but Wu Zhu was still somewhat worried, his eyes glancing at the box of golden cakes he had brought. "Father-in-law, how about we let it go for now and discuss it again in a few days..."
"What are you afraid of!" Wang Shuren looked down on his son-in-law's timid and cautious manner. "I told you it has nothing to do with us. The Emperor is currently preoccupied with matters in the Western Regions. He has no time to concern himself with us."
Even so, Wu Zhu was still a little scared, but the heavy package of pastries had already been taken away by his father-in-law, who opened the wardrobe, put it inside, and took out another piece of paper.
"Tell the Zhou family when you get back that construction can begin at any time."
Wang Shuren handed the paper to Wu Zhu. Wu Zhu looked at it and, sure enough, it was the land deed for the plot of land in the west of the city. Hesitantly, he accepted it.
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